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When Holoride confirmed off its in-car VR leisure resolution final yr, it was clear the Audi spin-off was planning to show well-known Hollywood properties into interactive 3D experiences that may thrill backseat passengers. Now the corporate is including a bunch of advisors from the film, combined actuality, and transportation industries to bolster its push into .
For those who weren’t already accustomed to Holoride, the idea is genuinely compelling: A number of VR headsets mix with an in-car pc and reside automotive telemetry knowledge to offer interactive experiences that reply to the automotive’s motions. Final October, the corporate provided free rides at Common Studios Hollywood with a Bride of Frankenstein theme, letting a automotive’s passengers blast away at ghosts from a digital coach that matched the real-world motions of the SUV.
Because the coronavirus pandemic stretches on, knowledge is starting to indicate that individuals in “recovering” cities are more and more turning to non-public autos moderately than public transportation for well being causes — a change which may additional choke highways and stretch out drive instances. Whereas that may be unhealthy information for passengers, in-car options equivalent to Holoride might make the expertise extra entertaining.
That’s why it’s forming an advisory board, and its record of advisors is equal components lengthy and spectacular. It begins with Hollywood heavy hitters — administrators Anthony and Joseph Russo of Avengers and Arrested Growth fame — in addition to their accomplice Todd Makurath of Superconductor, an company that’s been working with Holoride for a while. Holoride is including Oculus VR pioneer Palmer Luckey to the group as an advisor on know-how and product innovation, Metaio AR founder Thomas Alt as an AR/VR and innovation advisor, and XR/AI/ML consultancy founder Kathleen Cohen to advise on ethics.
On the transportation entrance, HyperloopTT’s Dirk Ahlborn will help the corporate in mobility business alternatives, whereas Anorak Ventures founder Greg Citadel will advise on funding and monetary prospects. Collectively, the group will add to the appreciable expertise already possessed by Holoride founders Nils Wollny, Marcus Kuehne, and Daniel Profendiner, who’re backed partly by Audi as a minority stakeholder.
Holoride is concentrating on a 2021 or 2022 debut in passenger autos, with a number of pop-up alternatives to showcase the know-how between at times. With the brand new advisory group in place, there’s each chance of compelling content material, completely up-to-date combined actuality know-how, and widespread vehicular help at any time when Holoride programs grow to be obtainable to most people.
This submit by Jeremy Horwitz initially appeared on VentureBeat.
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The advent of processors based the RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) is not just exciting for engineers and designers—open source hardware benefits procurement, experts said.
“Open source does two things for you: it rationalizes price and motivates adoption and investment,” explained Keith Witek, senior vice president, Corporate Development, Strategy, and General Counsel at SiFive, a provider of commercial RISC-V processor IP. “If I charge you too much, you can leave and go to different vendor. I can’t lock you up with proprietary architecture or tools. And you feel like you can invest, because no one can take it away from you. RISC-V takes a big part in democratizing silicon.”
The RISC-V ISA is based on established reduced instruction set computer (RISC) principles. It can be implemented, cost free, for a vast range of applications — anyone can design, manufacture and sell RISC-V chips and software.
For engineers, the open standard collaboration inherent in RISC-V provides opportunities for innovation and efficiency in design. According to the RISC-V foundation, “the RISC-V ISA delivers a new level of free, extensible software and hardware freedom on architecture, paving the way for the next 50 years of computing design and innovation.”
Founded in 2015, the RISC-V Foundation now has 200 member organizations supporting the standard. “The foundation looks after the ISA itself, which is literally the list of instructions or dictionary of instructions that a microprocessor would execute,” Rick O’Connor, executive director of the RISC-V Foundation, told EPSNews sister publication EBN.
RISC-V has the advantage of being a long-standing effort supported by the technology, academia, and research communities. “This is the fifth generation of work being done,” said O’Connor. “UC Berkeley is credited with coining the term for RISC as a method of design back in the early 1980s.”
Open source changes sourcing
Open source hardware is creating a ripple effect, not just in design, but also in procurement. “Open hardware and standards make the procurement job both easier and harder,” said Art Swift, president of Wave Computing’s MIPS IP business (another open-source standard). “In some sense, you always have multiple suppliers since there are lots of people building chips. That’s going to be great for procurement. It’s going to make a much broader playing field and much better opportunity for procurement to work its magic and get the best for the company.”
At the same time, procurement departments will likely be faced with an explosion of new sourcing alternatives. “A large variety of products will emerge, as well as potentially more and different suppliers than have been seen traditionally,” said O’Connor.
The list of contenders in the marketplace will range from young startup organizations to veteran chip providers such as Marvel, Microchip Technology, NXP, Cadence and others. “RISC-V has the promise of allowing a greater variety of products because of the simplicity of the architecture,” said O’Connor. “Further, it has the advantage of being able to tailor purpose-build machines that are architected to handle specific data sets very well.”
While electronics OEMs won’t necessarily upend their approved supplier lists, new products will appear on many bills of material (BOM). “There may be new suppliers you want to consider,” said O’Connor. “There may be some interesting small companies doing something innovative and that’s probably worth looking at.”
The key for the supply chain is to vet new suppliers carefully, said Swift. “Procurement will have the job of sort out and identify the best supplier. They’ll need to look at whether these emerging organizations will be able to provide the support they need.”
For some organizations, designing and implementing specialized chips with very little capital is a real possibility. Other organizations can work with IP development companies. “Available design methodologies and tools allow chips to be made at phenomenal speed,” said Witek, adding that this new reality is what started SciFive on the path of being an IP company rather than a chip company. “It’s more than just a better way of making chips. It has the potential to better control the user experience of their products and put chips that meet their own needs to market.”
Better buying position
Further, a RISC-V based processor reduces the risks associated with a proprietary processor design. “In the past, you were choosing a vendor which automatically fixed the supply chain,” said O’Connor. “When you choose RISC-V you are choosing an architecture without choosing a vendor and more to come.” It enhances flexibility—and competition, he said. “You actually have a fairly different negotiating position than that portion of the industry has had in the past.”
At the same time, prices on these devices may not decrease dramatically. OEMs will be able to source chips that do more of what they want without the hefty premium associated with specialized products. “Over time, designers will have more choices,” said Tim Morin, director of strategic marketing in Microchip’s FPGA business unit. “As a chip maker, we can provide uniqueness in our product offering and a superior solution, which tends to keep average selling prices (ASPs) up. It’s a good thing for both parties, though: manufacturers of chips get a return on their money and the customer gets an optimized solution. “
For more in-depth insight into technical and business aspects of RISC-V, check out these other articles in this AspenCore Special Project:
RISC-V on the Verge of Broad Adoption: RISC-V’s open instruction set architecture (ISA) aims to redefine how processors get designed by enabling an ecosystem that supports both standardized and customized CPUs spanning a broad application space. Solidifying specifications, increasing adoption, and growing software and development support are helping clear the path to that goal.
Creating a custom processor with RISC-V: The RISC-V instruction set architecture is an open framework that allows design of a customized processor that can leverage tools and software libraries created for the standard versions.
Introducing RISC-V and RISC-V tools: It seems like everyone is talking about RISC-V processors these days, but what exactly is RISC-V and what tools are available to designers?
RISC-V Climbs Software Mountain: The open-source architecture faces a long road through software standards from its beachhead as an SoC controller to use as a host processor.
Can Arm Survive the RISC-V challenge? Arm offers limited flexibility compared to RISC-V or MIPS. No one wants to spend months negotiating license terms under today’s cost and time-to-market pressures.
SiFive Sees Big Year for RISC-V: Startup expects many design wins, new players
Can MIPS Leapfrog RISC-V? MIPS will become a bona fide open-source ISA. But given that MIPS will offer “commercial-ready” instruction sets with “industrial-strength” architecture, hardware developers MIPS would attract are bigger and more mature companies, including current Arm licensees, according to Wave.

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Microsoft buys game developer Activision Blizzard
Microsoft Corp. is buying one of the world’s largest game developers, Activision Blizzard Inc. in a deal valued at $68.7 billion, Microsoft’s press office said Tuesday.
Microsoft will buy Activision Blizzard for $95 a share for an estimated $68.7 billion, the company said after the deal closes in 2023, Microsoft will become “the world’s third-largest game developer by revenue after Tencent and Sony. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will remain in his position.
The companies plan to expand their presence in the segment of games for mobile devices, in particular, to make a mobile version of one of the hits of Activision Blizzard – the game Warcraft. Microsoft said that the game developer has a successful track record of creating a popular mobile application: a puzzle game Candy Crush, since its inception, has been downloaded by users more than 2.5 billion times.
After the announcement of the deal quotes Activision Blizzard on the electronic stock exchange NASDAQ has grown by more than 30%, the price per share exceeded $ 90 compared to $ 64 the day before. Microsoft’s shares have fallen slightly since the trading session on Tuesday, but experts do not link the decline in quotes with the acquisition of a major game developer.
Activision Blizzard is one of the leading video game companies that created, among other games, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Diablo, and Guitar Hero. In mid-2021, it found itself at the center of a scandal over allegations of sexual harassment made against a number of company executives. Bobby Kotick allegedly knew about them and covered up for the colleagues involved in the story. Activision Blizzard paid $18 million as part of a pre-trial settlement of a lawsuit filed in connection with these allegations by the state of California. Some employees left the company, its stock plummeted, and an exodus of players from World of Warcraft began.
Microsoft, which is acquiring Activision Blizzard, is fighting for dominance in the video game market with its longtime rival Sony. The acquisition of one of the leading developers can significantly strengthen Microsoft’s position in this confrontation.


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Toyota Corolla Altis
If you want to do something exciting this weekend, the 2022 Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Cups final round will be on November 19, 2022, at Clark International Speedway.In a press statement, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) said there will be three Circuit Championship classes, along with the Autocross Challenge races, in the long-running one-make racing event. “These race events will feature seasoned and celebrity racers along with influencers and members of the media who will either defend thei
The car that helped spark the hybrid-electric vehicle revolution 25 years ago is now entering its fifth generation.Toyota will launch the all-new 2023 Prius on Nov. 16, 2022 in Japan.Although details remain scarce, the next-generation hybrid will likely carry styling cues from the Toyota Crown hybrid crossover that debuted on July 2022.The front end ditches the pointed headlights of the current model for larger and more traditional units with C-shaped Daytime Running Lights. The side profile, me
You read that headline right – a Toyota Raize for as little as PhP 10,110 a month.Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) announced in a press statement that it is offering a wide range of promos for its popular subcompact crossover throughout November 2022.Those who get the company’s “Pay Light” option, where you give a 50-percent downpayment and pay the balance for 60 months, can get that low amortization for a Raize G CVT.If you need seven seats, TMP said a Veloz G CVT under th
As October comes to a close, you might be thinking whether or not its the right time to buy a brand-new Toyota.If youre not yet sure, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) may have a promo that could 'make you smile.'The carmaker announced in an October 2022 press statement that its 'More Shared Miles, More Shared Smiles' campaign is ongoing until Oct. 31, 2022.Various payment schemesTMP offers three payment options for new-car buyers: Pay Light – 50-percent downpayment, 60 months to pay Pay L
Toyota Motor Philippines unveils its Hybrid Electric Vehicle lineup at the 8th Philippine International Motor Show.Local automotive market leader Toyota is betting on a hybrid and performance display lineup at the 8th Philippine International Motor Show to interpret this years show theme of Mobility + Humanity.Hybrid versions of the RAV-4, Camry, and Corolla Cross, along with the GR Yaris, the GR Supra and the recently launched GR 86 share display space at the Toyota booth. Guided by this years
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD and Toyota are collaborating on a new EV sedan called the Toyota bZ3. In what looks like the production version of the Toyota bz SDN concept unveiled in 2021, the upcoming EV will run on BYDs FinDreams Battery and electric motors. It will sit on Toyotas new e-TNGA pure electric platform.The rear-wheel drive bZ3 will be produced by FAW Toyota, the joint venture manufacturing plant of Toyota and FAW, based on information released by Chinas Ministry of Ind
The Toyota Corolla Altis price in the Philippines starts at P1,014,000. The lowest price is the 2021 Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 E MT, ranging all the way up to the 2021 Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 V Hybrid priced at P1,595,000.
The Toyota Corolla Altis is a popular car to buy as it offers powerful and efficient engine options as well as premium, spacious interiors. Even used Toyota Corolla Altis cars offer the premium driving experience.
We're learning that the 2021 Toyota Corolla Altis is available with continuously variable MT transmission


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Tag Archives: Galactic Adventures
Tue, May 19, 2009 | 17:15 BST
EA has announced that Spore: Galactic Adventures will have downloadable content made available from the wacky Robot Chicken folks.
The content will contain everything from angry yetis, exploding poo, librarians with rulers, and who knows what else from the demented minds of co-creators Seth Green and Matt Senreich.
“We’re big fans of Spore, so teaming up on Spore Galactic Adventures was a natural fit and so much fun for all the guys at Robot Chicken,” said Green.
“We’re all gaming geeks, so when the Spore guys said they had an alluring proposition for us, how could we say no?” added Senreich.
“Instead of creating absurd worlds with toys, this gave us the opportunity to create literally anything we wanted as gamers. Geek moment. We think that RC fans will love the pretty random and absurd adventures we created and we can’t wait to goof around with the ones the fans create.”
The Robot Chicken DLC will be free and launches on June 23 with the game.
Press release is below.
Tue, May 12, 2009 | 10:58 BST
EA has announced four new Spore titles EA – two for the DS and one for the Wii, and the new PC expansion – to be launched this year.
Spore Creature Keeper (DS) should be here in the summer and appears to be aimed at a younger audience.
The next DS title, “Spore Hero Arena” is an accompaniment to the new Wii game, “Spore Hero” which will takes you “on an exciting adventure through a beautiful, colourful world,” apparently.
Then, of course, there’s the PC expansion Galactic Adventures which adds the “adventure creator” enabling players to make their own missions and share them with friends.
Full release after the break.
By Mike Bowden


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Over the course of lockdown the team have been working hard to adjust our priorities and projects to ensure they align with supporting levy payers during November and into Christmas as well as bring new and exciting activities to the city. Please see below a list of projects we have been working on during this time, categorised by our theme groups. You can also read our Winter Newsletter here.
A Greater City Centre Experience
7 day-a-week security
Working with SWL security, GO! Southampton will pilot providing additional security to achieve a 7 day a week cover in December from a 5 day a week service. SWL has now interview personnel and we hope to have new members to our team soon.
Since the beginning on November we have been working with Hampshire Constabulary and Southampton City Council to provide targeted support and enforcement to change the behaviour of prolific members of the street attached community who are committing crime and anti-social behaviour.
The Big City Clean
Working with Southampton City Council the city will benefit from increased cleansing with particular focus on upgrading the heritage assets and retail core as part of the #BigCityClean
COVID Queue Management
GO! Southampton has refreshed the “Be Smart, Stay Apart” floor vinyl’s to aid businesses with queue management outside their business premise ready for visitors return in December.
In collaborate with Solent Showcase Gallery, Solent University and Southampton City Council, 14 new benches, individually designed by local artists will be installed in Above Bar Street as part of a wider public art project, with more to be installed soon.
Installing Christmas Trees and additional Christmas Lights
GO! Southampton has installed two Christmas trees into the city in Bedford Place and at the Bargate. We are also looking to install additional lights in the Bedford Place area in time for the Christmas period. The rest of the city has been dressed with lighting thanks to GO! and Southampton City Council.
Covid Business Champions
GO! Southampton in partnership with Southampton City Council will launch monthly COVID Business Champion Briefings for the latest about the COVID-19 position in the city including an update from the councils public health team.
Lockdown gives us the chance to prepare our newest team member for their debut in the city – a Veloform Cargo Cruiser. This Berlin-built, electric-assist delivery vehicle will assist our rangers, security team and cleaners in helping to keep the city centre safe and clean. It will also carry messaging about the latest BID initiatives.
Small Business Saturday
GO! Southampton has put a spotlight on the city through joining up with the UK Small Business Saturday team to celebrate the fantastic small businesses available in the city. GO! Southampton will have a spot on their Facebook Live digital event over the weekend of 25 November.
Bedford Place activation
To progress on our #SouthamptonInsideOut initiative, we are working on ways to further activate and animate the Bedford Place road closure pilot scheme. We have already had local artists design and paint the bollards situated in the area (in partnership with Solent Showcase and Solent University) and will continue to work with partners on other initiatives.
GO! Southampton has joined with Southampton City Council to install new footfall cameras into the city to help understand how the city centre is performing.
In the coming months, we will be working with partners to bring a schedule of virtual business events, covering a range of topics and areas for levy payers to be involved with. Check back this page, our social media channels and email bulletins for the latest updates.
Business Rates Consultancy Support
The BID is piloting a new free service, in association with leading city surveyor Vail Williams. If you believe you might be paying too much in business rates, or that your rateable value or property description is incorrect, please contact email@example.com. We will link you up to an expert at Vail Williams for a free half-hour consultation.
Southampton From Your SOfa
We are continuing to work with businesses to provide refresh and update our Southampton From Your SOfa pages on the visit Southampton website. These pages give cultural venues in the city a platform to promote their online content to consumers – from virtual events and gigs, to online art exhibitions and educational videos.
Visit Southampton Christmas campaign
We will be launching our Visit Southampton Christmas campaign once lockdown has lifted and Southampton can reopen for the festive season. The campaign will include a dedicated landing page on our website and promotion of Southampton’s offering across digital channels, both organic and paid. If your business has a Christmas offering please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org
We have increased our email bulletin frequency to once a week, to ensure our levy payers have the most up to date information on national COVID guidance as well as updates on BID services and local news. If you are not receiving these emails but would like to please email us at email@example.com


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DTC Expert Alex Koral reviews 2022 developments in the arena
and looks to the future of wine shipping.
Wine Industry Advisor is lucky to count Alex Koral among its regular contributors. Koral, a regulatory general counsel for Sovos ShipCompliant since 2015, actively researches beverage alcohol regulations and market developments to inform development of Sovos’ ShipCompliant product and help educate the industry on compliance issues.
As 2022 winds down, we asked him about where DtC regulations stand now — including proposed legislation, outside industry meddling and related services (such as for spirits and beer) — and where they’re headed. Assuringly (after the past few years of pandemic-related upheaval), Koral sees calmer seas ahead.
Q: What does Louisiana’s move on fulfillment houses suggest about where states might be headed in terms of regulating fulfillment houses and their role in DtC alcohol shipping in the months and years ahead?
Background: In August 2022, the state of Louisiana Administrative Code was updated to define “fulfillment house” as an entity that makes DTC wine (and other alcohol beverages) shipments into Louisiana on behalf of a direct shipper permittee. Under the new rules, fulfillment houses “shall consent to the jurisdiction of the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and the State, and shall file quarterly reports detailing each shipment due.” The law allows a civil penalty of up to $25,000 for unlicensed shipments. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant Oct. 20, 2022)
ALEX KORAL: The recent action by the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) to establish regulations around fulfillment houses involved in DtC shipping of alcohol largely reflects a broad trend among states, but is not a major change or advancement in itself. We saw several states — Alabama, Kansas, Tennessee — add fulfillment house regulations in 2021, and each of them implemented more onerous policies than Louisiana. Indeed, Louisiana tried to restrict the use of fulfillment houses in 2021, taking a maximalist stand that they could not be used at all. That policy was, thankfully, reversed almost immediately. But it was clear that the ATC wanted some way to monitor the activities of fulfillment houses. What they ended up instituting is more in line with the rules for using fulfillment houses in Illinois, placing the registration responsibility on the shippers while also requiring the fulfillment houses to file their own reports.
This signals that there is still clear concern among regulators about who is shipping into their states and how, which will almost certainly result in further efforts in other states to adopt their own fulfillment house regulations. The question, then, is what shape those regulations will take?
Some kind of enrollment of active fulfillment houses and reporting by such third-party logistics services seems to be the developing pattern. That the rules enacted by the ATC more closely resemble those in Illinois rather than those in, say, Tennessee (the main difference being whether the fulfillment house needs only to be listed by their shippers or if they need to apply for their own separate license), might indicate the development of divergent tracks of regulation that other states could take. That’s not inherently a problem, though the prospect of different rules in different states for ultimately the same action creates the risk of confusion.
Q: The ULC’s Alcohol Direct-Shipping Compliance Act created quite a stir in the industry earlier this year. Has it driven any noticeable changes yet? And are industry watchers anticipating any actions in the states as a result of this model legislation being put forth?
Background: In July 2022, the Uniform Law Commission (ULC; an attorney committee otherwise best known for promulgating the Uniform Commercial Code, required reading for every first-year law student and MBA candidate) sent shock waves through the wine business. The bipartisan commission released two draft proposals that require licensing for fulfillment houses and focus on increased access to information about DtC shipments. Analysts, lawyers and pundits quickly predicted that, if adopted, the model direct shipping law offered by the ULC would torpedo 16 years of legal direct shipping. (Source: Wine Industry Advisor July 25, 2022)
ALEX KORAL: First, the ULC is merely an advisory organization and has no legislative authority of its own, so what they issued was guidance that states might follow, but not a valid law in itself.
There has been no action in any state in response to the ULC’s proposed model shipping bill. Frankly, it seems unlikely that it will be acted on by any state, at least in its current form. The biggest sign for that prediction is that essentially everyone was upset with the results, including distributors and other detractors of the DtC shipping market. That does not mean it won’t be picked up, but there is no obvious sponsor in any state to adopt the ULC’s proposed model bill, so it’s unclear what its path forward would be.
It’s also helpful to remind ourselves what was in the ULC’s proposed bill. While it started years ago as a proposal to create a model spirits DtC shipping bill, and then morphed into “solving” the current “problems” within the wine DtC shipping market, it ended up proposing only two general policy positions that states could adopt: 1) regulation of fulfillment houses, and 2) enforcement powers for states to go after local businesses that violate the laws of other states.
As we’ve seen, regulation of fulfillment houses has been happening anyway without any input from the ULC, which leaves the expanded enforcement provision as really the only novel element. However, state regulators are extremely loathe to enforce the laws of other states, so even if such a provision were adopted into law, it’s very uncertain if it would ever be acted on. As such, the ULC efforts are likely to end up more as sound and fury, but result in little actual change.
Q: There was a decline in DtC legislative changes in 2022 as compared to 2020 and 2021. What areas of DtC regulation do you suspect will be the focus of industry associations, lobbyists and lawmakers in 2023 legislative sessions?
ALEX KORAL: 2022 did actually see significant legislative changes when it comes to the beverage alcohol industry, it’s just that most of it was related to local concerns — namely, expanding local retail delivery options. That said, Alaska saw a major overhaul of its alcohol laws, including on DtC shipping, and Vermont notably expanded DtC shipping to include (limited) spirits products.
That said, it’s true there were few stand-out headlines when it came to DtC legislation in 2022. Part of that reflects the past success by proponents of wine DtC shipping; there are only three more states for them to open up, so there is less availability for major changes. DtC wine shipping proponents are now acting more to prevent any retrenchment of their permissions or the adoption of archaic restrictions designed to limit their market. This is different from proponents of beer and spirits shipping, which did see some high profile attempts to change state laws, though they largely failed to pass.
It seems likely 2023 will end up generally following the patterns set in 2022: efforts to expand DtC shipping for spirits producers and, to a lesser degree, beer producers, contrasted with efforts to restrict/impede existing DtC shipping permissions, such as extending regulation of fulfillment houses. It’s likely that each side — proponents and detractors — will take lessons from 2022 as they continue to push their agendas, so it’s possible we will see more big headlines as bills do pass that previously failed in 2022. But many will still fail, and it’s likely that what will pass will be a smattering of both expansions (there will certainly be a lot of focus on passing a spirits shipping bill in California) and restrictions (see fulfillment houses).
At the same time, it’s likely that state regulators will continue to look for ways to enable greater enforcement of their laws and prevent improper sales, such as those going to minors, though much of that may easily end up being more talk than action.
Q: You’ve previously discussed the numerous gray areas in the world of bev/alc distribution. What do you think are the most concerning/potentially dangerous areas for producers to engage with at this time? Do you expect any of those to become more well-regulated this year, and/or potentially the target of stronger enforcement?
ALEX KORAL: Underlying the debate around fulfillment houses is the fear among state regulators around third-party services involved in the DtC shipping model. While it seems like regulators are missing the point — as fulfillment houses are logistics companies and are not marketplaces nor do they purport to sell alcohol at all — it’s clear that regulators are expressing valid concerns around the swaths of unlicensed parties shipping alcohol within the U.S. As such, any producer availing themselves of a third-party DtC shipping service should be aware of what those third-party services are doing and what the producer’s remaining liability should be.
Again, logistics services (or compliance services) should not be a major concern for producers, as long as they make sure their fulfillment houses are abiding by any license and reporting requirements adopted by a state. But if the producer is using a third-party marketplace, or any service that offers the use of their licenses to facilitate DtC shipping, that should demand a second — and even a third and fourth — look. State regulators say they’re very concerned about third-party marketplaces for alcohol, and while they’ve largely not done anything about them (Ohio’s past enforcement action against wine.com being the exception), it feels like it’s only a matter of time before that shoe drops and producers that have their bottles for sale on those sites may end up having to answer some difficult questions.
Within the wholesale distribution market, there’s been notable expansion of offerings to enable “direct” sales within the three-tier system. How these programs are described is that a producer would establish its own online marketplace where it could advertise and sell its products to consumers across the country; the orders would then be passed along to a local partner retailer to fulfill and deliver to the consumer. While on its face this has the imprimatur of operating in the “indisputably” valid three-tier system (and is fully supported by distributors), this is an extremely new and untested sales model that could result in unanticipated concerns for an alcohol attorney and the producers they represent.
Namely, this seems to violate state and federal trade practice laws against exclusive outlets, along with possibly implicating consignment sales and other collusion prohibitions. If nothing else, this type of sale would still require the producer to be active in the three-tier system in every state, which brings a host of compliance burdens and the risk of being trapped by franchise laws. While, again, these sales have the approval of distributors (and so will not have to deal with their opposition), they are unvetted and so are risky for producers to sign up for blithely.
Q: Looking in your crystal ball, what do you think the biggest DtC trend or change will be in the coming year?
ALEX KORAL: Barring the unforeseeable, it seems like 2023 will largely be an extension of 2022, with efforts to expand shipping for beer and spirits gaining some ground (but not an overwhelming sea change), and other efforts to curtail existing DtC shipping permissions being suggested but also largely failing to get real traction. If a high-profile state like California were to pass a bill expanding DtC for spirits (which will be on the docket in 2023), that would certainly be a big story, but it’s unlikely many other states will immediately follow suit. And it will still take quite a while for it to come into effect and really change the market.
In terms of the DtC market itself, again, things will likely stay the course in 2023. There are no obvious major new consumer markets (certainly, as much as DtC shipping surged in 2020, we don’t want a return to the conditions that led to that surge), so we will likely see the continuation of 2022 trends. This will mean increased premiumization of the products shipped DtC, with shippers acting to maximize their share of the existing ranks of active DtC consumers.
Of course, I stand ready to be corrected by future events. If California adopts spirits shipping, that could spark a trend that other states will follow in future years. Or if, say, Texas were to go after and shut down a major third-party online marketplace, that could have a chilling effect.
Crystal balls are always foggy, so it’s hard to say anything more than there are possibilities for big change. As such, past trends are always the best predictor of future action.


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Shoppers bring Christmas cheer to retailers
NEW YORK -- Packed malls? Healthy gains in holiday spending? It's beginning to look at least a little like a pre-recession Christmas.
Americans spent more on clothing, luxury goods and even furniture, delivering healthy gains across the board, according to MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all transactions, including cash. The online category continued to be a bright spot. The big exception was consumer electronics, dragged down by deep discounting of TVs amid a glut. That area was virtually unchanged from a year ago.
"This is the first normal Christmas in three years," said Michael McNamara, vice president of research and analysis for SpendingPulse. He said there is "genuine demand" for a variety of products, even higher-ticket items.
Sales of clothing rose 9.8 percent, with particular strength in men's clothing. Jewelry revenue rose 2.6 percent, and furniture rose 3.4 percent, according to SpendingPulse, whose data covered the period from Oct. 31 through Saturday, compared with the same period a year ago.
Malls reported higher traffic over the weekend, including the Saturday before Christmas, known as "Super Saturday." It's one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Research firm ShopperTrak expects it will be the third-busiest this year. The lack of any major storms nationwide was a boon for shoppers.
The strong numbers are encouraging to retailers, who only this fall remained worried that the inventory they ordered earlier in the year when the economic recovery looked stronger might end up being too much.
But after a slowdown in spending this summer, spending has picked up amid more positive economic signs. McNamara said there's no evidence of emergency discounting, and that stores have appropriate levels of inventory.


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We’re currently in a Question and Answer session at Huawei’s Shenzhen campus in China with the company’s Chief Marketing Officer for Mobile Device, Shao Yang and he has confirmed that the company has no plans to develop a phone running on Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10 platform.
When questioned about Huawei’s past Windows Phone devices and plans by John McCann, Yang said that the biggest problem with the Windows Phone platform is differentiating between manufacturers. As an example, Yang said a Huawei device running Android has several unique characteristics compared to other Android devices but Microsoft’s platform has the same interface across all devices. As such, it’s difficult for the company to differentiate between themselves and other Windows Phone devices which is why the company has no immediate plans to launch a Windows Phone device.
Whilst discussing the possibility of Huawei’s future plans however, Shao Yang did concede that the company may look into Windows 10 on its Tablet range. Yang suggested that the company has no plans to launch a solely Windows 10 device but is considering a dual-boot system to run both Windows 10 and Android on the same tablet.
Other companies such as Samsung have introduced devices with similar functionality and offering a dual-boot OS would allow Huawei to offer a full Windows 10 experience to take care of business needs but also offer its similar Android experience for non-business users.
Would you buy a Huawei tablet that could run both Android and Windows 10? Let us know in the comments below.


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STREET. LUIS (KTVI) – Wendy’s chili, which has had a cult following since it was introduced in November 1969, is coming to grocery stores soon. The chili will now be canned and available for purchase outside of the restaurant.
In February, Conagra Brands, a packaged food company that owns dozens of popular brands, revealed the news during a conference of the Consumer Analyst Group of New York.
“When the craving for Wendy’s chili hits, you now have two delicious ways to get your fix: in retail stores or in our restaurants,” Wendy’s global chief marketing officer Carl Loredo said on a Wednesday. Press release.
Wendy’s began offering chili more than 50 years ago as a way to use up leftover hamburger meat and reduce waste, founder Dave Thomas explained in his memoir “Dave’s Way,” according to crushed.
Wendy’s Chili with Beans will be available in the chili section of grocery stores and “select online retailers” this summer.
The fast food chain is the latest to offer certain menu items at retailers across the country. Taco Bell, for example, sells taco seasoning in supermarkets, while Chick-fil-A recently he brought his sauces to the store shelves.
WXIN’s Izzy Karpinski contributed to this report.
#Wendys #iconic #chili #coming soon #groceries #stores
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Nintendo Takes Mobile More Seriously, Considers New Business Structure
January 20, 2014 7:47 PM
This comes after revisions to its sales and profit through March 2014
Nintendo's new year hasn't been too forgiving, as the company was forced to
revise its sales and profit expectations
through March. With hard times ahead, the company is realizing that it needs to hop on the mobile bandwagon if it wants to stay alive.
, Nintendo is considering a new business structure that includes launching games on smart devices such as tablets and smartphones.
“We are thinking about a new business structure,” said Satoru Iwata, Nintendo CEO. “Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business. It’s not as simple as enabling Mario to move on a smartphone.”
This could be a good move for Nintendo, considering hardcore console gamers tend to stick with Sony's PlayStation or Microsoft's Xbox consoles while more casual gamers have flocked to mobile devices -- not to mention that almost everyone now carries at least a smartphone on their person.
Nintendo has also been pretty stubborn about offering its characters to online mobile games, which the company could profit off of.
But times are getting tight for Nintendo, and it's realizing that if it doesn't make some big changes, it'll sink.
Earlier this month, a statement from
announced that its anticipated Wii U units sold from April 2013 to March 2014 was changed from a previous 9 million to just 2.8 million. This represents a staggering 69 percent drop.
Wii U software doesn't look any better, with sales expectations falling from a previously reported 38 million to just 19 million.
The company also had to revise 3DS sales expectations, dropping from 18 million to just 13.5 million units sold. As for the original Wiis, Nintendo is cutting their sales expectations from a previous 2 million to 1.2 million.
With so many sales revisions, Nintendo is also decreasing its financial forecast, which includes a loss of 25 billion yen ($240 million USD) -- down from a previously reported 55 billion yen profit.
Iwata said the company was unable to take advantage of the weaker yen. Nintendo decreased its planned dividend for the fiscal year from 260 yen to 100 yen. Nintendo revised its foreign-exchange predictions from 90 yen to the dollar to 100 yen, and from 120 yen per euro to 140 yen.
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COPPELL, Texas — IDIS, a global provider of South Korean-based video technologies, is renewing its focus on the fast growing North American cannabis industry.
The company points out that after experiencing a spike in sales at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. cannabis sector has settled back into a more even period of growth and is projected to post revenues in excess of $32 billion in 2022.
One recent report states the cannabis industry is now projected to be worth $57 billion by 2030 and is growing at a CAGR of 11%. This continued market growth, coupled with strict compliance measures that accompany all cannabis production and sales activities, make it an attractive sector for security providers.
As part of IDIS America’s success in this fast-growth sector, the company has released an updated eBook to support cannabis operators and help systems integrators understand video tech requirements in both retail and production environments to ensure compliance and increase operational efficiency.
“Our suite of NDAA-compliant, end-to-end and plug-and-play solutions continue to ensure our system integration and monitoring partners win cannabis projects by demonstrating outstanding performance and quality at a low total cost of ownership, ideal for cannabis sites of any type and scale,” comments Jason Burrows, sales director, IDIS America.
Americans Embrace Cannabis Industry
IDIS notes that currently, a total of 38 states have now legalized the medicinal use of cannabis with 19 states having legalized its recreational use. Moreover, 44% of Americans now have access to legalized recreational cannabis and, in turn, the sector is now providing more than 400,000 full-time jobs.
The security equipment manufacturer continues by saying that cannabis operators of all sizes are facing an array of evolving security and safety challenges such as shrink, cyber-attacks, money laundering, workplace injuries, varying compliance requirements, and supply chain disruptions as the cannabis industry continues to grow.
Building on its success in the sector, the IDIS America team will join a host of leading security technology providers at the 11th annual MJBizCon in Las Vegas from Nov. 16-18.
IDIS explains the show is a “one-stop shop” for the cannabis community, displaying the latest technology and sharing expert insights on a broad range of topics specific to this rapidly growing sector. At the upcoming event IDIS will be co-exhibiting with VMI.
Visitors to the companies’ booth will have the opportunity to receive a range of IDIS product demonstrations for cannabis industry, including IDIS Deep Learning Analytics which features object, line cross, loitering and unusual event detection.
The VMI team will be on hand to explain how they are supporting cannabis operators using IDIS technology to provide highly customized, yet affordable remote monitoring and virtual guarding services.
“We are looking forward to showcasing our cost-effective and reliable video technology at MJBizCon,” adds Burrows. “Our participation in this event reaffirms our commitment to this sector and to building successful partnerships with those working within it.”
The post IDIS Updates Free Cannabis eBook to Address Surging Industry appeared first on Security Sales & Integration.


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Brands are entering the metaverse through virtual stores, AR, gaming and digital fashion shows. While many have relied on external partnerships, an internal expert or team might be on the horizon. #metaverse
RT @amandalitman HUGE: @runforsomething is partnering with Snapchat - which reaches 90% of 13- to 24-year-olds in the US - to help recruit young people to run for office. This is a big deal and an incredible step forward in our work expanding who leads this democracy.
RT @rishad One can learn to be a better problem solver by learning from great photographers . Frame the problem correctly. Expose and illuminate it with the right input and data while ensuring timely decision making. Edit the solution appropriately.
All of Facebook’s main products — Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook — were inaccessible to at least some users around 3 p.m. Eastern time on Friday after a massive outage for hours on Monday.
Amazon opened its first non-food store in the UK, which will sell around 2,000 of its most popular and best-rated products, including books. It’s the first outside the US, where there are already more than 30 outlets. Via @thebookseller. #Amazon
HT @BISG The US Court of Appeals for the 1st vacated the district court’s opinion that Roberto Ramos Perea, the playwright who adapted the novels of prominent Puerto Rican author Enrique Laguerre for theatre, was not a proper copyright owner. #copyright
MT @TheTiltNews Turn your podcast into a blog article. Think about formats such as Q&As, lists, as-told-to, deep dives, how-to, briefings, etc. It can attract audiences and search engines. Via @PodReacher HT @growthmarketr
RT @WSJ Barry Diller’s IAC has reached a roughly $2.7 billion deal to buy magazine publisher Meredith, a bet on online publishing that will combine brands like People, Better Homes & Gardens and Investopedia.
Cosmopolitan Magazine partnering w checkout platform Bolt for online shopping event, hoping to capitalize on the rush of shoppers looking to get a jump start to their holiday shopping. #ecommerce#magazines
The story of how the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists spent more than a year structuring, researching and analyzing the more than 11.9 million records in the Pandora Papers leak. They exposed the offshore secrets of wealthy elites from more than 200 countries and territories and include more than 330 politicians and 130 Forbes billionaires, as well as celebrities, fraudsters, drug dealers, royal family members and leaders of religious groups around the world. Via @ICIJorg
RT @nationalbook Apply to be a panelist for the Literary Arts Emergency Fund! Individuals who represent a broad range of literary and cultural viewpoints, backgrounds, and work experiences based across the US are encouraged to apply!
MT @HurstonWright On Friday, October 15, join us as we celebrate the best in Black literature during the 2021 Legacy Awards, hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones. This year’s ceremony is virtual and tickets are free!
Now this looks fun! Sign up today for FREE @WMG_NYC virtual Halloween how-to w celeb makeup artist Stacia Gorsuch 10/26 6pm ET! Come for Stacia’s ghoulish demo + stay for spirited book chat w @JanKnuth2 (owner of a professional haunted house) & LaNelle Freeman (co-owner Texas Haunters Convention), with moderator @jkhoey and WMG’s own @CandiWords.
Are you a writer looking for tips on pitching story ideas to global or niche digital outlets? A publicist who wants to improve on the success rate of engagement for your press releases? A brand-builder keen to understand how digital media is or is not like pitching to traditional news outlets? Ck out this awesome virtual @WMG_NYC panel FREE for members, $15 non-members. 11/8 6:30pm ET. With @MeenaGanesan@FiveThirtyEight, @AnnaHalkidis@parentsmagazine, Diane Di Constanzo @ Millie, Moderated by @zaharahill@Blavity.
MT @nationalbook Join us on November 9 for the #NBAwards Finalists Reading, in which all the Finalists will read from their work. The event, hosted by @TheNewSchool, is online, free, and open to everyone.
The American Library Association invites libraries to apply for COVID-19 relief funding thru Humanities Grants for Libraries. Up to 200 US libraries of all types (public, tribal, K-12, academic, special, prison) will receive $10K.
MT @NEIBAbooks We’ve created a new t-shirt design to benefit the @Bincfoundation — and this one has national appeal! Makes a perfect stocking stuffer, employee appreciation gift, or hanky to dry your tears! Our Bonfire store is open through October 20.
MT @ToryBurchFdn We’re looking for 50 incredible women entrepreneurs for the 2022 #ToryBurchFellows program. A 1-year virtual fellowship, $5,000 business education grant, and access to a network of peer founders for women-owned businesses in the U.S.


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The Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), has held its 2020 Stakeholders Forum themed ‘Product Quality and Integrity: Challenges and Opportunities’.
The virtual summit held on Tuesday 14’ July 2020, attracted several stakeholders.
During the summit, NBC vowed to its customers and consumers that it remains committed to product quality and integrity, promising that this would remain the gold standard of its operations.
The Country General Manager of NBC, Matthieu Seguin, said: “At NBC, we understand that only products and services valued and accepted by our customers and consumers will help our business grow.
“We are committed to driving our business forward by continually improving quality control across the organization, working together with Coca-Cola Nigeria, local authorities, partners, suppliers, customers, and consumers,” he said.
He added that NBC achieves the highest product quality and integrity through compliance with local and international standards, certification of its systems, auditing, and regular feedback from customers.
Other prominent people at the event were the Vice President, Quality, Safety and Environment, The Coca-Cola Company, Zoltan Syposs; Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Moji Adeyeye, and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera.
The CEO of FCCPC, Mr. Babatunde Irukera in his own presentation emphasized the importance of product quality and integrity, noting that it helps in sustaining brand loyalty.
Professor Adeyeye who was represented by the Director, Food Safety and Nutrition, NAFDAC, Mr. Sherif Olagunju commended NBC for its conscious self-regulation and internal audit.


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Sony may be forced to provide details about its PlayStation exclusivity deals and how much it pays for “blocking rights” to keep games from rival services like Xbox Game Pass. The FTC filed a lawsuit to try to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard and began a legal discovery process that saw Microsoft send subpoenas to Sony to force it to publicly release records, internal documentation, and emails from the company’s PlayStation unit. to make.
Kotaku spotted that the FTC’s Chief Administrative Judge, D. Michael Chappell, has now side with Microsoft request details of Sony’s PlayStation exclusivity deals. The request pertains to deals made after January 1, 2019, including fees or agreements that prevented publishers from putting games on Xbox Game Pass. The judge’s decision comes after Microsoft previously accused Sony of paying for “blocking rights” to prevent developers from adding their content to Xbox Game Pass.
Here are Microsoft’s latest claims, summed up in the words of Judge Chappell:
Microsoft argues that the complaint in this case contains a number of allegations regarding exclusivity agreements between developers of high-performance video game consoles with video game publishers. Microsoft acknowledges that SIE requires many third-party publishers to agree to exclusivity terms, including preventing publishers from posting their games on the Xbox multi-game subscription service, and to understand the full scope of SIE’s exclusivity arrangements and their effect on industry competitiveness will aid in its defense.
“The nature and scope of SIE’s content licensing agreements are relevant to the allegations of the complaint alleging exclusivity agreements between video game console developers and video game developers and publishers,” Judge Chappell said.
Microsoft had also tried to get details about Sony’s deals dating back to 2012, but Judge Chappell labeled this “excessive” and granted Sony’s request to limit the applicable time for document requests to 2019.
It’s incredibly rare for details of such exclusivity agreements to be made public, but the FTC case could expose some of the games industry’s secrecy in court. The last time we saw similar details revealed through a lawsuit was Epic Games vs. Apple in 2021. That case showed how Microsoft had explored cutting Xbox store cuts to shake up console gaming, how Sony had introduced cross-play platform fees, and that Fortnite was a PS4 cash cow.
The FTC case is still in the document discovery stage, with evidence hearing scheduled for August 2, so we’re still months away from possible new details.
Elsewhere, Microsoft’s Activision deal is likely to be approved by EU regulators. The combination to bring a binding 10-year agreement with Nintendo Duty to Nintendo platforms and a similar deal with Nvidia has reportedly convinced the European Commission to approve the acquisition. However, Microsoft continues to be scrutinized by UK and US regulators, with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last month offering possible solutions, including forcing Microsoft to sell Activision Blizzard’s business related to Duty.


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Saudi producers report financial results for Q3
Kayan’s net income in the July- September period rose 55% year over year to Riyals 66.9 million ($18 million) which the company attributed to more sales at higher prices and a decrease in feedstock costs. The company’s Jubail site houses a 1.478 million tons/year ethylene plant, a 630,000 tons/year propylene plant, a 350,000 tons /year PP plant and a 400,000 tons /year HDPE plant.
Yansab’s net income fell 20.06% on a yearly basis to reach Riyals 691.3 million ($184.3 million) in the third quarter. However, it was an increase of 12.8% from Riyals 613 million posted for the second quarter of the year. The company cited lower sales volumes and higher feedstock prices as the main reasons behind weaker yearly results. Yansab operates a 1.3 million tons/year ethylene plant, a 700,000 tons/year propylene plant and a 700,000 tons/year MEG plant among other products in Yanbu.
Meanwhile, Sipchem reported a 13.3% decrease year over year in their net profit for the third quarter of 2014 with net profit reaching Riyals 160.6 million ($27.1 million). On a quarterly basis, its profit decreased 34.34% compared to Riyals 244.6 million recorded in the second quarter. The company attributed their weak financial results to shutdowns at its methanol and butanol plants as well as higher feedstock costs.
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- Crude oil caught between demand woes and production disruption
- Tightness drives European PVC market up, prices near pre-pandemic levels
- Major LDPE markets touch multi-year highs on growing tightness
- A prospect for Q4 through uncharted waters of 2020 amid pandemic
- China's import PP markets maintain uptrend under shadow of oil-driven losses in Dalian futures
- Weaker domestic demand prompts Vietnam to export polymers
- European PP market ceases upward trend in September
- Force majeure declarations rock the boat in Turkish PVC market
- China’s PE uptrend fueled by US force majeures; LDPE soars to more than 1-year high
- Stats: China’s cumulative PP imports in Jan-July 2020 reach record-high


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The Pixel and Pixel XL were the first devices ever to be designed by Google itself –and they’re both great. With excellent build quality, topnotch cameras, and the vanilla Android software that many users have come to love, they’re decent offerings for those looking for a flagship Android device.
Of course, the first Pixels weren’t perfect, but Google isn’t an amateur when it comes to the mobile business. That’s why the Pixel 2 is expected to feature vast improvements from the original.
What do people want from the Pixel 2 and what do we know about it so far? Read on to find out.
The release date isn’t speculation by now; Google has confirmed the announcement of two smartphones on October 4 – one year after the release of the original Pixel and Pixel XL. In fact, Google released a video on YouTube and a sign-up page.
Initially, rumors flew around that Google was to release three instead of just two new smartphones. The smaller variant was codenamed Walleye, while the XL variant was given the moniker Muskie. What piqued the interest of Android fans was the rumored third device, codenamed Taimen, which supposedly was even larger than the XL variant.
The folks at Google seemed to have changed their minds, however, and decided to go with only two smartphones this year: Walleye to replace the Pixel and Muskie to replace the Pixel XL.
What will they look like?
Do large top and bottom bezels, a not-so-clean back, and a power button with fingerprint sensor placed at the back together with a camera and single-LED flash sound familiar? It would, because most Android devices carry the same design.
If it weren’t for that little glass window at the back and its “really blue” variant, it would’ve passed as a generic Android device – certainly not what you’d expect from a flagship, and a first release at that.
While not ugly, the Pixel and Pixel XL’s position in the smartphone market makes it a driver of innovation and design, but the first iterations left fans and non-fans alike wanting, especially with regard to the latter. Because of this, their successors are presented with big shoes to fill.
The good news is that the new devices will sport minor differences design-wise, but therein lies the bad news: “minor differences” means that they will look quite similar to the original iterations. If you’re a fan of Google’s smartphone but not of the design, you’ll have to get used to it for now.
Here’s a mock-up by YouTube channel Concept Creator:
One of the most surprising facets of the updated design is the absence of a headphone jack. Last year’s Pixel commercial subtly mocked Apple for removing this on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus so Google doing the same is unexpected, to say the least. The Pixel XL 2 is also quite different from its smaller sibling because it features a bezel-less design similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and LG’s G6.
This makes the Pixel XL 2 more compact than its competitors despite its 6-inch screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The back remains mostly the same, featuring a metal back plate with a small glass window; the glass window is a bit smaller, though, with the fingerprint sensor sitting outside of it—a design that may appeal to some, if not most, consumers. Google decided to go mellow on the color variants featuring Just Black, Clearly White, and Kinda Blue.
What are the specs?
Being flagships, high-end specs are to be expected from both the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL. One of the most notable features is “Active Edge,” which will let you interact with the device with a squeeze. This is similar to how HTC’s Edge Sense works so it’s neither new nor groundbreaking, but it’s still exciting what a tech giant like Google can do with a technology like that.
Inside, both devices will be powered by the Snapdragon 835, instead of the 836 that was previously rumored. No official announcement has been made regarding this, but it will be a non-issue for most as the 836 only delivers marginal performance improvements – barely noticeable to most users.
Regarding the camera, Google will be sticking with a single-camera setup. There hasn’t been much word about the camera. but it’s expected to be as great as, or even better than, its predecessor.
The water resistance of the Pixel XL 2 will be bumped up to either IP67 or IP68. Now you can submerge it underwater for up to 30 minutes, provided that the water’s only 1 to 1.5 meters deep. The Pixel XL only had a rating of IP53, which only made it splash-resistant.
The scene-stealer here will be the screen; from 5.5 inches it’s been upgraded to a 6-inch QHD AMOLED with an 18:9 aspect ratio that also features an Always On Ambient Display mode. Google has also hinted at “extra functionality,” although it’s uncertain if these extras will be present in the Pixel XL 2 or in a later iteration.
How much will they cost?
Flagship devices come with flagship price tags, and it’s the same with the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2. The previous versions also came at a premium; the Pixel (32GB) launched at around PHP33,177 (US$649) and the Pixel XL (32GB) at around PHP39,311 (US$769).
Google seems to be putting itself in a tight spot with this pricing scheme, making it difficult for them to compete in the current smartphone market. Hopefully, Google will lower the prices in order to increase sales, but it’s unlikely at this point. We’ll have to wait and see – and hope – that Google goes the “affordable pricing” way of competing with the likes of Samsung and LG. – Rappler.com
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A SPANISH website has been revealed as a central pillar in a scam that sought to cheat European health authorities out of millions of euros by selling non-existent facemasks.
Last minute action stopped €500,000 from the German health authorities being sent to an account in Nigeria after the funds were wired via the UK in a complex web of transactions.
The sophisticated fraud rested on a website in Spain that was apparently set up to snare government organisations looking to source protective gear for nurses, doctors and other health personnel.
In mid-March the scammers ‘hooked a large fish’ when the German Government placed a large order.
It had contracted two sales companies in Zurich and Hamburg to buy €15 million worth of face masks.
With a global shortage of medical supplies complicating usual business channels, the buyers followed new leads in the hopes of securing the masks.
They first got in touch with what appeared to be a legitimate website in Spain.
This later turned out to be a fake and a real company’s legitimate email addresses had been compromised to give it a veneer of respectability.
Through email correspondence, the fake company claimed to have 10 million masks, only for the delivery to fall through.
As ‘consolation’, it then referred the buyers to a ‘trusted’ dealer in Ireland.
The Irish middleman promised to put them in touch with a different supplier, this time in the Netherlands.
The man provided assurances that the alleged Dutch company would be able to supply the 10 million face masks. An agreement for an initial delivery of 1.5 million masks was made, in exchange for an up-front payment of €1.5 million.
The buyers initiated a bank transfer to Ireland and prepared for delivery, which involved 52 lorries and a police escort to transport the masks from a warehouse in the Netherlands to the final destination in Germany.
Just before the delivery date, the buyers were informed that the funds had not been received and that an emergency transfer of €880,000 straight to the Dutch supplier was required to secure the merchandise.
The buyers sent the wire transfer but the masks never arrived.
It turns out the Dutch company existed, but its website had also been cloned.
There was no official record of the order.
When the buyers realised they had been duped, they immediately contacted their bank in Germany, setting off an international race to intercept the funds and follow the money trail.
Europol and Interpol were called in to coordinate the operation.
Prompt intervention by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau in Ireland allowed them to freeze the €1.5 million being held in an Irish account and identify the Irish company involved.
The Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service quickly tracked down the second payment of €880,000.
Nearly €500,000 had already been sent to the United Kingdom, all of which was destined for an account in Nigeria. The funds were recovered before they were sent on to the African country.
This operation has already led to two arrests in the Netherlands and is ongoing as investigators across Europe are continuing to work on the case.


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Earlier this week, YouTuber Lewis Williamson posted an unboxing video of PS4 exclusive Knack. While the game technically won't release until the PS4 launches in mid-November, Williamson was able to get his hands on an early copy of the game thanks to EB Games.
Among the things revealed is that Sony has apparently shifted away from included game manuel booklets in the case (as it does with the Vita). An install size of 36GB was also revealed.
But the big question is just how big are the actual PS4 game cases compared to the PS3? Until now, most images we've seen of PS4 game cases have been on their own. Williamson held Knack up to a copy of GTA 5 on PS3, revealing the size of the game cases are just about the same. The key differences are the blue case and a larger title, but the actual boxes appear the same size. While I personally prefer the size of a standard DVD case, it's hardly make or break for me.
How do you feel about the size of the PS4's game cases?


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CNN - What killed BlackBerry: Terrible appsCNN: BlackBerry boasts the fact that there are 120,000 apps for its users to download. What the troubled company doesn't tell you is that most of them -- even the popular apps -- are awful.
The sorry state of the BlackBerry App World is one of the primary contributing factors to BlackBerry's (BBRY) rapid demise. The company announced Monday that it plans to go private in a $4.7 billion deal that essentially places no value on BlackBerry's core handset business.
BlackBerry's new hardware has gotten some good reviews, but software is another story. Many of the most popular apps on the iPhone and Android are nowhere to be found. There's no Instagram, Netflix (NFLX), Candy Crush or Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) Maps. Many of the big-brand apps that do exist for BlackBerry, including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, are infrequently updated and have received dismal reviews from users.
Meanwhile, BlackBerry news site BerryReview revealed last month that a single developer is responsible for 48,000, or 40%, of BlackBerry's apps. Some of those apps developed by Hong Kong outfit S4BB many seem legit and functional. But many of them are either generic clones of other apps or possess minimal usefulness.
For example, one app made by S4BB is a "camera scanner" that converts photos to PDF files. Another turns off the sounds in your camera app. There are also hundreds of world factbooks, subway maps and city guides.
So it's not just that most of BlackBerry's apps are bad -- the majority of million-or-so apps in the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store are also terrible. What makes BlackBerry's app situation so devastating is that the company exercises no control over its own app store.
BlackBerry is also rapidly losing subscribers, so big app makers don't want to devote resources to a vanishing platform. But BlackBerry also gives free rein to small developers to fill its app store with spam apps.
Although the open-ended strategy may be mildly beneficial to BlackBerry and a few ambitious developers in the short term, encouraging such a large ratio of garbage apps to quality apps poses consequences in the long run: Smaller developers don't want to invest in BlackBerry, because it it's hard for consumers to stumble upon their apps in a diluted pool.
It's no coincidence that the major mobile platforms don't let that kind of activity fly inside their app stores.
Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500), whose stringent app approval process often errs on the conservative side, has all but made it impossible for app spammers to exist on a ridiculous scale.
Even Google, a company that preaches openness for its Android mobile platform, imposes limits on app spam. While it does not prevent anyone from downloading and installing apps outside its app store, Google frowns upon apps delivering repetitive content in its Play Store. Google requires developers to individually submit each app for approval, which works as a deterrent towards app spam.
BlackBerry thought it could attract users by giving Android developers the ability to quickly port their existing apps to the BlackBerry 10 platform. But many of those apps were still garbage ones, and the ones that were decent still provided an inferior experience.
BlackBerry can produce all of the nicest phones in the world if it wants, but the low standards it has for the apps in its app store, and the seemingly minimal effort it has put into trying to improve it, ultimately contributed to the once-venerable company's demise.
- CrackBerry Newbie
09-25-13, 08:35 AM #7
- 2 Posts
Best article i've read in a while! It seems so obvious that we need more quality apps. I really hope they make this a priority. They have amazing hardware. I see people wanting to buy it, but the apps are a joke. Didn't Peter Parker's uncle once say- "With great applications come great respect?!" or something like that. Lol
Posted via CB10
- 09-25-13, 08:41 AM #8
I will get blasted by the "tools not toys" peeps but the lack of apps is the very reason I'm getting an HTC One in a few days. Am I getting rid of my Z10? Heck no! When I need a communion device there's no better, but sometimes I wanna do other things.
And yes I have side loaded but they aren't the same at all!
- 09-25-13, 08:49 AM #9
And yet no one seems to want to take the App Developers team to task. Why is no one calling for Alec Saunders to resign? In my opinion he can sing as many bad songs as he likes, but the buck has to stop somewhere around his head for the crap app situation too.
- 09-25-13, 08:55 AM #13
There's a lot of garbage apps I agree, but to say there aren't any good apps at all is malarkey. Many bad reviews come from user error, heck the fb app on IOS has 3 and half stars. The store has plenty of good apps to keep people entertained and somewhat productive. Banking apps are missing which is crucial for many people, instagram etc...but to mention candy crush among them? Are you serious?
BBM channels: c00121c99 for some knowledge and c00123fca for some real hip hop
- 09-25-13, 08:58 AM #15
- 09-25-13, 08:58 AM #16
It's why I left. I would be a proud owner of a Z10 right now if I could've watched Netflix or played the games my friends are playing natively. And I know a lot of these apps you can sideload, but why should I use an app with a diminished experience when it will run as it is supposed to on another device?
- CrackBerry Genius
09-25-13, 09:00 AM #19
- 4,272 Posts
I still think it is not too late for BlackBerry to fix this by striving for quality over quantity in their store. Good developers want a place to be found. Give it to them by moving all the ebooks and 5 minute ports to an "other" section or off the store completely.
It would be a bold move, but while they are making other changes, why not try it?
- 09-25-13, 09:08 AM #21
So this part then: "Google frowns upon apps delivering repetitive content in its Play Store. Google requires developers to individually submit each app for approval, which works as a deterrent towards app spam."
What about the many many copies of fake BBM for Android apps that showed up in the Play Store this passed weekend? Someone at Google was individually approving those?
Looked pretty spammy to me.
- CrackBerry Addict
09-25-13, 09:09 AM #22
- 841 Posts
So if they are porting garbage android apps to BlackBerry then there must be garbage android apps as well. What about the fact that 2/3 of ios apps are never downloaded?
My biggest problem is I have too many apps I don't use. I test them and forget about them because I've found better ones.
Posted via CB10
- 09-25-13, 09:09 AM #23
- By stardust2013 in forum News & RumorsReplies: 13Last Post: 09-27-13, 12:38 PM
- By tramer in forum News & RumorsReplies: 11Last Post: 09-26-13, 08:16 AM
- By cvcv in forum BlackBerry 10 AppsReplies: 3Last Post: 09-25-13, 02:27 PM
- By cgk in forum News & RumorsReplies: 3Last Post: 09-25-13, 09:24 AM


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Tile, a small finder device that uses a crowdsourced network of users to help find lost items, has announced the availability of an App for Android devices. Tile, one of the most successful self crowdfunding campaigns of all time, quickly launched on iOS but has now released their widely anticipated software for Android. Simultaneously Tile shared that all pre-orders have shipped to customers as they have shifted to wide availability on e-commerce sites.
The new app will work on most devices running Android 4.4+ and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE 4.0) and is said to have been optimized for the Galaxy S5, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, HTC One and HTC One M8. Tile plans to support more Android devices in the future. Tile expects the new app will dramatically extend their global network which they claim is currently the largest finder network worldwide.
“We’ve been working incredibly hard on building our app for Android, and we are thrilled to finally deliver it to consumers,” said Tile’s co-founder and COO Mike Farley. “Tile is about saving people time and helping them keep track of their belongings better. The Android platform represents about 85 percent of the global smartphone market, so by expanding to Android we are empowering almost anyone with a smartphone to join our ever-expanding community and help our existing user base find lost items through our Mark as Lost feature.”
Tile was founded by CEO Nick Evans and COO Mike Farley. Prior to founding Tile, Nick had experience working at Lockitron and Pebble Watch. Lockitron ran one of the first succesful self-crowdfunding campaigns having developed the crowdfunding software to manage the project. Following the successful pretail project, Tile went on to raise over $13 million in funding from big name investors.
Have a crowdfunding offering you'd like to share? Submit an offering for consideration using our Submit a Tip form and we may share it on our site!


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DEC grants close to $430000 in financial assistance to the Center local de développement de la Haute‑Gaspésie for the development of a recreational tourism development plan.
SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS, QC, May 27, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (DEC)
Supporting the tourism industry contributes to the economic development of of Quebec Regions. This is why the Member of Parliament for Gaspésie‒Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Minister of National Revenue, the Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, on behalf of the Honorable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sports and Minister responsible for CED, announced today a non-repayable contribution of $428,746 for the Center local de développement (CLD) de la Haute-Gaspésie to implement a development plan to revitalize the tourism offer of the MRC. It will promote sustainable projects and promote the Haute-Gaspésie as a dynamic, distinct and environmentally friendly destination.
Through this support from CED, granted under the Tourism Assistance Fund, the CLD de la Haute-Gaspésie will take advantage of the growing interest in Gaspésie tourism to better structure the development of this micro-destination. The organization will also optimize access to the territory by improving trails and access to the river, adding various all-season accommodations, improving hunting and fishing activities, supporting emerging sports activities and adding telecommunications, among others.
A key contributor to the Canadian economy, the tourism sector has been hit hard by the health crisis. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the government of Canada has implemented various measures to help businesses suffering the impacts of COVID-19. The Tourism Relief Fund was created specifically to help organizations and businesses in the tourism sector offer innovative products and services to visitors and prepare to welcome international travelers back.
“I am delighted with the support CED announced today for the CLD de la Haute-Gaspésie and its unifying project. I am convinced that all players in the tourism industry will mobilize to allow the RCM of Haute-Gaspésie to fully develop its potential as a unique and diversified destination. I am proud of our people who come together to develop our beautiful region.
The Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, MP for Gaspésie‒Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Minister of National Revenue
“CED’s help was essential to launch this ambitious project. The entire CED team and the minister supported us and gave us good advice from the start of the implementation of everything. The non-refundable contribution from the Tourism Assistance Fund allows us to look to the future and dream big. We have immense world-class potential.
Guy BernatchezPresident of the CLD de la Haute-Gaspésie and Prefect of the MRC de la Haute-Gaspésie
“The Haute-Gaspésie region abounds in resources, landscapes and people. With this plan, we hope to generate tens, even hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits. We want to reduce the unemployment rate, increase employment, mitigate the effects of a seasonal economy, provide better quality jobs, increase the region’s power of attraction and improve our demographic profile. »
Simon Deschênes, Vice-President, CLD de la Haute-Gaspésie and Mayor of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts
“Our government continues to be there for businesses and tourism organizations. Thanks to the support announced today, the CLD de la Haute-Gaspésie will be able to look to the future. Our assistance represents an important step in recovery efforts to attract tourists from Canada and around the world so they can all experience the best tourism experiences our country has to offer. »
The Honorable Pascale St‑Onge, MNA for Brome–Missisquoi, Minister of Sports and Minister responsible for CED
“Tourism is one of the sectors Canada most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to support this sector during this difficult time. We will also continue to make safety our top priority and ensure businesses get the help they need to quickly regain their footing and thrive. The Tourism Relief Fund will help businesses adapt, make improvements and be ready to welcome customers back. It is also part of a broader strategy to help the sector weather the pandemic, recover and grow. The Canadian economy will not fully recover until our tourism sector recovers. »
The Honorable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance
- With a national budget of $500 millionincluding $485 million administered by the regional development agencies (GDR) and $15 million by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)The Tourism Relief Fund is part of the $1 billion in tourism support announced in Budget 2021.
- A minimum of $50 million of the Fund’s national budget was allocated to indigenous tourism projects. Indigenous communities that rely heavily on tourism have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
- A total of $118.7 million of the Tourism Assistance Fund was allocated to CED to administer Quebec.
- CED is a key federal partner in of Quebec regional economic development. With its 12 regional business offices, CED supports businesses, support organizations and all regions of the world Quebec in tomorrow’s economy.
Stay logged in
SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
For further information: Media Relations, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, [email protected]; Ariane Joazard-Bélizaire, Press Attaché, Office of the Minister of Sports and Minister Responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, [email protected]


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If the recent reports are to be believed, Austrian bike-maker KTM's much-acclaimed 1290 Super Adventure has been imported to India again for testing purpose.
A report in Shifting Gears states that the 1290 Super Adventure bike is in India for testing, however, the bike is not likely to make its India debut soon.
Powered by 1301cc two-cylinder four-stroke engine, which can churn out 160bhp of power and 150Nm of torque, 1290 Super Adventure is likely to get a price tag in the range of ₹12-14 lakh in India.
The bike, which weighs 229kg will have a tank capacity of 30-litre and comes with a ground clearance of 220mm. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox and the bike features Bosch 9ME combined ABS.
KTM is also rumoured to bring its 1190 Adventure R to the Indian market in coming years as the company is looking to expand its foothold in the country's two-wheeler market. KTM 1190 Adventure R is powered by a 1,195cc V-twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that is tuned to pump in a power of 150hp and comes mated to a 6-speed transmission.


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In partnership with Aidrivers
Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been indications over the last decade of reaching the peak in globalisation (see graph). As the world sees the urgency in splitting its supply chains and retrenching them back to national level to avoid future pandemic disorder, the focus must undoubtedly turn to the position and importance of automation and robotics on the global stage.
Dr Rafiq Swash, Founder, Aidrivers, explores the trend towards deglobalisation and how automation will play its part in the future of industry in this article.
The pandemic has brought the concept of deglobalisation abruptly to the fore as we have seen endless disruption to manufacturing, shipping, storage and distribution.
These interruptions are all on a global scale due to our historic reliance on cheaper overseas production. The questions are: does COVID-19 mean that we are going to accelerate deglobalisation and if so, at what speed?
Staying at home
Historically, evidence of deglobalisation has already been seen in the stalling of interstate trade and crucially the beginning of the renationalisation of supply chains.
The US-China trade tariff dispute has reinforced this trend. The advancement in automated manufacturing technology means that the location of factories no longer hinges on where the labour is the cheapest.
Put quite simply, factories can stay on home soil, take advantage of efficient automation techniques and increase profitability.
Plus, we now can see that keeping our supplies at home might protect us from future pandemic disturbances. The metric to watch is the speed of uptake of automation which up until COVID-19, was moderate.
Politically and economically COVID-19 could prove to be the catalyst for renationalisation of many areas of manufacturing as countries seek to protect themselves and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities. The countries which do not make these changes could feasibly pay the price again in any future pandemic.
Automation steps in
Automated systems are found all along supply chains. They are used from the creation of products on production lines to the delivery via AI enabled autonomous mobility.
All aspects of robotisation are part of the next step in this new wave of onshoring. These processes deliver tangible methods of reducing costs and increasing efficiency and safety. Significantly, automation stops contagion. A lesson that we have learned the hard way in 2020.
The shift towards deglobalisation has been given a springboard via COVID-19. This is the moment where forward-thinking nations with the R&D, innovation and adaptability will allow the acceleration in the use of automation.
Whether the adoption of robotic assembly lines or autonomous vehicles, automation is central to our next chapter in a post COVID-19 world. The first movers in this sphere will shape much more than their own business. This is just the beginning of an overhaul which will see efficiencies rise and highly sustainable automated practices overtake the current model.
Deglobalisation is an opportunity for automation to move into the limelight and steal the show.


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Indianapolis — Thomson’s decision to exit the cordless phone business has left the popular GE brand without a home.
A spokesperson for GE would not comment on any negotiations for a potential replacement for Thomson.
“GE will continue to work with Thomson through the completion of their exit from the market per the terms of our agreement,” the spokesperson said.
One brand that will not be making a cordless comeback is RCA, which Thomson used to sell communications products targeted at small businesses.
“We have stopped sales of RCA phones too, and we have not identified a strong request for brand continuity that would push us to license the RCA brand,” said a Thomson spokesperson.
Thomson has suffered declines in its telephone business of 18 percent year on year.
Thomson’s retreat comes on the heels of another year of steep loses for the retail telephony market. According to The NPD Group’s point-of-sale data, unit sales of cordless phones have dropped 20 percent year over year, while dollar sales have fallen 16 percent.
Through September, Thomson ranked fifth in unit and dollar sales in the category.
“It’s been a challenging market and a shrinking category as we continue to see more consumers opt for a cell phone as their primary phone,” said Ross Rubin, industry analysis director, NPD.
While Thomson had pushed through a number of new technologies, including last year’s launch of a combination phone and digital photo frame, “the division may have been difficult to sustain at a parent company that was clearly not interested in staying in consumer electronics,” Rubin said.
The loss of Thomson, and its GE-branded phones, positions the company’s remaining rivals to pick up share, Rubin said, but “over the long term, major brands need to consider how viable the category is going to be particularly as there doesn’t appear to be a successor to DECT” to spur upgrades.


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Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq has decided not to follow the advice of her panel of experts who recommended that energy drinks, such as Red Bull and Monster Energy, be redesignated as drugs and sold exclusively under the supervision of a pharmacist. (Read the backstory here.)
Instead she has decided to reclassify energy drinks as food products—as they are classified in the U.S. and Europe—and to make them subject to the same nutrition and safety labeling regulations as all packaged food products. Up until now, energy drinks have been regulated as Natural Health Product (NHP) in Canada and as such are not required to state nutrition information, or even caffeine content, on the label.
"I firmly believe that it's up to individuals and parents to make their own decisions when it comes to what they eat and drink," said Aglukkaq. "Today’s announcement will ensure that parents have the information to make the best choice for themselves and their families."
How to comply with the new requirements
Under the new measures, Heath Canada will also require manufacturers to:
- Limit the amount of caffeine in an energy drink to 180 mg in a single serving (equivalent to approximately what can be found in a medium coffee)
- Identify on the label groups for whom high levels of caffeine are not recommended (children, pregnant/breastfeeding women), labels would indicate the levels of caffeine in the product;
- Include ingredient, nutrition and allergen declaration, as with all other foods;
- Ensure that types and levels of vitamins and minerals are within safe levels
- Provide a warning statement on the label advising not to mix with alcohol
Health Canada says it intends to initiate the new food requirements as of Nov. 1, 2011. “Industry will be given time to adjust to these requirements (e.g. change their labeling practices to meet the nutrition and allergen labeling requirements),” according to Health Canada.
The transition is expected to take 18 to 24 months once products are deemed eligible to be sold as foods—and have met all the above requirements—under a Temporary Marketing Authorization (TMA) issued by Health Canada and valid for five years.
The change will not, however, apply to energy shots such as the wildly popular 5-Hour Energy or Worx Energy Shot, both of which can contain close to 200 mg of caffeine. Energy shots will continue to be regulated under the NHP regulations “since their current format allows them to be easily distinguished from foods and are clearly in a dosage form,” explains the Health Canada release.


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Success breeds success, and in Orangeburg County attracting industries large and small remains a top priority.
Existing industries play a key role in recruiting new firms. That is why as much as industrial acquisitions make news and are cause for celebration, the Industry Appreciation section in today’s newspaper is also about recognizing industries that already call our region home.
In The T&D Region, there is an impressive list of industries whose experiences here tell as much of a story as anything that can be said to a prospect.
In Orangeburg County: Husqvarna, lawn mowers, 2,000 employees; Food Lion Distribution Center, distribution of groceries, dry and perishable, 498; Zeus Industrial Products Inc., polymer tubing, 450; Koyo Corporation of U.S.A., taper roller bearings, ball bearings, hub units, 400; Allied Air Enterprises Inc., residential furnaces and air conditioners, 400; SI Group, specialty chemical manufacturing, 322; The Okonite Company, electrical power cable manufacturing, 220; Holcim, cement, 200; North American Container Corp., bulk shipping containers, 150; Gulbrandsen Chemicals, aluminum chloride products, 100.
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In Calhoun County: DAK Americas LLC, plastics and resins, 430 employees; Devro Inc., edible casing for meat packaging, 300; Zeus Industrial Products Inc., high-performance polymer tubing for aerospace, automotive, medical and other industries, 125; Starbucks Roasting Plant, roasts and distributes coffee, 101; Alaglass Pools, fiberglass pool construction, 100.
In Bamberg County: Rockland Industries, textiles, 170 employees; Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (Tobul Accumulators), accumulators, 115; Phoenix Specialty, washers, shims and stampings, 115; Collins Aerospace, heating nozzles, 107. Masonite, the door manufacturer employing 110, has announced it will close its Denmark plant in July.
In Orangeburg, more than a fourth of the workforce is in manufacturing. The numbers for Calhoun and Bamberg are similar. Statewide, manufacturers employ roughly 12 percent of the workforce.
Nurturing and supporting the industries already calling our locality and our state their homes are essential, not just to say thank you but to let them know how crucial they are to progress now and in the future. For it is not only in their own expansions and their attraction to industries serving them that we grow, it is through their roles as communicators that our potential for growth is enhanced.
No matter how good a job our industrial salesmen do, industrial prospects look to the experiences -- the satisfaction or dissatisfaction levels -- of existing industries in sizing up a locale.
Our existing industries have good things to say about The T&D Region. And we anxiously anticipate more good news in the industrial and business sectors.