text:
YouTube Gets Tough On Content Creators
YouTube CEO Susan Wojicki’s stated goal to move beyond the ad-funded content model for the world’s largest video site is nearing fruition. YouTube has drafted new rules for its partners - content owners- that are scheduled to come out later on this year. The gist of the new rules is effectively to compel content creators to opt into any new monetized services the site may choose to launch. YouTube’s most straight-forward way to do this is to create an ad-free paid subscription service for its users. The most viable way of persuading its visitors to start paying is by bringing to the fore YouTube specific content. With Native Creators channels accounting for 26% of YouTube views and additionally showing the strongest category growth this is a logical sector to focus on monetizing.
Under the new rules, YouTube Partners will now have to agree to have clips from their channels made available on this ad-free service. The onus is on Partners to opt out of this default position and the only way that they can do this is making their videos private, which means that their videos effectively become invisible on YouTube searches.
The Conflicting Demands of Online Video Content Platforms Versus Creators
Clearly these new rules create a potential divergence of interest between YouTube and its content partners. Converting free users to paying subscribers is always going to be a significant challenge. The pull factor will be greatly enhanced by having YouTube stars as a part of the package, but will it be enough?
In an increasingly competitive and diverse on-line video landscape content creators however now face a range of differing ways to monetize their product including exclusive windowing content deals. As such they many not be in a position to allow for premium monetization of their video clips by the new YouTube service. Their only alternative option then is to hide their YouTube channel accessibility to comply with the new YouTube rules.
YouTube’s Creator Dilemma
These new rules effectively create a binary choice for content creators on YouTube. Either agree to being part of the site’s new premium strategy, and lose exclusivity on content, or maintain control over content rights but be forced to seek alternative platforms to continue to build their brands.
YouTube finds itself in dilemma. Due to the success of its free ad-funded model, the site has given birth to a whole new category of video brands, who are celebrities, content creators and producers all rolled into one digitally savvy package. However YouTube now faces dramatically increased competition from well positioned start-ups intent on generating revenue from these very same emerging stars. Vessel’s promise of subscription revenue on top of ad income to YouTube creators is a compelling proposition and YouTube has been forced to respond in kind. It simply cannot afford to lose its native creators. Yet to ensure there is meaningful subscription revenue YouTube will have to impose a pretty robust paywall and doing that runs the very real risk of alienating the core free audience. Not doing so how ever risks seeing native creators disperse towards more flexible and accommodating video platforms.


text:
'Bike of the future' JIVR launches new product with Seedrs funding to attract non-cyclists
Today (January 14), JIVR, a foldable, electric and chainless bike company, has launched its latest product, JIVR | Senses.
JIVR | Senses is a new project aimed at improving rider safety and security on the road, whilst also expanding the cycling market by attracting non-cyclists to the benefits of e-bikes.
In Europe alone, 100 million people commute to work each day, but less than 10 per cent use bikes due to cycling-related hassles.
JIVR was launched as a concept in 2012 as a result of a University College London research paper which studied the quality of city life.
CEO and founder, Marcin Piatkowski concluded the research with an idea to popularise cycling to work.
He believed that, in order to turn regular commuters into cyclists, he needed to design a bike that offers all the benefits of cycling without the lifestyle compromises that usually come with it.
He said: “Since its inception, JIVR has been focused on creating a product which appeals to the masses and solves everyday commuter headaches.
“The launch of JIVR | Senses seeks to continue this mission and will help improve the safety of cyclists, thus eliminating further pain-points for those not yet sold on using an e-bike as part of their everyday routine.
“We look forward to rounding it off on a high by inviting all our existing supporters to join us in our Seedrs round.”
In order to support the project’s rollout, as well as the opening of its new concept store in Frankfurt in 2019 and production of four new products by 2020, the company has launched an €850k investment round on Seedrs.
Looking to promote your product or service? Bdaily Marketing can help you reach a regional business audience. Request our latest Media Pack →

domain: news


text:
KUALA LUMPUR: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has admitted that it may take up to three years to fix the government’s finances, resulting in Budget 2019 not being as good as the rakyat might hope, Bernama reported.
The Budget 2019 will be tabled by Lim in the Dewan Rakyat on November 2.
“We must fix our fiscal finances while improving the wellbeing of the rakyat. We hope the people will understand that it will take us three years to do so,” he told Bernama in an interview last night.
He cited the reduced revenue with the abolition of the goods and services tax (GST) and the introduction of the sales and services tax (SST).
Under the SST, the government expects to collect RM21 billion next year, as opposed to RM44 billion under the GST.
He defended the move to abolish the GST however, saying that “the improved SST implementation, will see the government ‘return’ about RM23 billion to the people”.
Price hikes? Don’t blame SST, its demand-supply factor
The DAP secretary-general also said any hike in the price of goods from now could not be blamed solely on the SST.
“Basically, prices of goods and services are determined by demand and supply in the market.
“Aside from that, the SST only accounts for 38% of the Consumer Price Index basket of goods compared with 60% under the GST,” Lim told the national news agency.
Be wise consumers
He also urged the people to become wise consumers by taking actions like lodging reports with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, boycotting overpriced products and exposing wrongdoings by going viral on social media.
“Consumers should buy goods and services when they were absolutely necessary, compare prices and get value for money for the products purchased, and make market research beforehand,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
According to Lim, the SST should ideally boost consumer confidence and in time, increase investor confidence, and with that help the country’s economy to grow further.


text:
PlatinumGames has finally shared an update about the next DLC update for The Wonderful 101: Remastered.
As you might recall, Luka's Mission was one of the stretch goals on the Kickstarter. Platinum has now provided a sneak peek of this upcoming content. This will take on the form of a classic 2D side-scroller, with Luka as the star. And there's no mention of when exactly this DLC will be released at this stage. (Note: activate subtitles in the video below)
This sneak peak follows the 'Prince Vorkken' DLC, which was released earlier this year in August. If you haven't already tried out this game on the Switch, be sure to check out our Nintendo Life review. Kickstarter issues aside, it's still a memorable action game that's well worth a look.


text:
Running a logistics company in the cold chain industry is big business today. The business opportunity can be attributed to the growing demand for cold storage of fresh products. However, you have to invest in refrigerated trucks to succeed in the industry. That said, refrigerated stock trucks are not enough to run a successful cold chain logistics business. You need the right refrigerated truck accessories to enhance the performance of your fleet of refrigerated trucks. This article highlights essential accessories for a refrigerated delivery truck.
Because of these negative environmental effects, companies that sell and use reefer trucks are beginning to test out ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transporting food that needs to be chilled. Some of these innovations are technologies that can be used on lower-emission trucks in general, but some have been created specifically for refrigerated truck belt.
Here are five hot technologies for cold trucking:
1. Electric, of course: Aligning with the overall trend of vehicles electrifying, some companies have been testing electric refrigerated trucks with filter. Startup Chanje has developed an electric refrigerated van in conjunction with refrigeration giant Thermo King. The companies debuted a prototype of the vehicle at the huge commercial EV show ACT Expo last year (which is coming up in May; we'll be there!)
In Europe, Renault Trucks with gasket has developed an electric refrigerated box truck. These electric vehicles can be particularly beneficial in urban environments, where they not only can slash city air pollution but also eliminate the noise associated with delivery trucks in neighborhoods.
2. Trailer-top solar: For larger refrigerated trucks with shaft seal that use a trailer equipped with a separate engine, solar panels on the roof and a battery in the back of the trailer can help. (Truck industry pro tip: The trailer is the back part of the truck that holds stuff). A company called eNow makes a solar-powered cooling unit that replaces the engine of a refrigerated trailer. As our buddy Bill Van Amburg, executive vice president of CALSTART, says in this piece: "Many of the small engines used to power the conventional refrigeration units are essentially unregulated and so are highly polluting."
This is a pretty interesting application for solar in trucking. Other truck makers are starting to explore how to use solar panels to power the auxiliary systems of trucks with oil pump, used to run air conditioning, heating or TVs for drivers that sleep overnight in the cabs. And just to note, most truck makers are not looking to power a truck with solar panels — the propulsion energy needs of a truck are too high and the real estate on the roof is too low.


text:
Tales of Hearts R Finally Gets Western Localization
April 21, 2014
Bandai Namco has today revealed the release date of Tales of Hearts R. The game will be launching on PS Vita on November 11. It will available digitally and as a physical exclusive at GameStop.
Stay tuned for more updates.


text:
Ziff shares soar – ZDNet IPO ahoy?
A mysterious overnight twitch of ZD shares has cheered up Softbank stock today
Shares in Japanese combine Softbank have risen sharply in Tokyo today, following substantial gains in the share price of its US subsidiary, Ziff-Davis, overnight. PC publisher and owner of ZDNet Ziff-Davis gained around 30 per cent, but had no comment on why. The company went public earlier this year at $17 a share, but more recently has seen stock down in the vicinity of $4.50. The latest gain takes it towards a rather more respectable $13. ZD had recently implemented various exercises in belt-tightening, its cash cows (which include PC Week and PC Magazine) apparently being insufficient to counteract losses from investment in new titles and new media. But in October it announced moves that pointed to taking its ZDNet Web operation public, and this may be connected with the mysterious stock rise. Register stock tip: Well, not exactly, our stock observation is simply to remind you that initial investors in ZD's IPO have not as yet done famously, and to point out that Web operations have some distance to go before they're gold mines. ® Complete Register trial coverage


text:
Honda sales rise 12.7% on Accord's strength
- Honda sales rose 12.7%25
- But much of the increase was due to the new Accord
- Some Acura models scored too
Honda increased sales by 12.7% last month, powered by sales of the newly redone Accord sedan.
Accord sales soared 75.2% above the same month last year, a powerful endorsement of the car that is a mainstay of the Honda brand.
Showing that families are in the market, the Pilot SUV saw sales increase 16.3% and even the Crosstour, a slope-backed car with hints of a crossover that's no favorite of auto critics, saw sales go up 38.2%.
"Accord has the Honda brand right where we left off in 2012 - powering significant sales gains in the new year," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales. "With our strongest vehicle lineup ever and continued sales momentum, we're optimistic 2013 will be a great year for the Honda brand."
Overall, the Honda brand was up 12.7% and the Acura lulxury division was up 13.2%.
Acura's RDX sets its ninth-consecutive monthly sales record, having almost tripled sales from last year. MDX remains Acura's top-selling model.


text:
By Rithika Krishna
(Reuters) – North American timber producers are expected to see a dip in current-quarter profit after lumber demand for do-it-yourself home projects decreased following the easing of most restrictions that kept people in their houses.
Lofty lumber prices, the sustained needs of home builders and industrious homeowners during the pandemic pushed their second-quarter profit to record levels. But the DIY market, which accounts for 20% of lumber sales, is leveling.
Canada’s West Fraser Timber Co Ltd, Canfor Corp and Interfor Corp are projected to report combined earnings of about $803 million in the third quarter, according to Refinitiv estimates, about a third of what they posted in the second quarter.
However, lumber supply is expected to tick up as saw mill owners take advantage of recent bumper profits to build more mills and add workers, which will help ease a protracted labor shortage.
“Revival in supply and weak demand from renovations and the repair sector will put a lid on prices,” said Samuel Burman, commodities economist at Capital Economics.
Burman expects lumber prices to hover around $500 to $600 per thousand board feet for the rest of this year, with supply set to rise around 6% in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Lumber futures touched a record high of $1,711 per thousand board feet in May. However, futures contract for lumber with delivery in November traded at just $483 per thousand board feet.
In July, U.S.-based Weyerhaeuser Co said it expects third-quarter earnings to be “significantly” lower than the second. Canfor, which breezed past market expectations in the second quarter, hinted at future demand challenges in late July.
“The second quarter was probably the greatest quarter in the history for the lumber producers … they never made money like they did in the second quarter and they probably won’t make money like that again in the near future,” said Mark Wilde, analyst with BMO Capital Markets.
The windfall from high lumber prices, however, encouraged Canfor and smaller rivals like privately held Tolko and Roseburg Forest Products to open new saw mills.
“The new supply will weigh on pricing,” said George Staphos at Bank of America (BofA) research, adding that some new equipment and capacity installations could go into 2022 and beyond.
(Reporting by Rithika Krishna in Bengaluru; Editing by Sweta Singh, Bernard Orr)


text:
Judges increasingly are sending defendants to rehab instead of prison or jail. Diversion courts have become the bedrock of criminal justice reform, aiming to transform lives and ease overcrowded prisons. In the rush to spare people from prison, some judges are steering defendants into rehabs that are little more than lucrative work camps for private industry, reports the Center for Investigative Reporting’s Reveal. Programs promise freedom from addiction. Instead, they’ve turned thousands of men and women into indentured servants. The beneficiaries of these programs span the U.S., from Fortune 500 companies to factories and local businesses. The defendants may work at a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Oklahoma, a construction firm in Alabama, a nursing home in North Carolina.
Perhaps no rehab better exemplifies this allegiance to big business than Christian Alcoholics & Addicts in Recovery (CAAIR) in Oklahoma. It was started in 2007 by chicken company executives struggling to find workers. By forming a Christian rehab, they could supply plants with a cheap and captive labor force. At “the Chicken Farm,” a rural retreat where defendants stay for a year, they are supposed to get addiction treatment and learn to live more productive lives. There isn’t much substance abuse treatment at CAAIR. About 200 men live on a sprawling, grassy compound in northeastern Oklahoma, and most work full time at Simmons Foods Inc., a company with annual revenue of $1.4 billion. They slaughter and process chickens for some large retailers and restaurants, including Walmart, KFC and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Simmons Foods is so reliant on CAAIR for some shifts that the plants likely would shut down if the men didn’t show up. Men in the CAAIR program said their hands became gnarled after days spent hanging thousands of chickens from metal shackles.


text:
After a flurry of releases around SQL Server 2005, BizTalk Server 2006, and Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft has taken a breather. The product drought will end in a big way come 2007, when a trifecta of flagship releases rolls out of Redmond.
Starting in January (and perhaps even earlier), customers can expect to greet Office 2007, the long-awaited Exchange Server 2007, and, of course, Windows Vista. For enterprise managers looking to upgrade two or more of these products, it could be a busy migration season. The good news: companies should be able to deploy based on need, rather than the requirements of the software.
"As far as I can tell there are no dependencies among these products, nothing that requires Vista or anything," says David Mitchell Smith, vice president and Gartner fellow. "They are really independent decisions."
Vista: Slippery When Wet
What looked like a cloudburst of new products, however, could stretch into a prolonged shower. According to a recent Gartner research note, analysts at the industry research firm predict that Windows Vista will likely slip again, most likely into the second quarter of 2007.
"Microsoft's track record is clear; it consistently misses target dates for major operating system releases," the report states. "We don't expect broad availability of Windows Vista until at least 2Q07, which is nine to 12 months after Beta 2."
Microsoft, for its part, is sticking with its story. "We respectfully disagree with Gartner's views around timing of the final delivery of Windows Vista," says a spokesperson for the company. "We remain on track to deliver Windows Vista Beta 2 in the second quarter and to deliver the final product to volume license customers in November 2006 and to other businesses and consumers in January 2007."
Gartner singles out the expanding scope of the late-beta review, which involves about two million users. "These users bring a much-greater variety of usage models than earlier beta releases, with a much-larger variety of software," the report says.
There's another reason that Vista could well slip into the spring of 2007, says Smith. "The damage has already been done when you miss the holiday season. The next real milestone is the end of the fiscal year for them, which is June, and the back-to-school PC buying season."
Raindrops Keep Falling
Even if Vista slips, the first half
of 2007 should be a busy time for Microsoft product managers. Enterprise IT managers will also be paying close attention.
"Sometimes enterprises choose to do these things together, for cost savings," says Smith, who notes that his group is "not predicting slips or any other problems" with Office or Exchange. "We haven't seen any reason to want to make any statements about those yet."
So what will arrive when? According to Microsoft, Q1 of 2007 will see the arrivals of Exchange, as well as consumer versions of Vista and Office. For volume business customers, Office is slated to arrive in October 2006, with Vista just behind it in November. One interesting wrinkle is Office 2007, which on the consumer side has been aligned with the launch of Vista for the consumer market.
"We have, however, decided to coordinate with Windows Vista to hit retail store shelves and the OEM channel in January 2007," says a spokesperson for the Microsoft Office System group.
Could it be that Microsoft is more confident of its new Vista schedule than Gartner expects? Or is it simply a matter of the Office team getting final word before decoupling its software from Vista? One thing is clear: IT managers need to keep a sharp eye out for breaks in the clouds.
Michael Desmond is an editor and writer for 1105 Media's Enterprise Computing Group.


text:
TORONTO, Ontario — For the nutrition-minded, it’s common to match up food items at the grocery store while counting calories. If one snack is 80 calories and the other 60, well the 60-calorie snack is the healthier option, right? Not necessarily, at least when it comes to almonds. University of Toronto researchers say the calories listed don’t always equate to the amount dieters digest and absorb.
The team says their work should help ease the minds of many who are hesitant to include almonds in their diet over fat-related worries. A single ounce of almonds contains about 14 grams of fat. Aside from fat, almonds are generally quite healthy and offer tons of beneficial protein, vitamins, and minerals. Previous studies find almonds, and other nuts, can contribute to good cardiovascular health as well.
“Nuts have generally been thought of as healthy the last two decades, but the messaging around nuts has often come with a disclaimer that they are high in fat and energy,” says principal study investigator John Sievenpiper, an associate professor in the departments of nutritional sciences and medicine, in a university release. “We still see that caveat in the media and on the internet today, and it has been part of many clinical guidelines, although that is changing.”
“Other researchers have shown that there is a bioaccessibility issue with nuts, that a calorie labelled may not be a calorie absorbed. This study quantifies that effect with almonds in a relevant population,” the study author adds.
Some extra calories leave the body the ‘easy way’
The study finds the body does not absorb roughly 20 percent of the calories coming from almond fat after digestion. Ultimately, these excess calories leave the body via stool. That works out to about two percent less energy absorbed overall.
Researchers say a person following a typical 2,000-3,000 calorie per day diet would absorb somewhere between 40 and 60 fewer calories than foods labels may indicate. Over a full year, that seemingly small drop in calories can add up to 6.3 pounds in less weight.
In all, 22 men and women with high cholesterol took part in this research. Each person underwent a series of three, month-long dietary interventions, separated by a “washout period” of one week.
Participants followed a NCEP Step-2 diet, which is low in both cholesterol and saturated fat. The “interventions” included eating a serving of muffins (as a control), 75 daily grams of almonds, or a muffin-almond mix. None of the participants gained any weight during the experiment.
“One unique aspect of this study is that it assessed people with high cholesterol, who are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease,” says Stephanie Nishi, a doctoral student in nutritional sciences at the time of the study who is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Rovira i Virgili in Spain. “That has not been done in this population before, and it’s important because this group typically gets many messages to eat more nuts, owing to the evidence for nut consumption and heart health,”
Thanks to these findings, Diabetes Canada recently adjusted their guidelines on almond consumption. The hope is that this study will help eliminate the “nuts lead to weight gain” stigma.
The study appears in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.


text:
OnePlus recently pushed a new OxygenOS update to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro which delivered the security patch for the month of July The update which ushers in OxygenOS 10.3.5 also brings support for OnePlus Buds, the company’s first TWS earphones.
OnePlus has also pushed the latest update to the OnePlus 6 and 6T. The new build brings the July 2020 Android security patch and OnePlus Buds support. The update also bumps up the GMS package level to May 2020.
The update log shows that the RAM management has been optimised and the models get fixes for a few bugs. Here’s the complete changelog.
Optimized RAM management
Newly adapted OnePlus Buds, easier to take advantage of wireless connection
Fixed the crash issue when browsing on Chrome
Fixed the black screen issue when opening logkit
Improved system stability and fixed general bugs
Updated Android Security Patch to 2020.07
Updated GMS package to 2020.05
The update will be pushed via OTA and weighs around 250MB in size. OnePlus hints that the rollout will be in batches, first to a few users and where no critical bugs are reported, the rollout will be expanded.
UP NEXT: Xiaomi is launching a new beard trimmer in India on August 6
ALWAYS BE THE FIRST TO KNOW – FOLLOW US!


text:
Last Saturday, Stephen Knightly hopped a plane for Brisbane to see if the Australian city provided more fertile ground for the expansion of his company than back in Aotearoa.
As chief operating officer of video game developers RocketWerkz, Knightly stands to earn more by operating over the Tasman due to new tax breaks offered to the video game industry.
With 45 percent tax discounts available in Queensland, Knightley is sorely tempted – even though he’d much rather be creating jobs in New Zealand.
“We’d prefer to grow teams in New Zealand,” he said. “But you can’t just ignore 45 percent.”
As a leader at RocketWerkz, Knightley is doing the math on following companies like Wellington’s A44 games, who have already expanded to Melbourne.
But as a board member of the New Zealand Game Developers Association, he’s calling on the Government to kickstart the growth of the video game sector here by including developers in screen production grants and providing staged funding for start-ups to keep future jobs in the country.
The association met with Minister for Digital Economy and Communications David Clark, asking for targeted assistance to keep game developers competitive with Australia.
For although expanding across the Tasman to the land of tax breaks and incentives may be good for individual companies, Knightly said game developers shifting focus to Australia isn’t good for the New Zealand economy as a whole.
“Who does lose out is New Zealand Inc.,” he said. “These are the kinds of jobs we want in New Zealand.”
Association chair Chelsea Rapp said after a meeting with Clark on Monday she was confident he was aware of the urgency of the situation for the sector, but wasn’t sure the budget would allow him to make a move in time.
“We’ve been very clear about the support we need for a long time,” she said. “[The Government] would have to accept responsibility for the degradation of an industry that represents everything they’ve been talking about… high-skilled, they’ve been talking about the digitisation of the economy for years.”
Clark said he has a constructive relationship with the game developer sector, which is fast-growing and well-placed to contribute to a low-emission, high-wage economy due to its focus on weightless exports and high skill, high wage jobs.
While there are already some initiatives in place or on the way to support the sector’s growth further, he said longer term plans are needed to maximise the sector’s potential, as well as a shorter-term response to Australia’s incentives.
“In light of the Australian Government’s recently announced support programmes for the gaming sector, shorter term measures, including those aimed at providing a competitive environment are needed now in New Zealand,” he said.
He said he and the association discussed a range of options last week, including opening up screen production grants to the sector.
“Officials will be working through what the support would most appropriately look like, remaining mindful of Australian competition and will report back in due course,” he said.
The Australian tax rebate kicked off from July 1, with a 30 percent digital games tax offset and 10 to 15 percent rebates in some states.
Dr Eric Crampton, the chief economist at the New Zealand Initiative, rejected the idea the New Zealand Government should try and match overseas subsidies by using the example of film subsidies, which he called a “bad deal”.
“Film companies play countries off against each other, seeking the largest subsidies and tax breaks. While consultancy reports tout large benefits for the countries bidding the most, academic work struggles to find any real benefit at all,” he said.
He said subsidies like this have unintended side effects, like companies being able to outbid for workers whose skills may be needed in other industries.
“New Zealand learned in the 1980s that heavy subsidies are an unsustainable response to foreign subsidies,” he said. “Better to abolish our own subsidies, and encourage others to do likewise.”
Crampton argued making sure Immigration New Zealand is equipped to quickly process visas would be a more approach, making sure sectors like video games have access to overseas staff they may need.
But Chelsea Rapp said it’s an “absolutely critical” moment for the industry – although she couldn’t think of any companies completely upping and leaving and expansion like this may serve individual businesses.
“Expansion overseas is ultimately beneficial for the business itself,” she said. “But from an economic development perspective, it’s a tragedy.”
So although the rebates may not mean a loss of jobs here right now, Rapp said there’s a loss that may be felt down the road.
“Expansion overseas now means the talent is not being developed and nurtured in New Zealand, and overtime jobs in NZ will be lost as people leave studios and their jobs are filled overseas instead of being filled here,” she said. “In addition, it means that our studios aren’t hiring New Zealand talent, so recent graduates will still have to go overseas to get jobs as studios prefer to hire where it’s easier and more profitable to do so.”
She also cited tax revenue lost as jobs that could have been realised here never come to be.
“So while expansion overseas isn’t the worst for NZ businesses themselves, it would be better for them, the industry, the economy, and the government to develop a strong game development ecosystem with a healthy talent pipeline here in Aotearoa,” she said. “This industry has a weightless, digital export so there’s little reason for studios to expand overseas unless they are forced to, which is where we are now.”
According to the association, there’s an estimated 300 jobs that won’t be created here if the industry takes a fork in the road away from the current forecast of video games being worth $1 billion to the economy by 2025 that make the moment crucial.
The video games industry created 222 new jobs during 2020’s lockdowns and earned $276 million in the 2021 financial year.
“The economic case is incredibly sound,” Rapp said. “Even if you just open up the grant, it would stop the bleeding of talent and would pay for itself via the tax already paid by developers in New Zealand.”
The New Zealand Screen Production Grant supports the film sector with tax rebates of 20 percent for international productions and 40 percent for domestic productions.
The association wants to be included in the 20 percent tax backs of the post digital and visual effects grant, which Rapp says would stem the flow of jobs out of the country.
But in the association’s meeting with Clark, which Rapp called “useful and constructive”, they also brought up the lack of support for start-ups in New Zealand.
Around 12 studios account for 96 percent of the revenue out of an industry of more than 60 studios.
Rapp pointed to initiatives like the $10 million Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) pilot in Dunedin, paid for by the Provincial Growth Fund. CODE aims to support game developers in the city put game prototypes together or found new studios.
“We all know and understand the problem. If the Minister and his Cabinet colleagues are serious about expanding our digital economy and retaining one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing sectors they need to take action now,” said Rapp.
Camille Cowley is the chief operating officer of Shoggoth Games, a nascent developer based in Dunedin who received funding through the CODE pilot.
She said although systems make it nigh on impossible for her company leads with disabilities to make the move over to Australia, she can see how it’s an attractive prospect for many in the industry at the moment.
“The main concern here at the moment is the cost of living,” she said. “A lot of companies are finding it hard here just because of the high cost of running any company in New Zealand.”
She said if the Government wants to drive New Zealand productivity, it needs to get behind the tech sector and widen the specific criteria of grants that at the moment see game developers vying for funding alongside the film industry.
“There isn’t much recognition of games as a separate industry,” she said. “That’s why so many companies are turning their heads to Australia.”
For managing director of Grinding Gear Games Chris Wilson, the Australian tax credit tempts a move across the Tasman.
The developer of popular action role-playing game Path of Exile said without similar initiatives in place in New Zealand, it’s hard to attract fresh talent.
“It’s extremely hard to compete with companies that are receiving such subsidisation. If a company receives a 30% rebate on someone’s salary, then they’re able to offer that employee over 40 percent more salary than a company that receives no such rebate,” he said. “I believe that unless a similar scheme is established here, it’s going to be very negative for the local industry.”


text:
Add one more to the list of hybrid cars that have been sent off to the great gasoline-electric graveyard in the sky.
Nissan will end production of its Altima Hybrid sedan after the 2011 model year.
Launched in late 2007, the hybrid version of the Nissan Altima used Nissan's own four-cylinder engine mated to the Hybrid Synergy Drive system licensed from Toyota.
The Altima Hybrid was Nissan's first-ever production hybrid vehicle, and the company built roughly 35,000 of them over four years.
But it was only sold in seven states in the U.S., and nowhere else. The Nissan Altima Hybrid got good marks for handling--better than the 2008 Prius it was sometimes compared to--and helped Nissan offer a higher gas-mileage car both to retail buyers and fleets.
NYPD Nissan Altima Hybrid
Altima Hybrids could be seen, among other places, on the streets of New York wearing NYPD livery.
Nissan has now developed its own hybrid-electric system; the first model to use it in the U.S. is the 2012 Infiniti M35h luxury sports sedan. It's a 350-hp luxury sports sedan rated at 27 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, for a combined rating of 29 miles per gallon. Its base price is $53,700.
But the company is placing a far bigger bet on battery electric vehicle technology, which it launched in December in the all-electric 2011 Nissan Leaf.
Meanwhile, the 2011 Nissan Altima Hybrid is rated at 33 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, for a combined rating of 33 miles per gallon. Its base price is $26,800.
It will join a growing number of defunct hybrid models, including the Honda Accord Hybrid, no fewer than three different hybrid models of the Saturn Vue crossover (including one that was never officially released), the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid sedans, and the ill-fated Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen Hybrid sport utility vehicles.


text:
Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Integrated CBD
By Angela Gonzales | Phoenix Business Journal
Scottsdale-based Integrated CBD LLC has raised another $50 million as it grows its organic hemp business in Arizona.
Plans call for using the funding to build a 154,000-square-foot extraction facility and large-scale hemp drying facility as well as to expand into the second planting of this year’s hemp crop on its 10,000-acre farm near Yuma. The western Arizona farm can produce three crops per year.
Since launching in January, Integrated CBD has raised a total of $70 million in debt and equity capital, with $24 million in equity, a $30 million debt facility and other debt totaling $15 million.


text:
BERLIN – A survey shows concerns about a possible trade war with the United States and geopolitical issues like the West’s confrontation with Russia in the Syria conflict are beginning to weigh on German consumers.
The GfK research company said Thursday its forward-looking consumer climate index dropped 0.1 points to 10.8 overall in May.
In its sub-index, it says consumers’ economic expectations dropped strongly and income expectations also fell, while their propensity to make purchases remained strong.
Recent surveys have shown businesses and financial analysts are also jittery, though GfK notes “the general conditions in the domestic market continue to be quite favorable.”
GfK says it’s still predicting a private consumption increase of about 2 percent in 2018 on the assumption that “the emerging insecurity among consumers is not further aggravated.”


text:
This week’s headline story: Affordable 3D Printing
3D printing may be coming to a desktop near you, sooner than you think! Two companies have successfully funded 3D Printer projects through crowd sourcing. M3D has raised over $3 million on kickstarter to manufacture its Micro 3D printer that will sell to the public for $349. New Matter has raised over $450,000 on indiegoo, to manufacture a consumer 3D printer that will sell for $149. Both printers feature an end-to-end printing solution that includes a catalogue of objects to print, and software that makes it easy to edit and send a print job to the printer for manufacturing over your home wireless network. Unlike previous 3D printers, these printers are designed to be user-friendly, self-maintaining, and ready to use right out of the box.
- Low-Priced 3D Printers Are On the Way [NewsFactor]
and elsewhere in Tech News.
- The Big Business of Bitcoin: Dish To Accept Virtual Currency [NewsFactor]The unregulated virtual currency, Bitcoin, has gained some credibility this week. Dish Network announced that it will become the first TV provider, and the largest company in any industry, to accept Bitcoin as a valid form of payment. In addition to the usual payment options of credit cards, debit cards, and bank accounts, Dish Network users will be able to pay in Bitcoin, which Dish will then process into dollars using services from Coinbase.
- ISPs Issue 1.3M Copyright Warnings to U.S. Consumers [NewsFactor]Internet service providers have sent out 1.3 million warnings to people suspected of violating intellectual property laws by downloading pirated materials in accordance with the new Copyright Alert System (CAS). The MPAA, RIAA, and five major American ISPs have implemented the system, which was created by the Center for Copyright Information 10 months ago. The CAS uses a tiered warning system. Initially, educational notes are sent to consumers, but over time, the warnings can escalate into legal action against the person receiving them. There are six levels in total and since the CAS has only been active for a short period of time, the majority of warnings going out to consumers are only educational.
and in Information Security news this week..
- Apple, PayPal React to iPhone Ransom Scam [NewsFactor]iPad and iPhone users in Australia were targeted by hackers last week. Their devices were mysteriously locked and a message was displayed demanding a ransom of $50 to $100 payed via PayPal to regain access to their devices. While early reportings suggested that all Australian iPhones and iPads were being hijacked, it ended up being just a subset of of the Apple devices who’s owners fell victim to a targeted phishing attack and inadvertently gave their iCloud credentials to the hackers.
and in Tech Industry news…
- Apple Bets Big on Music with $3B Beats Buy [NewsFactor]Apple has acquired the music subscription service Beats Music and Beats Electronics — maker of the Beats headphones, speakers and audio software– for a whopping $3 billion.
Beats hit the market five years ago and has become a massive cultural hit. Not only does apple get the Beats brand, but, perhaps more importantly, it also gets the team of creative minds who launched Beats to success.
- White and Male: Google Releases Diversity Data [NewsFactor]Google has admitted publicly that the vast majority of its workforce is made up of white males. Just 2 percent of Googlers are black, 3 percent are Hispanic, and 30 percent are women. The search giant said the transparency about its workforce — the first disclosure of its kind in the largely white, male tech sector — is an important step toward change. “Simply put, Google is not where we want to be when it comes to diversity,” Google Inc. senior vice president Laszlo Bock wrote in a blog.
- Ex-Microsoft CEO Ballmer To Buy LA Clippers for $2B [NewsFactor]So, what do you do after retiring from a multi-billion-dollar job in a big tech company? Well, apparently you buy a sports team. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, is purchasing the NBA team the LA Clippers for a record-breaking $2 billion.
© 2012 Cengage Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.
Republication, reproduction or redistribution of Cengage Learning, Inc. (“Cengage Learning”) content, including by framing or similar means, is prohibited without the prior written consent of Cengage Learning. To request permission to photocopy, duplicate, republish or otherwise reuse Cengage Learning material, or for efiles for students with disabilities, go to www.cengage.com/permissions.


text:
BCWA is running a consumer advertising campaign in the national press aimed at raising the profile of health intermediaries.
Unlike recent campaigns by market leaders, BUPA and PPP, the BCWA campaign is not being used to promote a direct service. Instead it will raise awareness of the products that can be bought through intermediaries.
The A4 sized advertisements (shown right) will appear for two months in the Daily Telegraph, The Times, Sunday Times
news section, Mail on Sunday’s Financial Mail
and Sunday Telegraph
According to sales and marketing director, Philip Fowles, the main objective is to establish BCWA Healthcare’s brand in the market. The ads are also intended to promote the peace of mind private healthcare is renowned for.
“There have been massive campaigns from PPP and BUPA and people sometimes don’t know who the smaller players are. The campaign is designed to feature the quality and range of services we offer in our own unique way. It will enable IFAs to sell our product to the market,” Fowles said. Fowles hopes the advertisements will help generate more company-paid business: “It should particularly appeal to the business decision-maker in companies with 10 to 49 employees. These are the core of the `small group’ market.”
Fowles said the current marketing push towards the smaller end of the corporate market would provide a good opportunity for intermediaries to capitalise on existing client bases, especially in the busy spring renewal period.


text:
Going global: Spinlight adds support for 11 different languages
From Chile to China, Spinlight apps have made the best-selling lists in more than 75 countries around the globe. So it was just a matter of time before we started offering support for multiple languages. In April we kicked things off with an international version of YodelOh Math Mountain that supports French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Japanese and Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. A month later, we tripled our international offerings, adding Swapsies Jobs and Swapsies Sports in the same core languages. It took a little effort to make it happen, but it’s kind of fun knowing that kids around the world are enjoying our games in their own language. Plus, we can now say “firefighter” and “golf” in 12 different languages. So if a fire ever erupts at an international golfing event, we’ll know exactly who to call.


text:
Online casino games, poker, sports and horse racing betting websites authorized in USA
With Legal-Gambling-USA.com, enjoy our selection of online sports betting websites legal in Mississippi to bet online legally.
This ranking only list online sports betting websites authorized in the state of Mississippi.
In May of 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nation's ban on sports betting. Just prior to that happening, legislators in Mississippi also overturned the state's ban on sports betting.
Over the next two years, there were several attempts by the Mississippi legislature to get sports betting legislation passed for the benefit of the state's residents. It was a struggle to get anything passed because of the large number of retail casinos operating in the state, and efforts by religious communities. Finally, a bill was passed in early to mid-2021.
Under the provisions of the law, retail sports betting is allowed within the walls of the aforementioned 20+ retail casinos. In fact, online wagering is also permitted, but only if the sports bettor is actually standing in a retail casino. That means residents are not yet allowed to wager on sports from home.
To date, BetMGM is the only significant bookmaker in the state. They have partnered with several of the state's retail casinos. With that said, other top U.S. bookmakers will likely be joining the fray before the end of the year. The potential list includes names like Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, Fanduel, and Penn National.
There is hope that online sports betting legislation will get its due sometime in 2022. There are currently no active bills on the docket, but residents are making it known they want access to sports betting no matter where they might be at any time.


text:
Generally reliable tech news website AllThingsD reported today that Apple will hold an event on 22 October in which it will show off a thinner iPad with an A7 processor and improved camera capabilities. The websited cited "people familiar with Apple's plans."
Apple is also expected to release an upgraded version of the iPad mini, possibly with a Retina display and an A7 processor to boot.
AllThingsD also noted Apple’s Town Hall Auditorium in Cupertino and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco as the two most likely locations for the launch event.
The iPad was last refreshed in November 2012.
Apple is looking for momentum after a quieter than usual iPhone 5s and 5c launch last month that saw subdued queues for the devices, and US carriers already cutting the price of the colourful iPhone 5c.
The new iPads are sure to be a big deal, however, with new sales data showing tablets are now an 'unstoppable force' down under.


text:
This is a comparison of two sports models – 2014 Toyota Auris and 2014 Mazda 3. The quality of workmanship and stylish design of both vehicles are on high level.
Toyota has actually verified it will launch a hydrogen energy cell-powered vehicle in 2015, but claimed sales quantities would certainly be restricted.
The 2014 Toyota Etios Sedan and Liva hatchback have been introduced. Car remains to supply similar devices as the 2013 model year, however adds dual tone insides for the G … Continue Reading →
Toyota will officially introduce the brand-new 2014 Toyota Etios Cross in the middle of May 2014. Its car dealerships have actually already begun approving reservations for the auto for an … Continue Reading →
The new 2014 Toyota SW4, also known as Fortuner in some international markets, is a 4-door SUV similar to the Toyota Hilux. It has been redesigned and features new technology … Continue Reading →


text:
HTC March revenues up sharply; 1Q15 revenues meet guidance
HTC has reported consolidated revenues of NT$20.02 billion (US$647.16 million) for March, up 117.02% sequentially and 23.41% on year, powered by strong sales of its new flagship model the HTC One M9.
For the first quarter of 2015, revenues totaled NT$41.52 billion, increasing 25.37% from a year earlier and meeting the low-end target of its first-quarter guidance of NT$41.5-45 billion.
Net profits for the first quarter stood at NT$360 million or NT$0.43 per share. The EPS reached almost the high-end target of NT$0.08-NT$0.47 set for the quarter.
HTC shares gained 2.93% or NT$4 to close at NT$140.5 on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) during the April 7 session.


text:
LONDON Plastic OLED microdisplay specialist MicroEmissive Displays (MED) has appointed another two partners in the Far East to serve its key Asian markets.
Agreements have been signed with Galaxy Far East Corporation in Taiwan and Desner Electronics in Singapore to market MED's "eyescreen" technology for portable head mounted displays and electronic viewfinders.
Paul van Eynde, Sales and Marketing Director at MED (Edinburgh, Scotland) said: "These new distribution partnerships in Asia will enable us to put additional weight behind our worldwide sales and marketing thrust. Both of these very experienced distributors have been chosen for their excellent market knowledge, design-in support and customer relationships."
The move follows a deal earlier this year with Cytech Technology Limited, which will provide a distribution facility in Hong Kong and China.
And last month MED said it would expand its European sales and marketing efforts with the appointment of Silicon Design, the rep/stockist arm of the Spectrum Electronics Group.
MED started production of its organic LEDs at its manufacturing site in Dresden, Germany, earlier this year. The site, which represents a Euros 10 million (about $13.6 million) investment, includes a 400-square meter cleanroom.
Galaxy Far East Corporation (GFEC) president Bob Hsia said: "With its low power, high quality display, its high integration features and its market extendibility, we are excited by the capabilities of MED's innovative technology and look forward to offering it to our growing client base. To achieve this goal, we are starting to co-operate with customers by acting as a third-party supplier who can offer state-of-the-art optical engine/modules to our existing customers from mobile TV, portable media player, head-mounted display, digital still camera, night vision system, or even mobile phone manufacturers."
Singapore-based Desner Electronics has operations in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and India and will provide MED with sales and design support throughout these regions.


text:
DALLAS — November 6, 2018 — Committed to helping its global customers deliver more meaningful connections and grow their business, Freeman, today announced it has hired Leigh Chang as its new managing director of FreemanXP Asia Pacific. In this role, he will provide strategic insights to help further grow Freeman’s capabilities and business in the region. Chang brings more than 25 years of experience to Freeman, including more than 17 years focused on the China market.
Chang’s multidimensional expertise from having worked across Asian, Chinese, and Western environments on both the agency and client side of business enables him to provide critical insights. He also provides an entrepreneurial perspective from having created his own communications agency, which he grew from a start-up to a company generating millions of dollars in revenue.
“Leigh’s extensive experience in the APAC region, history of success and vision for the future make him a significant addition to the Freeman team, and we’re very excited to have him on board,” said Albert Chew, chief operating officer, Freeman. “His ability to build a business and team from the ground up, deep industry and regional knowledge, and dedication to grow a company exponentially will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our presence in Asia Pacific.”
Prior to joining Freeman, Chang helped launch an experiential marketing agency for global communications marketing firm Edelman. His more than 25-year career also includes senior management roles at a global digital agency and serving as the public relations director for luxury car brand Jaguar Land Rover China. There, he was a key member of a new leadership team that drove rapid business expansion and sales growth during a period of structural change. Chang most recently served as the head of Asia Pacific at Global Infusion Group (GIG), a global catering, logistics and brand support company.
“Asia Pacific continues to be a region of focus for us,” said Adam Charles, senior vice president, operations client services for FreemanXP, and former managing director of APAC. “We’ve grown our presence and business exponentially over the years, and with the addition of Leigh to our team, we’re well positioned to continue to best serve our customers in the region.”
Born in China, Chang migrated to Australia when he was young and went on to achieve a bachelor’s degree in accounting while there from Queensland University of Technology. In his new role, he will be based in Shanghai, but will also spend time in FreemanXP locations throughout Asia Pacific. Chang takes over for Adam Charles, who has assumed a new role in Freeman’s Dallas headquarters and will continue to be actively involved in the company’s international business — especially in China and the Asia-Pacific region.
“Freeman has seen remarkable and transformative growth in Asia Pacific recently under Adam’s direction, and I look forward to continuing his efforts and further solidifying Freeman as the leading brand experience provider in the region,” said Chang.
The Freeman Company helps create meaningful connections for all types of global audiences. The family-owned company is comprised of leading brand experience company, Freeman; audio-visual and production company, Encore Event Technologies; and Alford Media, a premier event technology specialist known for the expertise and precision on large-scale shows. With more than 90 locations globally and 7,000+ employees who are dedicated to delivering the best experiences and business outcomes possible for their clients — from strategy and design to implementation and results. For more information, visit https://www.freeman.com.
Freeman is the world’s leading brand experience company. We help our clients design and deliver immersive live experiences for their most important audiences. Through comprehensive offerings including strategy, creative, logistics, digital, and event technology, Freeman helps increase audience engagement and drive business results. What makes us different is our collaborative culture, intuitive knowledge, global perspective, and personalized approach, which we’ve gained from our 90 years as an industry leader. For more information, please visit https://www.freeman.com/.
Freeman and The Freeman Company are either registered trademarks or trademarks of The Freeman Company in the United States and/or other countries.
All other product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Stephen Phillips, Freeman
Gina DeRossi, on behalf of Freeman


text:
For many, non fungible tokens (NFT) seem more like something out of a video game rather than a new economic asset. NFTs are a new type of digital commodity most similar to a collectible piece of art. Despite the promise and excitement surrounding these assets, some legislators would like to regulate and tax NFTs before they have even had a chance to make a significant impact.
Understanding an NFT’s fungibility also helps to underscore the topic itself. In economics, something that is “fungible” is generally replaceable with other versions of itself while retaining its value. For example, United States currency is fungible in that my $1 bill will have equivalent value to yours, barring any unique misprints or value-increasing modifications. Alternatively, NFT’s are non-fungible because they cannot be replaced or compared in the same way. Just as there will always be a single original Mona Lisa, a single NFT will be the only one of that NFT. Thus, NFTs are more comparable to collector’s pieces rather than physical or digital currencies.
The NFT market operates like many markets, it trades on low supply and high demand. NFTs in particular trade on the supply side, offering a limited number of tokens overall, with each individual token being different from another.
However, NFTs are unique in that there is little digital protection of the asset – anyone can right-click the image to download the file to their computer. It would be exponentially more difficult to create an exact digital copy of the Mona Lisa.
NFTs and their unique nature might not be of much concern when trading consists of fringe transactions of $3 each, or even free, but this market becomes a serious issue for legislators and owners when NFTs are sold for $69 million.
With the interest and money floating around NFTs, certain members of Congress and Biden administration officials have tried to step in by proposing federal regulations. Legislators have formed a bi-partisan Congressional Blockchain Caucus of over 30 members to help make better recommendations for cryptocurrency laws, with some floating the idea for a bill paralleling the restrictive regulations in the EU.
Similarly, officials recently threatened to use the expansive provisions under the Dodd-Frank Act to control current behaviors, while the U.S. Treasury Department rushes to finish a regulatory framework within the next year. Some regulators even want to declare crypto-assets like NFTs and their hosting platforms “systemically important” to the U.S. financial system, restricting them with the same guidelines for credit card companies and banks.
NFT regulations would be redundant and limit growth and innovation in the industry. The U.S. already has a whole slew of regulations covering aspects of trading NFTs, like those involving intellectual property, buying and selling volatile commodities online, money laundering, and auctioning artworks. If they wanted to, governments could apply these already existing processes and legislation to monitor the sale of NFTs. For example, recent scandals in the NFT community involving insider trading pose little need for new regulations. Governments could apply existing insider trading laws to regulate activity, which administrators have already spent years researching and modifying to ensure appropriate design.
In truth, we understand very little about blockchain and crypto-related economics. In the past ten years, many academics have written about blockchains from a computer science perspective. However, discussions involving blockchain, crypto-assets, and economics, are fewer and farther between, with the oldest mention of the term “blockchain economics” stemming from an experimental paper only five years old. Beyond simply coining terms, formalized research into crypto-assets and blockchain economics has only recently started to pick up speed.
Jumping the gun on NFT regulation would harm NFT ecosystems and crypto-developments on the whole. Not only do regulations fit to handle these developments already exist, but still-evolving research into the nature of blockchains, NFTs, and cryptocurrency suggests that legislators’ acts today would very likely harm the digital financial world for years to come.


text:
Supreme Pharmaceuticals, Inc, alternatively known as Supreme Pharma and Bioscience, is a former mining company and current biomedicine company in Canada. Its particularly delves on medical marijuana, with a greenhouse in Ontario and preparations underway for online product sales.
The company’s history goes way back to 1979, when it was founded. It went through various businesses and names such as Sonar Energy Company, US Platinum, Inc, and Universal Energy Corp. In 2007, it became Supreme Resources, Ltd, a junior mineral exploration company operating in BC for base and precious metals. Finally, in March 2014, the company pursued its new direction and became Supreme Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Supreme Pharma is now on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol SL, and on the US OTC markets under the symbol SPRWF. Its market cap is around USD 22.91 M.
The flagship of Supreme Pharma is the Supreme Greenhouse located in Kincardine, Ontario. Covering a total of 342,000 square feet, the facility will allot 280,000 square feet for growing cannabis and over 6,000 square feet for research and development. Supreme emphasizes that unlike many marijuana grow operations, which cultivate the plant indoors, the Supreme Greenhouse will use natural sunlight and supplement it with state-of-the-art equipment.
The company is now preparing to sell its marijuana products online, with an online shop and a customer discount program named CanAssist.
Supreme Pharma’s grow operations started with is acquisition of Advanced Medical Marijuana Canada (AMMCan). Preapproved by Health Canada, AMMCan may produce and distribute up to 24,000 kilograms of marijuana annually. After it became Supreme Pharma’s wholly owned subsidiary, AMMCan is now called Supreme Medical Marijuana (AMMCan Supreme).
Supreme Pharmaceuticals, Inc is led by Chairman, President, and CEO David Stadnyk, Executive VP Brayden R. Sutton, and Production Advisor Thaddeus Conrad. AMMCan executives meanwhile include CEO Peter M. Herburger, Director of Operations John Fowler, and Medical Director Dr. Kenneth Adams.
Yahoo! Finance: SPRWF News
Latest Financial News for SPRWF


text:
Anti-Japanese protests hurting businesses
Japanese-related companies have either shut down or suspended production in wake of the wave of violent protests across China
Escalating anti-Japanese protests in China are hurting Japanese-related companies, forcing them to either shut down operations or suspend production on the mainland in order to protect their employees and property.
Market observers said the businesses may return to normal after the tension between the two countries eased, but in the long term the Chinese government may consider a strategy adjustment to curb the expansion of Japanese enterprises across the country.
Japan last week said it would buy islands claimed by both countries, sparking Chinese protests that called for boycotts of Japanese goods.
In a big shopping centre in the east of Beijing yesterday, two big Japanese fashion and lifestyle brands Uniqlo and Muji had both shut their doors yesterday. And the three Japanese-style shops across the street were also shut down, using black cloth to hide their signboards that featured Japanese names.
"They will remain closed at least till Tuesday, the memorial date of the September 18th incident," said a property manager at the shopping centre referring to the date Japanese troops invaded northeast China in 1931.
"They worry that the sensitive date may add fuel to the protest against Japan as well as everything related to the country."
Muji has closed four of its six stores in Beijing as well as outlets in other cities. Uniqlo also closed several of its flagship shops to avoid any damage caused by angry protesters.
Last weekend, protesters in Changsha, Xian, Beijing, Guangzhou and Qingdao reportedly broke into Japanese restaurants and stores, smashing plates and bowls and stealing products from shelves.
A spokeswoman at the headquarters office of Aeon Company in Japan confirmed it had shut a number of stores in China temporarily, but declined to comment on how many were actually affected.
The department store and supermarket operator said earlier this year that it would shift its business focus from the Japanese domestic market to China, forecasting its sales revenue from the mainland and South Asia would match that of Japan by 2020.
"We are not sure about our future in China," said the spokeswoman. "We have not decided whether we should adjust our plans in China or not."
The share price of Aeon Stores (Hong Kong) slumped nearly 6 per cent to HK$19.10, compared with a 0.14 per cent rise in the benchmark Hang Seng Index.
Japanese manufacturers of cars and consumer electrical appliances were also hit badly.
The share prices of both Dongfeng Motor, which makes Nissan and Honda cars, among others, on the mainland, and Guangzhou Automobile, which makes Toyota and Honda cars, fell 6.96 per cent and 4.55 per cent respectively.
Shares of Aijsen (China), which operates a chain of Japanese restaurants in the country, dived 6.67 per cent.
As of yesterday, carmakers including Mazda Motor and Honda Motor and electrical appliance manufacturers including Panasonic and Canon announced they were temporarily halting all or part of their production in China.
Many mainland dealerships that sell Japanese cars have shut after some outlets were attacked and vandalised, according to Luo Lei, deputy secretary general of the China Automobile Dealers Association.


text:
More or less everyone who reads this is at least somewhat familiar with Cyanogen Inc., well, their software at the very least. CyanogenMod Android-based OS is currently available for tons of various Android-based devices, as long as you're ready to flash your device. We're not here to talk about CyanogenMod, but a commercialized version of Cyanogen's software called Cyanogen OS. A number of smartphone manufacturers have already released Cyanogen OS-powered devices in the past, and one well-known India-based company has released several of them in the last year or so, read on.
YU is a company some of you might have heard of by now. This India-based company is actually owned by Micromax, and has released 5 smartphones to date. The YU Yutopia is the latest device they announced, and also their first flagship. Like YU's previous devices, Yutopia is also powered by Cyanogen OS, and it seems like Cyanogen Inc. has big plans for India in 2016. The company is planning to expand in India, they will team up with quite a few smartphone manufacturing companies, whose smartphones will ship with Cyanogen OS on top of Android. Cyanogen is partnering up with six Indian and international smartphone suppliers in 2016, though no names have been shared thus far.
''One of the reasons we partnered with Micromax because they understand the market and consumers in India... It's really important for Cyanogen to go beyond the enthusiasts' community. We want to take the value of this community to mass market," said Cyanogen's CEO, Kirt McMaster. On top of this, the company will add more people to their Bengaluru team, they currently employ 11 people, and will employ 49 more by the end of 2016. Cyanogen Inc. is heavily focusing on India, and are spending quite a bit of cash trying to grow in that Asian country. By the looks of it, we'll see quite a few more smartphone manufacturers pre-install Cyanogen OS on their devices. We'll report back as soon as Cyanogen releases more info because the company's CEO did not share any specifics this time around. Stay tuned for additional info.


text:
HONG KONG, June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — In line with its commitment to talent development in the gaming industry, Tencent Cloud – the cloud business of global technology company Tencent, today announced its signing of a four-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Megazone Cloud, Korea Mobile Game Association (KMGA) and Yeonsung University. The agreement aims to nurture cloud-based mobile game developers in South Korea in order to establish a healthy and sustainable mobile game development ecosystem.
Tencent Cloud signed a four-party MoU with Megazone Cloud, Korea Mobile Game Association and Yeonsung University to empower cloud-based mobile game development talents in South Korea. Left to right: Jeong-pil Heo (Head of Channel Sales of Tencent Cloud Northeast Asia), Sung-ik Hwang (Chairman of KMGA), Min-hee Kwon (President of Yeonsung University), Joo-wan Lee (CEO and Founder of Megazone Cloud)
As agreed in the MoU, Tencent Cloud and Megazone Cloud have pledged to provide students of Yeonsung University with cloud computing training, ranging from basic cloud computing knowledge for beginners to intermediate courses specializing in game and media industry solutions powered by Tencent Cloud. Students and graduates from Yeonsung University may be presented with potential employment opportunities lined up by KMGA. Tencent Cloud will offer cloud services’ subscription credits and vouchers to independent mobile game companies while Megazone Cloud will provide consulting services and technical support to members or associated companies of KMGA.
The long-standing collaboration of Tencent Cloud and Megazone Cloud started in 2019 and has since grown and expanded to further provide various technical support services related to consulting, construction, and operation for successful cloud adoption by domestic and foreign customers. The signing of the MoU allows Tencent Cloud and Megazone Cloud to leverage their collaboration to harness more talents in the gaming development field and boost their efforts through working with KMGA and Yeonsung University and reaching out to young developers in South Korea.
Poshu Yeung, Senior Vice President, Tencent Cloud International, said, "The development of mobile gaming is considered to be one of today’s most vibrant and exciting fields, so it is no surprise that a significant number of South Koreans are drawn to learning more about it. With the signing of this four-party agreement, Tencent Cloud is glad to be a part of this educational and nurturing ecosystem to empower more current and future game developers, by providing them with the vital cloud technologies and tools they need. Looking forward, we are excited to engage in more collaborations that will develop, educate and inspire more talents in the fast-growing game industry."
Joo-wan Lee, CEO and Founder of Megazone Cloud, said, "Through this four-party collaboration, we will continue to help build the Korean game industry ecosystem while nurturing developers in the cloud and game sectors. We will expand our collaboration with companies and academia including the ones in manufacturing and finances industry and in the gaming sector where cloud computing is being heavily leveraged."
Sung-ik Hwang, chairman of KMGA, said, "KMGA is pleased to participate in the MoU to solidify the foundation of South Korean mobile game developers. We hope to strengthen this four-party collaboration to turn it into a win-win opportunity."
Min-hee Kwon, president of Yeonsung University, said, "At a time when cloud computing services became essential and common in the 4th Industrial Revolution, we are happy to join forces and sign an MoU with organization and industry to collaborate for the future of R&BD and education. In connection with LINC 3.0 project, we expect to realize the value of co-evolution in which students, universities, industries, and communities evolve and grow together by empowering talented people in games and cultural sectors while creating create corporate value."
Tencent Cloud is dedicated to cultivating digital talents across all industries. It has recently announced collaborations with Kydon Group, KinderWorld International Group, Roopu Cloud and more to provide courses and trainings for students and industry partitioners around the world.
Tencent Cloud also strives to establish a comprehensive global cloud partner ecosystem to provide innovative cloud solutions and facilitate digital transformation across multiple industries, together with partners from across various fields and industries. Find out more about our global partner network here.
About Tencent Cloud
Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s fastest-growing cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of education, finance, healthcare, gaming, media and entertainment, property, retail, travel and transportation.


text:
Capcom have released the trailer for the remastered, special edition of Devil May Cry 4 and information on what new features will be included in the game.
The special edition of the game, first released in 2008, will now include 5 playable characters. Joining Dante and Nero will be Dante's brother Vergil and Trish from the original game, along with Devil May Cry 3's Lady.
The game will feature improved graphics in 1080p and running at 60 frames-per-second. Extras will include the previously PC exclusive horde mode Legendary Dark Knight Mode, as well has a bunch of new costumes and skins.
Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition will be released on PS4, Xbox One and PC in Summer 2015.


text:
The agreement is worth NIS 650,000.
Kiryat Anavim Silicone Technologies Ltd. (KAST) has signed a NIS 650,000 agreement to supply various products to a French manufacturer and marketer of surgical equipment. KAST develops and produces silicone rubber products.
KAST marketing director Meir Kristal said that the agreement had been signed while attending the MEDICA and ComPaMED trade fairs in Dusseldorf, Germany the world’s largest exhibitions for medical equipment. Under the agreement, KAST will supply a series of products to be integrated in technologies used in the French company’s products. Some of these products are designed for invasive surgery.
Kristal added that KAST’s technology was one of the most advanced of its kind in the world for manufacturing silicone rubber products for clean rooms. He said that this fact was enabling KAST to become a supplier for manufacturers of advanced medical equipment.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on January 10, 2005


text:
Despite the success of Wi-Fi in the corporate market, many doubted that Wi-Fi would be a viable consumer technology a decade ago. In fact, Wi-Fi was locked in a competitive struggle with a rival standard dubbed HomeRF, backed by PC giant Intel. However, the tide started turning as a result of the collaboration between Apple and Lucent that produced the first Wi-Fi card for Apple notebooks. Dubbed AirPort, the expansion card debuted in 1999 for the bulbous, lacquered iBook of the era, and Intel later followed suit by integrating Wi-Fi into Windows PCs via a chipset called Centrino.
Now, Wi-Fi is not only part of every laptop, tablet, and smartphone, but it is becoming more popular in TVs, Blu-ray players, and printers. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, camera and camcorder makers made their biggest Wi-Fi push yet, with Samsung introducing a slew of Wi-Fi imaging products, Kodak showing off its M750 Wi-Fi camera, and Sony showing the Bloggie Live Wi-Fi camcorder. Seagate ships a hard drive called the GoFlex Satellite that can stream movies to up to three devices using Wi-Fi. And HP is even shipping a mouse that uses Wi-Fi.
Through its history, Wi-Fi has often grown out in divergent paths. For example, the second version of Wi-Fi split off into two bands -- one called 802.11g that worked well with the first version and another called 802.11a that was less likely to encounter interference and slowdowns. This dual path continued with the third generation of Wi-Fi, called 802.11n that worked with two different kinds of radio waves. Over time, though, makers of networking equipment have created products that support nearly all of the variations.
By 2013, two new upgrades to Wi-Fi will hit the market and they again take different approaches, but this time, the differences are more profound. One evolution, called 802.11ac, effectively doubles the range of today's 802.11n products while keeping the same "whole home" range. The other, 802.11ad, works over a shorter-range, say, a room, but has the potential for far greater speeds.
It is 802.11ad that will open up new applications for Wi-Fi. For example, today there are several products that can send a video from a PC up to a television over Wi-Fi, but many struggle to do so with good quality, but an 802.11ad connection can support multiple HD movies. It also can allow for super-fast file transfers between PCs or backing up a hard drive wirelessly. As we move to an age of super-thin notebook computers that dispense with traditional connections, 802.11ad can enable wireless docking stations that bridge out to connections such as USB, Ethernet, and a video output connector while allowing you to freely move your laptop around a room.
Because 802.11ad products will be available before 802.11ac products, we will likely see products that can send data very quickly over short distances but that are bound to today's speeds for longer ones. Over time, though, the two next-generation flavors of Wi-Fi will come together, allowing us to share media around our homes wirelessly faster than ever before.


text:
With our country aspiring to diversify its economy, it becomes crucial to accentuate our food and beverage sector, which generates BND400 million per annum. In 2017, it accounted for 11 per cent of total enterprises and employed nine per cent of the local workforce.
To further accelerate the growth, hawker centres, such as the Gadong Night Market, ought to be set up in densely-populated areas across the country.
Hawker centres can generate an additional BND1 billion in indirect value to the economy by 2035, creating approximately 5,000 sustainable decent-paying jobs. For this to be realised, 15 new hawker stalls must be constructed in selected high-density mukims or villages and along Bandar Seri Begawan-Belait highway. The stalls should be able to accommodate a stall capacity of 50 units each.
These centres could render innumerable value for our country by serving as opportunity zones to enable our low-income population to make money through entrepreneurial work.
We do not need to look far at how hard our people are willing to work for hours on end.
One only needs to see the hundreds of low-income families selling food and drinks in self-built stalls by the sides of roads. Inviting these people to join the hawker centres would make a solid economic and social impact, effectively reducing income inequality and keeping poverty at bay.
These hawker centres could also promote competition in the sector, keeping inflation in check by allowing people to sell food at an affordable price. The clustered design means that enterprises could take advantage of economies of scale in reducing costs and prices, generating repeat sales through agglomeration effects. In simple terms, nasi katok would remain at BND1, instead of BND3, in the next 10 years.
The country needs to take the necessary steps to create a sustainable long-term growth cycle, and I believe that investing in these hawker centres would be the right step forward.


text:
He takes over from Kent Ertugrul, who will continue in his role as chief executive. The appointment comes into effect immediately.
Heyer has held a number of high-profile roles at companies including Young & Rubicam, where he was chief operating officer, and Turner Broadcasting System, where he held the same role. He has been on the board of Phorm since October last year.
Ertugrul said: "Splitting the role of chairman and chief executive will enable me to focus more of my time and efforts on driving our vision.
"I am very pleased to be working even more closely with Steve. Steve's broad business experience, commercial acumen and deep knowledge of the media, advertising and ISP industries will continue to prove invaluable to Phorm going forward."
Phorm is behind technology that analysis web users' behaviour in a bid to serve up more relevant advertising.
Phorm has been criticised because of fears that its technology will allow internet companies to spy on users. However, it has taken great pains to explain that privacy is one of its major concerns and that the way its targeting works, no identifying information is retained on web users.
Heyer joined Coca-Cola in 2001 to head a new ventures unit, where he was charged with developing new products and marketing juices, coffees and teas. He was promoted to the chief operating role in late 2002, but left in 2004 and became the CEO of Starwood Hotels and Resorts.
Before joining Coca-Cola, Heyer was president and chief operating officer of Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting Systems, where he launched 14 new television networks.


text:
We are proud to announce that the HOD token has now been integrated into the HoDooi.com platform and can be used as a form of payment, alongside BNB and USDT across the growing NFT marketplace.
Users can access the HOD token across multiple exchanges including:
Coming as one of the many use cases for the HOD token, payment integration will now allow users to use their HOD to buy and sell NFTs on the HoDooi.com marketplace with other use cases such as staking and the Membership Program coming soon.
Recently on HoDooi.com…
HoDooi.com debuted with the heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury’s NFT collection, with the “Lineal by Tyson Fury” NFT selling for a record-breaking $987,000. We have also listed the Cris Cyborg NFT collection, which went live on Monday 13th September exclusively on HoDooi.com!
Website — hodooi.com
Twitter — twitter.com/hodooicom
Telegram — t.me/hodooi
Announcements — https://t.me/hodooiann
Instagram — instagram/hodooicom
Facebook — facebook.com/Hodooi


text:
Tag: GAME CULTURE
Well folks, this is what it's all come down to. Forget prettier graphics and game exclusives, the real console war is about which set of gamers are better in the sack. A recent poll conducted during research into the effect of playing games on relationships has determined (apparently) that those who play Xbox are better lovers than Sony, Nintendo, and PC gamers...
A few months ago, we reported on a new indie game called The Adventures of Rubberkid, which aimed to teach children about the perils of bullying and how to help out with it. Now we're glad to report that the game reached its Kickstarter goal and is now available (for free), right now. Come inside for all the details.
It's that horrible time of year again for those of us in the news business, where every single person in the world tries to lie to you. It's April Fools' Day. While one or two actual news pieces might slip out, for the most part it's safe to not trust anything today. To help ease this pain, as we have in years past, we've decide to round up all the big April Fools' day news scoops (from both games and movies) in one convenient spot for you.
On top of our big March Madness giveaway this month, we here at Cinelinx don't feel like stopping there, and we want to keep bringing you the goods. Big Fish Games have partnered up with us in order to bring one of our lucky readers a $25 iTunes giftcard, totally free! Come inside for the details on how to enter.
Have you ever watched a movie or TV show that featured a video game and thought to yourself, "I'd love to play that game"? Sadly those amazing titles are created specifically for that other world (since it's a lot easier than securing the rights to an actual game), and exist only in the realm of fantasy. While the games may be fake, it's hard to deny the allure of them, ridiculous concepts and all.
Who doesn’t remember the agonizing brutality that was Contra with adoration. Sure, it’s punishing difficulty probably caused many a broken controllers, but nothing compares with the satisfaction of completing a level with your buddy. It’s been several years since gamers have had a true Contra sequel and I think it’s time to change that.
Apparently the Nintendo's DS is still a happening console for homebrewers who like to make their own software or games for the system. Sometimes you see something cool, and other times you see something that you desperately want to play. Such is the case today with this homebrewed version of Portal for the handheld.
Do you love retro video games, or video games in general? Ever wanted to visit a museum dedicated to such things? Well let's take that even further and see if you've ever wanted to own your own video game museum. Now you've got you chance as a man on eBay is selling his astonishingly massive video game collection (from over 30 years of collecting).
Video games and violence has become, yet again, another hot button topic as of late, which has prompted some of the most ridiculous statements we've heard from politicians so far (including one made today). In the media, the game industry and gamers on the whole can't seem to catch a break, but during an interview with Fox News, Adam Sessler sets some people straight.
Fans of Fire Emblem have been waiting awhile for the franchise to make it's return. Fortunately they don't have much longer to wait (February 4th), and if you don't already have a 3DS for the game, Nintendo has announced a special bundle launching the same day as well. Or you know...if you just want to trade yours in for this cool new 3DS.


text:
Some may remember yfrog as the photo sharing service previously associated with Twitter. However, since Twitter's launch of it's own internal photo sharing service last year, Yfrog has been left worse for wear. Despite the effects of this, Jack Levin (ImageShack founder) has not accepted defeat and has bravely entered the social networking arena to meet the giants face to face.
ImageShack has released yfrog Social; a full service social networking Platform for web and mobile. It seems to be a combination of the best of the bunch, with a look and feel that resembles Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn, and the high resolution photo sharing qualities of ImageShack or Flickr. What makes it stand out from the crowd? Its ad-free freemium paid business model and completely open yfrog API.
This may seem like an extremely ambitious and perhaps unrealistic endeavour, as many would say there isn't room for a newcomer on the already cramped social media scene. Levin does not seem to be swayed, however, as he made clear in an interview on Tech Crunch TV saying, "We think there's definitely space to do things, not just twice as good or three times as good, but to be ten times better in UI, in User Experience...that's why this product now exists."
Test out yfrog Social for yourself if you want to see what all the fuss is about.


text:
Symplify has named Stephen Crystal as President of Symplify US as it seeks to increase its position in the North American casino and igaming sector.
The firm previously teamed up with Crystal’s SCCG Management in February when it entered a strategic partnership to open new distribution networks.
In a sign of strengthening ties between the two, Crystal has agreed to become President of Symplify US, whilst remaining CEO of SCCG Management.
Crystal commented: “The powerful capabilities created by the Symplify suite of solutions – powered by AI and Machine Learning – are not only industry-leading, but they’re also industry firsts. A decade ago, AI was a marketing term broadly plastered across products to draw unwarranted attention to the emergent technology.
“Today, machine learning has graduated from being the true technology powerhouse across sectors like health care, finance, retail sales, travel, and social media. Symplify is the only CRM solution provider that has leveraged Machine Learning as the anchor for casino gaming operators.
“Now it falls to the team at Symplify US to help share the power of the Symplify solution with North American casino gaming operators. We want to let their marketing teams know that we have a CRM solution that adds value without the cost of too much labor, time, and attention.”
The CRM and AI cloud solutions firm is aiming to strengthen its US position by delivering its suite of products to brick-and-mortar casinos and online gaming operators.
Back in July, the firm developed a new suite of products to further its interests in the US casino space, focusing on geolocation products and its AI Engagement Optimizer.
Symplify’s CEO, Robert Kimber said: “As part of the Symplify story, I am pleased to welcome the next and natural step of Symplify, establishing a permanent presence within the continental United States.
“The gaming market in the US is becoming home away from home for Symplify technology. We meet like-minded innovators who need a platform that understands the marriage of traditional casino entertainment and the expectation of the newly transitioned digital user.
“Applying our thorough understanding of the digital gaming market, together with SCCG’s close-knit relationship with brick-and-mortar casinos, has proven to be very successful. Establishing a US base with my friend and colleague Stephen Crystal in charge is an exciting and self-evident opportunity for Symplify.”


text:
Let the games speak for themselves.
Microsoft has often been criticized for its lacking first party lineup- never more so than now, with some high profile cancellations leaving them with what looks to be a rather dire lineup of games, in number and variety. The old refrain of Halo/Gears/Forza has often been used to describe the Microsoft first party- and there is starting to be an element of truth to it these days.
Speaking on IGN’s podcast Unlocked, however, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that Microsoft has some great things in the works, stating that the proof will ultimately be in the pudding, and that hopefully the lineup speaks for itself.
‘I’m incredibly proud of our lineup this year,’ he said. ‘I’ve said it before, but this will be an interesting year for us. We don’t have Gears, we don’t have a Halo first person shooter, and I get two sides on this. Some people say “every year it’s Halo/Gears/Forza,” and then we have a year that’s not those things, and people are like, “oh, now you’re in trouble!” But I look at Crackdown, I look at State of Decay 2, I look at Sea of Thieves, I’m having a great time with Halo Wars 2, and maybe there’s some things we haven’t talked about yet. But in the long run, I know having an incredibly strong first party lineup is incredibly important to this [business]. There’s a journey I needed to go through as a leader so I could be in a position where I could do more. And I think the proof will be in what we end up doing, and that’s how it will be judged.’
What could Spencer be referring to? Are there some major unannounced Xbox One exclusives that could hopefully exhibit the kind of whimsy and ambition that Microsoft used to in the early Xbox and Xbox 360 days. E3 can’t come soon enough.


text:
T-Mobile Investigating 100 Million Subscriber Data Breach
from the whoops-a-daisy dept
Another day, another massive privacy scandal. T-Mobile is purportedly investigating a massive data breach that may have revealed the personal data of more than 100 million subscribers. First reported by Motherboard, the stolen data recently popped up on underground hacker forums, and includes subscriber social security numbers, phone numbers, names, physical addresses, unique IMEI numbers, and driver license information. Motherboard confirmed the data is genuine, and noted that the seller is asking $270,000 for a small subset of the data:
“On the underground forum the seller is asking for 6 bitcoin, around $270,000, for a subset of the data containing 30 million social security numbers and driver licenses. The seller said they are privately selling the rest of the data at the moment.”
For years companies and some policymakers have soothed themselves with the belief that data collection of this scale isn’t a big deal because data is “anonymized.” But there’s been a steady parade of studies showing how it’s relatively trivial to identify users with just a small portion of additional data. The more data that’s just bouncing around in the wild, the easier it gets. And with a bevy of hacks and leaks like this one, it just gets simpler.
T-Mobile has just around 105 million wireless subscribers, meaning this hack could involve… pretty much all of them. Meanwhile consumers have yet to be informed because T-Mobile has yet to fully confirm the hack even happened, or provide any additional information:
“T-Mobile said in a statement to Motherboard that “We are aware of claims made in an underground forum and have been actively investigating their validity. We do not have any additional information to share at this time.” T-Mobile repeatedly declined to answer follow-up questions about the scale of the breach.”
You know, just another day in a country with no meaningful internet-era privacy protections.


text:
Will Apple fans get their first look at the iPhone 13 Tuesday?
Apple will broadcast an event announced last week from its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., where the tech giant is widely expected to unveil its next iPhone, and potentially other refreshed devices.
Although Apple did not confirm through a media invitation whether it would talk iPhone at the event, September has typically been the month when the company releases details about the latest model of its smartphone.
Last year, due to the COVID pandemic, Apple pushed back an announcement and launch of the iPhone 12 to October.
The event starts at 1 p.m. ET. Follow USA TODAY for live updates of the Apple event. Apple is also streaming the event from its website.
►Do you own an iPhone or iPad?:Update your Apple devices right now.
►History of the iPhone:How Apple's signature smartphone has changed over the years
Apple plans to roll out a new version of its low-cost iPad model. Apple says the new model will provide 20% faster computer and graphics processing, as well as a stronger neural engine to make services such as Live Tex operate more quickly.
The front-facing camera is now a 12MP Ultra Wide camera, and features Center Stage, which makes video calls more engaging by automatically detecting people. It's currently available on Pro models of iPad.
It maintains a similar design, which allow it to support most third-party peripherals such as the first-generation Apple Pencil and keyboards.
The iPad will also stick with the same price at $329, but will add 64GB of storage to start, a major upgrade. It will launch next week.
Cook introduces the audience to new series coming this fall to the tech giant's streaming TV service. Several big names popping up, including Jon Stewart, a new season of The Morning Show starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston coming this month, and the science-fiction show called Invasion, a show called The Shrink Next Door starring Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell.
We've officially begun with a musical interlude that appears to take place across different parts of California, performing the song "California Soul."
Tim Cook now jumps on stage to sing the praises of California. "We're proud to call California our home," he said.
Remember, you can also stay on this page and follow the latest news once the event begins at 1 p.m. ET.
As expected prior to any Apple event, the company's online store is down since we're going to see new products later Tuesday.
"Be right back," reads the message on Apple's store. "We're making updates to the Apple store. Check back soon."
Apple typically doesn't only talk iPhone when it hosts (physically or virtually) its September events. We're likely going to see a new version of the Apple Watch as well. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the upgraded Apple Watch Series 7 will sport a new design, larger screens and a faster processor.
Meanwhile, 9to5Mac reports Apple could also introduce a fresh version of its AirPods. The last time Apple rolled out new AirPods was in 2019, said the report.
As buzz rises over the likely unveiling of the iPhone 13, so too are the number of scams linked to Apple's event. Research firm Kaspersky said they have seen intensified scamming activity ahead of the event.
The schemes often involve fake offers such as snagging the next iPhone before release or getting other deals on products like AirPods. People who sign up never get the device, and hackers get a hold of their personal information.
“Apple presentations have always been a popular lure for scammers to roll out malicious activity,” said Tatyana Shcherbakova, security expert at Kaspersky, in a statement. “For several years now, we’ve seen how fraudsters use the buzz around new iPhone release and start spreading malicious features."
Among tips Kaspersky offers to protect yourself: Verify messages are from reliable sources, don't click on links in suspicious emails, and be skeptical about offers that appear too good to be true.
It's likely Apple will address the recent decision in Epic Game's lawsuit filed against the iPhone maker. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to let developers use payment options beyond the App Store, which would circumvent Apple's 30% commission on most app transactions.
Epic Games has said it is appealing the judge's decision rejecting Epic's allegations that Apple ran a monopoly.
By mid-December, Apple must build a framework that would allow developers to steer payments outside of the App Store and Apple's iOS, said Gene Munster, a managing partner with Loup Ventures.
But "it won't be until next year that developers can do steering A/B testing," Munster said on Twitter. " Apple will probably make further changes in the next 5 years, which will collectively yield an App Store that is a favorable asset from an investor's standpoint."
– Mike Snider
In advance of today's event, Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives laid out a synopsis of Apple's position, noting that the company "remains in the midst of its strongest overall product cycle in roughly a decade."
The new line of iPhones, expected to be called the iPhone 13, will be the second model to include 5G wireless connectivity. Apple appears to be boosting production of the new phones beyond that of the iPhone 12, Ives said. His analysis suggests Apple's initial production of about 90 million units surpasses that of the initial iPhone 12 production of 80 million.
The reasoning? "This 5G driven product cycle will extend into 2022 and should also benefit from a post vaccine consumer 'reopening environment,' Ives said.
Beyond that, there is "pent up demand" for new iPhones among current customers because about 250 million of the 975 million iPhones already sold have not been upgraded in more than 3.5 years, he said.
The new wave of iPhones are expected to include "an eye-popping 1 terabyte storage option," twice the highest storage capacity in the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, Ives expects.
– Mike Snider
►iOS 15 is arriving soon:Here's what we know about the iPhone's upcoming update
This story is developing.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.