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Electronic gifts for Mother's Day are at the top of many shopping lists, according to a Brand Keys survey, which also forecasts a 5% spending increase.
Total spending is estimated to reach $15.7 billion, with gift-givers intending to spend an average of $148 this year. Men -- following a long-time pattern -- intend to spend more than women, reporting an anticipated average spend of $176. Women reported an anticipated spend of $120.
Mother's Day has become a universal holiday, according to Robert Passikoff, Brand Keys founder and president. People are feeling better about the economy and about the future, he says. And while there are still times where consumers watch their wallets, this year Mother's Day isn't one of them.
"In the absence of any meaningful product/service differentiation, consumers will, of course, still go for the deal," Passikoff tells Marketing Daily. "But brands that are able to delight the consumer better meet -- even exceed -- expectations are able to duck that bullet. Those brands serve as a surrogate for added value, something the consumer is always willing to pay for. I would point out that there's never a sale at Tiffany's."
Along with the traditional cards (greeting and gift), candy and clothing, consumers have turned their focus to electronics this year. People are still shopping smarter and looking for bargains, but this year, high-tech products are the gift of choice with shoppers indicating that they are going to buy electronic book readers (25%), tablets (19%), smartphones (15%), computers (9%) and cameras (6%).
Brand Keys, Inc., the New York City-based brand and customer loyalty research consultancy, polled 5,000 men and women, ages 18-60.
Cards will be given by 97% (unchanged from last year), while flowers at 70% are up 1%. brunch/lunch/dinner is on the agenda for 58% (+1%), while gift cards will be purchased by 58% (+2%). Clothing at 36% (+4%) and jewelry at 25% (unchanged) remain popular, but electronics at 20% is up 10%. Rounding out the items on the shopping list are spa services at 17% (+2%), books at 15% (-7%) and candy at 5% (unchanged).
As for shopping venues: Discount, specialty and online stores are all up 5%. Department stores and catalogs remain unchanged from last year.
Another survey, conducted by Toumna for Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based Buy.com, shows that spa days and gift cards are the most desired Mother's Day gift. However, moms over age 55 are looking for computer upgrades, it says, which gels with the Brand Keys survey.
Over one-third of shoppers (35%) will find out from mom what she wants before shopping. In the survey of more than 1,000 adults, which included nearly 200 moms, a day at the spa ranked as moms' top gift (23%), followed by gift cards (20%). Moms over age 55 ranked gift cards (38%) followed by a new computer (25%) as the most desired presents. Flowers were ranked as their "least desired" gift overall (22%).


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South Port profit falls 4.3% on costs to handle higher volumes
BUSINESSDESK: South Port New Zealand, the nation's southern-most port company, posted a 4.3% drop in full-year profit on costs to handle higher cargo volumes and increased insurance premiums.
Profit was $5.99 million in the 12 months ended June 30, from $6.26 million a year earlier, the Bluff-based company says. Sales rose 3.5% to $26 million.
The port company experienced a 25% surge in cargo volumes in 2011, which required more spending on workers, plant and infrastructure.
"The costs of the additional resources and higher insurance premiums resulted in a 5% decline in operating profit," it says.
Total cargo through the port was at a record level for a second year, it said. The shares last traded at $3.27 and have declined 4.1% this year. Containerised cargo slipped to 32,500 TEU from 33,000.
"Container shipping lines are entering business alliances and vessel sharing arrangements which are designed to reduce operating costs in what can only be described as a brutal freight market," chief executive Mark O'Connor says.
Log exports through the port fell by 27% and raw materials imported for Rio Tinto's aluminium smelter dropped, reflecting a 15% decline in production capacity at the plant.
A high exchange rate, low aluminium prices and uncertainty over the price of electricity drove the decline at the smelter, the port says.
The company will focus on cost containment in the current year, saying New Zealand is not immune from global economic ills. It does not expect any profit growth in 2013.
South Port will pay a final dividend of 14.5 cents a share, making 20 cents for the year, unchanged from 2011.

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Why Nigeria, others need to scale down raw materials’ export
WITH a contribution of 1.5 per cent to world’s manufacturing of value added goods, compared to other parts of the world, the African Union has stressed the need for Nigeria and other African countries to scale down the export of raw materials to developed countries.
Specifically, the continent’s contribution to world’s value added goods remained low when compared to East Asia at 17.2 per cent, Latin America’s 2.8 per cent, North America’s 22.4 per cent and Europe at 24.5 per cent.
According to a statement at the opening of the 21st Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) on Accelerating Industrialization in Southern Africa through Beneficiation and Value Addition, Africa Union Regional Delegate to Southern Africa, Salif Sada Sall said Africa’s Development Agenda 2063 had singled out value addition and beneficiation as one of the key priorities.
He urged African countries to scale down on exporting raw materials, expressing concern that African industries still remained the world’s least competitive and productive with the Manufacturing Value Added goods as percentage of Gross Domestic Product remaining very low at between 12-14 per cent.
Sall cited several continental development initiatives including the African Mining Vision, the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa and the African Agro-business and Agro Industries Development Initiative, which should be implemented to achieve the development agenda.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s (UNECA) Southern Africa Regional Director, Said Adejumobi said that industrialization is a political project with an economic strategy.
“It is about making correct policy choices, creating the necessary institutions and incentives and summoning the political will to do things in the most unconventional ways”, he added.
Adejumobi said that the African youth will have to be a major part of that unorthodox thinking in Africa’s path to the future.
Meanwhile, the Government of Zimbabwe says that the unstable global environment is negatively affecting Africa’s efforts to address poverty, unemployment and inequality.


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Arcade machines help to develop the VR industry
Over the past year, the hype around virtual reality devices have died down, but this does not mean that the industry ceased to develop. According to analysts, the industry of virtual and augmented realities will continue to grow strongly over the next few years, and the market will appear more technologically advanced and affordable device.
The head of the company JPW International Technology Jack Tong (Jack Tong) said that to develop the industry is very help arcade machines and the corresponding VR-content. Arcade will serve as a platform for continuous optimization of hardware devices, software, and a tool for its championship games in virtual reality. This business model, according to JPW International Technology, has very good prospects.
JPW International Technology plans at the end of this year to sponsor the big championship games in virtual reality. Jack Tong sure arcade virtual reality can make a significant change to the entertainment industry.


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Enhanced and electrified: Hyundai Motor has released a first glimpse of the new Santa Fe facelift that will suffer a big makeover, including a new design, technology and powertrain.
The latest generation of the company’s longest-running flagship SUV will feature a dignified and charismatic exterior design, as well as interior design updates providing premium sensibility and comfort.
The teaser image reveals several new design features, including the combined front grille and daytime running light (DRL), as part of the new Integrated Architecture. The wide grille give the new Santa Fe a bold character, while the geometric pattern on the grille adds a stereoscopic aspect. The new T-shaped DRL complete the rugged character and make the new Santa Fe recognizable even from a distance.
Among other enhancements, Hyundai will also introduce a new electrified powertrain line-up, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid options for the first time. In addition, the new Santa Fe will be the first Hyundai model in Europe and first Hyundai SUV globally based on the all-new third-generation Hyundai vehicle platform. The new platform allows for significant improvements in performance, handling and safety, as well as facilitating electrified powertrains.
The new Santa Fe will be available in Europe starting September 2020. More information will be revealed in the coming weeks.


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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — APITech (API Technologies Corp.), a leading provider of high-performance RF and microwave signal conditioning, and electromagnetic spectrum management solutions, have just launched the new Powerfilm chip attenuator PCA3060. Rated to 30GHz and with power handling to 1 Watt, this new surface mount attenuator offers best-in-class performance in a 0603 package size. The new Powerfilm PCA3060 chip attenuator is optimized for radar, T/R modules, E/W, mmWave and 5G applications.
With its much higher throughput, 5G at mmWave frequencies offers the greatest potential for innovative new commercial wireless services and applications. According to Egor Alekseev, Powerfilm Product Line Manager, “The potential for enabling new applications and higher bandwidths is immense thanks to mmWave frequencies. APITech’s newest chip attenuator, the Powerfilm PCA3060, helps make this possible.”
All Powerfilm surface mount products are designed, tested and manufactured at APITech’s Ann Arbor, MI, USA facility.
APITech™ (API Technologies Corp.) is an innovative designer and manufacturer of high performance systems, subsystems, modules, and components for technically demanding RF, microwave, millimeterwave, electromagnetic, power, and security applications. A high-reliability technology pioneer with over 70 years of heritage, APITech’s products are used by global defense, industrial, and commercial customers in the areas of commercial aerospace, wireless communications, medical, oil and gas, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, C4ISR, missile defense, harsh environments, satellites, and space. APITech is a leader in space technologies, with Class H and K manufacturing facilities.


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India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Friday declared his support to the idea of boycotting Chinese goods.
Twenty Indian soldiers lost their lives earlier this week in clashes with their Chinese counterparts in the Galwan region of the Line of Actual Control. In an interaction with Sportstar on Instagram, Harbhajan said it would be right for Indians to boycott goods owned or manufactured by China.
The 39-year-old also took to his Twitter handle and wrote, "Ban all Chinese products."
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) lauded Harbhajan on becoming the first Indian celebrity to support the idea of boycotting Chinese goods, adding that it's a decision to choose between money or patriotism.
"You stand first celebrity in the Country to respond to the call of @CAITIndia to celebrities to stop endorsing Chinese brands. Kudos to you. Let other celebrities follow you. Nation is keenly watching them. It's a decision to choose money or patriotism," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said in a tweet.


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Does the prospect of navigating the nation's 7,500-plus taxing jurisdictions leave you quivering? Or what about the possibility of being audited by a state over your tax collection obligations?
More than 20 states have agreed to a common set of definitions and procedures for taxing product categories under the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, an effort to radically simplify sales and use taxes. But perhaps more important, the states are encouraging companies to comply by footing the bill for automated processes that make compliance virtually painless.
"We realized there would be no easy way for companies to handle compliance," says Scott Peterson, executive director of the SSTP governing board. "So we've certified three companies-Avalara, Exactor and Taxware-that SSTP member states will pay to provide compliance software and services to participating companies."
At present, SSTP participation is still voluntary for companies that don't have a physical presence in a given state. But more states are taking a close look at the definition of "physical presence," says Jared Vogt, CEO of Bainbridge Island, Washington-based Avalara, who notes that having a sales rep or attending a trade show in a given state can be enough of a presence to trigger tax obligations.
With state coffers dwindling and a dire amount of lost tax attributed to out-of-state purchases-estimated at $15.5 billion to $21.5 billion a year-audit enforcement efforts are likely to grow more vigilant. "It's hard for states to ignore the money they're losing," says Vogt. "I suspect they'll try to scare people a bit."
Jennifer Pelletis a freelance writer specializing in business and finance.


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What Is Causing the Problem?
“THE countries are embroiled in a geopolitical game of chicken,” reported The New York Times early this year. The United States had allowed its dollar to slip further against the Japanese yen and the German mark on account of the still-rising trade deficit. Thus the Times report continued: “Each is trying to force the others to make changes in domestic policies . . . [to] help bring trade into better balance.”
Why has the shrinking of the dollar not brought about the hoped-for improvement in international trade relations? What causes the United States to continue tallying up such a large trade deficit? And why have countries like Japan and West Germany continued to enjoy rising trade surpluses against the United States in spite of the rising value of their currencies?
These are questions to which leading economists around the world are trying hard to find answers. In any case, it is clear that there is more to solving the world’s trade woes than tinkering with the value of the dollar. Meanwhile, charges and countercharges between the trading partners have reached a politically and economically explosive pitch.
Mounting Trade Friction
Many people in the United States, for example, feel that while the United States has opened its markets to foreign trade, other countries—Japan and, to a lesser degree, West Germany and others—have not reciprocated. Instead, they say, these countries use unfair trade practices to promote exports and protect their own markets from imports. As a result, they feel, U.S. jobs are lost and livelihoods ruined. This has caused considerable friction, even animosity, between the United States and her trading partners.
Then there is the complaint that Japanese companies pay their workers such low wages, compared with their U.S. counterparts, that they can afford to undersell their competitors overseas. On the other hand, to break into the Japanese market, foreign companies must deal with the traditional and private trade customs, the complicated distribution and tax systems, the quality standards, the language barrier, the Japanese sense of likes and dislikes, and the reluctance to accept foreign goods. All of this, say the foreign businessmen, leaves them at a great disadvantage.
Such grievances were epitomized by the U.S. secretary of commerce, Malcolm Baldridge, when he declared in a speech to a body of leading Japanese businessmen in Tokyo: “Japan cannot continue to live with its trading partners on the basis of ever-increasing exports and slow or static imports. By almost any measure, Japan has great power in the world economy but has not taken the responsibility that comes with that power.”
The Japanese businessman, on the other hand, points to the quick-return mentality of his U.S. counterpart. Whereas a Japanese is willing to follow a long-term view, the U.S. businessman has to make immediate profit to satisfy his stockholders. For example, in 1970 both U.S. and Japanese companies embarked on expensive research on how to put into production the idea of using a laser to play recordings of music and to reproduce pictures. Soon, the U.S. companies dropped out for lack of results. A Japanese company, however, pushed on and became a major force in the billion-dollar digital compact disc business.
An important factor in the trade imbalance, according to the Japanese, is that their society is savings oriented, whereas the U.S. society is consumption oriented. On the average, the Japanese save four times as much as the Americans, and their total savings surpass 30 percent of their gross national product.
Typically, the Japanese feel that their competitive edge lies, not in lower production cost, but in higher productivity and better management. An American observer notes that “worker productivity at the five biggest American steel companies, for example, is almost a third lower than at their Japanese counterparts. That means that even if the wages in the two countries were equal, American steelmakers still could not compete with the Japanese in a truly free market. And neither, for that matter, could American auto-makers.”
As for the charge that they resist the importing of foreign goods, many Japanese feel that this is simply not true. They claim that they have always welcomed imported goods provided the foreign manufacturers have adapted their products to the Japanese taste. For example, one U.S. toy maker redesigned a doll, giving it a more modest figure, shorter legs, and dark-brown eyes. It sold by the millions. Similarly, a U.S. soft-drink company gained 60 percent of the soft-drink market in Japan by making its drink sweeter—just what the Japanese wanted. Foreign companies that employ such marketing strategies have been immensely successful.
Some in Japan even feel that the whole matter of trade deficit is blown out of proportion by the United States to take the blame off their own poor performance. Since Japan has only half the population of the United States, they point out, the Japanese will probably never consume as many U.S. goods as Americans consume Japanese goods. Furthermore, they feel that the figures often quoted are misleading because they do not include value of goods and services sold by U.S. owned or controlled companies in Japan. One consulting firm reports that there are 3,000 such businesses in Japan and that in 1984 the top 300 of them sold 44 billion dollars’ worth of products in Japan.
This shifting of U.S. business overseas to take advantage of cheap labor aggravates the trade imbalance. More and more, TVs, computers, cars, and other products with U.S. brand names are being made in Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, and elsewhere, and they are being sold on the U.S. market. This translates not only into U.S. jobs lost, say the Japanese, but also into inflated “import” figures.
So it seems that each side has legitimate reasons to complain about the other or to justify its own actions. However, while such charges and countercharges continue to fly, there is little sign that the trade war, or the trade imbalance, is abating. Perhaps the nations are just looking at the symptoms. The real cause of the tense trade relations lies deeper.
The Real Cause?
Suppose more merchandise flowed from one state to another within the United States or from one prefecture to another in Japan. Would that cause a trade war or an economic crisis? No. This is because consumers do not care where the products come from as long as they get quality with low price. What, then, makes the difference when it comes to international trade?
“Economic nationalism” is the way Asahi Shimbun, a major Japanese newspaper, puts it. Rather than being concerned about the world economic health, each nation is primarily concerned with its own welfare. “The Japanese perception that only locally made products are quality . . . is deep and fundamental,” observed the head of American Telephone and Telegraph International in Tokyo. The same can be said of the Americans, the Germans, the British, and just about any other people. The nations are divided in more ways than one.
Actually, the trade woes and the shrinking dollar are but symptoms of a system plagued with war, violence, nationalism, selfish ambition, and, above all, hopelessness. Is there anyone who can rid the world of these formidable barriers and restore health not only to the world’s economy but also to every aspect of our lives?
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Could higher productivity by Japanese workers be contributing to the trade deficit with Japan?


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Digi-Key Electronics, the leading worldwide electronic accessories distributor, received the Catalog Distributor of the year award from Vishay. Vishay, itself is a famed brand across the electronics community better known for its manufacturing of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components.
The award generally recognized the reconciled efforts put in by Digi-Key electronics to push Vishay’s European revenue, growth, customer count, and more to surging heights over the past year. The company hasn’t had a sniff of trouble in contributing to the pent-up demand and that’s why it is getting recognition in the present dynamic environment of electronics.
Why has Vishay been so powerful in the industry over the past few years? It is because of some obvious reasons that have been often neglected by the industry in the midst of dealing with electronic supplies and distribution policies. Vishay offers an unmatched portfolio of discrete semiconductors that is unique as it can be virtually used in all ranges of electronic devices varying from smart homes to smartphones. It also covers vast areas and new age fields to deliver equipment.
The award is more meaningful for Digi-Key electronics this year as they had not superadded the troublesome period lately, and still are under the cosh of unprecedented trades due to the ever-changing quandary of the pandemic.
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The pound rose against the dollar after Boris Johnson announced he is to be replaced as prime minister.
Sterling gained more than 0.4 per cent to $1.2 as traders priced in the prospect of an end to months of chaos under Mr Johnson’s leadership. He will remain in place while the Conservative Party selects a new leader.
As markets reacted to the news, sterling regained some of the ground it lost this week but remains more than 10 per cent down against the US currency.
The pound hit a two-year low against the dollar on Tuesday amid growing fears for the future of Britain’s economy.
The dollar has strengthened in response to a series of large interest rate increases by the US Federal Reserve.
A weak pound is serving to push up prices for goods that the UK imports, such as energy, food and manufactured products.
Consumer price inflation hit 9.1 per cent in May and is expected to surge to 11 per cent later this year, meaning households face big falls in living standards as wages fail to keep up with the rising cost of essential goods.
While new leadership of the country promises to bring some measure of political stability, the new prime minister will still face a long list of economic problems.
Consumer confidence has hit its lowest level on record according to a long-running survey by Growth from Knowledge (GfK), while car sales fell to their lowest level for any June since 1996. The construction industry is also slowing down, new industry figures show.
The Bank of England said on Tuesday that the prospects for the UK economy had “deteriorated materially” since Russia invaded Ukraine.


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Dragonfly Receives Significant Investment from L Catterton's Flagship Buyout Fund
Mar 02, 2022, 07:30 ET
GREENWICH, Conn. and BOSTON, March 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dragonfly ("the Company"), a technology-enabled platform acquiring and scaling standout e-commerce brands, today announced that it has received a significant, proprietary investment from the Flagship Buyout Fund of L Catterton, the largest global consumer-focused private equity firm. Inclusive of L Catterton's growth investment, the Company has raised over $500 million of incremental equity and debt financing, primarily to fund future growth and M&A.
Launched in 2019 by MIT-trained engineers and serial entrepreneurs, Philip Butler and Jeremy Todd, Dragonfly acquires, incubates, and licenses fast-growing consumer brands and rapidly scales them in a digital-first environment. Since its founding, Dragonfly has developed proprietary algorithms and technologies to inform its acquisition strategy as well as in-house new product development and creative capabilities to build de novo brands and products at scale. With L Catterton's support, Dragonfly will further accelerate its strategy of acquiring, launching, and scaling exceptional digital brands as it continues to realize its vision of building a next-generation consumer products platform.
"This transaction with L Catterton marks an important milestone as we continue to acquire and develop standout e-commerce brands that enrich people's lives in unique ways," said Philip Butler, CEO and co-Founder of Dragonfly. "This partnership and growth capital will inflect our rate and pace of growth by enabling us to build and acquire more scaled and impactful e-commerce brands as well as pursue world-class digital and brand talent. We couldn't be more pleased to partner with the L Catterton team, who bring a stellar track record in brand investing, global insights, and capabilities, as well as deep operational expertise in our space."
"Dragonfly has created a remarkable platform with multiple levers – both organic and inorganic – to drive growth within a dynamic and rapidly-expanding environment," said Nikhil Thukral, a Managing Partner in L Catterton's Flagship Buyout Fund. "We admire Dragonfly's thoughtful approach to brand-building and are impressed by the people, processes, and capabilities that have been built to-date. We're thrilled to have found like-minded partners in Philip and Jeremy as we look to actualize the massive opportunity we collectively see to reimagine how to build and scale consumer brands."
L Catterton has significant experience investing in fast-growing and disruptive digital brands. Current and former Flagship Buyout Fund investments include: Function of Beauty, Peloton, Restoration Hardware, Birkenstock, Hanna Andersson, Boll & Branch, and Everlane.
Dragonfly is an acquirer and developer of standout e-commerce businesses. Its acquisition strategy is guided by proprietary technology and its global team's deep experience building successful e-commerce businesses. For more information about Dragonfly, please visit dragonflycommerce.com.
About L Catterton
With more than $30 billion of equity capital across its fund strategies and 17 offices around the world, L Catterton is the largest global consumer-focused private equity firm. Leveraging deep category insight, operational excellence, and a broad strategic network of relationships, L Catterton's team of nearly 200 investment and operating professionals support management teams around the world in building strong, category-leading brands. Since 1989, the firm has made approximately 250 investments in consumer businesses. For more information about L Catterton, please visit lcatterton.com.
Managing Director, Firm Communications
SOURCE L Catterton
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By Sarah Oyedo
The Nigerian fashion industry has been making huge strides in the last half decade with the blossoming of social media.
There has been an increase in the need for people to look good this side of the world which has positively boosted business for indigenous fashion designers.
This week’s Vanguard Allure Fashion issue Makioba Olugbile of Makioba Couture, Kiki Okewale of H.O.P.E Fashion, Bunmi Olatunji of Bumni1 and Patricia Onumonu of Trish O Couture are renowned women in the industry for their beautiful designs.
They discussed, for this issue, with Yemisi Suleiman on how they’ve stayed relevant so far and what their plans for moving forward are.
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Prices of helmets increase
Motorcyclists in Peshawar cannot buy petrol unless they are wearing helmets.
The move was taken to encourage bikers to wear helmets, according to officials.
Following this, the prices of helmets have increased throughout the city. Ever since the new rule was implemented, the demand for helmets has increased, leading to an increase in prices, said a shopkeeper.
“Before this, only two to three helmets were sold per day on an average but now the number has increased to 10 to 15,” he added.
People have complained about the price hike but are forced to buy helmets because of the new rule. “Initially the helmets cost between Rs800 and Rs850 but now they cost more than Rs1,850,” said a motorcyclist.
The condition of helmets to buy petrol was introduced by the district government last week.


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Stocks logged impressive gains last week as rising corporate earnings helped push both the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 1.26%) and the S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.44%) higher by more than 1%. The indexes are up about 6% for the year and are sitting just below record highs.
Investors can look forward to dozens of big-name earnings reports over the coming days, including a few notable announcements on the way from Apple (AAPL 1.56%), Facebook (META 1.97%), and Activision Blizzard (ATVI 0.83%).
Apple's iPhone plans
Apple announces its earnings results on Tuesday afternoon, and given that the company generates a significant portion of U.S. corporate earnings, the announcement could move the broader market. Investors have recently pushed the stock to new all-time highs following blowout quarterly results in late January that showed record revenue and surging profits for the consumer tech titan. The success of the iPhone 7 played a key role in Apple's boosting its earnings to $3.36 per share, in part thanks to rising average selling prices.
For the current quarter, CEO Tim Cook and his executive team forecast revenue stopping at between $51.5 billion and $53.5 billion, which would ensure the company's second straight quarter of year-over-year revenue gains following three consecutive declines. Gross profit margin is likely to dip slightly to between 38% and 39% of sales. Besides core metrics like iPhone sales, services revenue, and profitability, investors will be closely following the Mac maker's outlook for the coming quarter ahead of an expected major upgrade to the iPhone this fall.
Facebook's advertising trends
Expectations are running high for Facebook's earnings report on Wednesday. Consensus estimates call for revenue to spike 45% higher to pass $7.8 billion. Profits should rise at the same pace to reach $1.12 per share.
The social media titan has cautioned investors to expect slowing sales growth this year since it has reached the point where advertisement volume in its service can't increase without negatively impacting the user experience. In fact, this quarter's sales gains might look paltry compared to the 57% spike Facebook enjoyed for the full 2016 year.
Still, that downshift doesn't mean the company is set for stagnation. Video is becoming a much more integral part of the service, and it should raise the value of ads both to users and to advertisers. For evidence of that trend playing out, look for Facebook to show continued increases in its user base even as operating margin improves. The company has successfully navigated several major challenges to its business model in the past, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his team aim to keep the positive momentum going as Facebook enters its sixth year as a public company.
Activision's digital revenue
Booming player engagement, a growing portfolio of hit brands, and seemingly endless opportunities for revenue growth have combined to push Activision Blizzard shares higher by 50% over the past 12 months. That rally raises the pressure on the video-game publisher to post head-turning numbers when it announces first-quarter results on Thursday afternoon.
Consensus estimates call for sales to jump 20% in the seasonally weak period to just over $1 billion. As it did late last year, Activision will likely benefit from growth in digital sales, which should push profitability higher.
Investors will be watching engagement metrics in core brands like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and the recently launched Overwatch for signs that gamers remain locked in its entertainment umbrella. Look for CEO Bobby Kotick to also update shareholders on the company's monetization initiatives in the mobile business it recently acquired from King Digital.


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- Web Desk
- 36 Minutes ago
Law division notifies appointment of CCP’s Appellate Tribunal chairman
- Web Desk
- Dec 04, 2023
By Shahzad Paracha
ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Law and Justice has notified the appointment of Justice Retd. Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, former Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court and former judge of the Supreme Court, as the Chairman of the Competition Appellate Tribunal at the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP).
As per the notification, in exercise of the power conferred by section 43 of Competition Appellate Act 2010, the federal government has appointed Justice Miankhel as chairman till attaining the age of sixty eight 13/07/2025 with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post.
However, the press release published by the CCP says that the new chairman has been appointed for a term of three years. The federal cabinet had approved this appointment in its meeting held on Wednesday.
The Competition Appellate Tribunal has 212 cases pending its hearing. Since the Tribunal has not been functional for 7.5 years out of last 10 years, the undertakings have sought alternate remedy from High Courts. The number of such petitions in High Courts across the country is 140.
The delays in deciding upon appeals had adverse impact on implementing essential CCP orders across various sectors, including sugar, cement, fertilizer, telecom, banks, and consumer goods.
According to CCP’s press release, the Tribunal will be hearing the sugar cartel case, wherein the CCP has imposed a substantial Rs 44 billion penalty on the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association and its member sugar mills.


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“Both Bank Of America and Wells Fargo are working on integrating Apple Pay into their ATMs, according to a source familiar with the teams on the projects,” Josh Constine reports for TechCrunch. “Engineers at both companies have been placed on multi-month assignments to build the Apple Pay options. I’ve confirmed the identity of at least one engineer who publicly lists themselves as a Bank Of America employee.”
“Wells Fargo’s head of ATMs Jonathan Velline implied Apple Pay would come to its ATMs. He confirmed that ‘We’ve been working on the technology that allows us to hook to digital wallets, leveraging NFC on mobile phones to replace the card at the transaction at the ATM. Right now the wallet that we support is Android Pay,'” Constine reports. “When I pressed harder and asked if that meant Apple Pay would likely be one of those mobile wallets, he admitted with a laugh ‘I think that’s a good assessment.’””
“When asked about whether its ATMs would work with Apple Pay, Bank Of America’s Consumer Banking Products press representative Betty Riess told me ‘We already have number of mobile wallet programs…’ implying Apple Pay could join them,” Constine reports. “While it’s unclear exactly how Apple Pay at ATMs would work, it would likely allow people to withdraw money without needing their debit card or credit card. That could be especially useful if someone lost or forgot their wallet or card.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The more places Apple Pay spreads, the better. ATM card capability sounds great! Put your ATM or debit card into Wallet and use your Apple Watch or iPhone with compatible ATMs. One less card to carry around!


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The new chief executive officer of FTX provided a curt statement in response to the collection of recurring tweets by former chief executive officer Sam Bankman-Fried.
The SEC, CFTC and DOJ have 7 cases either resolved
or ongoing this year, with the litigation against husband-wife duo Ilya Lichtenstein and also Heather Morgan being the most high account.
Morrison Cohen is a New York-based company that provides to big economic institutions, business owners and early-growth phase business, and specializes in resources markets, business litigation, actual estate and also insolvency to call a couple of. The Morrison Cohen Cryptocurrency Litigation Tracker was released on Might. Related: Has New York State gone astray in its search of crypto fraud?The majority of action has been over in the class action/private arena however, with SafeMoon drawing in the most focus after the group was put with a class-action legal action over a claimed pump and dump plan.
“You don’t give us any percentage of what you make off us, off our kids. And I’m going to change that,” the artist told one paparazzi photographer.
The Indonesian cryptocurrency market and also market experienced noteworthy development in 2021.
Indonesia’s Crypto Industry in 2021: A Kaleidoscope
< img src="https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/840_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjItMDEvNWViNjgyNTctN2U4ZC00ZDI4LWI5NGEtNDE3NGFhN2NjMGFmLmpwZw==.jpg"> The NFT industry pest was reportedly discovered on
Users discovered a way around it and also instead of terminating their sale, they transfer their asset to a various pocketbook which instantly gets rid of the listing from OpenSea, However, the insect keeps the listing active through OpenSea’s API. Individuals can inspect whether their listing has actually been removed on Rarible, one more NFT market that uses OpenSea’s API.
< img src="https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/840_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjItMDEvODE2NjU0NTUtNmFiMS00NGVhLWJhMDYtYTIxOTVjNzFhNGI3LmpwZw==.jpg"> Prior to purchasing altcoins, you must look into the task’s whitepaper, demand-supply components, group and also stakeholders behind the project.
Bitcoin as well as altcoins have a similar standard structure. One such difference is the consensus system made use of by these altcoins to confirm purchases or generate blocks. While Bitcoin utilizes the proof-of-work(PoW) consensus mechanism, altcoins typically use proof-of-stake(PoS). Altcoin fundamental evaluation entails looking at and reviewing all readily available info on an altcoin. Which altcoin systems have the most potential?


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Security experts are criticizing online note-syncing service Evernote, saying the service needlessly put sensitive user data at risk because it employed substandard cryptographic protections when storing passwords on servers and Android handsets.
The scrutiny of Evernote’s security comes two days after Evernote officials disclosed a breach that exposed names, e-mail addresses, and password data for the service’s 50 million end users. Evernote blog posts published over the past few years show that the company protects passwords and sensitive user data with encryption algorithms and schemes that contain known weaknesses. That is prompting criticism that the company’s security team isn’t doing enough to protect its customers in the event that hackers are able to successfully compromise the servers or end-user phones.
The chief complaint involves Evernote’s use of the MD5 cryptographic algorithm to convert user passwords into one-way hashes before storing them in a database. Use of MD5 to store passwords has long been frowned on by security experts because the algorithm is an extremely fast and computationally inexpensive way to convert plaintext such as “password” into a unique string of characters such as “5f4dcc3b5aa765d61d8327deb882cf99.” MD5 makes an attacker’s job of cracking the hashes much easier by allowing billions of guesses per second, even on computers of relatively modest means.
By comparison, the use of slow algorithms such as bcrypt, which Twitter uses to protect its passwords, adds considerable time and computing requirements to the task of converting the hashes into the underlying plaintext passwords. Even when hashes are generated using cryptographic salt to add randomness—as Evernote says it does—MD5 is still considered a poor choice.


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Several electronics stores could be forced to shut down in the near future as inflation forces consumers to tighten their belts, industry insiders say.
Vo Thi Hoang Quan, general director of mobile phone distributor FPT, said purchasing power is on a downward trend as consumers cut back heavily on spending.
She said her company posted a 20 percent growth in sales last year, a big drop compared to 2009's 40 percent.
This year, she expects sales growth to fall further to around 15 percent, but even this will not be easy, given the sluggish sales in the first three months.
She said falling sales are putting high pressure on electronics retailers as they find it hard to clear a large amount of their inventory and recoup their investment.
As most of the electronics items sold in the domestic market are imported, their prices have been affected by devaluations of the dong against the dollar. However, electronics goods distributors say inflation, not official currency devaluation, is the main reason for reduced spending by consumers.
Vietnam's consumer price index in the first quarter of this year is estimated to have grown 6 percent from the end of 2010, the government said.
According to the retailers, home appliances and cell phones bring in high profits, but these products make up a low percentage of total revenues.
They say 40 percent of revenues come from consumer electronic products like television sets, DVD players and home theaters, 30-40 percent from air conditioners and refrigerators, 10 percent from home appliances and the remainder from mobile phones and computers.
Dinh Anh Huan, sales manager at Vietnam's leading mobile phone retailer, The Gioi Di Dong, said electronics stores were most concerned now about how to generate enough revenues to offset costs. He said retailers have large rental and operational overheads with bigger stores having an area of at least 5,000 square meters.
The representative of an electronic goods distributor, who wished to remain unnamed, said retailers have to gain a minimum profit of 5 percent to maintain operations.
"But in this difficult context, this is a dream for many retailers. We just hope capital rotates fast enough to retain our business and wait for a recovery in consuming power in the future."
In 2009 and 2010, despite the economic slowdown, some electronics retailers opened new outlets in the hope that they could snatch opportunities when the market rebounds. These expectations have been belied with the market continuing to face decreasing purchasing power.
Nguyen The Hung, deputy marketing manager of Wonderbuy Computer, Electronics and Furniture Center, said an increase in supply and a decline in demand has led to fierce competition among electronics outlets.
"After the Tet lunar new year festival, the market became quieter," Hung said. "We don't expect a significant rebound during the upcoming summer. With the prolonged decrease in buying power, some outlets may have to shut down [due to losses]."
Huan said the current difficult situation can reshape the electronics sector.
"Retailers which can retain operations and maintain finances to exist and develop during the next two years will assume leading roles in the market," he said.


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|By PR Newswire||
|April 4, 2014 05:09 AM EDT||
NEW YORK, April 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Gridsum, a big-data based cross-channel analytics and digital ad management platform, today commenced its North American operations with the announcement of a partnership with Baidu, China's leading search engine, and road shows in San Francisco and New York. As Baidu's master agent in North America, Gridsum will now offer businesses in the U.S. and Canada convenient, efficient online marketing channels into China. Harnessing Baidu's dominance in the Chinese search market, businesses and other organizations in North America can now tap into the enormous and fast-growing China market without having to build a marketing presence on the ground in China.
Chinese consumers spent about US$85 billion overseas in 2012. This year alone, Chinese outbound tourism surpassed 80 million person-times. China's Internet users now number over 600 million, with over 400 million users of the mobile Internet. Like their American counterparts, Chinese Internet users habitually go to search engines to gather information before making purchasing decisions. Search marketing is critical to connecting with consumers, and Baidu is the search engine of choice in China, processing about six billion search queries every day.
SEMPO's latest report indicates that nearly half of the global digital marketing budget was spent on search in 2013, out of which 31% was allocated to paid search and 18% to search engine optimization. The figures are basically the same in China. According to Analysys International, China's search engine operator market scale reached US$ 6.3 billion in 2013, and is expected to reach US$15.5 billion by 2015. The market's rapid expansion testifies to the huge demand for and confidence in the effectiveness of search marketing.
Mr. Aaron Li, Senior Vice President of Products & Sales of Gridsum said, "Baidu is the first choice of search engines among Chinese Internet users. As the core agent and North American master agent for Baidu, Gridsum has a wide spectrum of data mining and analysis products, and has creatively proposed the AdSuite search engine marketing methodology based on dozens of patented technologies. By integrating such technologies and professional services as SEM, SEO, UEO, Analytics, as well as the in-depth understanding of the vast Chinese consumers, we are looking forward to helping North American enterprises grow in China and create new business values."
Mr. Liang Zeng, vice president of Baidu said, "We're very pleased that Gridsum, with its advanced technologies, big data capabilities, and abundant experience in online marketing, is joining hands with Baidu in North America. As Baidu's core agent and long-term partner, Gridsum offers integrated online marketing services to 600 well-known brands in 18 sectors including tourism, education, hotel and luxury goods. It has enabled these brands to grow significantly in China, and we're confident that Gridsum will bring new business value to North American companies as well."
Established in 2005, Gridsum has built profound partnerships with such well-known enterprises and institutions as Baidu, Microsoft, Nokia, SEMPO, iCrossing and many others. In 2013, Gridsum made Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 China list on the strength of its innovations and expertise cloud computing and big data—as well as a three-year average growth rate of 555%.
Baidu is China's biggest search engine, with a combined PC and mobile search market share of 73%, handling over six billion search queries per day. Chinese Internet users so strongly associate the concept of search with Baidu that the word "Baidu" is often used as a verb. Baidu's consumer targeting tools and bidding technologies like real-time bidding have created value for millions of businesses worldwide. Baidu has helped make these businesses more easily visible to their target consumers at all of the important moments in their decision-making process. Baidu also utilizes big data to help clients like P&G, Coca-Cola, and Burberry gain insight into consumer behavior and identify their target consumers. Over the years, Baidu has grown from a search engine into a valuable platform for integrated marketing. In this era of the mobile Internet, mobile revenue contributed to over 20% of Baidu's total revenue in Q4 2013.
- For more information about Gridsum and Baidu search, please visit http://www.gridsum.com/.
- For more information about Gridsum's agency policy, and integrated online marketing products, technologies, and sales policies, please contact: Daniel Wu, Global Business Director of Gridsum, email: [email protected].
Gridsum is a big data based, cross-channel analytics and digital advertisement management platform. Backed by its proprietary high-performance parallel data warehouse technology, Gridsum focuses on big data processing, analytics, and data mining, providing online business optimization, e-government, new media, and telecom operation solutions based on data analytics to over 600 domestic and international customers in 18 industries, helping enterprises and governments achieve better performance and more accurate insights.
Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best and most equitable way for people to find whatever they're looking for. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU". Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140404/CN96355
The IoTs will challenge the status quo of how IT and development organizations operate. Or will it? Certainly the fog layer of IoT requires special insights about data ontology, security and transactional integrity. But the developmental challenges are the same: People, Process and Platform. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine, will demonstrate how to move beyond today's coding paradigm and share the must-have mindsets for removing complexity from the development proc...
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Auto suppliers have made significant progress with social media in the past year, according to our second annual study – Social Media and Automotive Supplier 2.0™ (SMaASH 2.0™) – of the top 25 North American automotive OEM suppliers (as ranked by Automotive News).
We’ve found that suppliers have dramatically built their audience across social media channels, are using more visuals to boost engagement and are posting much more frequently this year compared to 2014. However, some auto suppliers still seem to be taking a sporadic approach to social media, which could significantly hinder the effectiveness of their social media efforts.
Here are five tips to help your company take a more strategic, planned approach to its social media efforts:
• Set a target amount of posts. Perhaps one new post per day for each social media outlet, while also making sure to maintain a regular response rate to followers who comment to your social media.
• Develop a portfolio of content. Revolving around the company’s key focus areas, such as products, expertise, research capabilities, industry event involvement, community relations, people, etc. Target two to three posts on each of the focus areas each month for each social media channel.
• Develop real-time content. This can happen as news develops (news releases), media coverage appears (link to news coverage), events occur (various auto shows that take place locally, nationally and globally, CAR MBS, etc.) – taking advantage of pre-event, onsite and post-event opportunities.
• Gather and curate other news. This could be overall industry news, studies, research and trend / issue articles for reposting that address the interests of your customers / potential customers.
• Develop additional appropriate post categories. For example, Factoid Friday, sharing an interesting company or product fact; Hometown Hero, recognizing an employee who is an outstanding volunteer in her / his plant city; milestones, celebrating production milestones; interactive, eliciting input from followers, such as a “fill in the blank” contest, a poll/survey, etc.
Between real-time posts and shared outside posts, there should be plenty of content to meet the one-post-per-day average and ultimately maximize the effectiveness and reach of your social media efforts in much more consistent, strategic manner.
For more information about our SMaSH 2.0™ study findings, email us at firstname.lastname@example.org or call us at 248-269-1122.


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Has the Online Furnishings Industry Been Able to Make a Home in India? Urban India is looking at shopping for the home interior products online making way for home décor to become a popular segment in the e-commerce industry
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
The Indian home décor industry has been evolving at a fast rate. From being a market that was earlier accessible to the elite to today, finding growing customers from all across the country, the home décor industry has found a place to stay in the country.
Thanks to the growing online users, urban India is looking at shopping for the home interior products online making way for home décor to become a popular segment in the e-commerce industry.
Entrepreneur India spoke to founders of startups catering to home furnishing e-commerce startups about how the industry is growing and the barriers that restrict them today.
A Growing Industry
The Indian e-commerce industry is growing rapidly and the home décor segment is not one to stay away from the progress. Gone are the days when people wanted to buy products for their homes after a thorough check at the store, today the online-savvy crowd is open to save time and is opting for convenience by just shopping online. Raghunadan Saraf, Founder & CEO, Saraf Furniture said that this is a gigantic industry when we look at the market size. "After introducing options like partial payment and COD due to customer's apprehensive approach towards buying furniture online, we saw that the trust started building in. People tested us by buying smaller products first and then went ahead buying big products", he said.
Ashish Shah, COO and co-founder, Pepperfry agrees even though he says that the furniture and home products market in India is highly unorganized and fragmented. However, he adds that it is pegged to cross $32 bn by 2019, a testimony to the immense potential it holds. "Furthermore, with the significant increase of internet penetration across metros and non-metros Indian consumers are warming up to online shopping. In fact, we have observed that in metropolitan cities, our customers are online savvy and progressive, they prefer to do their research of the product online before making the purchase decision," said Shah.
The Shift in Buying Behaviour
Over the years, the industry has evolved because of the paradigm shift in buying behaviour of the consumers. From being a segment that was mainly offline, witnessing consumers coming to the shop and buying products, the home décor and furnishings industry has become one where consumers are just buying online. Saraf believes that the homeware, the décor & furnishing market in India has witnessed phenomenal growth, particularly in the last 10 years. Despite this, the sector is in nascent stages in India as compared with developed countries. "The sector growth has been driven by socio-economic changes, a large base of young population with high disposables incomes and the will to spend on improved lifestyles. Home and home furnishing stores accounted for 87% sales of indoor furniture in India in 2016. With the increase in the number of online retailers, demand for a product online is also increasing as internet retailers offer a wide variety of products and at a lower price," he said.
The surge has come from the huge behavioural shift being witnessed in the purchase pattern towards online shopping, believes Yash Kela, Founder, Arrivae. He spoke about how there was a time when people wanted to touch and feel the products and buying decision was made only after checking with multiple stores. "But thanks to the wide variety, ease of shopping and the return/exchange policies of brands, consumer's trust has grown tremendously. This is a big boost to brands operating majorly in the digital space," he said.
More and more people are turning to e-commerce thanks to the convenience it offers. Factoring in the presence of e-commerce in the Indian subcontinent, Sameer A.M, CEO& Founder, Bonito Designs, believes that e-commerce here has just begun stabilizing. "When e-commerce, in general, is simply begun ripening; it's no wonder there would be a rub off on home & decor as a sub-segment. New home buyers who look for furnishing their homes are simply the tip of the iceberg of the bigger decor market that lies underneath. Enough and more online furniture retail companies have put up a respectable growth in their perspective market capture and eye on bigger chunks in future," he said.
Companies too are giving them more and more options to get the right feel of the product thanks to advanced technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.
While a swift progress has been seen in the home décor and furnishings industry online, the development is mainly from Tier I cities and catering to the young. Abhay Jaipuria, Partner at Vaya Home believes that the market here too is segmented. He said that while the furniture and home accessories business has seen a successful shift to the online space, the home furnishing industry - carpets, curtains, and upholstery - has not been able to transition online. "A large part of this is because the customer needs to touch and feel the product before purchase. Unlike a table or chair, every curtain is custom stitched for a house and therefore cannot be returned back to the company if the customer does not like it," said Jaipuria.
Meanwhile, Shah from Pepperfry, a category leader, puts forth his point about the challenges. He said that the biggest challenge they faced was poor infrastructure and supply chain. For a specialized vertical like furniture, large item distribution poses as a huge challenge. "There is no prototype in the online industry for a vertical like furniture that can be imitated. We overcame that by pioneering our own "Large Item Distribution model" which hasn't been attempted by any other company in the past. Today, we have 21 delivery centres and a fleet of over 350 vehicles serves customers in more than 500 cities," he said.
Shah believes that the challenge is now to help the early and late majority of consumers to cross the chasm – making them change their behaviour from offline furniture to considering buying and actually buying furniture online.


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Akron-Canton Foodbank to Help Texas Foodbanks in Harvey Aftermath
The Akron-Canton Foodbank is looking for donations to assist Texas foodbanks in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The items requested include hand-held snacks, ready-to-eat canned goods, cleaning supplies and hygiene products.
Michael Wilson is the foodbank’s director of marketing and communications.
“(The effort) was just re-enforced by the dozens of calls that we were receiving from our network, from our donors, from local community members who were also wanting to get involved.”
The foodbank is accepting donations this entire week. It will also be sending two truckloads of its own inventory to the Houston-area.


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Today, Epic Games chose to announce that their releasing the fourth unreal engine upon the video game industry. The Unreal Engine has powered multiple games that have been beloved by millions of people all around the world. These games include Gears of War, BioShock 1, BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite. The engine has been in development since 2003, meaning that great efforts have been put in to make this engine everything it can and should be.
Mark Rein, the Vice President behind Epic Games made this announcement through a launch trailer. During the launch trailer your taken through a temple surrounded by lava. During the video you can see the incredible lighting fixtures used in the engine, you can see the detail on character faces and you can see every texture in the game without fail. Essentially the fourth unreal engine can make games that resemble real life in almost every detail.
Mr. Rein made a statement after he showed the launch trailer, stating: “We’ve been working on the Unreal Engine 4 for more than a decade now. Our development team went out of their way to create new features never seen in a video game engine before such as Voxel Cone Tracing which allows for perfect illumination and lighting fixtures around every corner in the game. We know that fans of our software will be shocked by the immense amount of detail and quality put into the engine. We can only hope that our fans will enjoy the new software we’ve been developing for eleven years.”


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Scott Moritz, writing for the Fortune blog, has likely sparked this week's speculation conflagration about the iPhone. He cites former T-Mobile executive turned analyst, Michael Cote, who sees "unprecedented demand" for the iPhone 3G, tossing that highly-inflammatory "three million" number out there. As Moritz points out, the iPhone 3G made its first million in three days, compared to 74 days for its predecessor. Three reasons are suggested for this, though perhaps there should be a fourth, maybe a fifth too.
Price: The up front price of $199 for an 8GB model now versus $599 then compares favorably for the average consumer, even though the 3G service from AT&T actually costs more. The increase in cost of the data plan by $10, not to mention the added cost of text messaging for the iPhone 3G, means it actually costs more over the term of a two-year contract. Let's hear it for operant conditioning.
Touchscreen: Supposedly a touch display is the new hotness, even though touch displays for phones have been around for years. Of course, a touch display on Windows Mobile is the iLipstick on the proverbial pig, so perhaps it is simply about consumers becoming increasingly aware of the vast superiority of the iPhone user interface.
International: The iPhone is now available in 22 countries. Another 20 or so will be added on August 22, with a goal of having the iPhone 3G (legally) available in 70 countries by the end of 2008. Of course, one should not underestimate the gray market, either.
What is curiously left out is the differentiation in hardware, that primarily being the third-generation network of the iPhone 3G. There is also the App Store to consider. Steve Jobs recently suggested that the App Store may generate a billion dollars in the not-too-distant future. He also said there have been more than sixty million downloads from the App Store so far. However, it's what he didn't say that's most intriguing, that being "Mr. Jobs declined to give an updated sales tally for iPhone 3Gs."
As previously speculated, the total number of iPhones sold is likely getting very close to ten million. If there isn't a press release from Apple soon, expect one on August 22 when the iPhone hits 22 more countries.


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Royal Caribbean International's first cruises back in the United States are officially a go.
Freedom of the Seas received a Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to offer revenue cruises with paying passengers.
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared the good news, just days before Freedom is scheduled to return to service.
"This is exciting progress," Mr. Bayley said in a social media post. "We look forward to welcoming our guests onboard."
When she sails, Freedom of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to return to service in the United States.
Freedom’s first revenue sailing will celebrate Fourth of July weekend, July 2-5, departing from Miami and visiting Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, in The Bahamas.
Freedom of the Seas completed her test cruise last weekend, which was a 3 day, 2 night simulated voyage to Perfect Day at Coco Cay.
Test cruises are part of the Conditional Sail Order (CSO) that the CDC implemented as a way for cruise ships to resume operations.
Since Royal Caribbean will not require at least 95% of its cruise passengers to be fully vaccinated, test cruises are needed to demonstrate to the CDC that the onboard health protocols work.
All of the crew members will be fully vaccinated on Freedom of the Seas, and any unvaccinated guests (mainly children, according to the cruise line) will be subject to additional testing requirements and specific health protocols.
Here is a list of the full health protocols for Freedom of the Seas sailings from Miami.
RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com will aboard the first sailing of Freedom of the Seas next week to share what the first Royal Caribbean International sailing from the United States in 15 months is like for passengers.


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Each year Apple releases new versions of its devices with significant upgrades over their predecessors. The devices that generally see an update each year include the iPhones, MacBooks and iPads. According to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is bound to have a busier 2019 than usual, with more devices planned to launch in the year than usual. This would include three iPhones, a new MacBook Pro, new iPads and a 31-inch monitor with 6K resolution.Mobile Devices
According to Kuo, Apple will launch these devices over the course of the year. Like yesteryear, Apple will reportedly launch three iPhone models in the year 2019. These would have the same screen size and [...]
American computer maker HP has launched its latest premium offering, the Spectre Folio in India. It is the world’s first convertible to arrive in an all leather casing. With features like 8th Gen Intel CPUs, and a HP Pen, the Folio is targetted towards business users. Here is our experience with the Unboxing and Hands-On with the device.What’s Inside The Box? HP Spectre Folio USB Type-C Charger Quick Start Guide Power Cable Chord HP Pen Design & Build
The HP Spectre Folio is a premium laptop. The Folio is completely wrapped in leather. The device has an aluminum casing inside, but it feels as if the leather was part of the device right from [...]
US Electronic giant HP at an event today in New Delhi has launched two products under its premium Spectre series. The company has launched the Spectre Folio and the Spectre x360 in India. Both the devices are a 2-in-1 and feature 8th generation Intel chipsets.
HP Spectre Folio
The HP Spectre Folio is the world’s first leather convertible PC. The device has a 13.3-inch low-power, 1W 400-nits FHD display which supports touch input. It also has an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. Boasting of a fanless thermal design, the device weighs 1.47Kg. Other features include up to 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of SSD storage. The device arrives [...]
Coconics, Kerala’s own laptop server project, has seen a big leap with the logo of the project being rolled out in PPP mode released by state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Industries Minister E P Jayarajan handed over the first Coconics laptop to the Chief Minister. Now, Coconics has announced three new models today on the sidelines of the Electronics Manufacturing Summit in New Delhi.
The three laptop models introduced by Coconics include CC11B, CC11A, and C314A. The CC11B is an 11 inch 2-in-1 and the other two are normal notebooks. These laptops boast of a metal casing and also a long battery life of up to 8 hours.Kerala – India’s First Laptop [...]
Since lightweight laptops are the ones ruling the markets these days, ASUS decided to show up with its own answer to all this. It just introduced the latest members of the ZenBook family, which are the ZenBook 13, ZenBook 14 and ZenBook 15. On the user-base side, the three laptops are targeting those users who prefer portability over everything. ASUS has previously released some pretty nice notebooks, so now it’s time to see what the new ZenBooks have to offer.ASUS ZenBook 13
The ASUS ZenBook 13 in just 16.9 mm thin. Featuring a 13.3 inch Full-HD display with a NanoEdge design, the ZenBook 13 achieves a 95% screen-to-body ratio. With ultra-thin side and bottom bezels [...]
Last year, a mysterious Google device called “rammus” had appeared online, which was running an Intel Core M3-8100Y processor. This time, a different variant of the same “rammus” device was spotted on Geekbench. But this time, it’s sporting a better Intel CPU and twice as much RAM. Read on to find out more!Google “Rammus” : Under The Hood
The latest Google “rammus” reveal on Geekbench indicates that the device is packing a 4.20 Ghz i7-8500Y dual-core processor. As we mentioned beforehand, the earlier version had an Intel Core m3-8100Y processor. This is an okay-ish improvement, considering the fact that there is not a lot [...]
Microsoft has updated the Surface lineup of devices in the Indian market. On Monday, the company launched the Surface Pro 6 and the Surface Laptop 2 in the country. This makes it Microsoft’s third launch in the last few months, coming after the Surface Go, which was launched a while ago. The Microsoft Surface lineup of devices are soon making their way in the country.Microsoft Surface Pro 6
The Surface Pro 6 is the most premium windows tablet in the market and one of the best devices for multimedia and work. The Tablet is equipped with a 12.3 inch Quad HD LED Backlit PixelSense Multi-touch Display with either the 8th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7. It is [...]
HP has been delivering great laptops in the form of Chromebooks for quite some time now. While there are several rugged phones in the market, a rugged laptop is hardly ever heard of. But HP has done just that! They showcased two Chromebooks recently – the Chromebook x360 11 G2 and Chromebook 11 G7 Education Editions.
Both the laptops are said to have undergone MIL-STD-810G testing and feature a spill-resistant keyboard. This is a millitary grade testing and the laptops are said to be able to survive drops of up to 76cm on concrete.Chromebook x360 11 G2 EE
The Chromebook x360 11 G2 EE features an 11-inch IPS display with HD (1,366 x 768) resolution. It has two [...]
Imagine a powerful desktop computer, but portable. It sounds like a gamer’s dream. Well, not anymore since Alienware has done just that. The new Area- 51m is a completely customisable laptop. It was launched at CES 2019 by Dell and is going to change how gaming laptops have been seen so far.
Up until now, gaming laptops have concentrated on becoming smaller in size while providing top of the line specifications. But that has meant that while a customer buys the laptop, it supports all contemporary games but the specifications become obsolete as years go by. Games these days have become extremely demanding in terms of system specifications and this means that [...]
AMD is an American company that design and markets computer processors. The CPUs offered by the company are usually overshadowed by their Intel counterparts. But in the year 2017, AMD launched the Ryzen series of processors which due to the high value for money factor has put the company in limelight. The Ryzen processors are available under three different lineups which are Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, and Ryzen 7. Surprisingly, an all-new Ryzen 9 flagship CPU, the AMD 3800X has been listed on a Russian retailer’s website.AMD Ryzen 9 3800x
The upcoming AMD Ryzen 9 3800x is the most powerful processor that the company has ever designed. According to the leak, the 3800x [...]
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has launched yet another product, adding to its arsenal. The Mi Notebook 12.5 inch has been launched and it runs on the 7th generation Intel i5 processor. It is the latest in the impressive Mi Notebook series. The laptop has been launched at a price of RMB 3,999 which translates to about Rs 40,000. As of now, nothing is known about the Indian launch of the Mi Notebook Air.Specifications
The Mi Notebook Air has a 12.5 inch Full HD display. The laptop is 12.9 mm thick and weighs 1.07 Kg, justifying its Air’ title. It runs on the seventh generation i5 processor. It has 4 GB of RAM along with 256 GB of storage. Xiaomi has not revealed [...]
Apple announced the Blackmagic eGPU Pro alongside the MacBook Air and Mac Mini in October. The Blackmagic eGPU Pro is an updated variant of the Blackmagic eGPU which was previously launched. Although the eGPU Pro was launched a few months ago, it was not available for purchase till now. The consumers can now place orders for the eGPU and Apple will commence deliveries from 15 January 2019.What Is The Blackmagic eGPU Pro?
The Blackmagic eGPU is an external Graphics Processing Unit for Apple computers. It can be connected to any compatible Apple machine using a Thunderbolt-3 cable. The Blackmagic eGPU Pro when connected to an Apple laptop or desktop computer will provide it [...]


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House lawmakers killed Dr. Robert Calif, head of the Food and Drug Administration, during a budget hearing on Thursday over how the agency copes with the lack of infant formula, which is irritating families across the country.
His appearance before a House subcommittee came just a day after President Biden demanded the Defense Manufacturing Act and allowed planes to be used to transport baby formula from abroad to increase supplies. The agency and the White House have in recent days tried to respond to public outcry over the bare shelves of grocery stores and concerns that desperate parents have normalized their stocks or resorted to perhaps risky formulas to feed their children.
The latest flaw is caused by the February closure of the Abbott Laboratories plant in Sturgis, Michigan, where the FDA has found evidence of a potentially deadly bacterium called cronobacter sakazakii. The company has launched a major recall that has led to loopholes in the supply chain. Federal agencies have investigated several cases of infant disease that began last fall, including two deaths, although a definitive link to the formula has not been established.
Dr Calif admitted to lawmakers that the agency was conducting an internal audit to see if any mistakes had been made. Under pressure from lawmakers to schedule a schedule of assistance to families, Dr Calif listed some of the efforts being made – including easing import recommendations and boosting domestic production – and said the increase in store supplies would be noticeable in a few days. He reiterated that the Abbott plant should reopen within two weeks, but said store shelves would not return to normal within a few weeks.
A spokeswoman for Rosa DeLavre, a Democrat from Connecticut and chair of the House Appropriations Committee, was among those members of the commission who pressured Dr. Caliph to explain what they described as the agency’s sluggish response to obvious problems and the informant’s alarming report. She spoke about the events that led to the recall, including the September inspection, which found evidence of bacteria in the finished formula, and the informant’s report, which raises a number of concerns.
Read more about baby formula deficiency
“All of this raises the question of why the FDA didn’t take action?” Ms. DeLavra asked. “Why did it take four months to take that formula off the shelf? How many more illnesses and deaths were caused by the slow response of the FDA? ”
In addition to the president’s actions, Dr. Calif noted that the Ministry of Justice has reached an agreement with Ebat that requires heightened security measures and an independent overseer at the plant.
“With these last three actions, we expect that additional products can quickly hit stores in the U.S.,” Dr. Calif said. But he warned that the distribution would continue to bother some areas, especially rural settlements.
The shortage of infant formula began during the pandemic and worsened after the withdrawal of the Abbott plant, which accounts for about 25 percent of U.S. supplies. As stocks of baby formulas began to fall in recent months, sales began to rise, most likely reflecting a wave of buying panic.
Ms. DeLavra also agreed with Dr. Caliph on whether the FDA’s plan would ease barriers to the import of foreign formulas of unsafe products into the country, given voluntary safety guidelines that allow for third-party certification.
Dr Calif said the agency has the right to deny any applicant. “We will not allow infant formula in the United States, which is not safe,” he said.
He was also interviewed about the findings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the agency based on samples of chronobacterial bacteria associated with two of the four babies who fell ill in recent months. They were compared to five strains of bacteria found at the Sturgis plant, Dr. Caliph said. The agency and Abbott said there were no coincidences between them.
Dr Calif said the FDA investigation would continue.
“To say that the cases went directly from this plant, we can not say until the investigation is fully completed,” he said.
Navigating the baby formula shortage in the US
A growing problem. The shortage of infant formulas across the country – partly caused by supply chain problems and exacerbated by the withdrawal of baby food maker Abbott Nutrition – has caused parents to be confused and worried. Here are some ways to manage this uncertainty:
A spokeswoman for Lauren Underwood, a Democrat from Illinois, also spoke about the delays at the Abbott plant, asking why the agency did not consider the on-site inspection critical, even though internal on-site inspections were suspended due to the Omicron surge. Dr Caliph acknowledged that the lack of priority in inspecting baby formula could be a mistake, the agency said in its review.
The House of Representatives and Senate are considering various proposals that will require greater oversight of food safety and improvements in the formula supply chain.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved an emergency $ 28 million infusion for the FDA and a bill to ease restrictions on the types of blends that can be purchased through a special supplementary nutrition program for women, babies and children known as WIC. About half of the formula sold in the United States is purchased with WIC benefits. The Senate is expected to approve changes to the federal food aid program.
Dr Calif asked lawmakers to approve a budget of $ 8.4 billion, up $ 2.1 billion from last year. This includes an increase in food security funding of $ 76 million, which will go towards improving the technology of rapid tracking of foodborne diseases to their source and other efforts to reduce food toxins.
But additional FDA funding was expected to meet fierce opposition from Republicans in the Senate. In a statement sent to ordinary lawmakers, Republican leaders criticized Democrats for abandoning bipartisan efforts and instead proposed legislation “without a plan to actually address the issue without bringing the FDA to justice.”
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has ordered hearings of top FDA executives and formula companies next Wednesday on security and formula supplies.
Senator Ron Widen, a Democrat from Oregon, also announced an investigation by Senate finance committees into Abbott’s investment in improving security amid record revenues.


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ORLANDO, Florida – Over 255 industry attendees at the International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) cast their vote on favorite new products debuting in 2016. It was fly reel manufacturer Abel Automatics, Inc. who took top prize in its respective class. Abel, known for its legendary reliability and high-end finishes, took home Best New Fly Reel in the Saltwater category for its all-new SDS series of fly reels.
Held annually in July, the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA), in conjunction with IFTD, awards the trophies. Voting occurs in a secure space separate from the manufacturers. Results are then calculated by code, ensuring the integrity of the vote and keeping winners in suspense until the very end.
This year, AFFTA Vice-chair Michael White announced the winners at the annual “Party at the Pond” event on Thursday, July 14th.
The 2016 IFTD show also attracted a best-ever crowd of 15,000 attendees, confirming its status as the worlds biggest and fastest growing tackle-trade show. The show hosted 552 companies in 1,850 booths, with a total combined exhibitor count of over 700 businesses.
“It’s an honor to win any IFTD award,” said Jeff Patterson, EVP of Abel. “Our sincerest thanks go out to our dealers and industry media.”
The awards are even more meaningful since it was Abel’s first fly reel accolade from IFTD in its storied history. “We’ve be fortunate to win several awards recently for our special finishes and accessories,” added Patterson, “but we’ve never won for a fly reel. It’s very special.”
The Abel SDS will be available in January 2017 and can be pre-ordered through any Abel Reels authorized dealer or by visiting www.abelreels.com. Pricing is expected to begin at $895 for a 7/8 weight reel.
Pictured (L to R) Jeff Patterson, James Thomas, and Bart Larmouth


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Supermarket giant Morrisons will takeover collapsed retailer McColl’s after it tumbled into administration.
All 16,000 staff at McColl’s convenience stores will keep their positions and new owners will also take on two pension schemes operated by the firm. Petrol station firm EG Group launched a rival bid following the announcement that more than 1,100 branches of the newsagent were at risk on Friday.
McColls also have stores nearby in Hamilton and East Kilbride.
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updated 09:00 pm EST, Mon January 6, 2003
(Expo booth 1443) is showcasing its new 2.5" drive enclosures, FireWire/USB2 combo enclosures, and a number of other products at Macworld Expo. Also, starting next week, it will begin shipping the Speedzter3 and Speedzter5 enclosures with new Oxford 911 bridgeboards, allowing the installation of drives of any capacity. Additionally, new standalone bridgeboards will be offered to owners of old SCSI enclosures. Update: FireWire Depot has also announced three new bridgeboards with write-protect software for Forensic use; new, smaller form factor dual-device enclosures that utilize modified Oxford 911 bridgeboards allowing upwards of 500GB of storage, or removable trays for hot swapping devices in the enclosure.


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Facebook announced last week that it will acquire the instant messaging provider WhatsApp in a deal worth an eye-watering $19bn (£11.4bn).
The social network already has its own mobile chat platform, but its traction has not nearly been as strong as other standalone chat apps such as WhatsApp and WeChat. The astronomical price paid for WhatsApp reflects how keen Facebook is to get hold of a lithe, mobile technology.
So what exactly does Facebook get for its money?
What does a typical night-in look like in in the ‘teenies’? X Factor on the TV? Youtube during the breaks on an iPad? A constant stream of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram updates in-between? There’s also email and texts to check, not to mention all those WhatsApp messages flying back and forth.
Ask a digital advertiser about the biggest challenges they see ahead and they’re likely to tell you it’s this type of ‘dual screening’. Or, more accurately, it’s the inability of advertising to follow consumers as they hop from one device to the next. But all that could be about to change…Yes, welcome to the Brave New World of Sequential Messaging!
For the uninitiated, sequential messaging is the ability for marketing communications to leap between screens – for a campaign to play out in a chronological succession that builds from an initial touch point on TV, then across Twitter and so forth, dependent on a consumer’s next point of interaction with digital media.
News came last week that Bauer Media was launching a multi-platform title called The Debrief. There’s no great shock in a magazine publisher launching a new digital brand aimed at ABC1 20-something women, but the difference with The Debrief is that it plans to make its money by eschewing traditional banner ads in favour of native ads buried amongst its editorial content.
For the uninitiated, native ads are essentially pieces of promotional content designed to fit with the look, feel, and tone of a specific digital publishing platform. Some publishers claim they aren’t even a new phenomenon (advertorials anyone?), but the point is that 18 months ago saying ‘native ads’ to a brand manager might cause them to stare back as if you were talking Swahili. Say it to them now, and they’ll tell you it’s a phenomenon in which they’re extremely interested.
Johnston Press announced last week that every staff photographer working for its Midlands operation would be made redundant. That’s right, every JP newspaper in the Midlands will be left without an in-house photographer.
The presumption is that JP will instead rely entirely on freelancers – or just as likely, on “user-generated content” and other snaps from whomever happens to be in the vicinity with a mobile phone next time something newsworthy happens.


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It was a tale of two rulings -- the best of times and the worst of times for Obamacare in the federal appeals courts.
First, a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit court of appeals ruled Tuesday…
If you've picked up fruit at Costco, Trader Joe's, Kroger or Walmart stores recently, keep reading.
Wawona Packing Co. is voluntarily recalling peaches, nectarines, plums and pluots that were packed…
Two opposing court rulings issued Tuesday sowed confusion about whether 4.7 million Americans can keep their health care subsidies.
When it comes to what she deems the American "obesity crisis," Sarah Varney says, it's easy enough to focus on the raw numbers: Sixty-nine percent of Americans are overweight, according to the…
Burger King and Papa John's joined the list of companies caught up in a Chinese food scandal that has spread to Japan.
On Monday, local regulators suspended the operations of Shanghai Husi Food, a…
The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, better known as MERS, may be an airborne virus, according to an observation paper published Tuesday in the journal mBio.
An estimated 2.3 million adults in the United States have epilepsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Actress Sky McCole Bartusiak, who passed away Saturday, was one of…
The summer can be dangerous, and doctors say it's important to be alert to signs of overheating or hyperthermia.
Like so many people, Nicole Durham was tired of being overweight. No one bullied her, and she didn't have a health scare. She was just sick of looking and feeling bad.
The need for firefighters to be fit seems obvious: A fire ax weighs around 20 pounds, and an oxygen tank can be up to 50. Throw in the big boots, jacket, unruly fire hoses and challenging…
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Andrew Burton / Reuters
Michael Saechang/Wikimedia Commons
WLUK, Sarah Ganser, pool
KGTV, Scripps video


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Nintendo has revealed details of its upcoming Punch Out!! remake, including control schemes and characters.
According to GoNintendo, the game will utilise motion controls similar to those used in Wii Sports Boxing, with the Wii remote and nunchuck being used to throw hooks and jabs.
In addition to the motion controls, Punch Out!! will resurrect the classic two-button NES control scheme, which will see players flip the Wii Remote on its side like a NES pad.
Nintendo also unveiled a number of characters, with Little Mac, Glass Joe, King Hippo, Doc Louis and Von Kaiser all returning.
Punch Out!! is due to be released for the Nintendo Wii this summer.