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There are three strategies for implementing advanced safety features that will lead to full autonomy: add still more sensors; reduce the number of sensors by combining functions; use advanced processing to make use of sensor data.
Here’s a look at how vendors and tier 1s are doing all of them.
It turns out that range anxiety should not make auto shoppers anxious. Better batteries and easy at-home and at-work charging should take care of the needs of most Americans. So, how do we get people off the gas?
There’s not as much hype about big data in the auto industry as there is in marketing, but, for sure, connected vehicles will generate big, big data. This article discusses the barriers to making use of it and business-case questions still to be answered.
Mobile commerce was definitely up over the 2014 holiday shopping season — and for many sites, mobile traffic has surpassed desktop traffic. (Although I think that tablets, which are used more like laptops, which have replaced desktops, are muddying the stats.)
But, despite all the attention Apple Pay got, few used mobile payments to buy stuff.
Seems like virtual reality is about to blow up. Mozilla and Google plan to implement browser APIs that will let VR developers make their virtual worlds accessible via the browser. Users still will need headsets, however.
Last week, Facebook reported Q3 earnings. Revenue exceeds analysts expectations, stock falls, blah blah blah. What was interesting about the call was how much like Google Facebook is sounding, not least of which is its ambition to catalog, well, not all the world’s knowledge, but all the world’s Facebook content — which is coming close to equaling the size of Google’s index.
Security is lagging behind tech when it comes to highly computerized automobiles. Chris Valasek, director of vehicle security research at IOActive, and security expert Charlie Miller recently released a research paper titled “A Survey of Remote Automotive Attack Surfaces” that details all the different fronts on which automotive systems could be hacked. I talked to him about whether there’s really a problem and how bad it could be.
Providing same-day coverage of conferences keeps me focused and thinking, as I try to make connections between what different speakers say and identify trending topics. I recently wrote same-day wrap-ups of FC Business Intelligence’s Insurance Telematics USA conference. (Insurance telematics, also known as usage-based insurance or UBI) refers to the various hardware and software applications that let insurers get an accurate view of customers’ driving behavior.)
You could think of TotallyHer.com as one giant, in-house version of Outbrain. The newly launched site pulls the top content from a network of owned and partner sites, then mixes in native ad content. Other sites in the network act as farm teams for TotallyHer, which is what gets promoted by site owner Evolve Media. Hmmmm.


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FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Applications for round five of the California Relief Grant Program kicked off Thursday, giving new applicants a shot at some financial relief.
The program received an added $2.1 billion, and eligible businesses can receive a grant anywhere between $5,000 and $25,000.
Dora Westerlund, CEO of the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation, said this is the perfect way for struggling businesses to pick themselves back up.
"Restart the business, have the lights on, buy inventory--they have this opportunity," said Dora Westerlund, CEO of the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation
An opportunity that many small business owners don't know how to get because of language or technology barriers. Westerlund says that's when the foundation jumps in.
"We had a drive-thru so small business owners could come into the parking lot so they could access our resources. We would come in and download the information and help them apply," she said.
Westerlund said helping small business owners apply for grants is how the community will continue to flourish.
"We know that small businesses are the engine in the local economy, so we must help them thrive in order for our community to thrive as well," she said.
The deadline to apply for round five of the grant is March 31 at 6:00 pm. To apply, you must be a business owner in California, provide 2019 tax returns, your state ID, and proof that your business has been open since June 1st of 2019. Click here for more information.
And remember, if you need some help, the foundation is ready. You can find more information on other business grants available by contacting the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation. Visit their website or call 559-222-8705.
"We are business for all, and we want to make sure that people know to not be afraid. We are here to help you," Westerlund said.

domain: news


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The 53rd edition of the Apple n' Pork Festival saw an enormous day one crowd.
Authorities report 62,960 people attended the Apple n' Pork Festival Saturday. With cloudless skies and temperatures in the 70s all day, the weather was nothing short of ideal, and Director of the CH Moore Homestead Joey Woolridge says there's plenty to bring people to Clinton.
Several vendors either sold out of their food on Saturday or were questioning how much food should they plan for later in the day. The Blue Ridge soccer programs helped Nathan Lippert set a pace to sell out of nine kettles of ham n' beans on Saturday.
Lippert indicates they were running out of to-go containers for the ham n' beans heading into Sunday. He is advising folks wanting ham n' beans to-go, to bring a non-plastic container.
The Apple n' Pork Festival resumes Sunday.


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Denmark-based shipping and oil conglomerate Maersk appears to be one of the few companies building its own mobile corporate travel app. In an October discussion with Business Travel News, Mette Christensen, the company’s global head of travel and indirect services, said nothing else out there fit the bill.
The idea prompted a challenge from Jeroen van Velzen, co-founder and CEO of Dutch mobile tech firm Roadmap. “If you were to build our stack delivering the same functionality, you should think of millions of dollars to build it,” he told The Company Dime last week. “But I would ask all corporates not to take my word for it and do try to build it. Those who try will appreciate and understand why it’s so difficult to do right.”
Several travel buyers we contacted agreed with van Velzen, saying it’s just too expensive to build a custom mobile app.
It’s not cheap even when you outsource it. Roadmap charges upwards of 100,000 euros to deliver a travel app to big companies. BP was the first. The apps display no branding other than client’s own. Last year, four organizations signed up, van Velzen said. In this year’s first quarter, five more bought in. He expects another 25 to 30 clients by the end of this year.
Van Velzen said these companies are in talent-squeezed sectors where employers must take care of workers if they want to keep them. They also are proud of their brands. “In their minds it would be very weird to communicate with employees through a different brand,” he said. “That’s a no-go for them.”
Roadmap sees customized communication as the key in helping it stand out in a crowded corporate travel app market. Tailored dialogue with employees opens the door to collecting feedback, fostering communities and instructing them about policies.
“You have to explain why you limit my choices or why I am not allowed to do something,” van Velzen said. “We educate travel managers about how marketing works, how dialogue works. It is not a one-way street.” In that way, he said companies can start targeting improvements in specific program areas and customize communications to the individual employee.
Van Velzen said real-time feedback from corporates — “not the TripAdvisor guys” — can help buyers in future supplier contract negotiations and help suppliers improve their products. “They’re missing out on objective ways to measure that,” he said. How, where and when that dialogue occurs within the app is up to the client.
Many travel management companies and various other third parties offer apps broadly to corporate clients and/or consumers. Some are pretty slick, and many have features that Roadmap also offers, including step-by-step itinerary info. According to van Velzen, TMCs are not particularly good at technology and communications.
Roadmap apps fall short of the all-encompassing killer travel app that some clamor for. That is by design. Given the industry’s long history in building booking tools, “we’d be idiots to think we can improve on that,” van Velzen said. The same goes for expense management, though a Roadmap app can inform travelers about expense policies like per diems.
However, Roadmap connects with various systems. Van Velzen pegged the number at 62, including agency mid- and back-offices, global distribution systems, invoicing systems and other administrative systems. Shortcuts and deep links enable connections with airlines (notably for check-in and boarding passes), ground transportation companies or restaurant info, for example.
Travel Tech Consulting president Norm Rose said Roadmap is “unique as far as being a dynamic itinerary that has a plug-and play-platform for any booking tool (or a path including supplier apps) or expense solution.” He added that popular itinerary apps “could morph into a Roadmap-style product, dependent on the flexibility of their overall platform.”
Questioning The TMC Road
In the BTN article, Christensen expressed frustration that Maersk’s TMC had not delivered something “hot.” She even hinted that her company might sell the app to others.
Roadmap has provided apps to a GDS (Amadeus, for its m-Power app for agencies), TMCs (including Advantage Business Travel) and OTAs (including eDreams Odiego), which then provide them to their customers. Van Velzen said the company and some TMC customers now are questioning whether it makes sense for TMCs to spend so much money developing apps when their adoption is relatively low. For example, without naming it, he said one big client TMC — which put lots of marketing behind the app and gives it away for free — reached adoption of 35 percent to 40 percent. He said large corporate-direct clients immediately enjoy 70 percent adoption. Roadmap measures adoption in terms of usage per trip, meaning in those cases 70 percent of client travelers opened the app during their journey.
“Nothing is more important than adoption,” van Velzen stressed, “otherwise there is no mobile strategy.”
Additional info: Maersk’s Christensen declined to comment for this article. The conglomerate has expanded cost-cutting efforts, including travel expense reductions, after revenues fell 15 percent last year to $40 billion due to lower oil prices and freight rates. Maersk recorded a December quarter loss of $2.5 billion, though it was profitable for the year, according to its annual financial report this week.


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#McFail! McDonalds' Twitter promotion backfires as users hijack #McDstories hashtag to share fast food horror stories
They certainly don't seem to be lovin’ it.
The Big Mac has come under attack, after McDonald's became the subject of an outburst of vitriolic hatred on Twitter when critics hijacked a promotional hash-tag created by the fast-food giant.
Opponents accused the burger franchise of making customers vomit, serving pig meat from gestation crates and dishing up a burger containing a finger nail.
One fierce critic claimed he would rather eat his own diarrhea than visit the famous Golden Arches.
Attack on the Big Mac: McDonalds has become the subject of an outburst of vitriolic hatred on Twitter after users hijacked a promotional hashtag created by the fast-food giant
Jumping on the social media bandwagon, McDonald's last week launched a campaign featuring paid-for tweets, which would appear at the top of search results.
An initial hashtag #MeetTheFarmers, meant to promote the coorporation’s guarantee of fresh produce, concentrated on wholesome stories about farmers.
McDonald's tweeted: 'Meet Dirk Giannini, McDonald’s lettuce supplier, as he shows u his life on the farm #MeetTheFarmers http://mcd.to/AyvF4M'
All was humdrum until 2pm last Wednesday when the global chain sent out two tweets with the more general hash-tag #McDStories.
Hijacked: The global chain sent out two tweets with the more general hash-tag #McDStories
Slanging match: The fast food restaurant faced all kind of accusations from unsatisfied customers
Eating out: One user claimed to have chipped a tooth while another said she had been hospitalised for food poisoning as a result of eating there
Weight loss: One customer claimed he lost 50 lb after leaving
Pigging out: One user claimed that McDonald's use pig meat from gestation crates
Some marketing whizzkid proclaimed: 'When u make something w/pride, people can taste it,' - McD potato supplier #McDStories http://t.co/HaPM5G9F'
But within minutes the tweets began to go radically off message, as the hash-tag took on a life of its own.
Detractors seized on #McDStories as an opportunity to document their alleged horror stories at the Golden Arches.
Swinging off-message: Detractors seized on #McDStories to document their horror stories at the Golden Arches
@jfsmith23 wrote: 'Watching a classmate projectile vomit his food all over the restaurant during a 6th grade trip. #McDStories'
One of the worst was @MuzzaFuzza who wrote 'I haven’t been to McDonalds in years, because I’d rather eat my own diarrhea.'
Followers chimed in including @nelo_taylor who wrote: 'These #McDStories never get old, kinda like a box of McDonald's 10 piece'
Social media director Rick Wion told paidcontent.org: ‘Within an hour, we saw that it wasn’t going as planned,
‘It was negative enough that we set about a change of course.’
However the campaign wasn't a complete failure.
The #meetthefarmers hashtag, which escaped the battering, stimulating mostly positive tweets, has stayed put.
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Trading platform eToro reported its total trading commissions were $362 million in the second quarter of 2021, which is up 125% from the second quarter of 2020.
Cryptocurrencies accounted for 73% or $264.26 million of the total commissions in Q2 2021, while in Q2 2020, cryptocurrencies accounted for only 7% or $11.2 million.
“Cryptoassets drove total commissions in the second quarter of 2021, reflecting retail investors’ strong interest across the cryptos offered by eToro with the highest trading volumes in BTC, XRP, ETH, ADA and DOGE,” the company’s CEO Yoni Assia said in a letter to investors.
As per the report, for the total cryptocurrency commissions, XRP accounted for the highest share, representing 16%. In terms of trading volume, Bitcoin accounted for the lion share representing 20%.
According to the investor update, the company stated that it expanded its cryptocurrency-related services by adding 10 new crypto assets in recent months including the popular Dogecoin and Shiba Inu. This brought the total number of crypto assets available across the eToro platform and exchange to 29.
The platform added 2.6 million new registered users in the quarter, compared with 1.2 million a year ago. Alongside that came a surge in overall trading volume, with eToro executing 127 million trades in the second quarter, up 72% from 74 million a year ago.
The company had 23.2 million total users as of June 30, 2021.


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$2bn Alt-Netflix for those with short attention spans closes after short lifespan Video-streaming upstart Quibi, which tried to differentiate itself from the likes of Netflix by offering episodes that only that ran for ten minutes max, will close its doors.…
Bangladesh is set to surpass India in terms of per capita gross domestic product in 2020.
The original Windows 10 Pro/Home, Office 2019 and Office 2016 are much-needed tools for the installation of your new computer. Today we are presenting you ...
The post The Best Software Deal at Keysworlds start at $5.80 appeared first on Gizchina.com.
Back in May, Samsung launched the Galaxy A21s smartphone. But it was officially launched after a long delay. Recently, this phone has got a brand ...
The post New Samsung Galaxy A21s With 6GB+128GB Larger Storage Announced appeared first on Gizchina.com.
Rep. Schrier, a pediatrician, is the first Democrat to ever represent Washington's 8th District.
China likes to brag about its two carriers and the third it's building, but they've got a long way to go to catch up with the US's 11 flattops.
McDonald's is adding three new pastries to its all-day menu — the Apple Fritter, Blueberry Muffin, and Cinnamon Roll. But, where's the McMuffin?
James Bond may have been the last straw for Regal and Cineworld, but analysts I spoke to agree: the only thing that will truly save movie theaters in the United States is a COVID-19 vaccine.
On Thursday, Regal Cinemas — the second-largest theater chain in the US with 536 theaters and 7,076 screens — will officially shut all its doors in the United States for the second time during the global pandemic. Its parent company Cineworld is closing 127 theaters in the UK as well. Over 45,000 people may lose their jobs or be furloughed, and there’s no timeline for reopening.
In what seems like good news, AMC and Cinemark, the first- and third-largest US chains respectively, will not be following Regal’s lead. Each confirmed today that over 80...
Last week the US secretary of State visited Italy to lobby for cooperation over 5G security and China wasn’t happy about it.
(DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory) A new algorithm that fast forwards simulations could bring greater use ability to current and near-term quantum computers, opening the way for applications to run past strict time limits that hamper many quantum calculations.
The electric sedan has, clearly, struck a chord with those shopping the luxury electric sedan segment.
When you buy a qualifying speaker, Sonos is including half a year of Disney Plus on the house.
The same people that made the original Exploding Kittens card game just revealed another very strange item. This game is called “A Game of Cat & Mouth” and it’s made for two players. It works with graphics similar to those of the game Exploding Cats, but instead of cards, it works with balls and magnets. The game A Game of … Continue reading
It’s not just for big corporations.


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Don’t let this e-mail go into your spam box.
Instead of releasing its fall campaign images in glossy September magazine issues, London-based company Marques'Almeida is sharing its ads exclusively via personalized e-mails to fans.
For the images, the brand asked models who walked in its most recent show as well as close friends to fill out a sheet of A4 paper with their own vision of what the fall 2016 collection meant to them. The first image from the campaign, featuring Portuguese model Sofia Moser Leitão, includes her photo, cat-shaped stickers, watercolor drawings, names of artists, and a recipe for cinnamon sugar cookies.
The label took to Instagram to share its new project, asking its followers to leave a name and e-mail address to receive images from the new campaign.
In the personalized e-mail, members from the Marques'Almeida team explain the history between the people featured and the brand. “We know Sofia from her being friends with Rita [the brand’s head of communication]'s cousin in Brazil, then we stalked her on Instagram and invited her to model with us in Paris for our showrooms, as Sofia was studying in Paris at the time, too!” Evie Ward, the brand’s communications and marketing assistant, told us via e-mail. The brand also asked its new pen pals what they’d like to see more of and how they’d personally express themselves if they were involved in the label’s campaign.
Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida founded Marques'Almeida in 2011. The cult-worthy label, full of wearable pieces such as shredded jeans, biker jackets, and shaggy skirts, has since been adopted into the wardrobes of cool women and and sold at retailers including Opening Ceremony and Net-a-Porter. Last year, shortly after winning the coveted LVMH Prize, the brand released its campaign images shot by Ronan Mckenzie via email to those who requested it.


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By Noel Randewich
(Reuters) – Twitter Inc’s stock surged on Tuesday after billionaire Elon Musk proposed to go ahead with his takeover of the social media platform at $54.20 per share.
Twitter jumped over 22% to end at $52.00 after a securities filing showed Musk intends to go ahead with his April offer of $44 billion to take Twitter private, signaling an end to a legal battle that could have forced Musk to pay up. Musk is also chief executive of electric car maker Tesla Inc.
Tesla gained 2.9% to $249.44, down from an earlier high of $257.50.
Earlier, Twitter’s stock had been halted after a report from Bloomberg News about Musk’s plans.
Over $27 billion worth of Tesla shares were exchanged, the highest turnover for the electric vehicle since mid-August, according to Refinitiv data.
GRAPHIC-Elon Musk vs Twitter
Musk and Twitter were set to enter the courtroom this month, with Twitter seeking an order directing Musk to follow through on his agreement last April to buy the company for the agreed-to price. Musk ripped up the deal in August, saying he was misled about the number of spam accounts on Twitter.
Tesla’s stock has been under pressure since Musk agreed to buy Twitter, with investors concerned about how much of the car maker’s shares he might sell to fund the purchase.
GRAPHIC-Musk shields Twitter from social media meltdown
The possibility that Musk might follow through on his deal has shielded Twitter’s stock price in recent months from a meltdown in the shares of other social media companies amid a broad Wall Street sell-off over worries about rising interest rates and a weak economy.
With Tuesday’s gains, Twitter is up 20% year-to-date, versus a drop of more than 50% in Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc .
(Reporting by Noel Randewich in Oakland, Calif.; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Matthew Lewis)


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Fully automated taxi cabs are slowly rolling out around the world.
Baidu, Inc., a Chinese based company and the world’s largest robotaxi provider, announced its newest fully autonomous vehicle, the Apollo RT6, to be released in 2023. The all-electric vehicle is designed for urban environments and will be part of Baidu’s ride-sharing service Apollo Go.
The sixth-generation vehicle will cost $37,000, much less than current self-driving cars. Co-founder and CEO Robin Li hopes this vehicle will lower the cost of its taxi service and speed up autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment.
The Apollo RT6 features a removable steering wheel, allowing for a roomier riding experience, the company reported last week. With the extra space, Baudi can include features such as vending machines, additional seating, and gaming controls.
With 38 sensors, including 8 LiDAR road scanners and 12 cameras, the vehicle is able to detect its surroundings, allowing it to navigate urban environments. The vehicle has driven a total of 20 million test miles. The company estimates that its driverless system is comparable to a human driver with 20 years of experience.
Baidu’s Apollo Go is currently available in 10 Chinese cities.
In early June, a subsidiary of General Motors called Cruise obtained the first permits for self-driving taxis in San Francisco. Reuters reports that Cruise plans to launch 30 vehicles in the upcoming weeks.
Previously, driverless vehicles were permitted in the city, but a safety driver had to be present. Now, the vehicles can operate without this precaution, though they still have strict regulations limiting speed and location.
Google parent company Alphabet has Waymo, a driverless-taxi service that has been ferrying people around Phoenix, Arizona, since 2018, and has been driving its employees around San Francisco since March of this year, Reuters reports.
Opponents of self-driving vehicles cite safety concerns, arguing that the technology is not yet sufficient to handle certain situations.


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DSCC says that the AR and VR markets are set for quick growth, and display sales for AR and VR devices will grow at a CAGR of 52% between 2020 and 2026, to reach $4.2 billion in sales (up from $347 million in 2020). This forecast does not include military applications.
DSCC says that new technologies, specifically designed components and strong push by consumer electronic giants like Sony and Apple will drive this fast growth in VR and AR adoption. As you can see in the chart above actual see-through AR will remain a relatively small market even in 2026. The main problem with AR will remain display brightness, and DSCC see microLED technologies providing a breakthrough in this market.


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Auto supplier Cadence Innovation LLC has started shutting down its operations, four months after entering bankruptcy proceedings.
Automakers have started moving molds out of shops owned by the Troy, Mich.-based molder as Cadence's plants close.
The firm filed notices with the state of Michigan that it will close four plants in Fraser, Mich.; and one each in Troy, Hillsdale, and in Clinton and Chesterfield Townships, near Detroit. Those eight plants employed a total of 780 people in mid-2008.
Cadence filed for Chapter 11 protection with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., on Aug. 26, citing slowing auto production and increased raw material costs. The firm noted then that it had lost 20 percent of its sales in June and July. Auto production has slowed further since then.
The company is winding down its operations and preparing to liquidate its holdings, according to documents filed with the court. Cadence officials were not available to comment.
The company has been trying to sell its plants as ongoing operations but has not been able to finalize a sale.
Cadence opened in 2005 when creditors of Venture Holdings Co. LLC took the bulk of its plants out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and launched a new business to mold interior parts, including center consoles, instrument panels and door panels.
The company had $746 million in annual sales last year.
The ongoing shutdown adds Cadence to a list of auto suppliers that entered Chapter 11 in 2008 but have not emerged. That list includes Plastech Engineered Products Inc., Blue Water Automotive Inc. and Progressive Moulded Products Ltd.


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The Pope also announces seven new saints, including the first native American saint Kateri Tekakwitha from the US state of New York.
The United States announces it is expelling 12 Russian people in New York who are a part of Russia's delegation to the United Nations, saying they are "intelligence operatives" who have "abused their privileges of residency" by engaging in "espionage activities."
The United States Senate votes 51–40 to confirm U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior, thereby making her the first Native American to head the department and the first to be confirmed to a Cabinet post. Haaland is an enrolled member of the Laguna Pueblo.
U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, in response to politicians' criticism that proposed changes to U.S. mail services could slow the handling of mail-in ballots, suspends all mail service changes until after the November election. He also said there will be no changes to retail hours at post offices, mail collection boxes will remain where they are, and no mail processing facilities will be closed. A number of states, including Washington and New York, said they are planning legal moves to block the Postal Service changes.


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Welcome to a brand-new edition of the Big 5 Daily.
Have a good read!
Guess what? MTN Nigeria, the biggest telecommunications company in Nigeria has topped the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) list as the most capitalized company in Nigeria. MTN Nigeria, the biggest telecommunications company in Nigeria has topped the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) list as the most capitalized company in Nigeria. Applaudable!
Also, OPay—Opera browser Nigeria-based fintech startup, has deepened its services offerings in the country’s most populous city Lagos. The fintech startup has launched OBus—an on-demand public bus hailing service. The platform is a conventional bus that is more comfort-oriented. The service aims to boost cashless payments. It will come in-form of branded hummer buses that can ply the intrastate routes. What do you think?
Next on the Big 5, Nigeria-based real estate company Landwey has just obtained 25% stake in Vistafront– a real estate projects funding startup. The crowdfunding platform creates a platform for people to invest in real estate and cash out returns at the end of the cycle through their mobile phones. Vistafront will leverage Landwey’s vast experience to roll out new service offerings on its platform. Nice Move!
Little, an on-demand ride-hailing startup based in Kenya has partnered Jambojet– a Kenyan low-cost airline to scale its client base across Africa. This partnership aligns with their vision to beat the market competition. The startup intends to offer a discount of up to $1.5 discount (Kshs.150) to riders who will be plying to and fro airports in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu for three months.
Finally, remember when we announced that Facebook will be rebranding its subsidiaries; WhatsApp and Instagram? Well, the social media giant has added the tag ‘WhatsApp from Facebook’ to the beta update of its messaging app WhatsApp. The full details are on the blog!
That’s it for today’s Big 5 Daily!
Thanks for joining!
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AT&T will provide in-flight mobility services and devices for more than 19,000 flight attendants.
DALLAS – Delta Air Lines has signed a multi-year extensive agreement with AT&T for custom mobility services, devices and support for Delta’s new, in-flight, mobile point-of-sale application designed to simplify and enhance the in-flight experience for Delta customers.
Under the agreement, AT&T will equip more than 19,000 Delta flight attendants with Nokia Lumia devices powered by Microsoft Dynamics mobile point-of-sale platform on Windows Phone 8, with a Delta-specific customer experience developed by Avanade to operate over Wi-Fi and AT&T’s 4G LTE Network. Avanade will provide Delta with ongoing support, maintenance, and application enhancements for the next three years. This in-flight solution to sell food, goods, and upgraded seats to passengers aligns with Delta’s commitment to continually improve the customer experience.
“As the industry leader in providing mobile solutions, we help move businesses forward,” said Chris Hill, Senior Vice President, Advanced Solutions, AT&T Business Solutions. “Our support of this in-flight mobile solution will help Delta deliver an enhanced and more customized flying experience to their customers.”
Features and benefits of the solution include:
- Near real-time credit card validation, which enables passengers to purchase food, drinks, and upgrade to available Economy Comfort seating in-flight. On-board Economy Comfort upgrades will begin on transcontinental and international flights before being offered on flights across Delta’s system.
- Faster workflow and ease-of-use by unifying all flight attendants on Nokia Lumia 820 devices. In addition, this agreement will see Delta Air Lines crew expanding to the newest Nokia devices over the next three years.
- Faster transaction times, expected to be significantly improved, will allow flight attendants to conduct more transactions and better tend to passengers’ needs.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.


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The rise in U.S. jobless claims pushed gold prices down near $1,390 an ounce from record highs, as investors became skittish about silver after the Chicago Mercantile Exchange raised margin requirementsfor silver futures.
The debate over the impact of the Fed's quantitative easing would not be raised at the G20, according to one G20 official. But the summit is expected to produce an agreement on a more flexible foreign exchange policy.
A debate over currency markets has been raging all week after comments from World Bank President Robert Zoellick in the Financial Times were interpreted as a call for a return to the gold standard. Zoellick has since told CNBC that he is not in favor a gold-backed currency system, but a more international currency arrangement with less dollar weighting.
Boeing led the Dow lower for most of the session after a 787 test flight was forced to make an emergency landing.
And Assurant plummeted to the bottom of the S&P 500 after news in the American Banker that the insurer is involved in "forced-placed insurance" schemes involving mortgage servicing.
In the day's earnings news, General Motorsposted a $2 billion profit, driven by an accelerating turnaround in North America as it rushes to complete an initial public offering of stock set for next week. The results were better than rivals Ford and Chrysler.
Macy's shares fell slightly even after the department store chain reported higher than expected sales, crediting its strategy of catering to local tastes as well as improved sales at its Bloomingdale'schain.
Elsewhere, PoloRalph Lauren jumped more than 7 percent after the apparel retailer reported a 16 percent increase in earnings and posted an optimistic outlook.
Campbell Soup dropped after the food manufacturer said earnings for next year will rise only 2 percent to 4 percent, down from its previous forecast of a 5 percent to 7 percent increase, citing slowing sales despite discounting.
Cisco shares were largely flat ahead of the tech giant's earnings after-the-bell tonight.
In other tech news, Google announced it will give its employees a 10 percent pay increase at the start of next year, according to website Silicon Alley Insider.
Meanwhile, global smart phone sales nearly doubled in the third quarter, and Apple was cited as one of the top five bestselling manufacturers, according to a recent survey from Gartner. Although Nokia , Samsung Electronics and LG maintained their rankings as the top three cell phone makers, Apple broke into the top five for the first time with its iPhone. It has surpassed BlackBerry maker Research In Motion for fourth place.
On the energy front, Halliburton rose almost 5 percent after the oilfield services company said it plans to increase capital spending next year by about a fifth at least, as it targets new opportunities outside its core U.S. market.
Oil prices climbed above $87 a barrelafter news of a big drop in inventories outweighed the impact of a stronger dollar and a fall in Chinese oil imports. Chevron and ConocoPhillips were among oil companies that gained around 1 percent.
Invesco shares fell after news Morgan Stanley sold its stake in the investment manager for a 7.4 percent discount to Invesco's closing price on Tuesday.
BJ's Wholesale , meanwhile, soared more than 10 percent after a report in the New York post that the big-box retailer was considering options, including a sale to a private-equity firm.
Volume on the consolidated tape of the New York Stock Exchange was 4.5 billion shares. On the NYSE floor, 1.1 billion shares changed hands.
The bond market extended lossesafter the government auctioned $16 billion of 30-year bonds, which had a yield of 4.320 percent and a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.31. Bond markets are closed tomorrow for Veterans Day.
On the economic front, initial claims for unemployment fell by 24,000 to 435,000from a revised 459,000 for the week ended Nov. 6, according to the Labor Department. The four-week moving average of claims fell to 446,500, the lowest since September 2008. The news was a positive sign for jobs growth.
Also, import prices rose 0.9 percent in October, while export prices rose 0.8 percent, narrowing the trade deficit, as the weaker dollar gave a boost to U.S. exports.
Mortgage loan applicationsfor both home loans and refinancings rose for the week ended Nov. 5, as interest rates remained at record lows, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. The MBA's seasonally adjusted index rose 5.8 percent.
On Tap This Week:
WEDNESDAY: After-the-bell earnings from Cisco.
THURSDAY: Veterans Day – Bond market closed, stocks and futures markets open, G20 mtg. begins, Earnings from Kohl’s, Disney and Nvidia.
FRIDAY: APEC CEO summit, Consumer sentiment, Earnings from DR Horton and JCPenney.
More From CNBC.com:


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Amazon Kindle has been around for a while now. While we shouldn’t forget about Sony and other companies that paved the way for Amazon, we must give credit where it is due. Amazon has single-handedly brought some new life to the e-book market. As popular as Kindle has been, it has taken Amazon a few years to finally make the device mainstream. For the first few months or the first year, a lot of people didn’t even bother to check Kindle. Fast forward a couple of years, and Amazon has already a huge feat by selling more e-books than paper books on Christmas day.
Here is what Amazon had to say about Kindle’s success this year (read the entire press release):
…Kindle has become the most gifted item in Amazon’s history. On Christmas Day, for the first time ever, customers purchased more Kindle books than physical books
That is certainly good news for all e-book fans. It’s not where Amazon wants to be, but this holiday season people have finally realized the potential that e-book readers have in cutting costs and making reading on the go more convenient. Nook may not post Kindle like numbers this year, but the device has been out of stock for a while now. So there has been real demand for the device. Let’s hope these companies can keep their products in stock when people want to pick them up.


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South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor has started construction on a $1.5 billion mega factory in that country that will produce only electric vehicles.
The group, which owns the Hyundai and Kia brands, conducted a much-publicized groundbreaking ceremony this week in the city of Ulsan, where the automaker launched its first assembly plant in 1968.
The new production facility will be able to make 200,000 electric vehicles a year, the company announced in a statement. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2025, and mass production of electric vehicles will start in the first quarter of 2026.
Hyundai Motor’s flagship luxury brand Genesis will produce an electric sport utility vehicle as the first model off the line.
Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Group is also investing $5.5 billion in Georgia to build electric vehicles and battery facilities.
What does this mean for me?
The carmaker’s massive investment in electric vehicles comes at a time when some of its rivals are rethinking their investment in this space.
General Motors said last month it would put off increasing production of electric trucks, while Ford recently said that it was cutting 700 workers building its F-150 Lightning electric pickup, blaming multiple constraints, including supply-chain issues.
Demand for some electric vehicles is slackening, with new electric vehicle models sitting unsold on dealer floors longer than gas-powered vehicles.


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Thursday August 26 01:48 am
News Update Is RIM On The Way To Becoming The Next Palm Business Insider
"If history repeats itself, says Business Insider, it's going to be a tough road for BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) which is starting to resemble long lost Palm. Business Insider said that Research In Motion seems to be in a similar position that Palm found itself in just a few years ago when it suddenly came across as extremely vulnerable as its competitors pushed out advanced smartphones that made their technology seem obsolete. However, RIM is still selling a fair amount of BlackBerry handsets, and its international presence may grow as the market for smartphones grows. Nonetheless, Palm also used to generate a lot of smartphone sales as well, but there is a great deal of risk that as time goes by RIM may begin losing market share to Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), and be forced to become a ""lower-margin, low-end player."" "


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SAN FRANCISCO -- Pandora may be music to investors ears today.
Oakland, Calif.-based Pandora, scheduled to report earnings after the closing bell, has Wall Street watching its fourth-quarter advertising prospects.
The leading streaming music service has quickly accelerated its market position of total U.S. radio listening hours to nearly 8% but only garners 2.5% of radio advertising dollars, says RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney.
"The build-out of Pandora's local sales force as well as its recent integration into leading radio ad-buying platforms should help to accelerate this monetization effort," wrote Mahaney in a report.
Pandora last month launched an in-car advertising platform with the likes of Ford, BP and Taco Bell signed on. The deal gives advertisers access to 15- and 30-second audio spots.
"Our proprietary sampling of Pandora Radio listening hours in January points to a modest increase in advertising load both for audio and display," wrote Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Graham in a report.
The analyst has a "buy" recommendation with a $43 price target.
The streaming service has 76.2 million active monthly listeners. Competition, however, is constantly on the rise. Apple in September launched its iTunes Radio, which grabbed 20 million listeners by October.
Pandora is expected to report net income $15.8 million on $201.08 million in revenue in the quarter, according to the survey of estimates from Thomson Reuters.


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US household spending posted a record decline in April as coronavirus lockdowns stayed in place, even as incomes unexpectedly jumped thanks to jobless benefits.
Consumer spending fell 13.6 per cent from March, the commerce department said on Friday — the steepest decline on records going back to 1959.
Spending accounts for a majority of US GDP. Economists had forecast a 12.6 per cent drop, according to a Reuters survey.
The situation is expected to reverse as states begin to gradually reopen, but economists at JPMorgan estimate that real consumption could be down at a seasonally adjusted annualised rate of 45 per cent in the second quarter.
Friday’s report also showed incomes jumped 10.5 per cent in April from the previous month, compared with expectations for a 6.5 per cent decline.
That rise “primarily reflected an increase in government social benefits to persons as payments were made to individuals from federal economic recovery programmes in response to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the commerce department said.
Donald Trump in March signed into law a historic $2.2tn stimulus package that included an extra $600 a week in unemployment insurance for those without work and one-time payments of up to $1,200 for individuals.
The unemployment top-up is due to run out at the end of July, however, and efforts to extend it — included in a Democratic plan for $3tn more in stimulus, which passed the House of Representatives earlier this month — are not supported by Republicans, who control the Senate. Opponents say extending the extra payments will force businesses to “compete” with unemployment benefits for workers.
“If rehiring lags, there will be massive pressure for another round of government payments and/or an extension of supplemental federal unemployment insurance payments likely structured to exclude those offered re-employment,” said Joshua Shapiro, economist at MFR.
The drop in spending and rise in incomes helped push the savings rate to a record 33. 3 per cent, up from 12.7 per cent in March, although this is also expected to reverse as benefits end and spending picks up.
Trade data released Friday further highlighted signs of stress to the economy from the pandemic. The trade deficit in goods widened to $69.7bn in April from $65bn the previous month, the commerce department said.
Merchandise exports tumbled 25.2 per cent, led by automobiles and consumer goods, while imports fell 14.3 per cent. “With global and US demand contracting at record pace, trade will be among the sectors hit hardest,” said James Watson, senior economist at Oxford Economics.


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BEDFORD - JULY 18, 2023 - GM officials told the Bedford City Council that the company has over 700 employees and is grateful for the investment the city has given to the company.
The GM Powertrain invested more than $465 million in the Bedford plant since 2011.
Jason Wetzel and Corinne Romanowski gave Bedford City Council members an update on the six tax abatements given to the company over a period of several years.
In July, 2022 the Bedford City Council approved a ten year- 100 percent tax abatement to be used as a selection process with the casting operation location around the United States for a $45 Million electric vehicle operation.
With General Motors Corporation begins its electric vehicle production, the casting locations will be needed to help implement the company's plans.
The proposal was a job retention project, training current employees on how to assemble the needed equipment.
General Motors plans to start their operations in 2025.
15 percent from the tax abatement given to the company will be given to the Bedford Redevelopment Commission per the Indiana statue for redevelopment purposes.
The following tax abatements given to GM Corporation by the City of Bedford include:
Personal property - Furnish and install machinery, equipment and special tooling to produce aluminum block castings - this is for small engines and this segment of the business was doing well according to reports in 2022, this tax abatement was given in 2014
Personal property - Furnish and install machinery, equipment, and special tooling to support Die casting for various products -
Personal property - Furnish and install machinery, equipment, and special tooling to support Aluminum Block Castings - This includes 6,8,10 speed transmissions.
Personal property - Equipment and tooling to produce mold head castings - 2010 tax abatement
Personal property - Equipment and tooling to produce mold head castings - 2011 tax abatement
General Motors Corporation has invested over $108 million in the Bedford plant since 2010. The property tax generated by GM was at $1.7 Million in 2022, contributing to all levels of government.
There were two round of layoffs at the Bedford GM Powertrain Plant over the last year.
In August 2022 the first round of layoff, employees were told it would not affect them because of the tax abatements the City of Bedford who invested $45 million in the Bedford facility.
General Motors plans to sell only electric vehicles by 2035.
1420 L Street Bedford, Indiana
309 Indiana State Road 60 East Mitchell, Indiana
1416 James Avenue Bedford, Indiana


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BENGALURU, 15 January 2024: India's full-stack horticulture pioneer Fasal announced that it has raised INR 100 crores in its Series-A funding round led by TDK Ventures and British International Investment (BII), the United Kingdom's development finance institution and impact investor, with contribution from ITI Growth Opportunities Fund, Navam Capital and Aureolis Ventures.
The round also saw participation from all existing investors including 3one4 Capital, Omnivore, Wavemaker Partners, Genting Ventures, and The Yield Labs Asia Pacific.
This financing round provides further ammunition to the company in its mission to transform the USD 228 billion Indian horticulture industry with its full-stack platform anchored on top of its patented Internet of Things (IoT)-crop intelligence technology and expand further to South East Asia.
Since the commercialization of its technology, Fasal has worked with horticulture farmers spanning more than 75,000+ acres growing crops like grapes, pomegranates, bananas, apples, chilli, cardamom, etc. by enabling them to grow more and grow better with its patented IoT-crop intelligence technology. Fasal's farmers have reduced irrigation water consumption by 82.8 billion litres, pesticide reduction by 127,426 kg, curbed GHG emissions by 54,965 MT, and have increased their yields and quality by up to 30% with the help of technology. Fasal has gone deeper into the value chain by building technology to predict the exact harvesting time, yield, and tentative quality and is utilising this intelligence to bring this sustainably grown, traceable, and high-quality produce to the consumers via its B2B brand 'Fasal Fresh'.
The company highlights that its technology platform has a traceable supply of over half a billion USD worth of produce, connecting seamlessly with demand across various consumption markets in the supply chain, ensuring 10x more efficient procurement thereby reducing wastages significantly. This technology platform empowers the company to synchronize supply with the most appropriate demand directly at the farm gate, before the harvest itself.
Shailendra Tiwari, Founder/CEO of Fasal, mentioned "We are delighted to welcome our new investors to the Fasal Family, with TDK Ventures and British International Investments (BII) co-leading this round. Their participation strongly validates the depth of innovation in our patented IoT-crop intelligence technology and its impact on making the horticulture value chain resilient to climate change and carbon-negative. We extend our gratitude to our existing investors for their unwavering faith and support as we reform the horticulture ecosystem. With this capital infusion, we plan to expand Fasal's presence from 75,000 acres to 500,000 acres and enable our technology to deliver more to our farmers by providing them access to sustainable crop inputs, farm-level crop insurance, and working capital at lower interest rates. We will provide our buyers with sustainably grown, high quality, and traceable horticulture produce by further diversifying and strengthening our B2B brand 'Fasal Fresh'.
In the race towards global food system resilience, we acknowledge our responsibility, and drawing confidence from our successful track record in India, we are excited to play a pivotal role in it."
Ananda Verma, Founder of Fasal, added "With this funding, we're on the brink of a technological revolution in horticulture. As the driving force behind our innovation, I perceive this as venturing into new frontiers, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in horticulture. These funds will amplify our exclusive farm IoT-Crop intelligence technology, reshaping the farming landscape. We envision a data driven behavioral change where each byte contributes to sculpting the future of agriculture. We're not just enhancing crops; we're orchestrating a symphony of innovation in the very roots of agriculture. From predicting optimal harvest times to establishing a sustainable, traceable supply chain, this investment propels us into a future where science, technology, and agriculture seamlessly intertwine. It's not just a financial boost; it's the catalyst for a technological metamorphosis that will redefine how we perceive, practice, and sustain horticulture in the digital age."
Emphasizing the crucial role of climate-smart solutions in empowering horticulture farmers to tackle the adverse impacts of climate change, Srini Nagarajan, Managing Director, and Head of Asia for BII, added "Providing climate finance is a core part of BII's strategy in India and SouthEast Asia. By supporting the development of Fasal's climate-smart solutions, we will be able to reach more smallholder horticulture farmers, helping them become more resilient to the impact of climate change which is greatly affecting the agriculture sector. We are impressed by how Fasal has contributed to water conservation and greenhouse gasses reduction, as this will ultimately help achieve our planet's sustainability goals."
Siddharth Mehta, Investment Director, TDK Ventures commented on the alignment, "Meeting the horticulture farmers and learning about their core problems, convinced me that Fasal's full stack approach of combining sensors and technology with marketplace offers a strong value proposition of improving farmer earnings with a strong sustainable impact. We were driven towards Fasal's leadership teams' passion to address the critical needs of the horticulture market, execution capabilities and strong technology focus. It's a pleasure to support them in their journey and we look forward to partnering with Fasal to build an equal win partnership to bring a positive change to the society."


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by: Lito Villanueva (The Philippine Star)
What truly is the formula to address the digital divide?
Over 63 million internet users in the country have been recorded as of January 2021 – which is more than half the population – and over 75 million mobile users. With these numbers, we may think that almost everybody has equal access to internet services and digital finance. However, majority of Filipinos still remain underserved, financially excluded, and disconnected.
In 2019, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that 71 percent of the Filipino adult population – which amounts to around 51.2 million Filipinos – still do not have their own transaction account. A transaction account is the most basic tool to make digital transactions, and without this, financial inclusion is not possible. However, according to the World Bank last July 2022, it was reported that 10 million Filipinos remain unbanked.
At Fintech Alliance.ph, one of our goals is to address more unbanked Filipinos, particularly those who live in grassroots communities and farther regions. This goal is part of our vision of a digitally-inclusive future, but unfortunately, there are still many underserved communities that have no access to banking, digital finance, fintech, and the internet.
More so than creating and uplifting the lives of Filipinos around the country, our push for inclusive access to reliable, affordable, and fast internet has a number of advantages. Aside from ensuring access to information, it can also help boost key services such as telehealth, online learning, e-commerce, and remote working, among others.
The problem lies in the lack of reliable, affordable, and consistent quality internet services in geographically disadvantaged communities, which is a barrier to entry for unbanked Filipinos. As part of our financial inclusion efforts, we have been working with the government for an inclusive data infrastructure allowing internet for all.
This access not only allows more foreign investors to come in, but it also opens up business opportunities for Filipinos in the countryside. The vision is for the previously “disconnected” island barangays to have access to affordable, reliable, and fast internet data.
The Open Access in Internet Services Act is a good place to start as a regulatory framework for better internet service. This bill aims to streamline the current registration process for internet service providers and make it simpler and more efficient, while even fast-tracking internet network rollout in disconnected areas. This will allow us to welcome more industry players into the game, building a competitive yet conducive market that is supported by the government. With this solid support and lack of barriers, it will be easier to innovate as well. The faster we innovate, the faster we can see a growth of e-commerce businesses and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which make up 99.51 percent of the Philippines. Increasing our employment rate is also a priority of the new administration.
This seamlessly connects to the vision of President Marcos under his Build Better More program of being a “digital first” economy. The immediate deployment of Elon Musk’s Starlink in the countryside is a great first step. In the post-SONA briefing by the government’s economic team, bolstering digital infrastructure was highlighted. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) was ordered to digitalize the Philippines. To address the underserved communities where most unbanked Filipinos reside in, the Rural Wired Connectivity Development Act is crucial in expanding wired internet services to rural areas. The bill will help incentivize industry players to deploy networks and operate easily in unserved communities.
The bill can quicken the BSP’s financial inclusion efforts alongside the private industry players. Easier and wider internet access spurs participation in the digital banking sector, as being wired to the internet results in being wired into digital finance.
The ripple effects of the proposed bills are multiple. NEDA ordered to issue additional 30 million physical and 20 million digital National IDs. By end of next year, the government will have issued 92 million PhilSys national IDs. This digitization of information is a major factor in building a digital financial future. The national ID makes it convenient for millions of unbanked and underserved Filipinos to be able to open transaction accounts seamlessly and finally be part of the formal financial system.
Better internet also involves better quality, speed, and truth-in-advertising. The Better Internet Act requires service providers to comply with minimum internet connection speeds based on their area of operation and to deliver at least 80 percent of their advertised speed to consumers.
The Better Internet Act helps protect consumers from being taken advantage of and exploited, thus, increasing the trust of consumers in digital finance and digital players. With this protective legislation, consumers in rural areas will have no hesitation in buying into the digital world. They will feel even more safe and secure to do so!
Lastly, the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Act helps protect the infrastructure that provides vital services to the public. This will require entities that own, operate, and maintain the computer systems and ICT networks of critical infrastructure to comply with minimum information security standards, report and respond to security incidents, and designate personnel with information security credentials.
This bill is vital to combating terrorism, money laundering, and criminal activity done through digital platforms, especially since cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reported that the Philippines was the most hit country by phishing attempts in Southeast Asia. Cyberattacks put at risk the reputation of banks and fintechs.
FinTech Alliance PH supports the government in combatting these digital crimes. With this bill, an extra layer of protection will be added for our consumers. We cannot compromise the privacy, safety, and trust of our valued consumers.
Digital finance will continue to grow in the Philippines, especially with the help of continued partnerships and innovative collaborations among industry players. Since our founding in 2017, we have been working hand-in-hand with the government to promote inclusive digital finance.
Key is having a comprehensive multi-sectoral national strategy and a coordination framework.
Simply put, Internet for all enables universal access to digital finance.
Lito Villanueva is the Philippines’ award-winning thought leader on digital transformation and inclusive digital finance. He is the executive vice president and chief innovation and inclusion officer of RCBC. Concurrently, he is the chief digital transformation advisor for the Yuchengo Group of Companies. He is also the founding chairman of Fintech Alliance.ph, the Philippines’ largest organization of startups and unicorns that collectively generates over 90 percent of digital transactions volume in the country today. He was recently elected global chairman of the South Africa-based Alliance of Digital Finance Associations. Among his 100 accolades include being named among the Top 100 Fintech Leaders in Asia, and Top 100 Filipinos on LinkedIn, Mr. Fintech of the Philippines by BizNews Asia, and Chief Innovation Officer of the Year by The Banker.


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Agrifood chain partners in the EU, including EuroCommerce, CELCAA, Copa-Cogeca, FEFAC and FoodDrinkEurope, have reiterated their commitment to delivering safe food to consumers in Europe and all around the globe.
The announcement was made on World Food Safety Day, on 7 June, in a bid to raise awareness of the need to prevent, detect and manage food-borne risks.
EuroCommerce, CELCAA, Copa-Cogeca, FEFAC and FoodDrinkEurope are members of the Food Safety Collaborative Platform and have developed an infographic brochure showcasing their joint responsibility in delivering safe food, from farm to fork.
Food safety is essential for health and well-being, and a crucial component of food security – a prerequisite for the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – the members noted in a joint press release.
Ensuring food safety is the responsibility of all stakeholders in the food supply chain, from farm to fork.
In addition, safe feed is a prerequisite for safe food of animal origin, and an integral component of global food safety systems.
All parties involved in food production, processing, distribution and retail must identify, evaluate and control food safety hazards, according to the press release.
Some measures outlined by the Food Safety Collaborative Platform partners to ensure food quality include a risk-based approach to food safety, continuous learning, the promotion of a food safety culture, and a wide range of regulatory and self-regulatory measures.
Presently, food in the EU is safer, of higher quality, and with a longer shelf life than ever before, the members noted, adding that the safety of food reflects the health of animals, plants and the environment in which it is produced.


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This Unexpected Dunkin' Iced Coffee Has Everyone Surprised
A video detailing the sugar and calorie content of a Dunkin' Donuts drink is going viral online. Food vlogger Bobby Parrish, also known as @flavcity, recently shared a short clip on TikTok where he explained what goes into the popular chain's Pumpkin Swirl Frozen Coffee—and many viewers were surprised.
"Who the heck thought it was a good idea to put this on the menu?" Parrish starts, before delving into a description of the drink's ingredients.
"This beverage contains 185 grams of sugar," he states, clarifying that this is equivalent to 46 teaspoons of sugar. To put it in perspective, that's the same amount of sugar found in 14 of the store's glazed donuts.
Parrish continues by mentioning that there is no actual pumpkin in the drink, just a large amount of artificial flavoring, which adds up to a total of 930 calories. Given the high rates of diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions in the United States, this is far from ideal. "If America consumes this, we're in trouble," he adds.
The video has been widely shared on Twitter.
Most Dunkin' and Starbucks drinks, excluding regular coffees, contain excessive amounts of sugar—especially in large sizes. It's troubling that some people have them on a daily basis 😭
— LINDSEY 👩🏿💻 🕯 | Startup Doll (@LindseyCreated) September 13, 2023
I'm glad people are finally realizing that America is intentionally harming us. There is absolutely no justification for this other than creating health issues and benefiting big pharmaceutical companies. Consuming this much sugar in one sitting is unnatural and dangerous for humans.
— 🎀 dove! 🎀 (@lovedoveclarke) September 13, 2023
Dunkin' Donuts must have created that drink in a lab to find the easiest way to harm someone.
— this barbie is not j*ss (@itsnotjess123) September 15, 2023
However, some responses have taken a lighthearted approach to the video. "This made me realize donuts are so healthy," reads one of the top comments on the original TikTok, while another makes a joke: "According to girl math, if I don't drink this, I can eat 14 donuts."
Others have pointed out that most fast food chains are not known for offering nutritionally balanced products to their customers.
I don't understand the outrage over that Dunkin' drink. Yes, it's incredibly unhealthy, but what else is new? People don't order these sugary lattes thinking they're good for you 💀
— bigby (@hesbianbigby) September 15, 2023
"Dunkin' donuts drinks have too many calories." Okay, enough of that.
You are fundamentally overlooking the purpose of visiting Dunkin' Donuts
— bibo (@biboofficial) September 15, 2023
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Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, is hiring Brendan Condon to serve as chief revenue officer, effective Oct. 1.
Condon will be responsible for Comcast Spotlight’s sales revenue, execution and effectiveness. He’ll be running the company’s salesforce and its processes and be focusing on customer experience and account management to drive revenue growth.
“Brendan is an industry leader with a finger on the pulse of today’s dynamic advertising industry,” said Hank Oster, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Comcast Spotlight, in a statement. “We are excited to have him on board as Comcast Spotlight moves into a data-enabled, audience-driven era complete with new, advanced products and solutions to help advertisers make more informed and efficient buying decisions.”
Condon is stepping in to hopefully right the ad revenue ship for Comcast’s cable division. In 2017, the division saw its ad revenues fall 8.8% to $2.25 billion after a fourth quarter that was down 12.4%. Comcast pinned the fourth-quarter fall primarily to a decline in political advertising.
Condon arrives at Comcast Spotlight after having served as president of AdMore, an audience-based programmatic television advertising platform, and REVShare, a short-form direct-response provider, at Cannella Media. Before that, Condon was the CEO of Media Properties Holdings, which was part of The Carlyle Group prior to its sale to Cannella Media.
Prior to Media Property Holdings, Condon held senior advertising leadership roles domestically and internationally with AOL and Time Warner Inc. In addition, Condon has extensive background in finance, operations, mergers and acquisitions.
Comcast/NBCUniversal has had success this year generating ad revenue. According to Standard Media Index, during the first half of 2018, Comcast generated 12% of all advertising revenue from national marketers. That figure was good enough to beat out digital giant Google, which claimed 10% of all national advertising revenue.


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Shares in Naked Wines PLC dived early Thursday after it reported a swing to annual profit, but its cash balance halved and it expects little sales progress in the year ahead.
Naked Wines shares were 31% lower at 199.30 pence each in London.
In its financial year that ended March 28, the Norwich-based online wine retailer posted a pretax profit of £2.9 million, versus a loss of £10.7 million in financial 2021.
Revenue increased by 3.0% to £350.3 million from £340.2 million.
Costs were similar to the year before. Advertising costs fell to £34.1 million from £42.3 million, but fulfilment costs increased to £62.6 million from £58.3 million.
However, Naked Wine's cash balance dropped to £40 million from £85 million a year ago.
For its current financial year 2023, Naked Wines expects group sales in the range of £345 million to £375 million, down 4% in the worst and up 4% in the best scenario on financial year 2022.
‘We expect year-on-year sales growth to accelerate throughout the year,’ it added. Despite this, Naked Wines expects its adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation to be break even, down from a profit of £2 million in financial year 2022.
The retailer declared no annual dividend, unchanged from a year ago.
Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.


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BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office is looking for a man accused of using a cloned credit card to buy an $800 gift card.
On June 8 at about 10:00 a.m., the suspect purchased an $800 gift card from the Wal-Mart on North Mall Drive in Baton Rouge using a cloned credit card. A photo of the suspect was captured by surveillance cameras.
EBRSO says that the suspect left the parking lot in a white car with dark tinted windows.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the EBRSO at 225-389-5000, or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.


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According to a recent PwC report, AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. With companies around the world adopting AI at a rapid pace, we polled over 170 global enterprise customers to collect their feedback on the challenges and successes they’ve had with AI.
We gathered our findings into one report, Ten Keys to AI Success in 2020: Insights from Industry Leaders , where executives share their experience and knowledge, such as:
- How companies are working strategically to ensure AI adoption across their organizations
- The competitive advantages early adopters of AI are gaining
- The ways in which today’s leaders are getting diverse teams invested in becoming AI-driven
- Choosing the right use cases to ensure AI success


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“GoPro truly helped elevate the Mountain Games last year, raising overall awareness of the event on a global scale via their publishing platform and partnership,” states Michael Imhof, Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations for the Vail Valley Foundation. “Now that they’ve got a year of experience under their belt, the team at GoPro is really committed to making this the best outdoor festival in the world with bigger on-site activation, top music talent, more world-class athletes from their roster and more social media promotion.”
New to the event is Native Eyewear and sister brand Costa. Native will have a strong presence throughout the event footprint and Costa will be title sponsor of the new “Costa River Town” neighborhood inside Gerber Gear Town. Costa and Native will feature their latest sunglasses perfect for adventures on and off the water. Costa River Town will showcase daily free kayak & SUP clinics, morning SUP yoga, free fly fishing casting clinics and daily cocktail hours.
Another new brand partner at the event is Vasque, which is the title sponsor of the 10K Spring Run Off trail race, part of the Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Ultimate Mountain Challenge and one of the biggest and toughest 10K races in the country. LifeProof is also joining the GoPro Mountain Games as the presenting sponsor of the Gibbon Slackline World Cup event.
Returning to the GoPro Mountain Games are longtime sponsors Eddie Bauer, Redington, Thule, GNC, Eukanuba, Gerber, Vail Resorts, Subaru, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, Vibram, Goal Zero, Klean Kanteen and many more.


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In observance of Presidents Day, Frozen Express will not be published Monday, Feb. 18. Regular publication will resume Tuesday, Feb. 19.
Food safety remains on GAO's 'high-risk' list
Food Safety News
Food safety remains on the Government Accountability Office's "high-risk" list, according to an update put out by the agency Thursday. As GAO noted in its report, the U.S. government is the "world's largest and most complex entity" that runs an incredibly diverse range of programs, so the agency uses its high-risk list to draw attention to the areas that need the most work.
FDA extends comment period for FSMA proposals
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is giving the public and industry until May 16 — rather than the original deadline of today — to submit comments on two proposed FSMA rules: "Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food" and "Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption."
Analyst: Buffett deal could help Heinz offload frozen food business
The move to private ownership could make it easier for Heinz to do some spring cleaning, notably selling off its "troubled" U.S. frozen food business, said analysts as Heinz announced plans to sell to Berkshire Hathaway and 3G.
Related: Heinz CEO hints he might stay (Bloomberg via San Francisco Chronicle)
PACs increase donations to House freshmen
Political action committee donations to new House members spiked immediately after Election Day, as industries and special-interest groups moved quickly to ingratiate themselves with the new crop of lawmakers, a USA Today analysis shows.
Related: Rove's seed money sparks ire of grass-roots GOP (USA Today)
Summit GPO is a group purchasing organization that provides a cost reduction service to the packaged goods industry. We’re committed to making you more competitive by decreasing your costs through effective group purchasing as we have been doing for more than four decades.
Senate Democrats reach sequester deal
Senate Democrats said Thursday they will move ahead with a roughly $110 billion budget package — evenly divided between new tax revenues and spending cuts — to forestall the across-the-board sequester cuts due to take effect March 1.
Related: White House backs Senate sequester plan, urges House GOP action (The Hill)
Boehner challenges Senate Democrats to take lead, pass Obama second-term agenda
Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, on Thursday challenged Senate Democrats to pass the agenda President Barack Obama laid out in his State of the Union address, suggesting the president's progressive proposals lack support even within his own party.
New Jersey's Lautenberg to retire from Senate
Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey has decided not to run for re-election next year, sparking what could be a contentious battle among Democrats for the open seat. Lautenberg, 89, is the Senate's oldest member and the last World War II veteran serving in that chamber. He will make a formal announcement Friday in his hometown of Paterson.
Debate on GMO labeling begins in Washington senate
The Seattle Times
Anyone wanting to get to the bottom of the debate about genetically modified foods will have a long wait. Parties on both sides squared off in Olympia, Wash., Thursday, arguing their cases for more than two hours in a hearing before the state Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development. The legislature is considering Initiative 522, which would require companies to label foods with GMO ingredients.
Senate Democrats offer to cut farm subsidies instead of meat inspectors
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said a Senate Democratic leadership proposal to eliminate direct payment subsidies to farmers would save $27.5 billion, constituting the entire non-defense discretionary cuts needed as part of a larger sequestration package intended to avoid across-the-board spending cuts March 1.
Meat industry warns of sequester-caused shortage (The Huffington Post)
Sequestration could sideline USDA food safety inspectors (Supermarket News)
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New USDA equivalency approach relies on PHIS, evaluation system
Food Chemical News (subscription required)
Not only can USDA's Food Safety and Inspection System collect and streamline data from domestic inspections and pathogen test results in the Public Health Information System, but also it can track international regulations, export certifications and foreign pathogen information — potentially saving time and money, according to a new FSIS report.
Arrests made in UK horse meat scandal as EU investigation heats up
Food Ingredients First
Police in Wales have made arrests at both meat processing plants inspected by the U.D. Food Standards Agency this week. At Farmbox Meats, two men were arrested, while in a simultaneous operation police arrested one man at the Peter Boddy Slaughterhouse.
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Kraft Foods expects 4Q adjusted profit to top expectations
The Associated Press via Sun Herald
Kraft Foods expects fourth-quarter adjusted earnings above analysts' current estimates but foresees lower revenue than a year ago. The company, whose brands include Oscar Mayer and Miracle Whip, also raised its 2013 earnings forecast Friday.
Dean Foods to close up to 15 percent of its plants
Food Business News
Following the spinoff of WhiteWave Foods and the sale of Morningstar Foods, Dean Foods is emerging as a much different company, one that is focused on leveraging its scale and driving greater efficiencies to gain more share of the branded and private label fluid milk market.
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Driving the market for healthy snacks
Parents worried about the obesity epidemic are starting to realize snacking options must be nutritionally balanced, easy to eat on the go and appealing to kids.
Heinz agrees to buyout
Bloomberg via The Washington Post
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Jorge Paulo Lemann's 3G Capital agreed to buy H.J. Heinz Co. in a deal for about $23 billion as the billionaires increased their bets on consumer products.
Salmonella outbreak spreads to 12 states
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In an update Thursday evening, the CDC increased the case count of an ongoing Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak linked to Foster Farms chicken. This outbreak began June 4, 2012, and now includes 124 cases of illness, with 32 percent of victims hospitalized but no deaths.
Chicken processor expanding plant in Texas
Tyler Morning Telegraph
The country's third-largest poultry producer revealed plans Thursday to build a poultry processing complex in Texas' Anderson and Freestone counties at a total cost of approximately $124 million, creating about 1,100 jobs. Sanderson Farms, based in Laurel, Miss., made the announcement during its annual stockholders meeting.
Ready-to-eat roast beef recalled on Listeria worries
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Perfect Pasta Inc. is recalling a small batch of ready-to-eat roast beef that may have been cross-contaminated by processing equipment that had been part of a positive Listeria test on other products. The Illinois firm believes 315 pounds of potentially contaminated beef entered the market.
Editor's note: Members of the American Frozen Food Institute have access to AFFI's unique Product Recall Insurance Program. Ensure you're protected during a food safety crisis using AFFI's one-of-a-kind program. For more information, please click here.
Kemin facility in Iowa gains FSSC 22000 status
Food Product Design
Kemin announced its Des Moines, Iowa, manufacturing facility has achieved Food Safety System Certification 22000 certification as recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative.
7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063


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The PayPal CEO famous that the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a basic shift in the usage of cash and has been a catalyst for digital funds. It’s solely a matter of time that crypto use involves the mainstream, he stated.
Digital funds large PayPal Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ: PYPL) has created a significant buzz available in the market ever because it introduced its entry into the crypto market final month. The corporate is taking fast selections wanting on the general crypto market developments.
Additionally, PayPal CEO Dan Schulman has been a lot vocal in regards to the firm’s plans to steer development. In his latest interview with CNBC Squawk Field, Schulman acknowledged that he expects extra crypto use within the mainstream as customers and companies transfer to digital funds.
“As paper cash slowly dissipates and disappears from how individuals are utilizing transactions, central banks particularly on the retail aspect might want to substitute paper cash with types of digital fiat foreign money,” says @PayPal CEO Dan Schulman. pic.twitter.com/pLuvc2RxPY
— Squawk Field (@SquawkCNBC) November 23, 2020
He additionally added that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated development for digital funds in latest instances. With the pandemic, customers are utilizing much less money. Schulman provides that “40 to 70% of customers now not wish to deal with money”. Earlier this month, PayPal already began the cryptocurrency “purchase, maintain, and promote” companies within the US.
However as PayPal needs to be on the forefront of the digital funds transformation, it plans to convey crypto use for procuring functions. Schulman stated that 28 million registered PayPal retailers will get entry to crypto transactions in early 2021. Schulman added:
“One of many issues that we allowed isn’t just making it simple to purchase, promote and maintain cryptocurrencies, however very importantly, early subsequent 12 months, we’re going to permit cryptocurrencies to be a funding supply for any transaction taking place on all 28 million of our retailers. And that may considerably bolster the utility of cryptocurrencies.”
PayPal CEO Optimistic on CBDCs
As Schulman stays optimistic on crypto use, he additionally stays optimistic on the arrival of central financial institution digital currencies (CBDCs). Prior to now, Schulman has already stated that they are going to be working with central banks to assist CBDCs. In his newest interview, he provides that PayPal has consulted with central banks and regulators earlier than launching its crypto companies.
“It’s a matter of not if however when and the way we’ll begin to see increasingly more central banks concern types of digital currencies. I believe you’ll have increasingly more utility occur with cryptocurrency,” he added.
PayPal has greater than 300 million customers registered worldwide. As its full-fledged crypto companies go reside, this may give an enormous world inhabitants entry to digital currencies. It is going to be good to see firms like PayPal succeed as this may open doorways for different crypto and FinTech startups to succeed. Apart from, it would additionally convey extra regulatory readability on crypto.
Bhushan is a FinTech fanatic and holds aptitude in understanding monetary markets. His curiosity in economics and finance draw his consideration in direction of the brand new rising Blockchain Know-how and Cryptocurrency markets. He’s constantly in a studying course of and retains himself motivated by sharing his acquired data. In free time he reads thriller fictions novels and generally discover his culinary expertise.


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The appointments take immediate effect and all three executives will report to McArthurGlen Group Chairman, J. W. (Joey) Kaempfer.
Kaempfer said: “After serving as our trusted and much-loved CEO for the past 18 years, Julia Calabrese has expressed her wish to step back from her full-time executive duties. I would like to thank Julia for her long service and dedication to our company over many successful years, and I am delighted that we will continue to benefit from her wise counsel as she takes on her new role.
“Succeeding Julia, we are promoting Susie McCabe and Joan Jove to the joint role of Co-CEO. Their respective backgrounds and skills will be a powerful combination as we continue to transform our business and find new ways to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.”
McCabe is currently McArthurGlen’s Deputy CEO, a position she has held for the past two years following an extensive career in retail with major fashion brands. She spent four years at Under Armour as Senior Vice President of Global Retail. Prior to that she spent 16 years at Ralph Lauren Corporation holding a number of senior roles in both its full price and outlet businesses.
Jove, who is currently the group’s Managing Director, Southern Europe and Canada, has worked for McArthurGlen for 12 years on both the real estate development and operational sides of the business. He led the development of the company’s two new centres in Vancouver and Malaga and, for the past five years, he has overseen the operations of eight centres in Italy, Spain, Greece and Canada.
Calabrese said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Joey and the team and all of our wonderful brands and business partners. I am confident they will all be in good hands as Susie and Joan take the reins and move the company forward.”


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London 3D specialist Threedium has secured €1m in seed funding to enhance its SaaS platform
The firm specialises in providing light-weight 3D solutions, allowing its users to create mobile-optimised 3D configurators, 3D web visualisations and AR mobile campaigns without the use of an app.
Founded in 2017, the firm has built traction in the UK with clients including Sainsburys, Douglas, Johnson & Johnson and Mercedes by making their online product display more life-like.
With offices in London, Belgrade and Cologne, the company has also extended its 3D product view into AR campaigns
Its services currently cover brands and agencies in the UK, Spain, Italy, Israel, Greece and the Benelux.
In September it created a 3D viewer for the relaunch of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, which it claims generated a 15 per cent click-thru rate (CTR) on-site, against typical norms in the category of less than 1 per cent.
It also saw results with Sainsbury’s 3D Skin Care Carousel, which features products from L’Oréal, Unilever, Beiersdorf .
“Before we started Threedium, everyone felt that 3D technology was expensive, slow-to-load and hard to implement,” said Mike Charalambous, CEO of Threedium.
“Threedium have disproved this by providing 3D solutions across large and small sized companies and creating activations across ecommerce sites, and retailers and through ad exchange platforms. Our mission is to continue our approach in democratising 3D web technologies for all brands, agencies or individuals”,
Lode Groosman, CCO added:“On average 3D display increases conversion rates by 1.3x, doubles the amount of time users spend on-site, enhances Click-Thru Rates by 300% and drops product returns by 18 per cent.”
The round was led by High-Tech Grunderfonds (HTGF) with participation from Kinisis Investment (KI), Sandhutch Ltd. and George Zarifis. Ian Hutchinson, ex-Global Director of Reckitt Benckiser (RBplc) is acting as the company’s Head of Brand Partnerships.


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ll also get return flights to the States, comprehensive medical insurance, between $800 1150 pay, visa sponsorship and guidance and award winning customer service, all from just £. Defence Logistics Eastern Europe 2016 will be held in Prague from the 7th 8th March and aims to bring together members of logistics commands from across the region to discuss the challenges of modernising their logistics forces through training, international cooperation and procurement. store finder recipes follow us Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Youtube wishlist sign in Search 0 Recently added items You have no items in your shopping basket.
8million) Tourist films his wife in underground river and accidentally creates a mind boggling visual effect. ve got a baby on the way, take five minutes out of your busy day, sit down, grab a cup of tea and think about your finances. Click here for more: 100k Online Business Factory The Internet contains scammer looking to make a fast insect, as well as it is easy to drop target to these musicians.
au Firefighter of the year announced Posted: 17 June 2015 The 2015 Rotary Club of Darwin North Eric Simmons Firefighter of the Year and Volunteer Firefighter of the Year have been announced. when the 12 year old girl was attacked by a shark while she was swimming on a beach in Oak Island, authorities said. The team leading it should be judged on the tenacity of their research and the strength of their investigations.


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New data has revealed that Blackburn and Darwen are among the most entrepreneurial cities in the UK.
According to new research from SME insurance provider Superscript, Blackburn with Darwen is the UK’s second most entrepreneurial city for 2022.
Analyzing new data released by the Office for National Statistics, Superscript calculated that between 2021 and 2022, the number of small businesses in Blackburn with Darwen authority increased by 470, representing an increase of 9.2 per cent.
Cross-referenced with the latest population figures, this gave Blackburn with Darwen a score of 0.30 as “small businesses per capita”.
This is in contrast to the national trend, with a decrease of 83,000 in the number of small businesses across the UK.
This growth was largely driven by the wholesale sector, which grew by 340 small businesses, representing an increase of 94 percent.
Superscript’s nationally representative survey of 1,000 new small business owners suggests that the cost-of-living crisis appears to be a factor behind many new businesses.
Seven in ten respondents (70 percent) agreed that the cost of living crisis prompted them to start a business to supplement their salary.
72 percent indicated that they established a business because of the potential to earn more than their current job.
The survey also suggests that adequate infrastructure (15 percent), access to talent (15 percent), and where entrepreneurs already live (14 percent) are the most influential factors for small businesses to establish themselves in the United States. places where they do. .
Entrepreneurs believe their local areas can be further improved through more government funding for local infrastructure (28 percent) and lower business rents (21 percent).
84 percent said they feel positive about the future of their business despite macroeconomic challenges.
Cameron Shearer, Co-Founder and CEO of Superscript, adds: “Blackburn with Darwen didn’t make the top 10 in 2021, so the way cities have embraced entrepreneurship in the last year is all the more impressive in the context of a national nation”. fall of small businesses.
“It is a difficult time for entrepreneurs right now, but history teaches us that difficult times are when great ideas and innovations are born, with companies that evolve rapidly. That’s why flexibility and customization have become top insurance requirements for small businesses that come to us for coverage.”
Jackie Mulligan, founder of ShopAppy, an online platform for local shops, and an expert with the Government High Street Task Force, said: “The shift from our high streets to more experiential venues is a positive opportunity for hospitality businesses in particular.
“It is clear that the growth of businesses in these locations is also related to the positive efforts of local partners, business improvement councils and districts, strong and supportive communities, and effective business networks, all key to entrepreneurs in this challenging climate for local economies.
To see the full research, methodology, and resources for local entrepreneurs in these areas, visit: www.gosuperscript.com/most-entrepreneurial-locations


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Clinical trial will test use of retinal prosthesis to treat advanced age-related macular degeneration.
Israeli startup NovaSight Ltd. wants to treat lazy eye by letting patients watch movies.
OrCam is expanding its product lineup with new devices that tackle new use cases.
French company Lexilife has featured a lamp for People with dyslexia.
AccessiBuild, developed by Marc Rayner and Jeff Godfrey, is an indoor navigation system for people with visual impairments.
Hap2U, a haptics developer specialized in integrating sensory intelligence into tactile surfaces, will unveil Hap2Phone, the world’s first haptic smartphone display, at CES 2020.
A built-in camera on the belt senses items as close as 30cm (11.8inch) and sends vibrations through patches worn on the chest and ankles.
Google has announced an Interpreter Mode for Smart phones. The real-time translation tool is now coming to Assistant for Android and iOS with a new Smart Replies capability.
Comcast is partnering with wearable technology startup NuEyes to offer its Xfinity Stream app to visually impaired customers through NuEyes’ virtual reality technology.
Engineering students at the University of St. Thomas are working to help almost 90,000 blind and visually impaired people in Minnesota.


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The two most famous social media apps used all over the world – Instagram and Whatsapp, as known by few people, are the sub-brands of Facebook. Since the time Instagram and Whatsapp have been taken over by Mark Zuckerberg in 2012 and 2014 respectively, these apps have been allowed to function separately.
But, from the last few years, as it can be seen, Facebook is not leaving any chance to make Instagram and Whatsapp less independent. It is constantly taking measures to gain full control over the two apps. On Friday, 2nd August 2019, the huge social network gave confirmation regarding the rebranding of Instagram and Whatsapp.
And guess what? The apps will be renamed by Facebook and it will add its own name to them. So lets welcome and say hello to the new names of Instagram and Whatsapp which will be “Instagram from Facebook” and “WhatsApp from Facebook” respectively, displaying their parent company’s name far more prominently.
The main objective behind rebranding of these apps is that Facebook wants its ownership and success to be recognized all over the world. A Facebook spokesperson told The Information, “We want to be clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook.”
The new names which are “Instagram from Facebook” and “WhatsApp from Facebook” will appear in Apple’s App Store and Google Play. According to the report, the new names will be visible only on the pages of app store on both Android and iOS.
On the home screen of your device, as of now, the name for each app will thankfully remain the same. But it’s also very probable that you will see “from Facebook” on the splash screen for both the apps. However, no information has been provided yet regarding any new feature added from the Facebook app.