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Category: ShelfGenie Franchise News
Over the past 12 years, we have built ShelfGenie’s success with a business model that relies on franchise partners. Our franchise partners have helped us
ShelfGenie – the nation’s leading custom shelving and home improvement solutions franchise – was recognized as one of the nation’s strongest franchise systems by the
Franchise honoree is a brand outreach ambassador and helps build brand awareness in our growing market ShelfGenie franchise owner Joseph Choi has provided Glide-Out shelving
ShelfGenie Franchise spotlights accomplishments and innovation at Atlanta gathering ShelfGenie franchise owners have a lot to be excited about. Not only was 2016 an impressive year,
The premier shelving solutions franchise is off to a banner year with exciting new developments and plans for a rapid nationwide expansion
The top-rated home improvement franchise is a low-cost investment opportunity that boasts a proven business model, exceptional franchisee support and a product that changes lives
Exceptional franchisee support and growing demand for low-cost remodeling options with big impact make ShelfGenie custom shelving franchise a strong investment opportunity.


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Schell Games released a new Among Us VR update, adding custom lobby settings and a new hat pack.
Previously announced in December’s Among Us VR 2023 roadmap, custom lobby settings are now live as part of the game’s fourth patch. Outlined in a new blog post, Schell claims this allows for “over 9 billion customization configurations,” letting you adjust pace, balancing, and the general rules. Complementing this is a new indicator that highlights gameplay balance between Impostors and Crewmates.
These options include: enabling/disabling specific tasks, distance of Crew and Impostor vision, number of emergency meetings and tasks, customizable discussion time, anonymous voting, plus sabotage and kill cooldowns, visible hands, number of imposters, emergency meetings and long tasks; and altering the kill cooldown length.
There’s still plenty more to come for Among Us VR. After reaching one million sales back in January, Schell Games gave us a first look at the new Polus map, which is currently in development and a public vote for its name remains open. Otherwise, further post-launch updates include presently unknown collaborations, improved accessibility and more hats.
Patch four also adds the Accidental Favorites Hat Pack for $4.99, adding five new cosmetics from Innersloth’s original Among Us game: Note 2 Self, MoRawk, Third Eye, Magical ‘Corn and Peeled. A free Pizza Time hat is also available upon updating the main game.

domain: news


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TORONTO — Brickworks Ciderhouse is set to open its doors on Queen St. in downtown Toronto next month.
Brickworks Ciderhouse will feature Brickworks Cider favourites, locally crafted micro-batches and a locally sourced seasonal menu to complement the Ciderhouse portfolio.
Since launching in 2013, Brickworks Cider has cemented itself as being one of Canada’s most popular cider producers, using only apples found within a 300-km radius of the city and inspired by Toronto’s history.
“As the cider market continues to evolve, so do Canadians’ palates for more diverse ciders, which is why the opening of the Ciderhouse will enable us to offer a best-in-class cider experience right here in Toronto,” says Adam Gerrits, co-founder, Brickworks Cider.
Cider makers from Brickworks Ciderhouse will be working closely with local culinary talent to develop locally inspired dishes such as Ontario classic apple pies made in-house using the same apples as the ciders.
The Toronto Ciderhouse will serve Brickworks classic favourites and seasonals, alongside innovative micro-batches using rare apple varieties. The bar will feature 16 drinks on tap — 10 cider and six local craft-beer favourites from Mill Street, ultimately producing up to 40 new, rare and experimental micro-batch ciders.


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PUB and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers boosted full-year pre-tax profits by 26 per cent to £169m, but a £300m property write-off pushed it to a pre-tax loss, it reported yesterday.
The owner of bar brands such as All Bar One, O’Neill’s, and Harvester saw 1.1 per cent revenue growth to £1.98bn over the year, but recorded an overall £84m loss, down from a £4m profit the previous year, due to the writedown.
As a result, it will not reinstate its dividend again this year, after suspending it in 2008 due to difficult trading conditions. It will not commit to paying one in 2011.
“We have delivered a very good set of results in challenging economic conditions,” said chief executive Adam Fowle.
The group is eight months into a restructuring to turn it from a drink-led to a food-led business, which will focus on the casual dining market.
In the past year it has sold 49 of its non-core “wet-led” pubs and bought 22 Ha Ha Bar and Grill sites for £19.5m.
It has also reduced net debt by almost £300m, to £2.3bn, cutting its interest bill by £13m to £147m.
Analysts reacted positively to the results, with both Evolution Securities and KBC Peel Hunt recommending the share as a “buy”.
“The company now has a very strong strategy,” said Paul Hickman of KBC Peel Hunt.
He added: “There’s a lot of brand strength there; it is much more focused than before.”
However, shares fell about 2.6 per cent to 344.6p.


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Apple Earnings Preview: The Calm Before the Storm
Don’t expect to hear Reese Witherspoon, Jason Momau, or Hallie Steinfeld on the line with Apple CEO Tim Cook during Wednesday’s earnings call with Wall Street analysts. But those three Hollywood stars, and a few others, may hold more sway over Apple’s growth for the next few years than any of the sales and profit figures Cook will reveal about the company’s devices.
That’s because growth in sales of iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers has slowed or declined, leaving Apple increasingly dependent on growth from services like its Apple TV+ video streaming, which debuts on Friday. Investors won’t be able to see if Cook is still wearing the dapper blue suit he was sporting on Monday in New York City at the premiere of Witherspoon’s series for Apple, called The Morning Show.
But even with the analysts, Cook is sure to continue trying to pump up excitement for Apple’s Netflix rival, which features bankable celebrities and will cost $5 a month. He needs to.
In the quarter that just ended, analysts on average expect Apple will report sales of $63 billion, unchanged from last year. Profits per share will come in at $2.83, down about 3%, the analysts forecast.
Investors, who have already bid up Apple’s stock 54% this year, are looking past the current tepid financial results. Video, music, gaming and other services should improve revenue growth next year, and the arrival of 5G phones could also lift sales.
That optimism has helped propel Apple’s stock price to an all-time high of $249.05 on Monday. On Tuesday, it declined 2% to close at $243.29.
The iPhone, which peaked in 2015, remains a problem. Even bolstered by the new iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models, iPhone sales are expected to shrink 12% from last year to $32.8 billion, says Deutsche Bank analyst Jeriel Ong.
Longtime Apple analyst Katy Huberty at Morgan Stanley is even more concerned about current iPhone sales, forecasting $32.7 billion for the latest quarter. One factor depressing sales is Apple’s decision to cut prices on some 2019 models compared with prices on new phones last year. This year’s iPhone 11, for example, starts at $699, down from $749 for last year’s iPhone XR. While Apple may sell fewer phones than last year, the price cuts will compound the damage by reducing the average selling price of all iPhone sales by 2% to 4%, she said.
That puts the onus for faster growth on services and so-called wearables, a category that includes the Apple Watch, headphones, and earbuds.
Currently, most services revenue comes from mobile app sales, which are still dependent on iPhone sales. Cook is trying to diversify, starting with offering Apple Music on both iPhones and Android phones back in 2015. That strategy should get another boost with the video service.
Apple is spending liberally for top-notch talent and making deals to put its streaming service on a wide array of hardware, including Amazon’s Fire TV devices, Samsung smart TVs, and the popular Roku set top box. Still, Apple is entering a crowded field including leaders Netflix and Amazon, plus new arrivals with strong backing from Disney, Comcast, and AT&T.
Apple has already said it will give anyone who buys a new iPhone or most of its other hardware products a free one-year subscription to the video service. But even excluding the freeloaders, Apple TV+ should attract about 10.5 million subscribers in 2020 and 27 million by 2021, Huberty projects. Within five years, it could be at close to 140 million and bringing in $9 billion in revenue, she adds.
“As a result of attractive pricing and device bundling, we believe Apple TV+ will have an attractive adoption curve,” Huberty wrote, using the tech industry term for a rapid gain in popularity.
Analyst Daniel Ives at Wedbush Securities is nearly as optimistic, forecasting 100 million subscribers within four years. “If Apple executes with minimal speed bumps and aggressively acquires content given the company’s massive installed base and unmatched brand loyalty we believe reaching the 100 million subscriber number in the medium term (3 to 4 years) is a realistic goal that could translate into a $7 billion to $10 billion annual revenue stream,” he writes.
Even without Apple TV+, some analysts think that the problem of weak iPhone sales could be erased next year, however. In recent years, older iPhones have been “good enough” compared to brand new models that people are keeping them for almost four years before upgrading, notes CFRA analyst Angelo Zino. But that trend has created a pool of about 900 million owners of aging iPhones who will be ripe to upgrade next year when Apple is expected to introduce its first models with super-fast 5G wireless capability, Zino says.
Current slow sales are happening “as consumers likely just await a 5G ramp,” he writes.


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Digital identity company GBG has launched its no-code onboarding solution that aims to improve customer experience.
The GBG GO is its third generation simple, cloud-hosted solution that enables businesses of all sizes to verify the identity of new customers.
GO boasts ready-to-go customer journey templates, an easy drag-and-drop journey builder and a smooth UI editor with a built-in customer consent check. Additionally, clients can go to market within minutes.
The solution takes customers through a dynamic, decision-driven journey, fast-tracking low-risk customers and taking higher-risk customers on a more secure route. Secure identity document proofing, data verification and AI-powered decisions come together to help businesses minimise risk, meet compliance, fight fraud and grow their customer base.
Businesses can deploy the tool as an end-to-end, cloud-hosted customer onboarding solution. Alternatively, they can enhance their existing identity verification process.
Its technology monitors over 350 global identity data sets and has an ID document library that covers over 200 countries and territories.
GBG managing director Nick Brown said, “We’re delighted to release GBG GO, which not only helps our customers with stretched IT resources deploy a great consumer on-boarding experience in a matter of minutes but is also a gateway to orchestrate GBG’s market leading international identity and fraud capability.
“We’ve concentrated on making the product intuitive and easy to deploy, but without compromising on the privacy standards that consumers should expect when accessing services online.”
As part of the new solution is GO Analytics. This service monitors journey times, drop-off rates and screens performance helping businesses to optimise customer experience. It will also monitor how many customers are automatically accepted, rejected or sent for manual review.
Last year, GBG acquired identity verification and KYC compliance provider Acuant in a deal worth $736m. The companies joined for a combined revenue of £265m.
Copyright © 2022 RegTech Analyst
Copyright © 2018 RegTech Analyst


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The tougher S4 is finally official.
What’s the cheapest computer you can buy today? And we're not talking Raspberry Pi. We still need enough horsepower to email, browse the Web, or play a movie. Kaser claims to have the answer with its $100...
Toshiba is releasing three new Android tablets later this month, one of which will have Nvidia's Tegra 3 SoC and the other two sporting the new Tegra 4.
For now, Google is not accepting apps with facial recognition.
Asus is kicking off Computex week with a couple of new tablets.
There's already a dark side to Google Glass.
GamePop will cost more than OUYA.
SpeedUp is introducing a super-thin Android tablet next month during COMPUTEX.
It's the first locally manufactured smartphone, says Motorola.
A version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 will feature a "Clover Trail" Atom SoC.
An Acer AIO PC sporting Android and a Core i5 "Haswell" CPU has been spotted on multiple retailer websites.
The unlocked white Nexus 4 from LG is now on Google Play starting at $299.
Sundar Pichai talks Android during the D11 conference.
Nvidia's handheld Android console is almost here.
Italian Company 2045Tech has launched Floome, a highly accurate breathalyser for your smartphone that requires no batteries.
The Galaxy S4 has a new baby brother.
Looks like the 7-inch Wikipad Android gaming tablet is almost here.
The original Nexus 7 was just approved with Android 4.3 by the Bluetooth SIG.
HTC says 1 + 4.1 = 4.2.2, not 4.3.
Check out Tom's Guide's latest story on remote apps for Android!
Despite the success of the Nexus 4, it seems Google and LG won't be collaborating on the next iteration of Nexus smartphone.
Apps pulled thanks to pesky internet vandals.
Phone will break cover later this week.
Samsung's got something in mind for next month.
Now you can browse and buy from your desktop.
The next-gen Nexus 7 won't be ready until July.


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Dunkin’ Donuts fundraiser to benefit Springfield family
One minute, Springfield 15-year-old JT Simpson was having fun on his trampoline. And the next minute, he and his family’s lives were forever changed when Simpson suffered a permanent spinal cord injury.
To help raise money for medical bills and other expenses related to his care and rehabilitation, the Springfield Dunkin’ Donuts store at 4020 South Campbell Ave. will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from sales on Monday to the Simpson family. Store hours are 5 a.m.-10 p.m. and Simpson’s favorite maple-frosted doughnut will be the special of the day.
Simpson’s injury occurred in June when he attempted a double flip on a trampoline but landed awkwardly on his head. He has spent every day in hospitals and rehabilitation since then. While he has made progress and can now wiggle his left toes and has some movement in his left leg and left fingers, he has a long road to recovery ahead.
To further encourage giving on Monday, the first 100 customers that make a cash donation to the Simpson family at the Springfield Dunkin’ Donuts will receive a free coffee tumbler and coupon for a free coffee on a return visit. The Simpson family will have a representative outside the store during most operating hours to collect donations.
“JT and his family have been through so much the past couple of months that we just wanted to do something to help,” said Cory Roebuck, owner of the Springfield Dunkin’ Donuts. “It’s important to us to give back to our neighbors, and we can’t think of anyone more deserving right now than JT. He’s an inspiration to all of us.”
People can monitor Simpson’s progress by following or periodically checking the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/HandsUpForJT.


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Verizon Wireless Samsung Galaxy Note ll Gets Android 4.3
We have seen a few modern Samsung devices receive firmware updates recently. Looking back to November, we brought news that the Samsung Galaxy Note II N7105 was in the process of receiving the Android 4.3 update. The Samsung Galaxy Note ll (i605) from Verizon Wireless is certain not to be left out in this recent batch of Android 4.3 updates.
The update for the Samsung Galaxy Note ll i605 brings the device up from the previous version (Android 4.1.2 – VRAMC3) to version Android 4.3 – VRUEMJ9. Along with bumping up the Android version, a few new features and bug fixes have been included. One notable feature is easy access to Blocking mode, which Samsung had previously hidden from the settings menu.
Verizon has not yet officially begun pushing the update to all i605 owners, but they do appear to be conducting a splash test. It was through this splash test XDA Senior Member kwhodson received the update and was able to capture it. He pulled the files from his device and provided them to XDA Recognized Contributor beanstown106, who then converted the update into a flashable ROM.
While the ROM can be flashed normally, the update does include new firmware that must be flashed through Odin in order to insure that WiFi works. Head on over to the development thread for more info and to check out the ROM.
Want something on the XDA Portal? Send us a tip!
Apps are at the front and center of any smartphone experience, and with over a million apps on the Google Play Store and new apps being submitted to our forums every day, staying up to date on the latest apps and games can be a hassle. At XDA we don’t discriminate apps - if it’s interesting, innovative, original or useful, we mention them. The XDA Portal Team loves apps too, and here are our top picks for this week. ...
In a not entirely surprising move, Google announced that it's putting an end to SMS notifications for Google calendar as of June 27th. They stated earlier, "SMS notifications for Google Calendar launched before smartphones were available. Now in a world with smartphones and notifications, you can get richer, more reliable experience on your mobile device, even offline". Google Drive for Work, Google Apps for Work (paid edition), Education and Government customers will not be affected by these changes and can continue using...
One year ago, Google introduced cardboard. Amazingly enough, that was all it took to fire up the Virtual Reality scene on Android, and what began as an open design concept exploded into thousands of apps and dozens of headsets from big and small vendors alike. Now, there are more than 1 million cardboard viewers/handsets - a Google-quoted number that might not even be accurate given the ease with which headsets can be rigged through off-the-shelf equipment. This year, cardboard returned...


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Sales of bread-making equipment, for example, have been on the rise in the past decade. Patrick Thornberry, Managing Director of Bakery Bits, the largest supplier of bread-making equipment and ingredients for the home baker, is a testament to this. He set up the company in his spare bedroom nine years ago, and it now ships everything from specialist flours to fresh yeast to 48 countries around the world. “It’s not just the UK market that has seen an uprising in home baking, if you’ll pardon the pun,” he says:
I think this is a global trend that is set to continue as people turn away from mass-produced bread. A lot of my customers want to avoid the additives in commercially produced bread and bake a more wholesome loaf. But more than that, bakers want to use more ethical and sustainable ingredients too, which reflects in our sales. Our biggest selling flour is a British stoneground organic flour.
This trend towards healthy, wholesome bread can also be seen through the Real Bread campaign – now followed by almost 24,000 people on Twitter. The campaign challenges the manufacturing process of commercial bread, which uses a cocktail of additives including enzymes that strengthen the gluten in the flour and feed the yeast, and emulsifiers and preservatives that supposedly make a ‘better loaf’. Real bread, however, has just four ingredients: flour, water, salt and yeast.
In my experience as a teacher, the increasing interest in artisan and home-baked bread is clearly linked to concerns around both health and sustainability. My students want to bake a healthier bread: they want to use organic flour, avoid plastics in their baking and are concerned about the environmental impact of their actions and choices.
Most bakers would be surprised to learn that one of the key ingredients in mass-produced bread is a by-product of the petrochemical industry.
Even many organically produced breads use non-organic yeast. This is because most certified organic foods must comprise at least 95% (by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt) certified organic ingredients, but up to 5% of the food may contain non-organic ingredients. This means that bakeries, more often that not, use non-organic yeast. Five per cent may not seem like a lot, but the scale of yeast production is massive. Each loaf made with commercial yeast therefore contributes to the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. This raises a critical sustainability issue in bread production.
Earlier this year the World Health Organisation stated that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans”. Recent figures show that the use of glyphosate on our crops has increased by 400% in the past 20 years. Almost a third of British cereal crops were sprayed with glyphosate in 2013. As a baker, this is highly disturbing because glyphosate carries over into the flour we use to make bread. A study in 2013 by Pan UK found that 63% of loaves analysed contained traces of at least one pesticide, and this year, tests by the Defra committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF) reported that up to 30% of UK bread contains glyphosate.
A campaign is growing to ban glyphosate, and the Soil Association is heading up a petitionrequesting that supermarkets and other bread manufacturers stop using wheat sprayed with glyphosate in their products.
The solution is in our hands – make your loaf count
There are several things we can do when baking our own bread to ensure our loaves are more sustainable. We can use local, organic flour and organically certified yeast, or bake a sourdough bread using a natural sourdough leaven.
Sourdough bread made with local, organic flour is perhaps the most sustainable bread of all. It entirely avoids the chemical fertilisers used in producing commercial wheat and yeast, as well as the carbon used in transporting this wheat and yeast hundreds of miles from source to factory to retail outlets. An organic, sourdough loaf is the ultimate real bread and, what’s more, it tastes fantastic.
Correction: This article originally stated that glyphosate is “a core ingredient in industrial fertilisers”. This is incorrect and was due to a mistake made by the Sustainable Food Trust and subsequently has now been removed. The Sustainable Food Trust would like to formally apologise both to the author and our readers for this error.


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The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) is pushing for favourable tariffs.
Its President, Toyin Akomolafe, said there was the need to create better trade deals for the country to reduce dependency on oil as well as increasing engagement with China.
He noted that in Nigeria, there is an increase in Chinese investments in infrastructure, and the recent currency swap.
Akomolafe, who spoke during the chmber’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, observed that the tariffs instituted by the United States President on trade, would have a rippling effect across the globe, especially the tariffs imposed on China.
He added that a trade war between these economic giants would push African nations, including Nigeria, into harsh financial climates.
He said: “In Nigeria, we import almost everything from China, if the Chinese have to pay more to trade with the US, those extra expenses would be passed on to Nigerian consumers which would result in imported inflation.”
According to the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation, the global trade volumes would drop by six percent and global real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would fall by 1.4percent, if the US government insists on a 10 percent negotiating position across the board tariff on most things entering the country instead of the average level of two percent
Akomolafe noted that though influencing trade laws and policy would not be easy, the chamber was working out modalities that would overcome any challenges.
It is time, he said, to collaborate and draw up ideas that could persuade our trade companions in the US.
He said Nigeria had been fairly active in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) implementation, seeking more action.
He expressed the commitment to ensuring that non-oil commodities were exported through AGOA.
‘’We are committed to making NACC become the key institution for AGOA and partnering leaders and leading institutions that will move us into a more economical sound future,’’ he said.
He stressed the need to work together to build capacity for expertise, obtain more sources for financing, providing better networking opportunities and paths to international trade along with expanding our footprint in Nigeria and America.
He said the chamber would participate in all economic fora and partner leaders and leading organisations that could drive the economy of the country a successful future adding the chamber is committed to providing more networking and business opportunities. This, he believed, would, in effect, raise the country’s profile among American businesses in Nigeria and overseas.
NACC Membership Committee Chairman, Olufemi Adesanya, said the chamber assists members.
He said the chamber had created sectoral groups where members could engage, share ideas and knowledge, partner and collaborate. These included the property and construction sector, oil and gas services sector, financial services sector, professional services sector, and the agribusiness services sector.
According to him, while the property and construction sector is already in place, others would be inaugurated.
The post NACC seeks better tariffs appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.


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Arla plans to pay out its 2018 profits to its farmers
Posted on: 04/09/18
In a welcome, if not surprise, move Arla has confirmed it proposes to pay its entire 2018 profits to its farmers recognising many face serious financial pain as a result of the drought. The proposal will be put to the Arla Board of Representatives at its October meeting.
If Arla’s nett profit target of 2.8% to 3.2% of revenue is achieved the numbers indicate a potential supplementary payment of circa £20,000 for a 1 million litre producer, however, this needs to be split into a circa £9000 as a 13th payment producers are already entitled to receive so the additional money paid out will be around £11,000 per farmer.
The total payment will likely be approved in February 2019 when Arla’s end of year results are known.
It’s highly likely this proposal has been instigated by the Danish and Swedish Arla farmers who have both clout and face some serious financial additional costs as a result of the drought.
The point to ponder is whether Arla executives are now assuming (possibly planning) that on October 1st, November 1st and December 1st it will be a farm gate milk price hold stand on with little, if any, chance of further farm gate milk prices increases


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ServerSuit is going FREE, and you can start using our convenient, remote server panel for free right now!
We've added multiple new features in this brand new release!
Our new release, featuring improved server notification systems, has landed! Check out the update notes below.
The May update has landed and is live now, as soon as you log in to ServerSuit. Hit the jump for details on the new features.
Our November update is here! Since you never install ServerSuit, you don't need to download anything and this update will be live the next time you login! Get the rundown on what's new and different.
Big update is hitting ServerSuit to kick off the summer, so check out the release notes after the break.
A new release is live, check out what's included in the latest update!
We got some big updates in this new release. Check out all the new stuff we've added to ServerSuit.
Our new ServerSuit update is live. Check out the update notes after the break.


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LivePerson, a leading provider of cloud mobile and online business messaging solutions, and IBM have announced LiveEngage with Watson, the first global, enterprise-scale, out-of-the-box integration of Watson-powered bots with human agents. The new offering combines IBM’s Watson Virtual Agent technology with LivePerson’s LiveEngage platform, allowing brands to rapidly and easily deploy conversational bots that get smarter with each interaction, and lets consumers message those brands from their smartphone – via the brand’s app, SMS, Facebook Messenger, or even the brand’s mobile site – instead of having to call an 800 number.
The customer care sector has lagged behind consumers in terms of technology adoption, still requiring most interactions to be conducted by analog voice call. In fact, customers make more than 270 billion phone calls to customer support lines each year.
This legacy approach has not kept pace with the consumer move to smartphones and messaging apps, now the dominant way consumers communicate digitally. Forrester’s 2017 Customer Service Trends report revealed that “Customers of all ages are moving away from using the phone to using self-service — web and mobile self-service, communities, virtual agents, automated chat dialogs, or chatbots — as a first point of contact with a company” and, according to Dimension Data, while there has been a 12 percent decline in phone volume, there has been growth in every digital channel.
LiveEngage with Watson helps meet that demand – allowing consumers to message large brands from their smartphones and instantly get answers from AI-powered bots, with human care representatives brought in seamlessly, in real-time, if a bot is not able to resolve an issue satisfactorily.
The move will help enable millions of consumers to avoid the frustrating experience of legacy, voice-based customer support, which requires them to dial an 800 number, wait on hold, then talk to an agent, and often multiple agents over multiple phone calls.
LiveEngage with Watson gives brands the ability to customize bots based on their own unique corpuses of data – from product manuals to customer service guidelines – creating a personalized interaction that can be up and running as quickly as in a few days. These bots can be informational, personalized, and transactional – quickly addressing the most commonly raised customer service issues such as taking bill payments and finding contact information – while bringing in human expertise when necessary to drive effective customer engagement.
“Providing customer care over 800 numbers is not just extremely costly — it is a poor and antiquated experience for consumers,” says Robert LoCascio, founder and CEO of LivePerson. “Nobody likes waiting on hold. This partnership between IBM and LivePerson marries the technology and services to solve the problem at scale. We’re working with top brands in the telecoms and banking space right now to get this done, moving customer care away from costly, analog voice calls with frustrating hold times and toward consumer-friendly mobile messaging. We’re thrilled to form this partnership. No other company but IBM brings this sophistication of cognitive technology and breadth of supporting consulting and implementation services.”
“LiveEngage with Watson is designed to meet the needs of today’s ‘always on’ consumers and deliver the sort of timely, high quality brand experience that they expect,” says David Kenny, senior vice president, IBM Watson and Cloud Platform. “By combining the power of IBM Watson and LivePerson’s LiveEngage platform, we are accelerating customer service as we know it today by leaps and bounds. This is yet another powerful example of how cognitive technologies like Watson are helping professionals improve and enhance how they interact with customers.”
As business decisions continue to be made with the help of AI, customer care will be no different. IBM Global Business Services, the company’s consulting unit, is providing a set of strategy and implementation services to help companies integrate LiveEngage with Watson as part of their broader business transformation. By building experiences that learn, and adapt, into core processes, companies can deliver better engagement with customers. Together with LivePerson, IBM will operate a Cognitive Care Center of Excellence to enable brands to drive this change at scale.


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Update: And for whatever reason the apps are no longer listed in Google Play.
Google has brought two more of its own apps to Google Play, this time being Contacts and Phone. We've seen Google release a number of its apps, like Google Calendar, to the Play Store for easier updating, and then eventually opening it up to other phones and tablets as well. To start, these two apps will only work on Nexus, Google Play Edition and Android One devices that are running Marshmallow.
While not everyone benefits from this right now, it's still great to see Google push more apps to Google Play for easier updating. If you are running a supported device, you can hit the links below to see the apps in Google Play. We expect that support will expand later after this first release.
Via: JR Raphael (Twitter)


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Smart robots get personal at CES
NEW AT CES
LG has introduced its “next level” Hub Robot at CES in Las Vegas.
Designed for use in a smart home, the model has an ‘anthropomorphic’ design, to help give it a friendly face, can connect to other smart appliances in the home and uses Amazon Alexa’s voice recognition technology to complete household tasks.
It is also equipped with an interactive display that can showcase a variety of information, such as images of the contents of a refrigerator. Additionally, it can be used to set alarms, create reminder memos and provide weather and traffic updates.
The robot is able to interact with its users, including being able to move and swivel into place, and can display a wide range of emotions by showing a face on its display. It is also designed to respond to users’ body language, such as nodding its head when answering simple questions.
But LG’s offering was not the only robot to make its debut at CES this year – it was joined by Olly, which aimed to rival Amazon’s Echo and was described as, the “first robot with personality”.
The desktop robot was unveiled by UK start-up company Emotech. It can control smart-home devices and even offer advice to its users, such as telling its owner to go to the gym.
Users can choose different personalities for their robot and it can learn about its users’ personalities and adapt its character and interactions to suit.
Olly is also able to rise up and swivel around on the spot and it includes a built-in camera to help it better understand its surroundings.
It is due to go on sale later this year.


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Frankfurt-based Blocksize Capital, a leading blockchain technology provider for financial institutions, has become the latest fintech to join Avaloq’s open banking marketplace.
Asia Alliance Bank, multi-awards winning bank – recently awarded “The Best Bank for SMEs in Uzbekistan” by Asiamoney, and one of the leading banks in Uzbekistan, has selected
NYMBUS®, a leading provider of banking technology solutions, today announced the appointment of Bill Hampel to its Industry Advisory Board, effective immediately.
- 19.05.2021 03:15 pm
Monneo, virtual IBAN and eCommerce bank account provider, has unveiled an innovative new look logo and website design this week, as the brand expands across Europe and beyond. With the help of strategy-led design agency fst, the experienced banking and FinTech team behind Monneo worked together to create the rebrand as the firm enters an exciting next phase. Formed in 2018, with headquarters in London, UK, the Authorized Payment Institution is... more
British Business Bank Agrees ENABLE Build Guarantee with United Trust Bank to Boost Lending to Smaller Housebuilders Across the UK
- 19.05.2021 11:50 am
United Trust Bank (UTB) has secured an ENABLE Build guarantee via the British Business Bank.
Wise Joins Temenos MarketPlace to Bring Fast, Low-Cost International Money Transfers to Banks Worldwide
Temenos, the banking software company, today announced that Wise (formerly TransferWise), the global technology company on a mission to make money work without borders, is now live on Temenos MarketPlace.
- 19.05.2021 09:50 am
As part of its activity to support Scale Up Week (18 – 21 May), NatWest has today launched a new flagship programme open to all SMEs across the UK, to help their business grow throughout 2021. Each year a specialised team of NatWest’s Acceleration Managers will host over 200 sessions across the UK, helping 1,400 businesses to scale up.
Modularbank partners with Veriff, adding Identity Verification & KYC Capabilities to its Product Ecosystem
- 19.05.2021 09:39 am
Modularbank, the next-generation core banking platform, today announced a new partnership with AI-powered identity verification software provider Veriff. Veriff’s industry-leading compliance and KYC offering will be added to Modularbank’s product ecosystem as a ready-to-integrate, ‘plug and play' solution.
Deutsche Bank and Silverflow have announced a global partnership to support the bank’s payments strategy. The partnership will include two new payment services, which are expected to launch in Autumn 2021.
Finastra today announced that UK-based property finance specialist, Glenhawk, has selected Fusion Essence Cloud, its next-generation banking solution, to support its growing lending business, by maximizing the operational efficiency of the loan approval and completion process.
- 19.05.2021 08:45 am
first direct has introduced a new transaction details feature on its mobile banking app, making it easier for customers to understand their spending, reducing confusion relating to unrecognised transactions. HSBC announced a three-year global partnership with Bud back in 2019, and this announcement marks the integration of Bud’s data enrichment capabilities into first direct’s mobile app
- 18.05.2021 05:15 pm
Klarna, the leading global banking, payments and shopping service, has today launched a major new nationwide campaign titled #WhyPayInterest. The campaign, which runs across OOH, online, on social media and in print, highlights the difference between buy now pay later products and traditional credit cards in the UK.
- 18.05.2021 02:33 pm
Algbra, a sustainable and values-focused digital finance provider dedicated to bringing an end to community and ethnicity based financial inequality has launched. Founded by Chief Executive Zeiad Idris and Chief Operating Officer Fizel Nejabat, the firm’s mission is to educate, engage and empower overlooked minority communities and facilitate their ability to take control of their finances. Algbra has raised £3.75m in fundraising and is backed... more
Amount, a leading technology provider for financial institutions, today announced it has closed a Series D capital raise, bringing in nearly $100 million of additional primary equity capital from WestCap, a growth equity firm founded by Laurence Tosi, Hanaco Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Invus Opportunities and
The second wave of the pandemic has had a significant impact on the handling and management of cash. This has in turn brought about substantial shift in behavioural patterns among the masses however cash still remains strong. –


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Apple has released version 2.1 of its Apple Store app for iPhone (free). A new “account” feature lets users update their billing and shipping information right from the app. Until now, you had to open a browser to make those changes. Version 2.1 also introduces the app to the Netherlands.
I recently used the app’s EasyPay feature at the Hingham, Ma Apple Store. It felt so much like stealing, that I was compelled to show an employee what I bought before I left. “It’s OK,” she said. “We trust you.”


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TikTok has overtaken Google as the world’s most popular online destination. According to Cloudfare, an IT security company, the viral video app gets more hits than Google.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, the rankings shows that TikTok knocked Google off the top spot in February, March and June this year, and has held the number one position since August.
READ ALSO: Top 10 Funniest Skits By World’s Most Followed Black TikToer Khaby Lame
In 2020, Google was first, while the creator’s app Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Netflix were all in the top 10. According to Cloudfare, it tracks data using its tool Cloudflare Radar, which monitors web traffic.
By July 2021, TikTok had been downloaded more than three billion times, according to data company Sensor Tower.
READ ALSO: TikTok Surpasses Facebook As The Most Downloaded App Of 2020
The company now has more than one billion active users across the world, and that number continues to grow. In China, to comply with the country’s censorship rules, the app is called Douyin, and runs on a different network.
Watch our trending video of the day below;
Photo Credit: Getty


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Microsoft's October launch event in New York delivered a fair few surprises for fans of the four-coloured flag. Whilst the fulcrum-flipping Surface Book somewhat stole the show, the unveiling of the Lumia 950 (and its XL sibling) wasn't short on juicy details.
Sure, Microsoft might have taken a page out of Samsung and Apple’s Guide to Leaks Before a Launch, with a good deal of the dirty details about the new Lumia flagships being spread far and wide across the web, but the real deal still delivered enough to get us talking.
What’s in a name?
Microsoft’s decision to drop the Nokia name on its Lumia lineup was big news a year ago, but it’s taken almost a full cycle for the first proper flagship without the Finnish company’s branding to actually appear.
Sure, we’ve had the Lumia 640 and its XL brother, but the 950 pair are the first true range-toppers to go full Microsoft.
How significant is this? In a world where branding makes your breakfast, the Washington tech giant has to be hoping that the 950 makes a real impact as its first own-brand flagship, not least given its ailing mobile efforts of late.
In reality, with a long line of Lumias (Nokia or otherwise) with decent specs but sub-par publicity in the last year, it’s hard to tell whether slashing the Nokia name from the front of the 950’s moniker will really matter.
A perfect 10
What will matter is the performance of Windows 10, which the 950 (and its larger sibling) will be the first handset to carry.
What happened to Windows 9, you might be wandering? Well, there are various theories for Microsoft’s decision to jump a number, ranging from the fact that 9 is considered unlucky in Japan to a desire to suggest a total OS upgrade away from the ill-fated 8.
Whatever the reason, a lot of weight will rest on the lowly 950’s shoulders: we reckon Windows 10 is a whopper of an interface, but, with the tech world having widely regarded Microsoft’s previous mobile efforts as mixed at best, the lasting life of Lumias rests to a very large extent on whether the 950 can deliver.
And, on paper, the 950 will certainly have the hardware kit to do just that.
Though the 950, like with the 640, has slightly shrunken specs next to the XL, it nevertheless looks like a perfectly capable powerhouse, particularly given how light Windows Mobile interfaces have been in the past, even on middling hardware.
Official specs show the 950 will indeed be running the same rumoured hexa-core Snapdragon 808 chip as the LG G4 – which was anything but a layabout.
Better still, 3GB of RAM alongside it should make for a nicely nippy Windows 10 experience – and with a spacious 3000mAh battery pack inside, you shouldn’t run short of juice too quickly.
We don’t yet know how battery-friendly any software upgrade will be, but a sideways glance at the Lumia 640 XL, which also packed a 3000mAh cell, suggests performance should be pretty good – and there’s always the Windows Battery Saver mode for when it’s not.
As for media-lugging capabilities, the 950 packs 32GB of internal storage with the option to expand via microSD up to 200GB - a refreshing break in the trend of tied-down device space.
Dressed to impress
In the screen smarts stakes, the Windows 10 interface looks sufficiently snazzy on the Lumia's 5.2in Quad HD (2560x1440) OLED display - that's 564ppi, pixel fans.
The 950XL’s 5.7in screen is the one to take the fight to the phablet pack, with the 950 being the more reasonable mobile in terms of size.
That said, Microsoft's press shots suggest that the 950, whilst slim, suffers from a case of heavy bezels that make the handset look larger than its screen size warrants – though previous Lumia devices have made up for this with the sturdy build quality for which Nokia was renowned.
Whether Microsoft will manage to maintain this polycarbonate robustness in a well-designed top-end device remains to be seen, particularly as the sneaky snaps show a potential drop-damage magnet in the form of the camera hump on the rear of the 950.
Shooting for glory
Still, that handset hump should be worth it: the 950 shoots with the same f/1.9 20MP camera as the 950XL, complete with the fabled PureView tech for which Nokia devices were known – making for beautiful low-light snapping.
Lumias have long been known for their photographic prowess and the presence of PureView suggests this is likely to continue.
What’s more, both the 950 and 950XL pack triple LED flash - meaning iPhone 6-like intelligent lighting and an end to blown-out portraits. Early reports reckoned only the bigger brother of the two new Lumias would get the triple, but Microsoft's gifted it to standard-sized smartphone fans, too.
In fact, with the 950 packing the souped-up flash option, it could well make the smaller handset the one to be reckoned with – not least given its 5MP front-facing lens for super-fine selfies.
Say Hello to Windows on Display
What else is coming with Microsoft’s latest mobile mission?
With it now apparently focussing more on mobile software than high-end hardware, this Lumia could be all-or-nothing for the manufacturer – and with the 950’s physical specs matching up pretty closely to those of the latest Android and Apple devices, a lot could come down to the usability facets unique to Windows Phone.
First blow, though, goes to the competition: despite offering Qi wireless charging smarts on the 950, Microsoft has no answer (yet) to Android, Apple or Samsung Pay.
Instead, Cortana will make a return, ready to do PA battle once more with Siri and Google’s upgraded Now offering, alongside an infrared Iris scanner which works with Windows Hello to deliver a Bond-like smartphone security system.
And, if that wasn’t cool enough, the 950 is also packing USB type-C functionality. That’s right: forget fancy eyeball scanners, this Lumia will be one of the first mainstream handsets on the market to pack the next generation of cross-platform ports, in all its reversible, fumble-proof glory. What's more, the new interface means ultra-fast charging - think 50% in 30 minutes. Juicy.
The true show-stopper, though, is Display Dock - a plug-in peripheral which allows Lumia lovers to hook their new 10-powered phablet up to TVs and monitors and use it like a desktop. Far from a half-baked blow-up of your device's display, this is as close to a fully-fledged OS in the pocket as you can get - from Office and Outlook to big-screen 1080p media. You can even pair up with a keyboard and mouse, and continue using your phone as you do so.
Can the 950 save Lumia?
The real question that Microsoft will be hoping to answer with the 950 is whether a good OS and some fancy physical features are enough for Lumia to compete with Android and iPhone.
Specs certainly point to a well-equipped handset that should see Windows 10 running fast and smooth. MicroSD and dual sim (in certain parts of the world), too, might do something to maintain the mobile as an upgrade possibility for wandering media lovers.
But, with Microsoft having already written-off a huge chunk of the acquisition deal with Nokia and its smartphone fortunes well and truly heading towards the proverbial dustbin, the 950 needs to do a lot more than simply shift units.
Instead, if the latest Lumia is not to be the last, it needs to re-capture the vibe that Nokia launched it with: a left-field offering that actually delivers, with an OS and UI that stand out and run well.
One way to do this would be a much clearer branding strategy. Is the 950XL a premium version of the 950, or just a bigger one? Are its specs sufficiently distinct to justify a price hike over its 5.2in namesake? On paper, that's questionable.
Apple might be able to pull off tenuous brand division, but for a manufacturer desperately in need of real renewed interest in its mobile offerings it might be a pretty hard sell. Due for release in November, more than a few breaths will be on hold at Microsoft.


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“My goal is to provide the audience with a timely update on what is occurring in the field of robotics and how new technology might help them improve their businesses.”
(PRWEB) March 09, 2013
St. Onge Co.’s (http://www.stonge.com) Tom Bonkenburg will present a keynote presentation on how robotics will impact the world of warehousing, logistics, distribution and material handling at Supply Chain World North America, April 8 to 10, 2013 at the Hilton St.Louis at the Ballpark in St.Louis, MO.
His presentation, “A Look In the Future: Robotic Supply Chains," examines the changing role of robotics in warehousing and distribution (http://www.supplychainworld.org/na/keynote-sessions.php) is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, from 4:40 to 5:30 p.m.
“Coming developments in the world of robotics, in particular, a dramatic drop in the cost of robots, is an important element that no one can afford to ignore if they are involved in the supply chain industry,” says Bonkenburg. “My goal is to provide the audience with a timely update on what is occurring in the field of robotics and how new technology might help them improve their businesses.”
Bonkenburg will share:
Robotics Update. Update on robotics research and development, offering a peak into what we can expect in the near-term.
Expanding the Vision. Stimulate the audience’s current thinking about how robotics will fundamentally change the way all of us think about distribution centers and supply chain networks.
Preparing for the future. Preparing for the robotics revolution. Robotics will make an impact whether or not those working in the supply chain industry are ready.
Robotic Challenges. The challenge of using robots in the warehouse environment.
Beyond the Forklift. How to get a distribution center manager to understand why the most complicated piece of warehouse equipment should not just be a forklift.
Bonkenburg, a principal at St. Onge Company and director of its European operations, is affectionately known throughout the company as the ‘robot guy’ because of his passion and knowledge of robotics research and automation.
Supply Chain World North America brings together top supply chain experts from across the globe to discuss, share and demonstrate strategies that successful companies are implementing in the industry. Hosting the conference is the Supply Chain Council (SCC) a global nonprofit organization whose framework, improvement methodology, training, certification and benchmarking tools help member organizations make dramatic, rapid, and sustainable improvements in supply chain performance.
St. Onge Company is a world-recognized supply chain strategy and logistics-consulting firm. Its discovery-driven approach brings together the elements of supply chain logistics, engineering, operations and new technology to ensure that a client's supply chain challenges receive customized answers.
For more information about Supply Chain World North America, visit
For more information about robotics or other supply chain issues, contact Bonkenburg at 717-840-8181 or visit http://www.stonge.com.
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April 26, 2019
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. economic growth is running at a 1.1% pace in the second quarter as the gains in exports and inventories recorded in the first quarter are expected to reverse, Morgan Stanley economists said on Friday.
“Our preliminary expectations for growth in the second quarter sees large drags from net exports and inventories after their contributions in 1Q,” they wrote in a research note.
Gross domestic product increased at a 3.2% annualized rate in the first three months of the year, driven by a smaller trade deficit and the largest accumulation of unsold merchandise since 2015, the Commerce Department said earlier Friday.
(Reporting by Richard Leong)


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A rare fifty-year-old Japanese Yamazaki whisky has just become the most expensive bottle of Japanese whisky ever sold. At a price of $468,195 AUD, this latest acquisition shatters the previous record set in May (of this year) by $42,137 AUD.
The auction took place in Hong Kong during the Bonhams Whisky Sale a week and a half ago. The initial projections for this particular bottle were between $313,008 AUD to $417,347 AUD before going home to an anonymous bidder for the significantly higher aforementioned price. Someone obviously wanted this bit of single malt quite badly…
“This new world record for a bottle of Japanese whisky — just a few months after we set the previous one — and the world record we set for Scotch whisky in May demonstrates that the auction market for single malt whisky is in good health.”
The previous record set in May of this year occurred with the auctioning of a Karuizawa 1960 – a fifty-two-year-old bottle dubbed “The Dragon”. “The Dragon” was sold off for $426,057 AUD as the high-priced successor of another bottle of Yamazaki which fetched a respectable $408,135 AUD.
How long before the next record is set?


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This new electric crossover, which will use GM’s Ultium battery packs, will also have an Acura premium version.
- The Prologue will be the name of Honda’s next electric vehicle.
- It will be powered by GM’s Ultium battery packs and will be followed by an Acura model.
- The 2024 Prologue will be released in the year 2024.
- Honda plans to sell 100 percent electric vehicles in North America by 2040.
- Honda has started a communication campaign to engage potential EV buyers.
The new Honda Prologue EV will be available in North America in MY2024 as a highly competitive SUV with the features that Honda consumers have come to expect.
The 2024 Honda Prologue, which will go on sale in calendar year 2024, will be the first product of Honda and General Motors’ EV powertrain collaboration.
It will utilize the same Ultium battery packs as the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Lyriq, which will be released later this year.
Beginning almost a quarter-century ago with the EV Plus electric vehicle (1997), Honda has led the way in bringing electrified vehicles to market in the United States, including America’s first hybrid, the Honda Insight (1999), the Honda FCX (2002), the market’s first fuel cell vehicle in the hands of individual clients, and the Clarity series (2017). Honda will deploy hybrid-electric systems to more core models as it plans for the introduction of Prologue, in order to continue reducing CO2 emissions and bridge customers to the volume battery-electric cars now under progress.
In addition to the Honda Prologue, the firm plans to launch an all-electric Acura SUV in 2024. Based on the company’s strategic collaboration with General Motors, both will use the highly adaptable global EV platform powered by Ultium batteries. Honda also aims to introduce a new generation of electric vehicles (EVs) in the second part of the decade, following a new e:Architecture that Honda will lead the development of.
The Prologue’s size and design are yet to be revealed, but we assume it to be just a compact or mid-size SUV. The Prologue’s engine and platform will be built up of GM components, and Honda executive vice president Dave Gardner stated the “upper half”—its body design—and its interior will be the major points of distinction between it and GM EVs.
The name Prologue was chosen, according to the firm, to imply that it is the first of many forthcoming electric vehicles. In 2024, the Acura luxury brand will add a version of this EV, although the name of that vehicle has yet to be revealed.
Toshihiro Mibe, Honda’s worldwide CEO, presented a goal in April 2021 to attain carbon-neutrality for its goods and corporate operations by 2050, including big objectives for electric vehicle sales. The sales ratio of battery-electric and fuel-cell electric cars in North America is expected to increase from 40% in 2030 to 80% in 2035 to 100% in 2040, according to this projection. More information about the announcement here.
Honda has set sales records for electric vehicles in each of the last three years, and this trend is expected to continue in 2021. Honda has had its best-ever first-half year of electric car sales, thanks to the CR-V Hybrid and Accord Hybrid.
We believe the name is a little hilarious, given that the Prologue is still a few years away; Ford and Volkswagen already have dedicated EV crossovers on the market in the Mach-E and ID.4, and a slew of additional models, like the Nissan Ariya, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6, are on the road.


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The Communications Council, an Australian marketing industry body, has urged smartphone makers to release more NFC phones in the country. “We’re in a peculiar situation in Australia where we are behind the rest of the world when it comes to the rollout of NFC handsets,” said the council’s Iain McDonald, according to TechWorld.
- UK consumers want to set their own contactless transaction limit
- Swiss consumers to get single digital ID
- Boston to introduce NFC and contactless transit ticketing
- UK challenger bank Monzo lets account holders save funds in flexible pots
- Samsung Pay goes live in Mexico


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GOSH has launched a new learning and entertainment platform featuring a host of characters
Source chats to Julie Kekwick, senior licensing manager at BBC Studios, about the opportunities
Source chats to head of licensing, Dean Greasley, and Lorraine Westbury, director of corporate soc
The ambitious licensee is aiming to become the one-stop-shop for all types of licensed headw
Mandy Thwaites and Mat Way both given extra responsibilities following the departure of Rikesh Desai.
BBC Studios’ Julie Kekwick on continuing to invest in the preschool space.
MV Sports has signed for wheeled toys and HTI is ready to launch role-play t
BBC Studios’ Spanish partner Ypsilon secures Clan, plus Bizak as master toy partner for presch
Gaby Dior and Louise Rigby join the corporation as it looks to expand on


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Zuckerberg Denies Plans for Facebook Phone
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO and founder, has tried to be as emphatic as possible to put an end to rumors the company is building a mobile phone.
"We're not going to build a phone. It's not the right strategy for us to build one integrated system... Let's say we sell 10 million units - that would be 1 per cent of users. Who cares for us?", Zuckerberg said after Facebook released a very strong fourth-quarter earnings report.
"We have a billion people using our products and we need to make Facebook really good across all the devices that they use."
"Rather than just building an app that's a version of the functionality that you have today, I think making it so that we can just go deeper and deeper is going to be a big focus for us," Zuckerberg disclosed.
But in his words that doesn't mean Facebook is not "a mobile company" - for the first time ever more people are using Facebook from mobile devices than on the web.
- » Russian Humanitarian Aid Convoy Enters Ukraine's Donbass
- » EP Approves Association With Georgia, Calls Russia to Withdraw
- » European Council Approves Juncker's EUR 315 B Investment Plan
- » Lifting of Sanctions Against Russia Dependent on Ukrainian Integrity - EU
- » EU Slaps New Sanctions on Crimea Targeting Energy, Tourism
- » High Rates, Volatile Rouble Increase Risks to Russia’s Economy, Fitch Says


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New York department store chain buys Design District property
The E.G. Cody building in Miami’s Design District was acquired by a major New York-based department store chain for $16 million.
Jerry Cody and Eduardo Gonzalez, co-founders of the home furnishings company that operates a showroom at the 80 Northeast 40th Street building, sold the property in a transaction recorded on Tuesday, according to Miami-Dade County records. Cody and Gonzalez, as general partners of CGI Studio, owned the 8,025 square foot building for nearly 32 years before Tuesday’s sale. They paid $525,000 for the property.
Miami DD 80 Blue is the buyer. The New York company is tied to Century 21 Department Stores. Century 21 co-owner Isaac Gindi is identified in state corporate records as Miami DD’s managing member.
Bank Hapoalim gave Miami DD an $8 million mortgage for the purchase.
Metro 1 founder and CEO Tony Cho and Metro 1 Commercial executive vice president Tony Arellano represented CGI Studio. Whitehall Realty Advisors brokers Devlin Marinoff and David Spitz represented Miami DD in the $1,993 per square foot acquisition. — Eric Kalis


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IAA Announces Launch of CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Reports
This launch will allow buyers to fully view any available vehicle history report — with no limits or restrictions — paying only when they purchase the vehicle.
IAA Announces Mobile App Launch of IAA Transport
IAA Transport’s desktop solution was introduced on IAAI.com in September 2021 to fully streamline the vehicle transport process with a global branch-to-doorstep delivery solution.
IAA Expands Key Branches Across U.S.
IAA has announced branch capacity expansions across four key markets in Miami, Long Island, Birmingham and Missoula.
IAA Partners with NASCAR on Total Loss Vehicle Storage
IAA and NASCAR have announced an agreement that will enable IAA to leverage NASCAR facilities for total loss vehicle storage after a catastrophe.
IAA Opens Third Branch in Houston Metro Area
Insurance Auto Auctions Inc. (IAA) has announced the opening of its third location in the Houston metro area and the 17th branch in the state to accommodate increased customer needs.
Insurance Auto Auctions Appoints New CFO
With nearly 30 years of finance, accounting, corporate strategy and treasury experience, Vance Johnston brings a diverse combination of high-growth and public company experience to IAA.
IAA Makes Strategic Investments in Location Expansions
The expansions have added more than 110 acres to IAA’s footprint in Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota, New York and Texas.
Insurance Auto Auctions Announces Opening of New Facility in Michigan
Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (IAA), a business unit of KAR Auction Services, has announced the opening of its new facility in Flint, Mich.
CIECA to Offer Webinar on What Businesses Need to Know to Implement CIECA Standards
CIECA will hold its next CIECAst webinar, “Implementing CIECA Standards: Implementation Guide and Appendix C – BMS, Code Lists and Shema Components,” on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 at 11 a.m. CST.
Insurance Auto Auctions Opens New Facility in Wichita
The newly opened branch offers customers more than twice the storage of its previous location, expanded drop zones and an improved vehicle inspection center.
Insurance Auto Auctions Opens Wyoming Branch
With the branch opening in Wyoming, Insurance Auto Auctions is the only salvage auto auction with locations in all 50 states, according to the company.
Insurance Auto Auctions Announces Relocation, Expansion of Mississippi Branches
Insurance Auto Auctions announced the relocation of its Jackson, Miss., branch to a larger facility in nearby Byram, as well as the expansion of its Grenada, Miss., facility.


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The Skoda Fabia received a mid-life facelift last year but that hasn’t stopped the Czech automaker from further improving its supermini offerings.
The motivation behind it is probably to help the Fabia soldier on for a couple more years without losing too many sales to crossovers and SUV — some of which come from Skoda’s own backyard, by the way.
The VW-owned carmaker has announced two new optional equipment packages for the Fabia for the 2020 model year. There’s a new Black package available as of now which provides dark sporty accents.
Those include a black radiator grille taking inspiration from the Fabia Monte Carlo, black mirror caps, and black alloy wheels. The rims come in two different sizes and designs: 15-inch Matone and 16-inch Vigo. LED taillights round off the Black package, which can also be had with an optional black roof.
Also read: 2019 Skoda Fabia Is Decent But Can’t Hide Its True Age
There’s also a new Comfort package available for the Ambition and Style trim levels that’s said to improve both safety and driving comfort. It includes the Light and Rain Assist (automatic headlights and wipers), as well as front and rear parking sensors. The comfort part includes front heated seats and heated windscreen washer jets.
Besides the two new packages, Skoda has added a motion sensor in the key of the optional KESSY entry system that further reduces the risk of someone stealing or breaking into a Fabia. If a car key is not moved for 15 minutes, the radio signal is automatically switched off only to be restarted once the key is moved again.
Note: Regular Skoda Fabia pictured without the Black and Comfort packages


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- Net absorption of 4000sqm-plus industrial assets was over 1,733,000sqm
- Sydney has the lowest vacancy rate at 1.4%, with Melbourne at 1.54%
- Industrial assets have truly recovered from 2020 , said CBRE
Industrial vacancies across Australia has fallen to a historic low of 2.24%, as occupiers continue to take up space equal to inner-city suburbs such as Carlton or Glebe.
Between Q4 2020 and Q1 2021, the net absorption of 4000sqm-plus industrial assets in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth was over 1,733,000sqm. This figure combines both changes in total stock levels and vacant space, which has been calculated for the first time by CBRE’s industrial and Logisitcs teams for the 2021 Industrial Vacancy Report.
2.24% is the total vacancy rate across the five major Australian cities, which represents a fall from 2.95% as recorded back in Q2 2020.
Individually, Sydney has the lowest vacancy rate at 1.4%, which was halved following net absorption of 738,325sqm. Melbourne’s vacancy rate has fallen by 1% to 1.54% thanks to net absorption of 653,365sqm.
Sass J-Baleh, CBRE’s Head of Industrial and Logistics Research, said the report reflects rising demand for industrial and logistics space, which she said is underpinned by stable, long-term factors.
“That includes the structural shift to online retail and its role in creating greater activity among logistics and transport operators, the rise in the need for data centres, and the growth in the non-discretionary retail sector, which supports the expansion of food manufacturing and logistic operators, as well as the demand for cold storage space,” she said.
“More than 60% of the supply expected to be delivered in 2021 and 2022 has already been pre-committed, and therefore we expect vacancy rates to remain relatively low over the next 18 months.”
Sass J-Baleh, CBRE
Industrial Vacancy Rate
|CITY||H2 2020 VACANCY||H1 2021 VACANCY||NET ABSORPTION|
Cameron Grier, Pacific Regional Director of CBRE Industrial and Logistics, added that the market has vigorously bounced back following the pandemic-related challenges of 2020.
“In 20 years, I have not witnessed such vast volumes of leasing enquiry. This has not been restricted to the major east coast markets, either, with South Australia and Western Australia also experiencing record leasing demand,” he said.
“(E-commerce) coupled with the fundamental rethink of how occupiers deal with inventory levels, has created considerable momentum in the industrial and logistics sector in 2021.
“From an occupier’s point of view, the expected tightening of vacancy across all markets means that they now need to start thinking about their moves much earlier to ensure the continuity of their supply chains.”
Cameron Grier, CBRE


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Bronco informs about their new German Panzerkampfwagen II (Flamm) Ausf.E (Sd.Kfz.122)
Bronco Models has announced an US M19A1 Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage Korean War in 1/35th scale and included some very nice options for the modeller.
Bronco Models has announced another Hungarian tank joining the ranks in the form of an Hungarian Medium Tank 43.M Turán III in 1/35th scale.
German Tactical Assault Glider DFS 230 B-1 w/Fallschirmjäger (4 Figures)
Bronco Models has followed through on its promise of a 1/35th scale German Tactical Assault Glider DFS 230 B-1 w/Fallschirmjäger (4 Figures). Inside are the images of this large model.
Bronco Models has released the M1224 MaxxPro MRAP in 1/35th scale.
Vickers Loyd Carrier with 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun
The Carden Loyd carrier was only produced in quantity after the company was purchased by Vickers-Armstrongs in 1927. Bronco Models has now announced the upcoming release of a Vickers Loyd Carrier with 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun in 1/35th scale.
Bronco Models has released news of their latest model in the works, this time it’s a Protze truck towing a 3.7cm Pak 36.
Bronco is promising an interesting 1/35th scale release in the form of a M1224 MaxxPro MRAP. A look at the supplied images certainly look promising to me.
Bronco Models adds another to its cruiser tank series, this time releasing a kit depicting the A9.
Bronco Models are never slow at following up one release with the next offering of the A10 family of tanks.
Bronco announces a new Hungarian Turán II
The new kit from Bronco is a Russian Zil-131V Tractor Truck, a vehicle that has been used to tow the SA-2 among others.
Bronco informs us about their new release, an armoured Krupp Protze Kfz.69 with 3.7cm Pak 36 (late version).
Bronco Models ups the ante by announcing its Cruiser Mk II as a 3-in-1 kit.
Bronco has prepared their new catalogue for 2017-2018, which will surely bring interesting news.
Bronco has informed us of their new model, a Humber Mk.III British armoured car.
Bronco Models adds another vehicle to its Staghound series of kits, as well as a new diorama accessory set.
Bronco Models has announced an Hungarian Medium Tank 40.M ‘Turan’ I for an early release this year. I think you will agree this is a little different as offerings go.
Bronco Models has released news of their next offering to the market. This time around it is a Sturmgeschütz III E on the cold Eastern Front.
Bronco has informed us about their new upcoming release for this month, a 2 in 1 box that allows to build the Czechoslovakian LT Vz35 or the Romanian R-2 tanks.
Bronco Models are very busy at the moment judging by the amount of information coming our way. The latest news sent to us covers a Sd.Kfz 247 Ausf A.
Hot on the heels of the R2, Bronco Models is set to release its successor, the R3p.
A new StuG is coming from Bronco, which is in fact two as the box will allow to build either the 7.5cm StuK 37/L24 or 7.5cm StuK40/L48
Bronco will be offering soon 1/35 Duckbills part 2, for US M4 Sherman Tank T62 Track Link.
Russian Zil-131 Truck (Early Version) with Winch
The Zil-131 has become a very popular subject in 1/35th scale of late, and here we have Bronco Models offering of the Zil-131. This particular model looks to offer the ability to easily and accurately show the hood/bonnet open and has a very nicely detailed firewall.
Bronco will be releasing a Rheintochter anti-aircraft missile this September.
Bronco has informed us about a new set of accessories that will be available soon, German WWII jerrycans and oil drums.
There is a new upcoming StuG III variant from Bronco, the Ausf. D as was operated in North Africa.
Bronco Models has announced the upcoming release of a Carro Armato L 35/c fitted with a Swiss 20mm anti-tank gun. This offering is of course a 1/35th scale offering.
Bronco Models announced 2 new figure kits that will be available on June.
Well there is already claims and counter claims over this announced released of a German Rheinmetall Long Range Rocket Rheinbote RH.Z.61/9 and Launcher by Bronco Models. So I have taken the time to provide decent sized images of the details provided to us.
Bronco has sent Armorama news of their latest product news. The news unusually for Bor Bronco only consists of one new offering, a WWII German Assault Gun Sturmgeschütz III Ausf E (SdKfz 142).
Bronco Models has the 1/35th scale modeller in their sights with the announcement of 3 new models and a set of Sherman tracks. The WWII Russian Heavy Tank KV-122 is bound to be the biggest news of this announcement.
Bronco Models has decided to re-release the Humber scout car with a very nice added bonus to boot. Also available from Bronco Models is another version of the German SWS as a 2 in 1 kit this time.
Bronco Models has announced their February releases. They are Releasing items for crossing a river, machine gunning at night and Airborne Tanks.
Bronco Models have released news of the latest kits out of this power house, this time there are two new offerings available. The first new offering to hit the shelves is the second of the Horsa Gliders, the Airspeed A.S.58 Horsa Glider Mk.II. the second is a Horch towing a 28mm gun, this looks to be a nice combined offering.
Bronco Models has announced a couple of releases for the fans of adding those little touches to dioramas, vignettes and stowage items for vehicles.
Bronco Models has released news of the latest kits in the works from the. These new offerings are a re-worked Comet, Panzer III Ausf A and sWS Flakviering 38, all in 1/35th scale.
Bronco Models has announced a slew of new armour kits in 1/35th scale. The most original of this batch has to be the Tetrarch ait transportable tank.
Bronco Models has very quickly released news of the Horsa Mk II following the release of the Horsa Mk I.
A box has just arrived from Bronco Models with a selection of review samples. Take a look inside and see if it gets your taste buds wet.
Bronco Models has just been in touch with a list of their upcoming releases. This batch covers track sets for the Chaffee, some new armour and soft skins and as proof that Bronco Models is listening an interesting development on the Horsa.
Bronco Models has sent Armorama more news on kits they are about to release onto the market. These two offerings are both going to appeal to fans of WW2 German armour. This time it is a Panzer II and a 35T that get the Bronco Models treatment.
Bronco Models has sent Armorama further details of the upcoming Horsa release. I know that this impending release is generating quite a lot of interest and the further images Bronco Models has sent may answer questions you have.
The Horsa that Bronco Models promised some time ago is now nearly ready for its first flight. We finally get to see some of the sprues that will make up this model.
Bronco Models has just sent details of their latest offerings coming up for release. I don’t have a release date for these models but I can see the two artillery tractors being offered attracting a lot of attention.
Bronco Models has sent Armorama news of their latest kits in the works, their latest black ops feature Current British infantry and three WW2 German offerings.
Bronco Models has just sent Armorama an update on some items announced in March, but they have also updated us on the Mittler Einheits PersonenKraftwagon Kfz early version, which was announced in May last year.
Bronco Models continue their Airborne theme with 2 British Airborne figure sets. Bronco Models has also given the WW2 German fans something to shoot back with. There is also a weapons system for the Modern Armour fan.
Bronco Models has released news of a new product being released, the new kit being a Vercuchsflakwagen Fur 88mm Flak 37 Auf Sonderfahrgestell.


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Companies need to ensure their brands come across as useful, direct and friendly if they want to appeal to children, according to James Erskine, m.d. of specialist marketing agency Rocket.
Jo Fletcher Books, Quercus’ fantasy and science fiction imprint, will publish Derek B Miller’s first sci-fi novel, Radio Life.
Every month, The Bookseller's expert previewers highlight a selection of the new fiction, non-fiction, children's and paperback titles coming out. Here, we share their top picks for October's new releases.
Faber is to publish Helen Oyeyemi's latest novel Peaces, next year
The founders of Children's Book North have advised industry staffers in the north to network as they look to reduce publishing's London focus.
Delegates at The Bookseller Children’s Conference were told to avoid ‘copy and paste’ strategies when trying to diversify their companies. Cynthia Davies, founder of BAME Recruitment, giving the keynote today (1st October), said many companies want to run an inclusive recruitment process but don’t know how to start.
Michael Joseph has won a multi-publisher auction for Charmaine Wilkerson's “dazzling” debut novel Black Cake in a six-figure deal.
Hodder & Stoughton will publish broadcaster Nicky Campbell's memoir One of the Family, which will focus on family, adoption, mental health and Campbell's "miracle dog" Maxwell.
Taylor & Francis owner Informa is issuing £640m worth of Euro bonds as part of its Covid-19 action plan.
Thread, Bookouture's non-fiction imprint, will publish Coconut, a memoir of "belonging, identity and finding home" by debut author Florence Olajide.


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Members of the Cosentino family, on behalf of Cosentino’s Food Stores, have shared $3,000 worth of gift cards with the Lee’s Summit Police Department. The gift cards are valued at $100 each and will be distributed by police officers. Police officers will share the gift cards with residents in need.
In the past, Cosentino’s has contributed a financial donation to the mayor’s Christmas fund. This year, Mayor Bill Baird suggested that the funds instead be used to purchase the gift cards to be shared with the public.
The gift cards were presented to the Lee’s Summit Police Department on Dec. 20.
“To me, it’s role-modeling: it’s telling everybody ‘hey, we give back, we care,’” Baird said, thanking the police department for their service and Cosentino’s for the opportunity to share with the community. He said that police officers sometimes give out of their own pockets to help someone and that this is an even better way for them to help people out.
Travis Forbes, chief of police, worked for Cosentino’s as a teenager, a partnership that Baird said is a great example of how people make a difference in the city.
Cosentino’s Food Stores operates 31 grocery stores in Missouri and Kansas, including two Price Chopper stores in Lee’s Summit: one in Raintree and one on NE Woods Chapel Road.
Based in Prairie Village and founded in 1948, Cosentino’s Food Stores operates 31 area stores, including Price Choppers, Sun Fresh stores, Apple Markets, Cosentino’s Markets, and Market 48 throughout Missouri and Kansas.


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Consumers inconvenienced by having to make an extra trip to the health food store to buy natural baby products can soon look forward to finding these items at their local drugstore, mass and grocery outlet.
NEW YORK — Consumers inconvenienced by having to make an extra trip to the health food store to buy natural baby products can soon look forward to finding these items at their local drugstore, mass and grocery outlet.
Johnson's, the leading mass market baby care brand, which makes Johnson's Baby Shampoo, Bedtime Bath and Johnson's Baby Lotion, will launch a five-item natural baby care line in mid-January with the hope of mainstreaming the category.
Soothing Naturals, the line that Johnson's executives said will be the brand's biggest mass effort in 10 years, looks to be to the mass baby care industry what Burt's Bees, Earth's Best and California Baby are to the natural baby care arena. The line plans to attract consumers who otherwise couldn't afford natural products. Soothing Naturals are priced at about $3.99, and will be available to those who can't buy natural items where they live because few mass stores carry these items. Johnson's executives would not estimate Soothing Naturals' sales projections, but industry sources said given Johnson's strong brand loyalty, the line of lotions, cleansers and a skin balm could generate close to $35 million its first year on shelves.
According to Debra Bass, Johnson's group product director, the market opportunity for natural baby care is continuing to grow at a fast pace. She said the natural personal care market generates approximately $2 billion in sales annually, with expectations of it reaching $3 billion by 2007, representing an increase of 12 to 13 percent a year. Sales of baby items, she said, are outpacing this growth and are realizing increases of 23 percent each year.
"In mass, however, baby has been a sleepy category and we want to wake it up with higher-quality products so moms would want to use it, too," Bass said.
Mass consumers are apparently ripe for these items. According to Johnson's research, about 70 percent of consumers think natural products work well, while 40 percent cite health concerns and their contribution to a healthier lifestyle as reasons for choosing them over others. But, Johnson's found, 70 percent of consumers don't have natural products readily available to them, while the rest said they are too expensive.
Some mass outlet store chains stock natural baby lines, such as Burt's Bees, but Bass said these brands are "much nichier and are at much higher price points. They are not at Wal-Mart or Target. There is a not a mass brand that has glommed onto this [trend.]"With the playing field wide open, Johnson's is targeting a more sophisticated customer, one who wants his or her baby products to do more than get their baby smelling delicious.
"Baby care has been about pure, mild and gentleness. Soothing Naturals is a product that will do something more active in bringing the skin back to softness," Bass said.
Soothing Naturals has been designed to address dry skin, three items are for moisturizing skin and two are for cleansing skin. There's Soothe & Protect Face Balm, Nourishing Lotion, Intense Moisture Cream, Moisture Rich Wash and Hair and Body Wash. The wash products have Johnson's "no more tears" claim, and the balm is safe if a baby accidentally ingests it.
Research and development played a huge role in the making of the line, which explored the differences between baby skin and adult skin. Johnson's developed methods and equipment in its skin care program that could see through layers and layers of baby skin, and turned that blown-up image into a three-dimensional image to study the skin's structure. Johnson's found that 90 percent of moms thought their baby's skin was normal, but clinically, more than 60 percent of babies had signs of surface dryness.
Baby skin also absorbs water and lets it out at a much faster pace than adults. "They lose a lot more water and because of that, they can benefit from moisturizing products and things that help strengthen the barrier," said Susan Nettesheim, vice president, research and development.
Patent-pending formulas contain all four forms of vitamin E, for soothing and protection; olive-leaf extract, an antioxidant; and minerals and amino acids, to help strengthen the skin's barrier.
A TV and print advertising campaign for Soothing Naturals breaks in February, in addition to extensive sampling. Soothing Naturals is Johnson's "first bundle of products for soothing dry skin, but more will come under this platform in the next couple of years," Bass added.
Peter Kim's Los Angeles-based premium denim line has always had its finger on the pulse of youth. This season, novelty is back in a way reminiscent of early Aughts, with studs, lace-ups, racing waxed denim and more. For more highlights if some of the key brands at the Vegas trade shows, go to WWD.com. #wwdfashion (📷: Patrick Gray; Styles by @thealexbadia; Story by @karihamanaka and @marcy_wwd)
"I was driving back on Saturday afternoon from the beach, and I just saw this sign saying 'Skydiving for $95.' And I was like, I can't not sky dive for $95," says Tom Bateman about a moment in Hawaii while shooting "Snatched." #wwdeye (📷: @vsteves; Interview by @ktauer; Styled by @thealexbadia)


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It feels wrong to say that Mass Effect: Andromeda is only a couple of weeks away from release. The game has been hidden away for so long, only shown off in behind-the-scenes features, rather than gameplay trailers, up until a little while ago. Now we’re so close to release that Bioware has teased the Mass Effect: Andromeda launch trailer, which will hit the internet tomorrow – March 10th.
Along with the announcement came a 15 second video tease of what to expect in the Mass Effect: Andromeda launch trailer. It’s mostly just short cuts to various trailers that we’ve seen before, mostly featuring story scenes rather than gameplay. It also has the tagline of “Fight for a New Home”, which fits with the game’s storyline that places players into the new galaxy of Andromeda.
With a whole new setting comes a brand new cast of characters, and some new alien races to learn about, befriend, and possibly more. Yes, Mass Effect: Andromeda is already making the news with its possible lovemaking scenes, which will apparently go much further than we’ve seen before from the franchise. The first Mass Effect actually developed a rather large controversy over its sex scenes, with a particularly memorable Fox News segment that featured the tagline of “Sexbox”.
Mass Effect 2 and 3 had more tame love scenes after that, possibly as a response to the ridiculous controversy. It seems like Bioware is going all the way this time though, so expect more than just awkward kissing and a fade to black with Mass Effect: Andromeda.
The game will be playable at this weekend’s PAX East conference, and we’ll be there as well. If we get lucky enough to go hands-on with the game, expect a full report during or after the show.
Mass Effect: Andromeda hits PS4, Xbox One, and PC on March 21st.


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Scotiabank announced earlier this week in a press release that it consolidate branch operations in a number of islands across The Bahamas as part of a restructuring exercise.
Among the islands affected are Abaco, Andros, Long Island, Paradise Island, and Exuma.
“While we have made the difficult decision to consolidate a number of our retail operations, these changes are necessary for our long-term viability and success as a business.”— Roger Archer, managing director, Scotiabank Bahamas
The exercise, Scotiabank says, comes after a review of its service delivery network and aims to “realign its organisational structure with current revenues, as well as the significant shift in customer preferences”.
“While we have made the difficult decision to consolidate a number of our retail operations, these changes are necessary for our long-term viability and success as a business. We will make every effort during this process, to minimise customer impact, and preserve the employment of affected staff through redeployment, where possible,” Roger Archer, managing director of Scotiabank Bahamas, commented.
In providing a reason for the scale down in branches, the bank said it has observed a decrease in branch traffic in certain locations by as much as 50 per cent as more customers opt for digital banking.
As a result of the consolidation, which will last over a four-month period, Scotiabank will transfer impacted customer accounts to branches on New Providence island.
Scotiabank also plans to ramp up its investments in digital banking technologies so as to provide customers more convenient and robust alternate banking channels, including ScotiaOnLine, mobile banking, automated business (teller) machines, and TeleScotia.
“These help customers to bank safely and securely, 24/7; significantly reducing the need to visit a branch,” Scotiabank added.
Over the coming months, the financial institution will contact affected customers and stakeholders to ensure a seamless transition period. Further Scotiabank informed that it will offer customer assistance to address both general and service-related banking requests, as well as those relating to digital banking.
Following the closures, Scotiabank will continue to operate nine branches across the archipelago, as well as over 70 ABMs — though it intends to increase the number in the coming months.


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Just this morning we covered a new product called AstroPrint, which aims to allow people to wirelessly 3D print objects from their tablets, smartphones, PCs, and laptops. They run on a modified version of a Raspberry Pi, and allow for cloud slicing, gcode creation and organization of 3D designs.
Only a few hours later, PrintToPeer has launched their Indiegogo campaign for a very similar product. They advertise as “Your 3D printer on the web”, and that is a pretty accurate description.
What PrintToPeer does is eliminate all the different software packages that are need for 3D Printing a design. Different 3D printers require different softwares, and then there are additional software packages needed for slicing, and creating the gcode. PrintToPeer creates one easy-to-use interface for doing it all, and these actions are performed in the cloud.
PrintToPeer has also announced a partnership with 3D Hubs. 3D Hubs currently allows people without 3D printers to print objects on 3D printers owned by others in their neighborhood. With this partnership, the entire process becomes a whole lot easier. Instead of having to email files, slice them, and prepare them, the whole operation can be done in the cloud, with a few simple actions, via PrintToPeer.
There is also a free API for developers that are interested in creating apps that can allow for direct 3D printing. Developers can get early access to the API by visiting https://printtopeer.io/developer.
“Designers want to design, not deal with files,” explained Bryan Allen, Smith of Allen Studio. “The PrintToPeer interface allows designers to get back to doing what they do best. Fire and Forget: sending a design to a printer then moving on to the next iteration. In my view a software platform like this is a critical component to mass adoption.”
The Indiegogo project is looking for $15,000 in funding and will run until June 9, 2014. There are many different backer options to choose from, ranging from $10 for having your photo or logo 3D printed, up to $10,000 for a reseller package of 100 Raspberry Pi Kits. A lifetime subscription to the service ranges from $30-$40, and will most likely be the most commonly backed option.
Like AstroPrint, PrintToPeer runs on a Raspberry Pi, and is almost completely open source. It should be interesting to see which of these products ends up taking charge in the cloud 3D printing arena. Early last month, cofounder Tom Bielecki told thecrowdfundnetwork, “Our [crowdfunding campaign] isn’t really for money. Rather, it’s to attract core groups of evangelists. That will get developers interested, and that will bring in the OEMs.”
This is quite obvious, as shown with their very low funding goal ($15,000). It’s a great way to get their name out there, and bring in developers of their API. They hope that people that are developing 3D printers will make sure that they include the PrintToPeer API in their product.
Check out the Indiegogo introduction video below:
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January 27, 2012
Facebook Takes “Clickjacking” Spammers To Court
Facebook and the U.S. state of Washington (WA) are suing Adscend Media, accusing them of a practice called “clickjacking,” which fools users of the No. 1 social network service into visiting advertising sites, revealing personal information and spreading the scam to others.
The lawsuit alleges that Adscend Media has profited more than $1 million per month by using bogus pages on Facebook to whisk people away to other sites. The lawsuit charges that the Delaware-based online ad firm collected money from its ad clients for every Facebook user that was unknowingly being misdirected to a target ad or subscription service.The scheme is also known as “likejacking” because victims are tricked into using the “like” button to perpetuate it.
Paula Selis, a senior counsel member for the Washington attorney general, said this is the first time any state government has gone to court fighting against spam spread by the popular social network.
The WA attorney general´s office and Facebook have also filed two separate claims in federal court accusing Adscend of violating federal and state statutes outlawing misleading or deceptive commercial electronic communications and unfair business practices.
Selis said schemes such as clickjacking have grown rapidly and steadily more persuasive, and that millions of Facebook users have probably been exposed to Adscend´s spam scams.
“Security is an arms race,” Ted Ullyot, Facebook's general counsel, told Reuters during a news conference at the California-based company´s Seattle office to announce the lawsuits. “It´s important to stay a step ahead against spammers and scammers.”
Attorney General Rob McKenna said the state was getting involved because “we´ve brought other cases like this and, more than any other state, we´ve developed technological and legal expertise” in the field of cyber fraud.
So how does the scam work?
Fraudulent Facebook pages designed as “bait” are distributed to social network users as posts that seemingly originate from friends, offering visitors an opportunity to view appealing content. However, the viewing of this appealing content is all dependent on the user completing a series of steps that will supposedly unlock the content, but in reality are only designed to lure Facebook users to different sites, where they are tricked into giving up personal info or signing up for expensive subscription services.
First the victims are encouraged to click the “Like” button on the “bait” page, which then alerts their friends of the page´s existence, where possibly more users get hooked into trying it out. Then they are told they cannot reach the content without first filling out a form for an online survey or offer.
In most cases, the promised content doesn´t even exist, and the user is instead directed through an endless string of prompts taking them from one page to another full of ads and subscription offers. When they are done, they are so far away from their Facebook page, they would need to book a flight to get back to it.
In some cases, a hidden code is embedded in an enticing link on the “bait” page that activates the “Like” button without the user even moving over it.
It may seem unlikely that anyone would click on such links, “but unfortunately they do,” said Selis. While the actual numbers of Facebook users scammed by clickjacking is unknown, she said investigators have determined that some 280,000 users visited the locked pages of Adscend during February 2011 alone. “So we know there are probably millions of Facebook users” exposed, she added.
Andrew Noyes, spokesman for Facebook, said the Adscend lawsuit is the latest in “our pursuit and support for civil and criminal consequences for spammers or others who attempt to harm Facebook or the people who use our service.” Three federal court judgments worth several hundred million dollars each were obtained by Facebook against spammers since 2008, he noted.
On the Net:


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- Reuters, Monday, April 14, 2008 11:15 AM
Legal experts say that a Yahoo-Google search alliance would probably run into more trouble with regulators in the U.S. and European Union than Microsoft buying the Web giant outright. Aaron Edlin, a
University of California at Berkeley economics and law professor warns that you could make a greater case for a Google search monopoly if Yahoo decided to ditch its search business than you could if
Microsoft were to combine the Sunnyvale, Calif. Web giant with its MSN properties.
"The Justice Department would certainly want to take a serious look at that because (a Google-Yahoo
alliance) would mean that a firm that would want to take advertisements or to place advertisements (online) would have only one place to go," Edlin said.
Gregory Sidak, founder of the
economic consulting firm Criterion Economics, said U.S. regulators would likely abstain from blocking any particular deal or joint venture because regulators don't fully understand the implications.
Europe, on the other hand, "poses a larger antitrust risk for any of the (Yahoo) deals," he added.
Read the whole story at Reuters »


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Békési Pálinka, a distiller of pálinka, Hungary's eau de vie, expects revenue to reach HUF 500m this year, up from 427m in 2010, owner and managing director Zoltán Békési told MTI on Tuesday.
Revenue from the company's activities as a wholesaler has stopped falling, while revenue from pálinka distillation is expected to jump, largely because of higher turnover from contract distilling, Békési said.
Wholesale activities generate about 40% of revenue and pálinka distillation 60%.
Békési Pálinka distills about 400,000 liters of pálinka a year.
The company has spent several hundred million forints on investments over the past several years, building a HUF 100m fermentation hall and a HUF 200m visitors' centre.