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It's hard to think of a food more steeped in American culture (and, perhaps, culinary values) than the hamburger. Last week, two of our most promising premium burger chains, Shake Shack and Five Guys, crossed the Atlantic and opened up shop in London, where the upmarket burger trend is already going strong. By all accounts, the burgers are nearly indistinguishable from those served at their stateside locations– Shake Shack even went so far as to import its famous potato buns from the States.
In the last decade, we've seen the Community Supported Agriculture concept move from the hippie fringe to the urban mainstream. CSAs have become synonymous with DIY culture, the farm-to-table movement, and the urban hipster.
If you live in a major city, chances are you depend on your phone to get around. And in a city like New York, where there's a good chance you aren't driving a car, it's even more of a challenge to keep that battery meter in the green throughout the day. Enter Brooklyn design firm Pensa, solar charger manufacturer Goal Zero and AT&T.
New York City’s largest hotel — the New York Hilton Midtown — will discontinue room service to its 2,000 guest rooms starting this August. This move follows the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu, which eliminated room service back in October. As to why, according to a spokesman for the hotel chain, “Like most full-service hotels, New York Hilton Midtown has continued to see a decline in traditional room-service requests over the last several years.”
Summer 2013 may just turn out to be the summer of the bike.
The biking revolution has been gathering steam. In 2010, 3 times as many new bicycles (15 million) as new cars were sold in the US. Bicycling is now the second most popular outdoor activity, and between 1990 and 2009, the number of bike commuters rose by 64%. That number may be about to get another giant boost.
We were recently very lucky to have some time to sit down with Gutavo Stecher, a graphic designer and branding consultant from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has designed iconography for the Argentinean Bicentennial and a variety of brands.
For the past couple years, Consumer Eyes employees have been donating their time to Literacy Inc., a NYC-based organization that holds a variety of literacy-themed events for children around the city. Focusing on grassroots development, they take advantage of existing community spaces and resources to help turn neighborhoods into reading-friendly environments.
Reasonably-priced 3D printers have been available for a few years now, but true mainstream awareness seems to have eluded them. We've sighted a project, though, that could give them a proper bump into the spotlight.
Classic video games from the 80s and 90s have been undergoing a rennaissance for a while now. But lately a number of signs are indicating this revival is taking on a decidedly upscale air.
Play *With* Your Food
While electronic devices play a bigger role in our lives than ever before, the storm that blacked out much of the East Coast this month was a sober reminder that we can't always depend on the grid for our power needs! So we thought this would be a good time to check in on the latest developments in powering up our indespensable gadgets.


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Tesla wants to support Australian miners critical to facilitating the country’s involvement throughout the electric vehicle supply chain, including possible EV manufacturing.
Tesla Chairman Robyn Denholm voiced support for the country’s mining sector at the Minerals Council of Australia event in Canberra, the nation’s capital. Denholm is an Australian who was appointed chair of the Tesla board in November 2018, after joining in 2014.
Denholm said the carmaker expects to increase spending on Australian minerals to more than $1 billion per annum “in the next few years.” This is because “at the heart of everything we do in our quest to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy is the lithium-ion battery,” for which demand will grow at 37% CAGR in the decade ahead, Denholm said, citing estimates by consultancy McKinsey & Co.
Three-quarters of Tesla’s lithium feedstock and over one-third of its nickel is sourced from Australia, the chair said. The cost of the materials comprise most of the battery costs, while the cathode is the most expensive part of the battery and most of the fixed costs are from nickel and lithium. Denholm said:
“All up, there’s about $6,000 worth of minerals and metals in every EV, $2,000 of which are for the batteries, and Australia is capable of supplying almost all of it.”
Tesla wants to work with attendees at the conference, many of whom were mining executives, to “seize this enormous economic and environmental opportunity” in EVs and battery storage. Denholm said:
“A values-led mining industry has greater value to Tesla and an increasing portion of the global marketplace.”
Tesla’s statement signaled the significance of Australia’s supply of lithium raw materials in meeting the company’s expansion plans as its Shanghai factory is set to expand further and construction continues at its Berlin factory, said Alice Yu, senior metals analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence analyst Caspar Rawles said:
“While $1 billion sounds like a huge amount of money, we’re just talking about the raw materials alone.”
According to Rawles, $1 billion is roughly equivalent to 77,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent, using Benchmark’s most recent global weighted-average lithium hydroxide price of $12,978/t. However, Rawles said:
“If you’re also looking at the nickel, cobalt and other raw materials, like graphite, you very quickly get to that number.”
EVs account for less than 1% of vehicles globally, and that needs to be “much closer to 100%” within 30 years to reach net-zero emissions, according to Denholm. The global lithium-ion battery market is forecast be worth about $400 billion by 2030, eight times the revenue generated from Australian coal exports in 2020, the chair added.
Denholm called on Australian mining companies to process battery raw materials locally, which would enable significant environmental and commercial benefits. Denholm said:
“Mining processes currently account for about half the carbon footprint of a battery cell, and the best way to reduce the carbon footprint of minerals is to stop shipping them between 6,000 and 9,000 kilometers of ocean before refining them.”
There would be 10 times less carbon pollution if Australia’s spodumene was converted to lithium chemicals in Western Australia, the chair said. In addition, refined lithium weighs much less than the raw material and is therefore cheaper to transport to end users.
The calcination step in refining is also energy intensive and is mostly done offshore with coal-based energy grids, whereas it could be done in Australia with renewable energy from a cleaner grid, more modern plants and a shorter supply chain, Denholm added.
Though Australia was the world’s top lithium producer in 2020 with a 49% market share, Denholm noted that the country exported 0% of the refined product suitable for battery cells to generate greater margins.
Australia’s government has said spodumene exports are tipped to rise from 1.6 million tonnes in fiscal 2021 to 3.9 Mt in fiscal 2026, with planned expansions at Western Australia’s Greenbushes mine and associated downstream lithium hydroxide plants under construction.
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile SA and Wesfarmers also recently updated a feasibility study on the Mount Holland deposit in Western Australia and its associated Kwinana lithium hydroxide refinery.
The development of lithium hydroxide capacity in Australia is beneficial to automakers such as Tesla, which will be able to use the material directly in the battery cathode making process, Yu said.
Tesla was reportedly in talks with BHP Group for a nickel supply deal in 2020. And Future Battery Industries CRC is repurposing BHP Group’s battery-grade nickel sulfate test plant in Perth into a pilot plant for cathode precursor production to demonstrate Australia’s ability to contribute to the EV supply chain midstream.
Denholm helped set up a car factory for Toyota Australia in Altona, Victoria, in the 1990s and said that while Australia could manufacture full EVs at that scale some day, batteries would be a good starting point. Denholm said:
“Australia can make great things, the foundations of which are laid by the Australian mining industry.”
Source: Tianqi Lithium Australia

domain: news


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Cadillac Offering Buyouts to 40 Percent of its Dealers: Report
Move is a response to controversial dealer incentive program
Cadillac is offering to buy out 400 of its smallest U.S. dealerships, reports Automotive News. Dealers who are willing to walk away from their franchises will receive between $100,000 and $180,000.
The luxury brand is only offering the buyout packages to dealerships that sold fewer than 50 new retail vehicles last year. Still, about 43 percent of Cadillac's dealerships fall into this category, and together, these franchises only contribute 9 percent of the marque's total sales. Cadillac's outspoken president, Johan de Nysschen, admits Cadillac has too many dealers compared to its competitors, but insists he isn't looking to cut these stores.
"Our target is to have 100 percent of the Cadillac dealers engaged with the Cadillac business," de Nysschen said in an interview with Automotive News. While he hopes there are no defectors, de Nysschen said the buyout plan is intended to give dealers an out should they not want to participate in Cadillac's controversial new Project Pinnacle program. The plan, which goes into effect next year, gives larger stores hefty incentives if they spruce up their dealership with new services.
Under Project Pinnacle, Cadillac dealerships are separated into five tiers based on how many vehicles they sell. Tier 1 stores, which typically sell many vehicles, will receive the highest incentives for providing extra features such as concierge sales and service pickups. The lowest-tier stores wouldn't have to meet these strict requirements, but would be expected to give up stocking cars. Instead, they would direct customers to order vehicles through virtual showrooms. Cadillac says the program is completely voluntary, but that hasn't stopped dealers from claiming the program is unfair. Offering bigger incentives to the largest stores will allow them to sell their vehicles at lower prices than smaller stores, critics say.
Last year, de Nysschen first announced big plans to improve the customer experience at its dealerships. The plan is to bring "high-technology showrooms" and a number of other upgrades to its dealerships to bolster the brand's luxury image.
Dealers have until November 21 to decide whether they want to give up their franchises, AN reports. If they take the deal, they would have until the end of 2017 to close up shop.
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Phonepe, india’s leading fintech platform, announced that it has tokenised 1.4 crore (14 mn) debit and credit cards on its platform. That is as according to rbi’s card tokenisation mandate to assist manipulate the risk of fraudulent activities, and comfortable customers’ card records.
Phonepe is currently some of the top digital payment players driving tokenisation underneath its safecard tokenisation solution. Following rbi’s guiding principle, phonepe had commenced creating tokens in december 2021 and become the primary in the bills surroundings to provision tokens with all three important card networks – visa, credit card and rupay. Presently, over 80 percent of phonepe’s active customers have already tokenised their cards, and the employer is on course to satisfy rbi’s september 30th closing date.
Phonepe also commenced processing token primarily based transactions as early as april 2022, and currently approaches nearly all eligible transactions through tokens, making it one of the market leaders in processing token transactions. The achievement rate of transactions processed through tokens on phonepe has shown an improvement of ~2 percent in contrast with card based totally transactions, during the last few weeks.
Commenting at the improvement, deep agrawal, head of payments at phonepe stated, “we believe card tokenisation is a totally progressive move by way of the rbi, and we are on the right track to fulfill the september thirtieth cut-off date. Phonepe safecard answer permits our customers and service provider companions to keep experiencing the ease of saved card transactions with improved protection. For clients, their card info are stored best by the company banks and card networks, minimising the danger of records leakage and transaction fraud. For merchants, more secure transactions translate to customer confidence in the use of cards on on-line platforms, thereby supporting merchants witness boom in average transactions.’’


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Apple has reportedly adjusted production of new-generation iPhone models in order to align it with global demand, and by the looks of things, the cheapest and most expensive versions are the ones being targeted.
A report from Digitimes indicates that Apple increased component orders for iPhone 11, as the device is selling better than anticipated.
iPhone 11, which replaces the iPhone XR in Apple’s lineup, comes with an LCD display and is available from $699 in the United States, so it’s $50 cheaper than its predecessor.
iPhone 11 has been said to sell particularly well in markets previously dominated by mid-range Android flagships, including countries like China and India, but people familiar with the matter say this model is selling well elsewhere too.
And while Apple prepares for an increase in iPhone 11 production, the company’s also reducing component orders for iPhone 11 Pro Max.
In other words, this means sales of the largest iPhone this year have so far failed to gain traction, so Apple’s slowing down the production in order to align the existing inventory with the global demand.
LCD iPhone could survive in 2020
A very interesting tidbit included in the linked report claims that sales of the iPhone 11 are going so well that Apple is even considering retaining an LCD model for the 2020 generation.
Previously, it was speculated that Apple would make the switch to a full OLED iPhone lineup for 2020, with the successor to the iPhone 11 itself to also give up on LCD.
But according to this report, the next-generation iPhone 11 may end up using LCD as well, allowing Apple to keep this price point. A switch to OLED could generate a price bump, and given the current market performance of iPhone 11, keeping the LCD around for one more year is once again considered a viable option.


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The German drone market will grow from 840 million euros to over 1.6 billion euros by 2025, which corresponds to an average annual growth rate of 14.5 percent, says a report by Drone Industry Insights commissioned by the Germany Unmanned Aviation Association (VUL), a joint initiative of the Germany Aviation Association and the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI).
The growth is primarily driven by the commercial market. The number of drones in Germany will increase to around 450,000 by 2025. While the growth in the area of private use will continue to flatten, the number of commercially used drones will increase to 132,000. At the moment only one in nine drones is operated commercially in Germany; by 2025 it will be every third drone.
The size of the market is estimated at EUR840 million. About 88% of this is accounted for by the commercial sector (EUR783m). In an international comparison of drone markets, Germany takes fourth place after the US, China and Japan.
Private drone use has decreased 14.5% since 2019 and appears to be saturated. From 2020 to 2025, the number of private drones is expected to decrease by another 16% to 324,000 units.
Commercial drone use has increased significantly (18% since 2019). This trend is expected to continue in the coming years. From 2020 to 2025, the number of drones in commercial use is expected to increase by 200% to 132,000 units.
More than 14,000 people in Germany focus on drones in their job – that’s almost 4,000 more than in 2019. Since 2012, 423 million euros have been invested in German drone companies, 67 percent of them within the last two years. On average, the German drone companies are almost six years old and have around seventeen employees.
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Tesco, the Britain based multinational retailer is pulling the plug on its data science, content and service provision endeavour in order to compensate for a dismal Christmas performance with a 0.3% dip in sales and a largely unproductive year.
We reported last year that Tesco was a pioneer of data science in retail, using their Clubcard scheme to better understand consumer’s shopping habits. Now, marketing and PR group WPP are rumoured to have shown interest Tesco’s big-data science enterprise for £2bn, reports The Register. A Tesco spokesperson refused to comment on the rumour when contacted by The Register.
Restructuring and cost cutting are on the cards as chief Dave Lewis has been trying to rein things under control by closing Tesco headquarters along with 43 unprofitable stores, shutting the company’s generous final salary pension scheme and also selling the analytics business it acquired in 2004 which was behind Clubcard, Dunnhumby, according to reports. The giant’s Tesco Broadband and Blinkbox streaming Service are being sold to ISP TalkTalk.
In the wake of the new year rolling in, Tesco saw its share prices plummet 46%, through 2014. Its stocks climbed up 6% on Thursday, and share price was at 192p, an upward journey from its 52-week low of 155p.
Read more here.
(Image credit: Gordon Joly, via Flickr)


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Digital News Portals, Online Films and Content Providers brought under I&B Ministry
The Central Government has issued an order on November 11, 2020. The order bought the digital or online Media, films and audio-visual programmes, news and current affairs content under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Currently, there is no law or autonomous body to govern the digital content. So, the development was announced in a gazette notification. The notification declares that the President has given consent to the order to include online films, digital news and current affairs content under the purview of the I&B Ministry which is headed by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar.
Who regulate the contents?
Presently, the Press Council of India looks after the print media, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) regulate the news channels, the Advertising Standards Council of India regulate the advertising while the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) regulate the films.
I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar had stated in 2019, that the Modi government would not take any step to curb the media freedom. But said, that there should be some regulation on over-the-top platforms in the manner there is regulation over the print media, electronic media and films.
Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
The Supreme Court in October 2020 had asked for the Centre’s response on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by an autonomous body to regulate Over the top (OTT) platforms including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The PIL had stated that digital content on these platforms is accessed by the public at large without any screening. So, a bench led by the Chief Justice SA Bobde had issued notice to the central government, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) and Internet and Mobile Association of India(IAMAI) to make laws on the same.


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Tablet computers can be many things to many different consumers: An easy way to surf the Web, a portable digital-video player, a color e-book reader, or maybe a lightweight, laptop stand-in. But would you buy a tablet just to play video games? And would you buy one from perennial Worst Company In America contestant GameStop?
The video game retailer has reportedly been toying with the idea of selling its own branded tablet computer specifically geared toward mobile and online games–areas that the brick-and-mortar chain has been trying to dive into more deeply.
Yesterday, GamesIndustry.biz, a trade website, revealed that GameStop has taken a step closer by choosing Google’s Android operating system as the basis for its gaming tablet, which will be built by an undisclosed computer manufacturer.
Tony Bartel, President of GameStop, didn’t reveal specific details of the GameStop-branded tablet to the trade publication. But he did confirm that the company has been testing units with consumers in Dallas for the past two weeks. And unlike other Android tablets, GameStop’s portable unit will feature a dedicated gaming controller, in part because, “It’s hard to imagine how to stream a game–let’s say Modern Warfare 3–onto a tablet and then play it with your finger,” Bartel said.
According to GamesIndustry.Biz, Bartel plans to have the GameStop tablet (with a number of game titles preinstalled) in its stores by next year. Pricing was not disclosed.
GameStop chooses Android for own-brand gaming tablet [GamesIndustry.Biz]
GameStop Confirms In-House Android Gaming Tablet [PCMag.com]


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'V-UNION: Mewtwo', 'Greninja V-UNION' and 'Zacian V-UNION'
July 9, 2021
The Pokemon Company International unveiled three new Pokemon TCG: Pokemon V-UNION Special Collections.
Winner's Art will be Featured on an Upcoming 'Pokemon TCG' Promo Card
September 15, 2021
The Pokemon Company International and Creatures Inc. announced the Pokemon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2022.
Debuting March 31st
February 23, 2009
Universal will release the 11th Pokemon feature film on DVD on March 31st.
'Pokemon: Black & White,' 'Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds'
March 3, 2011
Viz has announced a raft of new manga for 2011.
December 3, 2015
The Pokemon Company will release two new collector sets in February: Mythical Pokemon Collection--Mew and Shiny Mega Gyradaos Collection .
'Pokemon Sun' and 'Pokemon Moon'
February 26, 2016
Nintendo has announced the latest 3DS generation of Pokemon games: Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon .
For 'Mythical,' 'Break Evolution,' and 'Red & Blue' Collections
April 19, 2016
Pokemon USA has announced three releases for the Pokemon TCG in July.
New 'Pokemon' Releases for Late Summer
May 25, 2016
Pokemon USA will release several new sets in August and September.
Plus 'Pokemon: Sun & Moon Theme Decks'
October 10, 2016
Pokemon USA will release several new products for the Pokemon TCG in December and January.
'Pokemon Sword' and 'Pokemon Shield'
February 28, 2019
The Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara announced Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield , the highly anticipated Generation 8 games.


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WhatsApp has begun rolling a brand new set of tools for its users to play around with so they can personalize their photos and videos with add-ons like emoji and text. Its newfound camera skills have begun rolling out to Android patrons and will make the trip to iPhone denizens soon.
WhatsApp’s update brings it ever closer to the Snapchat model of communication. Most of the fresh features have been part of the latter for a long time now, making the former yet another Facebook-owned property which decided to clone the ephemeral app’s abilities.
To recall, news of WhatsApp’s editing tools first broke out last month while the features were still in the beta stage. Now even regular users can take advantage of them. First-off, they can write or draw on top of images right after clicking them or after grabbing them from their photo library.
Also See: WhatsApp to comply with HC order after all
Emojis and text can be added as well. The second can be further customized by changing the font and color. WhatsApp’s introduced a few new skills to improve the snaps themselves as well. For instance, the front-facing flash feature brightens up a person’s screen, allowing them to light up selfies clicked in low light conditions.
WhatsApp’s also made some changes to the video recording process, allowing consumers to slide their finger up and down in order to zoom in and out. Moreover, they just have to double tap their phone’s display to switch between its front and rear facing shooters.
You can download the updated version of WhatsApp via the Google Play Store or App Store.


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Coles FlyBuys take flight with new travel booking website launched
Coles supermarkets are launching a travel bookings website allowing customers to use and accumulate FlyBuys points.
The FlyBuys rewards program, which was first introduced in 1994, will now let customer’s book flights, hotels and car hires through the one website called FlyBuys Travel. Every time a customer makes a booking on the website they will be entitled to new FlyBuys points.
FlyBuys Travel has launched after Woolworths announced in December 2015 that it would be reversing an unpopular decision to axe the partnership between its rewards program and Qantas Frequent Flyer Points.
Coles Digital and Financial Services Director Roger Sniezek said Coles decided to establish the website due to demand for low-cost travel.
“With over two-thirds of Australian households actively using a FlyBuys card, we are pleased to continue to provide members with new and meaningful ways to collect points or redeem points to travel for less,” Sniezek said.
Coles joined with Corporate Travel Management in order to create the website.
FlyBuys card owners can accumulate points from Wesfarmers owned businesses including Coles, Target, Kmart and Liquorland.


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LONDON – As information delivery reorients to a digital infrastructure, how will content be valued?
The partners at ProVen Private Equity Ltd. are bullish on content becoming king of the digital market. To that end, the London-based investment firm is raising as much as $250 million to invest in intellectual properties through Global Rights Fund II. The firm, which recently established a satellite office in New York, expects to close on at least $50 million by the end of the first quarter.
“The business of brands and content provide long running revenue streams,” said Gordon Power, chief executive of ProVen. “Given the amount of money invested by technology funds in creating the pipeline, it will be particularly important for these companies to exploit their materials.”
ProVen’s first $20 million intellectual property fund closed in 1994 and has been fully invested for more than one year. To date, the fund has a 57% internal rate of return. ProVen portfolio companies include Virgin Records Ltd. Independent Research Services Ltd., a direct marketer and educational publisher, and Integrated Solutions Technology Ltd., a new media company.
Power said he expects existing limited partners to account for two-thirds of the fund, which has a 80%/20% carried interest split and a 2.25% management fee. ProVen has established strategic relationships with United News & Media plc, Sony Music Entertainment Inc. and Standard Life Assurance Co.
While the majority of investments are expected to be in U.S.-based companies, Power said the firm would scour the globe for the next Pokemon. Five investment professionals are managing the fund, including one Los Angeles-based partner, former Mattel Inc. Chief Strategy Officer Doug Glen. ProVen will invest $3 million to $5 million in a portfolio company’s first round, with no individual commitment exceeding more than 10% of the fund.
On another front, ProVen recently closed its $54 million Investcare fund, which targets early-stage companies in the health-care industry.


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With gas prices hovering around $4.00 a gallon, Steven Pence got used to paying over $100 to fill up his tank. He is smiling because when he went to fill up Wednesday, the pump stopped at half that. "I just filled up, I wasn't quite empty but I filled up and it was only $47," he said. In July, gas was over $4.00 a gallon and rising fast. Now, just a few months later, we are seeing the lowest prices in over two years. So what are we likely to see in the months ahead? Certified Financial Planner, Ross Marino isn't quite sure. "It's been going down recently, unless something changes dramatically, it may keep going down for a while. But just like we saw a few months ago, it could turn on a dime, and six months later it may be a whole different world," said Marino. But until things change, Marino said take advantage of the low prices. "It really is good news. It's good for the consumer and it's good for businesses. So go be in a good mood and go do some holiday shopping.”
Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees. You can view our comment policy here.


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The new-look Co-op in Framfield Way, Eastbourne, has had its official opening yesterday (12 August).
After a four-week closure and a makeover of nearly £500,000, the store is welcoming customers once again.
The shop will be collecting for charities, including SASBAH, which will use the money raised to give disabled young people a residential break, providing respite for their carers.
Ratton Councillor Colin Belsey said “We are very fortunate, we have a set of shops here that keep going. We don’t have any empty and we haven’t had any empty shops in the time I’ve lived here, which is nearly 20 years. There’s a good community of people that support their shops and the little Co-op here is brilliant.”
Ratton Councillor Colin Murdoch said, “The Co-op here in Framfield Way is such needed by the local community around here. You’ve got to understand, with a lot of sheltered housing around here, a lot of them can’t get out and get to the main shops, this Co-op serves them so well and it’s been sorely missed for the last four weeks. The upgrade will be much appreciated by the community.”


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Google co-founder took to his company’s fledgling social media site to warn about the dangers of the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act.
Brin called the legislation a “threat to free speech” in a Google Plus post.
“While I support their goal of reducing copyright infringement (which I don’t believe these acts would accomplish), I am shocked that our lawmakers would contemplate such measures that would put us on a par with the most oppressive nations in the world,” Brin wrote.
Brin and several other major entrepreneurs signed a letter against the legislation.
The letter, which included signatures from big names like Mozilla Firefox, Yahoo! and Twitter, argued that these acts could hinder “the creation of content and free expression online.”
“We urge Congress to think hard before changing the regulation that underpins the Internet. Let’s not deny the next generation of entrepreneurs and founders the same opportunities that we all had,” the letter states.
The House Judiciary Committee should vote on the Stop Online Privacy Act on Thursday.
Learn more about this online movement and protect your privacy. Please visit www.netcoalition.com
Note: this is a copy and paste from Net Coalition. Only to deliver a precise message. Create-A-Voice is not the author, original publisher, or writer of this post - We're just an organizer for what is right.


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The nonprofit Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the appointment of Alison Best as Director of Sales. She will be responsible for development and maintenance of Bureau sales and client services, including sales programs designed to generate sales leads and group bookings from Santa Monica’s top feeder markets as well as organizing trade show attendance and overseeing the development of a convention services program. Ms. Best, a native Canadian and current Marina del Rey resident, has over 14 years of hospitality/tourism work experience.
Bureau President/CEO Misti Kerns, who announced Ms. Best’s appointment, also said that Rick Mogil has been named as Visitor Center Store Manager to be responsible for the retail shop, which will include sales and customer services. Mr. Mogil, a Studio City resident, has over 11 years of retail management work experience. The “store” is at 1920 Main St., and the Bureau maintains a kiosk and a Promenade cart, too. www.santamonica.com
G-Technology, Inc., a Santa Monica supplier of external disk storage solutions for Mac’s and PC’s, with manufacturing facilities here and in the Far East, announced its new G-SPEED storage product, which is designed for high-performance content creation applications and supports uncompressed HD and multi-stream SD video editing workflows. Pete Schlatter, Director of Marketing, called the product “very sophisticated…with many features to be revealed soon that will make this one of the most exciting storage products available today.” www.g-technology.com
Accruent, Inc. announced that Ning Ning Yu has joined the company as Vice President of Product Development. The Santa Monica firm founded in 1995 provides real estate performance management software products. Ms. Yu, who holds an M.S. in computer science from UCLA, has more than 20 years experience in software product development, product management, hosted service operations and systems integration; most recently, she served as an executive at Sendia Corporation. www.accruent.com
Activision, Inc., a developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products, has announced results for the first fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006. www.activision.com
Mossimo, Inc., a designer, licensor and distributor of apparel, footwear and fashion accessories, announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2006. www.mossimo-inc.com
Genius Products, Inc. also announced results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2006; the company, along with The Weinstein Company, jointly owns Genius Products, LLC, a home entertainment distribution company. www.geniusproducts.com
Santa Monica resident Linda Waade has joined the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to lead its external affairs and outreach efforts. Metropolitan General Manager Jeff Kightlinger named her as the district’s deputy general manager of external affairs, where she will be responsible for all communications, outreach and legislative matters.
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Send your business news to firstname.lastname@example.org


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Google is considering building a payment and advertising service that would let users buy milk and bread by tapping or waving their mobile phones against a register at checkout, two people familiar with the plans say. The service may make its debut this year, say the two, who requested anonymity because the plans haven’t been announced. It is based on near-field communication technology, which can beam and receive information wirelessly from 4 inches away.
- Apple Pay launches in Norway
- Beijing metro looks to biometrics to speed up payments at turnstiles
- Bankwest wins new customers with NFC payments ring
- Paytm integrates games, TV, sports and news into its mobile wallet app
- Spanish banks to build blockchain customer identity verification platform


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The most public economic development contest in recent history — the nationwide battle that produced outlandish marketing stunts in an attempt to get Amazon’s attention and land its second headquarters and the $5 billion investment that goes with it — is going quiet.
At least, that was the word a top Amazon official expressed to more than a dozen representatives of Newark’s bid during an approximately hourlong conference call Monday afternoon.
The conference call was an effort by Amazon officials to give Newark officials an understanding of what will be expected during the second phase of the process for the site selection of what is being called HQ2 by Amazon.
It is assumed Amazon officials will make similar calls to all 20 finalists.
And it’s clear from the Newark call that Amazon officials want the next stages of this process to play out with less fanfare.
“They gave the indication that they wanted the public discourse to stop,” said a person who was familiar with what was said during the conference call.
The person requested anonymity as they are not authorized to speak on the subject, but they did offer some details of the call, including:
- Amazon officials said the company intends to give a second RFP, one with more specifics, to each of the 20 finalists that were selected last week;
- Amazon officials did not say specifically what would be requested in the RFP, but said it would be sent by the end of the week — and it would not be released to the public;
- Amazon officials will make a site visit to Newark and each of the other 19 finalists, but it will not be a public event;
- Amazon officials did not say whether there would be a second cutdown, as there was from the initial 230-plus proposals to the final 20, but they did say they still expect to make a decision by the end of the year.
“It was a great conversation,” the source said. “They were very professional.
“People in the room got the feeling it will be a pretty significant request for information, but they did not give any indication as of yet, because they didn’t want to give anybody a leg up on anyone else before they can speak to all 20 finalists.”
The source said people in the room felt it was readily apparent that the Amazon officials were familiar with the contents of Newark’s bid — and impressed by its contents.
“You could tell by the questions they asked that the knew the details of the bid,” the person said.
While Amazon officials were close-lipped as to what would be in the coming RFP, the source said the room got a sense the next request would be a desire to get more specifics about each city’s initial proposals.
“There was a sense that, in Round One, there was more room to be creative,” the source said. “Now, it’s time to make a business decision, so they are going to be looking for more granular information in all areas, so they can compare apples to apples.
“They are in site selector mode, so I think they want enough details — what is it going to cost to move there? what is it going to cost to do business there for the next 20 years? — to make comparisons.”
Representatives of Newark’s economic development team were joined by representatives from the Governor’s Office and from some of the state’s economic development agencies. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka joined by phone.
City officials did not respond to a request for comment Monday night.
The person said they felt the unified and deep show of force should have made an impression.
“If there were any concerns about a change of administration, those should be gone,” the source said. “Having the mayor there, having Gov. (Phil) Murphy’s people there, certainly should have shown how serious Newark is about landing Amazon.”
The call for more privacy in the search wasn’t a surprise, either, the source said.
“This first round needed to be public,” the source said. “Now, we’re moving into a much more confidential period of time where they will be asking for more specifics of what they are looking for.”


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Chinese government pushing the “social” in ESG for techThe pandemic has driven Mainland Chinese society to greater digitalization, while exposing the fact that most tech products and services have major gaps when it comes to meeting accessibility standards. But the Chinese government is quickly addressing this problem.
Written by :
Posted on 09/06/2021
Mainland China’s government has been rapidly implementing new ESG (environmental, social and governance) practices. Tech companies are taking the lead and moving rapidly to meet the government’s regulatory requirements to reduce inequalities in the industry. Aside from social factors, such as labor standards and gender equality, the Chinese government is pushing accessibility to ensure tech companies’ products and services are more inclusive, particularly for elderly and disabled people.
Improving service quality for the disabled was added as one of the development guidelines back in the Government’s Twelfth Five Year Plan in 2011. Since December 2020, the pace has picked up in forcing the technology industry to deliver. The telecoms regulator MIIT issued detailed requirements for information service providers, with a strict timeline for 115 national websites and 43 major service apps to comply with accessibility requirements by October 2021 to ensure service levels for those with visual and hearing impairments, people with other disabilities and elderly users.
This powerful movement has a few implications for technology industry players in Mainland China, where experience in tackling issues around their products’ accessibility and inclusiveness might be limited. Firstly, inclusive design of hardware and software should be implemented at an early stage, as changes after commercialization will be expensive and could leave companies exposed to legal risk. Implementation will require product teams to have a deep understanding of disabled users. Xiaomi was the first smartphone company to address the accessibility of its MIUI in 2013 thanks to its direct communication with disabled members of its Mi Fan user community. Until recently, most Chinese versions of Android UIs were not open to third-party developers to include descriptions of the various elements’ purposes for a better voice-over experience for visually impaired users. Xiaomi’s latest MIUI updates in China include the Haptic Reproduction UI, which was co-developed with visually impaired Xiaomi users. MIUI is evolving fast, and Xiaomi is taking the lead among Chinese smartphone companies in accessibility feature innovation.
Secondly, accessible service procedures will be reviewed and monitored constantly by users, given that public awareness is on the rise. It will become common for companies to allow their CSR teams not just into the public relations department, but also to permit them to examine service procedures that interact with users, such as frontline staff training.
Finally, the government and public organizations will be leading the adoption of smart devices that support elderly and disabled people. Technology vendors that offer wearables and IoT devices for easier outdoor navigation and health monitoring will likely benefit from this trend.


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iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 will receive significant camera updates, an Apple analyst has reportedly predicted. While the next year's iPhone is forecast to have a 48-megapixel camera as an upgrade to the existing 12-megapixel sensor, iPhone 15 which would come in 2023 is said to have a periscope-shaped lens. Apple may be able to deliver an improved camera performance through the enhancements it has planned. In case of iPhone 14 particularly, the Cupertino company is expected to provide better results by adding an upgraded camera.
9to5Mac reports that analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the camera advancements of iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 in an investor note.
This is not the first time Kuo has talked about the iPhone 14 camera. In April, the analyst predicted the presence of a 48-megapixel camera. He also suggested that there could be 8K video recording support on the new model.
Apple currently offers a 12-megapixel camera setup on its iPhone 13 series that enables up to 4K video recording.
The additional megapixel count is expected to help provide better results, with additional detailing in photos and videos. Users may also get low light performance enhancements.
Analyst Jeff Pu recently corroborated the details shared by Kuo and predicted a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera on next year's iPhone. Pu, however, expected that the new camera would be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro models as the regular iPhone 14 variants may still go with the standard 12-megapixel ultra-wide and telephoto cameras.
Kuo also predicted that in the second half of 2023, iPhone 15 would come along with the periscope lens. The analyst made a similar prediction in March as well. The periscope lens was also initially expected to be a part of the iPhone 13 series and was later speculated to come in 2022.


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I don't mean to let bottled water off the hook. It's absurd to pay $1 or more for 12-ounce bottles of stuff we can get from a kitchen sink for pennies per gallon, especially when the store-bought stuff often isn't any better than tap water.
It takes a lot of fuel to haul bottled spring water from far-off locales like Fiji, Iceland or Europe. And only about 15% of water bottles are recycled.
But other types of soft drinks are not much greener.
I had coffee recently with Jon Olafsson, chief executive of Icelandic Water Holdings, whose Icelandic Glacial water won its industry award this fall for most environmentally friendly water (an award I took a skeptical view of). He and other industry executives, like the CEO of Nestle, are feeling unfairly beat up on by cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco, which are weaning citizens from their water bottles with public chastisement, taxes and a ban on bottled water in municipal offices, respectively. And then there are all the environmentalists who regularly slag on bottled water in blogs like LighterFootstep.
"In San Francisco, why not ban all canned and bottled drinks?" Olaffson asked me. "Why just water?"
He's got a point -- at least when it comes to recycling. In our grab-and-go culture, bottles of soda, iced tea, sports drinks and juices do their fair share of filling trash bins, garbage dumps and landfills.
Sodas still account for a full half of U.S. soft drink sales while bottled water has slightly more than a quarter of the market, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp.
Moreover, aside from a few small players like Fiji water and Icelandic Glacial (which is likely to become bigger soon after a recent investment from Anheuser-BuschBUD) the biggest bottled water brands are owned by the industry gorillas who put a variety of soft drinks onto store shelves: Dasani by Coca-ColaKO, Aquafina by PepsiCoPEP, Perrier, Poland Spring, Deer Park and others by Nestle.
So why not hold them more accountable for recycling and reusing the plastic containers for all their drinks, rather than demonizing one in particular?
The extended producer responsibility movement calls for consumer-product companies to take responsibility for the lifecycle of the containers their goods come in. It makes sense, especially when those companies have spotty records when it comes to supporting efforts that would make their goods more eco-friendly.
The big beverage companies are finally claiming to have found the recycling religion, as noted in a recent Wall Street Journal story. Coca-Cola, for one, announced last fall that it wants its bottles be made of 100% recycle or reused material. But it didn't give a time frame for doing so or say how much recycled material it uses now.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi have long come under environmentalists' fire for not supporting recycling, in particular deposit programs. Even today, their Web sites notably don't talk much about them, focusing instead on community recycling , which doesn't cost them anything or actually return their bottles and cans to them.
As valuable as those other efforts are, deposits seem to be more effective at getting people to recycle.
Despite the prevalence of community and curbside programs in the U.S., the rate for soft-drink bottle recycling overall remains well below 50%.
This is partly because so many bottled beverages are bought or consumed away from home. Public spaces like airports, malls, train stations, offices, schools, parks, stadiums and concert venues often don't have recycling bins.
Who wants to be bothered carrying the empties home again, unless there's an incentive for doing so?
In the states that have deposit laws, or better yet a combination of deposits and community recycling, return rates are much higher than for the nation overall. Nearly 62% of soda bottles in New York are recycled and in California roughly half of PET and HDPE bottles (two common plastics) are recycled.
Maybe when you buy your single-serving bottles by the case at CostcoCOST or Wal-MartWMT, like so many of us do, those deposits add up to a big-enough sum that people start nagging their families to bring the bottles home.
Trouble is, only 11 states have deposit laws. In most of those the laws specify the types of beverages for which containers must carry a deposit rather than the types of container materials, and these laws were written before bottled water and other non-soda soft drinks became popular, so they are usually exempt.
Not surprisingly, plastic soda bottles are recycled at about twice the rate as containers for newer beverages like water, teas and sports drinks. But nearly 70% of soda bottles and 85% of bottles for those other drinks wind up in the trash, according to the most recent stats from the Container Recycling Institute .
But this could change soon.
This past fall, Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey introduced the Bottle Recycling Climate Protection Act , which calls for a nationwide 5-cent deposit on all sealed metal, glass or plastic containers smaller than a gallon.
It's an idea with potential, though Markey doesn't mention in his press release important details like how the program would be managed, what role the beverage industry would play or what the money from unclaimed deposits would fund.
Until this bill passes, and in case it doesn't, let's call on soft-drink companies -- including bottled water companies -- to take more responsibility for the waste their products generate.
We can also take more responsibility ourselves.
Get a reusable water bottle and become reacquainted with your tap. If you're hooked on your iced tea or cola of choice, buy larger containers and invest in a thermos.
You'll give your local landfill a break and maybe save a few pennies, too.


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This article relates to Secrets of Poundland.
The British high street is in crisis. Or so many of the statistics seem to suggest, with one in seven of all shops lying vacant and a number of high profile names going bust in recent years.
But one sector is thriving: discount shops, with the biggest one of them all, Poundland, seemingly immune to the recession.
I have covered the retail sector, on and off, for more than a decade for business magazines and The Daily Telegraph. And I can think of few businesses that have managed to both catch the imagination and thrive in such a compelling way.
Almost single handedly it has made the discount shops respectable, winning over an increasing number of middle class shoppers (you can even pay using American Express), who use it to stock up on After Eights, Christmas decorations, children's party equipment, Colgate toothpaste, Sugar Puffs, even basics such as milk and bread - all for exactly £1.
There was even beef meatballs on sale in my local Poundland and the shop sold an astonishing 2,500 miles of bunting in the run up to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
In the year to April 2012, the retailer posted sales of £780m, up 19.3% and pre-tax profits of £18.3m, up from £12.2m in the previous year.
This is incredible, because unlike other retailers - faced with the same rising costs, higher rents, bigger business rates - it does not have the ability to increase its prices. Everything is always a £1.
Dispatches wanted to get to the bottom of how the company did this. How does it keep on increasing its profits, when it has an 'inflation-busting style' that gives shoppers 'irresistible value', a statement it prints on posters in many of its shops?
Well, it is not inflation-busting in the strictest sense of the word. Many of its items have shrunk as the chief executive Jim McCarthy has admitted. He calls it 're-engineering'.
In recent years the shrinking has been quite severe. Back in 2007 shoppers would have got 10 packs of Quavers in a family bag for £1. This was reduced to seven packs last year, and shrunk further to five packs this year. Last year £1 got you 12 Kodak AA batteries; it is now 11. Toblerone, Cadbury chocolate fingers, Wotsit crisps - all have shrunk.
It also sells a number of popular items in non-standard sizes. For instance, a loaf of Warburton's sliced white bread for £1, which appears to be fantastic value until you realise it is a 600g loaf, rather than the 800g size, which has been the standard size for bread since the Victorian era. You can pick up two 800g Warburton loaves for £2 at Tesco this week.
Poundland point out that the size of the loaf is clearly printed on the packaging.
The company has various other canny marketing and packaging tricks to encourage shoppers to spend.
The most common of which is to shout very loudly on the packaging of goods that their customers are getting '50% extra free' or '60% extra free' or even '100% extra free'.
So, shoppers can pick up eight bars of two-finger Kit Kats for £1. This is sold with a large yellow banner around the multipack saying '5+3 bars, 60% Extra free'. Asda is currently selling the same eight Kit Kats for £1, but without the '60 extra free' flash. And the supermarket describes them as 8 bars, not 5+3.
Both are clearly labelled. Both are good value. But one is shouting about it, and the other isn't.
Dispatches spoke to a number of consumer and marketing experts to find out more about the tactics of Poundland and whether customers really were getting a good deal in comparison to the supermarkets. And their conclusions were surprising.
Poundland is seen by many as cheeky upstart on the high street, challenging the big boys. But as it increases in size itself, opening nearly 70 shops a year, with an ambition to hit 1000, does it risk losing the affection of many consumers?


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British government agency, Companies House, has told Twitter that its UK TweetDeck subsidiary faces the threat of dissolution, after the company missed two deadlines to file accounts.
A week of Google porn, Net Neutrality, Lollipop updates, Xbox burgers and a Wankband
The YotaPhone 2 is probably the most interesting phone since the iPhone 3G - Review
Hands On with Microsoft's wireless charging pad, the DT-903
Windows 10 for phones news
Windows 10 for phones
Hands On with Microsoft's new Comfort Headset
microsoft comfort headset
All the latest on Windows 10
Windows 10 promo
As of late, the search giant Google has announced a number of products that directly compete with some of the equivalents that the company Apple offers. The Android smartphone is a competitor to Apple's iPhone,...
You may be aware that the CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, is currently positioned on the board of directors at Apple, helping oversee the workings of the company. You may also be aware that the...
Today I sat down with Ryan Gavin and Dharmesh Mehta, Directors of Windows Live Consumer Product Management. Besides sitting in a private room completely dumbfounded at the fact that I was doing my first in...
Tomorrow morning I have an exclusive meeting with some of the Windows Live Directors. During the meeting I will have the opportunity to do some QnA. With that in mind, of course I have millions...
In a press release, Apple announced that Dr. Eric Schmidt was named to Apple's Board of Directors today. Dr. Schmidt has a long resume, including current positions as CEO of Google, as a member of...


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Halloween is no longer the exclusive domain of pint-sized trick-or-treaters. Marin's love for pets of all shapes and sizes, as evidenced by the response to Patch's Cutest Dog Contest, has plenty of pet owners getting their four-legged pals into the Halloween spirit as well.
Dressing your pet up in a Halloween costume means BIG business for retailers, as consumers are expected to spend a record $310 million this year on pet costumes, according to a recent National Retail Federation survey.
Here at Patch, we embrace all pets, and want to see what costume your pet will be sporting for Halloween. We want to see those pets in costume, so post your photos and you could win a $50 gift card!
You have until Oct. 28 to upload the best photo of your pet in costume.
Here’s how to enter:
- Simply click the green "Upload Your Photos and Videos" button above and upload your image (but first make sure you’re a registered Patch user).
- In the caption, let us know the name of your pet and all the details about the costume. We’d also love to know what town you live in and any other information you think we should know.
Patch editors will choose our 10 favorite pictures, and then you, the reader, can vote for the winner in the comments section of an article that will be posted on Oct. 29. We will be taking your votes through 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1. The winner will receive a $50 gift card to the local business of their choice.


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December 29, 2018
Kempinski buys 1.6 million dollars of food items locally
The Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra, sources 1.6 million dollars of foodstuff and products every year from the Ghanaian market.
The General Manager of the Hotel, Mr Manish Nambiar, who announced this at a media soiree, however, explained that some of the suppliers could be selling imports when Ghanaian produce were not in stock.
A substantial amount of the food also goes to provide three square meals for its 500 members of staff.
Mr Nambiar said the five-star hotel was committed to sustaining a luxury brand ‘with an European flair and a Ghanaian heart’.
Their efforts, he said, were paying off as the Hotel continued to receive covetous industry awards from the Sub-Region.
“We have very loyal customers who come back again and again,” he said. “We write to them and they also give us feedback. We have focused group discussions and they give us suggestions on how what we can do to make them happier.”
The prospects of the Hotel in the coming years, he said, were bright as foreign business and investor interest in Ghana were very encouraging.
“The Hotel business is the best one to determine when an economy is booming or having a downturn because it reflects in the record of both foreign and local guests and our exposure and experiences with them.”
“With what we are experiencing now we can tell that the future is good for us”.
The Hotel, with 269 rooms and 24 suites, has an average occupancy rate of 75 per cent.
On the tag of being very expensive, the General Manager said its presence had rather lowered the rates of rooms among the luxury hotels in Ghana.
“I must say, a lot of what you see on social media is pure sensationalism. We are a luxury brand but we offer value for money and ensure that our guests depart feeling that they have not been cheated”.
On the Hotel’s Corporate Social Responsibility, Mr Nambiar said among other activities, it had partnered the World Health Organisation for some projects, as well as the International Women’s Association to raise funds to acquire cervical cancer detecting machines.
Additionally, it was working with the Office of the First Lady on the Infantile Malaria Charity Partnership Project as well as the Embassy of Israel on the Save A Child’s Heart, under which children with complicated cardiac problems were sent to Israel for surgery.
Founded about three years ago, the Hotel is owned by the Gold Coast City Company comprising the Government of Ghana, through the Ghana Tourist Board; a Nigerian investor, a Russian investor and a British investor.
Kempinski is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group.
Mr Affail Monney, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), said the Organisation was happy with the Hotel’s services when it hosted the World Press Freedom Day.
He said the impending 70th Anniversary of the GJA would also be launched at the facility because Kempinski was a worthy partner.
SOURCE: GNA | Ghana


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AGRIeTOUR, the National farm holiday Fair begins
From November 17th to 19th at Arezzo Fiere, AGRIeTOUR, the National Fair of Agritourism and
Multi-Functional Agriculture is back. Since 1998, the field has increased by 129%:
every year, over 11 million “agri-tourists” choose the countryside.
The data speaks for itself: with over 11 million “agri-tourists” every year, the favourite kind holiday for tourists is a farm holiday. AGRIeTOUR, which will take place at Arezzo Fiere from November 17th to 19th, celebrates its sixteenth edition with a new image, the new look of Italian holidays. Rediscovering the relationship with nature and going back to the simple life, with essential values: these are the topics at the centre of the current fresh, dynamic concept designed to appeal to the public and transmit the fair’s clear position. AGRIeTOUR was among the first to believe in the Italian companies investing in naturalness. Hospitality, food and wine culture, farm-to-table cultivations, workshops, training masters and thematic studies: the fair proposes a packed calendar of events with conferences, seminars, tastings and practical demonstrations.
For more information:http://www.agrietour.it/
Artecibo editorial board
Content edited by staff


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Egypt has long been preparing for the transition to a digital economy, in line with its Vision 2030 plans and national digital transformation strategy. The spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated its plans, forcing a new reality on a market that has grown accustomed to online purchasing.
Egyptian online companies currently pay nine per cent tax on their profits, while companies that sell their products in the traditional way pay between 20 and 23 per cent in tax.
Last week, the Finance Ministry decided to levy a value-added tax (VAT) on companies operating in the Internet economy, starting with 14 per cent VAT on deliveries made via online purchases.
The ministry issued Decree 285/2021 as an amendment to Decree 82/2017 to “achieve fair competition and tax justice”, in the words of head of the Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) Reda Abdel-Kader.
The new law primarily addresses companies and online applications that sprung up during the pandemic without being registered with the ETA, Abdel-Kader said. The pandemic had obliged the state to order the closure of restaurants and coffee shops to curb its spread, while still allowing them to function and to deliver online.
According to the law, food is exempted from tax in restaurants and non-tourist shops, except for some categories stipulated in Decree 82/2017. Outlets that provide food through websites and that are not registered with the ETA are now obliged to register for VAT if they have an annual turnover of over LE500,000, Abdel-Kader stated.
He said that unregistered companies must register with the ETA if the volume of their transactions reaches the registration limit. Regarding delivery services, he said that these counted as taxable revenue, and all tax-registered companies must collect tax on such services and declare them to the ETA in their monthly returns.
Yehia Abu Taleb, a professor of finance at Ain Shams University in Cairo, agreed with Abdel-Kader that the decision was “a first step towards achieving tax justice”.
Countries the world over are taking measures to impose equal taxes on digital and traditional companies, he said, adding that the decision was taken individually by the ETA and was not connected to recent moves by the G7 group of countries concerning the digital economy.
The G7, consisting of the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US, announced plans to impose a global tax of at least 15 per cent on the profits of multinational companies such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google earlier this month.
EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said the consultation on levying 15 per cent tax on online companies “marks an important step towards our ultimate goal of ensuring the fair taxation of the digital economy. Achieving this goal is even more important in the current context. Covid-19 has caused an unprecedented economic shock, and as we work to build a sustainable recovery, it is vital that all companies make a sufficient contribution to this effort.”
Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, whose country levies a 12.5 per cent corporation tax, tweeted that “it is in everyone’s interest to achieve a sustainable, ambitious, and equitable agreement on the international tax architecture,” noting that “any agreement will have to meet the needs of small and large countries, developed and developing” alike.
Amr Al-Mounir, a former Egyptian deputy finance minister and international tax expert, said taxing digital companies would change the global tax system in the coming years. The current G7 consultations had given birth to a preliminary agreement that had yet to materialise, he explained. Before its final ratification, each country would need to give its opinion on the tax rate and implementation mechanisms.
He said that taxing the digital economy had to be conducted on an international basis and it would be futile for individual countries to take unilateral steps in this regard. Digital taxation was a historic step, especially as a result of the changing face of the traditional economy, he added.
It was vital for tax systems to keep up with technological advances, especially as there are now some two billion websites and applications for e-trade worldwide, Al-Mounir said.
As the debate continues on how the new system will work, the prevailing trend has been to impose a minimum tax on online companies, some of which have made enormous profits during the pandemic, he said, noting that the time has come for these companies to pay their fair share of tax.
But the new system needs to be supplemented with the right legislation, and workers at the various tax authorities have to be trained on the new structure, Al-Mounir said.
One of the obstacles facing the new system, if it goes into effect globally, is double taxation, with corporates possibly finding themselves paying tax in two different countries. Al-Mounir said countries should conduct studies to work out a successful mechanism.
Egypt should also consult with experts to strike a balance between attracting investments to its web economy and earning its fair share of taxes.
Digital corporate taxation will bring in billions of dollars to governments and will benefit them in repairing the economic damage of Covid-19, said Fathi Nada, a financial analyst.
The G7’s decision to tax multinationals represented a core transformation in how the group regards the right of developing countries to receive a fair share of tax from multinationals operating on their territories, Nada said.
Until this decision, the country of origin represented a “safe haven” for these companies, where they could be charged no or minimum taxes.
During their recent summit meeting, the finance ministers of the G7 agreed on fighting tax evasion through new procedures. “The largest and most profitable multinationals will be required to pay tax in the countries where they operate and not just where they have their headquarters,” a statement said.
“The rules would apply to global firms with at least a 10 per cent profit margin and would see 20 per cent of any profit above the 10 per cent margin reallocated and then subjected to tax in the countries they operate in.”
Nada said that the reaction of the multinationals had been relatively positive. An Amazon spokesperson quoted by Reuters said that “we believe an OECD-led process that creates a multilateral solution will help bring stability to the international tax system. The agreement by the G7 marks a welcome step forward in the effort to achieve this goal,” referring to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Reuters reported that a Google spokesperson had also said that “we strongly support the work being done to update international tax rules. We hope countries continue to work together to ensure a balanced and durable agreement will be finalised soon.”
The timing of the decision was appropriate, Nada said, adding that governments have long been faced with the challenge of imposing taxes on multinationals. This challenge has grown with the flourishing of companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook.
He added that such companies were able to open branches in countries with low tax rates and announce their profits there, meaning that they pay the local rate of tax even if their profits are generated in other countries.
The G7 is attempting to prevent this by forcing multinationals to pay taxes in the countries where they sell their products and services and by setting a minimum tax rate.
*A version of this article appears in print in the 17 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly


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Don't-Miss Gaming Stories
HTC will launch a wireless version of the Vive virtual reality headset in early 2018.
Intel showed for the first time at Computex in Taipei a prototype wireless HTC Vive virtual reality headset
Battle against Joseph Seed and his Eden's Gate religious extremists when the game releases in February 2018.
Plus: Neill Blomkamp experiments with short films on Steam, Divinity: Original Sin 2 gets a release date, and Rising Storm is free, for now. This is gaming news for May 22 to 26.
Vanquish, the cult classic from Platinum Games, has finally arrived on PC, thanks in part to a vocal fan base. Watch us play it right here.
Maybe it's time to take Microsoft's quiet war against Twitch a bit more seriously, as newly-minted Mixer debuts new split-screen tech and promises to stream Xbox's E3 press conference in 4K.
Acer's Nitro 5 is a laptop designed for casual gamers, with one distinctive feature: You can adjust the fan speed yourself. Adjusting thermals can be tricky, so it'll be interesting to see how this goes.
Vanquish, the cult classic from Platinum Games, has finally arrived on PC thanks in part to a vocal fan base. Let's play through a bit of the beginning to see how it runs on a HP Omen X running an Intel Core i7 6700K and 2 Nvidia GTX 1080's!
2015's excellent World War I shooter Verdun is getting its first standalone expansion Tannenberg, which takes the action to the oft-neglected Eastern front.
The Acer Predator Z35P has a 3440x1440 resolution, a 100Hz refresh rate, and a wicked asking price.
AMD offers Radeon graphics cards that range from budget HTPC options to the versatile Radeon RX 580, with Vega on the way. Here's the full lineup of PC gaming options.
Father's Day idea? Bandai's Pac-Man "Connect and Play" brings back favorite classic video games right to your TV. Connect the included cords directly into your television A/V jacks, and head back in time.
Amazon's cold war against Steam continues—Prime members can claim the Dark-Souls-crossed-with-Zelda game Titan Souls anytime before May 24.
This small reversible connector is designed to support a new wave of faster, more efficient power delivery, and up to 10 times faster data transfer speeds than USB 2.0.
Keep your PS4/PS4 Slim console organized and functioning properly with this vertical stand from Pecham which features an integrated cooling fan, dual controller changing and a USB hub.
Plus: Destiny 2 will be sold through Battle.net, Devolver adds yet another E3 press conference to the pile, and ZeniMax broadens its lawsuits to include Samsung. This is gaming news for May 15 to 19.
Destiny 2 is coming to PCs, and it doesn't sound like a half-assed port. Here's what PC gamers need to know about 4K support, cross-saves, remappable keys, and more.


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Leo Schoenherr, CEO, FloraCraft, a family-based American craft and floral company announced a gift of $20,000 (approx. Rs 14 lakh) as a Christmas bonus to each member of his 200 strong workforce.
The bonus was reportedly announced as a form of appreciation for the hard work of the employees of FloraCraft. The gift amount is determined on the basis of each employee’s tenure. Staff members with more than 40 years of experience will be receiving over $60,000. However, the average amount gifted to each employee will be around $20,000.
It is reported that 75 percent of the bonus will go into the retirement plan of the employees, while the balance will be handed over as cash.
FloraCraft, which manufactures foam products for the craft and floral industries, sells its products through retailers, such as Walmart, Amazon and Hobby Lobby.


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Steve Madden is thankful for his stint in prison as he believes it revived his career.
In April 2002, the shoe designer was sentenced to 41 months in prison for cheating investors in a stock fraud scheme headed by Jordan Belfort, with the story included as part of Martin Scorsese's 2014 film, The Wolf of Wall Street.
Madden was released in 2005 after serving 31 months, and in a new interview with Footwear News, explained that his jail time has benefitted his career.
"When I got out of prison, it was a moment with a lot of energy and a whole lot of grit. It took the company to another level," the 61-year-old stated. "Bet you don't hear that a lot, right?"
And Madden, who was inducted into the Footwear News Hall of Fame at the recent 2019 FN Achievement Awards, is looking forward to celebrating the 30th anniversary of his namesake brand next year.
"It's great now. I'm having a lot of fun," he insisted. "I'm having more fun now, actually. I feel physically, mentally and spiritually in the best shape of my life. It's the best I've ever felt."
Madden began his shoe label back in 1990, and in the chat, acknowledged how lucky he was that his business took off so quickly.
"Yes, I was hard-working and talented, but I was a lucky guy. And it may not have been enough if I didn't have luck," he confessed.
© Cover Media


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Retail sales volumes highest in six years
By Michelle Gumede - Mar 15th 2018, 10:42
The discretionary spending power of consumers is slowly returning as inflation slows and the rand strengthens.
This was evident among Mastercard users in the country whose spending habits resulted in greater sales volumes than each of the five previous January periods.
According to the Mastercard SpendingPulse January 2018 report, which provides a macroeconomic analysis of retail spending trends in SA, not only was it a record period, but consumer spending for January climbed 3.8%.
This spending was the same pace of growth the retail industry had witnessed during the December peak season.
Senior vice-president and group head of market insights for Mastercard Sarah Quinlan attributed the January sales growth to a moderation in inflation, a stronger rand and some recovery in industries such as agriculture as production recovers from the severe drought.
The SpendingPulse report said that including the effects of inflation, retail sales for January 2018 grew 7.3% year on year.
Inflation had contributed just 3.5 percentage points to overall sales growth, the lowest levels seen since SpendingPulse began tracking trends in the country in 2013.
Economic analyst at FNB Jason Muscat highlighted that at 4.4% in January, inflation was a full 2.2 percentage points below the January 2017 number, "providing consumers with a good measure of relief".
Given that inflation had been trending lower for more than a year, the Reserve Bank had cut interest rates by 25 basis points in 2017 and he said there was scope for another cut later in March, which would provide easier monetary conditions.
"This is good news for indebted consumers, as it means the cost of servicing debt will moderate, albeit slightly," said Muscat.
Quinlan was upbeat about the outlook for 2018, saying that "we are seeing a healthier economic outlook with a possibility of stronger wage and employment growth in the months to come".
However, Muscat warned that despite the good news, headwinds were expected for consumers due to the tax increases announced by former finance minister Malusi Gigaba in February.
"VAT [value-added tax] will increase by one percentage point, 52c a litre will be added to the fuel price, and many taxpayers will be paying more income tax, all of which will curb a more robust rebound in household consumption," Muscat said.
Food and beverages giant PepsiCo makes offer to acquire Pioneer Foods
19/07/2019 - 10:18
In a vote of confidence about SA’s long-term prospects, New York-based food and beverages giant PepsiCo has made an offer to buy Pioneer Food Group, which makes Sasko breads and Ceres juices, in a deal worth at least R25.4bn.
US retail sales rise as households spend more
18/07/2019 - 14:16
US retail sales increased more than expected in June, pointing to strong consumer spending, which could help to blunt some of the hit on the economy from weak business investment.
Strong Asia growth boosts Richemont’s first-quarter sales
18/07/2019 - 13:38
The luxury-goods company reports a 9% year-on-year increase at constant exchange rates.
Refinery celebrates diversity with new fashion campaign
18/07/2019 - 11:39
Local fashion retailer Refinery is set to make waves across the local industry with its new spring campaign which embraces diversity, encouraging others to be unashamedly, authentically themselves.
Amazon offers $10 to Prime Day shoppers for access to their data
18/07/2019 - 09:53
Amazon.com has a promotion for US shoppers on Prime Day, the 48-hour marketing blitz that started recently: earn $10 of credit if you let Amazon track the websites you visit.


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ccording to the Department of Labor's consumer price index report, inflation in the United States fell to 8.5% in July, down from 9.1% the previous year.
This revelation surprised many in the Biden Administration, who had anticipated that inflation would be a factor due to factors such as price increases and the Ukraine-Russian war.
"We learned today that our economy experienced zero percent inflation in July." "Not at all," Biden said at the White House.
Crypto increases in value
Most cryptocurrencies fell on July 9 in anticipation of the report, with bitcoin falling about 4% to $23,100 and Ethereum (ETH) falling more than 5%. However, prices have recovered, with bitcoin trading above $24,500 and Ethereum trading slightly below $1,900 at the time of publication.
Biden wants to reduce inflation
President Joe Biden responded to the report by emphasizing that the current approach to reducing inflation is working and that Congress must pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
"The economic plan is working, and the second is building an economy that rewards work," Biden said at a White House press conference.
While inflation has been rising, it has been reported that GDP fell in the first two quarters of 2022, indicating that the economy was truly priced. According to the report, energy costs fell 4.6% in July, despite continuing to rise in 2021, reaching 32.9%. Gasoline prices fell 7.7% month over month, giving drivers some relief, but they were still 44% higher than a year ago.
According to experts, food expenses increased by 1.1% month over month and 10.9% year over year, the largest increase since May 1979.
Those who follow inflation and monetary policy trends have had mixed reactions to the data. The prospect of US interest rates not rising as quickly as previously anticipated weighed on the dollar, which fell more than 1% against a basket of major trading partners' currencies, according to the New York Times.


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Last month we had a story about Saint-Gobain Glass’s $80 million investment in Sage Electrochromics. Today, another electrochromic window maker, Soladigm, announced via press release that it had received $30 million in new investments from some heavy hitters, such as GE Energy Financial Services.
Soladigm apparently has been in GE sights for some time, and was recently a winner of the company’s Ecomagination competition in the Solar Heating and Cooling category. Soladigm, headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., calls their product Dynamic Glass, which the company claims to be “the first technology to deliver on the key requirements of performance, scalability and durability with the cost-effectiveness needed for broad adoption.”
Regarding the science behind Soladigm, GigaOM reported in August that the company signed a licensing agreement with the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in 2008. LBL apparently has developed a “switchable mirror” technology based on metal–metal hydride system (e.g., using magnesium as the metal) to reflect external light. But, an LBL researcher reported to GigaOM that Soladigm’s initial approach actually involves tungsten oxide as one of the layers in the glass. Tantalum nitride and antimony may also play a role.
Soladigm had already received a $3.5 million DOE grant and is already producing glass in a small California factory. But, the new investments, leveraged by over $40 million in inducements from the State of Mississippi, will allow the company to produce 60-inch window products. The Mississippi facility is where the company says it will “build and launch high-volume commercial operations and develop sales and marketing channels.” The factory is expected to begin commercial operations in 2012.


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There is a buzz from a very long time that Samsung is planning to launch a Tizen-powered smartphone, and today Samsung has finally took the wraps off its first smartphone which will run on Tizen, the Samsung Z.
If we talk about specs, the Samsung Z flaunts a 4.9 inch Super AMOLED display and under the hood its powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core processor which supports 2D and 3D graphics which will result is better web surfing experience, it also has fingerprint scanner 3D graphics.
Samsung claims its new OS, Tizen will reduce boot times, it will give more efficient multitasking and has an Ultra Power Saving Mode which is very much similar of Galaxy S5, this allows you increasing battery’s juice by shutting down all but the very minimal functions.
Samsung has said that this Tizen powered device will go on sale in Russia in Q3 and then will make its way to other markets soon to follow. Samsung hasn’t reveled pricing of the device.
Samsung is world biggest Android device maker but from few time they are developing their own mobile OS which will give them better control and Samsung will be less reliable on Google. The Samsung Z will be available in black and gold.


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Bulk wine supporters look to silence sceptics
A new study will look to silence critics of bulk wine imports to the UK, by showing the practice is workable as well as environmentally friendly.
A new study in the UK will look to silence critics of bulk wine imports, by showing the practice is workable as well as environmentally friendly.
The Waste Resources & Action Programme (WRAP) is seeking partners for a new 18-month project, which is set to begin within the next few months.
It will consider the feasibility of importing wine in bulk and bottling it on arrival in the UK, assessing factors such as bottling capacity and recycling facilities.
Carbon emissions have already been cut by 28,000 tonnes per year due to lighter bottles and an increase in bulk imports, WRAP announced last week.
Many Australian winemakers, as the number one suppliers to the UK, remain cautious about shipping their wine in bulk, according to Amy Russell, of Winemakers’ Federation of Australia.
“We are keen to make sure the consumer is going to support us,” she told a seminar hosted by WRAP at last week’s London International Wine Fair.
There is also a question mark over the UK’s glass recycling capacity. EU targets for glass recovery were “only just” met last year, Dr Nick Kirk, of Glass Technology Services, told OLN.
Industry officials have been frustrated by local authorities mixing glass together with other materials for recycling. Separating the materials is costly and causes extra wastage, they say.


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A blog post by a lawyer acting for video game composer Marty O'Donnell has revealed the emotional toll taken by a prolonged lawsuit with developer Bungie.
Where else would you find the stars of DC Comics, "The Simpsons", "Jurassic Park", "Ghostbusters", "Doctor Who" and more in one place?
Many have assumed the craters roughly forming the shape of a human face on the moon's surface were formed by space rocks, but new research supports the claim that it came from within our only natural satellite.
As demand for Uber grows in Beijing, the company has launched a new "People's Uber" ride-sharing service at rates below its own UberX.
The suit alleges that Apple has violated a patent held by one of the school's computer engineering professors.
One of the products taking the stage at Display Week 2013 will be a flexible, 5-inch OLED smartphone screen.
And it's hardly alone among mobile companies. Samsung and Nokia, too, have ambitions for flexible OLED display technology.
The search giant has just added Hungary and Lesotho to its list of Street View-enabled countries.
Nathan Myhrvold and other executives at the controversial company say critics simply don't understand what they're doing. CNET went behind the scenes to understand what 40,000 patents and an unapologetic plan to make money from them really means.
Google's chairman emeritus tells Boston University graduates: "Take your eyes off that screen and look into the eyes of the person you love."


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Joe Browns, the Leeds-dependent, manner and houses retailer, announced nowadays (23 March 2023), that it experienced programs to open up 10 retailers throughout the British isles by the finish of 2024 creating 200 employment.
The announcement drastically increases its bricks and mortar footprint from the two current outlets, in Meadowhall, Sheffield which opened in 2017 and a 2nd in York which opened in 2019.
At the exact same time Joe Browns announced it experienced entered into what it explained as a ‘toe-in-the water’ franchise arrangement which will see a different shop open in Cumbria.
A 1st for the retailer, Joe Browns, Bowness-on-Windemere is situated on the town’s Queen’s Sq., spans 2500sq ft of investing area and will offer womenswear, menswear and property. It opens in May well 2023.
In conditions of areas for the other 10 outlets, the retailer claimed it was actively researching the most suitable buying centres, metropolitan areas and cities throughout the British isles, to improve the recognition of Joe Browns.
All the retailers will carry Joe Browns exceptional ethos and handwriting to existence in environments that will make it possible for the retailer’s free spirited identity to stand out on the higher street.
“Extending our bricks and mortar footprint is a key constructing block to growing long run manufacturer consciousness and product sales. In easy conditions, it’s about getting the manufacturer noticeable to as quite a few opportunity prospects as we can.
“We know from our two existing suppliers, that buyers are returning to the Higher Road and are seeking a wide variety of ways to shop with us.
“The new merchants will deliver to existence almost everything that is impressive about Joe Browns in environments that are unique to us, backed up with engaging buyer service from colleagues that dwell and breath the Joe Browns ethos.
“We are wanting at a range of spots that we can share when we have signed on the dotted line. We definitely cannot wait around to get cracking – its enjoyable times for the evolution of Joe Browns and when much better than in our 25th year.” stated Peter Alecock, chief govt, Joe Browns.
The retailer not long ago shared what it called a ‘robust Christmas’ with profits up +19.5 per cent in the 4 weeks to 25 December 2022 with gross sales in Menswear +35.2%, Womenswear +8.2% and residence +27%
The sturdy figures have been sent against a backdrop of exterior financial factors which include the ongoing price tag of dwelling crisis, which proceeds to affect purchaser assurance.
The retailer, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, was started by operator Simon Brown, who took inspiration from a team of friends soon after taking pleasure in a great day on the surf in North Wales. Laughing, joking and utterly carefree, having a blast – this is the essence of Joe Browns.
Given that then, Joe Browns has quietly and confidently traded about this time delivering 25 a long time of development with a simple benefit of ‘making people sense good’. Commencing with menswear and introducing womenswear again in 2002 prior to including homeware in 2019.
This has been sent by a combination of Joebrowns.co.united kingdom, brochures, marketplaces, royalty agreements, wholesale and immediate despatch as a result of independents and compact section retailers, as properly as retail units in York and Sheffield’s Meadowhall.


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The Digital Dollar Project (DDP) released a new version of its white paper "Exploring a U.S. CBDC" on Jan. 18. The project expanded the paper in order to examine central bank digital currency projects internationally, though its focus is still on the United States.
The DDP introduced its “champion model” of an intermediated wholesale and retail CBDC in the first version of the paper in May 2020. Since that time, CBDC projects worldwide have increased from 35 to 114. The updated DDP paper retains the core tenets of the champion model, such as those on privacy and monetary policy, while discussing the technological advancements of recent years.
The new ideas in the report mainly revolved the authors’ warnings about the United States falling behind in CBDC research and leadership. Regardless of the final U.S. decision on introducing a dollar CBDC, the authors say:
“It [is] imperative that the U.S. government consider ways to maintain the use of the dollar in digital global payment systems and develop a strategy related to the use of alternative payment systems.”
The DDP was established by former Commodity Futures Trading Commission chairman Christopher Giancarlo in 2020 to promote a U.S. CBDC. The organization has implemented a variety of pilot projects in conjunction with information technology company Accenture. In 2022, it introduced a technical sandbox with Ripple, Emtech and three other organizations.
The Federal Reserve released a paper in January 2022 that stated that it “would only pursue a CBDC in the context of broad public and cross-governmental support.” Research has continued on a U.S. CBDC, notably in Project Hamilton, which released two reports and recently declared its mission completed.
The Fed has not yet received a signal from the government to go ahead with the introduction of a USD CBDC.


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It will be a year ago, tomorrow, that Digium announced 1 million downloads for 2007. This morning Digium announced that Asterisk was downloaded 1.5 million times in 2008, more than any other year in company history and 50 percent higher than last year. For a company that is less than a decade old, that’s pretty impressive.
We believe this is more than a trend… Companies whose legacy systems are needing to be replaced because they are getting old and downright failing on them, are continuing to turn to open source to get the features and benefits that Asterisk based systems bring to the table. Want a conference bridge? It’s there. Want flexible voicemail? No problem. And cash strapped companies are attracted to a less expensive, easily customizable open source platform in the current recession. It’s worth noting that Digium says in their release that as the economic crisis worsened, Asterisk downloads rose by 32 percent from September through December, compared to a year ago. These are just some of the reasons that further legitimize open source and the Asterisk revolution. Next time you make a phone call to your broker to dump that worthless stock, you’re booking a flight on a Zepplin, or calling your favorite ice cream shoppe for the flavor of the day, think to yourself: “Is this an Asterisk system on the other end?”
***Editors note: I don’t know if Culvers uses Asterisk, as mentioned in the ice cream link above, but I do love a tasty burger, and I love their custard. Try their caramel cashew sundae, you won’t regret it. Click here for a store near you.**🙂


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Intel turns to its integrated graphics to scan for viruses
Intel is turning to its integrated graphics to make virus scanning more efficient.
Intel this week revealed its plan to make virus scanning more efficient: integrated graphics. The goal, Intel says, is to let antivirus use what it calls Accelerated Memory Scanning to lighten the load on CPU performance and boost battery life by shifting virus scanning to Intel's integrated graphics processor instead (via The Verge).
"Current scanning technologies can detect system memory-based cyberattacks, but at the cost of CPU performance," Intel says. "With Accelerated Memory Scanning, the scanning is handled by Intel's integrated graphics processor, enabling more scanning, while reducing the impact on performance and power consumption."
The company says that, with Accelerated Memory Scanning, its early benchmarks have shown CPU utilization drop from 20 percent to "as little as 2 percent."
Intel says that Microsoft's Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) will be the first product to integrate Accelerated Memory Scanning. It's worth noting, however, that Intel's Threat Detection Technology is expected to be available only with its 6th, 7th, and 8th generation processors.
Also today, Intel took the wraps off of Intel Security Essentials, a combination of hardware security capabilities available across Xeon and Atom processors. Integrated directly into the silicon, these new capabilities include secure boot, trusted execution enclaves, and more, designed to help bolster security while reducing the hit to performance.
In the wake of the Meltdown and Spectre processor flaws, it's clear Intel is looking to regain some ground in terms of security. Recently, Intel declared that it is redesigning upcoming processors to protect against Spectre at the hardware level. The company has also released microcode updates for its microprocessor products launched in the past nine years, but it did confirm that some older processors won't be patched.
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Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl.
Why not. But still, the real issue with AV isn't the CPU load but the memory (HDD / SSD) access.
True but you can't do much about that short of having a SSD instead of HDD. I think this is a nice improvement and smarter use of available resources.
And yet, Microsoft still won't allow this functionality on Surface Pro 4/Book 1/Studio
Why won't they. They have 6th generation processors or higher. Did I miss something?
Yeah a slow hdd is the worst... Nvme m2... So spoiled
NVMe drives are amazing
Intel has got moves :)


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Mahindra partners with Jio-bp, Statiq, and Charge+Zone for EV infrastructure solutions
Mumbai, 10 November, 2022: Mahindra & Mahindra, India’s leading SUV manufacturer, recently announced partnerships with three EV infrastructure partners – Jio-bp, Statiq, and Charge+Zone to offer robust charging solutions for Mahindra’s upcoming range of passenger electric vehicles. With these partnerships, Mahindra EV users will get seamless access to a robust fast charging infrastructure and e-mobility solutions spanning across discovery, availability, navigation and transactions.
Mahindra has unveiled its first all-electric C segment SUV – the XUV400 at Mahindra Research Valley, Chennai recently. Earlier this year, the company has also showcased keen strides towards electrification, unveiling its Born Electric Vision in UK, a gamut of world-class electric SUVs to be launched in India, in the next few years.
Veejay Nakra, President – Automotive Division, M&M Ltd., said, “We look forward to bringing sustainable, profitable and efficient EV solutions to accelerate the mass adoption of battery electric vehicles in India, and we are delighted to have joined hands with all our partners for our upcoming range of electric vehicles in India. We approach these partnerships as an opportunity to offer robust EV infrastructure solutions to our customers, quickly. This will also help us in moving a step forward towards achieving India’s net-zero goals.”
Along with Mahindra’s ecosystem partners, the company is working to create a vast network of EV charging stations. These partnerships will strengthen the EV charging infrastructure in India. Leveraging the strengths of the EV infrastructure partners, Mahindra aims to offer benefits to all stakeholders in the EV ecosystem.