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Bordeaux’s newly elected major Pierre Hurmic, a member of the French Green Party Europe Ecologie Les Verts, refuses to erect a Christmas tree in Place Pey Berland, the iconic square in front of Bordeaux’s cathedral. Nor does he want to see ‘dead trees’ in any other areas of the city during the upcoming holiday season as these do not fit with the city’s re-vegetation policy. The French Christmas tree association calls the major’s disrespectful remarks ‘a cheap way to grab media attention to the detriment of a highly professional industry’.
The major’s Christmas tree ban and his alternative plan for live festive displays at the town hall have met with opposition online from right-wing parties blaming the major for killing traditions.
Frédéric Naudet, President of the French Christmas Tree Association (Association Française du Sapin de Noël Naturel AFSNN), penned a heartfelt open letter to Hurmic urging for more respect and understanding for real Christmas tree growers.
He states that they provide not only joy for so many consumers but also a sizeable amount of jobs.
According to Naudet, Hurmic’s statements are proof of a profound lack of knowledge of the agricultural world. “Which is surprising for an elected representative who says has ecological issues close to the heart.”
Naudet speaks on good authority as he is a grower himself, running a family business, Naudet Sapins de Noël, covering an area of 450ha at the heart of the Morvan region.
He continues, “We would like to express our strong dissatisfaction following this speech, the content of which seems to have the sole aim of attacking the symbolism represented by the natural Christmas tree, on the grounds that it is responsible for deforestation and global warming, and of discrediting an entire profession and the whole horticultural industry.”
Naudet says that reducing the worth of what French growers of real Christmas trees do to being mere producers of ‘dead trees’ is unacceptable. It is a dogmatic vision, without any foundation, which aims to deny an appreciated and widely followed family tradition, as well as to divert French people from the Christmas trees cultivated in France.
Since 24 March 2003, by ministerial decree, the French government recognises Christmas tree growing as an agricultural activity, there has been no ambiguity about the subject of deforestation. The Christmas tree is not a wild tree uprooted from the forest but a cultivated plant. For each tree offered for Christmas, a new tree is grown which will absorb the carbon emitted into the atmosphere. The carbon balance of the Christmas tree grown in France is mostly favourable, Naudet stresses.
The members of the Association Française du Sapin de Noël Naturel (AFSNN) are committed to growing trees in strict compliance with the standards and regulations in force. They have chosen to give priority to sustainable local production that generates employment.
The Christmas tree is the symbol of the festive season, a tradition firmly anchored in our culture and to which the French remain very attached. It pleases the children who decorate it and the families who gather around it every year.
Naudet, finalises, “Whatever Mr Hurmic thinks about it, the French are in favour of the natural fir tree which also illustrates an intergenerational social link particularly indispensable in these difficult times. If this was not the case, there would not tree producers concerned about the preservation of the environment and the economic activity of their regions.”
In France, 800 producers grow Christmas trees on 4800ha. Together they produce 80 per cent of the Christmas trees sold in the country.
The Belgium Ardennes and the French Morvan, are two European regions that are home to a sizeable mass of Christmas tree production. Both are mid-mountain areas with a continental climate and low nutrient acid soils, ideal for growing healthy trees that transport well.
Although originating from forestry, Christmas tree production has experienced a robust international development and moved from a traditional harvest of wild trees to a highly professional nursery stock production, in dedicated plots of lands. Christmas trees are grown in containers or in the field according to their destination (cut tree or containerised tree) for 6 to eight years. European production amounts to an estimated 60 million trees, Denmark and Germany are the primary producers, with respectively 20 and 12 million trees. France and Belgium rank third and fourth in comparison.


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The University City-area Melting Pot will be no more. The fondue restaurant, part of a national chain, is moving from the Grand Promenade shopping center on W.T. Harris Boulevard to 16625 Statesville Road in Huntersville in about two months. That ...Read More »
Hospitality and Entertainment
The Charlotte City Council this week approved rezoning requests for carwash company Autobell and developer The Bissell Cos. For Autobell, the rezoning of 1.82-acres at Park, Tyvola and Fairview roads from high-density multifamily residential, or R-22, to a business district ...Read More »
Lincoln County commissioners have approved a rezoning that will allow construction of a golf driving range. The county’s planning board has recommended approval of a rezoning request from Steven Pearman of Denver to change 10.2 acres from single-family residential to ...
Tagged with: Steven PearmanRead More »
Gaston County commissioners have passed on the opportunity to buy about 100 acres of land for a youth sports complex. The site, known as the Lineberger property because it is owned by members of the Lineberger family, was being considered ...
Tagged with: Gaston County Travel and Tourism Advisory BoardRead More »
Four days after The Mecklenburg Times reported that America’s Park developers were lagging on a road construction project necessary to build their 25-field, $20 million baseball complex in Mooresville, developers announced Tuesday they were pushing back the opening date to ...Read More »
Last week, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission’s zoning committee recommended that approval not be granted to a rezoning request for 3.23 acres at West Sugar Creek Road, North Graham Street and Mineral Springs Road. Louis Ratcliff Inc. sought the change to ...
Tagged with: Louise Ratcliffe Inc.Read More »
Statesville’s planning board is recommending new design guidelines for restaurants with outdoor dining. The guidelines would allow business owners to have outdoor dining within the city’s central business district. They spell out, among other things, perimeter dimensions for barriers, such as fences and ...Read More »
A rezoning request from The Bissell Cos. will be considered at a meeting of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission 5 p.m. Tuesday. Bissell hopes to rezone 520 acres for the development of 1.06 million square feet of office space, 100 hotel ...Read More »
The owner of Carowinds has bought 61 acres of vacant property next to the theme park to make way for future expansions. Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., based in Sandusky, Ohio, made the announcement Monday. It did not disclose the purchase ...Read More »
Tim Newman, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO who has been the subject of criticism for months, will no longer fill that role with the agency, the CRVA announced today. Instead, Newman will be the agency’s senior executive responsible for ...Read More »

domain: news


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LOS ANGELES (CNNMoney) -- Kendall Jenner's new ad for Pepsi has fallen flat.
After pumping up the excitement for her new role as a Pepsi spokesperson, the model unveiled her debut ad on Tuesday and quickly became the target of backlash, as did the soda company.
In the ad, Jenner is seen participating in a photo shoot and becomes distracted by a group of protestors. She decides to join them, and toward the end, comes face-to-face with a stoic police officer. She offers him a Pepsi and he accepts the drink before cracking a smile.
The ad was quickly accused of appropriating the Black Lives Matter movement and using social justice to sell soda.
WATCH: See the controversial ad below
The imagery was also thought by some to be far too similar to photos of Ieshia Evans, a protestor who was detained by law enforcement while protesting in Baton Rouge following the shooting death of Alton Sterling at the hands of police.
"Pepsi's new ad Kendall Jenner 'ends racism' by handing police men a Pepsi - way to degrade 50 yrs of black/minority struggle," wrote one person on Twitter.
"Can you believe Kendall Jenner solved all the Black Lives Matter issues by giving a Pepsi to a cop? inspiring," wrote another, sarcastically.
"Next time @pepsi do one where Kendall Jenner marches to Montgomery but the cops don't bludgeon her bc she's white & has a refreshing @pepsi," added New Yorker contributing writer Jia Tolentino.
Community organizer Deray McKesson also commented on the ad, tweeting, "If I had carried Pepsi I guess I never would've gotten arrested. Who knew?"
The ad was part of what Pepsi was calling its "moments" campaign.
Jenner's ad was called "Jump In," "a short film about the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back," according to a company description.
Pepsi later confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that it would no longer run the ad. Pepsi also apologized for the commercial, saying it "did not intend to make light of any serious issue."
Jenner has not weighed in on the backlash.
Pepsi is pulling their latest controversial ad featuring Kendall Jenner, reports Wall Street Journal pic.twitter.com/dUqojMfccO
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) April 5, 2017
As of 6:45 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the ad featuring Jenner had been viewed more than 1 million times.


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Cotton yarns’ export from India continues to shoot up and the same has gone historically high in January ’22.
The country has shipped US $ 493.30 million worth of cotton yarns in the first month of 2022 (up 96.92 per cent on Y-o-Y basis), which is the highest ever export revenues in the category in January month.
As per an analysis done by Apparel Resources using official figures, the previous best export revenue in cotton yarns was US $ 435.73 million, that too back in January ’14.It’s worth noting here that, despite domestic outrages, India clocked US $ 4.69 billion export revenues in cotton yarn during 2021, noting 79.64 per cent yearly growth.
The shipments to Bangladesh and Turkey have remained unstoppable with US $ 220.45 million and US $ 32 million revenues coming from these two countries.
On one hand, cotton yarn export to Bangladesh grew by a whopping 338.36 per cent in January ’22 over January ’21; Turkey, on the other hand, opened new growth avenues for India with massive 1,503 per cent yearly growth, as shipment to this country was merely US $ 2 million a year ago.
What’s interesting is the downfall of China as Indian cotton yarn shippers seem to be moving away from this country, while looking out for other potential markets where Indian cotton yarn can dominate.
The exports to China declined by 59.24 per cent in January ’22 to US $ 23.65 million, as against US $ 58 million in the same month of 2021.
Even Portugal stayed ahead of China with the import values of Indian cotton yarns reaching US $ 25.78 million, growing by an impressive 324.86 per cent annual rate during January ’22.


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The unprecedented second wave has taken a huge toll on the country’s health infrastructure. As India gasps for breath, the ‘glocal’ tech and startup communities have stepped forward to provide much-needed support.
Exclusive Economic Times Stories, Editorials & Expert opinion across 20+ sectors
Stock analysis. Market Research. Industry Trends on 4000+ Stocks


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It is getting to make or break time for the food business regarding the cost of living crisis and in the case of menus the price of putting food or drink on your eating out table crisis. Many places will not make it to the New Year. It really is an emergency as the reality of the situation is simply the customer will no longer be able to afford to eat out and the food business will no longer be able to operate a viable service. It will result in less and less outlets to dine out in and a shrinkage of the market as only the public with no money worries or limits will be future customers. Add to this the fact that hospitality is at the bottom of the career choice ladder for school leavers and the trade has had an exodus from industry before, during and post covid then the pain is only worse again for owners and operators. It will be back to the seventies where hardly anyone ate out except the well to do or those with a special occasion to celebrate.
In the space of the last six to twelve months basic essential ingredients like say meat and cooking oil have doubled and tripled to buy in never mind the price of energy to cook the food and the heat and light for a premises have had the same increases. Now for what is a tight margin sector, you are talking low single digit net margins by the way; the maths will just not add up without the punter playing their part to keep the restaurant doors open. With hardly any inflation for twenty years a whole generation have been living at a standstill of just not having the experience of annual price rises. They will strike for their higher wages ironically.
The most frustrating part is that a lot of customers still do not manage to equate the fact that their own domestic shopping bill has risen substantially but they object to menu pricing being adjusted accordingly as well. All the food is coming from the same place be it to supermarkets or commercial whole sellers.
Restaurants in America with its huge eating out culture have resorted to posting notices on their windows showing the increases in the price of basic ingredients to justify their price hikes so that regular customers will not get irate.
The new extortionate price of fertilizer and transport internationally for example and shortage of labour never mind the war in Ukraine has had huge impacts on food commodities and the inflation dial has only started to turn, wait until you see the prices next year. The bigger picture detail is always far too removed, boring and complicated for the average member of the public to focus in on but when it hits the home energy and eating bills like it has already then their attention is really grabbed.
There has never been so many people seeking help from food banks and you will soon be paying close to a fiver for a takeaway coffee so you will not be having those treats as much in the future. A couple of hot drinks a day may cost you fifty bucks a week soon and that is some price for a caffeine hit you can make yourself in a staff canteen or office tea station for fifty cents from a three euro jar of instant.
You do not have to pay thirty per cent labour and employer costs, then the same on buying the ingredients and the rest on rent, rates, insurance and the other fifty or so overheads your take out cup of coffee entails that will make it a fiver at the till.
It will be certainly a case of battening down the hatches this winter in more ways than one. So if your local cafe or bar is hiking up the prices then just pay up or don’t bother buying anything, go home and just don’t give out. There are a myriad of reasons for these rises and your custom if you can afford it is still very much appreciated every time.


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10 years ago today Steve Jobs unveiled to the world the first iPhone product from Apple at Macword 2007 in San Francisco. In this famous keynote he described the new iPhone revolution as three things – “An iPod, a phone and an internet communicator. An iPod, a phone… are you getting it? These are not separate devices, this is one device, and we are calling it ‘iPhone’. Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone, and here it is.”
Today the iPhone holds 27% of the smartphone market with total sales reaching 1 billion devices on July 27, 2016. The impact of the iPhone has changed the way many of us go about our daily lives. From the way we communicate, spend our money, travel, record and share our lives, get up in the morning, work out and connect with the world.
“iPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history. It’s become more than a constant companion. iPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and enables much of what we do throughout the day.” – Tim Cook. CEO, Apple.
With the average smartphone user spending 3 hours and 15 minutes consuming media every day, iPhone has helped innovate the face of the internet and the mobile app market, enabling fast web browsing and high-performance apps to run smoothly.
10 years ago today, iPhone changed everything about the way we thought about the smartphone. To see just how far they’ve come from their first generation iPhone, watch the famous keynote video below:


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The U.S. Supreme Court has handed Iowa Republicans a big boost for their recently enacted income tax overhaul by bringing online retail sales into the modern era.
The Republican-controlled Statehouse approved a six-year, $2 billion tax cut predicated to a large extent on federal tax law reforms; an array of new taxes on video streaming services, digital video rentals and ride-sharing services (taxis, Uber, Lyft, etc.) and the likelihood the high court would approve broader online sales tax collection.
The Government Accountability Office estimated Iowa would have collected between $104 million and $146 million in 2017 if all internet retail sales were collected.
The internet was opened to commercial business in 1993, but prohibitions on out-of-state sales tax collections dated back to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1967 and reaffirmed in 1992 (Quill v. North Dakota) that pertained to mail-order catalogs.
The decisions concluded when it came to interstate commerce, states weren’t allowed to collect sales taxes from online retailers without a physical presence in the state.
The top 20 national online retailers, including Amazon (despite President Donald Trump’s tweets to the contrary), collect sales taxes, primarily those without a physical presence in a state.
Wayfair, Newegg and Overstock.com were among retailers resisting a South Dakota law imposing internet sales taxes, leading to the high court showdown. South Dakota doesn’t have an income tax. It is heavily dependent on retail sales taxes.
In the 5-4 ruling, Justice Anthony Kennedy decried “this artificial, anachronistic rule that deprives states of vast revenues from major businesses.”
“A virtual showroom can show far more inventory, in far more detail, and with greater opportunities for consumer and seller interaction than might be possible for local stores,” he added. “Yet the continuous and pervasive virtual presence of retailers today is, under Quill simply irrelevant. This court should not maintain a rule that ignores these substantial virtual connections to the state.”
The decision marked a strange court split. Liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined conservatives Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch in the majority. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts dissented with liberals Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
Roberts contended Congress should solve the problem. The minority also bought the argument from online retailers that they couldn’t cope with 12,000 local tax jurisdictions, despite software that inevitably will resolve that issue.
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After Congress protected online sales with the Internet Tax Freedom Act of 1998, Iowa and 43 other states governments formed the Streamlined Sales Tax Project setting rules to reduce the burden of complying with sales taxes in multiple jurisdictions as a precursor to capturing online sales taxes.
Yet Congress punted, despite the growth of internet sales — notably “pureplay” outlets (internet only), both behemoths and small sellers — while many so-called “bricks and mortar”-only stores were closing shops in malls and on Main Street.
Kennedy seized on Wayfair’s marketing to cite its unfair advantage in boosting its home goods and furniture business.
“Its advertising seeks to create an image of beautiful, peaceful homes, but it also says that ‘one of the best things about buying through Wayfair is that we do not have to charge sales tax,’” he wrote. “What Wayfair ignores in its subtle offer to assist in tax evasion is that creating a dream home assumes solvent state and local governments.”
Customers do 10 percent of their shopping online. The tax evasion Kennedy cited has been a devastating disadvantage to Main Street and big-box retailers alike — with the many jobs they create as well as the property tax generated for local governments.
The GAO stated state and local government budgets in 2017 would have had an increase of $8.5 billion and $13 billion if they had been able to collect sales taxes from out-of-state sellers.
The Iowa Department of Revenue estimates it will collect $69 million for fiscal year 2019 after the new tax law takes effect Jan. 1. It projects increases to $105.7 million in 2020 and $178 million in 2024.
That is critically important in Iowa. Despite the stock market gains a year ago, which have since flattened, and a continually decreasing unemployment rate, Revenue Estimating Conference projections used to establish state budgets have consistently fallen short of projections.
That has resulted in cuts to universities and community colleges, courts, prisons and human services near the end of their fiscal years.
Among the problems have been overly generous tax credits; the slumping farm economy, which continues to take a hit as China and other nations retaliate against Trump’s tariffs and trade policies; and declining in-state retail sales.
Republicans included “guardrails” in the new tax plan in case revenues are inadequate. The U.S. Supreme Court decision will reinforce their optimism that it could take effect as planned.


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When Zomato was setting up shop six years ago, the online restaurant search service had to woo engineers, but many weren’t interested in working for an unknown company. Instead, they wanted to work for larger and prestigious names. Slowly, that is changing.
Indian companies such as Zomato and Flipkart, which make their own technology products rather than provide services are becoming more attractive to the country’s engineering school graduates, and are hiring more people as they alter technology industry hiring patterns.
“We had to convince parents to let their kids work with us. Most people had no idea of what a products startup can offer,” said Gunjan Patidar, Zomato’s chief technology officer, talking about the company’s early days. “They know about Infosys and TCS because that’s where their cousins and friends have worked.”
Backed by Silicon Valley-based venture capitalists, these homegrown companies are not afraid to match salary packages offered by established foreign companies, and offer perks such as employee stock options.
Not everyone is born to be an engineer, but in India, many parents are determined to make it so for their children. India produces about 80,000 engineering graduates every year, according to Sandhya Chintala, vice president of the National Association of Software and Services Companies.
Engineering is considered a prestigious profession. In India’s close-knit family system, jobs can be associated with upward mobility, and can make a son or daughter a better marriage prospect. Children often have no say in the decision.
Working in information technology services with hundreds of thousands of employees, such as Tata Consultancy Services or Infosys, which handle other companies’ technology needs, has long been the easiest way for graduates to go abroad on job assignments, adding to their perceived social worth.
“I often say in India people first become engineers and then they decide what to do with their lives,” said Girish Mathrubootham, founder and chief executive of online customer support platform Freshdesk, which recently raised $31 million in funding from private equity firms Tiger Global, Accel Partners and Google Capital.
Freshdesk lost a potential employee in the early days to TCS because the employee’s parents wanted him to work for a well known company, Mathrubootham said. “Now we have an employee who went to work with Honeywell, but she came back within six months.”
via Software products bring hot career choices as India looks beyond IT services | India Insight.


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A group of German researchers has released findings that confirm the decreasing quality of search engine results, particularly on Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. The study, which involved an analysis of 7,392 product review queries, has identified a trend where pages with aggressive optimization for search engine results pages (SERPs), including the prolific use of affiliate marketing, often show a dip in text quality.
Affiliate Marketing's Impact
The research team, composed of academia from Leipzig and Bauhaus universities and the Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, has reported a direct correlation between the use of affiliate marketing techniques and the complexity of content. Pages saturated with affiliate links and engineered to suit SEO parameters tend to be of lower quality. Despite efforts by search engines to mitigate this through various algorithm updates, the results remain suboptimal, as the study concludes that these search engines are still vulnerable to manipulation by large-scale spam campaigns.
Generative AI: A New Challenge
The advent of generative AI has added a new layer of complexity to the issue. The study found that generative AI can rapidly produce low-quality content, exacerbating the problem. An overall downward trend in text quality across the board for all three search engines was observed, with the distinction between genuine content and spam becoming more ambiguous. The researchers caution that this trend is likely to continue, necessitating further studies to develop new strategies to combat the issue.
Janek Bevendorff, a research assistant at Leipzig University and co-author of the study, spoke on the findings, noting the difficulty in discerning a clear solution. While Google has already begun flagging “thin affiliates” with repetitive, low-quality content as spam, complete prohibition of affiliate marketing is not deemed feasible. This is because legitimate sites also use affiliate marketing and SEO optimization for revenue generation. Bevendorff suggests that a balance needs to be struck in promoting pages, especially those from sites that churn out content at a high volume.
As of now, Google has not provided a response to the findings. The study leaves the tech community with a pressing issue to ponder – what steps can be taken to salvage the utility of online search engines, as their current trajectories point towards a potential decline in the quality of delivered content. The researchers acknowledge that their static method of evaluation is insufficient for developing a real-time counter-strategy, and future research will gear towards that objective. The quest to improve the search engine ecosystem continues to be an intricate cat-and-mouse game with evolving challenges.


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Helium network to ditch its own blockchain in favor of a different one.
Helium is a blockchain-based network that was built off the trust and participation of its community. The network was powered by wireless communication protocols that were powered by hubs owned by thousands of individual users. It seems now that purpose-built layer 1 blockchain will be moved to Solana
The IoT or Internet Of Things was created by using devices, sensors, and trackers with over 950,000 nodes, or hotspots, in play-all being incentivized with tokens to reward the user for participation and building of the network.
The powers that be at Helium made an announcement earlier this month that stated they were interested in moving to Solana. The community vote was initiated and a total of 7,447 votes were made and ended this Thursday morning. The result was an 81.41% support for what was being called the “Helium Improvement Proposal.”
Solana will be the new home for Helium and the blockchain was designed to support massively scaling decentralized apps, or dApps. The blockchain is currently the ninth-largest blockchain and has a capitalization of $11.3 billion at the time of this writing.
Read More: Algorand Throws In For Helium Migration
This news comes right after more news of the Helium network’s creator, Nova Labs, brokering a deal with T-mobile to launch Helium Mobile, which will be a 5G wireless service for smartphones.
Solana is also coming out with the Solana phone but not a service, the phone itself will be web3 capable and built upon the Solana Mobile Service platform, this is not to be confused as a wireless service from Soalna however, it would appear both parties stand to benefit directly from this new partnership.
COO of the Helium Foundation, Scott Siegel, believes that moving to Solana will all Helium to realize “an ambitious mission of deploying and managing wireless networks at a scale” He also made the following statement
“Solana has a proven track record powering some of the world’s most important decentralized initiatives and they were an obvious choice for us to partner with. Moving to the Solana blockchain allows us to focus our efforts on scaling the network as opposed to managing the blockchain itself,”
The Helium foundation suggests the migration will provide users with. Better access in the form of hardware and software wallets, DeFi, NFT marketplaces, and composability with other applications in the Solana ecosystem- hmm sounds like Saga to us.


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The review, which began in November, saw W&K Amsterdam repitch with AKQA Amsterdam against several other agencies.
W+K Amsterdam, which has worked with EA since 2002, will continue to handle advertising for the game, while AKQA Amsterdam will work to bring the franchise alive in the digital space. The two agencies have previously collaborated on Nike campaigns.
EA works with a number of other agencies, including Agency Republic, which won a global advertising and digital task to launch its "first-person shooter" video game Bulletstorm in May last year.
Advertising for last year's Fifa 11 game saw W+K Amsterdam create activity that featured footballers including Wayne Rooney, Karim Benzema and Giorgio Chiellini.


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Diablo IV Compared To “First Chapter Of A Book” By Developer
Though less than a month has transpired since the grand unveiling of Diablo IV, quite a few interesting tidbits have come forward about Blizzard’s anticipated action RPG. Debuting gameplay has featured several classes from the upcoming title, as well as an intense look at an epic world boss battle. However, there’s undoubtedly much, much more ahead of us, with the game currently in development and being a long while away from completion.
The game’s sense of “more to come” will seemingly also apply to its story, as developers have recently compared it to “the first chapter of a book,” with additional tales still left to be told. According to an interview with Ausgamer, Game Director Luis Barriga and Art Director John Mueller spoke about the narrative direction for Diablo IV, addressing the game’s potential future as well as the choice to feature Lilith–not the titular Diablo–as the big bad this time around.
“Diablo IV is like the first chapter of a book,” explained John Mueller. “We want to tell a big story and we want to tell it, hopefully, for a very long time. Treating this like the first chapter of a book and Lilith as a key character in this story, it feels great knowing that there are still all these other characters that could come back in the future. Or, new characters that we haven’t seen before.”
Admitting a change to the series’ formula, Luis Barriga additionally made note of another deviation featured in Diablo III’s Reaper of Souls expansion, where players faced a new main antagonist in the form of Malthael. “In Reaper of Souls if you go up against Diablo, after playing to max level – it’s a battle that’s almost like a like a minor speed bump,” he added. “Malthael became the real boss. So, it’s also, what if we don’t bring him back right away? And instead, take the time to explore some of these other characters first.”
While the Lord of Terror’s return is delayed for the moment, it looks like Blizzard is taking the chance to give new characters a spotlight before inevitably turning the page back to Diablo. If the horrifically glorious return of Lilith is an indication of the rest of this so-called “chapter,” Diablo IV may shape up to be quite the page-turner whenever it finally hits shelves. As of now, it’s currently unknown when exactly this may happen, but a Beta test session is expected to take place sometime prior to the game’s full release.
Diablo IV is confirmed for release on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
What do you think? Are you interested in the next potential chapters of Diablo IV, or will you need to see more before establishing too much confidence? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more headlines recently featured on DFTG, check out these next few news stories:
Eric Hall2308 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.


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Sign up for our daily recaps of the ever-changing search marketing landscape.
Pinterest Is Bringing Guided Search To Desktop Users In The Next Few Weeks
Pinterest wants to be the search engine that helps people find things that they didn’t even know they were looking for. Two months ago, the company rolled out Guided Search on mobile devices and billed it as a revolutionary way for its users to consume and browse Pinterest, which CEO Ben Silbermann called the “world’s largest human created collection of things.”
The initial rollout was mobile focused because 75% of Pinterest usage is on phones and tablets. Today, Pinterest announced that it will push Guided Search to the desktop for English users during the next few weeks.
The main difference between Pinterest’s Guided Search and standard search engine results is that users are served category suggestions as they explore. So when Pinterest users look for BBQ chicken recipes, they are served a carousel of options –baked, crockpot, grilled, marinade, wings, etc. — that they can click into. It’s search aided by the curation of Pinterest’s dedicated users, who as of late April had created 750 million Pin boards and 30 billion Pins.
The new desktop interface also puts the search dialogue box in a more prominent position, moving it from the top left to the center of the page.
Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


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Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, is aiming to further boost its presence in the European market after forming a new partnership with Tech Data in the Czech Republic. The latest collaboration, which complements Kaspersky Lab’s existing distribution links with PCS, spearheads a plan to see the company take its place among the top 3 antivirus vendors in the Czech Republic within 3 years.
"We would like to increase our share in all segments. Through our cooperation with a new partner we hope to strengthen our position in the consumer market. Tech Data's extensive network allows us to offer our products in all key retail chains and online stores," said Andis Šteinmanis, Managing Director of Kaspersky Lab for the Baltics, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Kaspersky Lab plans to introduce Czech localizations of consumer products - including Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky PURE - in the foreseeable future.
Kaspersky Lab’s template also focuses on business customers. "We recently launched several brand-new corporate solutions: Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8, Kaspersky Security Center and our very latest solution – Kaspersky Security for Virtualization. This provides virtual IT infrastructures with centralized anti-malware security. From now on Kaspersky Lab is able to offer its Czech customers a single, unified management and security platform across their entire virtual, physical and mobile environments,” said Vasily Dyagilev, Managing Director Emerging Markets, Kaspersky Lab.
Tomas Cigler, country manager for Tech Data, believes the agreement is significant for Tech Data, and he expects that Kaspersky Lab's security products will quickly rank among the retailer’s fastest selling solutions.
“From a retail perspective, we see good prospects for Kaspersky Lab products for personal users. The company’s newcomer – Kaspersky ONE – has strong potential on the Czech market. Kaspersky Lab solutions have been prominent for many security-conscious consumers in Western Europe for a long time. We anticipate similar success in the local market,” Cigler concluded.
About Tech Data
Tech Data Corporation is one of the world's largest wholesale distributors of technology products. Its advanced logistics capabilities and value-added services enable over 125,000 resellers in more than 100 countries to efficiently and cost effectively support the diverse technology needs of end users. Headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., Tech Data generated $24.4 billion in net sales for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2011, and is ranked 109th on the Fortune 500(R). To learn more, visit www.techdata.com.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the largest antivirus company in Europe. It delivers some of the world’s most immediate protection against IT security threats, including viruses, spyware, crimeware, hackers, phishing, and spam. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users. Kaspersky Lab products provide superior detection rates and one of the industry’s fastest outbreak response times for home users, SMBs, large enterprises and the mobile computing environment. Kaspersky® technology is also used worldwide inside the products and services of the industry’s leading IT security solution providers. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and other IT security issues and trends, visit www.securelist.com.


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To ensure we are equipping our readers with all the information they need, we will continue to report on all travel, safety, and COVID-related news that could impact a Disney Parks visit.
As we prepare for what’s expected to be a busy travel season this summer, Disney parks and resorts around the world are updating their health and safety guidelines. In Disney World, the face mask requirement was dropped in February, and Aulani’s COVID-related travel requirements were altered about one month later.
Over in Disneyland Paris, there are lots of changes coming to the park. We saw Minnie Mouse debut a fabulous new outfit, plus some new food and merchandise hit the park for the 30th Anniversary. Now, Disney shared a new update to its health and safety guidelines. Let’s take a look.


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Shanghai has vowed to assure the supply of daily necessities to all its 25 million people by solving the "last 100-meter" problem on Thursday.
With over 20,000 local new infections, including 322 confirmed cases and 19,660 asymptomatic carriers recorded on Wednesday, Shanghai sees no sign of easing its lockdown and the supply of foods and daily necessities has become a priority for the public.
At the most critical stage of Shanghai's battle against Omicron, the local authorities are sparing no effort to insist on epidemic prevention and control as well as assure the supply of daily necessities at the same time, Chen Tong, deputy mayor of Shanghai Municipal People's Government said during a press conference on Thursday.
According to Chen, the reserve and storage of grains, cooking oil and meat are sufficient in the city and the supply of goods from outside Shanghai such as vegetables and meat can be transported to the city at any time.
However, due to the epidemic prevention and control policies, the supermarkets and wet markets have not resumed operation and the terminal distribution capacity of e-commerce platforms has dropped apparently, which has led to the problem that materials have failed to be sent to residents.
To tackle this problem, material supplies from supermarkets and e-commerce platforms will be distributed to residents through communities and property management companies in the form of food packages, Chen said.
Besides, the authority will work out a white list of daily necessities suppliers including wholesale markets, distribution centers, e-commerce warehouses, central kitchens which will be freed from lockdown and can implement strict epidemic prevention and control measures to assure the supply of materials.
Couriers and takeaway riders who are in lockdown will be allowed to return to their positions and material supply companies will be encouraged to reallocate resources of personnel across the country.
Meanwhile, the authority will spare no effort to crack down on violations related to prices. A total of 155 cases of price violations have been dealt with as of press time.
The city will also establish an emergency supply mechanism for the needs of special groups such as the elderly, mothers and their infants and disabled people, ensuring that they can ask for help via hotlines for daily necessities.
The authorities assured that products for infants such as formula powders have been listed as a key guaranteed priority item, so that the allocation, transportation and distribution of which will be secured and given priority to.
Besides, Chen assured the public that the materials donated by other provinces are treasured and the authorities have worked out management regulations for the materials and established special work groups and specific personnel to receive, allocate and distribute the materials.


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Motorola Droid Razr HD Gallery
Default Gallery Type Template
This is the default gallery type template, located in:
If you're seeing this, it's because the gallery type you selected has not provided a template of it's own.
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The number of apps dwindles to 13 before bouncing back up a bit. What’s the reason for this?
Earlier this week Google announced their new AdWords for mobile for Android, iPhone, and Palm Pre devices. Designed to streamline the AdWords experience, the mobile website gives users quick and
AdMob released their February 2010 report last week and it confirms what we’ve been seeing and saying for the last year or more: Android is growing very quickly and it’s


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London: Pop star Lady Gaga has designed a special charity bracelet to raise funds for Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims.
The ‘Born This Way’ singer, 24, has asked her fans to spend just 5 dollars (3 pounds) on the white rubber prayer band, reports the Daily Mail.
A post on her website and Twitter page said all proceeds from the band - which will be available from March 25 - will go to the Japan tsunami relief fund.
The bracelet has ``We Pray For Japan`` written in both English and Japanese as well as an image of her ``monster claw``, a symbol her fans use to show their love for the singer.
Gaga is a huge fan of the country and is inspired by its art and fashion and her stylist Nicola Formichetti is half-Japanese.


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Wait, Why Is the Toyota Tacoma in Last Place?
Wait for a second. Something feels off. The Toyota Tacoma isn’t a last-place truck, right? Well, it may depend on who you ask. Some critics are ranking the 2021 Toyota Tacoma behind every other mid-size pickup truck option.
Does the 2021 Toyota Tacoma really deserve last place?
Maybe, according to Car and Driver, the 2021 Toyota Tacoma does. On their ranked list of every 2021 mid-size pickup truck option, the Tacoma is in seventh place. That’s last! Also, that means they put the Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, and more ahead of the Tacoma.
The Honda Ridgeline is in first place, but that’s not surprising. Most critics gush over how well the Ridgeline handles like an SUV. However, the Tacoma typically receives a good amount of praise and higher rankings too.
For the record, they aren’t calling the Tacoma bad. They’re just calling every other truck better. The mid-size trucks are ranked based on overall utility. Each truck is judged based on its power, fuel economy, cargo space, and price.
What’s wrong with the Tacoma?
We wouldn’t say anything is exactly wrong with the 2021 Toyota Tacoma, but opinions about vehicles vary. Car and Driver found a few reasons to rank the Tacoma behind the rest of the pack.
One issue involves the rubbery cabin. The utilitarian layout and materials are a little dated. Higher trim levels rely on hard plastics and minimalistic materials. But some people want a simple and durable layout.
Car and Driver also wishes the Tacoma had more space. The tight quarters make it difficult to find a comfortable driving position. The rear seat is pretty confining. Passengers in the rear may want more legroom. Plus, the storage capacity is restricted.
Plus, the Tacoma has a just OK fuel economy. It gets an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and up to 23 mpg on the highway. This is a whole five MPG behind the Honda Ridgeline.
You might be able to forget about the subpar fuel economy if the Tacoma had a better ride quality. The ride is bumpy over pavement, and there’s a bit of wind and road noise in the cabin. Plus, the gearbox fails to provide smooth transmission shifts.
What’s good about the Tacoma?
There are still plenty of excellent features for the 2021 Toyota Tacoma to brag about. For example, it’s available with a six-speed manual transmission. The Jeep Gladiator is the only other mid-size truck with a manual option.
Plus, the Tacoma is rugged and versatile for off-roading. The TRD Pro model features TRD-tuned Internal Bypass FOX shocks, TRD Pro wheels, machine-forged upper control arms, skid plates, and more to dominate the wild.
The Toyota Tacoma has the most standard driver-assistance features in the segment. It comes with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.
Last, but not least, investing in a Tacoma is rarely a gamble. It’s known for being pretty durable and reliable. If you buy Tacoma and don’t like it, don’t worry. It has an incredibly high resale value.
The Tacoma seems to be ranked in last place because of its age. The Tacoma is older than the current generation Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier, Chevy Colorado, and more. However, it’s still one of the best options to buy.


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In recent years, Intel has experienced difficulties in developing semiconductor manufacturing. The scythe found on the stone at the stage of mastering the norms of 10 nm. The manufacturer was unable to fulfill its plans, began to shift deadlines and lag behind competitors. The technical process, developed quite a long time ago, has not been able to be brought to a level for several years, at which an acceptable percentage of the output of suitable products for mass production is provided. Intel has only recently begun mass-supplying 10nm products. Meanwhile, TSMC has managed to master the 10 nm, 7 nm and 5 nm standards. By releasing 5nm products, the contract manufacturer is already mastering the next step in technological standards.
Expecting to master 7nm standards in 2023, when TSMC is already moving to 3nm or less, Intel is looking for ways to remain competitive. According to the source, the company has come up with a simple, ingenious way – most likely, Intel will resort to renaming the nodes so that the new names “comply with industry agreements.” There is no information about new names yet. It remains to add that all this is unofficial information, so it should be taken critically.


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04 September 2019
Visiongain has launched a new pharma report Actinic Keratosis Treatment Market Forecast 2019-2029 : By Therapy (Topical, Surgery, Photodynamic Therapy), By Drug Class, By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts
The global Actinic Keratosis Treatment market is poised for rapid growth between 2019 and 2029. The market is driven by the high prevalence of the disease, rapid technological advances and increased consumer awareness.
Topical therapies will generate the highest revenue among other therapeutic segments during the forecast period. However, photodynamic therapy is expected to witness healthy growth during the forecast period. The increasing trend of photodynamic and combination therapies should favorably promote growth in the near future.
Leading companies featured in the report include Bausch Health Companies Inc.; LEO Pharma A/S; Almirall, S.A.; Biofrontera, Inc.; Nestlé S.A.; Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.; Novartis International AG; 3M Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Hill Dermaceuticals, Inc.; and Mylan N.V.
Notes for Editors
If you are interested in a more detailed overview of this report, please send an e-mail to email@example.com or call her on +44 (0) 207 336 6100.
Visiongain is one of the fastest growing and most innovative independent media companies in Europe. Based in London, UK, Visiongain produces a host of business-to-business reports focusing on the automotive, aviation, chemicals, cyber, defence, energy, food & drink, materials, packaging, pharmaceutical and utilities sectors.
Visiongain publishes reports produced by analysts who are qualified experts in their field. Visiongain has firmly established itself as the first port of call for the business professional who needs independent, high-quality, original material to rely and depend on.
Deviating from protocols raises the danger of missing or delaying data collection from current investigations. This highlights the growing importance of digital medicine, which is being aided by advancements in cloud, mobile, and IoT technology.
11 October 2021
High performance HPC and supercomputing technology have evolved substantially in China in the last decades, leading to extraordinary accomplishments. HPC-based and combined pharmaceutical chemical and computational biology computational discovery and design has become a significant technique in drug research and development and is sponsored financially by the Chinese government.
07 October 2021
Many health-care organizations are seeing organic growth at levels that their supply networks were never designed to handle. Others are frantically attempting to integrate diverse technology and procedures as part of a consolidation effort.
06 October 2021
Rise in prevalence of meningitis, increasing initiatives by government and regulatory authorities coupled strong funding support from non-profit organizations is expected to drive the global meningococcal vaccines market


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Although more organizations are moving to identify and train the next generation of workers in the logistics industry, the approaches they take vary widely.
Like many of the other parts of the country, California has seen significant improvement in its warehouse industry over the past several years.
As massive warehousing facilities crop up across the U.S., the logistics sector faces a similar problem to that of manufacturing.
In recent months, the number of warehousing projects that have gotten underway and started creating new jobs in the state of Georgia has been impressive.
For some time now, the big hub of the warehouse industry explosion has been Central Pennsylvania, as its proximity to many of the major population centers in the U.S. and Canada makes it a prime shipping location.
When the subject of warehousing comes up, many might imagine lots of individual efforts in centralized locations with large populations.
Warehouse jobs have increased in demand over the past few years as the need for well-trained, professional workers has grown sharply.
While many companies are ramping up their warehousing operations these days - and with good reason - there may not always be the necessary focus on facility safety that ensures smooth operations.
Many parts of the country have seen their warehouse and logistics industries bolstered in recent years by an increased effort on the part of many types of companies.
Increasing the minimum wage on a national level has been discussed at length in recent months, but in the meantime, many cities and states are looking at similar moves for themselves.
While much of the warehouse growth seen in the past few years has been focused along the East Coast, other parts of the U.S. have likewise seen significant improvement, including California.
Across the U.S., many cities and towns have been able to enjoy a large number of newly created jobs thanks to the growth of the warehousing industry in particular.
There has been a lot of talk in recent years about the economic benefits of raising the minimum wage because it gives people more money to spend.
The trend toward a higher minimum wage is getting a lot of headlines across the U.S., and it's a trend that's likely to continue for some time.
Over the past few years, the Eastern Seaboard has been home to a large amount of the country's warehouse growth, thanks to the many population centers located there.
Many lawmakers across the country have successfully raised the minimum wage in their cities or states in the past few years, and that trend seems to be catching on among legislators at the local and county levels in the states of Maryland and Virginia as well.
One of the biggest names currently driving the warehousing boom across the country recently said that it plans to boost hiring for these types of positions - and more - in a big hiring binge expected to be carried out over the next two years or so.
Amazon embarked upon a significant expansion of its warehousing operations over the course of 2016 and that trend seems set to continue into the new year as well.
The Northeast has seen a large number of warehouses go up in recent years as online retailers in particular look to increase their footprint in perhaps the most heavily populated region of North America.
In recent years, the number of warehouse operations that have picked up steam in the Keystone State has been remarkable, and it's a trend that many of the region's experts don't expect to abate any time soon.


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Narrow your search
The company has decided to try and find ways to partner with entities using its products for unauthorized use.
Rovio CEO Mikael Hed says that treating Angry Birds pirates as "fans" might be good for business.
Just as Spotify finally appears headed to the U.S., one of its execs suggests that Apple had something to do with the Web music company's licensing troubles.
Executives from Sony and cloud-music service mSpot cross swords over whether services like mSpot must pay the big labels to store songs and stream them to owners.
You'd be forgiven for thinking Sony would keep its new Music Unlimited cloud music service to its own mobile devices. Happily, iPhone and Android are joining the party.
The European music service cut its first licensing deal for a U.S. launch with one of the four top labels--Sony. Can signing Universal help speed up a launch?
Bach Technology is designing a new file format, MusicDNA, that will provide a wealth of information--from album cover art to concert dates--alongside a regular audio file. But third-party support will be essential.
A new audio format that will allow your music to give you updates has been unveiled. MusicDNA includes music, artwork and the promise of more -- even after you've downloaded
ISPs are doing more to protect copyright music and movies than ever but it's not good enough for Paul McGuinness, the outspoken manager of U2.
The new model for music is a flat-rate subscription, one that focuses on adoption rather than control. It conforms to digitization's abundance, rather than to the old idea of scarcity.


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As 2022 draws to a close, the price of lithium-ion type batteries has gone up for the first time in more than a decade, with surging raw material and transport costs driving the cost hike, and rising demand set to challenge the car industry’s efforts to achieve price parity with fossil fuel powered (ICE) vehicles.
“Amidst these price increases for battery metals, large battery manufacturers and automakers have turned to more aggressive strategies to hedge against volatility,” said Evelina Stoikou, an energy storage associate at BloombergNEF, “including direct investments in mining and refining projects.”
One company that’s seemingly way ahead of the curve on this is, of course, Tesla. Its controversial
CEO Technoking, Elon Musk, said in an August earnings call, “I’d like to once again urge entrepreneurs to enter the lithium refining business. The mining is relatively easy, the refining is much harder.” Musk went even further, saying that, “You can’t lose (with lithium refining), it’s a license to print money.”
In China, the world’s largest auto market and a key region for Tesla, lithium prices have gone up by more than 450% this year. China maintains more than 50% of the global lithium refining capacity at this time, but other countries, like Chile and Canada, are pushing ahead to increase their capacity, as well.
That push means that there is rising demand for EV battery materials, but not necessarily a rising supply. Charles Morris, over at EVANNEX, wrote, “Some industry experts are making dire predictions of looming shortages of critical minerals. One exec at a battery manufacturer recently told me that, while it might only take two years to build a battery gigafactory, it takes at least eight years, and sometimes much more, to bring a new lithium mine into production.” (Emphasis mine.)
He continues, adding that, “commodities analysts have also been sounding warnings about supplies of graphite, nickel, cobalt and a long list of specialty materials that are needed for (EV battery production).”
What’s the takeaway here? It’s hard to say, but you can’t ignore that there’s a lot of significant uncertainty about when EV battery prices will come down, and if you’ve got your hands on a nice lithium deposit, you stand to make a whole buttload of money!
Sources: Financial Times, EVANNEX.
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Source: Clean Technica


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Esato News Archive
Sony Ericsson appoints new President
April 27, 2004Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications today announced that it has appointed Mr Miles Flint as the new President of the company.
Sony Ericsson Z1010 soon to hit the shelves
April 07, 2004The Z1010 is the first 3G model to be launched from Sony Ericsson. The Z1010 will soon be available to key markets.


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Come September, when many students across the country return to school via remote learning, foodservice operators will have another remote option through which to purchase equipment and supplies. That’s why SEFA, a dealer-based foodservice equipment and supplies buying group will introduce Culitrade to the industry.
For foodservice operators, Culitrade will serve as a “commercial e-commerce site that is there for anyone who wants to use the internet to make a purchase of equipment and supply items that our dealers would carry,” says Kelly Cain, SEFA’s CEO. “This helps our dealers future-proof their businesses.”
Behind the scenes, instead of it being a single dealer’s website, Culitrade will serve as a marketplace where participating SEFA dealers can participate. “The effort to create, deploy and operate a true e-commerce model is daunting. For any one dealer not already participating in the e-commerce world, it would be hard for them to catch up,” Cain says. “The problem we needed to solve is how do we help our dealers tackle this very expensive initiative to get off the ground. The next step was to say we will do it. We will create the content and maintain the platform. The dealers will do what they do best, which is wow the customers.”
Like other e-commerce sites, customers buying via Culitrade will be able to provide ratings, feedback and the like about the dealers that handle their orders. “The sellers will have a chance to win the customers’ loyalty by doing what they committed to doing,” Cain adds. “We will be able to leverage the distribution footprint of the SEFA dealers and their hundreds of branch locations. That’s a very powerful, last mile connection to the customer.”
Unlike other e-commerce marketplaces, where resellers remain in the shadows, Culitrade will shine the spotlight on the individual participating SEFA dealers’. “The website is meant to promote and position our dealers as the companies the customers do business with,” Cain says. “On other online marketplaces, that information is buried. Here it’s all about our members. We have a variety of dealers, and this speaks to all of them. Our e-commerce dealers are excited because it gives them another way to get in front of a customers.”
With dealer members throughout the country, it would seem inevitable that Culitrade could force SEFA dealers to compete with each other on a more regular basis. “Yes, there’s an emotional response where one member does not necessarily want another one selling in their backyard,” Cain says. “But this is not about being the lowest price or stealing share from another SEFA dealer. We intend to share with our members what items were sold where. We can spot trends and pricing opportunities, and it can even help local dealers capture more share. SEFA’s market share is 18%, so there’s a whole lot of business out there we don’t have.”
Culitrade will start with 30,000 SKUs, Cain says. In terms of other content, SEFA will leverage some of its existing educational materials to help populate the site with some of its previously existing educational materials. “One of the great legacies of SEFA is we have digitized training guides that we can turn into a buying guide,” Cain says. "It will be a high-quality approach to curating and personalizing the experience to help the customer make their purchasing decision.”
In addition to the buying guides and new product inventory, the site will also include a section called Culitrade Closeout. This area will feature dealer inventory items that came back from jobs with minor imperfections or were returned for other reasons but are still in working order. “We look forward to helping our dealers liquidate that inventory,” Cain says.
This is not the first time a dealer-based buying group has launched its own e-commerce . And one of the last attempts at an online dealer marketplace did not go well for some of the participating dealers and manufacturers. Cain’s well aware of this history. “It’s tricky and it’s going to take some balancing. But a future without an industry marketplace like this would be bad,” she says. “Some of the biggest advocates are some of the people that took the biggest beatings from that implosion.”
To help try to avoid any pitfalls, SEFA intends to rely on its dealer-based governance structure, maintain transparency with its members and stay true to the marketplace’s business model. “We are going to rely on our governance and accountability to make sure the oversight is where it needs to be,” Cain says.
In building awareness of its new online marketplace, SEFA plans to launch a digital marketing campaign to promote Culitrade. Cain also understands it will take some time. “It’s going to be a year before we get higher on search engines and getting the hits. The battle to drive traffic is tremendously challenging,” she says. “From an industry perspective, we have a dedicated webinar coming where all SEFA suppliers are invited. It’s not lost on us that a lot of suppliers took a beating on previous efforts brought forth by other groups, so we want to get the word out and benefit from their partnership.”
The imminent launch of Culitrade represents the latest in a series of initiatives SEFA has made to help its dealer members improve their businesses. “We need to help these dealers get fit to fight for their futures,” Cain says.
For example, the buying group launched an enterprise resource management initiative to help dealers better manage their companies and to provide additional business intelligence. “This ERP initiative allows our dealers a line of sight into how their businesses are performing that they never had before,” Cain says.
SEFA also offers what the organization describes as its Exclusive Advantage Program, through which the group offers its own private-label products. This approach is very similar to what some larger dealers do on their own. Finally, Culitrade strives to help better position SEFA dealers to compete in the world of online foodservice equipment and supplies sales.
“As those three initiatives converge, it’s a beautiful thing. It really is,” Cain says. “These are foundational systems that will carry them to the future.”


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After the 'real gold' HTC One, this one's more of a 'champagne' version
Following the (very) limited arrival of the HTC One in 18-carat gold, HTC has announced a new "golden" version of the HTC One to go alongside the silver, black, red and blue versions. As a mainstream color option, this version isn't plated with the precious metal — rather the aluminum chassis has been treated with a "champagne" color, similar to the "gold" iPhone 5s. Besides the eye-catching exterior, it's basically the same handset we've been using since the spring, with a Snapdragon 600 CPU, 1080p display and Android 4.3 plus HTC Sense 5.5.
The gold HTC One will be released across Europe "with a number of partners," HTC says, adding that details of local availability will be revealed later today.
So is anyone tempted by this new color option for the HTC One? Shout out in the comments!


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We have some interesting news for PC gamers now, especially for those that are currently thinking of upgrading to a new graphics card in 2013. You may want to hold off on that decision for now, as AMD has revealed that they will be offering a free copy of Battlefield 4, with the purchase of one of their future graphics cards.
For those that have purchased an AMD graphics card recently, you should already be familiar with AMD’s running Never Settle Campaign, which has already proved to be a popular success with fans. At the moment, if you pick up an AMD Radeon HD graphics card between the 7800 and 7900 series, you’ll be able to pick up games such as Sleeping Dogs, Bioshock Infinite and Tomb Raider as an incentive bonus.
The recently released Sim City will soon be joining that list as well, but Battlefield 4 powered by the Frostbite 3 engine is surely going to be the icing on the cake. AMD hasn’t said when the offer will commence, or more importantly – which specific graphics card that consumers will need to purchase to be eligible for the offer.
Having said that, we can confirm that the amazing 17 minute Battlefield 4 footage on PC was powered by an AMD Radeon HD 7990 graphics card, so it could be the only card that is needed to get a free copy of the upcoming game – although AMD will obviously make this clearer closer to release.
A free copy of Battlefield 4 may sound like a great incentive, but if the Radeon HD 7990 GPU is needed, expect to pay around $1000 for one so it will not be cheap at all. If you regularly update your PC hardware, let us know your thoughts on this promotion from AMD.
Will any of you be taking AMD up on their offer, or does it often involve very high costs that isn’t worth it just for a free game?
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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Samsung's Windows Mixed Reality headset isn't coming to Europe
If you were hoping to get your hands on Samsung's Windows Mixed Reality headset in Europe, it looks like you're out of luck.
Speaking with The Verge, a Samsung spokesperson said that the Odyssey Windows Mixed Reality headset will be released in the U.S., but it won't be coming to Europe. There's no indication as to why Samsung is skipping the European market, but it's a move that will likely come as a disappointment to some.
Samsung's Odyssey headset is largely seen as the frontrunner among the current lineup of Windows Mixed Reality headsets. While most of the headsets feature very similar specs, Samsung's offering stands out from the pack with OLED 1400x1600 displays and a wider, 110-degree field-of-view. The Odyssey also packs its own set of integrated headphones. The headset also comes at a premium of $499.
Microsoft only just added support for Windows Mixed Reality in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, which launched this week alongside a lineup of headsets from hardware partners like Acer, HP, Lenovo, and Dell. Samsung's headset is set to launch on November 6 in the U.S. for $499.
Samsung HMD Odyssey: Hands on with a 'premium' Mixed Reality headset
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Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl.


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THE Australian wool market ended the selling season on a softer note as prices eased again last week.
At the close of last week's auctions, the Australian dollar had fallen by 50c, as measured by the AWEX's Eastern Market Indicator.
However, the currency played a large part in this decline with US dollar prices only 19c weaker. The Australian dollar had been appreciating for most of the week as currency traders took a 'risk-on' position, pushing money out of the US dollar pot into Asia positive investments - of which the Australian dollar and to a lesser extent the Kiwi dollar are still among the current favourites.
Nevertheless, the mood in the auction room was less than buoyant, and as with many other commodity and financial markets around the world all eyes were on Osaka for the G20 meeting. Not the actual meeting per se, but of much more interest was the meeting between President Trump and President Xi.
AWEX's Northern Market Indicator closed down 58c on1731c. The 17 micron indicator closed on 2090c, 18 micron 2002c, 19 micron 1984c, and 20 micron 961c.
The Australian wool market has had a pretty stellar year in 2018-19 but failed to live up to expectations by the end of proceedings. A record EMI level of 2116 was reached in August last year, on the back of a flurry of Chinese Fake Fur demand. Then it looked like it would surpass this record in February/March this year when the processing fraternity in China realised that early calls of a nearly 20 per cent drop in production were not going to be far off the mark.
However, since February it has been a struggle to maintain the lofty highs, and the market has been troubled by a lack of confidence, price resistance which had been building for a year or so, and cash flow issues.
The trade war issue will undoubtedly be blamed for bursting the bubble, yet there have been several other factors unique to the wool industry that have been equally important in the longer term. Not that the bubble has burst and left the industry in chaos as has been the case in previous times. 21-micron (for those still able to offer it in this drought affected clip) is still commanding somewhere around $20/kg - or will be when we get enough lots for AWEX to quote it.
Not so long ago we were struggling to keep this important indicator above the $10 mark, which was considered break even. No doubt, with the inevitable price rises, the break-even level is higher than $10/kg clean for the average Merino wool grower, but $20 for 21-micron Merino plus the fairly handy meat price at present still looks very favourable. Just add water and life would be very good indeed.
So, what about the issues that have led to the price correction since February this year. The trade issue still remains front and centre, but with the agreement over the weekend for China and America are to return to the negotiating table it is hopefully moving towards a resolution.
Just add water and life would be very good indeed.
The issue is beginning to bite deeply on both sides of the Pacific, the pressure to find a solution is reaching a critical stage. The demands on both sides are basically huge and probably intractable, however there is scope to find a win-win solution if there is enough goodwill forthcoming. It will presumably reach an interim solution, with some fairly mundane concessions from either side, that can be sold domestically in both camps as a victory, with a lot of points left in the too hard basket.
Other factors that have caused the wool market to come off the boil have arguably been resolved. The price resistance issue, whereby worsted fabric manufacturers in particular, but everyone to a degree, were being told by their customers that merino wool was becoming too expensive.
Rather than the actual cost, it was more a case of the speed of the increase that did not allow retailers to adjust. We have now seen a reduction in prices back to where they were at the end of 2017, which was in the midst of a good selling season for manufacturers of woolen products, and it should be a much easier conversation for them as we head into the next round of exhibitions for yarns and fabrics.
Add into the mix the 'new' criteria of sustainability, natural fibre composition and in some cases provenance, and they are selling from a very strong position - with the added advantage of being able to point to 'cheap' prices at present. So, for the price resistance issue - tick. The low-quality issues that have plagued the Australian wool offering this season have exacerbated the price falls and made life tough for the processing fraternity.
With just enough rain so far to promise a better outlook, we can cross our fingers and hope that the Australian wool clip will return to something approaching normal yield, strength and micron this year. This change in micron will lift clean fleece weights as a natural occurrence, and thereby increase production across the nation.
However, sheep numbers will take several years to rebuild, so it will be quite a while before we can regain the production levels of 2017-18 again. So, for quality - tick (hopefully). For shortage of supply - perhaps better, but not solved yet.
For other aspects of the wool industry which have made life difficult this year such as cash flow, and environmental regulations there seems to be good news too. Although the high prices have made for difficult trading conditions all along the pipeline, traders have found a way, and with the $4/kg reduction for the average micron Merino since the August and February peaks, the strain on finance is much less now than it was.
The environmental constraints in China were an issue, but basically not negotiable, so they have been largely overcome by those mills strong enough to survive - and a higher average yield next year will be music to their ears. In Europe the drive to improve environmental discharge has been going on for much longer, and has now reached the point that is it something they are proud to talk about.
Add in the range of new products which have come to market in the past 12 months, which not many people would have dreamt about a few years ago - a much larger range of Merino wool business shirts, an ever-increasing array of casual and athletic wear, and several companies retailing shoes made of Merino wool.
With all these new products on the shelves, and plenty more in the pipeline, the outlook for the wool industry remains very positive indeed. Whether we will see a positive start to the new season this week remains the only question.
Some positive sentiments in China over the weekend around news from Osaka and the need to fill machines would point towards a better tone for the next two weeks leading into the annual sales recess.


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Walmart escalates row with New York over plans to bring stores to the Big Apple
Coming for you, New York: A contented consumer outside a Walmart (file photo). The company has escalated plans to bring stores to New York
Walmart has dramatically escalated its row with New York’s council over whether or not it can open its first store in the city.
Executives from the supermarket giant have refused to even attend a crunch meeting with councillors to decide if it should get its way.
At the same time they fired off thousands of flyers to homes which attacked councillors for pandering to unions by refusing to allow the store to be built.
Similar adverts will run on local radio and in local newspapers to ensure blanket coverage of the message.
‘You don't ask the special interests or the political insiders for permission to use the bathroom,’ the mailout said.
‘So why should they decide where you're allowed to shop?’
Such tough language is unusual for Walmart and is a sign that the company is losing patience with the situation.
The company has been kept out of New York until now because of co-ordinated action from unions and retailers.
But after winning over construction workers, who normally stand behind grocery unions, it now hopes to resolve the issue sooner rather than later.
According to the New York Daily News, Walmart is planning to open smaller stores than those in the suburbs, some of which could be the size of convenience stores.
Possible locations suggested in the past have included East New York such as the area around the Gateway II Shopping Centre in Jamaica Bay, although nothing has been confirmed.
Walmart needs the council’s permission because zoning rules will have to be changed and it will require permits to do business, but it has already met fierce opposition.
Critics point to the company’s exploitation of workers, low wages, discrimination against gay people and have attacked it for driving out family businesses that are the lifeblood of communities.
‘We are in the people's interest. Walmart is a special interest,’ said Stuart Appelbaum of the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union, which represents grocery store employees.
‘They're transferring the cost of doing business to taxpayers when we have to pick up the tab for health care and inadequate wages.’
Council Speaker Christine Quinn added: ‘People can run whatever ads they want.
‘It really speaks volumes that they're not willing to show up in front of government and answer questions.’
Walmart is America’s largest retailer and makes in the region of $400billion a year through its 8,500 stores in 15 countries including the ASDA chain in the UK.
It has faced similar problems to New York in a number of other cities such as San Diego where unions and the council have rebelled against plans for 12 new stores in the area.
Steven Restivo, Walmart’s spokesman, said: ‘The key message here is that New Yorkers should decide where they shop and work.
‘Some of the louder voices in the debate don't represent the interests of New Yorkers.’
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The onset of smart clothing and the rise of privacy concerns
By Peggy Keene
Last summer, the Tommy Hilfiger brand announced it intends to release a new fashion line that will have smart chip technology embedded into the clothing. The technology is intended to allow consumers to accrue loyalty points and rewards. These loyalty points will allow consumers to purchase more merchandise at discounted or special promotion rates and can also be exchanged for concert tickets through Hilfiger’s partnership with Live Nation.
This latest foray by Hilfiger is in partnership with Awear Solutions Bluetooth technology and will allow the clothing technology chips to track when and how often consumers wear the branded clothing when connected to Tommy Hilfiger’s Tommy Jeans Xplore mobile application. Hilfiger has said that the idea behind the new high-tech clothing line is to create a new line of highly visible “brand ambassadors.”
Smart Jackets by Levi’s Add
Functionality to Jackets and Phones
Hilfiger is not the only fashion label to venture into embedding technology into garments. Levi’s has partnered with Google to create a line of smart jackets (code name “Project Jacquard”), which will allow consumers to use high-tech jackets to make new uses of their smartphones and subsequently provide new functionality to both jackets and phones.
Clothing Technology Raises
Consumer Privacy Concerns
While the innovation of these companies is to be lauded, such strides in technology raise more issues about consumer privacy and data security. Depending on the provider, Bluetooth technology may not always be entirely secure. In the past, Bluetooth technology has proven to be hackable, and experts in the field are concerned about introducing new avenues for hackers to infiltrate consumers’ daily lives.
Moreover, regardless of whether the actual clothing technology chips themselves are hackable, the inclusion of data chips in clothing raises more questions about consumer privacy and what kind of personal information the clothing companies may be tracking, selling, sharing, and storing about consumers.
Regulations Are Lacking in the
Smart Clothing Technology Area
While the European Union has already passed staunch regulations regarding consumer privacy, the United States still has yet to require similar transparency and disclosures from technology companies. As such, it is unclear whether the simple purchase of the clothing signals consent or if manufacturers will tether terms and conditions of data collection to the accompanying applications. Either way, the applications are likely to track personal information that may vary from geolocation to customer emails— all information that can provide hackers with sensitive data.
As such, it is important for intellectual property counsel and brand owners alike to stay abreast of such developments in the clothing technology field. These recent innovations will require the guidance of data privacy lawyers to help provide legal protection to both companies and consumers. TBJ
This article was originally published on the Klemchuk Intellectual Property Law Blog and has been edited and reprinted with permission.
PEGGY KEENE is counsel to Klemchuk LLP and works with clients in all aspects of trademark law, including domestic and foreign prosecution, opposition and cancellation proceedings, and general enforcement. She also provides litigation support for intellectual property trials and assists with representing clients in trademark disputes and proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.


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Enterprise software vendor SAP has reneged on promises to split its R/3 applications suite into components and has been slammed over plans for an accelerated implementation methodology. At last year's...
Companies are challenging Amazon in retail and cloud
Cosmetics firm is undergoing a top-to-toe tech refresh with GDPR compliance thrown in
DFS resorts to cloud to help handle spikes in online demand
Economy and business performance not a problem, reckon small firms
Charity engages Braintree to move away from previous payment system which was in danger of failing and losing millions of pounds of donations, admits CTO


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With a market value of $56 billion, Dogecoin (DOGE) has surpassed Tether (USDT) as the world’s most expensive stable coin.
Dogecoin (DOGE) has surpassed Tether (USDT) as the world’s most valuable stable coin (USDT). After a roughly 15% increase in the last 24 hours, the meme-based blockchain reached the top 5 digital assets chart. On 4 May, the overall market cap of Dogecoin surpassed $56 billion, according to Coinmarketcap. DOGE is now trading at $0.44, a new all-time high.
In the last 30 days, Dogecoin has increased by 700%.
Over the last 30 days, the world’s fifth-largest cryptocurrency has increased by more than 700 percent. Of the top ten cryptocurrencies, it continued to be the best-performing. Since the beginning of the year, DOGE has risen by nearly 10,900%. This year, Dogecoin started at a price of almost $0.004. Over the last 24 hours, the meme-based cryptocurrency saw a significant rise in demand from retail and institutional buyers, with overall trade volumes of the world’s 5th most valued crypto increasing significantly throughout various trading platforms. Dogecoin is currently worth more than the joint market capitalizations of Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, two of the world’s largest financial institutions.
The acceptance of cryptocurrencies is continuing to rise.
A surge in cryptocurrency popularity worldwide is one of the leading causes of Dogecoin’s recent price increase. Retail and academic use of DOGE has improved dramatically this year compared to 2020. The Latvian airline airBaltic announced earlier that DOGE and other cryptocurrencies would be accepted as a payment option for ticket bookings. The Dallas Mavericks, an American professional basketball club, were the first in the NBA to recognize Dogecoin for tickets and merchandise during the same month. Coinflip, the largest crypto ATM provider in the United States, recently revealed that Dogecoin had been added to its 1,800 ATMs around the country in an attempt to make DOGE more accessible to the general public.


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MALAYSIA: ZALORA Malaysia, one of most famous online fashion store in Malaysia will celebrate its first birthday on 13th March 2013. In conjunction with birthday celebration, ZALORA Malaysia is giving out RM60 voucher to customers who spend above RM365 in a single transaction. In addition, B Card members who shop with ZALORA Malaysia will get 3x points for any purchases during the birthday week.
On the same day, ZALORA Malaysia will be launching an hour flash sale from 3pm to 4pm and giving an additional 13 percent discount during the sales period for favourite brands including Khoon Hooi for ZALORA, Zang Toi, Steve Madden, Nike, Adidas, Kiko and SK-II.
From its humble origins consisting of only 2 people, ZALORA Malaysia now boasts over 200 team members; passionate and eager to revolutionize the way Malaysians shop online. In the span of a year, ZALORA Malaysia now hosts more than 600 international and local brands, with over 30,000 products online and growing.
“ZALORA records over 3 million visitors on a monthly basis. In just one year, we have served nearly 100 thousand customers all around Malaysia,” said Tan Zhi Wei, Managing Director of ZALORA. “We’d like to personally thank each and every one of our customers for their support. Our next goal is to delivery within 48 hours for all our East Malaysia customers. Do continue with us on this journey as we strive to consistently improve our services for an even better shopping experience.”
Since launch, ZALORA Malaysia has changed Malaysian e-retail landscape with its offerings of free delivery*, free 30 days return and multiple payment methods, including cash-on-delivery option. The fashion e-commerce company has also launched a mobile website since January 2013 and brings an even more user friendly shopping environment to online shoppers.


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Thousands of City motorheads are gearing up for a luxury car show in the Square Mile later this week.
FTSE bosses, top investors and even a mystery rockstar are on the guest list for this year’s London Concours event, where over a hundred iconic cars worth in excess of £70m will be on display.
Rare Ferraris and Mclarens will be among the prestigious car fleet on show along the green laws at the Honourable Artillery Company’s Finsbury Barracks on Wednesday and Thursday.
The corporate fixture, which also includes a showcase of several luxury yachts and watches, comprises two days of breakfast, lunch and dinner events, as the City’s summer hospitality season gets into full swing.
More than 3,000 people are expected to attend the Square Mile event, which including a number of motoring features such as a a collection of supercars past and present; including McLaren F1 and P1, Ford GT40 and Ford GT, Ferrari 250 GTLusso and GTC4Lusso.
"London is steeped in history; an epicentre of luxury and a global powerhouse of the finance industry. But, we felt it had always been missing the world-class car show it deserves, which is exactly why we established the London Concours," said Graham Clempson, chairman of the London Concours and a private equity veteran.
Clempson, founder of invesmtent management firm Quartic Capital and previously co-founder and European managing partner of MidOcean Partners, added: "Now in its third year, the London Concours is a gathering of privately-owned exotic classic and performance cars of all eras; it’s a collection the likes of which you’’ll never have before seen anywhere in London."


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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of the United States Trade Representative has unveiled an initiative aimed at improving economic cooperation with 12 countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity involves several key trading partners including Vietnam, Malaysia, India, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, all of which produce and ship furniture to the U.S. Other countries that are part of the initiative are Australia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Japan, The Republic of Korea and New Zealand.
The partnership evolved out of the Covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted supply chains, logistics and ultimately the flow of goods from many of these countries.
“The pandemic has also emphasized the importance of strengthening economic competitiveness and cooperation and securing critical supply chains, while stimulating job growth and improving economic opportunities, including for our workers, women, medium- and small-enterprises, and our societies’ most vulnerable groups,” the Office of the USTR said in a statement regarding the initiative.
“This framework is intended to advance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness for our economies,” the USTR continued. “Through this initiative, we aim to contribute to cooperation, stability, prosperity, development, and peace within the region.”
Combined, the USTR said, the U.S. and the countries identified in the Indo-Pacific region represent 40% of world GDP. It also said that U.S. foreign direct investment in the region totaled more than $969 billion in 2020, nearly doubling in the last 10 years alone. And with an estimated 60% of the world’s population, the USTR added that this region will become the largest contributor to global growth over the next 30 years.
The USTR identified four key pillars and supporting statements aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the 12 countries and the U.S.:
Trade: This area seeks to develop “high-standard, inclusive, free, and fair trade commitments and new and creative approaches in trade and technology policy that advance a broad set of objectives that fuel economic activity and investment, promotes sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and benefits workers and consumers.” Efforts will include, but are not limited to, cooperation in the digital economy.
Supply Chains: This involves a commitment to “improve “transparency, diversity, security, and sustainability in our supply chains to make them more resilient and well-integrated. We seek to coordinate crisis response measures; expand cooperation to better prepare for and mitigate the effects of disruptions to better ensure business continuity; improve logistical efficiency and support; and ensure access to key raw and processed materials, semiconductors, critical minerals, and clean energy technology.”
Clean Energy, Decarbonization, and Infrastructure: In line with goals of the Paris Agreement that support the livelihood of people and workers, this will “accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies to decarbonize our economies and build resilience to climate impacts. This involves deepening cooperation on technologies, on mobilizing finance, including concessional finance, and on seeking ways to improve competitiveness and enhance connectivity by supporting the development of sustainable and durable infrastructure and by providing technical assistance.”
Tax and Anti-Corruption: Which suggests a commitment to “promoting fair competition by enacting and enforcing effective and robust anti-money laundering, and anti-bribery regimes in line with existing multilateral obligations, standards, and agreements to curb tax evasion and corruption in the Indo-Pacific region. This also involves sharing expertise and seeking ways to support capacity building necessary to advance accountable and transparent systems.”
The USTR said that officials will continue to identify additional areas of cooperation moving forward, “based on consultations among partners to further our shared interests, with a view to advancing regional economic connectivity and integration. We look forward to jointly creating conducive environments to boost flows of commerce, trade, and investments amongst our economies, and to enhancing standards and access to opportunities for our workers, companies, and peoples in our combined markets.”


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Businesses will soon be able to communicate with and even see what their front line workers are doing out in the field as Verizon Business has announced that BlueJeans Meetings will now come preloaded on Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 AR headsets.
Business customers will be able to purchase Glass Enterprise Edition 2 preloaded with the company's video conferencing software for $1,139. However, for a limited time, they can also get up to $700 off Glass Enterprise Edition 2 when purchased with a Pixel 6.
Organizations are increasingly seeing the need for an innovative, hands-free solution for front line workers to maintain safety and efficiency while out in the field according to a new study by Quadrant Strategies. By preloading BlueJeans Meetings on Glass Enterprise Edition 2 with a 5G mobile hotspot on the Pixel 6, Verizon Business is giving them just that.
At the same time though, this combination of AR, video conferencing and 5G will help boost productivity and facilitate collaboration between front line workers and staff back at the office.
BlueJeans on Glass Enterprise Edition 2
By giving a supervisor the ability to see a remote employee's vantage point, BlueJeans on Glass Enterprise Edition 2 can help field workers get expert support without having to leave the job site. However, the hands-free capabilities of Google's AR headset can also help enable remote field workers such as warehouse workers, technicians and engineers to fulfill customer orders more efficiently or build complex machines.
Pairing Google Glass with a Pixel 6 and Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband connectivity leveraging C-band spectrum when using BlueJeans can maximize productivity and minimize error rates by utilizing visual guidance over hand-held solutions.
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“5G is the platform powering the future of work, enabling teams to leverage technology and reimagine what it means to get work done in a hybrid environment. Our collaboration between BlueJeans by Verizon, Google Pixel and Glass will deliver customers a high-quality, augmented reality experience that can help ease operational challenges and improve business outcomes. Together, Verizon Business and Google are making the future of work a reality, today.”
After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.


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New Delhi: Google has announced that it has developed an Android-based earthquake detection feature that will alert smartphone users before a quake.
"Starting today, your Android phone can be part of the Android Earthquake Alerts System, wherever you live in the world. This means your Android phone can be a mini seismometer, joining millions of other Android phones out there to form the world’s largest earthquake detection network," Google said in a blog on Tuesday.
The Android phone will become a mini seismometer, joining millions of other Android phones out there to form the world's largest earthquake detection network.
Google said they are starting with earthquake alerts in California since there's already a great seismometer-based system in place.
The ShakeAlert system uses signals from more than 700 seismometers installed across the state by USGS, Cal OES, University of California Berkeley, and the California Institute of Technology. A few seconds of warning can make a difference in giving you time to drop, cover, and hold on before the shaking arrives, Google added.
"All smartphones come with tiny accelerometers that can sense signals that indicate an earthquake might be happening. If the phone detects something that it thinks may be an earthquake, it sends a signal to our earthquake detection server, along with a coarse location of where the shaking occurred. The server then combines information from many phones to figure out if an earthquake is happening," Google said.
The Technology giant added that over the coming year, users can expect to see the earthquake alerts coming to more states and countries using Android’s phone-based earthquake detection.