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- Want to Know the Real Problem With the U.S. Economy?
- Tesla Tanks as GE Eyes Energy Storage Role, Baidu Plunges on Weak Forecast
- MannKind Afrezza Sales Underwhelming Again, Sanofi Reports
- MannKind Relies on 'Death Spiral' Financing to Help Settle Looming Debt
- Government Says Fiat Chrysler Must Offer to Buy Back 500,000 Pickups
Coca Cola Enterprises (CCE) shot higher on Friday on reports the company is in merger talks with two European bottlers of the soda products.
07/31/15 - 12:02 PM EDT
Ikea is making moves to gain control over its raw materials.
07/31/15 - 11:19 AM EDT
European markets were mixed on Friday amid a drop in UK consumer confidence and a mixed bag of earnings on the last trading day of July.
07/31/15 - 07:33 AM EDT
Carl Icahn and Carlos Slim are reportedly interested in Relativity Media, the struggling studio behind films including "Masterminds," with Zach Galifianakis and Kristen Wiig.
07/30/15 - 04:40 PM EDT
If low oil prices persist, even major oil companies could be forced to rethink their dividends.
07/30/15 - 05:10 PM EDT
MasterCard investors may be getting a free ride off the back of Visa's costly reentry into European credit markets.
07/30/15 - 02:51 PM EDT
Last year was big for medical device mergers and things could be heating up again this year.
07/30/15 - 09:52 AM EDT
Defense contractors may make deals to build on areas where they are strong and to shed weaker businesses.
07/30/15 - 09:26 AM EDT
Chemicals maker Solvay is buying Cytec Industries for an enterprise value of $6.4 billion in a deal that will make it the second-largest player in the aerospace composite materials market.
07/29/15 - 03:51 PM EDT
Petstages Inc., a privately held pet toy maker, is looking to secure a private equity sponsor after walking away from a deal with a strategic company.
07/29/15 - 01:57 PM EDT
Visa wants to reclaim its old European business, and investors may see significant cash rewards if it succeeds.
07/29/15 - 11:36 AM EDT
- Tickers in this article:
Industrial investor Melrose Industries plc, made its largest disposal to date through a $5.1 billion deal with Honeywell International Inc. (HON) for its Elster Group SE utilities metering business.
07/28/15 - 03:14 PM EDT


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It has been on the cards for a number of years, as reported by ScooterNova both online and in print, but the sad day has arrived when Scooters India Ltd … Continue reading CLOSED – the final Lambretta factory in the world finally shuts its doors
safety meets technology on the streets Safety air bags as part of rider clothing are nothing new. What is new however is the technology being utilised to operate them on … Continue reading New AirScud safety jacket by Tucano Urbano and In&motion
Sad news today as we learned that the legendary Arthur Francis has passed away. There can’t be many in the world of scooters that do not know his name, the … Continue reading Arthur Francis – RIP
When Innocenti of Milan decided to sell its ‘motor division’ it was soon split in two. British Leyland (formerly British Motor Corporation), whose cars the Italian company had produced under … Continue reading Has Scooters India Ltd finally finished?
Yes folks, edition 23 is about to roll off the printing presses in deepest, darkest Wales and if you've pre-ordered or subscribed by Sunday 13 December your copy will be … Continue reading Scooter Wonderland this Christmas
I've recently been enjoying reading through some old Innocenti update over recent weeks, both to answer a few questions from fellow scooter club mates, and also for an article in … Continue reading Lambretta Innocenti Update Sheets

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In one of the most exciting API product announcements from Day One of APIcon, connected car Platform Mojio presented details of their upcoming cellular device for vehicle analytics and talked through the potential of their API offering.
While still very much in beta mode (engineers at Mojio’s headquarters in Vancouver were updating API Sandbox glitches during the APIcon workshop presentation), the potential of Mojio was captivating an audience of developers fascinated by the potential of the connected car and Internet of Things.
Building on research and intellectual property generated by the company’s initial forays into the electrical car market, Mojio has ended up creating a hardware cellular device that plugs into a vehicle’s diagnostics port. This device — expected to be available in June for around $US149 — will send a stream of data on trip behavior and vehicle analytics to the Mojio platform. From there, developers can access the API to create third party apps that draw on the data.
The end result would be Mojio device customers downloading an app, logging in their Mojio credentials and allowing the app to access their car data for whatever app functionality the developer has created.
The potential is huge. Narayan Sainaney, Co-Founder and CTO at Mojio reeled off use cases that will become possible once the device is being sold on Amazon, GetItNow and via mobile phone resellers:
- “Last mile shopping delivery could be solved. Imagine if you do your shopping and a delivery truck goes through the parking lot and via Mojio you unlock your car boot so deliveries can drop your packages direct to your car,” Sainaney says.
- “The University of Boston has a program called Streetbumps, and developers in other cities are working on the ability for Mojio to identify when a truck passes over a pothole, and sending that data to the city authority so that there can be efficiencies in road asset maintenance costs.
- “You could create realtime weather maps, for example, based off windscreen wiper usage.
- “Imagine data that could be collected from Mojio that could be used as evidence to provide you with better insurance quotes.
- “Or vehicle data that could identify repair problems and send to local mechanics so you can receive potential repair quotes within 5 miles of where your car is having problems.
“There are a lot of niches out there: real estate, truck delivery, insurance, travel expenses. We are here to support you and trying to help you make it very easy to develop against.”
The API is actively being worked on by the Mojio engineering team. “The API has been changing on a monthly basis, based on developer feedback,” confirms Sainaney. “We are moving to OAuth standards for the platform. We have a sandbox environment.”
To get started, developers create an account and outline the app idea that will be created. This triggers an app id and secret key, which allows access to the Mojio API.
Mojio is not planning to manage an app store as part of its ecosystem platform - the idea is that developers will use Google Play and iTunes App Store to commercialize their app products that work with Mojio.
“We will put marketing dollars around showcasing your apps,” Sainaney says. “You publish your apps in the Google and Apple Store. We are focused predominantly on those two platforms for now. A lot of what we do is web apps as well.”
The API Documentation is presented in Swagger: we are trying to play around with interactive documentation.
Robb Lovell, Director of Development at Mojio shares the API development approach: “We are trying to have it so if you are used to REST APIs, there are no surprises. Every REST Endpoint is a Resource. We only use the four verbs. We are trying to use strict REST principles. There is even an endpoint ‘schema’ which will return all endpoints in the API.
“On our roadmap, the idea is to make queries to be MongoDB like in structure for query structure (that is, query by example).”
The API will also let developers store store data specific to their application, that will not be shared with other developers on the platform.
Sainaney points to the OBD PIDs to show what data may be collected via the Mojio from a vehicle’s diagnostic port. OBD PIDs — on-board diagnostics Parameter IDs — are agreed diagnostic standards amongst vehicle manufacturers that identify vehicle metrics. Via the Mojio cellular hardware device being plugged into a car’s diagnostic port, the platform will be collecting as much of this data as possible. This may vary depending on the car manufacturer, so to help explain the data potential, Mojio have created ‘periodic tables’:
Mojio expects 50,000 of their devices to have been sold by the end of this year.
Sainaney explains the data flow from the device to the platform:
“Your developer app is speaking with our platform and not directly with the cellular device. This is because it is extremely hard to scale the platform if one layer of the platform is user-dependent, for example, if bluetooth is not turned on certain data might not be being sent. The platform acts as a relay. So we can scale quite well as a result of that. The other reason requests go through our platform is there is some threshold management to ensure we don’t disable the users vehicle.”
Developers at the Mojio workshop presentation were excited by the potential:
“We are interested in IoT and see a huge potential in all these devices that are measuring data. What’s interesting is where you can figure out what the opportunities are to create innovative applications,” said developers Gabi Zuniga and Ethan Fan.
“We had a basic idea for an application already, but this workshop has raised lots of other ideas.”
Developers can begin using the sandbox API with sample trip data in a vehicle simulator ahead of the device release.


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What solutions can organisations and retailers do to ensure that they are as fully prepared for the peak season as possible amidst supply chain disruptions?
Supply chains are now gearing up in the hopes of not only bringing joy to their customers, but also, to increase their profit margins. For both retailers and supply chains, Christmas is the busiest time of the year, and within the UK alone, consumers are expected to spend around £1bn throughout the festive shopping period, let alone internationally. Due to big discounts, it is predicted that 57% of consumers finish their Christmas shopping during Black Friday, leaving just 43% remaining, to shop, before the big day.
Prior to Christmas, communication between trading partners and supply chains is crucial in preventing product shortages and avoiding late deliveries. By allocating enough supplies and evaluating supplier compliance against shipping tolerances, all inventory should reach its destination in time; and ensure optimum, operational, inventory stocks.
Distribution centres and warehouses have standard procedures in place, to prevent any misplaced items which can often hinder ordering, fulfilment and transportation costs, whilst negatively impacting profit, wasting time and costs on additional monitoring. Using in-depth and intelligent data analysis, retailers can gather structured and unstructured data, consisting of past sales figures, which, when analysed can be used to distinguish potential correlations, which in-turn, can help brands anticipate the big trends of the Christmas season for the following year.
However, forecasting consumers’ behaviour, can be a rather unpredictable science when the festive season is in full swing. Best practice usually dictates that most retailers are expected to hold increased seasonal stock levels, with focus on their best-selling items, to maintain a high level of inventory accuracy, whilst simultaneously ensuring consumer satisfaction, meaning they leave neither their stores, nor their websites, empty handed.
Throughout the peak festive season, within both online and offline shopping, supply chains increase efforts to ensure that they can avoid late deliveries, which can sometimes result in lower profit margins and further charges for both themselves and retailers. When companies monitor their supply chains, and outputs match expectations, retailers, suppliers, and consumers alike, are kept happy. ITM catches up with Dennis van Bodegom, Director Nothern Europe from Shippeo to discover is anything can be done to prevent a Christmas catastrophe.
Why are there supply chain disruptions?
The supply chain is in turmoil, and it could not happen at a worse time. Major brands are already warning of delays ahead of Black Friday (which, this year, falls on Friday 26 November) and Cyber Monday (which falls on the Monday following the main Black Friday weekend, i.e., 29 November). The fallout from the pandemic, a shortage of drivers and containers, and rising costs associated with these problems are stoking fears for the main holiday of the year. Many retailers are advising customers to get their Christmas orders in early, and an increase in online consumer spending is expected to pile on the pressure on freight and shipping links. Add to this the delays in product manufacturing due to worker shortages and slower than usual component production, and productivity in the areas of transport, docking and delivery has never been more vital to make up for lost time.
To see the full article please see our November/December issue here: November/December 2021 Single Issue form – International Trade Magazine (intrademagazine.com)


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Smartphones and other mobile devices sell more than PCs and laptops for obvious reasons because not everybody needs a PC or laptop. Many think that this means decline of PCs and laptops which is certainly not the case because to carry out many day-to-day functions and even business-related functions, you do need a PC or a laptop. The increasing sales of iPads and Android-based tablets made people think that less and less people are using computers, but if the new iPad Pro from Apple is an indication, PCs and computers aren’t going anywhere. They are just changing the way they look. The new iPad Pro tries to be a computer while retaining its qualities as a tablet. Here is the video:
What’s the basic difference between a tablet like the iPad and a computer? A physical keyboard? More hard drive space? A bigger screen? Availability of conventional software applications? All these features are being provided in the new iPad Pro. You can use it as a tablet and you can also use it as a PC or a laptop.
iPads are mostly good for content consumption and basic touching-retouching. When it comes to serious commercial-level work, people still use computers and laptops. Although recently the sales of iPads have gone up, they have been declining. The initial charm has been replaced by familiarity. Besides, every electronics company has its own tablet these days and in many instances these tablets are much better and cheaper than iPads. So Apple would also like to attract consumers who want an iPad, and also a laptop, but they don’t want to carry around two devices. It should be just one device that can turn into a tablet and a computer as and when needed. This is what the new iPad Pro intends to achieve.


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It will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in black, white, blue, yellow, coral and (PRODUCT)RED starting at $749. It will also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary).
Availability begins Friday, Oct. 26, in more than 50 countries and territories. It will roll out to other areas on Nov. 2.
Apple also says it will start selling the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max in countries beyond the original launch territories on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2.


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Hackers have gained access to the personal details of 2.4 million people after cracking into Carphone Warehouse's systems, the company has admitted.
It announced that the IT systems of one of its UK divisions were found to have been breached on Wednesday, having been subjected to a "sophisticated cyber-attack" within the last fortnight.
The division operates the the websites OneStopPhoneShop.com, e2save.com and Mobiles.co.uk. All three of the websites were offline on Saturday afternoon as details of the attack were made public.
The Carphone Warehouse division also provides services to its recently launched iD mobile network, as well as to TalkTalk Mobile and Talk Mobile, around 480,000 customers of which may also be affected.
Carphone Warehouse confessed that the personal data of as many as 2.4 million people may have been accessed by the hackers, including names, addresses, date of birth information and bank details.
The company has sent a letter to anyone who may be at risk via email, alerting them to the situation and providing information on what they can do next. They have been told to notify their bank, and check for any suspicious or unexpected account activity.
Anyone who fears that they might be affected by the data breach should be wary when answering calls purporting to be from the affected websites and services, Carphone Warehouse said.
The company told customers that in the event that they became a victim of fraud, they should contact Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and internet crime reporting centre.
• Three early warning signs that you've fallen victim to identity theft
• Identity theft jump 27pc as thieves target innocent account-holders
Credit card data of 90,000 customers "may also have been accessed", the company said, although this was stored in an encrypted form. Customers whose credit card details have been exposed have been informed by email and told to notify their credit card company.
Thierry Karsenti, technical director at data security firm Check Point, said: "Armed with the data they already have, attackers are likely to try and trick those affected by the breach into revealing further details, such as account numbers and passwords."
"For the attackers, it’s just a numbers game, but it could have serious consequences for customers," he said, adding that "customers should be suspicious of any emails, or even phone calls, that relate to the breach, and should not give away more information".
Customers alerted to the hack on Saturday took to social media website Twitter to air their outrage that Carphone Warehouse had not been able to protect their personal information.
One customer said that Carphone Warehouse had displayed "staggering incompetence", while another said that "you would think companies would get their act together in this day and age".
The data breach is the latest in a series of high-profile hacks that have made the personal information of internet users vulnerable.
More than 15m Britons were put at risk when eBay was hacked in May 2014, and last month, the hack of extramarital dating website Ashley Madison left the details of 37m would-be adulterers in the hands of cyber criminals.
Carphone Warehouse, which is owned by Dixons Carphone following last year's £3.7bn merger, also incorporates Currys and PC World.
Sebastian James, chief executive of Dixons Carphone, said: "We take the security of customer data extremely seriously, and we are very sorry that people have been affected by this attack on our systems."
"We are, of course, informing anyone that may have been affected, and have put in place additional security measures," he added.
The company said that the customer information of Currys and PC World, and "the vast majority" of Carphone Warehouse customer data is held on separate systems and has not been affected.


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If you’re looking to find the perfect pumpkin for your best-ever Jack-O Lantern this fall, take a note.
While things are “looking good” for one Lower Mainland pumpkin patch, seasonal demand combined with hot dry growing conditions this past summer, means there could “possibly” be a pumpkin shortage this fall.
Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch in Surrey only had one day of “measurable precipitation” during July and August, according to Hazelmere’s Shari Tompe.
However, Tompe told Daily Hive that fortunately, Hazelmere has an irrigation system in place to “provide water to our thirsty plants, and grow great crops which are only better because of the warm sunshine.”
But other pumpkin patches in BC may not be as lucky.
Hot dry summers have been the weather trend in the past few years, Tompe noted.
“On our farm we have tried to grow accordingly and have planted pumpkin varieties that don’t need as much water and don’t rot as quickly.”
That being said, Tompe added that customers – whether perusing for pumpkins at Hazelmere, or at a host of other pumpkin patches in the Lower Mainland – shouldn’t be surprised “if the pumpkins you find this year are a little bit smaller than other years.”
For early-bird pumpkin purchasers, Tompe recommends storing them indoors in a cooler space or outside in a covered area like a doorway, until you’re ready to use them.
This will help keep them fresher longer and prevent them from rotting prematurely.


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Element by Team SI, the next-generation dealer website platform, was recently named the first place regional winner in the Best of NAMA Awards. This award recognizes companies and agencies that succeed in creative marketing communications in the agribusiness industry. Element took first place in the website category and was one of more than 1,000 entries submitted in 62 categories across six U.S. regions.
Launching in early 2019, Element by Team SI exists to make website management an easier process for equipment dealers while simultaneously improving the digital experience for dealers’ customers. Though Element is targeted toward equipment dealers, Team SI’s primary goal with the product is to help dealers’ customers, the farmers who are in charge of sustaining and feeding the world. With Element, equipment dealers can easily keep their websites updated and spend more time managing their stores while their customers can expect instant gratification as they look on local dealers’ websites to find the equipment they will need for a successful season.
“When we launched Element, we knew it would be revolutionary,” said Tim Whitley, CEO and founder of Team SI. “We are providing more leads to our clients at a higher conversion rate than our previous solution. We are making it easier for the customer to find whatever they are looking for on the website. We are honored that our data-driven platform won this award, but there is still a lot to do. Since we launched Element in early 2019, we have already made 1,552 enhancements to the platform at ZERO cost to the dealer.”
Team SI developed Element with the data from its previous website platform.
“Customers needed to know which location was the closest to them, yet we were only giving them location names while not providing what all other retailers do in this world - auto location detection and saving of their favorite location,” said Shaun Hartman, Element Director of Web Platform and Support at Team SI. “Our data showcased how users kept going to the search bar in hopes to find new equipment but always took a user to the used equipment pages. We fixed that with Blaze Search.”
As a first place winner, Element by Team SI is eligible to advance to the national competition. National winners will be announced in April at the Agri-Marketing Conference in San Diego, California.
The Best of NAMA Awards are sponsored by the National Agri-Marketing Association, the nation’s largest association for professionals in marketing and agribusiness.


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Social media platforms have been experimenting a lot when it comes to monetization as the traditional method of using advertising for generating revenue isn’t sufficient. Facebook-owned properties started offering shopping features on their platform and now Twitter is also joining the bandwagon.
Twitter is experimenting with a new shopping feature and the company is allowing selected brands to place a “Shop Module” at the top of their profiles. The module links to the company’s products that the followers of the brand can purchase.
This is the first time the social media company is incorporating a shopping feature directly into the profile. Using this new feature, businesses can highlight a few products in a carousel in between the main profile info and their timeline.
Shedding more light on this development, Twitter says, “People talk about products on Twitter every day, so we’re excited about how this early exploration of the Shop Module can build a bridge between people talking about and discovering products on Twitter to actually purchasing them.”
As noted above, the feature is currently limited to only a few brands, which include GameStop and bag-maker Arden Cove, in the United States. A timeline for when the feature might expand to more brands has not been revealed yet.
The company has been focusing on a lot of businesses lately as a “shop” button for tweets was spotted earlier and Twitter has also introduced “business profiles.” Earlier this year, the platform had announced a paid subscription service that gives access to premium features and allows users to charge their followers for exclusive content.


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After flirting with a potential IPO, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (GST) is set to be snapped up by its hard drive manufacturing rival Western Digital (WD) for $4.25bn in cash and stock. The deal would be the largest transaction in the storage industry in more than seven years, and would solidify WD’s position as the biggest hard drive vendor.
Beyond the benefits of consolidated manufacturing and increased market share, the Hitachi GST acquisition provides WD with credibility in the enterprise market, which was the key handicap it had to overcome against its longtime rival Seagate. Wall Street certainly saw it that way, sending WD shares up 14% in heavy Monday-morning trading. (WD indicated that the combination, which is expected to close in the third quarter, would be immediately accretive to non-GAAP earnings.)
We would also note that Hitachi GST’s expertise in enterprise SAS and fiber-channel hard drives was the key asset that led to its partnership with Intel for enterprise-class solid-state disks, and WD will now benefit from having these high-performance NAND flash products in its lineup. In the Hitachi GST/Intel partnership, though Intel manufactures the drives and supplies the NAND flash for the units, the products have Hitachi GST branding and are sold through Hitachi GST’s business partners.
The logic behind that strategy stemmed from the fact that Hitachi GST already had relationships with major enterprise storage and server providers, which would have made it easier for the products to get through qualification cycles at OEM partner sites. With this deal, WD will also attempt to leverage these relationships to build up its market share well beyond the consumer space.


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even crazier designs) what they lack in data speed. Carriers over there are finally in full swing rolling out a variety of 3G networks, though -- EV-DO, HSPA, TD-SCDMA, you name it -- which should make mobile browsing a whole lot more satisfying of an experience when you're headed to that posh Shanghai office with a view. Anyhow, it seems that Alcatel is prepping a WinMo 6.1-powered side slider with 7.2Mbps HSDPA just for China Unicom's nascent Wo network, which is an encouraging sign that Wo's users are going to have decent hardware in their hands to match the blazing speeds. It's got a WQVGA display, AGPS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and pretty much every other modern smartphone amenity, which marks the first time in a long time (ever?) that we've expressed a tinge of envy for a domestic Chinese handset. Wo, Alcatel -- our hats go off to you on this one.
[Via Unwired View]


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Knowledge is the key
Cruising towards zero
Thomas Broberg, Senior Manager, Safety Strategy & Requirements at Volvo Cars, explains how we are working towards Vision 2020.
The circle of life
We use data from real-world collisions and rigorous research and testing to make our cars ever safer. Each new car is built using the knowledge gained from its predecessors – we call this process of continuous refinement and improvement the Circle of Life.
Cecilia Larsson - Senior Director of Volvo Cars Safety Centre
What’s unique is our focus on real lifeREAD MORE
Local cooperation for a global vision
Building the safest cars in the world is not enough to realise Vision 2020 – we collaborate to help plan the safe roads and traffic infrastructure that will also save lives. By working with the Swedish Transport Administration in our home country we have created a model for global cooperation between car manufacturers and the transport authorities.
Opening the doors to the Volvo Cars Safety Centre
Every new Volvo gives you an incredible standard of protection, thanks to the pioneering work of our Safety Centre. We conduct more than 300 crash tests here each year and thousands more using computer simulation.
AstaZero – a new world of safety
Volvo Cars is a partner with AstaZero, the world’s first full-size test centre that simulates real-world traffic scenarios. This state-of-the-art facility – which opened in 2014 – can recreate a huge number of real-life traffic situations and is the ideal place to fine-tune our IntelliSafe technologies. It will play a key role in helping us make Vision 2020 a reality.


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New data from Juniper Research finds that the number of voice assistants used to access smart home devices will reach 555 million by 2024; that’s up from 105 million in 2019. By 2024, the research group expects more than 90% of voice assistants to be used to control smart home devices driven by increased participation from Chinese manufacturers.
Juniper found that voice assistants are an increasingly crucial element in the smart home, providing interoperability platforms that enable seamless control of the whole smart home. The research found that Amazon leads the way, thanks to advanced hub features included in the Echo Plus, heavy investment from its Alexa Fund, and Alexa Skills access; enabling a vast third-party app ecosystem. Recent high-profile acquisitions such as Blink, Ring and eero will further bolster its ability to innovate across the smart home.
Juniper says Google will capitalize on its acquisition of Nest, adding Assistant in a new range of devices such as the Google Nest Hub Max; transforming its proposition in the smart home market. The research group believes that Google’s investment in AI will enable it to add more intelligent and autonomous functions; providing a compelling differentiator. It should bolster this with heavy investment in partnerships to further build out its ecosystem.
Chinese manufacturers are increasingly developing more advanced voice assistants, such as iFlytek, Baidu and Huawei. While current penetration of voice assistants is low in China, Juniper Research anticipates low cost smart speakers will drive usage of assistants in China in the smart home to over 100 million in 2024, from just four million in 2019.
Juniper says Chinese influence will be limited to the domestic market, however, given security concerns around Huawei in the U.S. The sensitive role of voice assistants means they will become the centerpiece of concerns if launched in Western markets, limiting their overall potential.


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Well, a lot of confusion revolves around Libra and Bitcoin has recently been addressed by Facebook Digital Currency Boss, David Marcus. He wrote an official note and emphasized that “Libra is Not as Open as, Say Bitcoin”.
Then What It Is?
Facebook is yet to launch Libra coin – but, yes it is two weeks since it launched the whitepaper of Libra coin. And every day, the word “Libra” is popping up on a new bulletin with striking questions, regulatory oversight, criticizing remarks and sometimes, with a positive & welcome move. In a note, published on July 3rd, 2019 on Facebook, David Marcus who is the CEO of Libra’s wallet Calibra addressed a number of questions and attempted to clear a few misunderstandings about the Libra project.
While answering to a key question “Is this (Libra) really a blockchain? It’s not open. It’s not decentralized!” the social media giant’s blockchain lead explains that ‘it is definitely not as open as, say Bitcoin’. As Bitcoin is a decentralized currency on top of open blockchain technology, according to Marcus, Libra is not as open as Bitcoin’ where anyone can participate in the consensus algorithm. In his words;
While the initial mechanism by which organizations can run a node and become a member of the Libra Association, is definitely not as open as, say Bitcoin, where anyone can participate in the consensus algorithm, the Libra Blockchain is absolutely designed to be open.
Libra Crypto User Won’t Have To Trust Facebook
Facebook understands the principle of open blockchain but at the same time, Libra is said to be on a perimissioned blockchain at its launch. In the meantime, Mr.Marcus confirmed that they’re gradually transitioning to a permissionless state in the future.


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06/14/2010 10:23 AM ET
Twins announce three million tickets sold for the inaugural season at Target Field
Twins currently rank sixth in overall MLB attendance
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, Minn. &neash; The Minnesota Twins today announced that the club has surpassed the three million mark in total advance tickets sold for the Inaugural 2010 Season at Target Field. The last time the team sold three million tickets was 1988, the year following the Twins' first World Series Championship season. The Twins are well on their way to surpassing their all-time annual attendance record of 3,030,672 established in that historic 1988 season.
Through 33 dates during the 2010 season, the Twins have achieved an average paid attendance of 39,001, placing the team in the top six in Major League Baseball. The Twins trail only the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels in average attendance.
"While we've had a record-setting season in terms of ticket sales, single-game tickets are still available for fans who want to be a part of the Twins first season at Target Field," said Paul Froehle, senior director of ticket operations for the Twins.
Tips for fans:
- Ticket inventory is limited for June, July and August
- Fans are still urged to continue checking back often as single-game inventory does become available for various reasons.
- Identify games later in the season during late August and September where more seats are available.
Single-game tickets for the Inaugural Season at Target Field are available at www.twinsbaseball.com, by calling 612-33-TWINS or 800-33-TWINS, at the Target Field box office and at Twins Pro Shop locations in Apple Valley, Minnetonka and Roseville.


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"All the computer can give you is a manuscript. People don’t want to read manuscripts. They want to read books. Books smell good. They look good. You can press it to your bosom. You can carry it in your pocket."
- Ray Bradbury
- BookCrossing is getting a mobile-friendly makeover!
- News from the RABCK forum: 2018 Secret Santa
- News from the Store: we're going green!
- News from the Store: Vacation time
- Welcome back, Friendly BookCrossing Alert Robot


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While the domestic game meat market is worth £130m, the overseas game meat market is worth just £7m, according to figures from the Department for International Trade.
Shooting organisations said they expected this figure to grow, and called for more to be done to promote game meat abroad, ensuring UK producers can compete on an even footing with those from the EU.
Countryside Alliance head of campaigns, Liam Stokes, saod: “The Minister’s comments once again highlight the need for credibly enforced shoot standards. We know that British game is some of the most sustainable meat there is, and if we want to grow the export market, we need to be able to demonstrate that through the trustworthy auditing process the British Game Alliance provides for their members.”
British Game Alliance managing director, Tom Adams, said: “The key to increasing demand for game at home and abroad is through producing a high-quality product at reasonable prices. The Minister’s response clearly shows that high standards are not just important to consumers but are also central to the Government’s approach to boosting exports of British food and drink. It is essential that shoots and game producers adhere to high standards if we want to see a healthy game market and the BGA is working hard to achieve that.”


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Common-sense needed in litter and recycling debate
With a decision on a national beverage container solution only weeks away, the Australian Beverages Council has called for common-sense to prevail in the decision making process.
With the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting to decide a national approach to litter and recycling in early December, the Australian Beverages Council has once again warned of the impact that the Greens’ proposed drink container deposit scheme would have on the cost of living for families.
“If a national container deposit scheme was introduced there would be an overnight tax on every can or bottle of drink purchased – from milk to water, juice and beer. This will add an additional $300 to the annual shop for households at a time when they’re already doing it tough,” said Australian Beverages Council CEO, Mr Geoff Parker.
“This green tax on drinks will hit families already doing the right thing and recycling their containers through their kerbside bin. It is unfair, unnecessary and will also hurt small manufacturers who are already under acute pressure”.
“The Greens like to pretend container deposits are free – but in fact a scheme would have twice the inflationary impact on the average family’s shop as the carbon tax.”
“Our members strongly support further initiatives to increase recycling and reduce litter and applying a 1970’s solution to a 2013 problem is absurd. We call on all Premiers to be true to their commitments not to burden small manufacturers with further costs, green regulation and taxes, and avoid adding to cost of living pressures. “
“Other states should follow the lead set by Queensland and instead embrace the far more efficient industry alternative that will not cost families a cent,” Mr Parker said.
“We are encouraged that many Ministers are on the record as saying they would not adopt any scheme that was not cost effective nor increased the cost of living to the community. On any objective analysis – including COAG’s own calculations – container deposit schemes fail these criteria” Mr Parker said.
To ensure Australians understand what’s at stake, the Australian Beverages Council has today launched an advertising campaign that highlights what this will cost the average household.
“We believe this issue is important and that is why we have increased our efforts to educate the public on the cost and inconvenience of a national container deposit scheme,” Mr Parker added.
Alternative plans to improve recycling rates being proposed by industry are 28 times less expensive and include significant funding to community groups and local governments to clean up litter hot spots, and more importantly, keep them clean into the future.
The Australian Beverages Council is one of a number of peak industry associations, including the Australian Food and Grocery Council, the Brewers Association of Australia and New Zealand, the Australian National Retailers Association, the Winemaker’s Federation of Australia and the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores, who oppose the container tax.
To find out more visit www.nodrinkcontainertax.org.au
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Beverages Council
Mobile: 0407 646 195
The Australian Beverages Council is the peak industry voice representing the interests of the manufacturers, distributors and importers of non-alcoholic beverages. Its members include many small and medium sized businesses across all parts of the country. The range of beverages, produced by members includes carbonated diet and regular soft drinks, sports and isotonic drinks, bottled and packaged waters, fruit juice drinks, cordials and iced teas.


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When you were a high school junior, were you managing an international company with a trading partner in Asia?
Sixteen Connecticut students — along with 20 peers from Shanghai, China — flushed out their business plan this week for a venture they will run as a part of the Junior Achievement Global Connection this coming year.
The local students, most from Wallingford, will import a product from China to sell in their community. They will also export a product to Shanghai for the Chinese students to sell. They hammered out the details this week as the Chinese students visited, and toured the state.
"The heart of this program is about having students from China, students from the U.S. come together and create a venture," said Lou Golden, president of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England. "The mission of JA is to prepare and inspire young people to be successful in the global economy, and there's no better example of that than this program."
On Thursday, the students gathered at the Junior Achievement office in Hartford and discussed what products they should trade.
Suggestions ranged from a portable clothesline to a microplush blanket with school logos and colors. There were concerns over product demand, sturdiness and competition. After a round of questions and research, they voted on the final products.
"We decided to import a silicone adhesive that triples as a stand for your phone, an earphone holder — so they don't get tangled — and a card holder or cash-clip, depending on what you want to use," said Braydon Mingo, who will be a junior at Mark T. Sheehan High School in Wallingford. "People in America are always looking for more conveniences, especially when it comes to your phones. It's aesthetically pleasing, it's fashionable, it comes in many different colors, it's not bulky and it has its functions."
"It's very useful, and it's, I think, very pretty," said Chinese student Piper Wang.
And to China, the students decided fitness watches were the way to go.
"Fitness is an increasing demand across the world, especially in China," said fellow Sheehan junior Linus Koepfer. "We found a product that's made in America. ... It's a lot cheaper than most of the alternatives out there. It's in the 10s or 20s of dollars, as opposed to up to $100."
The program kicked off Monday at the Capitol, where the students heard speeches by officials from sponsoring company United Technologies Corp. as well as Sen. Richard Blumenthal, in the House of Representatives' chamber.
Later in the week, both the American and Chinese students were given a tour of a few Connecticut highlights, including a trip to Lake Compounce, a Rock Cats baseball game and a tour of UTC's Otis Elevator test and research facility in Bristol.
At Otis, students donned hard hats and had a demonstration on how elevators work, complete with a view of advanced testing labs and a ride up the test tower. Otis is one of the most active U.S. industrial brands in China's rapidly growing cities.
The multiyear program, funded primarily by UTC, began in 2013, but this is the first to trade goods.
"These students will learn a lot more, because the companies are already international and importing and exporting with each other," said Kevin Carnale, a participant in 2013, now an intern at Junior Achievement.
With the products in place, the next step will be following through with sales — far from an easy task. The teens spent Friday researching and coming up with a sound business strategy
"We're planning on selling it primarily in school," Koepfer said. "I know Lyman Hall [in Wallingford] has a dedicated school store — as far as I'm aware — that they will sell it in. We don't have one, but we'll be able to set up a stand in a very popular area in the school and sell it maybe during lunch breaks or in between classes."
At the end of the school year, the students will reconvene to discuss their progress — in Shanghai.
The ventures will function just like any other business. Once trading starts, students will have to alter their strategies and marketing based on the successes or failures they might experience.
"We think that we can gauge a pretty high demand with good marketing," Mingo said. "That's what we're going to work at — hyping this product up and delivering on it."
Courant Photographer John Woike contributed to this story


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It’s Friday, so that means it’s time to catch up with MonsterVine in the weekly news round-up.
Journey released to positive feedback from both reviewers and consumers alike. Check out Diego Escala’s review of thatgamecompany’s latest downloadable title.
We also have a short review of Mortal Kombat Komplete Kollection Edition. Reviewer Trevor Stamp explains why he thinks the Komplete Edition is a must have for those who missed last year’s release of Mortal Kombat.
We have a preview of End of Nations, the new MMORTS from Trion Worlds and Petroglyph Games, so be sure to check that out.
Check out the reviews below:
Check out the preview below:
Check out the news below:


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Adoption of Cloud CRM systems has risen to overtake traditional in-house solutions for the first time ever, new research has shown.
According to the survey of over 600 organisations by Really Simple Systems, 56% are using a Cloud CRM system, compared to 45% this time last year.
Confidence in Cloud solutions has also increased with 72% of respondents claiming to have more confidence generally than a year ago and 80% saying Cloud solutions require less IT support.
Only 15% of respondents admitted to still having reservations regarding adoption of Cloud systems, a decrease of 8% from last year’s figures.
John Paterson, CEO of Really Simple Systems, said: “With many advantages in the reduction of IT overheads, the removal of any system maintenance burden, low capex and the fact that Cloud systems offer business-critical information readily available at all times, from any computer with internet connectivity to provide more flexible working across the business, Cloud solutions continue to grow in popularity as business requirements and attitudes continue to evolve.”
Additionally, the survey showed that nearly two thirds of businesses are using n-house ERP/Accounting solutions (down from 69% in 2011) with 53% of respondents saying they would be confident in switching to a cloud solution when the time comes – a figure 5% up on last year’s 48%.
Paterson added: “For the first time, the majority of businesses surveyed are confident about Cloud ERP solutions. The implication of this shift is positive for the cloud sector as a whole as more as more businesses prepare to switch their business-critical traditional in-house software to reap to benefits of cloud solutions.”


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Wall Street Journal reported that Hapag-Lloyd and Taiwanese carrier Evergreen Marine Corp have separately placed orders to Asian yards for the construction of more than a dozen mega-container ships that would have a combined value of about $2.2 billion.
This reflects the change in the shipping industry, as shipping companies order bigger vessels for transmitting goods. Yet, this could also mean that new orders could experience a decrease in light of bigger vessels presence.
Hapag-Lloyd, allegedly, has placed is orders on yards in Japan, South Korea and China for up to six ships that could each move 23,000 containers. Meanwhile, Evergreen is considering adding eight or nine ships in a deal that may be signed by the end of the summer.
Wall Street Journal’s Costas Paris, noted that in total the combined shipbuilding deals could be worth in excess of US$2.2 billion. If they go through they would widen the gap between capacity and demand on container shipping’s vital critical Asia-to-Europe trade lanes.
Following big orders, in March 2019, COSCO presented the designs of a record-breaking 25,000 TEU vessel following approval from the country’s national shipbuilding company.
Hapag-Lloyd and Evergreen are both members of two of the three major shipping alliances which enable carriers to cut costs through ship and port slot sharing, a consequence of the lingering overcapacity crisis.


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Tuesday, 07 09, 2013
Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
Phone: 859 - 985-5448 X 230
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea will offer visitors free guided tours through the center’s gallery exhibit, “The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea: Celebrating 10 Years,” and the center’s two lobby exhibits, “The Founding of the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea” and “Highlights of the First 10 Years,” on Saturday, July 13, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea: Celebrating 10 Years,” recognizes the works of 52 Kentucky artisans who have exhibited and sold their works at the Center since it opened in July 2003. 2013 marks the Center’s 10th anniversary year, and this celebratory exhibit includes all mediums, from wooden toys to silk clothing, painted gourds, ceramics, folk art, photographs, jewelry, baskets, weavings, turned wood and more.
Photo: Turned bowl by Jack Fifield in the exhibit "Celebrating 10 Years" at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
The center’s lobby exhibit, “The Founding of the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea” shows the history of how the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea came about, from the April 1996 tornado, through meetings, planning, construction and the grand opening in July 2003. A pictorial showcase of highlights from the past 10 years accompanies this visual history.
Photo: The lobby beams set in place during construction, from the lobby exhibit "The Founding of the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea"
These free, guided exhibit tours will be led by Kentucky Artisan Center staff who will talk about the exhibit, the artists and individual works. Staff will answer questions about the techniques and various processes used in the objects featured. This tour will be given at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.
Also on July 13, Luann Vermillion will demonstrate papermaking with recycled fibers and flowers from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the center.
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is located at 200 Artisan Way, just off Interstate 75 at Berea, Exit 77. The center’s exhibits, shopping and travel information areas are open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the cafe open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Admission is free.
Celebrating 10 years in 2013 with three days of events and activities July 19-21, the center currently features works by more than 650 artisans from more than 100 counties across the Commonwealth. For information about the center’s programming, call 859-985-5448, visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kentucky.artisan.center, or go to the center’s website at www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov.
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is an agency in


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It goes without saying that the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) really changed how businesses and their consumers operate. Almost overnight the world saw a complete shift towards the digital world, as stores, wholesalers and restaurants closed to protect humanity. With this came a real opportunity for corporations to get onboard the digital age and make the most of the world wide web.
Distributor Data Solutions (DDS) recognized this shift as a catalyst that would no doubt accelerate and enhance business operations for companies all over the globe and, particularly, take the traditional industrial gas and welding market to a whole new level through digitalization. The power of e-commerce really has the ability to change a business model and a culture within the industry and really set itself up for a successful future as the world shifts towards Industry 4.0.
When it comes to the Utah-based company, product content is the number one priority, a message which became very clear when gasworld recently sat down with Matt Christensen, President of DDS. And it’s that precise focus on content that has led the company to provide technology solutions for the challenges often faced in e-commerce product content and data management.
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Vivo India has launched the Vivo V7+ smartphone in India at a price of Rs. 21,990.
Powered by a Qualcomm 1.8GHZ Octa-Core SDM450 chipset (first in India) with Adreno 506 GPU, the Vivo V7+ features 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which can be further increased to up to 256GB using dedicated microSD expansion slot.
However, the real claim to fame for the Vivo V7+ is the 24 Megapixel front facing camera with selfie soft light (the front screen works as a soft flash for low light selfies), add to that, the front facing camera also has an aperture of f2.0.
The rear camera too is no slouch and comes with a 16 Megapixel sensor and f2.0 aperture.
V7+ has really thin bezels and metal unibody design, making the phone easy to hold and handle, despite the 5.99” screen size. The screen resolution though is a disappointment with 1440 x 720 pixel display, translating into 269ppi.
Considering the phone is being marketed with a high megapixel camera, the absence of even a full HD screen in a phone costing Rs. 21,990 seems like an odd thing in 2017.
On the plus side, this should translate into a better battery backup. The battery capacity btw is 3225mAh and despite the large screen size, the phone weighs just 160gm.
The phone is powered by Funtouch OS 3.2, based on Android 7.1 and also features a finger print scanner and face unlock feature along with AK4376A Hifi chipset for better sound reproduction.
Vivo V7+ will be available at stores across India from 15th of September and can also be prebooked on Amazon India, by clicking here.


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Wholesale platform BigBuy has launched its new connector, which enables selling on Amazon.nl, the Dutch Amazon marketplace that opened its doors in March last year. BigBuy wants to help its B2B customers sell on Amazon.nl without the need to invest in stock.
As a wholesale platform, BigBuy is specialized in supplying many products to companies and entrepreneurs who sell online throughout Europe. Recently, the company announced the launch of its connector for dropshipping on Amazon.nl, which finally launched in March 2020.
The company’s multi-channel integration platform allows sellers to automatically configure and manage their ecommerce, marketplaces and other digital channels. It has now connected Amazon.nl to its platforms, which already features connectors for eBay, AliExpress, Rakuten, Cdiscount and many more popular online marketplaces in Europe. “Thanks to our technological investment and our logistics capabilities, selling on Amazon is now much simpler for any individual to do”, CMO Mario Fontán says.
Selling on Amazon is now much simpler to do.
Retailers who want to start dropshipping on Amazon.nl just need to select the products they want to sell from the BigBuy catalogue, which includes over 100,000 products, and start generating sales without needing to invest in stock.
“With this new connector, sellers can automate the synchronization of catalogs, prices, tracking and orders from one single interface, simplifying the management of their business and optimizing transactions and synchronization of information between Amazon and BigBuy”, the wholesale B2B platform explains.
Retaining ecommerce customers lowers costs and boosts profits. In 2021, customer retention could be critical. “At the onset of the pandemic, overall retail sales were down. But then a major shift occurred, and it was by far the largest move toward ecommerce that we have ever seen,” said Joe McCarthy, director of performance marketing for...
January 6, 2021 7 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Trial and error are an inevitable part of doing business. As entrepreneurs, we find that mistakes are sometimes needed to produce breakthroughs. As the ancient Chinese proverb says about learning from our mistakes, “Failure is the mother of success.” Indeed, there...


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Netflix shares on Monday dropped significantly after the company reported slower-than-expected subscriber growth.
The streaming giant, which has seen user growth slow in the U.S. as it nears market saturation, had been counting on its global push to help it continue to grow at a rapid clip. But Netflix’s international user growth disappointed on Monday when it reported its second-quarter earnings results.
Netflix brought in 5.15 million total new members during the quarter, far fewer than the 6.2 million it had forecasted in April and the 6 million that Wall Street was anticipating. The company had planned to add 5 million international members during the period, but instead added 4.47 million. Domestically, Netflix added 670,000 subscribers. It was Netflix’s weakest quarter in terms of subscriber growth since the first quarter of 2017, when it also missed its forecasts over total net additions.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, in a letter to shareholders, called the quarter “strong but not stellar.” He gave little reason for why the company’s subscriber additions came in under previous forecasts. For the third quarter, Netflix is being more conservative and forecasting net subscriber additions of 5 million — 650,000 in the U.S. and 4.35 million internationally.
Later, in a pre-taped Q&A with Bernstein analyst Todd Juenger, CFO David Wells said that the weakness was “broad” across multiple markets and was not clustered in one part of the world. Hastings, meanwhile, noted that the company had a similar subscriber miss in 2016 and course corrected — even though execs never identified a cause for the unexpected quarter. “The fundamentals have never been stronger,” he said of the current quarter results. “We’re feeling very strong about the business.”
Investors have long valued Netflix, based on its ability to continue to grow its subscribe base even as it has raised prices. But they remain skittish about Netflix’s ability to sustain growth for an extended period of time, and Monday’s earnings report could be viewed as a sign that such momentum is slowing.
Though the company’s other financial metrics were in line with analysts expectations, the subscriber growth weakness was enough to send the stock down by as much as 14 percent during afterhours trading.
During the three months from April to June, Netflix brought in revenue of $3.9 million and diluted earnings of 85 cents per share. Analysts were expecting earnings of 79 cents per share and revenue of $3.9 billion during the second quarter.
In his shareholder letter, Hastings touted Netflix’s recent Emmys achievement. Last Thursday, the company toppled HBO from its post as the most-nominated network with 112 nominations. The exec also praised the success of film titles like Set It Up and The Kissing Booth, which he said have been viewed by “tens of millions” of Netflix members, and noted that “as traditional exhibition focuses increasingly on superheroes and sequels, our on-demand service allows us to serve a wide variety of tastes.”
Netflix shares have surged more than 100 percent since the beginning of the year, boosting the company’s market cap (around $174 billion on Monday) to above that of entertainment and media giant Disney ($164 billion). The companies are poised to duke it out for streaming audiences next year after Disney launches its planned family-friendly streaming service. But Hastings also called out the consolidation in media — including the recently closed AT&T-Time Warner deal and the pending Fox sale — as creating more competition for the streamer, too. “Our strategy is to simply keep improving, as we’ve been doing every year in the past,” he noted in his letter.
Netflix shares, which fell on Friday as investors began to get antsy about its earnings announcement, closed the day up 1 percent to $400.48. Shares were down just under 14 percent during afterhours trading on the Nasdaq.
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The recent closure of Xbox Entertainment Studios by
But now there's some interesting news out of THR that says Microsoft is shopping around Xbox Entertainment Studios to Warner Bros. The media giant is reportedly considering merging XES with the video game network it already has a large stake in, Machinima, though reps for both have declined comment on the possible deal as of yet.
Many may not realize that Warner Bros. even owns a large part of Machinima, but as recently as March 2014, Warners led a $18M round of funding for them. Machinima is often viewed as the "only game in town" when it comes to high profile YouTube video game partnerships, allowing their content creators to make videos featuring game content free from many tricky copyright issues that plague the unaffiliated. Though even their partners ran into trouble during a recent YouTube crackdown on content, and many pointed the finger at Machinima for not doing enough to prevent it.
Machinima is no stranger to working with Xbox, and helped to distribute the last Halo web series, Forward Unto Dawn, which ended up being the inspiration for the new Halo: Nightfall. The deal would potentially allow for more collaborations like that, though with Warner Bros. directly involved, they may look to bring much of the digital content to actual broadcast networks. Halo: Nightfall is already in talks to come to Showtime, even ahead of this possible deal.
It should be noted that
That said, it's easy to remain skeptical about the idea. While streaming services like
An XES partnership with Machinima may worry some, however. The brand isn't exactly beloved these days in the gaming scene, with many content creators coming forward to tell tales of how they've been mistreated in one way or another by a company that feels like something of a monopoly in the YouTube gaming realm. As recently as today, YouTuber Broteam came forward with a lengthy diatribe explaining how his handlers were fired without him knowing, Machinima explicitly told him to change his content from retro to present day, and he wasn't paid an amount that was initially agreed upon in his contract. The story got worse when Machinima Producer RickyFTW started joking about Broteam's complaints on stream, and suggested his contract be extended out of spite. Needless to say, Machinima hasn't won all that many fans as of late, and some would be wary of them partnering with XES this closely in the wake of a possible Warner Bros. deal.
None of this has come to pass yet however, and XES remains in limbo until something official is worked out. One way or another, Halo: Nightfall will at least see the night of day, but Microsoft's other TV plans may be put on hold indefinitely, or transferred to a more traditional media giant.
What should an ideal Game of Thrones game look like?


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AUSTIN, TEXAS, March 20, 2018 - Zero Wait-State and Propel today announced a new strategic partnership that combines Zero Wait-State’s proven Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) implementation services and integration solutions with Propel’s modern cloud PLM software. The partnership will help manufacturing companies to more easily collaborate on product designs, modernize their business systems, and deliver better products to their customers, ultimately resulting in higher revenue, margins, and customer adoption.
Zero Wait-State now provides expert consulting services for Propel, including software implementation and configuration, data migration from legacy PLM systems like Oracle Agile PLM and Arena Solutions, and integration with CAD, ERP, and supply chain management (SCM) solutions.
Steve Porter, founder and CEO of Zero Wait-State, commented, “Zero Wait-State is very excited to be working with Propel and their customers to define and implement best practices for product development and delivery. Propel is a breath of fresh air to the PLM market, and we look forward to helping companies use cloud PLM software to successfully deliver products to their customers.”
Zero Wait-State has also been a pioneer in integrating cloud PLM and cloud 3D CAD systems with their CloudState solution. With their latest integration solutions, Zero Wait-State now allows Propel customers to integrate with virtually any CAD solution, including SolidWorks, Creo and Onshape. Engineers can create and synchronize bills of materials (BOMs) in Propel directly from a 3D CAD assembly, including part numbers and product attributes. Updates to 3D CAD models can automatically create redlines and engineering changes in Propel, which can then be routed for approval.
“Both Zero Wait-State and Propel have always been focused 100% on customer success,” according to Brian Sohmers, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Propel. “Zero Wait-State is an expert in PLM implementation services and integration solutions, and they’re already helping our customers become successful with their new product development practices.”
About Zero Wait-State
Zero Wait-State (ZWS) solutions – both cloud-based and on-premise – power industrial innovation to capture the Voice of the Product, unleash the potential of the Internet of Things (IoT), and optimize Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). ZWS helps you better integrate your design data into your product development and supply chain operations — accelerating innovation, driving revenue growth, and reducing new product introduction (NPI) costs. ZWS’ PLM and IoT products, including internally developed applications, coupled with expert consulting services, provide extensive, proven capabilities for PLM implementation, engineering integration, and data migration; backed by ZWS’ unique Outcomes-Based Methodology and TeamState Approach. For more information, visit zerowait-state.com.
Propel makes enterprise cloud software that helps propel your digital transformation. Propel offers cloud Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Product Information Management (PIM) and Quality Management Software (QMS) solutions that help engineers, marketing, sales channels, partners, customers, and everyone else share all the information needed to get products from concept to customer. Built on the Salesforce platform, Propel’s SaaS-based software helps everyone collaborate better, takes just weeks to get up and running, and can easily scale with changing business requirements. For more information, visit propelPLM.com.
Director of Marketing


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My book celebrates African innovation, and doing more with less. It’s in that spirit that I offer two related predictions for news in 2015: First: A push to target global audiences. Second: Product lessons from “mobile-first” markets.
My first prediction doubles as advice for publishers. Growth is an obsession for all new media companies, and in its simplest form, growth means “new.” Leave aside your millennial acquisition strategies, product tie-ins, and paid marketing campaigns — the newest digital news consumers are in emerging markets.
Global expansion as business strategy is gaining traction: Quartz and The Huffington Post both launched India properties in 2014; Politico is headed to Europe. BuzzFeed is hiring reporters in Nairobi, Lagos, and San Paulo. The New York Times has deputized editors to focus on international audience development and, after 125 years, The Wall Street Journal is committing resources to African bureaus. The wire services have long maintained outposts around the globe, but investment in foreign reporting for foreign audiences is the next step for western media.
I predict that 2015 will see additional expansion into the largest emerging markets where English is spoken — India, Nigeria, South Africa — and eventually, those where it’s not: Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia. For years, North American media salivated over China’s huge population denominator, despite the controlled information economy. It’s smoother sailing in these other countries, with millions of eyeballs, significant print traditions, and an accelerating digital culture. Add to the mix the access-to-knowledge investments from large technology companies like Facebook and Google and you have a massive expansion of the addressable market.
Transposing content and strategy to new markets requires nuance. As a onetime foreign reporter in Kenya, I know the pitfalls of the lone correspondent model. It’s not clear whether global expansion should target western audiences (with famously low tolerance for “passport stories”) or local ones — nor whether western entrants should aim to complement the existing news ecosystem or serve as outright substitutes. Advertising markets also vary in sophistication and saturation. But global expansion leverages the simultaneity that defines modern media. And strong reporting from truly independent media could transform societies where the accuracy (much less freedom) of the press is in doubt.
What’s assured about the entry into these new markets is that the next billion news consumers will be mobile. With an array of devices on which to consume news, ranging from tablets to televisions, wealthy OECD countries have been “pulled” into mobile. Emerging media markets, by contrast, are born mobile first. Four billion people are still offline — but I’ve seen firsthand how data and hardware are becoming cheaper and more abundant. Telecoms and handset manufacturers are planning for a smartphone revolution — it’s only sensible for the media industry to do the same.
As a result of both trends, I predict the character of news presentation is going to converge — on developing, not developed market terms. We’ve seen carrier-independent chat and mobile payments explode on mobile in emerging markets and then make their way to the wealthy world. For news publishers, the product and content lessons learned from serving emerging markets could prove invaluable in the quest to build a mobile experience that does more with less.
Dayo Olopade is author of The Bright Continent: Breaking Rules and Making Change in Modern Africa and a Knight Law and Media Scholar at Yale.
from Nieman Lab http://ift.tt/1Axh2pY


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Financial TimesGoogle Android Market Surpasses 400K Apps: DistimoeWeekGoogle's Android Market hit the 400000 application title plateau, according to Distimo. Apple's App Store got there faster, but Google also pulls a lot of illicit apps, such as the recent Siri for Android title. Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android Market …Android Market Tops 400000 AppsPCWorldAndroid Market catching up to Apple in app numbersmsnbc.comAndroid Market tops 400000 apps, climbing fastRegisterTechCrunch -Washington Post -PC Magazineall 536 news articles »
Quoted from Google Android Market Surpasses 400K Apps: Distimo – eWeek on android market news – Google News
Google’s Android Market has topped the 400,000 active application mark worldwide, reports app analytics firm Distimo. The Android Market has grown at a rapid pace, even with fragmentation issues Google's Android operating system edged out Apple's iPhone operating system for the No. 2 spot in the U.S. consumer smartphone market in the first quarter, research firm NPD Group reported Monday. In September, ’s smartphone and tablet application store, the , surpassed 500,000 total published applications, according to a new report from research firm Research2guidance. Market 3.4.4 (Android 2.2+) APK Whoa there! It looks like you're using an ad blocker, so you'll have to wait 15 more seconds. Please whitelist this site to skip the wait and help us pay for bandwidth, hosting, and other Tags: market, android, download, google, Optimized for the tablet form-factor and 3.0 (Honeycomb), now makes it fast and easy to find awesome applications, games, and widgets for you.


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Google is likely to launch two new Nexus smartphones manufactured by HTC later this year. The specifications of smartphones codenamed Marlin and Sailfish have already leaked. While renders of the 2016 Nexus handsets have leaked before, the actual photo of the device has started hitting the web now.
The reports indicate that HTC’s 2016 flagships will share specifications and differ only based on their display size. The HTC-made Marlin image spotted online by TechDroider confirms the Marlin codename and Android N operating system. The picture posted by TechDroider only shows the screen while the design is yet very much in secrecy.
The photo confirms the handset is Marlin running Android 7.0 Nougat or Android N with latest security patch from Google. The HTC-made Marlin is likely to feature a 5.5-inch Quad HD display with Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset and 4GB RAM. The TechDroider notes the device posted comes with 128GB internal storage. So this could well be a first for Nexus lineup.
While TechDroider claims the HTC Marlin features same 12MP image sensor found on Nexus 6P, earlier rumours indicated that it will be the one found HTC 10. The front camera is said to be an 8-megapixel one. The other rumours indicate that the device will feature metal unibody design and a rear fingerprint sensor with support for Nexus imprint.
HTC Marlin is likely to feature a 3,450mAh battery and a headphone jack. Google could launch HTC-made Nexus smartphone in October which could also be the public launch of Android Nougat.


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Royal Caribbean International is calling out designers to submit their vision of a cruise ship of the future in its first-ever nationwide design competition and stand a chance to win cruise holidays and cash prizes up to SGD $5,000.
Open to tertiary students nationwide till 28 September, Royal Caribbean’s ‘Brainwaves: Reimagining the Future of Cruising’ invites contestants to conceptualize and develop never before seen, innovative ideas for a cruise ship that would appeal to the next generation. Submissions need to showcase futuristic features covering the three key aspects of a cruise holiday – entertainment, activities, and accommodation.
Royal Caribbean, a leading brand in pushing boundaries with the most innovative fleet at sea, hopes to inspire students to give new thinking to a travel category that has been rapidly evolving over the last decade while supporting Singapore’s ongoing drive to instill creativity in its young.
Royal Caribbean’s Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Angie Stephen said, “Cruising has transformed well beyond the basic pools, buffet restaurants, and theatres. Skydiving at sea, robotic bartenders, virtual balconies and smart features are just a few of the latest innovations you can expect today from a Royal Caribbean cruise, and we believe nothing is impossible when it comes to the holiday of the future.”
“Which is why with Brainwaves, we are excited to see what the youths of today can come up with in terms of innovative and creative features, and showcase where their imagination can take them when it comes to the cruise holiday of tomorrow. Our ship is their canvas.”
The inaugural competition has also appointed a local architect and TV host, Khairudin Saharom, as Brainwaves’ ambassador and face of the competition. Mr. Khairudin will also be part of the final judging panel to determine the winning design.
Mr. Khairudin said, “As an architect, I recognize the profound effect good design can have on a space and how people experience it. Whether it is on land or sea, it is important to strike a balance between form and function. I am confident that our young designers will be able to pull together some truly compelling ideas.”
From all the submissions, five finalists will be selected to go forward in pitching their ideas before a judging panel consisting of Royal Caribbean’s senior management and Mr. Khairudin on 15 October. The Grand Prize will feature an Asian cruise for two on Royal Caribbean’s upcoming new ship Spectrum of the Seas and an SGD$ 5,000 cash prize.
To find out more, visit www.brainwavessg.com for competition details, and follow Royal Caribbean on Facebook for regular updates.


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Mercedes-Benz's Flashy SLK350 Comes to India
Image courtesy: Reuters
Since German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz sold around 3-4 SLK 200s a month last year, the company on Wednesday announced the launch of the SLK 350 in the country.
Priced at Rs 61.9 lakh (ex showroom New Delhi), the car will come to India as a completely built unit (CBU) and will be available in petrol version. Mercedes-Benz India sold about 5,819 cars between January and December, 2010, the highest-ever sales figure registered by the company in the country.
This 6-cylinder V-engine roadster has a top speed of 250 km/h. The SLK 350 Merc is a petrol vehicle, has a maximum power of 305 Bhp at of 6500 rpm and a maximum torque of 370 at 3500 rpm.
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Gallagher Group is accelerating its commercial expansion across Australian and international markets with its acquisition of Norton Livestock Handling Solutions in Australia.
Norton LHS was founded in 1989 by brothers Tom and Peter Russ. The company is widely acknowledged for offering Australian-made high-quality sheep & cattle handling equipment, farm gates, and sheep & cattle yards under its family-values brand.
New Zealand-based Global General Manager for Gallagher Animal Management Lisbeth Jacobs says while times are tough right now for businesses and farmer customers, Gallagher is doubling down on its investments into quality products and solutions and premium customer service.
“Through the pandemic and current global events, we have proven that we can continue to supply our farmer customers. With control of the product design and manufacturing processes in New Zealand and Australia, Gallagher was less impacted by Covid-19 lock downs than those businesses that rely on imported components and offshore manufacturing. As a result, we have been able to capture additional market-share.”
Lisbeth says consumers are increasingly looking for responsibly sourced, high-quality protein products and farmers are tackling growing compliance and traceability regulations. Weighing, monitoring individual animal performance and recording data enables farmers to respond to these growing demands, maximise productivity and run more efficient and sustainable farming operations.
“Norton’s Australasian operation and capability is just what we’ve been looking for to continue to support our customers as demand for animal handling solutions continues to grow.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Norton team into the Gallagher family and are excited about what we can achieve together through our combined passion for quality and customer experience.
“Building long term relationships with customers and resellers has always been part of our DNA and in these turbulent times this is proving more important than ever for our customers. People know they can rely on us to walk beside them in tough times as well as the good.”
As another long-standing family business serving the agricultural community, the acquisition of Norton’s manufacturing experience is the perfect complement to Gallagher, and a boost to the growth plans for both brands.
Norton currently holds a strong market position in the South Eastern Australia region. But with Tom and Peter looking to pursue other interests, and as the business continues to scale, Gallagher’s expertise in manufacturing and distribution and international reach will optimise results.
For more than two decades, Gallagher has collaborated closely with Norton. Tom and Peter say that there were just too many synergies between the two companies for this not to be a perfect fit.
“We have a 20-year working relationship with Gallagher, so we knew from the get-go that things were going to work out well when we began discussions.
“Norton has been a part of our family for so long, it just wasn’t an option to hand it over to an unknown. Being family-run just as we have always been, Gallagher will be able to enhance the business values that have been really important to us.
“The exposure for Norton under the Gallagher management is a great opportunity. The Gallagher brand is already well known in Australia and its existing position in the market and established sales channels will help the growth of Norton sales advance quickly.
“In a few years, we’ll be proud to drive past the Norton factory and know that the Norton name, and team, are in good hands.”
Malcom Linn, General Manager for Gallagher Animal Management in Australia says his team is delighted to add Norton’s range of products to its line-up of solutions.
“For over 80 years, Gallagher has led the way in the agricultural industry. This acquisition further cements our commitment to investing in farming products and equipment that make farm life easier and support customers to operate smarter and more profitably.”
The acquisition was finalised on 30 November 2022 at which time the Norton team of around 45 people were welcomed as part of the Global Gallagher family, under Lisbeth’s overall leadership.


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Masters Tournament brings big money to Upstate
Officials: Economic impact is well over $1 million
The historical golf tournament, taking place in Augusta, Ga., is a boost for the Upstate's economy.
Click HERE for pictures
Kelly McWhorter is the executive director for the Greenwood Regional Tourism and Visitors Bureau.
"The hotels and restaurants tell us it’s one of their busiest weeks of the year," she said.
McWhorter explained area businesses, including restaurants and hotels, will see a boost in sales this week.
"Our economic impact here is well over $1 million, and we’re really excited about the opportunity to grow that in the future," McWhorter said.
Greenwood is on the way to Augusta, so McWhorter said business owners are making the most of their location.
"Our area businesses really reach out to the patrons. They run different specials, offer different discounts, golf discounts, even some of our places in town that have nightlife. They're booking entertainment for each night that the Masters guests are here," McWhorter said.
Restaurant owner Kevin Prater said the tournament boosts his business at least 20 percent if not more. Prater and his staff prepared for this week in advance.
"The Masters is pretty prestigious and we want to make sure we relay that same message in Greenwood just like they do in Augusta," Prater said.


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Uptown Messenger (https://uptownmessenger.com/2022/01/before-the-parade-start-mardi-gras-ladders-grace-the-sidewalks-in-front-of-uptown-hardware-stores/)
Zach Brien, Uptown Messenger file photo
Ladders congregate on St. Charles Avenue in 2018.
The children’s Mardi Gras ladders that are ubiquitous along parade routes probably came from a family-owned Uptown hardware store.
Clement Hardware & Variety, Harry’s Ace Hardware and Freret Hardware have long produced parade ladders that allow children to safely see the parades and catch throws.
The parade-ladder tradition has been traced back to the 1940s, according to a 2007 Times-Picayune story. Uptown native Linda Clarke told a reporter that her father, Clarence Francis, came up with the idea of building a ladder seat after she was burned by a flare during an evening parade. Not long after, the DIY retrofitted ladders started appearing up and down the parade route.
“I used to sit in one of these when I was a kid,” said Darren Clement, who co-owns Clement Hardware with his wife, Michele.
Courtesy of Freret Hardware
Ladders outside of hardware stores are an early sign of Carnival season.
Rick Torres, the owner of Freret Hardware, said he began making parade ladders in 1982, when he took over the business from his father, Fred Torres.
The store has been in business since 1938, and always at the same location. “Once Harry’s Hardware closes,” Torres said, “we will be the oldest hardware store in the city.”
The ladders are a product of small hardware stores, which are becoming increasingly rare in the age of big box and online stores. Soon Uptown will be down another ladder-supplier: Harry’s Ace Hardware on Magazine Street is closing in March, to the dismay of the neighborhood.
Before Chicago resident Ann James came to New Orleans with her grandchildren to see Mardi Gras parades, locals told her they needed parade ladders to be able to see and catch beads.
“I ordered two over the phone from Clement’s and they even delivered them to our rental place,” she added. “The kids found the ladders helped them get above the crowd and catch those necklaces and stuffed animals.”
Clement’s has been making the parade ladders for some 20 years, and like Freret Hardware, for safety reasons, they sell the seat section separately from the ladder. And both stores offer the seats in the $70 to $75 range.
The seats come with instructions and the bolts to attach them to the ladders. Harry’s Ace Hardware released a video on Facebook showing customers how to assemble the ladders so that children stay safe and secure.
To make rolling to the parade route easier, the seats have wheels attached to them. The seat sections come unpainted, but custom models are available with purple, green and gold paint and special features for safety and convenience.
Uptown Messenger file photo
Mardi Gras ladders can be bead magnets.
Rick Torres, who used to watch the Krewe of Freret parade roll by his family’s store from the top of a ladder, said of the embellishments: “If we have it and they want it, we will add it to the ladders. This includes a paint job, cup holders, bead hooks and the like.”
Darren Clement, whose father, Fred, purchased the store on the corner of Magazine and State Street in 1980, says he always emphasizes safety precautions when selling ladders to families. “The city ordinance states that they need to be 6 feet back from the curb, so I always tell people that. And that ladders should never be chained together, and children should not be left unattended,” he said. “We want them to be both happy and safe.”
The City Council also approved an ordinance on Jan. 30, 2020, that all ladders, as well as chairs, ice chests and other personal items, can’t be in the public right-of-way such as the neutral ground and the area between the sidewalk and street until, at most, four hours before a parade, and they must be removed at the end of that day’s final parade.
Supply chain issues and the price of lumber have affected this Carnival season’s production of parade ladder seats. However, parade goers are more enthusiastic than ever, and these ladders are already being sold.
Clement said his sales seem to be determined by the weather. “When it’s cold and rainy, we sell fewer parade ladders than when it’s warm and sunny,” he said.
Torres says when they get overwhelmed in-house with orders, they have to contract out the manufacturing. “My first batch of 27 is almost sold out,” he said.
In the pre-dawn hours of Mardi Gras Day, Chief Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and his North Side Skull & Bones Gang reminded onlookers of their mortality and the need to appreciate life and the people around them. For more than 200 years, culture bearers with African and Caribbean roots have beat drums and danced in the streets on Fat Tuesday while spreading a message of peace and love.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to find much peace and love in 2022.
The key to a good Mardi Gras Day is getting up early. There is so much fun to be had — don’t miss a minute.
The all-day Lundi Gras festivities culminate with two spectacular parades, one a study in old-world elegance and another in contemporary opulence. The official starting point for the Uptown parades is Napoleon Avenue and Prytania Street, but krewes line up well in advance.
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The fact that Google is the default search engine in the browser on a laptop or mobile somebody is not a mere coincidence. As happened between Google and Apple.
|Google Search Engine (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)|
As it is known, Google is willing to spend up to US $ 1 billion or equivalent to IDR 13.8 trillion to become the default browser on Apple devices, like the iPhone.
This deal is actually known by accident. Because these business agreements in the trial of a lawsuit uncovered Oracle to Google about the Java technology that is built on the Android operating system.
in copies of the documents that the two companies have also agreed to share revenue-- possible from search advertising - but it was not clear how the percentage distribution.
Knowing this leak, Google and Apple lobbied the court for not itemize their search engine business deal because they are very sensitive to public attention.
Google asked the court to hide the details of the deal, because such information can hamper cooperation deals with other companies.
Regardless of the agreement between Apple and Google showed how Google, which makes printing revenues of US $ 66 billion in 2014, always find a way to close the space for competitors.
Earlier also there were reports in 2014 that Marissa Mayer, Yahoo CEO, his company was trying to become the default search engine on the iPhone, but he did not succeed. (tyo)


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A lack of clarity on mobile apps is hindering the market for in-app purchases, with 37% of smartphone owners shunning the feature, research by Stibo Systems shows.
The data management firm claims a lack of app product details or inconsistent information across all channels where an app is available is the main barrier to in-app purchases, with 47% of the 2,000 smartphone users polled stating that detailed product information is a critical factor in whether to make a purchase on e-commerce sites.
Product details ranked as the main method of boosting usage of online shopping sites, with 30% of respondents rating the importance compared to 17% who said more personalized promotions were the way to go and 14% who rated improved search capabilities.
The rewards for companies that get it right are clear. Stibo found that 32% of consumers who regularly use mobile shopping apps are likely to also buy from entertainment sites, while 24% are keener on grocery and produce sites.
“Consumers want detail and consistency when it comes to the ways in which they research and buy products,” Stibo managing director Mark Thorpe notes. “Only when businesses successfully address this will they be able to offer a solid multi-channel experience.”


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Frankfurt Book Fair: Publishers Seeing PixelsOctober 9, 2007
The is the biggest book event in the world, with a history stretching back to the days of Gutenberg and the emergence of printing in the west. The billing on its web site is true by all accounts — “everyone who is anyone in the industry will be there: authors and publishers, booksellers and librarians, art dealers and illustrators, agents and journalists, information brokers and readers.”
Digitisation will be centre of attention at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair (10 to 14 October 2007), as the world’s largest book and media event focuses on a topic which has become a major priority for the publishing industry.
The programme will examine how all aspects of digitisation – from e-books, e-marketing and Web 2.0 through to online platforms such as Google or Amazon – will impact on the industry.
This trend is evidenced by the increasing industry forays into the digital realm — for example, if you’re already a WOWIO user, you’ve seen this movement first-hand in the steadily growing stream of new books and the publishers embracing its unique, all-digital (and all-free) business model.
As publishers gathered Tuesday for the October 10-14 Frankfurt Book Fair, they heard that free online books funded by advertising are one of the up-and-coming ways to earn a living from literature.
Evan Schnittman, a New York-based Oxford University Press executive giving a briefing on digital books, said US website WOWIO was already in the free e-book business […]
“WOWIO will make a lot of news in the future,” he said.


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The Customs Department of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to expand the facility of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) to allow trusted importers to take imported goods directly to their warehouses or factories without wasting time in testing at ports.
To this end, the Customs Department asked interested companies to apply in April. According to sources in the department, about 30 companies have already applied for the same. Institutions that meet certain criteria from among the applicants by the end of this month will be brought under this facility.
Imported products of the companies covered under this facility will be able to be taken directly to their warehouses or factories without any customs clearance at the port on the basis of their declaration. If necessary, officials of the customs department will go to the factory of the importer and inspect the goods.
It does not require the extra time that the importer has to stay in the port for a testing of the goods. This will reduce cost for importers, which will play a positive role in facilitating trade and commerce in the country.
NBR introduced this method in 2019 by providing the facility to three pharmaceutical companies – Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd – on a trial basis.
However, it has been noted that even after four years, the institutions could not derive much advantage from the measure. The reason was the lack of preparation on the part of the institutions as well as the customs department.
In such a situation, the question has arisen as to whether AEO can be properly implemented after bringing new institutions under this facility.
Asked about past experience in relation to the facility given to the three companies, an official of the customs department told The Business Standard on condition of anonymity that the companies could not start the process in full swing.
"However, the NBR chairman has recently instructed us to solve the existing problems and expand the facility," he added.
Mohammad Enamul Hoque, commissioner of the Customs Valuation and Internal Audit Commissionerate, which oversees the facility, told TBS, "The companies must have their own VAT (value-added tax) software to implement this. But the three companies did not have their own software."
"Again, we did not have the preparation we needed, especially dedicated teams in the customs houses. Now we have overcome those problems," he added.
Mohammad Enamul Hoque now hopes that by solving these problems, this work can be started in full swing by the next financial year.
"About 30 new applications have already been received. At the end of this month, we will be announcing the names of the applicants who meet the conditions," he added.
NBR is giving this facility to trusted traders. It is fixed on the basis of certain criteria. These include having a satisfactory compliance record under the Customs, VAT and Income Tax Act, the applicant being free of guilt for the previous three years, no revenue arrears and the amount of fine, in any case, being less than 1% of the total value.
In addition, the authorised capital of an applicant organisation should be Tk15 crore and the paid-up capital should be Tk5 crore, and the amount of import should be at least Tk5 crore per annum.
According to NBR sources, this will enable companies to ship their imported goods directly from a port to their factories or warehouses. The tariff will be as per their announcements.
"If we have any observations, officials can go to those premises and physically inspect the products. Apart from this, they will also get some benefits," said one of the sources.
If Bangladesh has a mutual recognition agreement with any other country in the world, then the beneficiary will get the same benefit in other countries.
Shams Mahmud, former president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, sees the initiative in positive light.
"If other companies get this facility, it will play a role in making business easier," he told TBS.


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Well, would you look at that. Not long after it was reported that Apple had killed Home Sharing for music in iOS 8.4, the company appears to be ready to bring the feature back to life. As MacRumors points out, Home Sharing for music is now included in the fourth beta of iOS 9 for developers -- sorry, public testers, this isn't for you. Apple's SVP of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue, said earlier this month that his team was working on restoring the feature, even though there was no indication of when that would be happening. But now it's here, so go have at it if you're part of the iOS dev program. Update 7/22: A day later, Apple has released a second iOS 9 public beta that gives you Home Sharing and other fixes from the latest developer version.
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