text:
T-Mobile today announced new handset and service promotions that offer new phones for low monthly payments with one big catch: the equipment installment plan runs for 36 months. That means it will be three years before customers pay off their device, rather than the customary two years. The basics are these. Beginning October 19, customers can trade in an eligible phone for a new Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, Note9, LG G7, LG V40 ThinQ, and others for payments as low as $10 per month. T-Mobile hopes customers taking advantage of this promo will jump on the T-Mobile Essentials plan, which provides a family of four new phones with unlimited service for $40 per line per month, or $160 total. This breaks down to $30 per month per line for service and $10 per month for device payments. The actual device payment may be different. Customers who want the T-Mobile One plan will need to pay another $10 per month per line, or $50. This deal requires auto-pay. Eligible phone trade-ins will be credited to customer accounts monthly over a period of 36 months. The maximum trade-in value is $360 per device, but that will depend on the trade and its condition. T-Mobile didn't immediately list a set of devices eligible for trade-in. The trade can be applied to the purchase price of most phones LG sells, including the forthcoming iPhone Xr.
Samsung's forthcoming foldable phone will perform like a tablet when unfolded, and like a phone when folded, according to Samsung mobile chief D.J. Koh. When in tablet configuration, the device will support side-by-side multitasking for power users. "When we deliver a foldable phone, it has to be really meaningful to our customer," said Koh to CNET at the recent launch of the Samsung Galaxy A9. "If the user experience is not up to my standard, I don't want to deliver those kind of products." Koh went on to say he believes the product has staying power and won't be a gimmick that vanishes just months after it reaches the market. The phone will be made available globally. Folding phones have struggled in the modern smartphone era. The Kyocera Echo and ZTE Axon M failed to resonate with consumers. Koh believes Samsung's phone has what it takes to survive. "Possibly when we start selling the foldable phone, it may be a niche market, but definitely, it will expand," said Koh. "I'm positive that we do need a foldable phone." Koh has hinted strongly that the device will arrive this year. It's possible Samsung will use its upcoming developer conference, scheduled for November, as a launch point for the phone.
Epic Games today made its popular Fortnite game available without an invitation. The app has been available in beta since August, though an invite was required for access. Epic Games has dropped the need for an invitation and most anyone can download the game. Fortnite is not available in the Google Play Store. Instead, people interested in the game will need to go to Epic's web site to download an installer. The installer then puts the game on the phone. The game started as an exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Note9 and was later discovered to have a major security flaw in the installer (since patched). Fortnite is best played on high-end devices that have Android 8 Oreo installed. Some compatible phones include the Samsung Galaxy S7, S8, and S9 series; all Google Pixel phones; the LG G5, G6, G7, V20, and V30; the Asus ROG Phone and 5Z; the Essential Phone; the Huawei Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro, Honor 10, and Honor Play; the OnePlus 5, 5T, and 6; the HTC 10, U Ultra, U11+, U12+; the Sony Xperia XZ1, XZ2, and XZ3 series; as well as a handful of others from Xiaomi, ZTE, Nokia, and Lenovo.
Samsung has announced the Galaxy A9, a mid-range device that is among the first to include a four-camera array on the rear panel. The stand-out feature is this camera, which includes wide, telephoto, and normal lenses, as well as a depth-of-field camera. The wide-angle lens has an 8-megapixel sensor at f/2.4, the 2x optical zoom telephoto lens has a 10-megapixel sensor at f/2.4, the main camera has a 24-megapixel sensor at f/1.7, and the depth camera has a 5-megapixel sensor at f/2.2. Samsung says these cameras allow people to flex their creative muscles. Software such as Scene Optimizer and Portrait Mode help expand and improve imaging. The front camera has a 24-megapixel sensor. The Galaxy A9 has a 6.3-inch full HD+ AMOLED display, octa-core processor, 6 or 8 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage. It supports memory cards up to 512 GB. Other specs include a 3,800mAh battery, fingerprint reader, NFC and Samsung Pay, dual-band WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 5.0, and Cat 9 LTE. The phone runs Android 8 Oreo and includes Bixby and Samsung Health. It goes on sale in select markets starting in November. Pricing was not disclosed.
One of the nation's largest retail chains has finally given up on its own mobile payment solution in favor of industry-standard mobile payments. CVS announced today that it now accepts contactless payments using Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay at all locations. It was among the last major national chains to resist standard NFC payment platforms. The company will retire its CVS Pay app on October 15th. CVS previously accepted Apple Pay, but disabled support in 2014 so it it could develop CVS Pay, which launched in 2016. Apple announced just a few weeks ago that Apple Pay support was expanding this year to CVS, 7-Eleven, and Costco.
Sprint has begun offering customers VoLTE service. VoLTE allows for higher-quality voice connections when the call is passed over the LTE data network, rather than the legacy voice network. VoLTE has been available from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless for years. Sprint already offers a high-quality VoIP service called Calling Plus. Sprint's new VoLTE service replaces Calling Plus, which is being phased out. "Before we do updates market-by-market on various devices, we are alerting Calling Plus customers so they can decide whether to continue using the feature until our VoLTE launch is complete," said Sprint in a statement provided to The Verge. Right now, VoLTE is only availably to the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, and S8 Active. It is limited to just 15 markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Sprint did not say how quickly VoLTE will be made available to additional phones and markets.
AT&T today said it has launched what it calls 5G Evolution in 99 new markets, bringing the total of pre-5G markets to 239. AT&T is on track to reach its goal of 400 markets by the end of the year, and nationwide coverage during the first half of 2019. The company says its 5G Evolution technology — which is not 5G NR — can deliver theoretical speeds up to 400 Mbps to properly equipped phones. AT&T expects to launch true 5G mobile service in a dozen markets by the end of the year, with another seven joining the list in early 2019. Further, AT&T has expanded its LTE-LAA footprint to parts of 20 markets and expects to reach 24 by December. LTE-LAA can push speeds to a theoretical max of 1 Gbps. A handful of phones sold by AT&T are LTE-LAA capable, including the Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, S8+, S9+, Note8, Note9, and S8 Active, as well as the LG V30 and V35, the Motorola Moto Z2 Force Edition, and the Netgear Nighthawk Mobile Router. AT&T's first real 5G NR mobile device will be a mobile hotspot.
Samsung today made its S Pen SDK available to app developers. The company announced the SDK earlier this year. Developers will be able to use the tools in the SDK to create custom apps or actions that center on the Galaxy Note9's S Pen stylus. Critically, Samsung added Bluetooth to the S Pen for the Note9, which opens up a wide range of possibilities for developers. For example, the S Pen button can be set to respond to a single or double press to interact with an app's features. Further, the S Pen Remote allows users to control their Note9 from afar. Adding remote triggering to camera apps and similar can improve the overall experience of using apps with the Note9 and S Pen. The SDK is free for developers to download and use.
Samsung today said U.S. consumers will soon be able to purchase the black and silver variants of the Galaxy Note9. The silver will become available on October 5 as a U.S. exclusive. It will only be sold from Best Buy and Samsung. The 128 GB black Note9 will reach Best Buy, Samsung, and carrier stores October 9 with the 512 GB model to follow October 26. The lavender and blue models have been available since August.
AT&T and Harman this week launched the Harman Spark, a module that brings safety and security features to cars. The Spark plugs into a car's OBD II port and connects to AT&T's LTE network. Some of the functions include emergency crash assistance, wherein owners will receive a call if the module detects a crash, as well as a roadside assistance manager for help hailing and paying for a tow truck. A virtual mechanic provides alerts and guidance when it detects problems with the car, and can contact car owners if the car is bumped, moved, towed, or stolen. Other features include geofences to set boundaries for novice drivers, family/fleet management with real-time location sharing, in-car mobile hotspot for up to eight devices, and parking reservations to secure a spot in advance. Last, the module offers driving feedback after analyzing driver behavior. AT&T says the Harman Spark costs $80 on its own, or $30 when purchased alongside a Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+, or Note9. Service costs either $10 or $20 per month, depending on whether or not the Spark is being added to an existing wireless account. The Harman Spark goes on sale Sept. 28. Verizon Wireless sells a similar product called the Hum.
Samsung has begun notifying customers that starting December 17, 2018, they'll no longer be able to send Call Stickers via their Samsung's phone application. Call Stickers, introduced with the Galaxy S8 and S8+, allowed people to send stickers as their caller ID when calling other Samsung devices. Similarly, people with Samsung phones to reject calls with a sticker. Samsung says customers who have purchased Call Stickers through the Galaxy App Store can request compensation for their purchase as long as the request is filed before June 15, 2019. Samsung thanked its customers for using Call Stickers. Samsung sold off the Call Stickers business earlier this year.
Samsung today announced the Galaxy A7, an addition to its mid-range roster that is the first to feature three cameras on the back. The triple-camera array includes a 24-megapixel main sensor at f/1.7, an 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor at f/2.4, and a 5-megapixel depth-sensing camera at f/2.2 for bokeh and other effects. The camera has the ability to detect scenes and adjust automatically to create better photos. The A7 relies on a metal-and-glass design and features an Infinity Display measuring 6 inches with full HD+ resolution on front. Dolby Atmos ensures the A7 delivers a great sound experience. A 2.2 GHz octa-core processor powers the phone, which ships with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of storage. It has a 3,300mAh battery and a slew of radios, including Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi, GPS, NFC, and Cat 6 LTE. The fingerprint reader is located on the side edge and a 24-megapixel selfie camera on front allows for Selfie Focus shots with studio effects and Samsung's AR emoji. Samsung plans to sell the Galaxy A7 in Asian markets first, followed by European and other markets. Samsung didn't say if it intends to bring the A7 to the U.S., and the company didn't specify which LTE bands the phone supports. Samsung recently launched the Galaxy A6 in the U.S.
Samsung has made several new AR Emoji characters available to the Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note9. The new animated emoji come from Disney's movie Zootopia and include Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and Flash. These characters join others such as Disney classics Mickey and Minnie, as well as several from Frozen and The Incredibles. Samsung's AR Emoji allow people to animate avatars with their own facial expressions to create unique messages. The new characters are available from the camera app and the Galaxy Apps Store.
The Apple iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods are not among the list of products that will be subject to a new 10% tariff directed against imports from China. The tariff, levied by President Donald Trump, covers some $200 billion of goods shipped into the U.S. Apple had feared its products would be among those hit with the tariff, but it has been spared. FitBit said its products were spared from this round of tariffs, as well, but some Cisco, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard components necessary for cloud computing equipment do fall on the list of taxed products. The 10% tariff goes into effect September 24, and rises to 25% on January 1, 2019. Trump has threatened to expand the tariffs to an additional $267 billion worth of goods. In that case, Apple's products would no longer be exempt from the added fees, nor would the phones from Samsung, LG, and most other manufacturers. Tariffs are generally viewed as a tax on consumers, as they often result in higher prices on goods.
Cricket Wireless today announced several promotions timed with the arrival of the fall season. First up, customers who open a new line of service with Cricket and port in their number can buy the Samsung Galaxy S9 for $499, a savings of $120 off the regular price. Alternately, new customers can snag the LG Fortune 2 for free. This offer is available through November 8. Cricket is offering four lines of "unlimited data" for $100 per month. This plan includes 22 GB of high-speed data, after which the speeds may be slowed down when the network is congested. Cricket's network allows for maximum download speeds of 3 Mbps, with video streams capped at 1.5 Mbps, or standard definition. Last, Cricket is offering customers the opportunity to enroll in Cricket Protect. Cricket's insurance program includes quick and convenient phone replacements and covers broken glass and water damage. Cricket Protect costs $7 per month. The program is automatically offered to people when they buy a new device. The open enrollment lets people who don't have insurance sign up for the program. Cricket says people seeking to add their phone to Cricket Protect will need to bring their device to a local Cricket store for a quick inspection. The open enrollment period lasts through November 8.
Samsung today announced Samsung Health 6.0, a revitalized version of its personal health and fitness app for Samsung phones. Samsung says the app includes a new user interface, new tracking tools, and new personalization features to customize the experience. Samsung simplified the UI so it focuses on the user's personal needs, habits, and priorities. The app features a new Together tab, which lets people share photos and fitness milestones with friends. It also opens a window to Samsung's worldwide community of health and fitness fans where people can collaborate and even participate in global challenges. The refreshed Discover tab is where users can fine-tune their knowledge by surfacing articles, programs, and compatible partner apps. It includes a storefront through which people can buy wearables, accessories, and other fitness products. Samsung Health is also taking a leap forward on Samsung's smartwatches. Samsung says the new Samsung Health interface provides more at-a-glance information, such as heart rate, GPS data, and workout countdown. Users can track 39 different exercises on all Samsung devices, while the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch can track these same exercises automatically. Samsung Health on Samsung wearables also provides new wellness and stress management features, such as a sleep stage detector and breathing exercise program. The new version of Samsung Health is available via the Google Play Store or the Galaxy Apps Store.
Samsung to Adopt Google's RCS-Based Messaging Platform So Samsung Messages and Android Messages Are Compatible
Owners of Samsung Galaxy phones will soon have access to a more powerful messaging app. Samsung says it is working more closely with Google to ensure that its own Samsung Messages app will work seamlessly with Google's Android Messages app. Samsung is integrating the Google- and GSMA-backed RCS standard within its own app. RCS offers features such as read receipts, group chats, typing indicators, and high-resolution photo/video sharing. To-date, these RCS-based features were only available to Google's Android Messages, meaning both the sender and recipient needed to use Android Messages. Eventually, these features will come to the Samsung Messages app and work between the two. The RCS features are dependent on network support and will only be available to customers on carriers that have deployed RCS. In the U.S., that includes Sprint and T-Mobile. Samsung is starting off slowly. It will first bring these features to the 2017-era Galaxy S8 and S8+, followed by the S8 Active, S9, S9+, Note8, Note9, and select A and J series running Android 9.0 or later. Eventually, new Galaxy phones will natively support RCS when they first go on sale. Samsung did not provide a timeline for deploying its RCS-based Samsung Messages App.
Samsung today said it plans to sell the Galaxy A6 phone in the U.S. beginning September 14. The A6 is a mid-range phone that fills the gap between Samsung's entry-level J series and flagship S series phones. The A6 features a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED Infinity Display with HD+ resolution. The phone is powered by a Samsung Exynos 7884 processor with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. The A6 offers two 16-megapixel cameras, one on front and the other on back, each with its own LED flash. The rear camera has an aperture of f/1.7, while the front camera has an aperture of f/1.9. The camera app is able to use Samsung's Bixby Vision to identify items in the viewfinder as well as translate text. A 3,000mAh battery is sealed in the chassis, and the fingerprint reader is mounted on the rear panel. The phone includes good LTE support for T-Mobile thanks to Bands 66 and 71. Other radios include Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, and WiFi. The Galaxy S6 runs Android 8 Oreo and will be sold unlocked via Samsung.com for $360. Samsung says Sprint will also sell the phone on September 14, with other carriers to follow later. Carrier pricing may be different. Last, Samsung is making the Galaxy J3 and Galaxy J7 available on September 14 unlocked via Samsung.com for $170 and $250, respectively.
Google today detailed the September security patches for Android devices. The company says it discovered a number of vulnerabilities impacting the Android runtime, framework, media framework, and system software. It also found component-level issues with hardware from Qualcomm. Most issues were given a severity rating of "high" but a significant number were listed as "critical." Many could have led to remote code execution. Google says it informed its hardware partners about the issues about 30 days ago. Google does not believe any of the security holes have been exploited by hackers. Google is pushing two updates to its Nexus and Pixel phones, dated September 1 and September 5. It will be up to individual device makers (Samsung, Motorola, et al.) to update their own hardware with the latest patches. Google will provide AOSP with the patches within 48 hours.
Samsung is hard at work completing a phone with a foldable screen and the device might be announced as soon as November, reports CNBC. Samsung has been working on foldable screen technology for years, but mobile chief DJ Koh told CNBC that now "it's time to deliver." Koh did not provide any hard details about the device, but said the company is working to create an experience that's different from a tablet when the phone is unfolded. Unlike old flip phones, which had a hinge and screen on one half of the device, this phone would feature a screen that bends more like a wallet so when people open it they can take advantage of a larger screen. "You can use most of the uses ... on foldable status. But when you need to browse or see something, then you may need to unfold it. But even unfolded, what kind of benefit does that give compared to the tablet? If the unfolded experience is the same as the tablet, why would [consumers] buy it?" said Koh. "So every device, every feature, every innovation should have a meaningful message to our end customer. So when the end customer uses it, [they think] 'wow, this is the reason Samsung made it'." Samsung's developer conference is scheduled for November and it's possible the company will use that event as a platform to announce its foldable phone.
Samsung is rethinking how it develops phones and plans to make a significant change in strategy. Moving forward, the company will introduce the newest features to devices at the $400 price point, such as the Galaxy A series, rather than to flagship models such as the Galaxy S or Note. "In the past, I brought the new technology and differentiation to the flagship model and then moved to the mid-end. But I have changed my strategy from this year to bring technology and differentiation points starting from the mid-end," said Samsung mobile chief DJ Koh in an interview with CNBC. The new, cutting edge features will appear on a mid-range phone by the end of the year, according to Koh. Part of the thinking behind this change is due to the slowdown in sales of high-end models, which are too costly for many people. "So we are very much focusing on millennials who cannot afford the flagship," continued Koh. "But how can I deliver meaningful innovation to our millennials? That's the reason I'm trying to differentiate the mid-section." Samsung also needs to find a way to compete with Chinese rivals, including Huawei and Xiaomi, which have a plethora of good phones available at affordable prices.
Samsung today announced the J2 Core, a low-cost phone based on the Android Go platform. This device relies on design language similar to Samsung's pricier phones. It features a 5-inch display with 960 by 540 resolution. The J2 Core is powered by a Samsung Exynos 7570 processor and it has 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of built-in storage. Two cameras are aboard the J2 Core, including an 8-megapixel shooter on back with a flash and a 5-megapixel shooter on front. Both cameras have an aperture of f/2.2 and tools such as beauty mode. The phone packs a 2,600mAh battery and includes Bluetooth, GPS, and WiFi. The Android Oreo Go operating system includes compact versions of key apps, such as Google Go, Assistant Go, YouTube Go, Gboard, Chrome, Maps Go, Files Go, Gmail Go, and Google Play. The phone will initially go on sale in Malaysia, and will eventually spread to other markets. Samsung has not announced plans to offer the Galaxy J2 Core in the U.S.
Samsung Pay has launched mobile payments in South Africa, bringing the total number of markets served to 24 across six continents. Samsung has partnered with some 2,000 banking and financial institutions to serve as many people as possible. Samsung Pay supports online purchases in 15 markets, transit cards in five markets, loyalty and membership cards in 20 markets, ATM transactions in five markets, and Samsung Rewards in 10 markets. Samsung Pay has been integrated into Samsung's Bixby voice assistant, allowing people to make purchases at some merchants with a voice request. Samsung Pay relies on both NFC and MST (magnetic stripe) technology, which makes it compatible with more payments terminals than an NFC-only service such as Apple Pay. Samsung says Samsung Pay has surpassed 1.3 billion transactions. The tap-and-go functionality is available to the new Samsung Galaxy Note9 and Galaxy Watch, as well as many of Samsung's older high-end phones.
All 750 of Costco's U.S. stores now accept Apple Pay at the register. The company had been testing Apple Pay at a small number of stores since earlier this year. Costco completed the Apple Pay rollout on August 10. Costco is working to bring Apple Pay to its store-based gas stations, too, but has only gone live in a few locations. "We've added additional mobile payment options to make your next visit more convenient," said Costco in a statement provided to MacRumors. "Costco members can now use Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay at U.S. Costco locations." Apple Pay will arrive at CVS and 7-Eleven stores later this year.
Samsung is pushing a small update to the Galaxy Note9 that introduces new options in the camera application. Before the update, the Note9 was limited to taking 0.2 seconds of 960fps slow-motion footage in manual mode. After the update, owners can alternately elect to record 0.4 seconds of 480fps slow-motion. The update also installs the August security patch from Google. The Note9 goes on sale August 24, so this update will likely be waiting for most people when they first turn on the device.
Samsung has announced the Exynos Modem 5100 for mobile devices with support for the 5G New Radio standard (3GPP release 15) in both sub-6 GHz and mmWave bands. Samsung says the Exynos 5100 is built using a 10nm process. The company claims to have successfully conducted an over-the-air 5G NR test with the modem using a 5G base station. It handles legacy networks, such as 2G GSM/CDMA, 3G WCDMA, HSPA, and LTE along with the 5G standard. Samsung says the modem delivers download speeds up to 2 Gbps in sub-6 GHz settings and 6 Gbps in mmWave settings. The Exynos 5100 is capable of achieving 1.6 Gbps via LTE 4G. Samsung says the Exynos Modem 5100 also includes envelope tracking, radio frequency IC, and power management solutions. It will be available to hardware makers by the end of the year. Phones with integrated 5G are not expected until 2019.
All the major carriers in the U.S. plan to sell the Samsung Galaxy Note9 when it becomes available August 24. Each has a different offer on hand to entice consumers to buy the phone.
- AT&T: AT&T is asking customers to pay $33.34 per month for 30 months for the $999.99 128 GB version of the Note9. For a limited time, customers who buy the Note9 can get a second Note9 or Galaxy S9/S9+ for free when the phones are financed on an installment plan.
- Sprint: Sprint customers can get the Note9 for half off for a limited time, which puts monthly payments on the Sprint Flex Lease at $20.83. Customers who opt for the Galaxy Forever plan can upgrade to a new phone after completing 12 monthly payments. Sprint's deal includes the AKG headphones and/or Fortnite V-bucks.
- T-Mobile: The Uncarrier is asking customers to make a downpayment of $280 for the 128 GB Note9 and then pay $30 per month for 24 months. The 512 GB Note9 will require a $530 down payment followed by 24 months of payment at $30 each. For a limited time, T-Mobile is offering 50% off the price with a qualifying Samsung trade-in. The price will be reduced via the monthly payments.
- U.S. Cellular: The carrier is offering $150 in bill credits to those who buy the Galaxy Note9 with a new line of service.
- Verizon Wireless: Big Red is asking for $41.66 per month for 24 months for the 128 GB model and $52.08 per month for 24 months for the 512 GB model. For a limited time, customers who initiate a new line of service and buy one Note9 on a monthly plan can score a free 128 GB Note9, or Galaxy S9/S9+. Verizon's deal includes the AKG headphones and/or Fortnite V-bucks.
YouTube has begun to recognize what it calls Signature Devices, or phones that deliver the best-in-class experience for YouTube content. YouTube says these phones have the latest technology and provide optimal viewing. In order to qualify as a Signature Device, a phone must include features such as high dynamic range, 4K, 360 video, reliable DRM performance, and a high frame rate. YouTube says it has worked with select manufacturers to verify a handful of Signature Devices. They include the new Samsung Galaxy Note9, as well as the S8, S8+, Note8, S9, and S9+; the LG V30 and G7 ThinQ; the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, XZ2, and XZ2 Compact; the HTC U12+; the Huawei Mate 10 Pro; the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S and Mi 8; the HMD Global Nokia 8 Sirocco; the OnePlus 6; and the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. People who own these devices don't need to do anything in order to enjoy a good YouTube experience. YouTube will add devices to the list over time.
Samsung debuted a new smartwatch in Brooklyn called the Galaxy Watch. This Tizen-based wearable has a classier air about it when compared to last year's Gear S3. Here are our first thoughts about Samsung's latest smart device.
Samsung devices will feature Spotify as the default music service moving forward thanks to a new partnership between the two companies. Samsung Galaxy phone owners will be guided through the process of signing up for Spotify out of the box. People will be able to access Spotify not only on their phones, but also Samsung’s tablets, smart TVs and other products. The service supports seamless listening as people move about their day, transitioning between devices at home, on the road, or in the office. Samsung didn’t say if Spotify will be preloaded on the Galaxy Note9.
Samsung today unveiled a smart speaker for the home. The Galaxy Home is powered by Bixby and Samsung’s Smart Hub technology. Speaking the “Hi Bixby” catchphrase wakes the speaker thanks to eight microphones. It can handle requests, such as accessing playlists and controlling smart home technology. There are multiple speakers and a built-in subwoofer for rich sound. It relies on natural sound processing to produce a stereo effect. Samsung said more information about Galaxy Home will be shared during the Samsung developer conference later this year.
Samsung today announced the Galaxy Watch. It includes the company’s signature circular, rotating bezel. It comes in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm in rose gold, silver, and black. The Galaxy Watch is powered by a Samsung-made Exynos processor and it comes with 4 GB go storage. The wearable is water resistant (for swimming) and is rugged for protection from drops and other abuse. One variant will come with LTE for constant connectivity. Samsung says it is compatible with most worldwide LTE bands. The company says the new low-power architecture of the processor helps the battery last much longer, up to several days on a single charge. The watch can charge wirelessly. The 46mm Watch has a 472mAh battery and the 42mm Watch has a 270mAh battery. Samsung is targeting health and fitness with the watch. New stress management tools can monitor heart rate to establish a baseline and then offer a breathing guide when it senses that the wearer is stressed. The watch is designed to make workouts easier to track, and can handle 39 different exercises, 6 of which can be detected automatically. The watch also tracks sleep. All three of these work together to monitor and manage health. Samsung says the phone is compatible with most normal watch straps, and it has access to 60,000 watch faces via the software. The Galaxy Watch will go on sale in select markets August 24. The Bluetooth-only model costs $330, while the LTE model costs $350.
Preorders for the Samsung Galaxy Note9 kick off on August 10. The 128 GB capacity variant will be available in blue and lavender from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, U.S Cellular, and Xfinity for $999.99. Samsung will sell an unlocked version of the phone on its web site. The device will also be available from Amazon, Best Buy, CostCo, Sam’s Club, StraightTalk Wireless, Target, and Walmart. The 512 GB model will be available from AT&T, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless, but not Sprint for $1,249.99 The Galaxy Note9 streets August 24.
Samsung's new flagship is here, and it's an enormous piece of hardware. The Galaxy Note9 showcases Samsung's best in terms of technology and design. With a bigger screen, bigger battery, and fancy S Pen features, the Note9 is vying to be the productivity and creativity champ. Here are our first impressions.
People who preorder the Samsung Galaxy Note9 from Samsung directly will be able to score a pair of free headphones. The noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones come from AKG and have a retail value of $299. Samsung didn’t indicate how long the headphon offer will be available. Preorders for the Galaxy Note9 stat August 10 and the phone goes on sale August 24.
Samsung today announced a new wireless charging accessory that can charge two devices at the same time. It incorporates two separate charging pads, one upright and one laying down, so people can charge their Galaxy phone, such as the new Note9, and another device. The Galaxy Duo comes in black or white. It goes on sale August 10. Pricing wasn’t immediately announced.
Samsung said a handful of its Galaxy phones will the the first to be able to download and play the popular game Fortnite. Samsung said the game will be made available to the new Galaxy Note9 as well as all Galaxy S and Note phones from the 2016-era S7 and up. This includes the Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8+, S9, S9+, as well as the Tab S3 and Tab S4. The game will not be distributed by the Google Play Store directly; instead, the game will be available via the Samsung Game Launcher app. People who preorder the Galaxy Note9 will be able to score 15,000 Fortnite V-Bucks for in-game purchases. Those not interested in Fortnite can opt for a free pair of AKG Bluetooth headphones instead.
Samsung today announced the Galaxy Note9, its premiere flagship phone for the year. The Note series has always featured Samsung's newest technology, a big screen, and a stylus. This year, Samsung iterated on the design of the Note8 while introducing new camera and stylus capabilities. The Note9 is a nearly all-glass device with curved panels on the front and back. A thin metal frame supports the chassis. The Super AMOLED screen has been stretched to 6.4 inches at quad HD+ resolution (2,960 x 1,440). The U.S. variant of the phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. Samsung says it has boosted the performance of the 845's GPU with a new algorithm, a water carbon coolant, and a larger heat sink to get every bit of power for games. The phone will come with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, or 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage with support for an additional 512 GB via the microSD slot. The phone adopts the camera setup from the Galaxy S9+. The main, wide-angle sensor is 12 megapixels and includes a variable aperture that can switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. The secondary telephoto lens has a 12-megapixel sensor at f/2.4. Both include OIS. Samsung is introducing a dash of artificial intelligence thanks to the Snapdragon 845. The camera can recognize 20 different scenes and adjust the settings automatically for the best shot (similar to the Huawei P20 Pro and LG V35s). It also has flaw detection and can manage things such as blinking, lens smudging, and image blur. The front camera has an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus at f/1.7 for better low-light selfies. Samsung has improved the S Pen. It now includes Bluetooth Low Energy and can act as a remote control for select apps, such as the camera to take a picture or PowerPoint to advance a presentation. The phone stores a 4,000mAh battery that Samsung says will last all day. It runs Android 8 Oreo. The battery supports rapid charging and rapid wireless charging. The Note9 will include a Cat 18 LTE modem with 4x4 MIMO, carrier aggregation, and LAA for theoretical download speeds up to 1.2 Gbps. Other radios include dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and GPS. The phone is rated IP68 for protection against water, it includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, and stereo speakers tuned by AKG. Samsung repositioned the fingerprint reader on the rear surface so it is easier to reach. The Note9 will be sold in blue with a yellow S Pen and lavender with a purple S Pen. Preorders start August 10 and the device will go on sale August 24. The 128 GB model costs $999.99 and the 512 GB model costs $1,249.99.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 has a serious security flaw, according to researchers from Austria’s Graz Technical University. A microchip security issue leaves the S7 open to Meltdown attacks. Meltdown takes advantage of a CPU tool called speculative execution, which allows processors to predict where instructions will travel. Hackers could use certain techniques to manipulate speculative execution in order to access privileged memory, such as that of the kernel. Meltdown and a similar vulnerability called Spectre were discovered to impact devices from a wide range of manufacturers late last year and early this year. "There are potentially hundreds of million of phones out there that are affected by Meltdown and may not be patched because the vendors themselves do not know," said the researchers. They plan to look at devices from other phone makers to see if other models are impacted by the flaw. Samsung claims to have plugged the Meltdown security hole in patches issued in January and again in July. "Samsung takes security very seriously and our products and services are designed with security as a priority," said the company. There are no known cases of Meltdown being used to attack the Galaxy S7. The Galaxy S7 was first released in 2016 and is used by about 30 million people, according to Strategy Analytics.
MetroPCS today kicked off several promotions meant to encourage people to sign up for its service. To start, MetroPCS is offering those who switch a $200 discount that can be applied toward the purchase of a new phone. Some phones, including the Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime, LG Stylo 4, Moto E5 Plus, and iPhone SE, would be effectively free after the $200 discount. This deal requires users to subscribe to MetroPCS' Unlimited LTE plan. Second, customers who buy one iPhone can earn a $200 rebate toward the purchase of a second iPhone of equal or lesser value. This promo is good for new and existing customers. Customers who switch to MetroPCS can buy the iPhone 6 for $49. Last, customers who bring their own device to MetroPCS will receive a free month of service. These deals are available online and in stores.


text:
'GTA Online': Devs Share More Gunrunning Details
Long-time Grand Theft Auto V players were treated to a surprise last week when Rockstar Games announced the new Gunrunning update for GTA Online. Slim details were provided by the developer during their reveal regarding the release date and file size of the update. However, sources have reported that the game studio has shared more screenshots and information about the new DLC content.
GTA Online players will have access to new underground bases called bunkers. Players will depend on these areas as their main control center to manage their enterprise in the Gunrunning update. Game Rant adds that players can store their mobile command center, which is a modified vehicle that allows players to customize other vehicles and even reportedly hold living quarters.
The Gunrunning update apparently gives players access to new vehicle classes to collect and customize. These are reportedly called Weaponized vehicles according to Gamespot, while Rockstar Games says "build a fleet to cover every eventuality." GTA Online gamers can also use these new vehicles to deliver their cargo and stay protected from other player's attacks. Users get to work on the amphibious APC and an anti-aircraft carrier model
Gamers can choose to have their team research upgrades for their existing weapons as well as upgraded arsenal for weaponized vehicles. The Gunrunning DLC update will also permit GTA Online users to fully optimize their mobile command center with a deadly arsenal of weapons to engage any threat encountered during their transport. These optional upgrades can be maximized to make sure that your fleet becomes unstoppable.
Rockstar Games plans to release the Gunrunning patch for GTA Online sometime in June. Fans are obviously thrilled that the developer continues to provide after-market support for Grand Theft Auto V since its launch a couple of years ago. The updates will surely keep veteran players invested in the game, while its new features continue to lure new players to pick up the game and eventually join the online community.
'Street Fighter V' Next DLC Character Revealed, More FM Tips
VesperArcade shares a video that supposedly reveals the next DLC fighter for "Street Fighter V".
Sony Reveals List Of Free Games For PlayStation Plus In June; 'Life Is Strange' Among The Many Offerings
Sony reveals its free games lineup for June 2017 exclusive for active PSN Plus members.
Ubisoft Unveils New Logo
Ubisoft has officially revealed its new logo, which has changed from the colored 3D swirl into a flat design.
Twitch Stream Allows Viewers To Trade Stocks Using One Man's $50k
A popular Twitch stream called "Stock Stream" allows participants to trade stocks worth up to $50K.
'Tekken 7' Reviews Up Are Up: Here's What The Critics Are Saying
Fighting game websites have published their reviews about Bandai Namco's "Tekken 7".
MORE IN ITECHPOST
FonePaw Screen Recorder Review - Collaboration Made Easy
With today's technology, it is far easier to collaborate from the comforts of our own homes. Working remotely is common. People are making a career without having to leave their properties and spending all day in an office.
How Do Personal Emergency Response Systems Work?
Personal emergency response systems, known as PERS for short, are systems that help people to raise the alarm and get immediate help when a medical or personal emergency occurs. They are ideal for older people and anyone with a mobility issue or an injury or illness that can cause falls.
How to Download Free Android Emulator for Gaming on PC?
Are you looking to play Android games on PC with the help of the best Android emulator? There are numerous types of online platform which provide user friendly access and support for the interested communities to get immediate access to install their best recommended Android applications.
Netflix is Raising Prices, Here’s How it Now Compares to Other Streaming Services
Once a brand gains the trust and loyalty of its market, it is only logical that it attempts to flex its dominant muscle. Such is the tale that fits the recent price hike coming from the stable of Netflix. Having baited consumers into believing that streaming, and not cable subscription, is the right way to go, Netflix has now decided to drop its own form of a bombshell on consumers in the form of price increment. The news, which was announced earlier this year, detailed that Netflix would be raising prices across all of its plans by 13 to 18 percent.

domain: news


text:
Today is November 29, 2012 and we officially have 45 days to go until the public reveal of the next generation C7 Corvette on 1.13.13 in Detroit. In counting down to the C7′s launch, Chevy has unveiled the second of four teaser videos and this one is called “Calibration”.
C7 Corvette News, Spy Photos, Rumors and More
The C7 Corvette Stingray is the next generation sports car from Chevrolet. Powered by the all new small block LT1 V8 which produces 455 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque or 460 hp and 465 lb-ft torque with the optional performance exhaust. Here is a list of links for everything you need to know about the C7 Corvette:
Introductions – Auto Shows
- The Legend Returns – Introducing the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
- [VIDEO] Watch the Live Reveal of the 2014 C7 Corvette
- [PICS] The 2014 Corvette Stingray Revealed
- [VIDEO] The 2014 Corvette Stingray Press Conference at the NAIAS
- Introducing the 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible
- This is the 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible
- [VIDEO] Chevrolet Shows Off Its Performance Cars Lineup at the New York Auto Show
- [VIDEO] The Reveal of the 2014 Corvette Stingray Premiere Edition at the Corvette Museum
Performance – Specs
- [VIDEO] The 2014 Corvette Stingray Seminar from the NCM Bash
- Official: 2014 Corvette Stingray Cranks Out 460 Horsepower!
- 2014 Corvette Stingray Performance Estimates Revealed
- It’s Official! 2014 Corvette Stingray Gets an EPA Estimated 29 mpg Highway
- The 2014 Corvette Stingray’s 6-Speed Automatic is Rated 16/28 MPG by the EPA
Pricing – Options – Sales
- The 2014 Corvette Stingray Will Start at $51,995
- Chevrolet Prices the Corvette Stingray for Europe at €69,990
- Chevrolet Prices the 2014 Corvette Stingray in Canada at $52,745
- 2014 Corvette Stingray Order Guide Updates
- Chevrolet Details Limited Production Options for Customizing the 2014 Corvette Stingray
- Official 2014 Corvette Stingray Configurator is Now Online
- Kerbeck Now Taking Orders for the 2014 Corvette Stingray
- Questions about Ordering a 2014 Corvette Stingray? Contact National Corvette Seller Mike Furman
- CorvetteBlogger Drives the 2014 Corvette Stingray
- [VIDEO] Autocrossing the 2014 Corvette Stingray
- [VIDEO] Edmunds Drives the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
- [VIDEO] Autoweek Drives the 2014 Corvette Stingray
- [VIDEO] 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray: 48 Hours with the C7 in Detroit
- [VIDEO] Motor Trend Tests the 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51
- [VIDEO] Car and Driver Does First Burnout in the 2014 Corvette Stingray
C7s in the News
- [VIDEO] Watch the 2014 Corvette Stingrays Get Built in Bowling Green
- [VIDEO] 2014 Corvette Stingray and Camaro Z/28 Testing on the Nurburgring
- [PIC] 2014 Corvette Stingray Coupe Crashes in Arizona
- [ACCIDENT] 2014 Corvette Stingray Hit By A Lincoln Town Car
- [PICS] First Retail 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible Sells at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach for $1 Million
Below you’ll find our latest C7 Corvette Stories listed by date posted.
Earlier this month, players of Sony PlayStation’s Gran Turismo 5 spotted the Camouflaged C7 Corvette as a screensaver and speculation was that the car would be revealed after the real-life C7 Corvette was publically displayed on 1.13.13. Well, the surprise was on us as Chevrolet and Sony annouced that gamers would be allowed the first-of-its-kind driving experience by offering the Camouflaged C7 test Corvette for download and driving today on Gran Turismo 5.
It isn’t even here yet, but the C7 Corvette continues to stimulate the economy.
Corvette Assembly Plant Manager Dave Tatman announced this week that the GM plant in Bowling Green, Ky., will be hiring 170 workers for periods ranging from four to 18 months.
Article contributed by Rick Tavel
As many of you probably realize, preparations for Barrett-Jackson’s world famous January collector car auction are already underway in Scottsdale, Arizona. This year’s auction is January 13 through 20. The magnitude of this auction requires Craig Jackson and his team to begin preparing for their flagship Scottsdale auction almost a year in advance.
Last month’s unveiling of the new Gen 5 LT1 V8 engine to the media was the culmination of five years of hard work and dedication by the small block engineering team lead by Jordan Lee, Chief Engineer and Program Manager for the small block engine family. Jordan has a long history with the fifth-generation small block engine which he recently shared on Faces of GM.
When General Motors unlocked the first video trailer called Conception from the C7 Corvette countdown site, www.one13thirteen.com, one of the memorable clips showed the GM wind tunnel and the tag line “Every Line Matters.” That of course refers to the aerodynamics of the brand new Corvette. The body has been redesigned but the redesign’s purpose was more than just providing a new look – every line, vent, inlet and surface area has been optimize to make the C7 Corvette the most aerodynamic Corvette ever.
Just in time for the holidays or for the January 13th unveiling, Zip Corvette has C7 apparel now available for order. Be among the first to wear the C7 Corvette logo on a great selection of hats, polo’s and t-shirts. There’s even a cut t-shirt for the ladies!
Pre-order your C7 apparel today and check out Zip Corvette’s online C7 catalog for even more new C7 apparel that will be added in the days ahead. Shipping will begin the week of November 26.
When the 2014 C7 Corvette becomes available next year, it’s widely believed that buyers of the all-new sports car will have their choice of a 7-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic. The new 8-speed automatic transmission will be built at GM’s Toledo, Ohio transmissions plant and is expected to be shared by Corvette, select Cadillacs and other models across the GM lineup. However, in a report yesterday at Motor Trend, sources said the new transmissions won’t be ready for another year, so GM has partnered with the Japanese company Aisin to provide the automatics for C7 Corvette’s first year of production.
The C7 Corvette continues to produce more good economic news every day, it seems.
For example, the company chosen to produce the exterior body panels and structural composite components for the highly anticipated new Corvette announced today it will expand its operations in Huntington, Indiana, creating up to 50 new jobs by 2015.


text:
Over 3 lakh footfalls was recorded at ELECRAMA 2020 in the five days, from 18th – 22nd January, as the biggest showcase of electrical and electronics manufacturers beat economic slowdown to record a whopping $4.6 billion worth business queries through Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet (RBSM) and Domestic Buyer Seller Meet (DBSM).
The 14th edition of ELECRAMA had around 1,370 exhibitors showcasing their products and services at the flagship initiative of Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA).
Two MoUs were also signed, the first between IEEMA and Kyrgyzstan to promote bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The second MoU was signed with Rupeeboss under SME Clinique initiative.
“There has been an overwhelming support from the global partners to ELECRAMA 2020 not only restoring its faith on the Indian growth story but also giving a strong impetus to the local industry for being the leading powerhouse of the segment for the next decade,” said Anil Saboo, Chairman, ELECRAMA 2020.
“As expected, we have generated around 400 per cent growth in the numbers and this is a very positive sign for small to big players in the industry. Basically, this means there’s more business for everyone across verticals of the electrical and electronic industry,” said RK Chugh, President, IEEMA.
Amidst multiple initiatives aiming to strengthen discourse and engagement around key verticals, the conference saw a bustling 5th Reverse Buyer-Sellers Meet under ChangeXChange 2020 program, wherein people participated from 70 countries round the globe. While the participants profile improved exceptionally in comparison to the previous editions, the international participants hailed the organizers for creating an impressive platform for a global exchange.
The RBSMs held concurrently saw participation from 650 buyers from 70 countries including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, CIS countries and SAARC nations.


text:
Azizi Developments, a leading private developer in the UAE, has sold over 40% of its units at Rêve, part of the developer’s fourth and most prestigious phase of its French Mediterranean-inspired waterfront lifestyle community Riviera, located in the heart of MBR City. The units were sold to 35 different nationalities.
Azizi has disseminated its sales data, indicating a growing interest from both local and international investors. Russian citizens make up the majority of its Rêve customer base, representing 26.67% of the total sales. The nationality breakdown also shows a surging demand from Iraqi investors, making up 10%, while 8.33% are from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and another 6.67% are from German investors. Other nationalities who also snapped up units in the highly coveted projects include Algerian, Colombian, Indian, and Italian investors, among others.
Azizi has made substantial investments to cater to foreign buyers, as seen by the inauguration of its virtual property tours, video calling consultations, foreign sales offices, road shows, and fly-in programme, among many other impactful initiatives.
Mr Farhad Azizi, CEO of Azizi Developments, said: “Dubai is the most welcoming city, and, therefore, it comes as no surprise that it attracts a large number of international investors. We are incredibly proud to be contributing to revealing to the world the many wonders this emirate has to offer, such as its safety and comfort as a place to visit, live, work, and invest in; its prowess as a leading hub for business, tourism, and innovation; its outstanding ROIs; and all the other benefits the city provides its multinational residents.”
“The 40% sales milestone of Rêve to 35 nationalities is a pronounced testament to our efforts. As a catalyst to the development of this awe-inspiring city, working determinedly to further boost its FDI and strengthen its position as the world’s leading real estate investment destination, this fills us with pride,” concluded Azizi.
With stunning views of Dubai’s skyline and crystal lagoon vistas, Riviera Rêve’s released renderings and information also highlight breath-taking, uniquely designed façades and a five-star service ambience comprising lavish entrances with cascading waterfalls, elegant ceiling coves with indirect lighting, Calacatta Sponda marble flooring, sleek big slab porcelain walls, modern over-counter washbasins, Statuario Lincoln marble mosaic tile pieces, frameless floor-to-ceiling windows, indirect mood lighting, premium appliances, panoramic lifts, a full array of smart home automation systems, valet and carwash services, and other fascinating features and carefully curated materials.
The Rêve buildings come with fully equipped gyms, two swimming pools, saunas, steam rooms and children’s play areas, among other amenities. They will be surrounded by vast open green spaces and situated on the shores of Azizi’s 2.7-kilometre-long swimmable crystal lagoon, spanning over 130,026 square metres and stretching across the entirety of the community. With stunning blue flooring, filled with more than 51.5 million gallons of crystal-clear, desalinated, and clean water that residents can swim in, and easily accessible via its lagoon walk — which will also feature a vast variety of artisan eateries and boutiques — Azizi’s lagoon will be a bustling space where residents can enjoy strolls along the beach-like shores, sunbathe and cool off.


text:
As we reported earlier this week, next week looks to be the big unveiling of stealthy fuel cell company Bloom Energy’s Bloom Box. The company is holding a media event on Wednesday, February 24, but this Sunday, “60 Minutes” will air behind-the-scenes video footage of Bloom Energy and its factory. “60 Minutes” affiliate CBS News already has a meaty teaser article on its site, reporting some of the exclusive information it’s found, including that Google (s GOOG), eBay (s EBAY), FedEx (s FDX), Staples (s SPLS) and Walmart are among Bloom Energy’s first 20 customers and that Bloom is building “one box a day” in its factory.
CBS has more details on pricing of the Bloom boxes, too. Each large box, which can power about 100 homes, sells for $700,000 to $800,000, and Bloom hopes to one day (in the next 5-10 years) sell a smaller home version for about $3,000. The CEO of eBay John Donahoe tells 60 Minutes that nine months ago five Bloom boxes were installed on eBay’s campus and so far the boxes have saved the Internet giant $100,000 in electricity bills. We’ll make sure to watch the “60 Minutes” clip and keep you updated.


text:
ChannelFireball and BinderPOS Merge"), is divesting its ecomm business as it transitions to a BinderPOS-powered online marketplace serving third-party retailers, the company announced. As a major step in that transition, ChannelFireball is selling its inventory of Magic: The Gathering singles to retail chain Good Games, which will be expanding its online offerings in the U.S.
Good Games operates 28 stores in Australia, and has opened two in the U.S., in Indianapolis and Chicago (see "Australian Game Store Chain opens Second U.S. Store"). It currently has a limited U.S. ecomm singles operation, with inventory shipped from the stores, Good Games Managing Director Paul Van Der Werk explained to ICv2.
As part of the deal between the companies, Good Games will sell through the ChannelFireball marketplace, Van Der Werk told us. "As part of our new partnership, Good Games will be selling online exclusively through the ChannelFireball Marketplace and other sales channels integrated through BinderPOS," he said. Good Games will also take over ChannelFireball’s buy list.
ChannelFireball’s inventory won’t be transferred to Good Games until the ChannelFireball marketplace opens, so the size of the deal won’t be finalized for some time, but ChannelFireball’s inventory includes "millions of cards," Van Der Werk said. ChannelFireball is the third or fourth largest retailer of Magic: The Gathering singles in the U.S.
The deal includes only Magic: The Gathering cards, which means a home will still have to be found for ChannelFireball’s Pokemon TCG inventory. The company has committed to have exited the selling of Magic and Pokemon singles at launch of its marketplace.
"ChannelFireball is getting out of the business of selling our own singles and into the business of selling the products of the local game stores on our marketplace; we don’t want to compete with stores, we are working for them and with them," CFB Group President Jon Saso said of the transition.
Retail Chain Buying 'Magic' Inventory, Expanding Online Sales
Posted by Milton Griepp on April 29, 2021 @ 3:28 am CT
Waterstone CEO Will Run Three Companies
May 13, 2021
James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble and Waterstones, will run Paper Source along with the two booksellers.
Opens Expanded Store, Plans Tenth Store
May 13, 2021
Phil Boyle's Coliseum of Comics is absorbing two competitors this year, opening an expanded store, and planning a tenth store in the chain.


text:
CardWeb.com’s CardData financial database projects the four major networks will report $1948 million in international Purchase Dollar Volume (PDV) for the third quarter, a 6.9% year-on-year gain. American Express will report Q3 on Oct 15 and MasterCard will report on Oct 30. It is expected Discover will report Q3 on Oct 22 and Visa on Oct 24.
About 76 million households and 7 million small businesses of JPMorgan Chase (JPM) were recently hacked. However, as of yesterday, JPM says in an SEC filing: there is no evidence that account information for such affected customers (account numbers, passwords, user IDs, dates of birth or Social Security numbers) was compromised during this attack.
MA-based Primax has beefed-up its ConnectUP Rewards program for card issuers. Primax offers debit and credit card issuing and merchant acquiring programs, products and services.
MasterCard has unveiled a global tool designed to reduce the risk of cyber hacking of banks and processors. SafetyNet identifies potential attacks before they start and in some cases before the bank or processor is even aware.
GoDaddy has teamed up with Stripe to offer small, medium-sized businesses (SMBs) online payments. The GoDaddy Online Store with Stripe will be launched this quarter and be available to customers in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada and the US.
Chase Merchant Services has named a new U.S. Market President. Kim Fitzsimmons will oversee all marketing, relationship management and sales activities in the U.S. for Chase Merchant Services.
Costco Canadian members can now apply for the new Capital One Platinum MasterCard which doubles as a membership card. The card is being issued under an exclusive contract between Costco Wholesale Canada and Capital One’s Canadian bank branch.
FIS has completed its acquisition of Clear2Pay for $470 million. Brussels-based Clear2Pay counts 40 of the 50 largest global financial institutions among its clients.
CardWeb.com’s CardExecs database of card industy movers and shakers today features Souheil Badran, senior vice president and general manager of Digital River World Payments. Digital River is a global provider of Commerce-as-a-Service solutions.
Montreal-based DebitWay released a Bundle feature in conjunction with the launch of its New Master Merchant Control Panel. The Company is a Certified Payment Provider of INTERAC Online Payment (IOP) solution.
Paris-based Ingenico Group has closed on the acquisition of Amsterdam-based GlobalCollect. The deal announced in July was for US$1.1 billion.
The largest provider of private label credit cards in the U.S. has added Select Comfort to its portfolio. Synchrony Financial (f/k/a GE Capital Retail Finance) signed a multi-year agreement with Select Comfort Corporation for the card program which offers a number of financing options.


text:
Apple has joined forces with networking giant Cisco for a business push by integrating their products and optimising apps with Cisco networks to "maximise the potential of iOS".
The pair say they are creating "a fast lane for iOS business users by optimising Cisco networks for iOS devices and apps".
New Cisco chief executive Chuck Robbins said the partnership would focus on three key areas: performance between Cisco networks and iOS devices; extending the Cisco Unified Communications experience to the iPhone; and iOS experiences on Cisco Spark, TelePresence and WebEx.
"Together, we will enable mobile apps and experiences that deliver the quality and experience we need while meeting enterprise requirements for management and security," said Robbins.
They will work together to make the iPhone "an even better business collaboration tool in Cisco voice and video environments" – bridging the gap between smartphone and desk phone.
The size of the opportunity is huge. Some 95 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Cisco collaboration and Cisco networks, according to a statement.
The announcement shows Apple is serious about growth in the enterprise world, and follows the alliance that Apple struck with IBM in July 2014 to build enterprise-centric mobile apps.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said: "Together with Cisco, we believe we can give businesses the tools to maximise the potential of iOS and help employees become even more productive using the devices they already love."


text:
On December 11, 2022, the award ceremony of “36Kr 2022 Global Outstanding Chinese POWER 100” was held in Shanghai, China. Dr. Jerry Tse, CEO of Eddid Financial, was awarded “36 Kr 2022 Global Outstanding Chinese POWER 100 - Outstanding Investor”. On that day, Chinese elites from different industries gathered to share their cutting-edge views and unique insights.
As a listed company on NASDAQ, 36Kr is a comprehensive service group for scientific and technological innovation and entrepreneurship, their focus areas range from business, science, and technology, to venture capital and other fields. They strive to recognize key figures with admirable leadership ability, outstanding contribution value and illimitable growth space in various fields. “36Kr 2022 Global Outstanding Chinese POWER 100” is the 36Kr’s first attempt in carrying out in-depth insight and exploration into the global Chinese community since the platform was founded. 36Kr handpick 100 Chinese elites from the four dimensions of “enterprise leaders”, “outstanding investors”, “scientific research leaders”, and “new business leaders”. The award aspires to attract the attention of the public on Chinese entrepreneurs with a global vision, so that the world would recognize their brilliant achievements. Along with Dr. Tse, the list includes ZhouShouzi, CEO of Tik Tok, Yuan Zheng, founder and CEO of Zoom, Su Zifeng, chairman and CEO of AMD, Li Jie, founder of J &T express, Zhang Ye, founder of Cyanhill Capital and other Chinese elites.
As an outstanding investor, Dr. Tse has had extensive business and management experience in the financial industry and has served as in management level of numerous large financial institutions such as DBS Bank, Macquarie Group, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, Everbright Securities and Shanxi Securities. Over the past few decades, Dr. Tse has been responsible for over 150 projects in capital market transactions, including landmark IPO projects such as Postal Savings Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Wanda Group, China Life Insurance, PetroChina, CICC, etc., as well as mega-size transactions and flagship projects such as the restructuring of China Guangfa Bank, Bank of China, Acelor Mittal and Watsons.
In 2022, Dr. Tse joined Eddid Financial, utilized the group’s full potential of having multiple licenses and pioneering technical advantages in fintech, leading Eddid Financial to rapidly develop investment banking institutional business and innovate fintech business. At the same time, leading the group to stand out in the fierce competition and become a well-known comprehensive financial services institution in Hong Kong. In 2022, Eddid Financial has won multiple awards, including the “Most Valuable Investment award” at Greater Bay Area Development Forum”, “International Finance Award - Most Innovative Fintech Securities Company”, “Best Online Brokage and HK local investment banking (HK and UK stock)”, and was awarded the “Financial Service Awards of Excellence” issued by the Hong Kong Economic Journal for fourth consecutive year. In the same year, Dr. Tse was awarded the “World Business Outlook Awards- CEO of the Year in Financial Service” by the international business magazine World Business Outlook.
Eddid Financial is one of the few comprehensive financial institutions in Hong Kong that are mainly driven by online brokerages and Fintech operations. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Eddid Financial has offices in Shenzhen and New York . Members of the group hold multiple financial licenses in major financial markets such as Hong Kong, China and the United States, and its business covers China, Southeast Asia, Europe, North America and other active global financial hubs, providing customers with one-stop financial services and products, including Fintech, Internet finance, Wealth management, Asset management, Investment banking, Alternative investment, etc.
About Eddid Financial
Members of Eddid Financial hold various types of licenses or memberships in major financial markets such as Hong Kong and the United States, including: Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) type 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 regulated activities (“RA”) licenses, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Futures Association (NFA) approved membership qualifications, Hong Kong money lender license, Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange membership, Trust or Company Service Provider License in Hong Kong, etc.
Eddid Financial is driven by financial technology and is committed to developing diversified business, ranging from retail to institutional business, including FinTech, Internet Finance, Wealth Management, Asset Management, Investment Banking, and Virtual Assets, etc., committed to providing comprehensive one-stop financial services and products to customers with safe, reliable, high-quality and convenient trading and investment services.


text:
Delivery workers associated with Swiggy, a food delivery app, have been on an indefinite strike since October 8, demanding improved working conditions. The strike, organised by the Shiv Sena-affiliated union Rashtriya Karmachari Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), was prompted by the lack of response from Swiggy’s management to the workers’ grievances. Kiran Pawaskar, the union’s leader, revealed that Swiggy delivery workers had recently joined their union. “The management informed us that around 22,000 individuals work as delivery personnel for them. Last month, I conducted a meeting with them to present the workers’ concerns,” he said.
However, Pawaskar was frustrated with the lack of a positive response from the company a month later, leading to their decision to call for a strike. He claimed that approximately 8,000 workers are affiliated with this union, emphasising that the workers themselves are eager for a return to normalcy. Pawaskar noted that another round of meetings is scheduled in the coming days, and if there’s no resolution, the strike may continue or escalate into protests.
The strike is currently localised to Mumbai and surrounding areas like Virar, with the primary demands centred on improved pay and working conditions. Although Swiggy has not issued a statement, disgruntled users of the app have taken to social media to vent their frustrations. One user on X (formerly Twitter) expressed dissatisfaction with Swiggy’s service, saying, “Absolutely unacceptable service by @Swiggy. Clearly, Swiggy does not care about service. Inhuman to the core. I ordered food for my senior citizen father, only to wait 45 minutes, then follow up with the delivery agent who says to speak to the company as there is a strike.” The user added, “Dear @Swiggy, have you considered stopping your app if agents are on strike? Informing the customer immediately instead of the customer calling after 45 minutes? Also, have you considered training your customer care staff to actually care?”
In addition to these complaints, a video circulating on social media shows workers participating in a motorcycle rally in Mumbai as part of the ongoing strike.
No. of workers affiliated with the Rashtriya Karmachari Sena union


text:
There are only a handful of announced videogames for Sony Computer Entertainment’s (SCE) virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD), Project Morpheus, at this point in time. Among them is highly anticipated multiplayer space combat title, EVE: Valkyrie. The PlayStation 4 version made its debut alongside Project Morpheus itself at the 2014 Game Developers Conference (GDC) and was playable at CCP Games’ annual fan event, EVE Fanfest. That said, EVE: Valkyrie was missing from Project Morpheus’ slate at GDC 2015 and EVE Fanfest 2015. According to the team however, there’s no reason to worry.
CCP Games Newcastle’s Erich Cooper confirmed as much to VRFocus in an interview at last month’s event. “So the Morpheus is coming along great,” Cooper reassured. “The reason why we haven’t got it here this year is that they announced their new tech at GDC and GDC to Fanfest is maybe two weeks, so we wouldn’t have got a build ready to do it justice on any hardware.” Last year’s show offered a limited amount of attendees to be among the first to try Project Morpheus. The title was found running on the Oculus Rift’s Crescent Bay prototype at this year’s event.
SCE’s reintroduced Project Morpheus contains a 1080p OLED display that boasts a 120Hz refresh rate. Its reveal confirmed that SCE is planning to launch a consumer version of the kit and that the company will be spending much of 2015 promoting the device at events such as E3 in June.
EVE: Valkyrie is a multiplayer combat title that puts players in iconic ships from the EVE universe. The title currently doesn’t have a release date attached to it, though is aiming to be ready for the launch of both the Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus, the latter of which is expected to hit in 2016.
VRFocus will continue to follow both EVE: Valkyrie and Project Morpheus closely, reporting back with the latest updates on either.


text:
EFE/14ymedio, Havana, 13 June 2023 — The Cuban Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil, acknowledged that the diversion of diesel from industry to electricity generation has negatively affected the country’s productive activity.
Gil made these statements in his inaugural speech at the “Three Days of Productive Economics of Cuba,” a meeting of state and non-state economists and businessmen that takes place until Friday at the Chamber of Commerce in Havana.
“In recent months we have had to consume fuel for the generation of electricity, diesel mainly, due to the breakdowns we have had in the thermal plants. And that overconsumption of diesel affects the economy, because it leaves less fuel for use in productive activity,” he explained.
Since April, Cuba has been suffering from a fuel deficit crisis that has mainly resulted in shortages in gas stations and long lines of vehicles waiting to refuel, sometimes for several days.
The Cuban government initially indicated that it was from non-compliance by the fuel supplying countries and that the effects would last at least through April and May. The situation has not improved, and the government has not given any indication of when the situation could normalize.
Gil added in his speech that this situation has led his ministry to make difficult decisions in the face of fuel shortages.
“From time to time we call an industry and tell it to shut down. We have to stop the production of steel, the production of cement. Why? To try to help the population. And we always say when we pick up the phone that we are also affecting the population. We are less affected by the blackouts, but we are ceasing to produce,” he said.
The minister stressed that the country continues to consume “a lot of fossil fuel for the generation of electricity,” something that is “limiting economic growth.”
“That’s not how the economy can function. The economy depends on the basis of a stability of fuel and electricity generation,” he said.
Gil said that Cuba would not have enough foreign currency to support an economic growth of 4%. However, last December, the minister said that the Government expected the national economy to grow by 3% in 2023, compared to this year’s 2% and the 1.3% growth of 2022, so it would not yet be possible to recover the levels of 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The official announced these figures when presenting the 2023 Economic Plan to the National Assembly of People’s Power.
The Minister of Economy focused his speech on Tuesday on the substitution of imports and the export of goods and services in order to generate foreign currency and to attract foreign investment, which he called a “strategic ally.”
He assured that Cuba is in a “productive recovery process” after “three years of a very complex economic situation.”
The Island is suffering its worst crisis in decades, with shortages of basic products (food, medicines and fuel), frequent blackouts, depreciation of the national currency, partial dollarization of the economy and strong inflation.
The minister said that the country is suffering from “very complicated inflation in recent years” and that this price increase is “one of the most visible problems that the economy has to face and solve.”
In his opinion, part of the price increase is due to Cuba’s strong dependence on the foreign market.
“We import more than 20 cents of the dollar to produce one peso of gross domestic product (GDP). We have a very high imported component. We put a lot of effort in the plans in 2016 and 2017, but we never fulfilled them. We ended up with a tendency to continue importing more to generate GDP, and that is one of the main limitations for economic growth,” he explained.
One dollar is exchanged for 24 Cuban pesos in the formal market (for state companies and legal entities), but in the informal one it has depreciated up to 200 pesos per US dollar.
Currently, he added, national supply is “very restricted” and imports do not meet demand, which has a certain consumption capacity.
“Today, a very high percent, I could say more than 90% of the products sold in our store network [that accepts payment only] in MLC (freely convertible currency) are imported. And in the national currency network, very little is sold, and a good part is imported,” he said.
To reactivate the economy, he advocated replacing imports of intermediate and final goods with “efficient” investment in national production – especially in industries with “idle capacities” – and thus generate added value and employment.
In this way, supply could be expanded, inflation could be addressed, and imports could be reduced. “All that can be done perfectly. We have the opportunity to solve it,” Gil said.
Translated by Regina Anavy
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Dallas-Fort Worth: Ready to push to new economic heights
Send this to a friend
- By Matt Joyce and Steven R. Thompson, Dallas Business Journal
(Page 2 of 3)
“People are building, they’re expanding their businesses in our city,” he said. “That shows confidence that our business community believes they can make money in this city in the years to come.”
LIVING IN DALLAS
While DFW often gets a lot of attention as a great place to grow a business or career, the nightlife, shopping, arts and activities around the metroplex also are growing.
Retail occupancy rates across DFW are nearing 88 percent, according to a study by Dallas-based The Weitzman Group.
The high demand for retail space leads to new shopping centers for those living in DFW. Most recently, the $100 million Paragon Outlets Grand Prairie opened its doors to shoppers, joining the hundreds of other shopping centers, such as NorthPark Center, Highland Park Village, The Galleria Dallas and Stonebriar Center Mall. Less successful malls are making improvements, too. In April, Beck Ventures announced its plans to transform Valley View Center into a $2 million mixed-used development called Dallas Midtown.
The uptick in development isn’t limited to Dallas. Rather, it extends to some of the farthest suburbs. Berkshire Hathaway-owned Nebraska Furniture Mart broke ground in September on a $1.5 billion, 433-acre development in The Colony, a northern suburb.
“It’s likely to act as a catalyst to attract surrounding retail and restaurant activity and boost traffic, exposure and sales for all of the retail along the SH-121 corridor,” said Ian Pierce, spokesman for The Weitzman Group, which is not involved with the project.
The development and population growth in DFW means it’s an attractive destination for retailers. Designer names such as Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen plan to open stores in Dallas next year. Grocery and liquor retailers Trader Joe’s, Total Wine and Spec’s Wine, Spirits and Finer Foods are all targeting Dallas as a growth market, giving shoppers an increase in options.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- Martha Turner lists Houston’s most expensive home ever
- 13 Houstonians make Forbes' list of richest Americans
- Houston's most expensive neighborhoods to rent an apartment
- Exclusive: New luxury condominium high-rise planned for Galleria area
- Houston compan has ‘monster’ on its hands with biggest Utica well ever
- Massive CityCentre expansion to include new office towers, multifamily
- Skanska to build huge office development near Exxon
- Howard Hughes Corp. gets into the restaurant game with new steakhouse
- Why stagnant oil and gas prices don't worry T. Boone Pickens
- How drones are changing the way we build, market in Houston
Houston Job Fair for Veterans and People with Disabilities HIRELEVELS | Houston, TX
Audience Development Sales Executive Houston Business Journal | Houston, TX
Estimator J. Simmons Group, Inc. | Houston, TX
Project Manager Jelec USA, Inc. | Houston, TX
Business Manager/Accountant Women's Business Enterprise Alliance | Houston, TX


text:
Every year COPRA pays tribute to an outstanding individual whom the organisation feels has made an extra special contribution to the retail beauty industry. The award is named in memory of Gordon Whitehead a much admired retailer who despite his premature death, had established an enviable reputation for outstanding customer service at his family-owned department store in Bolton.
Previous winners of the award include Simon Kippin (Glamour Magazine), John Stevenson (Chanel) and Robin Vincent (Clarins).
This year Ken Lamacraft won the prestigious award, of his years heading up KLM Lamacraft says, “It is a huge privilege to be able to work with outstanding brands in the world of skincare and fragrance, to have this as my daily working life and then to receive an industry award for what I thoroughly enjoy doing it cannot get any better. A huge number of people have contributed to help me over the years and to them I owe a huge debt of thanks as well”
Lamacraft has been working with Tous fragrance for over a decade and we are very proud of his great achievement!
TOUS H2O UK


text:
December is in full swing and Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community in Courtenay has embraced the Christmas season.
With the Holiday Resort Walk offering an awe-inspiring winter wonderland for visitors and residents alike, and the Gingerbread Village on display in the festively decorated Crown Isle lobby, excitement is building for the inaugural Christmas market, happening Sunday, Dec. 15 from 2 to 8 p.m. in the clubhouse.
“We’ll have more than 30 vendors, with products ranging from jewellery and pottery to clothing for adults and children, soaps, candles, pottery and more,” says Crown Isle marketing manager Kristy Pedersen. “It’s a perfect place to find unique Christmas gift ideas for special people in your life.”
Great response requires expansion
The number of vendors prompted Crown Isle to add space for the market, Pedersen says. Discover numerous products on display in the ballroom, then head upstairs to the Copper Room to experience even more gift options. No time for Christmas baking? You’ll find plenty of choices, as well as an opportunity to try “shrubs,” a fresh-fruit and vinegar beverage that makes a flavourful ingredient for cocktails or salad dressings.
Sunday funday at the Resort
Want to make an evening of it? Build a trip through the colourful Resort Walk and Christmas Tree Trail – open from 5 to 8 p.m. – into your time at the market. And don’t forget to bid on the amazing gingerbread creations and gift baskets on display in the lobby. Bids will be accepted up to Dec. 18.
N.Y.-N.Y. party on tap
While the resort’s Breakfast with Santa and Christmas Day dinner sold out quickly, there’s still room at the New York New Year’s Eve Party. With New York-inspired food and cocktails, music by Easy Street and a ball drop at 9 p.m. – that’s midnight in New York – it’s sure to be a fun time. Cost is $75 per ticket, find them online at crownisle.com, call 250-703-5000 or email firstname.lastname@example.org to reserve.
Charity donations going well
The Comox Valley Transition Society, Dawn to Dawn Action on Homelessness, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island and the Comox Valley Food Bank are the beneficiaries of your generous donations of cash and non-perishable donations during the holiday events at Crown Isle.
Pedersen thanks the community for the “fund-and-foodraising” success to date. “We already had a truckload taken away to be distributed by our local food bank,” she says.


text:
TOKYO -- Toyota aims to ramp up production rapidly at a new factory in the Czech Republic it owns jointly with PSA/Peugeot-Citroen after its spring 2005 opening, a senior Toyota executive said.
"We'd like to come up to full usage as soon as possible" at Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile, said Yoshio Ishizaka, Toyota's executive vice president in charge of overseas operations.
He said that "full usage" currently means two shifts, but added, "we will try" to go to a three-shift operation "if everything is OK, and Czech labor laws allow us to do so."
All-new small car
Ishizaka added that Toyota and PSA would have to negotiate the question of whether to go to three shifts.
The joint-venture plant in Kolin, 60km east of Prague, will have the capacity to produce 300,000 cars a year on two shifts. How much a third shift would add is unclear.
Initial work is expected to be completed by spring.
An all-new small car developed by the two companies will be built there. Toyota is in charge of production and development of the model, which will be smaller than the Japanese company's Yaris.
French production boost
Three models produced at the plant will be sold under the Peugeot, Citroen and Toyota brands. They will share the same platform and components but look different.
Ishizaka said that Toyota "probably will have to increase capacity" at its plant in Valenciennes, France, though this won't happen within the next two years.
Ishizaka also said that the European new-vehicle market five years from now likely will be more than 17 million units, up from 16.2 million in 2003. He said the growth will come from new countries joining the European Union.


text:
New restaurant, renovations coming to Bethany hotel
BETHANY BEACH — EOS Hospitality will unveil a refreshed Bethany Beach Ocean Suites Residence Inn by Marriott this summer, finishing renovations of the assets it acquired two years ago.
The multi-million-dollar renovations of the Bethany Beach Ocean Suites will be unveiled in May 2023, and will include newly-designed guest suites, meeting rooms and an event hall. Representatives for EOS declined to clarify how much the project cost.
New additions also include a saltwater pool with a retractable roof so guests can use the pool in sunshine and rainy days.
The hotel will also include a 164-seat Italian restaurant, Via Sophia by the Sea. The venue will include dishes with locally-sourced ingredients, fresh-from-the-boat seafood and pasta and breads. Via Sophia by the Sea will also feature live entertainment three nights per week. The concept was born in Washington, D.C., in 2019, wth the idea of a modern Italian osteria.
EOS Investors LLC, a private 7-year-old firm founded by Jonathan Wang, bought both Bethany Beach Ocean Suites and the former Holiday Inn Express Bethany Beach in 2021 for a combined $44 million. It was added to EOS’s previous Delaware investment, the Bellmoor Inn and Spa in Rehoboth Beach.
The Via Sophia by the Sea brand is part of the EOS portfolio, it was developed by Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage at EOS Investors Albert Rothman, EOS Hospitality Regional Director of Food and Beverage Joe Palminteri, and executive chef Colin Clark. The Bethany Beach location will be the third Via By Sophia location, with a second opening in Kennebunkport, Maine, last year.
“We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to take Bethany Beach Ocean Suites to new heights of hospitality,” Bethany Beach Ocean Suites General Manager Kevin O’Leary said. “This makeover will bring new energy to the guest rooms and social spaces. Along with the new signature restaurant Via Sophia by the Sea, which will become one of the most sought-after restaurants in the area, these enhancements will perfectly position the hotel for its next iteration.”
Last year, EOS finalized a similar renovation project at the former Holiday Inn Express Bethany Beach, now rebranded as Hotel Bethany Beach. That renovation included updated windows, new furnishings and upgraded bathrooms.


text:
In light of the continuing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Steel Association (worldsteel) has taken the decision not to publish its April Short Range Outlook (SRO) for steel demand this month. The current plan would be to release a full SRO in June when it is hoped we can make a clearer assessment on steel use going forward.
The global steel industry is being impacted as our customers are hit by shutdowns, disrupted supply chains, collapsing confidence and delayed investment and construction projects, as well as a decline in consumption activity. Financial market volatility and collapsing oil prices have further undermined investment.
After slower than expected growth in 2019, mainly due to the deep manufacturing recession in the developed economies, we are seeing a further decline in global steel demand in the second quarter of 2020. The duration of the present disruption is currently impossible to judge.
However, it is possible that the impact on steel demand in relation to the expected contraction in GDP may turn out to be less severe than that seen during the global financial crisis. The 2008 financial crisis was prompted by a severe reduction in industrial and investment activities because of the collapse of the financial system. The current economic crisis for all service and direct consumer sectors may prove to be less steel intensive.
The recovery path from the current crisis will critically depend on the duration of the lockdown and the timing of exit plans. This of course will vary widely around the world. The manufacturing sector is expected to be quicker to rebound compared to other sectors, but supply chain disruptions are expected to continue for some time. The longer the lockdown, the greater the damage to supply chains, thus making a quick recovery more difficult.
Across the world the steel industry is carefully monitoring the latest updates about this pandemic and is taking all necessary actions to safeguard the health of its employees whilst at the same time preserving the ability to operate. worldsteel has taken the decision to reschedule Steel Safety Day from its usual date of 28 April (aligned with the International Labour Organization’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work) to 21 October to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 at steel-producing sites.
Some production facilities in the steel industry and steel-using sectors have switched to the production of ventilators to help tackle the coronavirus. The industry understands that many of its customers are facing a tremendous amount of uncertainty and remains committed to maintaining inventory and resources to be able to process orders as needed.
After 8 weeks of lockdown, China is the first country to come out of the coronavirus crisis and is working toward full normalisation of economic activity. China’s economic activity froze during the lockdown in February, with manufacturing PMI dropping to 35.7, where a figure of 50 indicates neutrality between growth and decline. Most recent data on steel-using sectors suggest that after a decline of 7.5% in 2019, auto production dropped by 45.8% in January and February 2020. The value-added output of mechanical engineering and metal products dropped by 28.2% and 26.9% in January and February 2020. Real estate and infrastructure investment dropped by 16.3% and 30.3% respectively in January and February 2020.
Since a resumption of operations led by the coastal areas started in late February, an economic recovery has been gradually taking place and the Chinese PMI jumped to 52 in March. All steel-using sectors are expected to be ready for full operation by the end of April, but recovery of export-oriented categories will inevitably take more time. The construction sector is expected to be the last to resume full operations due to a slow return of workers. A strong rebound is foreseen in steel-using sector activity in the second half of 2020, especially in the infrastructure sector. On the other hand, a rebound in China’s manufacturing sectors is likely to be hampered by the different timeframes for lockdown exit strategies worldwide.
Many governments have asked non-essential construction sites to suspend activity. Limited availability of migrant construction workers and low availability of construction materials due to production and delivery problems are common across the world. The solution to these issues will vary regionally, but recovery is likely to be slower in countries more dependent on migrant employees such as China and India.
Beyond the crisis, the construction sector could get a boost in many regions from government stimulus plans as the focus of government efforts moves from emergency liquidity provision to economic recovery and support for infrastructure, production and industry. However, increased national budget deficits will restrict the ability of many governments to finance infrastructure projects.
Weakened confidence and income is expected to outlast the COVID-19 crisis, making an immediate strong rebound in the residential and non-residential construction sector unlikely.
Mechanical equipment, which accounts for around 15% of global steel use, has highly integrated global supply chains and is highly dependent on Chinese supply. Therefore, lockdowns around the world are severely affecting supplies of components, inevitably leading to production cuts. Asian countries like Thailand and Korea are particularly hard-hit by supply chain disruptions.
As a big part of mechanical equipment comprises capital goods used in factories and construction sites e.g. plant equipment and lifting equipment, its demand is being affected by delayed investment and construction projects, as well as lower factory utilisation in manufacturing facilities. An exception would be the medical equipment sector.
Rebound in the mechanical equipment sector is expected to be slow as the highly integrated supply chains will be slow to be restored. Demand side factors also point to a slow recovery as corporate investment plans are being undermined with falling investor confidence, eroding financial stability and uncertainty in the global trade environment, as well as a weak global economy. The fall in oil prices will curtail investment in the energy sector.
The automotive industry, which in recent years was already going through a slump with negative growth around the world due to saturation of demand, regulation changes and transformation toward EVs, is expected to be among the hardest hit by COVID-19. A combination of both demand and supply shock, particularly in the EU and US where the sector accounts for about 20% of total steel use, is expected.
After demonstrating the worst performance since 2012 with a drop of 5.9% in output in 2019, the EU automotive sector is expected to record another steep decline this year, as some early indication of the impact of the pandemic already reveals. New car registrations in March in major virus-hit European economies (i.e. Italy, France, Spain) fell by 69-85%. On the supply side, production is affected by shutdowns and supply chain disruptions. The lockdown has already caused a loss of 1.4 million units of car production in Europe as of 9 April according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. The automotive industry in the US will experience a similar trend.
The Korean automotive industry, whose supply chains have been seriously impacted by the Chinese shutdown in Q1 2020, is also facing sluggish domestic and foreign demand. As Japan is still at an early stage of the pandemic curve, the impact of COVID-19 is yet to be seen, but Japan is also likely to face a severe impact.
A recovery of demand for the automotive industry beyond the lockdown period is expected to be slow considering the expected rise in unemployment and fall in disposable income. A quick rebound in production is also unlikely, given the complexity of auto supply chains and possible bankruptcies of suppliers during the lockdown periods. However, recovery in China’s automobile production is expected to be stronger than in other countries.
The pandemic will not change the long-term trends within the automotive sector with increased environmental regulation and the consumer move towards plug-in hybrids and full EVs.


text:
Pokémon Go is still going strong, with the mobile augmented reality game enjoying sustained popularity since launching in 2016. Publisher Niantic regularly reveals new seasons of the game, with new creatures to collect. But the latest is proving controversial for an unexpected reason.
The company has announced Adventures Abound, the twelfth season of the game, which will run from now until 1st December. The season features 20 new Pokémon from the Paldea region featured in the Scarlet and Violet games on Nintendo Switch. And it also, some fans suspect, features some AI-generated artwork. (For more bizarre examples, check out some of the weirdest AI art we've seen.)
The lead image on the Pokémon Go website features a vapourware-esque cityscape rendered in purples and pinks. But with a strange lack of Pokémon-related detail, and blurry, in-cohesive line art, plenty of fans are accusing Niantic of using AI to generate the image.
"Bruh there is no way this isn't AI art," one user tweets, while another adds, "What a disappointment. They’ve given up their integrity when the game is literally at its best." For the uninitiated, AI art has proven a controversial topic since text-to-image generators began to emerge last year, with issues over ethics and copyright plaguing the text. Even Adobe has been accused by artists of copyright infringement related to its own AI offering, Firefly.
did Niantic use AI generated art for the new Pokemon GO season rofl https://t.co/HUiPMdGcXL pic.twitter.com/M38n49SvBTAugust 30, 2023
Just when you thought Niantic couldn't get any lower, they're so obsessed with maximising profit nowadays that they'll resort to using ai art generators to cut costs.I'm glad I stopped playing anymore. https://t.co/qp5P1zN7IYAugust 31, 2023
Even if you’re a regular person unaware of what ai art is, this looks so strange and jarring What a lack of quality control and so disappointing https://t.co/6nJjVU73NV pic.twitter.com/0a9yM8CPqSAugust 31, 2023
“Niantic uses a variety of tools and software to create visual assets," the company responded to Kotaku's request for comment. "We don’t disclose specifics around our processes." The response is notable for containing neither an apology nor a denial – while other brands have claimed their use of AI use to be a mistake, there's no such suggestion here.
Indeed, it seems suspiciously AI-looking artwork is making its way into the mainstream. Just last week, fans accused Amazon's artwork for its upcoming Fallout series of appearing to be AI-generated.