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20 metros generate three fifths of global colocation revenues, says Synergy Research
According to the latest data from Synergy Research, five metros comprise more than a quarter of the worldwide colocation market and the top 20 account for 59% of worldwide retail and wholesale colocation revenues.
London, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington were the top five metros, with Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Silicon Valley and Singapore comprising the top 10. Amsterdam, Atlanta, Beijing, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Paris, Phoenix, Seattle, Sydney, and Toronto were in the top 20.
On the vendor side, in Q3 Equinix was the market leader by revenue in eight of the top 20 metros. Digital Realty will comprise five more once their acquisition of DuPont Fabros operations reaches a full quarter. Other vendors in the mix include 21Vianet, China Telecom, and CyrusOne.
“While we are seeing reasonably robust growth across all major metros and market segments, one number that jumps out is the wholesale growth rate in the Washington/Northern Virginia metro area,” said John Dinsdale, a chief analyst and research director at Synergy.
“It is by far the largest wholesale market in the world and for it to be growing at 20% is particularly noteworthy.
“The broader picture is that data centre outsourcing and cloud services continue to drive the colocation market, and the geographic distribution of the world’s corporations is focusing the colocation market on a small number of major metro areas,” Dinsdale added.
Earlier this month, Synergy Research argued that data centre mergers and acquisitions in 2017 surpassed 2015 and 2016’s figures combined, producing 48 transactions last year compared with 45 for the previous two years.
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Chinese wine market remains weak despite high season
(Yicai Global) September 21 — China’s wine market remained sluggish during the peak Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day season, in part because the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak has limited demand, Yicai Global has learned.
“Sales are even weaker than last year,” a distributor of Yantai Changyu Pioneer Wine, a well-known Chinese wine producer, told Yicai Global, local wine demand has been shrinking for four consecutive years.
The local restaurant industry is still suffering from the impact of nationwide epidemics that have forced businesses to suspend operations frequently this year, leading to increased wine inventories and reduced wine sales, he said. he adds.
Business activities and gatherings have fallen sharply this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak, said Wang Wei, a wine importer in Tianjin, northern China. Wine sales around the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays are expected to drop more than 30 percent from previous years, he said, adding that he had started selling other more popular alcoholic products, including craft beer and Moutai-flavored liquors, to offset losses in the wine market.
Weak demand in the wine market is systemic, Yang Zhengjian, dean of the WBO Wine Business School, told Yicai Global. The wine market is likely to remain weak until the first half of next year.
In response to underperforming sales, Changyu reduced the annual sales target by up to 50 percent for some distributors in areas severely affected by the epidemic, the distributor noted.
To maintain a healthy inventory and improve financial performance, Changyu will adjust sales tasks in certain markets and accelerate a series of reforms, such as focusing on mid- to high-end products, restructuring the sales division and transforming of its business, rather than getting growth by squeezing distributors, Sun Jian, the company’s general manager, told Yicai Global.
Five of the 12 listed wine companies reported revenue growth in the first half of the year, and only four reported profit growth. Except for industry leader Changyu, other companies performed poorly. Revenues at Dynasty Fine Wines Group fell 44%, with net profits at Citic Guoan Wine, Grace Wine Holdings and Xinjiang Yizhu Wine plunging between 60% and more than 70%.
Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione

domain: news


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THE 9,400 TEU CMA CGM Loire and the 10,900-TEU CMA CGM Ural, with an unprecedented number of 1,458 reefer plugs, has joined the Marseilles-based company fleet.
"These are the fifth and sixth vessels in this range to be delivered from now to the third quarter of 2016." said the statement from CMA CGM, the world's third biggest container shipping company.
Other ships in the series of 28 are the CMA CGM Danube, the CMA CGM Elbe, the CMA CGM Litani and the CMA CGM Tigris in a series of 28 vessels named after famous rivers.
Sailing under the Maltese flag, the chartered CMA CGM Loire was build at DSIC in Dalian while the CMA CGM Ural was built at New Times Shipbuilding, Jiangsu province outside Shanghai.
Each ship is 300 metres long, 48 metres wide, designed to offer a maximum load within the limits of the Bosphorus Strait for Black Sea service.
With its extraordinary number of reefer plugs, the largest number for ships of this size, indicates CMA CGM's "ambition to be a leader in this growing market", said the company statement.
The CMA CGM Loire has joined the Bosphorus Express (BEX) service where the CMA CGM Danube, the CMA CGM Elbe and the CMA CGM Litani now serve. The Loire will rotate through Dalian, Tianjin, Kwangyang, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen-Chiwan, Shenzhen-Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Izmit, Istanbul Ambarli, Constanza, Odessa, Ilyichevsk, Port Said, Port Kelang, Singapore and back to Dalian.
Meanwhile the CMA CGM Ural joined the Mediterranean Club Express (MEX) rotating through Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen-Yantian, Shenzhen-Chiwan, Port Kelang, Malta, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseilles-Fos, Malta, Salalah, Port Kelang, Xiamen and back to Shanghai.
The new ships are equipped with all the latest environmental technologies, which significantly reduce its C02 emissions as well new bulbous bows, improving the hydrodynamics at a speeds of 16 to 18 knots.
The newbuilds also feature electronically controlled long stroke engines with exhaust gas bypass systems offering the best in fuel consumption, a twisted leading edge rudder with bulb and a ballast water treatment system.
Source : HKSG.


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Left: Postman Knut Håvard Solberg shows the new Renault to minister of transport, Ketil Solvik-Olsen, and Norway Post CEO Dag Mejdell
Norway Post has invested in approximately 300 electric cars as part of its extensive program to reduce CO? emissions. Over the next year, the post will introduce the new vehicles into its mail distribution fleet throughout the entire country.
Norway Post’s environmental accounts show that the transition to environmentally friendly vehicles has significantly reduced CO? emissions and saved the group millions of Euros.
“This represents a milestone in our environmental work. Norway Post is one of the Nordic region’s biggest transport operators and our CO? emissions are quite large. We are now seeing the rather significant results from the measures we have implemented. The purchase of new electric cars is one of the major contributors to us meeting our environmental targets,” said CEO Dag Mejdell.
In total, Norway Post has around 3,700 routes throughout Norway and the new cars are smaller distribution vehicles that will primarily be used in densely-populated areas and for mid-length routes. Over the past five years, Norway Post has introduced more than 900 electric vehicles and trailers into its mail distribution operations; they are used for routes of varying length, topography and number of deliveries per route.
“We also use environmentally friendly fuel in 200 of our larger cars and we only buy new vehicles that live up to the leading environmental standards. Our investment in environmentally friendly logistics and mail distribution extends beyond the purchase of electric cars,” added Mejdell.
Renault has been selected as the primary supplier of the new electric cars, with Nissan as the secondary supplier.
June 23, 2015


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This is the second time the store has had to apologize for discrimination in the last two months.
CVS Pharmacy has apologized for the way it treated one of its customers in Arizona this past week. Hilde Hall had just recently been given the go-ahead by her doctor to start her hormone treatment but when she went to pick up her prescription she was met with alleged harassment.
In a lengthy essay published on the American Civil Liberties Union’s website Hall said the man at the CVS "just kept asking, loudly and in front of other CVS staff and customers, why I was given the prescriptions.”
The ordeal was upsetting and Hall said she almost started to cry.
Hall's story quickly circulated around the internet and according to HuffPost Queer Voices, CVS said the pharmacist is no longer with the brand. However, due to company policy, they gave no reason why.
What they did offer was an apology by way of a statement a day later, saying that his actions “violated company policies and does not reflect our values or our commitment to inclusion, nondiscrimination and the delivery of outstanding patient care.”
In addition, they also acknowledged fault for not responding to Hall's phone calls to their customer service helpline after the incident.
"We also apologize for not appropriately following up on Ms. Hall's original complaint to CVS, which was due to an unintentional oversight," they wrote. "We pride ourselves in addressing customer concerns in a timely manner and we are taking steps to prevent this isolated occurrence from happening again."
Although Arizona law states that a pharmacist can refuse to fill a prescription due to religious or moral beliefs, the Affordable Care Act does not. In addition, CVS says they require their staff to notify the company if there is anything that would stop them from serving a customer, so management “can ensure there are other arrangements in place to ensure the patient’s medication needs are promptly satisfied.”
You can read CVS' full statement HERE.


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• PayPal has launched PYUSD, a stablecoin tied to the US dollar’s value, supported by Paxos Trust.
• The Clarity for Payments Stablecoin Bill is passing in the House Financial Committee.
• PYUSD will be accessible to customers within the United States and can be used for digital transactions and Web3 capabilities.
PayPal Launches Stablecoin
PayPal, an American fintech firm, recently announced the launch of its new stablecoin named PYUSD (PayPal USD). This stablecoin is linked to the U.S. dollar’s value and backed by deposits in U.S. dollars, short-term Treasuries, and comparable cash forms. It has been built using the Ethereum platform specifically for digital transactions and Web3 capabilities. Additionally, it will soon be accessible to customers within the United States who can exchange PYUSD for U.S. dollars instantly as well as trade it for various cryptocurrencies on the PayPal platform or transfer it between PayPal and Venmo accounts.
The Impact of PayPal’s Stablecoin
Dan Schulman, President and CEO at PayPal remarked that “the shift toward digital currencies requires a stable instrument that is both digitally native and easily connected to fiat currency like the US dollar… Our commitment to responsible innovation and compliance provides us with a foundation necessary to contribute to the growth of digital payments through PayPal USD.“ He also envisions this newly introduced stablecoin integrating into broader payments frameworks making it a viable option for making various purchases in near future. Moreover, Charlie Shrem believes that Paypal launching a stablecoin will skyrocket Bitcoin prices up to $250,000 faster than anticipated while Ethereum could potentially 10x on a faster timetable too!
PayPal Expands Crypto Offerings
With over 350 million users globally already benefiting from purchasing, selling or retaining cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) or Litecoin (LTC), customers in both US & UK are now able to make transactions using these digital assets thanks to PayPal’s support for them .
In conclusion , with its introduction of PYUSD , Paypal is taking another step towards becoming a significant player in crypto based payments & facilitating easier access & use cases for its users . It remains yet to be seen how much impact this move will have on cryptocurrency adoption worldwide but one thing is certain – we are closer than ever before towards mainstream adoption!


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New Delhi: “With textile industry in China reducing its spinning activities thereby becoming uncompetitive and textile sector in Bangladesh facing wage disputes, security and compliance related problems, there is a huge window of opportunity which needs to be converted to export performance, for Indian textile industry to increase its global market share,” said Thyagu Valliappa, chairman, Textile Council of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) who led the chamber’s delegation along with R.K. Wij, advisor, Indo Rama Synthetics Limited.
In order to ensure price stability and security for both cotton farmers and mills, ASSOCHAM has suggested a package consisting of key elements like - an interest subvention of five per cent for working capital for cotton purchase, banks should provide working capital limits covering nine months’ cotton requirements as against present requirement of 3-4 months and margin money being charged by banks on working capital for cotton be reduced to 10 percent from existing 25 percent.
“An interest subvention of five per cent would lead to substantial increase in cotton yarn production and cotton consumption thereby leading to expansion of spinning sector to serve the downstream segments of textile value chain in a better way,” noted ASSOCHAM.
“With over 30 percent cotton produced in India being exported, converting this cotton into yarn and other value added products would increase their exports and create additional employment.” Besides, the transport of cotton and cotton yarn should be exempt from Cabatoge Rule and using foreign flag vessels for transport between southern states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) and northern states (Gujarat and Maharashtra) i.e. cotton producing states and yarn consuming centers.
“It would help reduce transport cost by 60-70 per cent when compared to the lorry freight and sustain the viability of huge production capacities available in Tamil Nadu which accounts for about 1/3rd of domestic textile business and accounts for about 47.5 per cent of spinning capacity, 70 per cent cotton knitting and garment capacity respectively.”
Considering that cotton is grown in over 15 states across India, ASSOCHAM has suggested the Government to set up a cotton board. “There is a need for an organized and scientifically supported development organization, which can take up research and development work with various stakeholders.”
With a view to enhance cotton yield in India to 1,000 kilograms (kgs) per hectare from current level of 450 kgs per hectare, which is almost about 50 per cent less than global average of 800 kgs per hectare, ASSOCHAM has suggested the government to provide improved irrigation facilities and develop seeds suitable for high-density planting to increase cotton productivity to boost farmers’ income and cater to growing requirements of textile industry.
Besides, ASSOCHAM has also suggested that government should restrict its intervention to MSP related operations in the cotton sector as restrictions on export-import of cotton would only disrupt markets. Abolishing hank yarn obligation, doing away with sops for decentralized sectors to bring fabric production back to organized sector, establishing processing parks in coastal belt and liberalizing labour laws to utilize the ample scope for providing employment to rural women are certain other key suggestions listed by ASSOCHAM in its growth agenda for the textile industry.


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US: Two new executives complete Haggar leadership team
Men's wear maker Haggar Clothing Co has completed the rebuilding of its leadership team with one promotion and one new hire aimed at helping the company continue to grow its revenue and market share gains.
Nanditha Zuckerman has been promoted to the new SVP of global operations and Rich Honiball has been hired as the new SVP for marketing, licensing and e-commerce, the apparel firm said today (25 September).
Prior to joining Haggar, Honiball led JC Penney's men's and kid's private label business.
He "will be instrumental in guiding our brand direction, communication and digital development both internally and in partnership with our domestic and global licensing partners," said company president Tim Lyons.
Zuckerman joins from Haggar Canada where she was chief operating officer.
"She has a keen understanding of the Haggar brand, culture and operations model which makes her the ideal candidate and best suited to make a difference in terms of supporting and facilitating our profitable growth as a company," noted Michael Stitt, CEO of Haggar Clothing Co.
Other recent hires at the men's wear firm include Tony Anzovino as vice president of sourcing and William Davenport as chief financial officer, while Nancy Dowling was promoted to vice president of merchandising and design.
US department store operator JC Penney has been forced to abandon a central part of its turnaround plans after the strategy failed to gain traction with consumers. ...
Hanesbrands chairman and CEO Richard Noll has revealed that the apparel company may look to invest in acquisitions to drive growth and strengthen its business portfolio....
The most read stories on just-style this week include Sainsbury's revealing its general merchanside and clothing business is growing faster than its food division, Lululemon Athletica warning it may l...
US department store operator JC Penney saw fourth quarter net losses widen as the company said sales and traffic fell below expectations amid efforts to turn around the business....
US department-store retailer JC Penney Company is hoping to ramp up its fashion credentials with a number of new designer collaborations being launched this spring....
US department store retailer JC Penney has amended its bank credit facility to increase its borrowing capacity, raising concerns about its ongoing transformation strategy....
Crailar Technologies has entered into an agreement with Cotswold Industries to develop sustainable pocketing and waist banding for its apparel customers....
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- Global Database of the Top 1000 Apparel Producers - Company Names, Financial Performance, and Contact Details
- Ethiopia – the emerging textile and clothing industry
- Outdoor performance apparel: peaks, valleys, and green fields


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Uber has been fined £385,000 ($491,000) by the UK's privacy watchdog for "failing to protect" the personal info of around 2.7 million UK users during a cyber attack in 2016. The figure isn't far off from the maximum penalty of £500,000 ($638,000) handed down to Facebook by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) over its Cambridge Analytica-related failures.
The decision arrives almost a year to the day since the ICO opened its investigation into Uber, with the watchdog's director of investigations, Steve Eckersley, noting that it was "not only a serious failure of data security on Uber's part, but a complete disregard for the customers and drivers whose personal information was stolen."
Last November, Uber confessed that it hid an extortion-oriented cyberattack which exposed the personal info for roughly 57 million customers and drivers in October 2016, including names, email addresses and phone numbers. It later revealed that roughly 2.7 million of those affected users were from the UK. Rather than reporting the attack, it paid hackers $100,000 to delete the info and keep quiet for more than a year -- although its then-new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi knew two months before news went public.
Uber said at the time that it found "no evidence of fraud or misuse tied to the incident." It also fired its chief security officer Joe Sullivan and one of his deputies, senior lawyer Craig Clark, for apparently covering up the truth.
The ICO today said "a series of avoidable data security flaws allowed the personal details" of UK Uber users to be "accessed and downloaded by attackers from a cloud-based storage system." Alongside customers, it said that the records of almost 82,000 UK-based Uber drivers –- which included details of journeys made and how much they were paid –- were also taken during the incident.
The watchdog's investigation found that the attackers used "credential stuffing" -- a method that involves compromised username and password pairs being inserted into websites until they are matched to an existing account -- to gain access to Uber's data storage. It concluded that the incident was a serious breach of principle seven of the Data Protection Act 1998, and had "the potential to expose the customers and drivers affected to increased risk of fraud."
But it could've been much worse for the ride-sharing company. The breach took place before the introduction of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) earlier this year, which allows the ICO to hand down heftier fines of up to £17 million or 4 percent of a company's turnover. Aside from the UK penalty, Uber has also been fined €600,000 ($679,000) by the Dutch data protection authority. It said that 174,000 Dutch citizens were impacted by the breach.


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JioPhone now offering Rs 39 and Rs 69 prepaid plans with 14 days validity
JioPhone’s All-In-One Prepaid Plan Portfolio strengthened with short term validity plans at Rs 39 and Rs 69.
Reliance Jio has recently strengthened its portfolio of JioPhone plans with the introduction of entry-level Rs 39 and Rs 69 prepaid plans. The short-term validity prepaid plans have been recently introduced by the company offering 14 days validity along with calling benefits and data benefits.
JioPhone Rs 39 prepaid plan offers 100 MB high-speed data per day, truly unlimited calling, and 14 days validity. The All-In-One plan offers 1400 MB data spread over 14 days with 64 Kbps speed post daily data cap.
JioPhone Rs 69 prepaid plan offers 0.5 GB high-speed data per day, truly unlimited calling, and 14 days validity. The All-In-One plan offers 7GB data spread over 14 days with 64 Kbps speed post daily data cap.
The newly introduced All-In-One prepaid plans offer complimentary access to JioTV, JioCinema, JioNews, JioSecurity, and JioCloud among JioApps.
Reliance Jio separately also offer Rs 75, Rs 125, Rs 155, Rs 185, and Rs 749 All-In-One prepaid plans for JioPhone. Jio since March is also offering multiple new data vouchers at Rs 22, Rs 52, Rs 72, Rs 102 and Rs 152.
The company due to COVID-19 is also offering 300 minutes of outgoing voice calls per month free to all JioPhone users. Reliance Jio with every JioPhone plan recharged by JioPhone will also offer an additional recharge plan of the same value for free.
Thank you for reading OnlyTech! For the latest tech news, follow us on Twitter, Google News, Telegram and Facebook. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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XXXdto.com works like this: Consumers buy tokens worth different amounts and use them to download different scenes or entire DVDs.
The studios featured on the site include Amateur Cock Club, Bare Naked Males, Dudes In Heat Media, GTC Entertainment, Hot Desert Knights, Mega MaxXx Hardcore and Pacific Sun Entertainment. The site's owner said they're always on the lookout for more studio partnerships.
To that end, Sebastian's Studios and Nor-Tri Media President JJ Ruch told XBIZ that XXXdto.com will offer partner studios 50 percent revenue share for individual scene sales and 75 percent revenue share for DVD sales.
"We won't say no to any studio," he said. "The way I see it, we're all together."
The site offers content in more than two dozen popular gay niches, including amateur, bareback, big cock, orgy, twink and straight.
XXXdto.com offers an affiliate program through CCBill. All videos are protected from copying with DRM. Rusch said that affiliates will receive 75 percent revenue share if they sign up now.
"We're planning to change [the revenue share arrangement] in three to six months," he said, adding that affiliates who sign up for the program before that change happens will always receive 75 percent revenue share.


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Sun Microsystems is expected to unveil the first members of its long-awaited "industry-standard" 64-bit server family at its quarterly product roll-out in New York City Monday. Formerly code-named Galaxy, the Sun Fire X2100, X4100, and X4200 servers represent the company's bid to woo customers, particularly the financial industry sector, away from rival server vendors Hewlett-Packard and Dell.
"We're entering a new marketplace and will grow very fast," Larry Singer, vice president, global information systems strategy at Sun, said in an interview Friday. He estimated that what Sun is calling the industry-standard server market is worth about $17.5 billion. "We will be the lead player," he added.
The Sun Fire servers run on Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Opteron processors. The Sun Fire X2100 is a single-socket rackmount server, the X4100 a two-way machine and the X4200 a four-way server. Sun will also preview future members of its new 64-bit Opteron-based family, notably an eight-processor, dual-core midrange server, Singer said.
The Sun Fire X2100 starts from $745 and is based around one Opteron Model 146 processor and comes with Sun's Solaris 10 operating system and 512MB of memory. Entry-level versions of the 1U Sun Fire X4100 and 2U Sun Fire X4200 are priced at $2,195 and $2,595, respectively and come with one Opteron Model 248 processor, a service processor, a power supply unit, Solaris 10 and 1GB memory, according to Sun. U is the standard unit for measuring the space between shelves on a server rack where 1U equals 1.75 inches.
"We're redefining what an industry-standard server is," Singer said. "We're taking on HP." He pointed to the availability and servicing features Sun has built into the servers such as hot-swap functionality so that customers can take out and replace components as the servers are running.
The new servers were designed by Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim. He left Sun in 1995, returning in February 2004 when Sun purchased his server design company Kealia. At that time Bechtolsheim and his team started work on Galaxy. Sun had originally promised to bring Bechtolsheim's servers to market in the first half of this year.
"When we first bought Kealia, our intention was to rush products out to market," Singer said. "Instead, we spent a year camped out in New York, London and Hong Kong to find out what it would take for us to displace Dell and HP's industry servers." User concerns Sun discovered centered not only around price/performance but also on servers' efficiency and footprints as organizations found themselves running out of space in their datacenters, he added.
Sun used to dominate the financial industry, but lost its edge during the dot-com era, according to Singer. "We weren't paying attention, we got distracted by all these people with pierced body parts and blue hair," he said. "We missed changes in the marketplace. It's very distracting to grow at 60 percent per quarter and very humbling to have it disappear. We're now paying attention to Wall Street again."
At Monday's event, Sun expects to have plenty of Wall Street chief information officers on hand to talk about the company's new servers. Also at the event will be a host of independent software vendors (ISVs) who focus on the financial sector who'll announce that their applications run on Sun's Solaris 10 operating system.


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Origin Materials is a capital-intensive business, Bissell said.
The speed and certainty of listing via SPAC played a role in the decision, but the quantity of accessible capital was the key factor in the decision to go the SPAC route, he said.
About Origin Materials: The company takes woody biomass and converts it into materials, Bissell told Benzinga.
The process it uses allows for a “lower carbon footprint,” he said.
The only credible competitor in the existing fossil materials industry, Bissell said, adding that “the market is enormous.”
Origin Materials has a plant under construction that will be ready by the end of 2022 and is expected to start showing revenue in 2023, Bissell said.
The company plans to build a “significantly larger” second plant that is expected to be completed halfway through 2025 and show a partial year of revenue the same year, he said.
The Origin Materials Investors: Benzinga's Chris Katje mentioned that Pepsi, Danone, and Nestle invested in the PIPE and will own 11% of the company.
The three companies have been “incredible partners” of Origin Materials for several years, Riley said.
“You will see us continue to add more big brands and partners” as Original Materials move forward, he said.
A $1-trillion total addressable market exists in which materials must transition from fossil-based to sustainable, Riley said. Textiles, apparel, and fibers are a larger part of that market than packaging, the co-CEO said.
The company can be price competitive with fossil materials because of the company's “low-cost feedstock,” Riley said.
AACQ Price Action: Artius Acquisition shares lost 1.18% Thursday, closing at $10.04.


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Pamala Sheppard is opening her own store where the McFrugals store now stands on Gulf Road.
Auntie Pam’s Country Store will open the last weekend of June.
“I don’t want the same format as McFrugals,” Sheppard said. “I want to showcase the things I’m producing.”
The first room in the store will feature her line of natural products, which includes popular Cold Sore 911 and Spray 911, as well as soaps, fragrances, room fresheners and insect repellent. “Everything is organic and made out of essential oils,” she said.
Sheppard will also have a corner she is calling Candyland where she will be selling penny candy and other treats. “I’ll have a Clark’s Store-style area,” she said.
The second room of the store will feature seasonal displays, and Sheppard says she is putting together summer items for her opening: clothing, water toys, garden supplies. “It’s going to be a fun summer scene, and you can buy anything in it,” she said.
The second room will continue to sell popular food items: chips, salsa, olive oil, coffee and chocolate. Sheppard said she is also considering adding a pre-owned clothing section, paying people for their clothing with a store credit.
The third room of the store will have greeting cards for sale and be home to Auntie Pam’s Workshop, where Sheppard plans to offer jewelry-making classes and workshops, as well as a make-your-own option.
“Right away I want to do a children’s art contest, and the entry will be in the Point Roberts coupon book,” Sheppard said. The theme of the contest is “what summer means to me” and the artwork submitted will decorate the store for the summer.
Sheppard is also looking at having a Sunday flea market outside the store and children’s activities. “I want to do something with kids at least once a week,” she said. “I’ve got a lot of little plans.”
The grand opening of Auntie Pam’s Country Store is planned for Saturday, July 14 and will feature wine and appetizers, special sales and door prizes. The store is located at 1480 Gulf Road, and is open until 8 p.m. that evening and Fridays.
Above, left: Auntie Pam at work.


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Snapchat has demonstrated again its lack of understanding in building strong security to protect users of its popular mobile app for sharing photos.
The company introduced last week a CAPTCHA verification method for checking whether a new subscriber is human or a computer program. Cybercriminals will use the latter to set up fake accounts in order to distribute spam or to find ways to steal the personal information of users of the service.
CAPTCHA methods can help reduce the number of fake accounts, but Snapchat's implementation was easily hacked by Steven Hickson, a graduate research assistant at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
In fact, Snapchat's CAPTCHA was so weak, Hickson spent less than an hour building a computer program that could fool the mobile app maker's system with "100 percent accuracy."
"They're a very, very new company and I think they're just lacking the personnel to do this kind of thing," Hickson told CSOonline Monday.
To ensure the would-be user is human, the Snapchat system asks the registrant to choose out of nine illustrations the ones containing Snapchat's white ghost mascot. The problem with the system is that the mascot image varies only in size and angle, making it easy for a computer to find.
To avoid hacking a CAPTCHA system, "you want something that has a lot of variety in the answer," Hickson said. "Basically, one right answer, but a very, very large amount of wrong answers. You want something that's very, very hard for a computer to solve."
Hickson provides the technical details of the hack on his blog. In general, he used Intel's Open Source Computer Vision Library (OpenCV) and a couple of other supporting technologies, to build the program capable of identifying the Snapchat mascot in the illustrations. OpenCV is a library of programming functions that are aimed at giving computers the ability to identify images.
Zach Lanier, senior security researcher for mobile authentication specialist Duo Security, said Hickson's CAPTCHA bypass is "totally legitimate."
"In my opinion, if Snapchat is really concerned about improving security, they should take some lessons from Hickson's findings," Lanier said.
Chris Grayson, senior security analyst for consultancy Bishop Fox, agreed, saying "the CAPTCHA mechanism that they implemented is decidedly weak, as demonstrated by Steven Hicksons proof-of-concept, and offers little additional security to Snapchat users."
Snapchat did not respond to a request for comment.
Mobile app developers have become notoriously weak in building adequate security to protect users' personal information. Recent studies have shown serious weaknesses in data protection in mobile apps built by small vendors, as well as airlines, retail outlets, entertainment companies, insurance companies and financial institutions.
Mobile app security is often given a lower priority than rolling out features, because there has not been a major breach where valuable financial data has been stolen from a smartphone. However, the risk of such a breach will rise as the number of purchases made with a smartphone increases, along with the value of the data stored on the devices.
While security will slowdown the app development process, "it's extremely necessary," Hickson said.
Hickson's work follows on the heels of another incident in which hackers exploited a weakness in Snapchat's feature for finding friends by displaying the usernames of people whose phone numbers match those in other users' address books. Hackers used the vulnerability to steal the usernames and phone numbers of more than 4 million users.
Snapchat updated the app to let users opt out of having their phone numbers linked to their usernames. In addition, people are now required to verify their phone number before using the service called "Find Friends."


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**The LG G Flex and Samsung Galaxy Round have officially launched the concept of the curved screen phone into the smartphone arena. **
No longer is a flexible mobile display a thing of science fiction; the two devices demonstrate that curved screen phones could be the future.
So what are the benefits of a curved screen phone?
A curved screen is more ergonomic
First and foremost, a phone with a curved screen is more ergonomic. This means that when it’s in your hand or pocket, the phone fits more comfortably.
The LG G Flex is particularly great when sat in your back pocket, whilst Samsung’s Galaxy Round is more comfortable when in your hand or front pocket.
Either way, when a considerable amount of weight is put on top of the devices (LG recommends no more than 80kg!), it’s less likely to snap or crack like ordinary smartphones.
Find out more about one of the most innovate curved displays on the market with our look at the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
G Flex and Galaxy Round save battery
Another benefit of having a curved screen phone is that is can save battery and make it easier to check your notifications at the same time.
With the Samsung Galaxy Round, which is curved horizontally, you can simply tilt the device to check your battery levels, incoming alerts and current time, automatically eliminating the need to wake the phone up.
The G Flex has run away with this idea by developing the “tap to life” function. As the name suggests, by tapping twice on the phone’s curved display, you can wake up the device without even having to pick it up.
When it comes to battery life, the G Flex also boasts one of the most impressive curved batteries we’ve seen in a long time; its 3500mAh battery allows for hours and hours of endless curved screen fun, whether you’re watching videos, checking emails or posting your deepest thoughts via Facebook.
Curved screens improve multimedia experience
Another huge plus of having a phone with a curved display has got to be the improved multimedia capabilities.
If you’re a gamer or a huge movie fan, then you’re sure to benefit from a curved screen, especially in the case of the vertically-curved G Flex.
When held horizontally, the G Flex reduces glare and makes the viewing experience much more realistic.
With the rise of curved screen TVs, it’s obvious that a rounded display can only make multimedia viewing better!
Flexible screen technology is the future
And finally, there’s no denying that curved screen technology is the future. As mentioned above, curved-screen TVs are already breaking their way into UK stores, again from the likes of Samsung and LG.
Also, LG is rumoured to be making Apple’s first ever iWatch, set to feature a curved screen, meaning we could well see this curved, or even flexible, screen technology extended to more and more devices in the future.
Why not take a look at our LG G Flex phones for a slice of the curved-screen action.


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The independent grocer is “alive and well” in Arkansas, according to Steve Goode, president of the Arkansas Grocers & Retail Merchants Association. Recent years have shown that “independent retailers have the ability to adapt and overcome almost any situation.”
He said independents were able to overcome COVID, supply and transportation issues in the past three years, with 2022 having its own challenges, such as high inflation and a workforce shortage.
The economy in Arkansas in 2022 would appear to be stronger than last year, but with inflation it may be hard to show improvement. While retail sales are up for most of the industry, so are all cost inputs.
“Consumers are having a hard time making their dollar stretch due to double-digit inflation in the grocery sector,” Goode said.
In addition to inflation, pandemic-related issues continue to affect independent grocers. Goode said biggest effect may be that some suppliers are imposing a fuel surcharge due to high fuel prices. Those increases are one more reason consumers experience higher prices.
“Independents are really having to stay on their toes as some prices are changing daily rather than weekly or monthly as we have seen in the past,” he said. “Supply chain issues we are seeing today are caused more by lack of labor for our suppliers than it is product shortage.”
Goode gave an example of two Arkansas-based bread suppliers that have had shortages lately; they have the product but lack the labor to get it to stores.
According to Goode, the biggest challenge facing independents in Arkansas is fluctuating prices, which make it difficult to “determine what a value is to consumers.” The next biggest hurdle is “simply keeping up with all of the price increases and lack of deals from the manufacturer.”
Goode said AGRMA is trying to help its members by communicating what is happening in Washington, D.C., and in the state capital of Little Rock. “This allows them to better prepare in their stores,” he added.
One example is letting grocers know when the extra P-EBT dollars are coming. This information will allow them to be better prepared for the extra $391 per child that eligible Arkansas families will be receiving.
In the most recent session of Arkansas’ legislature, a plastic bag and container uniformity bill was passed. Goode said this will make ensure no cities or counties can prohibit or tax plastic bags, cups, containers or any foam packaging.
“This uniformity bill made sure that retailers with stores in multiple locations would have the same rules applied to all locations,” he said.
Goode added that Arkansas is the first state to pass an online marketplace consumer inform act.
“This bill helped regulate online marketplaces to stop organized retail crime,” he said.
As far as opposing legislation, the association worked with the Arkansas Beverage Association to overturn a soft drink tax that had been state law since the 1990s, Goode said. “We were not able to help get that tax eliminated,” he said.
He added that AGRMA was “blessed to work with members of the legislature to keep some (bills) from being filed.”
The association has since turned its attention to compiling a legislative package for 2023.
AGRMA members gathered at conferences in 2021 and 2022. Some topics discussed last year were the success of the legislative session and how to grow association membership.
Goode said Legislative Retail Champion awards were presented to Sen. Jonathan Disman and Reps. David Ray and Brian Evans.
This year, topics included plans for the 2023 legislative session, along with ways to grow membership.
Perspective makes a difference
As an independent grocer himself, Goode said he has been able to benefit the association in his role as president. He worked with Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s administration from 2015-20.
He was over tobacco control for the first four years and after a transformation of government, was placed over tobacco, alcohol, casinos, racing and medical marijuana.
“Running state agencies and dealing with the legislature and the governor’s office has given me insight as to how things work in Little Rock,” Goode said. “Building relationships with legislators, state agencies and the governor’s office over that time has helped, also.”
He said he can now “speak the language of the retail association” to the legislators and governor’s staff, as well as with the association’s members.
“This communication has made us very effective at the Capitol,” he said.
For more information, visit agrma.org.
For more market profiles from The Shelby Report, click here.


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Increasing shipments of spices by rail to Bangladesh in the past one month has given a fillip to exports from the country, hampered by logistics constraints due to Covid-19.
The initiative by the Railways has opened a new platform for the export of spices consignments to the neighbouring country of Bangaldesh, facilitating easier, faster and safer dispatch of bulk quantities at a significant cost reduction of 60 per cent compared to roadways. This is expected to benefit the small and medium players in the industry, said Spices Board officials.
“The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdown presented a new dimension to the export of spices from the country. Globally, there has been an increased demand for spices with immunity-boosting properties and we could cater to it despite the limitations faced in freight movement. Proactive and cost-effective measures for transportation like exporting to Bangladesh by rail benefited farmers and exporters alike,” said D Sathian, Secretary, Spices Board.
From June to November this year, 8,964 tonnes of turmeric have been exported by rail to Bangladesh from the Andhra Pradesh-Telengana belt, in addition to other spices such as chilli (4,300 tonnes), cumin (100 tonnes) etc.
Sathian said that with support from the South Central Railways, the first train moved around 1,900 tonnes of turmeric from Nizamabad to Benapole in Bangladesh in June, via Ranaghat in West Bengal. Following suit, other spices such were also sent by rail.
Bangladesh is one of the leading export destinations for Indian spices, and holds a share of around 9 per cent in volume and 5 per cent in value of the country’s total spice exports — which crossed $3 billion in 2019-20. During the period, around 1,38,903 tonnes of spices valued at ₹1,249 crore were exported to Bangladesh and the major items exported are cumin, chilli, ginger, turmeric etc.
Further opening up of the rail mode of export, amongst others, has helped boost the overall spice exports to Bangladesh, which crossed a volume of 99,301 tonnes during April-August valued at ₹975 crore, registering a remarkable increase of 181 per cent in quantity terms over the corresponding period of the previous year.
Earlier over 95 per cent of India’s spice exports to Bangladesh was routed through the ports of Ghojadanga, Mundra, Hili, Mohadipur, Petrapole, Nhava Sheva or by road in small quantities. The unforeseen challenges posed by Covid have paved the way for novel means to sustain supply links of spices despite logistic impediments, the Board officials said.
The Board convened an online interaction of the spices exporters with the officials of the South Central & Southern Railway zones, to explain the operational modalities as well as to encourage the exporters in utilising the opportunity to the fullest. The exporters have shown keen interest to switch over to rail as the preferred mode for transport, considering the potential advantage of uninterrupted movement of consignments, amidst the Covid constraints.


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After previous delays in implementing the new rules, why would Apple finally lock things down? Because management is nervous, and rightly so. The iPhone has enormous market share, and yet Google (GOOG) Android has eaten away at it. Apple executives are too smart to pull a RIM (RIMM) and assume that there is no threat. That's why Apple is taking a step that it knows could catch the antitrust attention of regulators. Better a potential problem in the future than a certain one now.
Fill the moat and raise the bridge
Apple was crafty in the way it created and then further developed the iOS ecosystem. Customers had to buy a device and then found themselves effectively locked in to purchasing apps, music, and e-books from Apple as well. Tie down everything that someone might want to do with a device, and you've ensured brand loyalty. For many, the expense and inconvenience of shifting platforms is enough to keep them close, even beyond what the innate appeal of product design can do.
But as much as Apple would like to completely dominate the mobile market -- and it clearly does -- the ecosystem, while an ingenious product marketing strategy, could only slow down everyone else and not stop them dead. Everyone else being Android. Google said that it now activates nearly 50 million devices a quarter, which is an astronomical number when you compare it even to the 29.5 million iPhones and iPads together that Apple sold last quarter.
Invading tech hordes
It's not just some amorphous set of vendor offerings that, on their own, couldn't come close to matching what Apple does. If research firm Strategy Analytics is correct, then Samsung may have sold as many Galaxy Android-based smartphone units as Apple did last quarter -- between 18 million and 21 million, by this estimate. Apple sold 20.3 million iPhones.
Combine such figures with the widespread available of Apple devices, even from Verizon (VZ) now, and the conclusion is clear: Apple is no longer the clear consumer favorite. Android vendors such as Samsung or HTC or Motorola (MMI) are selling a lot of units and a majority of consumers are consistently choosing them.
On the tablet front, Apple is clearly ahead with the iPad. But when I hear fans (including in the press) say that Android can't possible catch up for years, I remember hearing similar statements not so long ago about the iPhone hopelessly leaving Android smartphones in the dust.
No time for complacency
Apple (AAPL) is showing signs of being nervous -- in the best way possible. Like when Andy Grove talked about being paranoid when he headed Intel (INTC). Management has to find a way to push back and defend Apple's established market.
It's why the company is taking a big chance. There are few things that make antitrust regulators and prosecutors sit up and take notice quite as quickly as preventing consumers from having choice in where they can buy products and services. Apple already has heavy vertical integration, with devices, software, and content.
Essentially preventing third parties from doing business is another step -- and forget about the fanboy argument of "It's their platform, they should be able to do what they want!" This is business and the markets and regulators act in somewhat predictable ways.
Not that something will necessarily happen. But Apple has taken a risk with this approach. The shifting market dynamics explains why. Executives there probably feel that they're better off pushing back against growing competition than worrying about what authorities might do.
At worst, they have to address the situation. At best, they don't. But if Apple falls back now, then it already acts as though it's been ordered to change its behavior, and without any guarantee that its actions would satisfy the powers that be.
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As the nation rushes to reopen—while health officials continue to warn that the threat of the virus is far from over—many small businesses are experiencing some pretty extreme road-bumps in their operations.
In Mashpee, Massachusetts Mark Lawrence has owned and operated the Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour for 19 years.
On Friday, May 8, the shop finally re-opened after being temporarily shut down due to the pandemic.
I scream, you scream, BUT WE DONT SCREAM AT ICE CREAM EMPLOYEES DURING A PANDEMIC &especially not at Polar Cave jus… https://t.co/358Tatr8nj— Gabby Lucivero (@Gabby Lucivero) 1589074027.0
The shop was immediately inundated with guests, resulting in long wait times.
The guests then became aggressive and several of them took their frustrations out on employees causing one teen to quit.
Lawrence told FOX25 Boston:
"One of my best workers quit yesterday at the end of her shift. But the words she was called and the language, you wouldn't even say in a men's locker room. And to say it to a 17-year-old kid, they should be ashamed of themselves."
He also said:
"People have forgotten how to treat other human beings in the six or seven weeks that they've been confined to their homes. They have no clue how to respect other human beings."
I hope this isn't a harbinger of things to come. Jarring to realize this happened at Polar Cave, my family's favori… https://t.co/JzLmKc2WsQ— Phyllis Fagell, LCPC (@Phyllis Fagell, LCPC) 1589150784.0
As the parlour re-opened, Lawrence posted on social media that orders would have to be made an hour in advance.
Once the shop re-opened, however, many patrons either didn't see or chose not to follow the rules, resulting in chaos.
Following the disastrous re-opening day, Lawrence announced he would be re-closing the shop until a better system could be devised.
@washingtonpost I am so sorry to read this, particularly because Polar Cave is such an outstanding shop with incred… https://t.co/UunEf9TaNy— Paul Gundlach (@Paul Gundlach) 1589158307.0
It is easy to focus on some things lost during this pandemic: wages, jobs, etc. But the 'intangibles' lost are the… https://t.co/Mdd6zJ9LvK— Jason Leigh (@Jason Leigh) 1589151770.0
After the story of the incident went viral, countless people reached out to Lawrence offering support.
A GoFundMe was even started to help pay the college tuition of the employee who was mistreated.
The shop re-opened in a limited fashion over the weekend, trying some new techniques and placing an even higher emphasis on call-ahead orders.
According to Lawrence, the situation has "vastly improved."
"We will continue to tweak our efforts and eventually try again to open full speed ahead. Thank you for the incredible outpouring of love and support from so many. It truly means so much to me at this time."
Ugh this is so frustrating. Polar Cave has been my local go to ice cream spot at my parents’ house for years and no… https://t.co/LGfMNWoCju— Mike Daley (@Mike Daley) 1589139887.0
As businesses start to return following a prolonged period of social distancing, let's all try to remember that manners matter even as we rush to restart our lives.


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Physpeed's products include physical medium devices and clock data recovery chips that can operate at data rates up to 100-Gbits per second and are set to be extended to 400-Gbits per second.
The acquisition of Physpeed will help MaxLinear expand into the data center market as well as into metro and long-haul telecommunications, the company said MaxLinear estimates that the total available market for 40G and 100G optical integrated circuits is approximately $500 million in 2014, and that the annual market is set to triple over the next four years.
In addition to the $11.0 million offered to buy Physpeed the agreement calls for an additional $750,000 to be available as a pay out for the achievement of revenue goals in 2015 and 2016.
"Physpeed's expertise in high-speed analog design, combined with MaxLinear's proven low-power digital CMOS mixed signal-integration and DSP capabilities, will bring to market solutions that will uniquely enable the explosive data traffic growth generated from smartphones and tablets, and over-the-top streaming video, in addition to cloud computing and data analytics in hyper-scale data centers,” said Kishore Seendripu, CEO of MaxLinear, in a statement.
The acquisition has been approved by both boards of directors but has still to be approved by Physpeed shareholders. The deal is expected to close before the end of the calendar year.
Related links and articles:


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The third time isn't quite the charm. Apparently, Apple's legacy of early onset WiFi issues in its iPads continues in the new generation. Just weeks after the launch of the third generation, 9to5Mac reports that Apple appears to be investigating the reception issues in the new iPad after a growing number of complaints about spotty connections.
The site says it obtained a screenshot of an AppleCare memo, directing employees to collect and replace troubled third-generation iPads displaying symptoms such as "intermittent connectivity," "slow WiFi speeds" or not seeing the network.
The screen shot reads, "In the United States, contact centers and retail stores should capture iPad (3rd generation) Wi-Fi only devices if they exhibit any issue related to Wi-Fi."
This "capture" directive relates only to the WiFi models, according to 9to5Mac.
Users reported the WiFi in the new iPad was significantly weaker than iPad 2, their iPhones and MacBook laptops on AppleCare support discussion threads almost immediately.


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July 19, 2023 – In a surprising move, Apple unveiled its latest software update, iOS 16.6 RC (internal build: 20G75), to iPhone users today, marking the first update in two months. This update signals Apple’s commitment to enhancing user experience and addressing any lingering issues.
Unlike previous versions, the iOS 16.6 RC is expected to undergo thorough testing and refinement before transitioning into the official release. It is anticipated that within the coming weeks, all users will receive the final stable version of iOS 16.6, accompanied by various bug fixes and security enhancements.
However, it’s important to note that iOS 17, the highly anticipated major release, is on the horizon. With its imminent arrival, iOS 16 is unlikely to introduce any significant new features but will focus primarily on minor tweaks and security updates. Ultimately, iOS 16.6 will likely serve as the retirement version for iPhone X and iPhone 8 series, symbolizing the end of an era for these groundbreaking devices.
In a surprising turn of events, iOS 17 will no longer support the iPhone X and iPhone 8 series. The minimum requirement for iOS 17 will be devices powered by A12 chips or newer, such as the iPhone XR and iPhone XS. This shift in support indicates Apple’s commitment to advancing technological capabilities and optimizing performance for newer hardware.
Nevertheless, Apple’s dedication to providing extended support for its devices remains a significant advantage. Even though the iPhone X was released six years ago, Apple will continue to address any major issues and make improvements to certain functionalities. For users primarily engaged in daily communication, social interactions, and general usage scenarios, there is no need to worry about any adverse effects on their experience with subsequent updates.
The ever-evolving nature of Apple’s iOS ensures that users can look forward to a seamless and secure user experience, regardless of their device model. While bidding farewell to the iPhone X may evoke nostalgia, it also signifies the constant progress and innovation that defines the Apple ecosystem.


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Microsoft Working With Suppliers on Designs for Touch-Enabled Watch Device
Microsoft Corp. is working on designs for a touch-enabled watch device, executives at suppliers said, potentially joining rivals like Apple Inc. in working on a new class of computing products.
Earlier this year, Microsoft asked suppliers in Asia to ship components for a potential watch-style device, the executives said. One executive said he met with Microsoft’s research and development team at the software company’s Redmond, Wash., headquarters. But it’s unclear whether Microsoft will opt to move ahead with the watch, they said.


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Secretary of State Antony Blinken said all the right things about Latin America’s problems during his first official trip to South America. But, unfortunately, he didn’t say much about, perhaps, the best ways to help the region: a plan to re-direct U.S. business supply chains from China to Latin America.
During his three-day trip to Ecuador and Colombia, which started Oct. 18, Blinken spent much of his time talking about the need to preserve democracy, combat corruption, save the environment and handle mass migrations. He also reminded his audiences — repeatedly — that the United States has donated more COVID-19 vaccines than any other country.
But even Colombia’s President Ivan Duque, one of the closest U.S. allies in the region, reminded him at joint press conference on Oct. 20 that what Colombia and other Latin American countries need the most are investments.
Duque said that he expects Colombia’s economy to grow by more than 7% this year, and hopes that it will keep growing in the future, “But doing it means attracting investments.” Colombia could have a “wonderful opportunity” to grow much faster if U.S. multinationals moved their supply chains to friendly nations in Latin America, he added.
The Biden administration has said that it seeks to reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese supplies. It wants to prevent future cases such as the panic that erupted when there were shortages of China-made face masks at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, or the current problems with the supply of semi-conductors and batteries.
U.S. officials and trade experts increasingly are replacing the idea of “near-shoring” — bringing factories closer to home — with the concept of “friend-shoring” or “ally-shoring.” But so far, there is no grand plan by the United States that I know of that would encourage U.S. firms to move factories from Asia to Latin America.
According to a recent Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) study, Latin America could make an extra $70 billion a year if it just managed to replace 10% of China’s exports to the United States. And that could be easily done with goods that Latin America already is producing, such as car parts, tv sets and other electronic goods, it says.
IDB president Mauricio Claver-Carone told me that the current bottlenecks in shipments from China and other Asian countries to the United States have created “the greatest realignment of global supply chains in our lifetime.”
He added that this is a great opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean “to be the biggest beneficiaries” of this phenomenon. And the more prices continue to rise in the United States because of the current trans-Pacific shipping problems, the more sense it will make to re-direct supply chains to Latin America, he said.
The governments of Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Costa Rica, among others, already have started to actively lure China-based U.S. and European factories to their countries.
In July, Volkswagen announced plans to test 100% electric cars in Uruguay and to create a hub to export them regionally from there in 2022. The French IT firm Teleperformance said recently it plans to hire another 10,000 remote employees in Colombia. Intel said earlier this year that it would invest an additional $600 million to produce more microchips in Costa Rica.
In addition to being closer to the U.S. market and helping U.S. companies diversify their supply chains, IDB experts say that several Latin American countries use cleaner energies than China. That’s going to be increasingly important in the future, as more countries and companies require greener production procedures.
Of course, there are many old-guard populist governments in the region that scare away investments and will hardly be considered by multinational firms seeking to move away from China.
But the Biden administration should urgently launch an “ally-shoring” plan with those Latin American countries that are interested in it and encourage U.S. companies to move at least some of their production to the region.
Biden should do it now, in time to set the plan in motion at the 33-country Summit of the Americas to be held in the United States next summer. It’s a pity that Blinken didn’t make this the centerpiece of his first trip to South America, but it’s still doable.


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West Australian coffee roaster BioBean Coffee released a new range of home compostable packaging for their retail range in late December 2018. These eye-catching bags feature the stunning BioBean angel logo, now bigger than ever (painted long before the movie Avatar). Family owned and operated, based in the Perth foothills, the name BioBean Coffee has long been synonymous with social and environmental progress, honesty and transparency. Now, after more than 12 years of roasting, BioBean Coffee again leads the way with its new responsible packaging as an answer to the problems of plastic and recycling.
The zip closer and the Swiss made ecovalve are also compostable. Owner Mary Ipkendanz says she has tested these bags in her home composting system and found them to break down in around 6 weeks.
"Our kilo bags have been compostable for nearly five years but the technology to produce a product that would be acceptable to both shops and consumers has only recently been available," Ms Ipkendanz says. "We are so pleased to say goodbye to our petroleum based plastic range."
BioBean coffee is Organically Certified and Fairtrade; the electricity to power the roasters and office is supplied by solar panels.
"We believe this makes us one of the most environmentally and socially aware companies in Australia. We are not going to increase our prices due to the new packaging as we think that all companies should be heading in this direction as a matter of conscience." ##
BioBean Coffee is a family owned and operated coffee roasting business based in the Perth foothills. Established in 2005.
Organically Certified and Fairtrade.
P: 08 9294 3863
M: 0417 091 310


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It’s no secret that Big Tech has for years nabbed top technology talent through product acquisitions and acqui-hires. In fact, this is something the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is currently looking into through ongoing antitrust investigations. So it should come as little surprise that Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet (FAAMG) have also engaged in an AI talent arms race that involves dangling millions of dollars in front of some of best technical minds.
In 2019, the Big 5 snapped up no fewer than 14 AI-related startups between them, spanning everything from ecommerce and driverless cars to education and customer service. This year was no different, with FAAMG acquiring a similar number of AI-powered businesses from around the world. Here’s a quick recap.
Scape Technologies (Computer vision & AR. Founded in London, 2016)
In early 2020, news emerged that Facebook had acquired London-based computer vision startup Scape Technologies in a deal reported to be worth $40 million. Founded in 2016, Scape was using AI to build a real-time 3D map of the world from standard images and videos. While augmented reality was Scape’s initial focus, its ultimate goal was to create a 3D map infrastructure for drones, robotics, logistics, and more.
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Neither Facebook nor Scape has offered details on the acquisition or plans for the future, but Scape confirmed that it was deprecating its API and winding down, with cofounder and CEO Edward Miller assuming the role of research product manager at Facebook. The social networking giant has already confirmed plans to release AR glasses in 2021, and it has made no secret of its ambitions in the mapping realm since acquiring Mapillary this year, so Scape nestles nicely into those plans.
Atlas ML (Machine learning. Founded in London, 2018)
Though this acquisition was actually finalized in December 2019, it wasn’t until February that Facebook confirmed it had quietly bought London-based deep learning research startup Atlas ML. This seemed like a classic acqui-hire, with both founders — Robert Stojnic and Ross Taylor — now software engineers at Facebook AI. They are continuing to work on Papers With Code, a free and open resource containing newly published machine learning papers, code, and evaluation tables.
Kustomer (Automated CRM. Founded in New York, 2015)
In November, Facebook confirmed it was buying New York-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform Kustomer in a deal thought to be worth $1 billion. Founded in 2015, Kustomer enables businesses to automate repetitive customer service processes, including identifying inbound messages and routing the query to the correct team. It can also automatically respond to questions.
This deal fits squarely into Facebook’s social commerce push as it positions Messenger and WhatsApp to become key communication conduits for businesses. Kustomer also continues to operate as a standalone entity.
Zoox (Autonomous vehicles. Founded in San Francisco, 2014)
Amazon had a fairly quiet year on the acquisition front. The company’s only known M&A deal came in June, when it announced it was buying autonomous vehicle company Zoox for a reported $1.2 billion.
Autonomous vehicles could play a big part in Amazon’s gargantuan delivery infrastructure, but for now Zoox is continuing to work on self-driving vehicles aimed at consumers. In fact, Zook recently unveiled a four-seater robo-taxi.
Self-driving vehicles are a major area of focus for many of the big tech companies, with Google’s sister company Waymo leading the field and Apple reportedly ramping up its driverless car plans. Amazon has previously invested in self-driving car startup Aurora, as well as electric truck company Rivian — so bringing Zoox under its wing fits nicely.
Xnor.ai (Edge AI. Founded in Seattle, 2016)
Apple snapped up a host of AI startups in 2020, beginning with news in January that Apple had bought Xnor.ai, a Seattle-based startup focused on the efficient deployment of AI in edge devices like smartphones and drones. The deal was worth a reported $200 million.
It’s easy to see how Xnor.ai could benefit Apple, in terms of improving the way it deploys AI locally across its hardware or powering edge computing in its Core ML 3 toolkit for developers.
Voysis (Voice assistants. Founded in Dublin, 2012)
Apple also boosted its Siri voice assistant with the acquisition of Voysis, a Dublin-based startup that built natural language, conversational interfaces that could run directly on mobile devices — with a particular focus on supporting “rich natural language interactions between brands and users.”
This deal could help make Apple’s voice assistant more useful inside ecommerce apps.
Scout FM (AI-powered podcasts. Founded in San Francisco, 2017)
Podcasting has gone from strength to strength in recent years, with the likes of Spotify, Google, and Apple investing heavily in the medium. Apple’s decision to buy San Francisco-based Scout FM made a great deal of sense, as the company specialized in curating podcasts based on the user’s listening history. It’s easy to see how Apple could use this kind of AI to improve podcast suggestions.
Camerai (Computer vision and AR. Founded in Tel Aviv, 2014)
Camerai, formerly known as Tipit, developed deep learning and computer vision technologies for photography, allowing developers to integrate smart image processing into their apps. For example, it can detect human features and forms, enabling end users to change their hair color or style and adjust their skin tone.
Although news that Apple had acquired Camerai only emerged in August, the deal concluded sometime between 2018 and 2019 and reportedly cost Apple “tens of millions of dollars.” The team has apparently already been merged into Apple’s computer vision arm, and the technology is active in the iPhone camera, making it easier for developers to bring AR features to their apps.
Vilynx (AI video search. Founded in Barcelona, 2011)
Apple also bought Barcelona-based Vilynx, which had developed AI technology that analyzes videos (including visuals and audio) to “understand” the content.
Although Vilynx itself has now been wound down, many members of its team (including its founders) have joined Apple, according to Bloomberg, and Apple has kept its Barcelona office with the intention of making it one of its main AI R&D hubs in Europe.
It’s not clear exactly how Apple intends to utilize the talent and technology from this acquisition, but the way Vilynx extracts content metadata could help with voice search for video content through Siri or content categorization on Apple TV.
Softomotive (Robotic process automation. Founded in London, 2005)
Strictly speaking, Softomotive isn’t an AI company, but robotic process automation (RPA) is closely aligned with AI insofar as it helps businesses automate repetitive processes, albeit with structured input and logic.
RPA is a $2 billion industry, and Microsoft already offered some RPA tools and technologies as part of its Power Automate platform, which is why it swooped in and bought London-based Softomotive earlier this year for an undisclosed amount.
Microsoft said it would add Softomotive’s desktop automation tools to Power Automate and offer it to enterprise customers with “uniquely affordable pricing.” For now, Softomotive remains available as a standalone product.
ADRM Software (Data modeling. Founded in Nevada, 1999)
This wasn’t a pure AI acquisition, but ADRM Software had emerged as a leading provider of large-scale, industry-specific data models — and data is what underpins AI. Microsoft said it would combine ADRM’s data models with storage and compute from Azure to support the creation of data lakes.
According to ADRM, this integration will “supercharge modern data warehouses, next-level analytics, and AI and ML.”
Orions Systems (Computer vision. Founded in Snoqualmie, Washington, 2012)
In July, Microsoft announced it was buying Snoqualmie, Washington-based Orions Systems for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 2012, Orions Systems creates AI-infused smart vision systems that analyze video and images to extract data, underpinned by human-in-the-loop assistance to help train the models.
Microsoft revealed that it would integrate Orions Systems’ technology into its Dynamics 365 connected store and the Microsoft Power Platform to enable retailers and other organizations to build and customize their own AI models and glean insights from “observational data” in the physical space.
AppSheet (No-code app development. Founded in Seattle, 2012)
Back in January, Google announced it was buying no-code app development platform AppSheet, a platform that helps businesses create apps connected to their core business data. AppSheet also ships with a bunch of AI smarts, including optical character recognition (OCR), predictive modeling, and natural language processing (NLP), to expedite data entry and figure out what kind of app the user wants to build.
Google said AppSheet, which is still available as a standalone product, will “complement its strategy to reimagine the application development space” and be integrated into Google Cloud.
There were plenty of other AI acquisitions across the technology landscape this year, with cloud computing platform ServiceNow snapping up several AI startups, cloud communication company RingCentral buying conversational AI startup DeepAffects, and the mighty Intel taking on AI software optimization platform SigOpt. The list goes on.
But looking at the Big 5’s activities not only serves as a snapshot of the kinds of AI technologies currently in demand, it also shines a spotlight on the sectors and niches where AI is needed. And it highlights how many of the best emerging tech minds have jumped at the chance to accelerate their product development by becoming part of a larger company — or ditch their products to work on something completely different, with touchpoints spanning billions of people across the consumer and enterprise realms.
Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Google often make acquisitions with a vision for where a startup’s technology slots into an existing product or service. Other times, it’s clear they wanted the talent to work on what could be a wide gamut of new projects. But it all amounts to the same thing: Big Tech wants big AI talent more than ever.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


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PETALING JAYA: Consumers have a role to play in ensuring the food they buy is safe for consumption. Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations chief executive officer Saravanan Thambirajah said those who are not satisfied could lodge a report with the National Consumers Complaint Centre on its website.
He was commenting on reports that many hawkers have been using staples to secure food packaging, although it is against regulations.
Recently, a five-year-old boy had to be rushed to hospital when he complained of abdominal pains after consuming a packet of food.
An X-ray showed that he had ingested a nail, and had to undergo emergency surgery.
In response, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah instructed food sellers to stop using harmful objects in their food packaging. Those who flout the rules are liable to a fine of up to RM10,000, two years’ imprisonment, or both.
Saravanan pointed out that the issue of food safety goes beyond the packaging.
“Consumers should be vigilant when they go to a restaurant or food stall for their meals. Look around. Observe what goes on there, especially if you decide to dine in.”
He advised the public to check the eatery’s business licence and the level of cleanliness as graded by the local authority.
“These should be clearly displayed inside the eatery.”
Saravanan said customers should also pay attention to see if the staff observe the standard operating procedures.
“They should be wearing hair (covers) and gloves when handling the food to ensure cleanliness,” he added.
Malaysian Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Associations president Datuk Yow Boon Choon acknowledged that many traders ignore the safety aspect in their food packaging.
“The safest way to pack food is to not use hazardous objects such as staples,” he said, adding that dry foods could be packed in sealed bags and traditional food such as nasi lemak could be packed without the use of staples.
Yow stressed that the main priority of food sellers should be the safety of consumers.
He said staples and other harmful objects should never be placed near any type of food or drinks.
“Accidents can happen and someone may end up swallowing one of these objects and require surgery.”
Yow advised traders to be more careful when packing food.
“They can be creative but not to the extent of endangering the consumer.”
He said courses on how to safely pack food for sale have been organised for traders who are members of associations in the federation.
“This is our way of creating awareness and to teach them the safest way to pack food.
“There are many ways to pack food correctly and safely. We hope that once they have acquired the knowledge, it would put a stop to incidents of people swallowing harmful objects with their meals,” he added.


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Whitbread, which trades as Premier Inn and coffee chain Costa, has said Anthony Habgood will step down from its board later this year.
He had been chairman since the middle of 2005.
The process to find his successor will be led by senior independent director Sir Ian Cheshire.
Loading article content
Mr Habgood, also chairman at Reed Elsevier, said: "With the company having a strong board and a clear strategy for growth, I believe that this year is an appropriate time to hand over to a successor."


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New Zealand is in a Recession
By Dave Oneegs Aussie Chat
NZ OFFICIALLY IN RECESSION
You will eat zi bugs!
“New Zealand’s agriculture-driven economy has fallen into recession, according to official data released Thursday,
with a damaging cyclone fuelling a widespread downturn just months before national elections.
Stats NZ signaled the economy had contracted 0.1 percent in the first quarter, after a fall of 0.7 percent at the end of 2022.
Four months before the general election, center-left finance minister Grant Robertson admitted that entering recession was “not a surprise”.


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HSNi's Grossman Named Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Florida by Ernst & Young
June 20, 2011,
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.-Mindy Grossman, HSNi's CEO, has been named Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Florida in the Corporate Innovator category for the west central Florida region by Ernst & Young.
The award cites executives who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success, innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Grossman received her award on June 16 at a gala event at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate.
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COVER STORY: HFN Turns 90
We commemorate HFN's 90th anniversary by paying tribute to the iconic retailer and supplier brands--and the people--that have helped the industry flourish, then and now.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Up & Coming Leaders - The home industry is in capable and visionary hands as this year’s 40 Under 40 list attests. Today’s young leaders span all disciplines and varied levels of operation.
- Omnichannel Retailing - In the Mobile App World, Time is Money


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My Fit Foods opens first office-tower location
- Jennifer Dawson
A lot of business professionals don’t have time to go to My Fit Foods, so the company decided to go to them.
The Houston-based company that sells healthy pre-packaged meals recently opened a kiosk in the second-floor lobby of Williams Tower, the 64-story office building at 2800 Post Oak.
This marks the first time My Fit Foods has ventured beyond a retail strip center.
My Fit Foods has a captive audience in the Galleria area office tower, considering it’s the daytime home to 3,000 employees.
Houston-based Hines, which owns the skyscraper, sees the health-conscious tenant as a big amenity for its tenants.
This is a new business model for My Fit Foods, which has more than 20 locations in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
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IBM Bets $1 Billion on New Mainframe in Shrinking Market
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) spent more than $1 billion over four years to develop a new mainframe computer, betting it can keep up with businesses shifting to cloud-based software and storage.
The Armonk, New York-based company is unveiling the zEnterprise EC12 mainframe server today, the latest iteration of a 48-year-old product. It’s the outcome of more than $1 billion in research and development around the world to make the fastest and most secure IBM mainframe yet, said Rod Adkins, senior vice president of systems and technology.
Even as IBM shifts its focus to more profitable businesses such as software, “the mainframe is central in that strategy,” Adkins said in an interview. “When you think about how our business model over time will continue to drive more from software and services, you still have to have the foundation.”
Revenue in IBM’s System Z mainframe line fell 17 percent in the first half from a year earlier, contributing to a decline in the $8 billion systems and technology business, according to a regulatory filing. The company won’t offer financial forecasts for how the new product will perform, Adkins said.
Large enterprises such as banks, retailers and government agencies buy mainframes to support their data systems. IBM’s EC12, the first update since 2010, has 50 percent more capacity than its predecessor and runs at 5.5 gigahertz, the fastest in the industry, Adkins said. It’s also designed with built-in security software and support for private cloud environments, meaning a business can run thousands of systems on one mainframe.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Turner at email@example.com


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Aston Martin could see credit rating buried further in scrap heap if it fails to secure a deal to raise more money
Aston Martin could see its credit rating buried further in the scrap heap if it fails to secure a deal to raise more money, ratings agency Moody’s warned.
Its debt is already rated as ‘junk’ by Moody’s, meaning it is already viewed as a highly racy investment. But it could soon be pushed down further.
Shaken and stirred: The car maker produced the classic 1965 DB5 model used by James Bond, pictured above
The car maker, which produced the classic 1965 DB5 model used by James Bond after its US auction in 2006, is believed to be locked in the middle of a bidding war between Italian private-equity fund Investindustrial and India’s Mahindra & Mahindra over control of the company.
the past nine months sales have fallen by a fifth to £305m, with only
2,520 vehicles shifted compared with 3,132 the year before. Delays to
its new Vanquish model also forced the group to warn that annual profits
Moody’s yesterday said it had placed the group’s credit rating ‘under review for downgrade’ because of ‘weaker cash generation and operating performance’, adding the ‘inability’ to raise more money ‘within the next couple of weeks would most likely result in a downgrade of Aston Martin’s rating that might not be limited to one notch’.
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KB Holding Inc., headquartered in Delaware, has hired Joel Chace as VP of real estate, in which capacity he will spearhead the growth of the company's retail banners, Kings Super Markets and Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market.
“The expansion of our Kings and Balducci’s brands remains a top priority for us, and Joel will play a significant role in helping us to build, buy and better our stores,” said Judy Spires, president and CEO of KB Holding. “With a history of success in areas of aggressive retail expansion, we are confident in his ability to develop and enhance the in-store experience for our current customers, but also bring these experiences to new communities.”
Chace has 15 years of experience leading real estate departments for such retail chains as Party City, as well as at Citibank. He has headed a team of company legal, construction, facilities and finance personnel and consultants to secure sites and meet critical dates and budget for new clubs, relocations and expansions, including managing a portfolio of subtenants. His most recent role was director of real estate development and lease administration for New York City-based Town Sports International Holdings Inc.
Parsippany, N.J.-based Kings and Balducci’s operate a combined 30-plus stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Virginia.


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(WTVO) — Arizona, the company that makes Arizona Iced Tea, is partnering with cannabis company Dixie Brands to make weed-infused beverages and other products.
The deal is expected to result in a line of products made by Dixie that carry the Arizona branding.
The Wall Street Journal says the first products are likely to be vape pens and gummies, with the beverages to come later.
The ice tea maker’s CEO admitted it’s a risk, but says being an early mover in an emerging market could pay off.
Arizona’s deal could take its products to multiple states where marijuana is legal, and eventually Canada and Latin America.
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Lots more letters about Mitt Romney's comment, a few in support of Romney this time. Find some of these letters in Sunday Forum this Sunday.
We're getting lots and lots and lots of letters about Mitt Romney's secretly taped comments on the number of Americans "dependent" on the government (read today's story here). And, no, not a one in support or defense. Here's a sampling.
Be on the look out for some rare coupons at Lowes Foods right now.
The coupons, which are printing at the registers, are good for 10 percent off certain types of groceries.
Dairy Queen is saying thank you to its customers on Saturday with a "one-half off everything" sale.
That means 50 percent off Blizzards, 50 percent off Dilly Bars, 50 percent off anything on the menu.
Click here to find a participating Dairy Queen location. It looks like all Triangle locations are in on the deal.
Staples is giving away reusable shopping bags through Saturday, Dec. 31.
Print this coupon and pick up your bag at the customer service desk. Or save a sheet of paper and your ink and show the coupon on your smartphone.
The coupon also gives you a 15 percent discount on everything you can fit in the bag, including clearance items.
Starting today, Dec. 26, Whole Foods is offering its wine for 20 percent off when you buy a case.
Think New Year's Eve. Or special occasions throughout 2012. You can select different bottles to make a case.
If you're a wine drinker, this is a pretty nice discount.
Sale ends Sunday, Jan. 1.


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Developers from Blue Box Game Studios continue sharing the details of their debut project Abandoned, which was revealed only a few days ago. Full gameplay demonstration for this cinematic horror-shooter is expected this June on E3.
Blue Box has been working with Sony since 2015, but right now the developers can’t discuss the game’s exclusivity and their plans to release the game on additional platforms sometime later. Instead, the head of Blue Box Game Hasan Kahraman has spoken to Gamer.nl about how the developers try to make the game as realistic as possible.
Kahraman said the studio had been working on Abandoned since 2017, and the goal was to make something very special, unlike the common first-person games, which dominate the market today. According to him, the players will notice the emphasis on realism in every aspect of the game.
Kahraman revealed Abandoned is using Unreal Engine 4 and the team put all the effort into delivering smooth character animations. For the sake of realism, Abandoned will have no user interface at all. Therefore, players will have to manually check their ammo count and clean wounds to avoid infections. Such an approach opens many unusual gameplay possibilities. For example, if the protagonist is wounded in the leg, he will fall and drop his weapon. The player will have to choose if they try to stop the bleeding immediately or pick up a gun and fight off the enemy first.
Thirst and hunger mechanics will play a major role in Abandoned. The players will have to hunt the wild animals for food, however, some supplies can be obtained while exploring the world around them. In addition, if you drink dirty water or eat stale food, the protagonist will get sick.
Interestingly enough, right after the Abandoned was revealed, many players believed the game is actually a hidden promo for a more ambitious triple-A game from Hideo Kojima. Hasan Kahraman admitted he was concerned that this “false” attention and fan theories would hurt the real game the studio was working on. Moreover, Blue Box head didn’t like that many players compared his project to the last Resident Evil games. He pointed out Abandoned is “completely different.”
Abandoned is scheduled for release exclusively for the PlayStation 5 later this year.
Source: Read Full Article


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Last year, marijuana sales in Illinois reached all-time highs, but the growth of cannabis lounges has been slower.
Illinois allows the lounges—licensed establishments that offer smoking and drinking on the premises—but with a catch. Final approval is granted to local governments.
Only a few are allowed in the state, including Rise in Mundelein, but not in Chicago.
They claim that although the city declined to provide an explanation for why they are forbidden, in 2020 Mayor Lori Lightfoot attempted to forward a plan that was blocked by City Council.
According to Ald. Howard Brookins (21st), “It’s not going to work, and there will be people smoking the stuff in illegal dens,” at the time.
The mystery: According to cannabis consultant Amy Dordek Dolisnky, some businesspeople in the area are worried about pushback on lounges will hurt the Chicago market.
Reality check: Lounges were expected to be a big part of states’ rollouts of legalized marijuana. But the pandemic slowed demand for them.
Still, analysts think that could change.
“We will soon see legal consumption lounges and permits for on-site consumption at events in every market where cannabis is legal,” Ricardo Baca of Grasslands, a cannabis-focused marketing agency, tells Axios.
“Legal on-site cannabis consumption is no longer an if; rather it’s a when — and as more states find success in these ventures, others will join the fold.”
Be smart: Right now, the Illinois law says the lounges are BYOC (bring your own cannabis). You can’t buy marijuana and consume it in the same store.


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Huawei Mate 60 series will come in both 4G and 5G models, says a leak, which also indicates that the company is leading us back where it started. However, this is a good thing for Huawei and it is looking to bring the latest smartphone technology into effect.
If you’d remember, the Huawei Mate 30 series was the first lineup to come in 4G and 5G variants. The company introduce these as the first fully functional devices featuring integrated Kirin 990 chipset series. We stand down from Huawei Mate 20 series because it wasn’t promoted as a 5G family.
Afterward, Huawei went full 5G with the Huawei Mate 40 series and announced for flagship chipset. It was the first 5nm chip and became the last flagship chip designed by the company in 2020.
Last year, Huawei launched Mate 50 series, which is entirely 4G and uses a Qualcomm processor. Until last year, Huawei reshuffling its strategy around different supply chains. This step is a key milestone to complete Huawei’s requirements and build new devices.
The Chinese phone maker settled in 4G for over 2 years but now, things are turning a little bit to its corner. Multiple sources hint that Huawei could bring back 5G later this year. And if Huawei has plans to resume 5G, then Huawei Mate 60 series is a perfect candidate to harness this network.
However, there’s no confirmation of which chip solution Huawei would use to bring back 5G in its devices.
Another aspect of the deal makes sense, Huawei should not cut major supplies from Qualcomm. Because Snapdragon chips are high in yield and their supplies are stable. Therefore, launching the 4G and 5G Huawei Mate 60 series will be right for the time being.
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If you have any tips/input, questions, or corrections to this article – share them on [email protected].


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We were delighted to host a village Apple Day at the the Sylva Wood Centre last weekend.
Organised by Wittenham Warriors, the fifth Village Apple Day took place on 15h October 2023 with more than two dozen people congregating at Sylva Wood Centre to take part in the successful community event.
A total of 200kg of various varieties of apples, including the very first crop from the Sylva-hosted village community orchard, produced ninety-five bottles of pasteurised juice and a couple of dozen of unpasteurised juice. Each bottle is different due to the mix of apple varieties; one of the joys of locally-produced juice.
Left Image: volunteer Colin Johnstone feeding the macerator; Right image: first small crop of apple picked from the Wittenhams Community Orchard.
The Wittenham Warriors gave a big thank you to Gabriel Hemery, and the Sylva Foundation for hosting the day, and to all those who brought apples, helped production and bought the juice.


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BradsDeals is launching CyberMonday2010.com, a one-stop resource for anyone who wants to avoid the Black Friday crowds by shopping the weekend after Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday 2010 will have all the best online shopping deals of Thanksgiving weekend and the following Monday.
Archive for the ‘Black Friday’ Category
I find it interesting that a few “big days” are growing drastically out of proportion related to overall holiday sales. 5 years ago, Black Friday was about closer to 10% of total holiday sales. Today it is above 20%. Can smaller retailers compete in this environment?
I’m excited to announce the launch of our sister site BlackFriday2010.com, where you can research, plan and execute the best Black Friday shopping.
Tweet The countdown to Black Friday 2010 is on! Even though there is, well, exactly 342 days, 23 hours, 50 minutes and 2 seconds until BF 2010, we can’t wait any longer and are going live with BlackFriday2010.com. After the blowout debut of BlackFriday2009.com – with over 8 Million downloads of Black Friday Ads – [...]
TweetAs mentioned in our Black Friday Blog, Dorothy Tucker from CBS2 Chicago interviewed me for her Black Friday 2009 segment. “Black Friday is going to have considerably better pricing than a month ago, than six months ago, then last Christmas” Watch the clip here!
TweetJoe Arrante of the New Haven Register reminds us all of what is important Thanksgiving weekend in his Some will gobble, while others hobble this holiday week column. And, as always, to be safe! “And one more tip from Brad: Please don’t trample or shoot anyone. Ouch, yes, I forgot the double-fatal shooting at a [...]
TweetI had a great chat with Janna Farley from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader for her fun Black Friday story entitled: Everything you need to know about the day after Thanksgiving, a holiday all on its own, covering the recent launch of our new Black Friday Ads site.
BradsDeals launches Black Friday 2009 Site Launches; Brad goes on CNBC!
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