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This Isn’t Another Bitcoin Bubble
Almost exactly three years ago, Bitcoin reached an all-time high price just shy of $20K, before plummeting back down to earth.
Since February, I have been consistent in my predictions about a fundamental disruptor in the financial space that is poised to massively affect global financial markets in the coming years. I was one of the earliest voices predicting a $20K-plus price point for Bitcoin by year’s end.
Almost exactly three years ago, Bitcoin reached an all-time high price just shy of $20K, before plummeting back down to earth. I stand by my prediction that we’ll break that high water mark by the end of this year and that it will steadily grow. I’m not alone in this prediction. What’s more interesting is the “why?” behind this year’s bull market, and what makes it different than the 2017 surge.
We see a rise in BTC simply because there are more buyers than sellers. This has a lot to do with “Bitcoin Halving,” which reduced the supply of new BTC by 50% in May of 2020. But the increase in buyers has to do with a lot more.
Recently, companies like PayPal and Line (Who is a Celsius partner) started allowing their users to buy, sell, and trade crypto on their platform. Since then we have welcomed millions of new retail investors to crypto. But as we continue to introduce more investors, we have to understand there is a limited supply of BTC. This adoption of an increase in investors then allows the price of BTC to increase as well.
Additionally, people have the option to invest in a currency that isn’t subject to the recent struggles of the US dollar. Consumer spending has been extremely low this year, but the Fed has printed 20% of the USD that has EVER existed just in this year alone. BTC has done the exact opposite.
So the $18k spike we experienced this week is the very early stages of BTC reaching an all-time high this year. Five years from now, BTC will likely be worth ten times more than it is worth today because of the scarcity effect and continuing inflation.
My message to the Celsian community who has been earning a 6.2% on top of their BTC will remain the same: This is different from what we saw in 2017. The hype and “ the fear of missing out” which was very concentrated in the retail community are not here anymore.
In conclusion, people must understand that there is no return in bonds, and they carry many risks. And buying into the stock market at all-time highs in the middle of a pandemic and a recession does not sound like an appetizing proposition.
The average person used to save less than 10% of their income, but during COVID, we spent less and saved more. People are now saving up to 30% of their income or even more. But just because the world is going through a severe recession, it doesn’t mean you can’t be financially stable.
The Fed has always wanted you to spend your money and not save it. But we now have the opportunity to use all these savings and have them work for us.


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In the interview with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, the game's developers said that before they built a Resident Evil game for the handheld device they needed to see if the 3DS could handle running a game the size and scope of a Resident Evil title.
"We needed to actually run a game on a Nintendo 3DS system, so we took Resident Evil 5 and ran it on a Nintendo 3DS," said Koshi Nakanishi, the director of Resident Evil: Revelations. "The impact it made was more than we had imagined."
The producer of Resident Evil: Revelations, Masachika Kawata added: "Then we thought, 'We can make this into a product.'"
The developers say that because Resident Evil 5 worked on the 3DS, it paved the way for the studio to make The Mercenaries 3D, which then led to the well-received Revelations.
Resident Evil: Revelations was released on the Nintendo 3DS earlier this year.

domain: news


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Iris wins Domino's digital and DM task
By Sara Kimberley, campaignlive.co.uk, Thursday, 26 April 2012 11:50AM
Domino's, the pizza company, has appointed Iris to handle its digital and direct marketing account.
The agency won the business after a competitive pitch that is understood to have been led by Simon Wallis, the company's sales and marketing director, who joined the company in 2010 from the brand's rival Papa John's.
The company's investment in direct and digital channels follows a recent statement that more than half of Domino's UK delivery sales are now through e-commerce and that it takes more than £1 million a week in sales through app and mobile transactions.
Domino's is also a heavy user of social media, adopting platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to drive business at a local level.
Last year, Domino's launched a TV campaign, created by Big Communications and narrated by the punk poet John Cooper Clarke. In July, Domino's announced plans to triple its adspend after a 15 per cent rise in profits.
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
- Head of Marketing Stopgap £45000 per annum + Bonus, South East England
- Account Director Purple Consultancy £50000 - £55000 per annum, London
- Head of Creative - cutting-edge lifestyle brand The Great & The Good £60000 - £65000 per annum, East London
- Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Stopgap £32000 - £35000 per annum, South East England
- Account Manager Purple Consultancy £28000 - £32000 per annum, London


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Video: Five facts about e-commerce in the Middle East.
Home to nearly 100 million people, Egypt is the most populous nation in the Middle East and North Africa, and a huge market with considerable scope for new IT and telecoms services.
The opportunities are particularly clear in the area of financial technology, or FinTech. One big reason for this potential, Ayman Ismail of The American University in Cairo's School of Business explains is that, "Egypt has a low level of financial inclusion".
"We have around 14 million bank accounts and a similar number of postal service savings accounts," says Ismail, who holds the Abdul Latif Jameel Endowed chair of Entrepreneurship at the university.
World Bank data reveals that the Middle East has the lowest level of bank-account penetration in the world, averaging 14 percent of adults, in line with the in-country figure for Egypt.
This situation leaves a large percentage of the population "unbanked", and in Egypt even those with accounts are seldom maximizing their potential.
Challenges facing Egypt's FinTech
"Most debit cards are used for payroll, with very little use in purchasing or online. Similarly, access to credit is limited, both for consumers and SMEs," Ismail tells ZDNet.
"Banks traditionally have been conservative in extending credit. Most of their deposits go to investing in government treasury bills, with safe returns."
Alongside this situation, myriad financial forces also contribute to many Egyptians deciding to opt out of the types of banking behaviors that are well established in many other markets.
These factors include high interest rates of 17.7 percent, inflation at 17.1 percent in January 2018, the lowest since October 2016, according to Central Bank of Egypt data published by Trading Economics, low savings rates, and notorious levels of banking bureaucracy.
Against that backdrop, a number of stakeholders are seeking to unlock Egypt's FinTech potential, a drive that includes local startups and entrepreneurs, universities, NGOs, and various branches of the Egyptian government.
Progress in FinTech
As noted by lawyers Clifford Chance in a recent paper on FinTech in the Middle East, the growing number of FinTech startups in Egypt is being driven by the Egyptian government and the Central Bank of Egypt's intention to upgrade payment systems and move towards a cashless economy.
"The most mature sector is the provision of payment services, mobile cash, and smart wallets," the researchers write.
According to Cairo School of Business's Ismail, mobile wallets are currently available or being implemented in 12 banks, and three telecom operators. Figures are growing rapidly with more than nine million wallets already open, and 200,000 to 300,000 new wallets being opened monthly.
"It's likely that we'll have more mobile wallets than bank accounts in 2019," he predicts.
"Additionally, new FinTech startups are innovating by offering use cases to automate services in different sectors, such as companies, government, sports clubs, syndicates, and NGOs."
Ismail highlights "peer-to-peer transfer, bill payments, microfinance, payroll, pensions, and social-security payments, merchant purchases, online purchases," as well as "local and international remittances," as activities that are helping give FinTech momentum.
In turn, adoption of FinTech applications can create a further impetus for growth, by helping consumers, businesses, investors, and other stakeholders realize the benefits of these technologies in both terms of "economic efficiency and broader financial inclusion."
Drivers for change
Interestingly, some of the drivers for this adoption and innovation in Egypt are coming from perhaps unexpected sources.
As Clifford Chance observed, in 2016 the Central Bank of Egypt issued new regulations for cashless payments using smartphones, enabling banked and unbanked customers to "transfer money, pay telephone and other utility bills, and make donations".
"Mobile wallets are regarded as consumer-friendly and easily accessible," they add, although they also report that, "Only licensed banks can apply to provide mobile wallets and to act as an issuing bank to take cash deposits in exchange for issuing electronic money".
Cairo School of Business's Ismail says over the past year government has moved to revise regulations to allow for more openings on the mobile payments side, which is a great enabler for FinTech and financial innovation.
"There's a clear understanding among policy makers at [the] CBE [Central Bank of Egypt] of this reality," he adds. One manifestation of this shift is a new Payment Council, chaired by the president, which is making regulatory reforms to open up this area.
Another example of this openness to change can be seen in a policy paper published in September 2017 by the Federation of Egyptian Industries and the Federation of Egyptian Banks.
It outlines a plethora of potential policy remedies designed to move "away from a cash-dependent economy" by "introducing modernized non-cash payment mechanisms, bank-based or electronic, which seek to reduce the share of cash usage in the economy.
"The significance of this transformation lies in the fact that the continued use of cash for payments and settlements adversely affects economic development," the paper argues.
"High cash usage encourages the growth of the informal economy, limits opportunities for economic units to access available funding, facilitates tax evasion, disallows low-income groups the benefits of modern financial and banking services, weakens the savings culture in society, and facilitates money laundering, the financing of terrorism, drug trafficking, and other illegitimate activities."
The paper also offers clear recommendations to streamline processes for opening bank accounts, allowing unbanked customers to transfer funds between mobile accounts, as well as giving non-smartphone users access to mobile banking.
That mobile-banking access is especially important when, as the GSMA has noted, Egypt has yet to launch 4G services and 64 percent, or 32 million, of Egypt's inhabitants don't have access to the mobile internet.
Areas of potential FinTech growth
"Given the challenge of extending the access to credit using traditional means, new innovative FinTechs are needed to enable this transformation," Ismail says.
One area with potential, he believes, is microfinance, which is growing substantially.
"More private-sector and NGO MFIs are being setup, with substantial capital pushed their way," he adds.
Ismail, who's a former research fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and who holds both a master's and PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, isn't just a detached observer.
Outside his day job, Ismail is a co-founder and chairman of mobile-wallet technology company PayMob, which has six million customers across Africa and the Middle East and describes itself as an infrastructure technology enabler.
Through his role at The American University in Cairo, he's the founder and director of the AUCVenture Lab. Launched in summer 2016 with the Commercial International Bank-Egypt, it is a startup accelerator that has helped 15 FinTech ventures during the past 18 months.
AUC's commitment to FinTech also includes a new partnership with the London-based private-investment fund Luqman Weise Capital to support the development of a FinTech concentration in the university's MSc finance program, the first of its kind in the country.
FinTech in Egypt, as elsewhere in the region, is clearly beginning to gain traction, challenging old financial practices and offering tech to meet the needs of many citizens.
In the past decade, the region's FinTech startups have raised over $100m in funding, a report from Wamda Research Lab and payment platform Payfort found. Meanwhile, 105 FinTech startups were launched in the region during 2016, a figure projected to grow to 250 by 2020.
Maintaining that rate of progress will be critical if FinTech's potential in Egypt and the wider region is to be realized.
Previous and related coverage
Where next for mobile in the Middle East? Big changes are coming
The Middle East and North Africa is a complex region, but mobile usage and services are changing fast.
Middle East tech: These are the key trends for 2018 and beyond, say experts
Mobile, cloud, and IoT are expanding now but technologies such as AI, blockchain, and drones are ramping up.
Key Middle East trends: Experts pick out the big shifts in the region's tech
Amid the region's continued political upheaval, we focus on the big tech developments of the past year.
Skype banned, WhatsApp blocked: What's Middle East's problem with messenger apps?
Some Middle Eastern countries seem to have a difficult relationship with VoIP services and messenger apps.
No ZIP codes, cash on delivery: So can Middle East online shopping ever take off?
E-commerce in the Middle East and North Africa is potentially huge but it faces equally large obstacles.


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Now that the Galaxy Note II has officially launched in South Korea, Samsung has introduced a lengthy demo video aimed at helping consumers get more acquainted with the device’s features. And there are quite a few bundled under that 5.5-inch display. Samsung is quite obviously taking full advantage of the real estate, whether you’re watching video, looking at photos, or working on documents. Plenty of focus is put on the S Pen — and some Samsung-specific features — which has been redesigned for a better experience and more precise control. If you’ve been anticipating the Note II’s arrival — we’ll know more about a U.S. launch on Oct. 24 — the above video will just make the wait that much more agonizing. But check it out anyway to get the full rundown of all the device’s great features.
As technology evolves, Brandon’s love grows deeper, a love that stems from watching the Back to the Future trilogy one-too-many times. When he’s not covering the latest tech news for…
By Brandon Russell |
The first Moto X, which debuted last year to muted consumer enthusiasm, didn’t get caught up in the smartphone hustle. And that’s what made it so great. While other Android competitors ran rampant with features and specs, Motorola used its brain to create a new breed of smartphone; it made a phone for everyone, something intelligent and thoughtful. It was the phone companies last year tried so hard to make, and although some companies got close, the Moto X was our pick for best phone of 2013.
By Todd Haselton |
The Moto 360 is finally here and available for purchase for $249, which is considerably lower than the $299.99 price point we were expecting. TechnoBuffalo president Jonathan Rettinger and myself have been testing two separate units for more than a week now, and we’re here with a full review of the Moto 360. Is it the smartwatch you’ve been dreaming of? Should you run out and buy one right this instant? Yes and no.
By Todd Haselton |
Microsoft is wooing developers to its Windows and Windows Phone developer programs with a new lifetime registration and membership program. Microsoft has a new option that allows individual programmers to sign up for just $19 for life, down from the…


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Keep up with the times, rights holders!
Tonight, like most nights, we were watching the news on TV while we were having dinner. I, personally, can’t stand the news because there’s rarely anything good or happy reported.
There’s generally two types of stories. The first: fear mongering.
A drive-by shooting on a house. A schoolyard stabbing. Continuing coverage of a large explosion for which the death toll is still expected to rise. Reflections on the 70th anniversary of POWs being led on a trek during which out of around 2000 prisoners at the start of the journey became just 6 survivors by the end. (We’ll save fear mongering for another post.)
This second category of stories can be summed up as companies getting annoyed that consumers want something different to what their outdated mindsets think the consumer wants.
The other stories involved how supermarket petrol stations earned some $550 million in profit in the 2013–14 financial year but petrol prices seem to not be in line with the crude oil price. Taxi drivers being up in arms over Uber undercutting them. The production company behind the Dallas Buyers Club not being able to get the contact details so they can prospectively invoice, for thousands of dollars, people who have allegedly downloaded the film (and the production company is apparently considering an appeal). Supermarkets are now looking like there’s going to be some competition due to new players.
You can’t do that! You have to get [product/service X] through us, on our terms, just like it’s always been done!
Obviously consumers aren’t happy with the deal or service that they’re getting (or not getting, as it were) and so they’re seeking cheaper, or better, alternatives who are providing something more reasonable to them. Like Uber. Or Aldi. Or the provider that actually treats you like a real person.
Dallas Buyers Club
In a world where so can have video calls with someone on the other side of the planet, why wouldn’t they want to release a movie that was nominated for 6 Academy Awards at the same time worldwide?!
American release: 22nd November, 2013. Australian release: 7th February, 2014, 2 and a half weeks before the Oscars. Why wouldn’t they want to get that out to as many people as possible with as much time to see it before the Oscars?
Australia isn’t the only country to get shafted by DBC and its distributors. The U.K. release was barely better, the 7th of February, and poor New Zealand had the film released on the 20th of February. That’s the same day as Slovakia’s release, for those playing along at home.
But it’s foreign companies that are doing this. They can do what they want when they have nothing to do with Australia.
Don’t worry, The LEGO Movie had absolutely nothing to do with Australia Animal Logic only did the visual effects (i.e. most of the visuals in a mostly CG movie) and the Government of New South Wales only provided (financial) assistance... 7th February in the U.S. vs. 3rd April in Australia, and a further 2 weeks later in New Zealand!
Mad Max: Fury Road seemed to get it right with the near simultaneous global cinema release, so obviously it can be done! (Just don’t mention the DVD/Blu-Ray release dates…)
Game of Thrones
Movies aren’t the only examples. Search for “Game of Thrones Australia” and you’ll see that apparently we were being screwed over by the content owners there, too. HBO gave Foxtel an exclusive license to broadcast season four of GoT and only after the entire season had aired were other providers, like iTunes and QuickFlix, allowed to begin offering the season.
The situation was different with season three, with iTunes offering a fast tracked purchase of the show, at the same time as it was airing in the U.S. That is, until Foxtel blocked this from happening due to their agreement with HBO.
This has changed with season five being fast tracked and being shown at the same time as in the U.S. (at stupid o’clock, for us) and then repeated later for everyone else. But it still involved getting a Foxtel subscription for $75/month. Even with their new, lower prices (thanks, Netflix!), for those who want to watch the show and don’t have infinite money to spend on everything, signing up for a show is a lot to ask.
Want to know a fun fact? I’ve not seen Dallas Buyers Club, nor do I watch Game of Thrones. But the way that the consumer is getting screwed over by the corporations involved is absurd. And, based on how the DBC production company has been aggressively pursuing people who are alleged to have download the film, I don’t want to see it. Instead, they could have put the money spent on it towards analysing the consumer demands, and making sure they don’t make the same mistake next time. (“Hey, the people who don’t have it made available to them are trying to get it. Maybe we should make our product available to them” sounds logical to me.)
I’m more than happy to pay for content, in terms of software, movies, music, and TV shows. I pay for all my software, have a large physical DVD collection, purchase console games, have subscriptions to Netflix and Apple Music… Even if the Citi survey, that estimates that there are around 900,000 paying Netflix members in Australia after less than 5 months is off by 30% (a generous margin for error), that’s still around 630,000 paying subscribers.
Let me give you my money, make the content available in a reasonable amount of time, in a reasonable format, and don’t think that just because it’s the way that you used to do things means it’s the right way to do things now! Keep up with the times, rights holders!


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New Samsung phone leaks; is this the Galaxy Note 3?
We have already talked about the possibilities of the upcoming Galaxy Note 3, and a new leak coincides with the speculations. The images show off a new design language and what seems to be a place for the S-Pen.
EVleaks has been very accurate with its details as it recently outed accurate images of the HTC First, a few Lumias and etc. They now tweeted an image stating that it could be Samsung’s new design language that will be implemented on upcoming devices.
On the other hand, there has been a report that there was actually a metallic Galaxy S4 in Samsung’s labs, but it never saw the light of the day due to production problems. It also indicated that HTC’s build quality was worrying Samsung, which may push the Korean giant to produce a new design language for the S4 follow-up, the Galaxy Note 3.
About the leak, the screen shows a screenshot of TouchWiz, though it’s not very clear. The home button looks exactly like the one on the Galaxy Note 2, and there’s a spot for something on the bottom left side, presumably the S-Pen.
While it could be Samsung’s upcoming design, it can easily be said that it’s a prototype and it won’t be the final product. If the Galaxy Note 3 ends up looking like this, would you consider getting one?


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BMW is excited and confirmed rumors floating around that their new i8 Concept Roadster will be making its appearance at 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show on 28th November. While this two seater is being introduced, BMW will also be bringing out a new ‘i’ model which will be a sportier version of the BMWi3. Previously seen at Beijing Motor Show, the concept will have same carbon fiber construction as seen in i8 coupe which is also scheduled for launch in 2013.
The roadster is a two seater with a sloping roofline and same drivetrain as the coupe which means that it will sport a 1.5 liter turbocharged three cylinder petrol engine offering 220 bhp while an electric motor will have around 134bhp driving its front wheels. Being a front, rear and all wheel drive is what will make this roadster efficient while at the same time working in combustion, electric and combined modes will further augment performance.
Battery pack is located in the central tunnel which enables a 50:50 weight distribution. The roadster will have a 4.6 second acceleration time from 0 to 60 mph and a top speed of 155 mph. Its battery pack allows for electric driving upto 20 miles on a full recharge which can be achieved in 1 hour and 45 minutes through a high voltage outlet. Production is expected to commence in late 2014 while prices will range around £80,000.


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Mattress Firm will open a 4,200-square-foot showroom this spring in Richland Township.
The Richland Board of Supervisors approved plans Wednesday night for the national retailer's store on Route 8 across from Grandview Crossing shopping center.
The supervisors voted 4-0 to approve a preliminary and final land development plan for construction of a one-story building on the eastern side of Route 8, south of Grandview Drive.
Zeden Jones, director of development for real estate developer United Growth, said construction will start soon and take four to five months.
Architect Gerald G. Weber said the store will be a showroom only and will not stock mattresses. The merchandise will be delivered from a warehouse, he said.
He described the building as having decorative red brick, a stone base and stucco.
Weber said he went before the supervisors about a year ago for approval of a Fifth Third Bank on a lot adjacent to the Mattress Firm property. He said the bank plans are on hold as they wait for federal approvals.
See More on Patch
- Richland Supervisors Award $1.2 Million in 2013 Road Contracts
- 'Brewpub' in the Works for Richland
- Emerald Fields Housing Development Gets Tentative Approval in Pine
- Nearby: PennDOT Rolling Out Route 228 Ramps Project
- ALT Reaches 75 Percent of $1.4 Million Goal to Buy Former Pittsburgh Cut Flower Property


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MW Cleaning have won the “Excellence in Sustainability” Award at the recent Westpac Business Excellence Awards.
Anne Quaid, Director of MW Cleaning says “We are very excited about the award. It’s the culmination of 2 years of hard work.”
Anne and Bob, a husband and wife team based in Auckland, are deeply concerned about the environment. Their personal experience inspired them to make this a driving force behind their business ethos.
“We scuba dive around the world so we see what happens when waterways aren’t looked after,” says Bob. “We care about the environment and wanted to do something about it. We realised that being in the cleaning industry, we were at the ground level of that. Initially, we said ‘let’s do it so we don’t get left behind’,” says Bob, “and now we’re leading the industry here.”
“We’re not afraid to put our necks on the line and take responsibility for our industry,” adds Anne. There’s no government legislation around it so no one’s checking up on those claiming to be green; that’s why getting Environmental Choice certification was so important for us,” says Anne “and now winning the award is just the (green) icing on the cake!”
This is not the first time the business has won an award. MW Cleaning was also named as ECNZ’s Innovator of the Year in 2010. The same year MW Cleaning became the first services company in New Zealand to be awarded an ECNZ Licence and the right to use the Environmental Choice green planet-and-tick symbol. This business is a leading innovator in the cleaning services industry, with over 36 years’ experience in creating healthy environments for people and business.
Ozone-free, battery-operated Cleanaer units are an important part of MW Cleaning’s product offering and a natural complement to this award.


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|(L-R) Operation Smile Board Trustee Treasuer Patricia Arches, |
President and Executive Director Bobby Manzano,
Banana Morning Smile beneficiaries and Brenda Santos-Te
Just in time to bring Christmas cheer, Dole Fresh Philippines unveiled the winning entries in its recent Facebook photo contest "Banana Morning Smile". A photo exhibit was held last December 1 in Greenbelt 5's Fashion Walk to show off those winning smiles aimed to spread positivism while supporting a good cause.
In partnership with Operation Smile Philippines, Dole Fresh Foods Division launched the online contest last October where customers and Facebook fans were encouraged to own positive mornings and post their morning smile photos using a DOLE Banana. Entries were viewed and voted by the Dole Fresh Philippines' fan base and judges from the brand.
Since Christmas is about sharing happiness and joy, Dole rallies its consumers to help out and support Operation Smile with the mission to bring back smiles to children who have cleft lip/palate deformities. "We at Dole, would continuously extend this opportunity to our consumers and demonstrate that they too can be a part of this cause, whether through our campaign or at their own initiative,” says Joanna Penaranda – Regional Marketing Team Leader of Dole Asia.
She shared that their partnership with Operation Smile Philippines dates back to 2003, "And we recognize that for mothers alike, our children always come first, precisely because they inspire us to be the best that we can be. This inspiration is the core of owning that positive morning – and our products are aimed at exactly that, to provide you the best and purest form of health and nutrition because you need to continue to live life to the fullest.”
For every entry from the “Banana Morning Smile” promo, Dole Fresh Philippines donated a cluster of DOLE® Bananas to the missions of Operation Smile Philippines. The company also fulfilled one of its commitments last November 17, 2011 at the Ospital ng Makati: its sponsorship of four (4) cleft lip / palate operations representing the duration in weeks that the promo ran.
Other photos of the winning entries can be found here.
For more information concerning the Banana Smile promo, please visit www.facebook.com/DoleFreshPhilippines for promo terms and conditions. You may also check out www.facebook.com/operationsmilephils to know more about this amazing foundation, email them at email@example.com or contact +632 8119737 to 40.
* The “Banana Morning Smile” promo was launched by Dole last October 24 2011 and ran until November 21, 2011. The entries for the competition were judged every Tuesday from October 24 to November 21, 2011. The criteria for judging were as follows: 20 percent for the number of “likes” received by the photos, 50 percent for the creativity employed by the contestants in incorporating the DOLE® Banana, and 30 percent for the total impact. The weekly winners of the contest will be received Fitness First Gym Memberships while the grand winner a 16GB Blackberry Playbook. The most important winners of the competition, however, are the children who were chosen as recipients of Dole Fresh Philippines’ sponsorship.


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TVS Apache Range Crosses 5 Million Sales Worldwide.
- The Apache series was first launched in 2006
- The vehicle is now sold in over 60+ countries
- s of now, the Apache series consists of the TVS Apache RTR-160 4V, RTR-180 2V, RTR-160 2V, RTR-200 4V and RR310
TVS motor company has crossed 5 million sales of its Apache series worldwide. The first model- the TVS Apache 150 - launched in the year 2006 was the first in a line of race machines that would revolutionise sports bike segment in India. Having its presence in 60+ countries, over the years the Apache series has been setting new benchmarks in its segment with superior performance, new technology, and more.
Vimal Sumbly, Head Business - Premium, TVS Motor Company, said, “We are thrilled to reach this global milestone and express our gratitude to all the Apacheans worldwide for this achievement. Our journey to reaching this milestone is filled with ideal and sincere efforts that have gone into making TVS Apache a truly global brand. TVS Apache has come a long way from just a motorcycle to an entire premium experience which is evident from our wide range of products and initiatives surrounding it including merchandise, rapidly growing Apache Owners Group (AOG), Apache Racing Experience (ARE), Apache Pro Performance (APP), TVS One Make Championship and marquee rides. These initiatives help us in building not just the brand in ways more than one, but also in engaging with our judicious and loyal customers from India and abroad.”
Also Read: Suzuki Launches Its E20 and OBD2-A Compliant Scooter Range
The TVS Apache was launched back in 2006 and since then, TVS has been bringing different models under Apache brand. As of now, the Apache series consists of the TVS Apache RTR-160 4V, RTR-180 2V, RTR-160 2V, RTR-200 4V and RR310. TVS Apache is also part of several racing programmes introduced by the company which has attracted a lot of youth riders. Assembled and developed around the ‘Race-Track To Road’ philosophy, it has gained overwhelming love and faith from the customers over the years and these 5 million global sales is a testament to that.
The TVS Apache has seen major upgrades across the line up in the past years. Some of the exciting upgrades are Race-Tuned Fuel Injection (RT-Fi), ride modes, dual channel ABS, race-tuned slipper clutch, SmartXonnect and more, making it a preferred choice for riders and daily commuters.


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Disney Announces $12.99 Bundle For Disney+, Hulu, & ESPN+
By Emily Lee
August 7, 2019
Watch out Netflix. Disney just announced a streaming bundle that offers three platforms for a smaller monthly fee than Netflix's price. Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will come together for $12.99 per month, while Netflix currently has a monthly price tag of $15.99. Amazon Prime and the upcoming HBO Max also run at at a higher price. Disney's streaming bundle will be available beginning on November 12th, 2019.
Hulu is currently priced at $5.99 per month with ads, while ESPN+ costs only $4.99 per month. While Hulu airs both original content, as well as shows currently airing on traditional television, ESPN+ carries "hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, Grand Slam tennis, Top Rank boxing, PGA Tour golf, college sports, international rugby, cricket, the full library of ESPN Films including 30 for 30, and more," according to Disney.
Disney CEO Bob Iger made the announcement on an investors call on Tuesday (Aug 7), which was then followed by a press release. “The positive response to our direct-to-consumer strategy has been gratifying, and the integration of the businesses we acquired from 21st Century Fox only increases our confidence in our ability to leverage decades of iconic storytelling and the powerful creative engines across the entire company to deliver an extraordinary value proposition to consumers,” Iger said in the press release.
According to The Verge, Disney' goal is to "provide a ton of content in three distinct areas: general entertainment, family and sports." As more and more networks break away from streaming partnerships with platforms like Netflix in order to create their own, this new bundle will offer consumers a way to have access to multiple platforms and types of entertainment without breaking the bank. “That $12.99 bundle offers consumers tremendous volume, tremendous quality, and tremendous variety for a good price," Iger concludes.
What do you think of this new streaming bundle?


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While clipping coupons to save a quarter or two on laundry soap or chicken nuggets might seem like a marginal use of time, an increasing number of shoppers are mining the coupon vein for substantial chunks of change.
Inspired by television tales of "extreme couponing," some savvy shoppers are saving enough to fill their gas tanks, take family vacations and enable their households to survive on one income.
For shoppers serious about trimming costs, consider taking a class. The cities of Medford and Central Point and Rogue Community College offer classes on couponing taught by Genevieve McPartland. She can be reached by email at email@example.com. She plans to post her upcoming classes at http://oregoncouponlady.blogspot.com.
For information on Mary Smith's classes and blog,
Your mother's and grandmother's couponing efforts these are not.
In this day and age, coupons in the Sunday paper are just the tip of the savings iceberg. Blogs, websites and newsletters — along with deals offered through store websites — can help maximize savings on food and other household items.
Shows such as The Learning Channel's "Extreme Couponing" have portrayed coupon-campaign veterans saving 90 percent or more on their bills. But local coupon gurus say newbies or "part-timers" with a few skills under their belts can comfortably trim half of their monthly grocery costs using coupons.
Savings depend on the types of items in shoppers' carts and their willingness to plan shopping trips, says Erica Yohner of Medford.
Yohner, who shifted from full-time employee to stay-at-home-mom last year, has been able to reduce her monthly food costs by at least half for her family of six.
"I have saved anywhere from 60 to 85 percent on my grocery bill," she says. "There is such an awesome feeling, when the checker is finished scanning all your coupons, to see your grocery total go from $250 all the way down to $75."
Yohner says blogs and email newsletters are a great starting point. A local favorite, www.peaceloveandcoupons.com, offers advice for scoring deals around the Rogue Valley and at national chain stores. She also suggests www.athriftymom.com and www.thriftyandthriving.com.
To get started, plan to spend a few minutes clipping coupons from Sunday newspapers and looking at store websites. Even for shoppers not looking to spend much time clipping coupons, saving a few dollars can take just a few minutes a day, says Genevieve McPartland, who teaches local classes on couponing.
"You can make it into a full-time job very easily, but most people don't have time for that. I spend 15 minutes a day on average," says McPartland, who encourages people to maximize their savings by parlaying coupons with store sales.
"Watch the ads and when the item goes on sale, use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon," she points out.
"Like when Albertsons does its '10 for $10,' do that and use a coupon on top of it, and you can really save a lot."
Utilize doublers and special offers, suggests Central Point resident Mary Smith, who also teaches couponing classes and hosts a local blog at www.savingwithjoy.com.
One of her favorite strategies kicks in when Albertsons offers "doublers," which allow shoppers to double up to three coupons. The offer comes out Sundays and is good for only three days. But with store sales, doublers and coupons, it's sometimes possible to get items for free.
Big-time store savings aren't as easy to accomplish in the Rogue Valley, couponing experts say, because doublers aren't as common here. In larger areas with more stores, many honor competitors' prices.
Coupon etiquette is a point of honor for veterans. Be considerate of other couponers and store employees, they say, by respecting coupon rules and maximums. If you get a really good deal, pay it forward by donating items to charity or leaving coupons for fellow shoppers to enjoy.
While couponing can make a big impact, don't discount any amount of savings, advises Smith.
"On TV, they show people saving 90 percent and getting bags of groceries for free. In this valley, that's not realistic, but you can save, comfortably, 40 to 60 percent," says Smith. "Some people may not think that's worth the time or it's not much savings, but it's a tank of gas."
With so many families in a financial pinch, coupons can improve quality of life and help save needed dollars for other expenses or household needs, says Smith.
"There are billions of dollars in coupons thrown away every year, which is kind of a sad thing," she says. "The typical American family spends about $600 a month on food — that's $7,200 annually just on food.
"In this area, most of the families living on minimum wage in a two-income household are earning about $35,000 a year, which would make groceries a big chunk of their income.
"If you can get $1,400 worth of stuff for $400, or shave a grocery bill in half, why wouldn't you?" Smith asks.
"I'm not too busy to save the amount of money I'm able to save. I don't know who would be."


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New Delhi: The government on Wednesday said that state-owned MOIL, which will hit the capital markets on 26 November, would become the first PSU to come with a public offer where retail investors can invest up to Rs2 lakh.
“This would be the first issue by a PSU (MOIL issue ) where retail investors will be able to invest up to Rs2 lakh,” disinvestment secretary Sumit Bose told reporters here.
As per the new norms announced by the market regulator Sebi in October, investment limit for retail investors in initial share sale offer has been doubled to Rs2 lakh as against Rs1lakh earlier.
MOIL, formerly known as Manganese Ore (India) Ltd, will hit the capital market on 26 November with a public issue of 3.36 crore equity shares and the IPO would close on 1 December.
The government has fixed the price band at Rs340-375 a share for the issue, which is expected to raise up to Rs1,238 crore through the share sale programme.
The issue has been priced, taking into account number of factors including strength of the company, its management and assessment of its peer firms, Bose said.
On roping in anchor investors, he said, “We are not going for anchor investors in this issue. There is adequate demand by FIIs.”
The IPO will have the Centre divest 10% of its stake in the country’s largest manganese manufacturer, while Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra governments will shed five per cent each.
The issue would raise a total of Rs1,238 crore at the upper end of the price band, including 5% discount to retail investors and MOIL employees.
Steel secretary Pradeep Kumar Misra said that the largest domestic producer of manganese ore was likely to be listed on domestic bourses by 13 December.
“Tentative date for listing will be 10-12 days after the issue closes,” Misra said, adding, “Market for MOIL is fairly assured.”
“Market should take this issue enthusiastically. We also welcome retail investors. The basic objective of the government of India in disinvesting in PSUs is larger holding of public,” he said.
MOIL has a total employee strength of 6,734 and its about 3,000 employees have already opened demat accounts.
For the half year ended 30 September, the company’s turnover was Rs635 crore, as compared to Rs430 crore in the first half of previous fiscal. Profit after tax for the first half of this year stood at Rs330 crore against Rs201 crore in the year-ago period.
MOIL chairman K. J. Singh said the company was looking for diversification and expansion.
He said the company will ramp up its production capacity within the country to 1.5 million tonnes from the existing 1.1 million tonnes by 2015 at an investment of Rs768 crore.
It is also looking at acquisitions in South Africa and Congo to meet growing domestic demand for manganese ore, which is pegged to touch 4.5 million tonnes in 2012 if the target for enhancing steel production capacity to 120 MT is met.
The company has cash reserves of Rs1,700 crore and there is no dearth of money for acquisitions, he said.
MOIL will be the first PSU to launch an IPO where retail investors can invest up to Rs2 lakh.
RPP Infra Projects, a firm engaged in infrastructure development, was the first corporate to relax the subscription limit for retail investors to Rs2 lakh for its 4-day initial public offer that opened on 18 November.
The subscription limit for retail investors in public stake sales was last raised from Rs50,000 to Rs1,00,000 way back in in 2005.
The government, which hopes to raise Rs40,000 crore through its disinvestment programme this fiscal, has already mopped up close to Rs20,000 crore through divestment in PSUs Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, Engineers India, Coal India and Power Grid.
After MOIL, the follow-on public offer of state-owned Shipping Corporation is next in line. SCI’s public offer will open on 30 November and close on 3 December. This would be followed by Hindustan Copper’s FPO in the first week of December.
The government is likely to dilute its stake in Indian Oil Corporation, ONGC and SAIL in the last quarter of the current fiscal.
In 2009-10, the government had raised Rs25,000 crore through divestment of its stake in Oil India, NMDC, REC and NTPC.


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Apple’s has seen shares rise 5% as the computing giant posted better than expected profits for the third quarter, in part boosted by sales of lower priced and older model iPhones.
The firm made $6.9bn (£4.5bn) profit for three months to June, following nks good sales of its iPhone smartphone.
Apple said it sold 31.2 million iPhones, a record for the June quarter, compared to 26 million last year.
However, profit fell 22% from the same period a year earlier as its profit margins shrank to 36.98% from 42.8%.
Average sale prices were lower at $581, compared with $608 a year ago, as the firm relied on cheaper iPhones to boost sales figures.
Apple’s revenue was also better than expected, with the company earning $35.3bn, although that was barely above the $35bn of a year ago.
The US technology firm sold 14.6 million iPads during the quarter, compared with 17 million in the same period last year.
It sold 3.8 million Macs, down from four million between April and June last year.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said: “We are especially proud of our record June quarter iPhone sales of over 31 million and the strong growth in revenue from iTunes, Software and Services.
“We are really excited about the upcoming releases of iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks operating systems, and we are laser-focused and working hard on some amazing new products that we will introduce in the fall and across 2014.”
In 2012 Apple was the most valuable listed firm globally, with a share price that peaked above $700 (£455) last September.
However, its stock has since dropped and sat below $419 (£272) on Tuesday’s close, as concerns continue of Apple regaining its creative mojo.
The California-based company faces strong competition from Samsung, which is growing on the back of the popularity of its Galaxy S4 handset.
Samsung also makes many of its own components.
In April the South Korean manufacturer posted a 41% leap in earnings in the first quarter of this year – in the same week Apple reported its first annual slide in a decade.
Samsung made a net profit of 7.15tn Korean won (£4.2bn) for the period, up from 5.05tn won (£2.9bn) a year ago, attributed largely to a surge in sales of smartphones.


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New York borough's name conjures tough, urban image.
Economy and luxury in a very cool street helmet.
Word out of Varese is that MV Agusta has issued a recall for certain 2017 Brutale 800 Dragster RR models to deal with rear wheel spokes that may loosen and increase the risk of a crash.
Starting in 2019, electric motorcycles will have their own MotoGP spec class organized by Dorna. If that wasn't cool enough, Italian electric bike maker Energica will be the sole motorcycle supplier, providing race-prepped versions of their hot rod Ego model.
Bonhams are auctioning three achingly beautiful Ducati 750s from the early 1970s
The TVS Apache RR 310 is the top-of-the-line motorcycle model from TVS Motor Company, and is the first full-faired entry-level sportbike from the Hosur-based two-wheeler manufacturer.
Despite unveiling their all-new MotoGP-inspired Ducati Panigale V4 just weeks ago, Ducati have confirmed they are far from stopping making V-twin sportsbikes.
Each week brings another report of declining motorcycles sales.
We don’t hear much about custom builds from the United Arab Emirates. That might change soon though, thanks to places like Bikers Cafe.
Kawasaki makes it official: The Z900RS is Coming to America


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Since Jobs’s death in October, perhaps no Apple executive other than CEO Tim Cook is under more pressure to fill the void. Apple declined to make Schiller available for this story, which is based on interviews with more than a dozen former Apple managers, business partners, and industry analysts, most of whom asked to remain anonymous to avoid harming their relationships with the company. Besides helping software chief Scott Forstall and hardware designer Jonathan Ive define new products, Schiller is the steward of Apple’s relationship with app developers. He has taken over all of Apple’s marketing, including a global advertising budget that hit $933 million last year. And he will increasingly be Apple’s public face, a role that should be evident at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference starting on June 11. There, Schiller is likely to emcee much of the keynote, during which Apple is expected to unveil new Mac laptops and an upgraded operating system. This could be one of Apple’s biggest years ever for new products, starting with the new iPad in March and likely including an upgraded iPhone this fall and possibly a television.
Of course, we are excited for Monday to see what he has to show.
Image via Reuters


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LinkedIn has launched a ‘Follow Company’ button that can be installed onto a company’s web pages and online marketing materials.
It is essentially the same as the Facebook ‘like’ button, and means the brand’s updates will be immediately fed into the status updates on the user’s LinkedIn homepage.
LinkedIn says that the follow button:
…makes it easier for marketers to directly reach their target audience of professionals, amplify their messages as community members spread them to others, and for brands to expand the number of professionals from their target audiences within their follower ecosystems.
It is part of an effort to create a more engaging environment on the platform where companies can more easily find and identify their audience.
The company cites research that shows 70% of its members follow or would follow a company and 60% expect industry insights as well as news from the companies that they follow.
Furthermore just under half (49%) of current followers state that they are more likely to purchase products or services from a company that is more engaged with its followers.
LinkedIn said that more new features will be rolled out in the coming weeks.


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We are not bored of the Suzuki Kizashi, not yet. The D-Segment model billed as the Cruze to Camry challenger will attract eyeballs once it reaches roads, regardless of the latitude and longitude. The Kizashi sedan will reach destination India by
Category Archives: Maruti Suzuki
Instead of going on about the Kizashi engine debate, or its launch date, or its fully deserved title of the most confused car in automotive history, we decided to admire the looks of this future product from the Suzuki stable. Whatever the condition
The latest EuroNCAP safety results are out and 5 out of 6 new cars crash-tested scored 5-Stars of which, we're interested in only three cars; Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20, Suzuki Alto/A-Star (the cars sold/yet to be sold here in India). Euro NCAP’s
We got the feeling the Dutch were terrible at their math, but the figure published on Auto Telegraaf has been confirmed. 10 million Suzuki Altos have found homes across the globe since the beginning in 1979. 10 million! This is a feat by no means
We've recently been keeping you very up to date with the Maruti Suzuki Ritz (Splash overseas), which is an Indian-made compact car that will cannibalize
This is a rare occurrence. To me these guys were competitors and not potential partners or never have I envisaged a concept of them coming together before.
As you can see, coverage of the Maruti Suzuki Ritz on Indian Autos Blog continues, but the intensity has diminished just a little. We'll continue to give a post here and there and why shouldn't we? This is a new car and we're excited about it. The excitement
Listen to what Toshihiro Suzukiu Chief Engineer of the Maruti Ritz has to say - For all of you who were looking for the perfect blend of style and features,
In case you did not know, Maruti Suzuki India Limited has launched the Ritz, and we are continuing our coverage on the car throughout today. We
You can catch our Maruti Suzuki Ritz Special segment to learn the earlier developments and the car Just hours ago, MSIL (Maruti Suzuki India Limited) launched the Suzuki Ritz (Splash elsewhere) in India in petrol and diesel variants. The Ritz is
On today's Maruti Suzuki Ritz Special post, we take a look at the features and specification of the Ritz. Maruti Suzuki Ritz Specification: Maruti
Forgive us for the lack of any posts yesterday on the Suzuki Splash/Ritz. We actually forgot about it completely. But here it is. A nice sound track and lovely picturization. Enjoy the international Suzuki Splash TV Commercial.
Over the next five days, Indian Autos Blog will publish one post on the Maruti Suzuki Ritz/Splash. Today we feature a colossal crash test clipping of the car. We're no NASTRAN or crash test engineers. We've not specialized in destructive testing,
Few days back, you might have read from the Updates in the sidebar that Maruti Ritz is to be launched on the 15th of May. What you might not have heard is the fact that Maruti officials are going around announcing that Maruti Ritz' main rival is the
Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director Shinzo Nakanishi yesterday confirmed the entry of the D-Segment Suzuki Kizashi in India in 2009 if the car is launched


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Dragons' Den star Peter Jones buys Jessops brand
Dragons' Den star Peter Jones has acquired the brand of collapsed photography retailer Jessops.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, administrators to Jessops, said that Jones was one of a "number of buyers" to have purchased the Jessops brand and other assets, including the remaining stock and intellectual property.
However, the entrepreneur has not bought any of the camera chain’s stores and plans to run the business entirely online.
PwC partner Rob Hunt said: "We can confirm that we have sold the brand and certain other assets to a number of buyers, including entrepreneur Peter Jones CBE."
PwC was appointed as administrator on 9 January 2013 and shortly afterwards closed all 187 Jessops stores with the loss of 1,370 jobs.
Jessops collapsed into administration after struggling for years against online competitors and the shift to using smartphones to take photographs. It narrowly avoided administration in 2009 after its bank HSBC took a stake in the business in a debt-for-equity swap.
PwC did not say how much Jones had paid for the Jessops brand.
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Heritage providing extraction expertise to 3Fifteen and launching Heritage branded products in Missouri
TORONTO, October 03, 2022–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp. (CSE: CANN) (OTCQX: HERTF) (“Heritage” or the “Company”), is thrilled to announce that it is commencing operations in the state of Missouri after Como Health LLC, doing business as 3Fifteen Primo Cannabis (“3Fifteen”), recently received an Approval to Operate from the Missouri Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation. Initial production on vape products, concentrates, and pre-rolls has already commenced in the State.
Heritage has been working alongside 3Fifteen, a rapidly growing cannabis company with five dispensaries in operation, to supply production equipment as well as training staff on the proprietary methods of extraction and oil production developed by Heritage. 3Fifteen is contributing the use of the license to the relationship allowing Heritage to produce branded products to be offered to medical cannabis consumers in Missouri and has granted shelf minimums for Heritage’s branded products in 3Fifteen’s Missouri dispensaries.
Missouri saw its first legalized medical sales in October 2020 and the market was valued at US$290 million in 2021 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 23% from 2022 to 20301. Recently, on August 9, 2022, Missouri’s secretary of state confirmed that constituents of the state will vote on the approval of the legalization of adult-use cannabis in November, a move that is expected to significantly expand the market once passed.
“This is an ideal time to be introducing Heritage’s branded products to the state of Missouri through our relationship with 3Fifteen. With strong market growth projected in Missouri, and the potential for the legalization of recreational use in the state by years end, Heritage is well positioned to capture a piece of this early market,” said David Schwede, CEO of Heritage. “Our US strategy is launching in Missouri and expanding to West Virginia through a similar relationship this fall. With our extraction expertise and inspired branding capabilities, coupled with partners that have strong retail market penetration Heritage is getting a jump on establishing itself as a leader in these growing markets.”
About Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp.
Heritage Cannabis is a leading cannabis company offering innovative products to both the medical and recreational legal cannabis markets in Canada and the U.S., operating under two licensed manufacturing facilities in Canada. The company has an extensive portfolio of high-quality cannabis products under the brands Purefarma, Pura Vida, RAD, Premium 5,Thrifty, feelgood., the CB4 suite of medical products in Canada and ArthroCBD in the U.S.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HERITAGE CANNABIS HOLDINGS CORP.
David Schwede, CEO
The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221003005376/en/
For more information contact:


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With the Xbox One officially launching in New Zealand today, it was only a matter of time before the guys and gals over at iFixit got their hands on the next-gen console. The team from iFixit were on hand at the official Xbox launch party in New Zealand and managed to obtain an official Day One special edition console to tear down.
Unfortunately Microsoft chose not to hide any screws under the rubber feet and the team had to look elsewhere on how to begin the disassembly process. The Xbox One is disassembled by first removing the plastic grill much in the way one has to disassemble the Xbox 360. Once the Grill is removed, only a few plastic clips remain to hold things together.
Inside the Xbox One, the PCB and other internals are shielded inside a metal cover which is easily removed by extracting a few screws. Once the cover is removed the Blu-ray drive, cooling fan, and cooler are all prominently visible. The hard drive is also unveiled at this point and it appears to be a Samsung Spinpoint M8 ST500LM012 500 GB 5400 RPM with 8MB Cache SATA II 3.0Gb/s hard drive. With a form factor of 2.5-inches, this could easily be replaced with a large capacity SSD. You would void your warranty, so keep that in mind if you decide to tear down your Xbox One.
According to IHS iSuppli, the components and assembly costs associated with Sony's PlayStation 4 console, sums up at around $381. This it thanks to two expensive parts of the PS4, the first being the AMD-designed APU, which costs $100.
The second part, is the 8GB of GDDR5 RAM in the PS4, which costs around $88. These two parts make up approximately $188 of the $381, which is over half the cost of the next-gen console. The 500GB HDD costs around $37, the Blu-ray drive comes in at $28, and the controller is just $18. Of course, this is just pure costs, without any of what sells it: marketing.
We also have to take into consideration the R&D for the console, advertising, shipping costs, and a whole lot more. At least this time, Sony isn't losing hundreds of dollars per console, like it did with the PS3.
The PlayStation 4 was released last Friday in the US. There have been a few issues users have been running into, such as HDMI problems, bricked consoles, and the troublesome blue light issues. Sony says that 1% (10,000) of their PlayStation 4 units have been affected. A Sony representative speaks with IGN and assures that Sony is working on getting users their replacement PlayStation 4 units. Although that's 10,000 unhappy customers, 10,000 out of a million units isn't too bad. Sony's representative also mentions that the rumor of replacement consoles being shipped in 2014 is false, and that customer support is immediately replacing units with expedited shipping.
Sony representative speaking with IGN: "We understand the frustration of consumers that have had a problem and are working with them and our retail partners to help troubleshoot issues and ensure affected units are exchanged. Rumors' online stating that PlayStation customer service is informing people that it will take six weeks to get a replacement unit. Those rumors are false. Our customer support team is exchanging units with new replacements immediately and with expedited shipping."
We've been covering the PS4 as much as can here at TweakTown, but it looks like some keen shoppers have been slapping down their plastic over at eBay for the next-gen console, with over 10,000 consoles sold over the launch weekend alone.
Retailers (who sell over eBay as well as in-store) and some everyday people (who bought the PS4 and re-sold it on eBay) accounted for over 10,000 PS4s to be sold over the weekend just gone. eBay has said that "more than two PS4s [were] sold on eBay every minute." That is an insane number of PS4s over a 48-hour period!
Tested has some interesting results for the world, where it has tested the PS4s internal HDD against a Samsung-built SSD, and a hybrid 1TB drive. Check out the video below.
As you can see, the SSD isn't that much faster than the hybrid drive - which is much cheaper, and much bigger - but the stock drive is slow as hell. Something I noticed is that loading games on the PS4 seems to take forever, but I'm comparing this to my all-SSD PC. Maybe it's the PS4 OS that needs some work.
So, as you can see, it looks like a hybrid HDD is the way to go.
One last chance to pre-order your Xbox One! Amazon will be releasing a last batch of Xbox Ones tomorrow morning on the 20th at 8am Eastern time/5am Pacific time. Amazon mentions supplies will be limited. Amazon's one click pay option will come in handy here, so make sure you have it set up because it might just be a race of who hit the buy button the quickest.
Games shouldn't be a problem, many retailers have most titles and accessories for the Xbox One available for purchase right now and they shouldn't be short in demand. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on a Xbox One from Amazon's last batch your console should be at your doorstep on launch day, Friday the 22nd.
Microsoft announced that the Twitch live game streaming feature won't be available at launch. It will be delayed until "the first part of 2014." Sony's PlayStation 4 has had Twitch since launch. The people at Microsoft are saying they are working on it so it can meet expectations of the community. Although there will be a delay for the Xbox One version, it will however support instant switching and you will be able to use Twitch with the Xbox One's Snap feature.
Xbox Wire Blog: "We know the ability to instantly broadcast gameplay is something the gaming community is excited about, and we are too. We are working to ensure the initial Twitch on Xbox One broadcasting experience meets the expectations of the Twitch community, so while this feature won't be available right away, we'll let you know as soon as it is ready. Our goal is to deliver it during the first part of 2014."
Today Microsoft began rolling out its new Xbox One compatible SmartGlass app for Windows Phones. While most of the existing SmartGlass App features are present, there are just as many new Xbox One exclusive features in the new app. Xbox One users can now control which apps they snap to the Xbox One screen directly from their Windows Phone.
Additionally, new features such as the Xbox Live activity feed, a new menu section, and even a home section that lets you quickly access pins is available. A new setting in the app will also allow users to prevent their phone from locking while the app is open, thus preventing the phones screen from going dark while gaming and using your phone as an accessory. Microsoft did not elaborate as to why they chose to release a separate Xbox One version of the app, but I suspect it is due to API incompatibilities.
Two men have been shot, one fatally, over a PlayStation 4 sale that went bad. The event happened in Orlando, Florida, with police confirming Emmanuel Johnson, had agreed to meet a man outside Orlando police HQ at 4:30pm to buy his PS4.
Well, the location was changed at the last minute, and Johnson ended up dying from his gunshot wound. It's a sad story, especially over something that is worth $399, and a life has been lost. It is the first PS4 robbery, and unfortunately, it most likely will not be the last.
Many of those who bought PlayStation 4 consoles early are experiencing frequent and sometimes system bricking errors, and today we are learning that replacement systems will not be arriving until 2014. Call it sabotage, an acceptable margin of failure, or poor design, the fact still stands that many PlayStation 4 owners will have to wait months to get their consoles replaced.
The issues range from poor thermal dissipation which leads to overheating, while other reports suggest a red-ring-of-death type event where the PS4 will fail to boot, and will flash the status LEDs indicating an error. While this is common for the first devices off the assembly line, the true cause could be much more nefarious and could involve internal sabotage at the time of manufacture.
A report from Geek.com says that Sony is now telling customers that replacement PS4 units will not be available for shipping until February . If you purchased your dead PS4 from Amazon.com and opted for the extended warranty, then you could get your replacement console as early as January 2014, but you should expect to wait until Feburary like everyone else. Best Buy and GameStop also could see replacement units arrive as early as January, but that is still up in the air as well.


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Kurkure, one of India’s most loved snack brands, has today launched two innovative limited-time innovations– Out of Control Chaat and Uncensored Tadka flavours that offer a burst of surprising sensations. The flavours have been launched through a TVC film featuring Kurkure’s brand ambassador, Akshay Kumar, and popular television actor, Kritika Kamra.
Recently, behind-the-scenes footage from Kurkure’s TVC shoot went viral on social media, wherein Kritika Kamra was seen commenting on the lack of efforts put in by the director, Uzer Khan. After much speculation, Kritika clarified the rumours and suggested that it was Kurkure’s new limited-time flavours that made her go ‘Out Of Control’ and ‘Uncensored’ and make that comment. She further added that it was all in good humour and that she’s excited to work with Uzer in the future as well. This reveal of the prank, which initially got netizens speculating, left them smiling and generated widespread curiosity amongst consumers to try the new Kurkure flavours.
Sharing his thoughts on the launch and the campaign, Akshay Kumar, Kurkure’s Brand Ambassador said, “Over its long, vibrant journey, Kurkure has had a special place in families across Indian households. With its quirky storytelling and out-of-the-box approach, it has always made family time more ‘chatpata’, masaledaar and full of fun. The new limited-time flavours once again offers a masaledaar, OTT and an unmatched experience with their superior flavours and surprising sensations. As always, I had a great time while shooting for the campaign and I hope that these ‘hatke’ flavours offer an exciting experience to consumers in true Kurkure-style.”
“It was certainly a fun and ‘chatpata’ experience shooting for the Kurkure TVC. Out of Control Chaat and Uncensored Tadka flavours are simply sensational and add some much needed ‘masala’ to everyday situations, making them enjoyable and entertaining. The distinct flavours combined with Akshay’s dynamic personality made the experience even more memorable for me! I sincerely hope that the audience enjoys these limited-time offerings and the TVC”, added popular actress, Kritika Kamra.
Kurkure Out of Control Chaat and Kurkure Uncensored Tadka flavours have eye-catching packaging aesthetics and are now available at INR 5 and INR 10 across all leading retail and e-commerce platforms in India.


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It seems that Amazon Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS) have finally reached a settlement on a dispute that lasted for almost two months. During the time of this dispute, the online retail giant did not offer DVDs from Disney for preorder. The issues in question included promotion on the Amazon.com website, pricing, and who is responsible for the difference in price when Amazon loses money to match the prices of its retail rivals.
Details of the discussions were not available and it cannot be determined whether the two firms are signed a new deal for the long term, or if the talks have simply gotten to a point where Amazon was willing to concede a little bit. But it was confirmed that upcoming DVD releases by Disney, such as “Million Dollar Arm,” “Planes: Fire and Rescue,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The 100-Foot Journey,” and “Maleficent” were back on the Amazon site last week.
The feud between Amazon and Disney started in early August. In the spring Amazon and TimeWarner Inc (NASDAQ:TWX) become embroiled in a similar dispute, and continued for several weeks. While the deal with Amazon and Time Warner had made significant progress, but the two companies still have not finished figuring out the details.
Amazon is still in the process of negotiating a contract with Hachette Book Group, a publishing unit of Lagardere SCA. The talks are in regards to the pricing terms of e-books. Amazon has reduced the delivery of many titles from Hachette for the past six months, taken away discounts, and slowed down preordering as a method to get the publisher to agree to its terms of the deal. The online retailer was the publishing company to price the majority of its e-books at $9.99, a price that Amazon says will yield the most sales. Hachette maintains that it should be able to price its titles as it sees fit.
The outcome of Amazon’s discussions with Hachette will likely set the tone for its negotiations with the other major publishing companies. This is one of the main reasons that Michael Pietsch, the chief executive officer of Hachette, has maintained his stance against Amazon’s persuasion efforts, even though authors of Hachette have complained that the disagreements has significantly impeded sales.
Complicated renewals of contracts with suppliers is an area of expertise for the online retail company. However, its discussions in the past year have been more in the public eye than usual. In its past disputes, Amazon took engaged in fewer measures of negotiation, like stopping preorders and manipulating search results to put certain products at a disadvantage.


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Lenovo Group, the world's biggest personal computer maker said its latest quarterly profit rose 23 per cent.
As one of the older big computer companies, for several years HP directors have discussed ways to restructure to keep up with technology upstarts.
Microsoft said it expects the acquisition to be break-even in fiscal year 2015 on a GAAP basis. The deal is expected to close in late 2014.
With the right kind of software however, it can turn into a powerful productivity tool and assistant to assist with your day-to-day work.
Apple Inc's newly unveiled smartwatch on Tuesday split fashion arbiters who may prove pivotal to its broad acceptance.
HP's CEO Meg Whitman appeared to be banking on growth markets like 3D printing & trickle back in PC sales when she announced a spin-off for the co's computer & printing biz.
Chinese PC maker Lenovo is also in process to acquire Motorola Mobility from Google which will make it the world's third-largest smartphone maker.
IDC's 1.7 per cent decrease matches the April to June quarter, equaling the smallest decline since PC shipments started tumbling in early 2012.


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Dawn of the Dead 2004 Extended Edition Coming!
The Unrated Edition will COntain 25 mins of never before seen footage.
When i went to the World Premiere for DAWN in march 2004, they said at the Press Conference that 10 mins would be added.
5 of gore and 5 of character development. But word released sometime ago shows that the success has pumped Universal to add a lot more footage back in.
Included int he special features will be Andy the Gun Store Owners Video Diary. Basically A Diary he did when Holed up in his store during the Events of the apocalypse.
Rumored to hit shelves in july 2004, Word has been said to float the net that November would be the release of the unrated Edition. However the July Release Date maybe just the Theatrical Rated version.
Editors note: thanks to the webadmin from Day of the Dead Contagium for posting this scoop on our discussion boards. I look forward to this extended edition.
Another source... Davisdvd.com had some info about an october Release for the R rated version. so Who Knows.


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The COVID-19 crisis has served to magnify one of the defining features of modern-day business leadership: occupying senior roles can be a lonely experience.
That’s the view of Helen Mill, a facilitator with business support organisation The Alternative Board (TAB), as the global pandemic continues to pose stern challenges for many executives looking to protect their enterprises.
Mill says, “Multiple issues can shape the pressures that strategic decision-makers face, and COVID-19 has added a whole new dimension to those. The concept of ‘loneliness of command’ has long been recognised within the business world – and many individuals thrive in leading the drive for growth and success – but the pandemic restrictions have brought entirely new challenges into play.”
“Sharing the experiences and lessons of dealing with a crisis that has taken the global business community into unchartered territory can, we believe, only be beneficial for leaders,” she continues.
Mill, TAB facilitator Aberdeen East and a former director of commercial innovation at Robert Gordon University, says its network of boards has provided a welcome platform for executives to engage throughout the COVID-19 restrictions.
She adds, “TAB’s status as a peer-to-peer advisory and business networking platform for business leaders means it’s uniquely equipped to support and facilitate engagement – not just on pandemic-related matters, of course, but on issues across the spectrum of business activity. Every business owner has specific strengths and weaknesses – and even a Jack of all trades could benefit from more in-depth assistance in certain areas. You may be excellent at keeping your business on track financially and finding inefficiencies but be less adept at communicating with your employees or developing a marketing strategy.”
“Each member of a peer advisory board will come with a different unique set of strengths and experiences, tried and tested in the real world. This makes a board a powerful tool for business owners to help fill the gaps in each other’s knowledge and grow their own capabilities in other areas. An added bonus is that, whereas many business owners find it difficult to admit vulnerability or knowledge gaps to others, a peer advisory board is designed as a safe space where you can assess your strengths and grow professionally as well as personally,” Mill says.
“Most people join advisory boards because they understand its value in terms of the profitability of their business. However, the non-commercial value of membership can often be every bit as important, particularly at a time of acute challenges. We have seen business owners significantly improve their quality of life and work-life balance – and even learn how to avoid burnout – through a forum where the insights, advice and counsel of peers can make a difference beyond strictly business parameters,” she explains. “When you’re close to your business, it can be difficult to see issues or opportunities that might be glaringly obvious to someone else. Cultivating a group of unbiased observers is an excellent way to expand your perspective.”
TAB in Scotland was proactive from the outset of the COVID-19 restrictions by having a personalised approach with their members to provide them with additional one-to-one support, as well as topic specific round tables across Scotland.
As one of our members says, “Anyone running a business will tell you that it can sometimes be a lonely experience, and the past few months will have exacerbated that sense of isolation for many. I’m sure many business leaders, myself included, have worried about loss of customers – and are they going to return? How do we pay for everything in the meantime? That’s where TAB has come into its own: it’s been invaluable for people like me addressing tough challenges. It’s represented a real source of comfort; a safety net.”
TAB now has seven boards – four in the north-east and three in the Glasgow area – and each comprises up to eight business owners, directors or decision makers at larger companies. The boards provide a trusted space for experienced entrepreneurs to openly address challenges. A new board is expected to come on stream in Edinburgh by the end of the year.
Members, who pay a monthly subscription, share experience and knowledge at monthly meetings hosted by a TAB facilitator who also provides one-to-one support. Additional management resources are also available, as is access to a worldwide network of business owners and leaders.
Scottish TAB boards cover a broad range of sectors including oil and gas, engineering, finance, manufacturing, health, software, retail, transport, retail and marketing.
The Alternative Board started nearly 30 years ago in the United States. There are TAB boards across 20 countries, with 80 in the UK in total.
Business leaders will have the opportunity to understand how The Alternative Board peer-to-peer model works through an online taster event that is being held on Thursday, December 3 (2020) at 9.30 am and Thursday, January 28 (2021) at 3 pm.
Registration is free: https://www.thealternativeboard.co.uk/event/virtual-taster-board-meeting-scotland.


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The McLaren Artura now offers a convertible ‘Spider’ variant, unveiled alongside upgrades to the plug-in hybrid supercar arriving in Australia in the second half of 2024.
Pricing for the Artura coupe has been increased for 2025 to $477,310 before on-road costs (up by $12,653), while the Artura Spider will be priced from $525,010 before on-road costs.
Spider specific changes include a retractable carbon fibre hardtop – claimed to fold in 11 seconds at speeds up to 50km/h – as well as rear buttresses and a heated rear window which can be retracted.
According to McLaren, the Artura Spider tips the scales at 1562kg, adding 62kg to the coupe’s figures, though this is understood to grow further when the optional electrochromatic glass roof is ordered – changing from opaque to transparent with the push of a button.
The Artura Spider also benefits from upgrades to the entire Artura range, which includes a power boost.
The McLaren Artura’s twin-turbo V6 engine now produces 445kW of power and 720Nm of torque (up 15kW), while its 70kW/225Nm electric motor is unchanged, resulting in a combined system output of 515kW.
McLaren claims the Artura can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 3.0 seconds, an identical time to the pre-power boost model, before going on to a top speed of 330km/h.
For owners of 2024 model year Arturas, McLaren will provide the power boost free of charge at its dealers in the near future.
There has been a slight increase in the Artura’s electric-only driving range, which has been bumped up from 31km to 33km, with the supercar retaining its 7.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
McLaren has also added a new feature which it calls “Spinning Wheel Pull-Away”, disabling the Artura’s stability control system and allowing drivers to perform burnouts when they push the accelerator pedal to 100 per cent from a stop.
Further improvements under the skin include new powertrain mounts, revised dampers (which can now adjust their response rates 90 per cent faster than previously) and new transmission software to deliver 25 per cent quicker shifts through the eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 2025 McLaren Artura also benefits from upgrades such as 15-spoke wheels (19 inches at the front, 20 inches at the rear), better brake ducting (said to improve cooling) and black ‘Stealth’ badges – though silver badging is available as a no-cost option.
Despite road sign recognition and lane departure warning now being added to the Artura’s standard equipment list, blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert have become available as cost-options, with prices yet to be determined.
The McLaren Artura is one of a handful of luxury vehicles in Australia sold without autonomous emergency braking, which will be a requirement for all new cars in local showrooms from March 2025.
McLaren will now cover the Artura under warranty for up to five years and unlimited kilometres, extending its previous three-year coverage.
The 2025 McLaren Artura is due in Australian showrooms from the third quarter of 2024 (July to October inclusive).


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We were headed down Rose to the beach the one day, when we saw this sign:
There had to be an interesting story here. I remembered something about them being closed once before when we were in LA. Here's some background information from The Food Renegade:
On the heels of the recent news about raw milk’s safety comes an alarmingly disturbing coordinated multi-agency raid on Rawesome Foods — a raw food buying co-op in Los Angeles. This morning’s SWAT-style raid was coordinated at both Rawesome Foods and Healthy Family Farms and has led to three arrests so far, the confiscation of personal computer equipment and raw milk cheeses, and the dumping of more than $10,000 worth of raw milk down the drain.They have a short video too.
According to early reports from people on the scene, James Stewart (owner of Rawesome Foods), Sharon Palmer (of Healthy Family Farms), and Victoria Bloch (local L.A. co-chapter leader for the Weston A. Price foundation) have all been arrested on charges of conspiracy to sell unpasteurized milk products.
The raid was carried out by gun carrying officers of the LA County Sheriff’s Office, the FDA, the Dept. of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control.
I don't know enough about this. I know people can get sick from unpasteurized milk, but there are also ways to handle the milk to prevent this. This is one of those dilemmas - if a lot of people got sick from Rawesome products, the government would be blamed for not checking them carefully. But then, how long has Rawesome been selling raw milk and how many people have gotten sick? How sick?
Here's a little more clarification from a New York Times article:
. . . And then, on Thursday, James Stewart, the proprietor, was arraigned on charges of illegally making, improperly labeling and illegally selling raw milk products, as well as other charges related to Rawesome’s operations. Two farmers who work with Rawesome were also named in the district attorney’s complaint.
Though it is legal to sell unpasteurized milk products in California, Rawesome, which has operated in Venice for more than six years, never obtained a license to do so — or, indeed, any type of business license.
Lela Buttery, a trustee at Rawesome, said it had no license because it was not a store. Instead, she called it a “club.” Club members paid an annual fee, which allowed them to peruse the produce, milk products and honey on Rawesome’s shelves, which they paid for — $7 for a pint of raw goat’s milk — to cover the cost of production. Members also signed waivers to signal they understood the risks of consuming raw food.
Rawesome is staffed by volunteers, who take home food for their efforts, and no one, Ms. Buttery said, is making money from his or her work there. . .
. . . Siobhan DeLancey, a spokeswoman for the federal Food and Drug Administration, which participated in the investigation of Rawesome, said the administration banned the interstate sale of raw milk products because they could be dangerous for those with compromised immune systems.
“Our biggest concern is really with children, because pathogens that can be in raw milk can be extremely dangerous for the classically at-risk,” she said. “We’ve seen people wind up as paraplegics.”
But raw food enthusiasts are convinced of raw milk’s healthfulness — and still have plenty of options around here.
“I drink it all the time,” said Laura Avery, who runs a farmers’ market in Santa Monica where raw milk products are sold. “I believe it’s a safer product.”
The Washington Post Communities section posted a long piece as well. So, we have the left and the right on this one.
The Atlantic has an article that points out that while Rawesome was raided and its owner and two others taken to jail with an initial bail set at $121,000, food conglomerate Cargill was deciding how to voluntarily recall turkey contaminated with salmonella.
Despite a lack of victims, Rawesome stands accused. And while Cargill has no shortage of victims, nobody at the company has been charged with a crime over the turkey recall. The government has fewer options against multinational corporations than it does against neighborhood food co-ops. USDA oversees the safety of meat products but can only encourage "voluntary recalls" of products that have been infected with antibiotic-resistant pathogens, reports Tom Philpott of Mother Jones. The final decision to recall was left to the company, which inevitably considered the bottom line as well as public safety when making its decision.
While Cargill self-polices, the Rawesome club has been under more intense scrutiny than members even realized. "Since the raid it's come out that we've been under investigation since June 30 of last year," Buttery says. "They've been monitoring us from unmarked vehicles; they have agents who have become members."
That moves us from the protecting the public narrative to the large food conglomerates vs. small natural food supporters. This seemed to have been a theme of the natural food folks in the debate over what was called the Food Safety Modernization Act.


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Avatars in the Metaverse Become More Individual
This is to Be Ensured By Exclusive Make-up Styles and Hairstyle of Renown Brands
L’Oréal started a partnership with the avatar platform “Ready Player Me” for the metaverse. Thus, the brands Maybelline New York and L’Oréal Professionnel offer exclusive makeup and hair styles for avatar creation that can be used on more than 4,000 platforms and apps worldwide. The partnership is said to strengthen the commitment to promote authenticity, inclusivity, and creativity for self-expression through avatars, according to the group.
More Diversity and Creativity
Working with renown makeup, hairstylists, and 3-D artists, including Evan Rotchette, both brands designed curated looks. Maybelline New York offers five makeup looks to give everyone the opportunity to express their looks creatively in a virtual context. L’Oréal Professionnel also offers five hairstyle looks that reportedly are made to push the boundaries of creativity for the hair expression in the virtual world.
To L'Oréal, this partnership is another step for the beauty group's exploration in the metaverse to better reach consumers with new products and services.