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Amid Strained Relationship, Nissan Hands Renault the Straight Dope on Ghosn
Nissan’s board didn’t wait long to oust Carlos Ghosn as chairman following his Nov. 19 arrest, but alliance partner Renault’s board stood firm, awaiting more information. The waiting continued as Mitsubishi voted to drop Ghosn as chairman.
The disgraced executive, indicted this week by Japanese authorities on charges of underreporting his income by tens of millions of dollars, remains in a Tokyo lockup but still holds the title of Renault CEO. If the French automaker’s board finds the contents of a dossier delivered by Nissan compelling, that status could soon change.
As reported by Automotive News, citing Reuters and Bloomberg, Renault now has in its possession the results of Nissan’s internal investigation. The probe into Ghosn’s financial practices came about by way of a whistleblower. In its wake, Ghosn and board member John Kelly found themselves both ousted from the company and placed in custody by Japanese authorities.
Some board members at Renault felt a coup was afoot and, despite all three alliance members publicly stating their continued commitment to the deep-rooted partnership, suspicions remain. Did Nissan cook up a reason to drop Ghosn as a way of warding off a full merger of the automakers? That’s what some whispering voices claimed. Nissan hopes the dossier, now in possession of Renault, changes things.
For the French automaker, the decision of what to do with Ghosn is fraught with politics. Ghosn holds French citizenship. France holds a 15-percent stake in the automaker, earning it two spots on the company’s board. Meanwhile, Ghosn is credited with saving the automaker from bankruptcy while at the same time forming a profitable partnership with Nissan.
According to media reports, the French government has not yet had an opportunity to look at the Nissan dossier. Before Nissan was able to hand over the evidence, it first had to clear the info transfer with Japanese authorities, which clearly took time.
Renault’s board meets Thursday, and you can bet there’s pressure to see some action come from it.
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- Max So GM will be making TESLAS in the future. YEA They really shouldn’t be taking cues from Elon musk. Tesla is just about to be over.
- Malcolm It's not that commenters attack Tesla, musk has brought it on the company. The delivery of the first semi was half loaded in 70 degree weather hauling potato chips for frito lay. No company underutilizes their loads like this. Musk shouted at the world "look at us". Freightliners e-cascads has been delivering loads for 6-8 months before Tesla delivered one semi. What commenters are asking "What's the actual usable range when in say Leadville when its blowing snow and -20F outside with a full trailer?
- Funky D I despise Google for a whole host of reasons. So why on earth would I willing spend a large amount of $ on a car that will force Google spyware on me.The only connectivity to the world I will put up with is through my phone, which at least gives me the option of turning it off or disconnecting it from the car should I choose to.No CarPlay, no sale.
- William I think it's important to understand the factors that made GM as big as it once was and would like to be today. Let's roll back to 1965, or even before that. GM was the biggest of the Big Three. It's main competition was Ford and Chrysler, as well as it's own 5 brands competing with themselves. The import competition was all but non existent. Volkswagen was the most popular imported cars at the time. So GM had its successful 5 brands, and very little competition compared to today's market. GM was big, huge in fact. It was diversified into many other lines of business, from trains to information data processing (EDS). Again GM was huge. But being huge didn't make it better. There are many examples of GM not building the best cars they could, it's no surprise that they were building cars to maximize their profits, not to be the best built cars on the road, the closest brand to achieve that status was Cadillac. Anyone who owned a Cadillac knew it could have been a much higher level of quality than it was. It had a higher level of engineering and design features compared to it's competition. But as my Godfather used to say "how good is good?" Being as good as your competitors, isn't being as good as you could be. So, today GM does not hold 50% of the automotive market as it once did, and because of a multitude of reasons it never will again. No matter how much it improves it's quality, market value and dealer network, based on competition alone it can't have a 50% market share again. It has only 3 of its original 5 brands, and there are too many strong competitors taking pieces of the market share. So that says it's playing in a different game, therfore there's a whole new normal to use as a baseline than before. GM has to continue downsizing to fit into today's market. It can still be big, but in a different game and scale. The new normal will never be the same scale it once was as compared to the now "worlds" automotive industry. Just like how the US railroad industry had to reinvent its self to meet the changing transportation industry, and IBM has had to reinvent its self to play in the ever changing Information Technology industry it finds it's self in. IBM was once the industry leader, now it has to scale it's self down to remain in the industry it created. GM is in the same place that the railroads, IBM and other big companies like AT&T and Standard Oil have found themselves in. It seems like being the industry leader is always followed by having to reinvent it's self to just remain viable. It's part of the business cycle. GM, it's time you accept your fate, not dead, but not huge either.
- Tassos The Euro spec Taurus is the US spec Ford FUSION.Very few buyers care to see it here. FOrd has stopped making the Fusion long agoWake us when you have some interesting news to report.
I think this is a both/and, not an either/or situation. Companies and governments often turn a blind eye to questionable behavior on the part of their leadership, as long as they remain useful. The minute (a) their success becomes too great or (b) too little, the knives come out, and the shady stuff comes in very handy at that point. I'm pretty sure Ghosn is guilty as charged, but also that this is only happening now, and in such a publicly decisive and irrevocable fashion for purely political reasons.
Greg Kelly. Not John Kelly.


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The Mayor of Zulte, Simon Lagrange, made an appeal to his local stores to follow this proposal, as it turns out that many people seem to forget about social distancing once they have entered to supermarket. "It's a proposal, the shops are not obliged to do it, but we think it can have a positive effect. We hope the dealers will follow."
Kathy De Kocker, the manager of the store that picked up the Mayor's idea, says that "in practice, we saw that customers often come too close; people meet and stop for a chat, and at the same time a shop servant has to pass..."
When the VRT went for a visit, it turned out that different customers were going in the wrong direction, often as a result of old habits. Most of them support the idea, others find it exaggerated, especially when it's quiet in the shop.
Asked whether this is not a bridge too far, an older customer, Freddy Raveel, said: "That we can't choose our route? I am glad we can still walk altogether. If you are not able to walk anymore, it would be a lot worse."

domain: news


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While content piracy is on the decline, mobile accounts for larger share
28 per cent of all visits to piracy sites in 2015 were via mobile devices (an 8 per cent increase year over year), and visits to YouTube ripper sites during the year saw a 25 per cent increase. Use of the ripper sites was primarily to download mp3s of music videos on YouTube.
The findings are according to the recently released Global Piracy Insights Report from MUSO, a content protection company that provides networks with ways to connect to piracy audiences.
At MIPTV, Christopher Elkins, Muso’s chief commercial officer, described the main trend from the report: piraters are less interested now in downloading content; rather, they are streaming it and they are using Google to find this content. According to Elkins, this gives networks a better chance to reconnect with these audiences and steer them toward legal options.
Overall, piracy levels saw a 5 per cent decline, which can be somewhat attributed to the increasing use and global availability of services like Spotify and Netflix.
For more on the findings, we spoke with Elkins:
Found Remote: What are the most popular places for people seeing illegal content to go to?
Elkins: MUSO tracks many thousands of piracy sites, which attract different segments of the global TV piracy audience. But naming three specific examples:
filmon.com was still one of the highest visited sources for streaming unlicensed TV content in 2015, as FilmOn battled in the courts with major US TV networks over their right to re-broadcast TV content.
4shared.com attracted significant traffic during 2015 as a searchable cyberlocker meaning anyone can upload illegal content for others to find and download
putlocker.is saw significant piracy traffic in 2015 with a huge library of current and historic tv shows and film content
FR: Are more people streaming TV illegally or downloading it?
Elkins: Traffic to streaming websites for TV content was significantly greater at 68.5% than torrent and direct web downloads combined at 30.5% of visits to piracy websites.
FR: Which torrent sites are most popular for TV pirating?
Elkins: Kick Ass Torrents and the Pirate Bay were popular destinations for visitors looking to download TV content.
EZTV was the most popular torrent site exclusively dedicated to TV torrent downloads.
FR: Which streaming sites?
Elkins: WatchSeries (thewatchseries.to) saw a significant rise in popularity at the end of 2015 with increasing visits to this website.


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Relive the feels! SuperM, dubbed the “Avengers of K-pop,” hosted a very unique fan meet. Fans who were lucky enough to get up close and personal with SuperM enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime interactive experience. The group is composed of TAEMIN from SHINee, BAEKHYUN, and KAI from EXO, TAEYONG, and MARK from NCT 127, and TEN and LUCAS from WayV.
Prudential Corporation Asia (Prudential) is the regional headquarters of Pru Life UK. They teamed up with K-pop supergroup, SuperM, in an amazing event headlined “PrudentialxSuperM We DO Virtual Concert & Fan Meet” for fans around Asia on Saturday, August 7th.
The event was only open to the regional winners of Prudential’s “We DO” campaign and Dance Challenges, and also users of Pulse by Prudential, the company’s all-in-one health and wellness app.
Ever since the introduction of the PrudentialxSuperM partnership in January of this year, the collaboration has included a variety of initiatives to encourage Filipinos to live a healthy lifestyle.
The #WeDoDanceChallengePH, for example, invites Filipinos to upload a video of themselves dancing to the “We DO” song on social platforms such as TikTok for an opportunity to secure tickets to the virtual concert and fan meet, as well as special SuperM merchandise.
Moreover, K-pop fans gathered into the virtual concert and fan meet from the comfort of their own homes. SuperM lighted up the stage and brought fans from all around the area together by singing their campaign song “We DO” with their trademark dynamic motions.
The “We DO” song, which was released in April of this year, highlights Prudential and SuperM’s efforts to promote health and wellbeing, as well as to encourage optimism and positive actions.
“We are excited to host our exclusive, first-ever virtual concert and fan meet with the widely-popular K-pop group SuperM for our employees, agents, customers, and K-pop fans across Asia. Through this platform, we want to connect people through music and dance and inspire them to take charge of their wellbeing in a fun manner so they can continue to live well in these extraordinary times.”Allan Tumbaga, SVP and Chief Customer Marketing Officer of Pru Life UK
SuperM’s sang fan favorites such as 100, One (Monster & Infinity), Wish You Were Here, and With You.
Baekhyun, Taemin, and Kai were not able to attend the event but each of them send in their message to fans.
Photos courtesy of Pru life.


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3 Things You (Probably) Don’t Know about Indiana Innovation
JULY 5, 2016
The impact on in-state residents is huge, too: More than 56,500 people work at nearly 1,700 companies throughout Indiana in the sectors of medical care, drugs and pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment, research and testing laboratories, and the like. Their first thoughts likely turn to agriculture and manufacturing. 30, 2015.
The Challenges (& Opportunities) of Starting a Tech Company in LA
MARCH 22, 2011
But I thought I’d take some more time here to expand on what I think are the challenges, and opportunities, of starting a tech company in LA.
Last Exit Wall Street: 7 Considerations When Raising Venture Capital
From the Venture Trenches
MARCH 27, 2013
What is the company’s use of proceeds? What is your exit strategy? By this measure, Groupon was by no means your typical start-up. 2.
DFJ Frontier, Anthem Venture Into Portland Firm
DECEMBER 7, 2009
Two Los Angeles-based venture firms, DFJ Frontier and Anthem Venture Partners , have invested in a Portland software firm developing online identification and single-sign in software. Tags: software janrain portland capital venture ventures anthem frontier
What Startups Can Learn From The Pizza Business: Samit Varma
JANUARY 12, 2015
Pizza Studio is like any other technology company. What do you think technology companies could learn from the restaurant business?
Scopely Dangles Chance At Trip For Zynga Recruits
JUNE 4, 2013
Scopely is dangling a chance to win a free trip to one of the seven wonders of the world, to anyone who helps recruit Zynga developers to the company. Scopely is one of a large number of companies now eyeing former and current Zynga employees, on news that Zynga cut 520 employees yesterday. READ MORE>>. scopely videogame angeles jobs
CARD.com Raises $3M For Prepaid Debit Cards
DECEMBER 5, 2013
The Series A funding was led by QED Investors, and also included Resolute Ventures, Anthem Ventures, and angels such as Adam Press and Greg Steiner (BeachMint, eHarmony). The company said it has now raised $4.7M in funding. CARD.com is headed by Ben Katz, who formerly had worked for Green Dot and PayNearMe. READ MORE>>.
Don’t go on a phishing trip!
JUNE 16, 2016
Anthem Blue Cross for example could be a phishing loser. The attack is believed to have started with custom malware sent to Anthem IT staff.
Surf Air Expands To Santa Barbara
JULY 10, 2013
The new flights make Santa Barbara as close to San Francisco as it is to Los Angeles, and could help bolster the area''s high tech companies. There are already a significant number of high tech companies--particularly, in online advertising--in the Santa Barbara region. READ MORE>>.
Los Angeles Startup Community
MAY 17, 2011
LA Tech Survival Guide A Tale of Two Tech Cities – Silicon Valley vs. Los Angeles Guide to the LA Startup Community Why You Should Start a Company in. I was just talking with someone who's new to Los Angeles and wanting to connect into the Los Angeles Startup Community. As is usual, I couldn't remember where I had seen those posts.
SolarFlare Raises $5.0M
FEBRUARY 9, 2011
Details on the new funding have not been announced by the company. The firm has previously raised funding from Oak Investment Partners, Anthem Venture Partners, Acacia Capital Partners, Intel Capital, and Miramar Venture Partners. READ MORE>>. solarflare venture capital funding gigabit ethernet 10gbe debt
Scopely Snags Another Zynga Exec
MAY 30, 2013
Scopely said Reed will head up the company''s product team. The company has been quite active in hiring away former Zynga executives, most recently hiring Andy Kleinman, another former Zynga GM, as its Chief Business Officer. READ MORE>>. content game video network videogame executive zynga scopely
Solarflare In Talks With Marvell, Say Sources
APRIL 20, 2011
Solarflare declined to comment on the rumor, saying that it was the company's policy not to comment on rumors or speculations. Marvell did not respond to inquires via email. READ MORE>>. solarflare marvell merger acquisition rumor
Why Technology is Driving More Urban Renewal
Both Sides of the Table
JULY 10, 2012
Further to the south are the legendary companies of Cisco, Apple, Intel, eBay, Yahoo!, Back in 2006/07 when I sold my company and then worked at Salesforce.com there were very few options in SF for technology folk to build their careers at big, growing companies. Many “tech companies” now have green screens.
Cocodot Shifts Into Jewelry, Gifts
JANUARY 31, 2012
It's unclear when the shift happened, although the company just began emailing users about its various products today. READ MORE>>.
Scopely Raises $8.5M
SEPTEMBER 19, 2012
It looks like all that bacon paid off. Scopely said it is developing mobile and social applications, including the Buddies franchise of multiplayer games. READ MORE>>. scopely venture capital social videogame video game content elbaz buddies
Scopely: Out With The Bacon, In With The Cash
MARCH 7, 2013
The new offer from Scopely comes a couple of years after the firm's last, recruitment push, which offered not just cash, but cash wrapped in bacon.
Solarflare Raises $22.2M More
NOVEMBER 30, 2016
Details on that funding have not been announced by the company, whose investors include Oak Investment Partners, Anthem Venture Partners, Acacia Capital Partners, and Miramar Venture Partners. Irvine-based Gigabit Ethernet semiconductor developer Solarflare Communications has raised $22.2M READ MORE>>.
BeachMint Gets $23.5M
JUNE 17, 2011
Prior investors New Enterprise Associates, Trinity Ventures, and Anthem Ventures also participated in the new financing round. As part of the funding, Sharon Wienbar of Scale Venture Partners joins the company's board, with Lightbank receiving an observer seat. The round was led by Scale Venture Partners and Lightbank. READ MORE>>.
6 Top Trends For The Digital World In 2016
Tech Zulu Event
JANUARY 26, 2016
The issue of cyber-espionage, targeting companies like Target, Home Depot and Anthem Insurance, continues to be a concern. The large U.S.
Los Angeles Venture Investors Get Their Mojo Back
APRIL 7, 2014
For several years, the phrase "Los Angeles Venture Capitalist" had almost become an oxymoron. READ MORE>>. investment investor capital venture angele
Vator Makes A Splash In LA!
Tech Zulu Event
MAY 11, 2011
If have a company and are interested in being part of this event there is still time for you to enter the competition. You still have 2 days left! Go here to enter your company. Not ready to submit your company or just want to take part of this event? Vator is bringing its popular Splash event to LA. The TZ Hookups.
Wavestream Raises $7M
APRIL 3, 2009
Names of new investors in the firm were not disclosed, however, the firm has previously raised funding from companies such as Anthem Ventures, Digital Power Capital, Oak Investment Partners, Titan Corp., The filing listed Anthem Ventures' William Woodward as a current member of the firm's board.
Viewdle Gets $10M
OCTOBER 5, 2010
Viewdle , the developer of cross platform, facial recognition technology backed by Santa Monica-based Anthem Ventures, has scored another round of funding, worth $10M, according to Viewdle. The new round comes from Best Buy, BlackBerry Partners Fund, and Qualcomm, in addition to Anthem Ventures, which was the original investor in the company.
BeachMint Expands Product Line
OCTOBER 22, 2013
READ MORE>>. beachmint ecommerce jewelmint designer jewelry richard chai
VideoAmp Raises $2.2M For Video Advertising Platform
DECEMBER 11, 2014
Santa Monica-based VideoAmp , which operates a programmatic video advertising platform, said this morning that it has raised $2.2M in a funding round, from Anthem Venture Partners, Simon Equity Partners, Third Wave Capital, Wavemaker Partners and ZenShin Capital. READ MORE>>. videoamp video advertising venture capital ross mccray
Interview with Dale Quayle, FileTrek
FEBRUARY 16, 2012
We spoke with Dale Quayle , the firm's CEO, about the funding and company. Dale Quayle: The company was founded out of Ottawa, Canada.
VideoAmp Opens Offices In New York, Chicago, and Detroit
SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
VideoAmp said the New York office will be led by Amy McGovern, who has been appointed VP of Strategic Sales, to head up the company's eastern region; McGovern was most recently Vice President of Digital Video Ad Sales at Fox Networks Group, and also had served at GroupM. VideoAmp also said it and expanding its current office in San Francisco.
BeachMint Merges With Conde Nast's Lucky
AUGUST 12, 2014
Los Angeles-based e-commerce website operator Beachmint is merging with Lucky , the shopping and fashion publication title owned by Conde Nast , creating a new company called The Lucky Group , the companies said Monday. The new company will be headed by Beachmint''s Josh Berman. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
SolarFlare Raises $22M More
JANUARY 3, 2013
No details have been announced by the company yet on the new funding. SolarFlare's current investors include Oak Investment Partners, Anthem Venture Partners, Acacia Capital Partners, and Miramar Venture Partners. SolarFlare , the developer of high speed networking devices, has raised a new, big $22.0M READ MORE>>.
ThisNext Gets $1.2M More
JANUARY 28, 2010
No details on the funding have been announced by the firm, however, the filing indicates that Clearstone Ventures Suman Mandal and Anthem Ventures' Bill Woodward remain on the company's board. The funding brings the company's total raised to around $9.7M in funding. READ MORE>>.
TrueCar Prices IPO
MAY 16, 2014
The pricing was below the company''s earlier, estimated IPO range of $12.00 to $14.00 per share. The company raised around $71.1M in the IPO offering. The company offers up online pricing of news cars as well as powers affiliate car buying programs. million shares of its stock at $9 per share. READ MORE>>.
Silicon Beach Fest Celebrates Tech Startups and Hollywood in LA | Pics, Highlights and What’s Next!
Tech Zulu Event
JUNE 28, 2012
Panelists advised attendees to “Just Do It”: Go out and start your company, focusing on the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to launch.
Surf Air Raises $73M, Orders 15 New Planes
AUGUST 11, 2014
The equity investors include Anthem Ventures, Velos Partners, Base Ventures as well as FF Ventures, Plus Capital, and others. The company said it now has over 900 members. The funding included $65M in debt from White Oak Global Advisors, and $8M from the both new and existing equity investors. READ MORE>>.
AdventureLink Raises $1.29M
MARCH 10, 2010
No details on the funding have been announced by the company. READ MORE>>.
AdventureLink Gets $1.29M
MARCH 10, 2010
No details on the funding have been announced by the company. READ MORE>>.
AwesomenessTV Acquires Big Frame
APRIL 3, 2014
Big Frame had been venture backed by Anthem Venture Partners, Daher Capital, DFJ Frontier, LaunchPad LA, New World Ventures, The Media Farm and Social Starts, and angels Diego Berdakin, Dave Goldberg, Peter Gotcher, Clark Landry, Adam Lilling and Dan Murray. The company had a $3.0M Series A funding back in 2012. READ MORE>>.
Interview with Todd Jerry, Marmol Radziner
APRIL 7, 2011
Many local entrepreneurs might know Todd Jerry , formerly a venture capitalist at Anthem Venture Partners. It's been around for about 20 years.
Layoffs Hot Keyword for Second Half of January 2009
FEBRUARY 4, 2009
Last month we Launched Los Angeles Tech and in the announcement we provide the Hot List for the first half of January 2009. This hot list is based on various social signals of what people are writing about, reading, bookmarking, searching, etc. You can go to the Hot List post to see what was hot then. Here's the rest. Here’s how to do it.
Surf Air Raises $2.6M
DECEMBER 24, 2012
Santa Monica-based Surf Air , the startup airline headed by Wade Eyerly looking to create a subscription-based, all-you-can-fly airline between Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, has raised around $2.6M, part of an ongoing funding round worth $7.0M, according to a recent regulatory filing by the company. READ MORE>>.


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“Basically, we’re open for business”
Four customers had already left phone messages when Faizan Ahmad, owner of Artisan Vapor, arrived at his Burlington Vermont store Thursday morning. A few were already waiting in the parking lot.
All Ahmad had to do was take their order and bring it back out.
As Vermont’s stay-at-home policy takes effect, businesses labeled nonessential might be looking toward digital markets.
But because of last year’s ban on online sales of e-cigarettes and other nicotine-containing products, some vape shops are trying curbside service instead.
“Basically, we’re open for business,” said Alex Morano, owner of Valley Vape in Essex Junction. “Not as usual, but were still open for business.”
Customers at her store call in an order and park while gloved employees come outside and pass along the products, Morano said.
Ahmad’s employees wear both gloves and masks, and the store also offers plastic fingertip covers to customers if they need to handle something.
Gov. Phil Scott’s executive order, which went into effect Wednesday night, mandates that all businesses and nonprofits stop in-person operations to limit the spread of the coronavirus, except in some essential sectors. It encourages nonexempt businesses to find new ways to stay afloat, like curbside service.
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June 21, 2005 |
REDMOND: Catching up with rivals Google Inc and Yahoo Inc, Microsoft Corp has unveiled an improved search service that delivers results tuned to users' location. MSN Local Search delivers both the listings of local sites and a map that includes virtual pushpins indicating each h location. It was expected to be available as a "beta" service starting on Monday at http://search.msn.com . Microsoft, the world's largest software company, has been in a race with online search firms Google and Yahoo to become the leading provider of tools to find content on the Internet and present it in meaningful ways.
September 23, 2010 |
Tech pundits are fond of saying that this is the era of the smartphone ? devices that have impressive specifications (fast processors, large screens and operating systems like Android, Symbian and Windows Mobile). While that may be true to an extent, the fact is that a good non-smartphone or 'feature phone' is also capable of doing a lot more. Just try out these apps on your phone and see it grow smarter in front of your eyes, without paying a penny. Opera Mini Perhaps the most innovative mobile software product of recent times, Opera Mini is an Internet browser that works on most phones and lets you surf the Web almost as you would on your computer ?
August 25, 2011 |
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook, under pressure to improve its privacy protections, will introduce new features to make it easier for users to control who views messages, photos and other shared items. The Palo Alto, California-based social networking site will place many privacy controls next to content that can be shared, instead of in a separate section that is harder to find, said Chris Cox, a vice president in charge of products at Facebook. "We want to make it easy for people to understand exactly who can see everything and make it easier for them to share with exactly who they want," Cox said.
September 18, 2003 |
One of the biggest costs today in a desktop is not the operating system but the applications. There are two applications which will not only change that but also bring new innovations in desktop applications. These are Open Office and Mozilla and both are open source projects. These applications are not only free of cost but are also cross platform which means they run on Linux and Windows as well as on some other less popular platforms. Mozilla started off when Netscape decided to open up their code for the open source community to see and contribute.
June 21, 2007
Can your grandmother use your mobile phone on her own? It is after all a communication device meant for everyone. Then why has it been designed in a way so as to strike fear in her heart? Stuffing the phone with incredible features looks like an overfed mutant from planet Zork and repels at least one kind of user who has a need for it. And it is not the old alone who are alienated by products that do too much. The programming of a VCR is a clich? by now, so we will let it pass.
March 28, 2008 |
Six months ago when the first signs of the financial crisis appeared many were taken by surprise. It was predictable in principle that after years of cheap liquidity and a lot of new risk vehicles in which people were investing sooner or later something would give way. The difficulty with economics is that while one can predict an event is likely to happen given the various related phenomena, one cannot forecast the date and time when it will happen.
July 17, 2006 |
SAN JOSE: Yahoo Inc is beefing up the finance section of its Web site with more interactive stock charts and other features to help it maintain its longtime lead over rival financial information sites. The redesigned Web page is being launched on Monday after being in development for more than 18 months, said Peggy White, general manager of Yahoo Finance. "It's about putting more power in the hands of the user," she said.
October 16, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Come 2014 and a new law will guide all land acquisitions by central or state governments, bringing in stricter norms and increasing landowners' compensation significantly. The ministry of rural development plans to notify the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2013, commonly referred to as the Land Acquisition Act, with effect from January 1, 2014, little more than two years after it was first introduced in the Parliament.
July 5, 2013 |
The new food security law, which will be implemented with the help of an ordinance, aims to provide affordable food grains to two-thirds of the population. ET looks at various aspects of the law and its implications What will the Food Security Law Provide? The government will supply rice at Rs 3/kg, wheat at Rs 2 and coarse grain for Re 1 per kg for up to 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population. People will be entitled to 5 kg of subsidised grain every month.
November 16, 2008 |
Predicting the future is by no means an easy job. It requires considerable erudition, creativity, and wisdom. In the capital markets, investors try to gaze into the future by trading in derivatives (read: futures & options). Since its launch in June 2000 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the risky yet rewarding form of trading has gained fast popularity in India. At present, more than 30 lakh contracts valued at almost Rs 50,000 crore are traded on the NSE every single day. Here's a layman's guide to trading in the world of F&Os, risks associated with them and precautions a first-time investor must take.


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SAE panels discuss CAFE standards in era of low-priced oil
The Government/Industry Conference of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) on Jan. 21 — open to all WAS Public Policy Day attendees — took on the subject of meeting fuel economy standards in an environment of low oil prices and high SUV sales. In the first panel, automaker representatives said they would have a hard time reaching Corporate Average Fuel Economy of 54.5 mpg by 2025 when customers are clamoring for SUVs and light trucks.
The industry is complying with the standards, said Tom Stricker, Toyota vice president of technology and regulatory affairs. Our concern is that fuel prices are low, and sales of hybrids and cars [as opposed to trucks] are down.
Roland Hwang, transportation director and policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council, took exception to Strickerês assertion. With record sales and tremendous profits, now is the time to double down on future needs. Added David Friedman, principal deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Energy, We have to make sure weêre not thinking about too small a timeframe.
John Murphy, lead U.S. auto analyst for Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, stated, there is a massive concern in the investment community that regulations will hurt [automaker] profitability.
In the second panel of the SAE Conference, federal and state representatives took the tougher standards as a given and debated how to encourage customers to buy fuel-efficient vehicles. In the congested cities of California, the fact that EV drivers can use the HOV lanes is a big incentive, said Analisa Bevan, assistant division chief for emissions compliance at California Air Resources Board. CARB has a mandate from Governor Jerry Brown to cut petroleum use in half by 2030.
Matt Solomon, transportation program manager for NESCAUM (an association of air qualify agencies from several Northeastern states), said incentives such as tax credits and better infrastructure (more EV charging stations) are two ways to ramp up consumer demand.
Bevan said dealer organizations tell CARB that customers often come to the dealership knowing exactly what they want, so the decision doesnêt get made in the dealership. CARB has been asked to provide dealers with answers to questions that customers might ask about fuel efficiency. Christopher Gundler, director of EPAês Office of Transportation and Air Quality, said EPA wants to make sure automakers are training dealers to deal with such questions.Download Bulletin PDF


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Google’s next event is on October 5th, but Pixel 6 still not expected
With Apple’s iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S21, and the OnePlus 9 already out in the market, everyone’s attention has turned towards the Google Pixel 6 series. Google is reportedly hosting an event in October to announce the much-awaited Android device. XDA-Developers’ Mishaal Rahman was quick enough to spot a now-deleted CNET article that talked about Google’s next event being on October 5. However, the company has no plans of launching Pixel 6 on October 5 as the event will be focused on Nest, Travel, and Map products, according to Rahman.
According to the CNET article, Google will announce new smart speakers and security devices on October 5 and we might also get to hear about the changes coming to Google Maps and Google Flights. The news article makes it clear that Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are not on the October 5 event’s agenda.
Interestingly, Rahman has also spotted a snipped of code that suggests that Google Pixel 6 will go on sale on October 27th. A Google Camera code change has suggested the sale date. He says that “A 10/19 launch followed by a 10/27 release seems plausible.”
The release_date string is empty on my other Pixel phones.
Seems like Google wants to really push users to update to some new version of GCam they’re releasing on the day the Pixel 6 series releases. And if this is correct, then that release date is October 27th.
Up until now, pretty much everything about the Google Pixel 6 series has leaked. The smartphone’s camera specs, benchmark, CPU configuration, variable refresh rate, wireless charging speed, and even the fabric cases have all appeared. Even a hands-on video has surfaced on the web. It’s only a matter of days before Google officially launches the much-awaited Pixel 6 series. Are you looking to picking up Google Pixel 6 this fall? What are your expectations from the product? Let us know in the comments section below!
An engineer by degree, news reporter by profession, and an avid sports lover. You’ll find me scrolling Football Twitter when I’m not writing about cutting-edge technology. Have a tip? Noted a mistake? You can reach out using the email given below.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Computer 2000 taps Widget UK boss to run retail biz
Foreman fits the bill
Computer 2000 has lured Widget UK boss Jo-Anne Foreman to head up its retail biz in the UK.
She is due to pick up the reins at TD Consumer Electronics from 12 December, reporting to C2000 commercial director Dave Watts.
“The establishment of our Retail and Consumer Electronics division is an important strategic investment for our business," said Watts.
Foreman joins the distie during challenging economic conditions, with the consumer market meltdown in Europe counting unabated.
As a result of the move, Widget UK has tapped up former commercial director and current non-exec director David Elder to run the operation.
Basingstoke-based C2000 brought on board former Bell Microproducts exec Colin McGregor to lead its enterprise unit Azlan. ®


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Having slow broadband could knock 20% off your house price as fast download speed becomes vital to homebuyers
- Fast internet speeds are now seen as vital to home buyers
- Some homeseekers will pull out of a deal if the connectivity is bad
- More people are homeworking and using data streaming services
Broadband has become so important to people buying a home that properties without a fast connection are worth up to 20 per cent less than those that do.
More and more householders are using media streaming services such as Netflix and an increasing number of employees now work from home.
As a result, consumers now see broadband as a necessity - and some will even pull out of a deal if the property doesn't have it.
Slow internet speeds can slash the value of a home as broadband becomes more of a necessity
Property search website Rightmove has even added a broadband speed checker on its listings for prospective buyers.
Bernard Phillips, the head of consumer platforms at Rightmove, said: 'We already offer a number of tools to help consumers make informed decisions about a property, and we're pleased to be the first to add broadband speeds to this.
'Broadband has become ingrained in people's lives and is an important factor when choosing a home,' he told the Observer.
There are huge disparities in broadband speeds throughout the UK. Computer and smartphone users in Sutton, Cleveland and Watford can surf the net faster than anyone else in Britain.
Their broadband speeds are around three times quicker than internet users in Llandudno, Galashiels and Carlisle, who experience the slowest service.
Inequality: There are huge disparities in broadband speeds throughout the UK
The speeds were disclosed after an independent speed test carried out in 118 locations across the UK on behalf of the broadband information website thinkbroadband.
Researchers found computer and smartphone users in the London borough of Sutton experienced the best broadband speeds in the whole country.
British Telecom won several contracts to deliver access to super-fast broadband connections to 90 per cent of the UK by 2015, in line with Government targets, but the date has now been pushed back to 2017.
A major government study predicts the majority of people will work from home several days every month.
Last week an ultrafast internet service was able to download an entire music album in just four seconds.
The 152Mb service from Virgin Media, who use sprint star Usain Bolt as brand ambassador, is some 23 times faster than the service available over the old copper telephone wires.
As a result it can download a high definition movie in four minutes, rather than up to 90 minutes, which it can take some households.
Virgin is using free speed upgrades as its key weapon in a fierce battle for customers with BT, Sky, TalkTalk and others.
The high speeds are made possible because Virgin has its own growing spiders web of fibre optic cables that crisscross the country.
Virgin claims to have the fastest broadband network, however the huge popularity of these services means it still slows down at peak evening times.
Peak internet use by its customers has grown 55 per cent in the past year and by almost 1,000per cent since the company’s launch in 2007.
The upgrades will begin this month in areas such as Aldershot, Maidstone, Colchester, Leicester, and Glenrothes, Scotland, before being rolled out to other customers over the next 12 months.
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Facebook illegally obtained competitors Instagram and WhatsApp in a blatant abuse of its monopoly power, lawsuits filed by the FTC in coordination with more than 40 state attorneys general testify. The suits seek to force Facebook to divest Instagram and WhatsApp.
Ian Conner, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition said, “Facebook’s actions to entrench and maintain its monopoly deny consumers the benefits of competition.” “Our aim is to roll back Facebook’s anticompetitive conduct and restore competition so that innovation and free competition can thrive.”
The lawsuits allege that Facebook broke U.S. antitrust laws in maintaining a monopoly on the social-networking market, from which it has earned billions of dollars from advertising and generated massive profits. In addition, they charge that the company’s unlawful monopoly has given it broad discretion to set terms for how users’ private information is collected and used to further its business interests — and has let Facebook impose anticompetitive conditions on third-party developers.


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U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, continued to press Equifax officials Thursday to provide additional details on what led to the company's recent security breach and how it has responded to the hack, which exposed more than 143 million Americans' personal information.
The Massachusetts Democrat, who has repeatedly raised questions about the breach, penned a letter to former Equifax Chairman and CEO Richard Smith seeking follow up information on his recent testimony before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.
Contending that she remains "extraordinarily concerned" about the incident, Warren included nearly 80 questions in her letter to Smith regarding the extent of the breach, Equifax's initial response and issues the company has faced in its efforts to assist consumers in wake of the hack, among other things.
The senator further called on Smith to specifically detail by Nov. 1 the "human and technological errors" that he told lawmakers occurred to cause the breach, what, if any, safeguards the company had in place to prevent such hacks and Equifax's profits as a result of the incident.
Warren's letter came nearly a month after the Democrat first called on Smith and other Equifax officials to publicly answer questions regarding the breach.
The senator argued that although Smith responded to her Sept. 15 letter and addressed lawmakers at an Oct. 4 Senate Banking Committee hearing, she still has "numerous questions about the Equifax breach, the company's failure to prevent it and the company's decisions in the aftermath of the breach."
The board of Equifax announced in late September that Smith would retire as chairman of the board and CEO and work as an unpaid adviser to Equifax to assist in the transition.
Smith acknowledged the security breach's impact on millions of consumers and stressed that he has been "completely dedicated to making this right."
Warren, who launched her own investigation into the cause of the hack, however, condemned reports of Smith's retirement -- a move which she argued came without him first answering questions publicly on the breach or giving back any of his pay.
Equifax announced the data breach, which exposed consumers' social security numbers and other data, in early September -- more than a month after it was reportedly discovered.


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I expected 4M worldwide sold first week (since launch until first sunday) and around 8'5M worldwide at the end of the year so this seems to be on track. Smash is not that popular in Europe as in North America and Japan, but I expect huge sales in USA. For the first week, something like 2'0M US, 700k Europe, 900 JP and around 400k (maybe a little less) in the rest of the world.
Probably will be the biggest launch for an exclusive game ever, but I think Smash will be a lot more frontloaded than Mario, Mario Kart and Pokemon games, so, people expecting 20M sales are going to be disappointed, in my opinion it will be closer to 15M. But who cares, a mega impressive result for the franchise and Nintendo.


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Jaden Smith has posted a new track online and announced plans to release a mixtape.
The track – ‘Cabin Fever’ – which you can listen to below comes ahead of the release of his third ‘The Cool Cafe: Cool Tape’ collection.
Smith released ‘The Cool Cafe: Cool Tape Vol. 1’ in 2012 and ‘CTV2’ in 2014. His new mixtape ‘CTV3’ will be the performer’s first full-length effort since his 2019 album ‘Erys’.
“Internally for me, it doesn’t differ that much because I’m still trying to make the best thing that I’ve ever made, he told Zane Lowe on Apple Music. “It’s not like, ‘Yo, this is just a mixtape.’ I’m still trying to make the best thing that I’ve ever made. Really the only distinction is the timelines I would say for me personally.”
Smith continued: “It’s like the tape is what makes it clear to my fans that this is coming directly after ‘Cool Tape Volume 2’, opposed to coming after ‘Erys’ or after [2017 album] ‘Syre’. This is directly after ‘Cool Tape Volume 2’, so it’s in that slot. And if you’re a fan of me for a long, long time, you do feel like there is that little gap that we missed where it’s like, ‘You went from ‘PCH’ to ‘Icon Living”.”
“You sexualising an 11-year-old girl who happens to be my sister… is the furthest thing from funny and not OK in the slightest bit,” Jaden wrote.


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Most Americans waste more food than they believe, and only one in 10 worries about the environmental harm posed by discarded food, a new study shows.
About the study:
- Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 consumers across the nation in April 2014.
- Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they believed they wasted less food than the national average, according to the findings published in the journal PLOS ONE.
- Roni Neff, director of the Food System Sustainability and Public Health Program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health stated that though Americans perceive themselves wasting little amounts of food, in reality they are wasting much more.
- Between 31 and 40 percent of the American food supply goes to waste, primarily in homes, stores and restaurants, according to the researchers.
- Each year, food waste costs Americans more than $161 billion, the researchers say.
- The top reasons respondents gave for wasting food were safety concerns and a desire to eat only the freshest food.
- Only 10 percent of respondents said that environmental concerns were a very important reason for not wasting food.
- For policymakers, the findings suggest a need to make date labels clear and consistent, and to attach sell by labels so they do not mislead consumer
- Roni Neff further stated that, consumer waste of food in the U.S. represents a serious threat, reducing it may improve food security, nutrition, budgets, environment and public health.


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Cascades’ recyclable alternative to polycoated packaging
by Dan Ilika, Assistant Editor
All new Respak food packaging fully recyclable, grease-, oil- and water-resistant
KINGSEY FALLS, Que.—Cascades Inc. has launched a revolutionary new food barrier that addresses the environmental concerns surrounding polycoated packaging while complying with stringent food safety standards.
Quebec-based Cascades said its new Respak food packaging is fully recyclable and compostable, made of 50 per cent recycled fibres—including a minimum 35 per cent post-consumer content—and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) while meeting food safety standards set out by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“The development of Respak goes hand in hand with the company’s values of respect for the environment and innovation that have made Cascades a leader in eco-friendly packaging for 50 years,” Norampac president and CEO Marc-André Dépin said in a statement.
“As the designers and producers of Respak, we are very pleased to be the first to offer the packaging and food industries, as well as consumers, a green alternative that will significantly reduce the impact of food consumption on waste.”
Norampac is a member of the Cascades group of companies.
Well known for its spill resistance, polycoated packaging is widely used around the world in the food service and manufacturing sectors.
Every minute, Cascades claims, as much as two tonnes a minute of polycoated cardboard is used globally.
That’s enough of the non-recyclable product to wrap the Empire State Building 72 times a day.
Fully recyclable, Respak offers an alternative to polycoated packaging while offering a unique, water-based coating without flourochemicals that repels water, oil and grease much like traditional polycoated cardboard.
What’s more, Cascades said the product’s environmental impact is 50 per cent less than that of most polycoated cardboards currently in use based on a preliminary life cycle assessment.
Using sample pieces sent to the office, I decided to put Respak to the test, experimenting with oil, grease and water to see if the new product lived up to the hype.
Respak stood up to 30 seconds under running cold water—the water simply beaded up on the surface and ran off, never soaking through—and large grease and oil spots that were splattered on the surface.
Even after 15 minutes the liquids never soaked through the material, with the water-covered area completely dry to the touch.
While the experiment was less than scientific, it’s clear that Respak stands up to the resistance claims made by Cascades.


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It is sixty-six years since a full-length runway was built in the South East of England.
While Amsterdam-Schipol, Frankfurt and Paris have been adding miles more runway, Britain has held ten aviation inquiries since 1946 and gotten nowhere. The coalition is due to publish number eleven within the next week.
There are fears the inquiry will, again, kick the issue of airport expansion into the long grass. Expanding hemmed-in Heathrow – already operating at full capacity (and with a flight path over Transport Secretary Justine Greening’s Putney constituency) – looks like a no-no.
Boris Island – a visionary answer to overcrowding at London’s airports – still looks like a pipe dream: a great idea, but perhaps 20 to 25 years in the future.
In the meantime, business leaders warn Britain will suffer as key air routes – and then world class businesses – migrate to more accessible countries. A report from airport operators BAA (Oxford Economics) predicts that by 2021 British GDP will drop by £8.5 billion per year as over-stretched Heathrow lags behind global aviation growth. 140,000 jobs could go. Yes, BAA would say that: they want to to grow the value of their Heathrow asset.
But it is hard to overstate how vital air connections are to British trade and prosperity. Just consider London’s fantastic tourism and retail success story: three London museums are in the top 10 most visited worldwide: the British Museum (5.85m visitors), the Tate Modern and the National Museum (5m each). And those high-spending tourists make London the world’s shopping centre. London’s retail sales of £62.4bn in 2010 were worth more than those of Los Angeles, Milan, Rome, Madrid and Berlin combined. London is also ahead of New York, Tokyo and Paris in the global retail stakes.
All this is at risk (plus thousands and thousands of jobs in the wider UK economy) if we can’t get shake our Planning Panic – and make some brave decisions. We need more airport capacity now: so why not speed up plans for Boris Island? Or, if it really takes 25 years to build the Thames Estuary airport, give Heathrow its third runway as a temporary measure?


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Would you take a wooden nickel? You might if it were handed to you by your designer or one of your trade partners and it could be redeemed for up to $500 in materials from Superior Woodcraft, in Doylestown, Pa.
“People are intrigued by them,” says campaign creator and Superior Woodcraft vice president Patrick Kennedy. He gives the wooden nickels to architects, designers, suppliers, or other local businesspeople who, in turn, pass them on. “It’s an easy way for them to give added value to their clients,” Kennedy says.
Since kicking off the campaign (which currently has no expiration date) in late September at a local arts festival, Kennedy has given away almost 200 wooden nickels, which are slowly being redeemed. He’d like to see other businesses use them. “When a client comes in, I’d like to hand them a wooden nickel for a local restaurant or remodeler. It’s a way to spur the economy.”
—Stacey Freed, senior editor, REMODELING.


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Raipur. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Mr. Bhupesh Baghel yesterday met select investors, including Indians, from Bay Area in San Francisco with an aim to attract more investment in Chhattisgarh. He had dinner with Trustee TiE Global and General Partner Monta Vista Capital Venktesh Shukla, who has roots in Chhattisgarh. Chief Minister Mr. Baghel along with his delegation discussed investment opportunities in Chhattisgarh with TiE President B J Arun and investors including Nitin Mehta, co-Partner in GreenOaks Capital Management, one of the biggest venture funds and Raju Indukuri, who is a investor in a data center company in India that is setting-up a data center in Raipur.
Supports start-ups through networking and raising
TiE (The IndUS Entrepreneurs) is a Silicon Valley non-profit association dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship in the Bay Area as well as globally. It supports start-ups through networking and raising of capital for new and experienced entrepreneurs. It provides technology entrepreneurs with mentoring services, networking opportunities, startup-related education, funding, and incubating. Other investors at the informal meet were :
Sarvajna Dwivedi : sold his innovative breathing device to Astra Zeneca for $1.2 billion and now started a medical device company that seeks to eliminate stents for unclogging arteries.
Jag Kapoor: Classic rags to riches story of Silicon Valley. Started working in the kitchen of restaurants when he first came here. Now owns a chain of grocery stores, restaurants (including Michelin 3 star Saison in SF) and a huge portfolio of real estate.
Sushant Patnaik: Active investor in India. Runs multiple companies in India that employ more than 1500 engineers in Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. Also set up an incubator/ accelerator in Bhubaneswar and a few other cities.
Pallav Sharma: Sr Vice President in the biggest pharma company in the world, Johnson and Johnson Krishna Yarlagadda: Successful serial entrepreneur and former President of Imagination Systems (Apple uses their graphic chip in its products). Now founder / CEO of a video collaboration company called Huddl.ai Harshul Asnani: Head of Tech Mahindra in USA Yashwant Hemraj: Partner, Benhamou Global Ventures Deven Varma: Founder and Chairman, Edgewood Capital etc.


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TOKYO (Reuters) – NEC Corp. of Japan has introduced a system of facial recognition that recognises individuals even when they wear masks, adjusting to a new standard where facial coverings have become a key form of defence against coronavirus spread.
When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted it to accelerate growth, the technology firm had already been working on a device to meet the needs of allergy sufferers who wear masks – a common practise in Japan.
“Needs grew even more due to the coronavirus situation as the state of emergency (last year) was continuing for a long time, and so we’ve now introduced this technology to the market,” Shinya Takashima, assistant manager of the digital platform division of NEC, told Reuters.
To verify the identity of the subject, the device decides when a person wears a mask and hones in on the parts that are not covered up. For example, the eyes and surrounding areas. Users capture in advance a snapshot of their face.
NEC says it takes less than one second to check and claims a more than 99.9 percent accuracy rate.
NEC Tokyo Headquarters
The people can use the system at security gates in office buildings and other facilities. NEC is also trialling the technology for automated payments at an unmanned convenience store in its Tokyo headquarters.
NEC declined to disclose the system’s price. For its biometrics and video analysis market, which involves its facial technology systems. And it is targeting 100 billion yen ($970 million) in revenue in fiscal 2021.
In October, the new system went on sale and Lufthansa and Swiss International Airlines are clients, Takashima said.
Facial recognition ensures that a safety card that can be lost or stolen is not needed and also helps prevent the spread of germs from touching surfaces, Takashima said.
“Touchless verification has become extremely important due to the impact of the coronavirus,” he said. “Going forward we hope to contribute to safety and peace of mind by strengthening (efforts) in that area.”


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Timed automations, Home automations that can run without anyone present, and even NFC stickers are now enabled.
iPhone users have been waiting anxiously for better photos in dark settings. iOS 13’s Night Mode seems to have been worth the wait.
Apple introduces a tons of new features with the new iPhone camera and the updated Camera app. Here’s a first look.
A mostly reality-based look at what Jason Snell is hoping to see from Apple next week.
It may seem like odd timing, but it makes sense for Apple to bring the iOS 13.1 beta to developers now, before iOS 13 actually ships.
There’s enough going on with watchOS and potential new materials to keep Apple’s champion wearable on top.
Disney’s move caused dramatic shifts in the streaming services market. How will Apple respond?
Apple’s business rarely stands still. Jason Snell takes a look at how it has evolved over the years.
During Apple’s financials call, Tim Cook walked a careful line on China, and teased us all about future product releases.
Apple recently simplified its laptop lineup, but more changes could be happening if rumors of a high-end MacBook come to fruition.
Will Apple Podcasts+ be joining Apple's array of new subscription services? A recent report says it’s possible.
Apple’s classic light laptop has outlasted all its potential replacements.
Jason Snell explains how iOS developers must look within themselves to build great Mac apps.
Using industry standard hardware helped bring the Mac back. But that era is over.
Apple's playing a long game, and it's so slow you might not even notice.


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LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Black Walnut Café, a fast-growing Texas-based company, is set to make Lakewood Ranch its first Florida restaurant location.
The company purchased property adjacent to Lakewood Ranch Town Hall earlier this year. The Lakewood Ranch restaurant would be built some time in 2016 or 2017, said Joseph Brassard, president of Hubbell and Hudson MGMT LLC.
Established in 2002, Black Walnut Café is a casual restaurant with 100 items on the menu, Brassard said.
The company has seven restaurants in the Houston area, four in Dallas-Fort Worth and two in Austin, including one opening there Thursday.
The next stop is Atlanta, where three restaurants are planned.
In addition to Lakewood Ranch, Black Walnut is looking for two other Florida locations, possibly on the east coast.
"Our owner has been to Florida, and we stumbled across this opportunity," Brassard said.
Lakewood Ranch appeals to the Black Walnut philosophy with its demographics, and mix of rooftops, schools, churches and a hospital, Brassard said.
Kirk Boylston, president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial Realty, confirmed the Black Walnut purchase of about an acre north of town hall.
Under the terms of the sale, Black Walnut has a two-year window in which to start construction, Boyl
Black Walnut Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, Brassard said.
"We are really proud of what we do," he said, citing the extensive menu, ambience and service. "We are able to execute a wide variety of excellent products. The hardest part of the business is finding people who are passionate about food."
The Lakewood Ranch restaurant would have 165 seats and a staff of 35 to 65.
Black Walnut makes 12 types of gelato, but typically looks to the local community for its desserts, and local breweries for up to 80 percent of its draft beers, Brassard said.
"When we go into a city we look for a local bakery and those are the desserts we serve," he said.
Black Walnut will serve liquor, as well as wine and beer.
"We are a true home away from home. You can experience a level of comfort created by warm high back chairs, belt driven fans, wood paneling, and high definition TVs, along with many other wonderful aspects of our dining experience that is unmatched in the fast casual world," the company website says in describing Black Walnut.
James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee reporter, can be contacted at 941-745-7053 or on Twitter @jajones1.


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When stress and worry bog you down, you can reverse a bad mood by piling the right foods on your plate—or in your cup. Case in point: new research in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology discovered that just the taste of beer alone was enough to trigger the release of dopamine—a “feel good” neurotransmitter—in the brains of study participants. (And it had nothing to do with the alcohol, say researchers.)
Beyond booze, a whole host of foods can make or break your happiness. “Foods are chemicals. Because these chemicals resemble the ones found in our brains, they have a powerful impact on our mindset,” says Gary Wenk, PhD, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Ohio State University and author of Your Brain on Food. That’s also why we can become addicted to food just like we can be addicted to drugs, he says.


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From a 2008 Ducati Desmosedici to a 2018 Triumph Rocket: Over 40 Superbikes Are Going Up for Auction Next Week
Does your auto collection have a motorcycle-shaped hole in it? CollectingCars.com wants to help fill.
A month after its first “Supercar Sunday” sales event, the online automotive auction platform is doing the same for motorcycles. This coming Sunday, the company will host its first “Superbike Sunday” sales event, during which more than 40 hand-picked two-wheelers will go up for grabs.
When it initially launched in 2019, CollectingCars.com sold one thing and one thing only—cars. The company has branched out into motorcycles and automobilia in the preceding years, but its latest sales event is its biggest move to diversify its offering yet. And, just as it does for its classic vehicles and supercars sales, the selection has been carefully curated so that it consists of some of the most interesting and coveted two-wheelers from around the world.
The highlight of the first crop of “Superbike Sunday” motorcycles is almost certainly the 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR. The Rosso Bianco Moto-GT-inspired sport bike is number 267 of 1,500 produced and has less than 3,500 miles on its 197 hp 989cc V4 engine. If your tastes run towards the classic, there’s a rare 1988 Honda VFR-750R RC30 WSBK homologation special finished in blue, white and red that was owned by marque specialist Rick Oliver. Also on offer is a barely touched 2019 Triumph Rocket III TFC custom built by specialist Thornton Hundred that looks like something the Terminator would have ridden. You’l also find top-notch bikes from BMW, KTM and Suzuki.
“We have already sold more than 200 bikes on Collecting Cars, but our first ‘Superbike Sunday’ auction event really highlights the breadth and depth of our global expertise,” the platform’s founder Edward Lovett said in a statement. “There are some incredibly rare and low-mileage machines that will no doubt be fought over by enthusiasts around the world. ’Superbike Sunday’ will offer an incredible selection of remarkable street, road and track bikes from the world’s preeminent motorcycle manufacturers.”
The online-only sale will run from this Sunday, April 17, until the next, April 24.
Source: Robb Report


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Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Stock Pummeled After Earnings Miss
Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) closed down -32.79 or -5.94 percent to $519.61 per share in active trading on Thursday, after the company announced first quarter earnings that came in below analyst expectations. The stock initially traded sharply higher after the earnings release, rising as much as +8.6 percent in pre-market trading on Thursday, but during the day, the stock reversed direction and traded sharply lower after investors realized the chain would have to raise prices on its menu.
Denver, Colorado based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is a restaurant chain founded by Steve Ells in 1993, with 16 locations in Colorado. McDonaldâ s Corporation (MCD
) then invested heavily in the company in 1998. McDonaldâ s divested its shares in the company in 2006 after the company had grown to 500 locations. With the opening of 44 new restaurants in the fourth quarter of 2013, the restaurant chain now has 1,639 locations in the United States, Canada, France and Germany and employs more than 37,000 people worldwide. The sharp rally in Chipotle stock was in large part due to the significant improvement in revenue, which rose +24.4 percent to $904.2 million, versus analyst expectations of $873 million. Due to higher customer traffic, comparable restaurant sales increased +13.4 percent, while restaurant operating margin declined to 25.9 percent, a drop of 40 basis points. Nevertheless, earnings came in at $2.64 per share, missing analyst estimates of $2.86 per share on revenue of $874 million. The $0.20 earnings shortfall was in large part due to rising costs for beef, cheese and avocados. Beef prices hit a 27 year high of $5.28 per pound according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The increases in food prices led to the company announcing it would increase prices on its menu, with steaks on the menu already having risen +25 percent since late last year. Despite higher costs and a hike in menu prices, Chipotle still sees single digit comparable sales growth for the rest of the year and expects to open 180 to 195 new restaurants. In addition, the company announced it would purchase an additional $100 million of its own stock through its repurchase program. Chipotle still has $77 million from its March 31st authorization. Steve Ells, Chipotle founder and co- CEO stated that, â
Published on Apr 18, 2014
By Jay Hawk


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The Government of Andorra supports the Minister of Finance of Andorra Jordi Cinca in response to a lawsuit (to Tribunal de Corts) from the lawyer of ex-president of the Orfund group Joan Samarra Naudi.
The lawsuit was filed in November last year for unfair competition, theft and money laundering, allegedly committed by Jordi Cinca 16 years ago, when he headed the Orfund company.
In particular, the lawsuit says that Orfund went bankrupt due to criminal activity of Jordi Cinca – namely, theft of gold bullion and diamonds from Liberia to his own benefit.
Jordi Cinca has already said that the charges were “completely false”, and claims that all transactions of the Orfund company were “entirely legal.”
“The Government of Andorra regrets for misunderstanding in some media in relation to Jordi Cinca”, reports the Government of Andorra in its official statement.
The lawsuit is planned to be considered in the Tribunal Court in the coming weeks.


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WASHINGTON -- Top lawmakers on Sunday urged regulators to move aggressively to address Thursday's puzzling stock-market plunge, as exchange officials prepared to meet with policymakers to seek answers on what caused the incident.
On Monday, top officials from the biggest U.S. stock market operators are expected to meet with Securities and Exchange Commission officials to discuss the Dow Jones Industrial Average's sudden tumble on Thursday by 1,000 points, before it recovered much of those losses. On Tuesday, representatives of NYSE Euronext and Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. will appear before Congress.
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With a boost in U.S. motorcycle sales, Harley-Davidson has better than expected third quarter
Harley-Davidson Inc. reported better than expected quarterly earnings Wednesday, driven by improved U.S. motorcycle sales even as the company faced supply-chain disruptions that limited bike shipments and hurt international sales.
As part of a turnaround strategy announced last year, Harley has doubled down on its most profitable touring and cruiser motorcycles sold in North America and Europe, the company’s largest markets, while cutting some bikes from its lineup and exiting overseas markets that haven't been profitable.
The strategy, called Hardwire, has gained traction as Harley saw a 2% increase in North American motorcycle sales in the quarter ended Sept. 30, while its worldwide sales fell 6% from the year-ago three-month period.
Harley said it had net income of $163 million, or $1.05 per share, in the recent quarter, up from $120 million, or 78 cents per share, a year earlier.
The results were much better than analysts’ estimates of around 77 cents a share. Harley’s revenue in the recent quarter was up 17%, to nearly $1.4 billion, also ahead of analysts' estimates.
The progress came amidst an historic level of supply chain disruptions, triggered by the spread of COVID-19, that's been felt in nearly every industry. Harley said it's seen substantial increases in costs of raw materials and shipping.
While the company's North American sales, as measured in bike shipments, were up 2% in the recent quarter, they fell 18% in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region; 10% in Asia Pacific, and 45% in Latin America. Worldwide, shipments were up 9%.
The company said it’s still expecting a 30% to 35% increase in motorcycle revenue for the full year, driven partly by the launch of new bikes such as the Pan America and Sportser "S" models.
Jochen Zeitz, a former Puma SE executive, has been Harley’s CEO since early 2020. Under his leadership, the company has slashed costs, culled dealerships, and exited unprofitable markets. It has also called for investing $190 million to $250 million a year in new products including electric motorcycles.
“Our teams continue to work to mitigate the impact of the ongoing supply chain challenges that our sector faces, however our performance underlines that we are on course to deliver our long-term Hardwire strategy,” Zeitz said in a statement Wednesday.
After the earnings announcement, Harley shares closed at $36.73, up nearly 4%.


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Srinagar, Jan 24: Samsung India today held a vehicle rally in Srinagar to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy A14 5G and Galaxy A23 5G smartphones here.
The purpose of the event was to inform Kashmir’s residents about the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy A14 and Galaxy A23 5G smartphones. The rally began at Munawarabad and passed through various parts of Srinagar.
The latest additions to the popular Galaxy A series are aimed at offering a complete package of the latest Galaxy innovations at an affordable price, making awesome technology accessible to everyone.
“Samsung has been driving 5G adoption in India with its widest portfolio of 5G devices. With the launch of Galaxy A14 5G and A23 5G, Samsung will now have the widest distribution of 5G devices in the country. These devices showcase our premium design philosophy and come with industry-leading features like 16GB RAM with RAM Plus and 5000mAh battery. Starting at a net effective price of just Rs 14999, these devices will be instrumental in driving our mission of making 5G accessible to everyone,” said Aditya Babbar, Senior Director, Mobile Business, Samsung India.


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Food prices are rising as we approach the Festive Season.
Food price data over the past three months shows that the average cost of the Household Food Basket has increased by R161,89 or 4,2%, taking the total cost of the basket in November to R4 018,22. These increases in basic food prices in the trollies of the majority of South Africans is alarming.
The Household Food Basket tracks 44 basic foods which women living in low-income households tell us they try and buy each month. Food prices are collected by women directly off the shelves of retailers which target the low-income market in Soweto and Alexandra, in Khayelitsha and Gugulethu, in KwaMashu and Umlazi, amongst others.
These increases in basic food prices in the trollies of the majority of South Africans is alarming especially as the Festive Season approaches and with school re-opening dates having been pushed back to 27 January 2021. January is a month which stretches out like a mirage.
Our data at household level continues to paint a picture of escalating hunger, debt, unemployment, violence, poverty, and inequality. The plate is looking increasingly bad as pale starches displace all colour and protein. Health and well-being continue to deteriorate. Our health, education, economic and social outcomes continue to unravel. Describing what is going on in the lives of millions of South Africans and the wider impact and consequences of rising food prices amid a horrifying household affordability crisis, and economic crisis is no longer difficult. We know what is happening, and every month just gets worse.
Many women we speak with no longer believe that government will intervene to assist them. They tell us that it will be hard but they will survive. “We eat pap from Monday to Sunday, from one to thirty-one” (Soweto, 14 November 2020). “We will just eat starch, starch, starch. It is bad for us, but what can we do” (Dunoon, 12 November 2020). Listening to women, it is hard for our hearts not to break. Women continue absorbing high food prices, losses of jobs, and cuts in income internally, and at great cost. Without an outward push of hunger and anger into the public domain, it seems that hunger will again retreat into the invisibility of homes and women’s and children’s bodies. But as resilient as women are, this toughness will be severely tested over the festive season and the dreaded long-drawn-out month of January.
What happens over the next two months will therefore provide a guide for how the crisis at household level will play out in the public domain viz. whether the internal feelings of being responsible for our poverty and hunger will be pushed outwards and if the cracks that we are starting to see emerge will widen, and then bring a flood of very hungry and angry people onto our streets, and with hundreds of thousands of people refusing to leave until government does what is expected of a government to do: intervene decisively in the crisis.
Here we would suggest that it would be extremely helpful if government switched its focus from creating jobs for a few to supporting livelihoods for the many. Even if government were able to pull the rabbit out of the hat – the few thousand temporary jobs is not an appropriate response to the household affordability and economic crisis that more than 11,1 million South Africans face at household level. Supporting households to create their own work, even at the level of survivalist activities in the short-term, via direct income transfers is likely to create much more favourable outcomes for millions of South African households, whilst acting to kick-start higher growth and a transformed economy from the ground-up.
Summary of key data in November 2020 Household Affordability Index
The main findings from the November 2020 Household Affordability Index, which now tracks food price data from 44 supermarkets and 30 butcheries in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Springbok and Pietermaritzburg shows that:
• In November 2020: The average cost of the Household Food Basket is R4 018,22.
• Month-on-month (between October 2020 and November 2020): The average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R101,50 (2,6%).
• Over the past three months (between September 2020 and November): The average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R161,89 (4,2%).
[See attached November 2020 Household Affordability Index for full data].
In November 2020, the cost of the Joburg Household Food Basket was R4 054,94.
The cost of the Durban Household Food Basket was R4 022,78.
The cost of the Cape Town Household Food Basket was R3 975,28.
The cost of the Springbok Household Food Basket was R4 425,03.
The cost of the Pietermaritzburg Household Food Basket was R3 742,34. [See Table 1 below]
Table 1: Household Food Index, for all areas and averaged month-on-month & past 3 months.
The main foods that are driving higher increases in the Household Food Basket over the past three months continue to be the core foods which women buy first: maize meal (6%), rice (1%), cake flour (2%), white sugar (2%), sugar beans (23%), samp (6%), cooking oil (2%), potatoes (35%), white and brown bread (4% and 3%).
At an average cost of R2 167,41 in November 2020, these core foods are relatively very expensive in relation to the total money available in the household purse to buy food. These foods have increased by R70,89 (3,4%) over the past month; and R101,70 (4,9%) over the past three months (see page 3 of attached). These foods must be bought regardless of price escalations. The high cost of core staple foods result in a lot of proper nutritious food being removed off the family plate with negative consequences for overall household health and well-being.
The National Minimum Wage for a General Worker in November 2020 is R3 487,68. The average cost of the Household Food Basket of R4 018,22 is well beyond the affordability thresholds of families living on low incomes. Low-paid workers do not even earn enough to afford a basket of food for their families, this even before deducting transport fare to work and back and electricity, amongst a myriad of other critical expenses.
In November 2020, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet cost R713,51. The Child Support Grant of R440 a month is 25% below the food poverty line of R585 per capita and a further 38% below the November cost of R713,51 to feed a child a basic nutritious diet.


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Square Enix will not invest the money obtained from the sale of Crystal Dynamics and Eidos to Embracer Group, in NFT and blockchain but will use them to strengthen its core gaming business. The statements made just over a month ago, at the time of the announcement of the deal, have been peremptorily rectified.
The deal between Embracer and Square Enix was announced on May 2, 2022. At the time, Square Enix said: “the deal will enable the launch of a new business with investments in fields that include blockchain, AI and the cloud.“
Instead, during a financial briefing that took place on May 13, 2022, therefore a few days later, the president of the company, Yosuke Matsudasaid the exact opposite: “Rather than using the proceeds from the divestiture to invest in new fields such as NFT and blockchain, we intend to use them primarily to finance the strengthening of our intellectual properties and improve our development capabilities in the field of digital entertainment, which is our core business.“
Square Enix has not given up on the idea of investing in NFT and blockchain but, according to what Matsuda has declared, it will separate the investments, looking for alternative channels to raise funds.
The president of Square Enix also commented on the sale of Crystal Dynamics and Eidos, saying that it was a way to reorient the company’s portfolio, in order to strengthen the offer of online titles for the European and North American markets. The latter will represent the main area of interest of the company. However, the Japanese publisher will not only focus on the development of online titles, but the latter will prevail over the others.
After all, the title that supported the financial statements of Square Enix in the last fiscal year was Final Fantasy XIV, so it is not surprising the new direction taken by the company.


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Apr 11, 2016
Japanese e-commerce major Rakuten to enter India
Apr 11, 2016
India’s booming e-commerce sector is set to have a new player. Japan’s largest e-commerce company and Viber chat app owner, Rakuten has opened a business office in Bengaluru and plans to open an online retail platform in India.
The company is appointing midlevel managers from two e-commerce majors - Flipkart and Amazon, according to media reports.
Rakuten which opened a development centre in Bengaluru in 2014, has established a business office in the city and started poaching midlevel managers from Flipkart and Amazon for setting up an online retail platform in India, the reports say.
Rakuten which launched in 1997 as a small online marketplace with half-a-dozen employees, now employs more than 12,000 with sales of over $5 billion. It accounts for more than a quarter of Japan’s e-commerce business, ahead of Amazon in that country. It also has interests in financial services, digital content and travel businesses.
The India business would form part of Rakuten’s expansion strategy. In 2010, it acquired Buy.com in the US in a $250-million all-cash deal as part of its push into North America.
A Rakuten spokesperson declined to comment on developments in India.
Copyright © 2023 Fibre2Fashion. All rights reserved.


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Walmart Will No Longer Sell Handgun Ammo
Walmart has decided to become the latest business to shoot itself in the foot, in the name of saving the world. After the most recent shooting in Odessa/Midland, TX, Walmart has announced that it will no longer sell handgun ammo when the current stock runs out. Ya gotta sell the current stock though, I mean money's more powerful than a bullet, right?
Never mind that the Texas shooter failed a background check and could not buy a gun legally. Never mind that he got one illegally. Never mind that it really makes no difference to a criminal whether you sell ammo or not. I'll bet that current stock is flying off the shelves though, huh?
Walmart will still sell rifles and rifle ammo for hunting because. Just because, I guess. Hell I can't make any sense of this, but good job on saving the world.


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(WXYZ) — Warehouse stores like Sam's Club, Costco and B.J.'s Wholesale Club used to be the go-to place for shoppers who wanted the best deals. But with Amazon now dominating the retail world, are they still relevant?
Despite online shopping and discount pricing everywhere right now, paying $45 or more to join a membership club feels so 1988. Why pay a fee, then have to carry large boxes to your car? Because it can still save you a bundle of money.
We found one metro Detroit Sam's Club to be bustling on a recent weekday. Lindsay Erickson was filling her cart with large boxes of Pampers.
"I have two little kids, so I need a ton of diapers, wipes, and all that stuff," she said.
These may not be the stores for your if you are single, have a small refrigerator, or just prefer small-sized portions. But when it comes to things like paper products or baby products, you can't really go wrong when you buy these bulk packages so they can last for months.
With the help of recent comparisons from GoBankingRates and The Penny Hoarder, we found nine things that are almost always cheaper at Sam's and Costco.
– Diapers, baby wipes and baby formula, about 20 percent less than supermarket prices
– Rotisserie chicken at $4.99, half the price of most grocery stores
– Maple syrup
– Vanilla extract
– Peanut butter and Nutella
– Pet food and kitty litter
– Tires, including name brands like Michelin and Goodyear
But what about Amazon, which offers the convenience of diapers delivered right to your door? You pay for that convenience, according to recent comparisons by Joanie Demer, the Krazy Coupon Lady.
BUT WHAT ABOUT AMAZON, WHICH OFFERS THE CONVENIENCE OF DIAPERS DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR WITH FREE SHIPPING?
"Sams's and Costco were about 10 percent to 15 percent cheaper overall than Amazon," she said.
Business Insider says Sam's Club and Costco prices are so similar that it recommends joining the one that is closes to you.


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AMP fund’s double delightPUBLISHED: 12 Sep 2012 00:06:36 | UPDATED: 12 Sep 2012 12:23:46PUBLISHED: 12 Sep 2012 PRINT EDITION: 12 Sep 2012
The AMP Capital Investors-managed Property Income Fund has sold two shopping centres in regional NSW for a total of about $40 million.
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Luxury jeweler Tiffany's profit beats estimates as costs fall
- Wall St slumps as investors fret on rate hikes and recession
- Think September Was Bad? Watch Out for 'Octoberphobia', Stock Trader's Almanac Warns
- Goldman Sachs Slashes Year-End Target on S&P 500 to 3,600
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- Bond Crash of 2022 is a 'Doozy' - BofA
A clock is placed in front of a store of U.S. jeweller Tiffany at the Bahnhofstrasse shopping street in Zurich December 23, 2013. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
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By Ramkumar Iyer
(Reuters) - Upscale jeweler Tiffany & Co (NYSE: TIF) reported a better-than-expected profit for the holiday quarter as it raised prices and benefited from lower prices of diamonds, gold and silver.
Shares of the company, which became a household name due to the 1961 Hollywood classic "Breakfast at Tiffany's", rose as much as 4 percent in morning trading on Friday.
Weakness in the global economy and a strong dollar have hurt Tiffany and other luxury retailers such as Nordstrom Inc (NYSE: JWN), Neiman Marcus Group and Macy's Inc-owned (NYSE: M) Bloomingdale's as tourists shy away from buying high-end items.
Tiffany's reluctance to offer promotions also prevented it from attracting local shoppers looking for deals, especially in the holiday season.
The company warned that it expected profit per share to fall by 15-20 percent in the current quarter and by 5-10 percent in the second quarter, based on the trends seen so far.
However, earnings are expected to start growing from the second half of the year ending January 2017, Tiffany said.
The company will launch more new products and it has been pretty successful with recent product launches, Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said.
"Also, expectations were low and the stock's been beat up," he said, suggesting that Friday's rise in Tiffany's shares was a relief rally after a fall of 18 percent in the past 12 months.
The jeweler's gross margin rose to 63 percent in the fourth quarter from 60.8 percent a year earlier as raw material, labor and marketing costs declined.
However, sales fell 5.6 percent to $1.21 billion, the fifth straight quarter of decline.
Sales at stores open for at least a year fell 10 percent in the Americas, a bigger drop than the 9.4 percent analysts had expected, according to Consensus Metrix.
Tiffany sales have also slowed in Greater China as fewer Chinese tourists visit Hong Kong, one of its most important markets in the region, Mark Aaron, vice president of investor relations, said on a conference call.
In Europe, sales to tourists are expected to fall due to sociopolitical uncertainties, Chief Executive Frederic Cumenal said.
Tiffany's net income declined 17 percent to $163.2 million, or $1.28 per share, in the quarter ended Jan. 31.
Excluding items, the company earned $1.46 per share, beating the average analyst estimate of $1.40, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Tiffany's shares were up 2.7 percent at $72.02 in late morning trading.
(Reporting by Ramkumar Iyer and Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey)
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AutoConversion is pleased to announce a new media partnership with Thought Leadership Summits, also known as TL Summits, to help promote awareness of the 2019 Automotive CX Summit Series. The Automotive CX summit is being held at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Ray, California on June 18 and 19. The Auto CX Analytics and AI Summit is being held June 19 and 20.
Get 20% Off Registration to the Automotive CX Summits
About TL Summits and the Auto CS Summit Series
For 15 years TL Summits has been the only Summit Series dedicated to helping the Automotive industry create exceptional customer experiences by leveraging all things customer – enhancing and personalizing the shopping, buying, and ownership experience.
The Automotive CX Summit Series includes two full agendas featuring inspiring thought leaders that are creating breakthrough customer experiences in their roles across the Automotive ecosystem – representing leading OEMs, dealers, F&I providers, media, and advertisers.
About the Partnership
As a media partner, AutoConversion will promote the Summit Series on AutoConverse.com and on the AutoConverse Mobility and Connectivity Podcast. AutoConverse explores people, ideas, and technologies that influence how we are connected, and the way we get around.
“The Automotive CX Summit represents a lot of what we set out to cover on AutoConverse.com and on the podcast,” says AutoConversion CEO Ryan Gerardi. “Our Media Partnership program is a tremendous value for events like TL Summits, and the content at the Summit Series is directly in line with our audience and fanbase.”
Get 20% Off Registration through May 31st
TL Summits has agreed to offer AutoConversion Members a 20% discount on one or both of the summits (through May 31st). This special offer is available to all allied industry, and can be taken advantage of by doing the following:
- Go to www.autoconverse.com/tls
- Enter promo code ACTLS19 when registering
Live Media Coverage at the Summits
As part of the partnership agreement, AutoBurst Media, which is the media production arm for AutoConversion, has agreed to attend the two summits and provide live streaming media coverage, interviews, and post-event multimedia production to help generate even more awareness about the Series.
To enjoy the coverage, visit www.autoconverse.com, its social channels, and the podcast at www.autoconverse.com/podcast.


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Shabodi has raised $13.9 million CAD ($10.3 million USD) in a Series A round on its mission to simplify 5G applications deployment for developers.
The startup’s founders believe that their technology is well-timed to make a splash in the market given the digitally-transformed world of COVID-19 testing the limits of existing networks.
“[COVID-19] kind of pushed 5G … because the existing networks were basically stretched,” Shabodi co-founder and CEO Vikram Chopra told BetaKit in an interview.
“What people are ignoring is not the network, [it is] what solutions and applications can you build on top.”
Toronto-based Shabodi’s round came mainly from existing investors from the company’s seed financing last year, all of which are American.
CEAS Investments and SineWave Ventures led the Series A round. It also included participation from prior lead investor Blumberg Capital, Counterview Capital, Green Egg Ventures, Maccabee Ventures, Supernode Ventures, and Vishal Gupta, an executive at Internet of Things (IoT) company Lexmark.
5G Open Innovation Lab, a United States-based global lab for companies focused on 5G, also invested in the round after Shabodi took part in its program earlier this year.
Created by two former Microsoft leaders, the lab helps 5G-focused startups with things like proof of concept and go-to-market, and provides the opportunity to co-develop 5G solutions with industry players like Microsoft, T-Mobile, Dell Technologies, Ericsson, and Nokia.
This year also saw Shabodi participate in the National Security Innovation Network, a program run by the United States (US) Department of Defense that helps startups build commercial relationships with the US government.
Chopra called his company’s participation in the programs pivotal in helping to “embed” Shabodi in the 5G ecosystem, and set it on a go-to-market path.
Founded in 2020 by Chopra and CTO Harpreet Geekee, Shabodi is developing application programming interfaces (APIs) to simplify 5G application deployment for developers. 5G networks began rolling out globally in 2019, and are seen as beneficial in helping to develop enterprise technologies like FinTech and IoT.
Chopra likened Shabodi to Stripe. “Think of us as the exact same thing, trivializing [the] complexity of 5G for application developers.”
“4G was the consumer revolution with Google Meets, Uber, DoorDash, Netflix, SkipTheDishes – a bunch of applications we all used during the pandemic, they wouldn’t be possible without 4G … What makes 5G different is it’s not a consumer play,” said Chopra. “This is where when you’re hearing buzzwords about the metaverse and Web 3.0, those will come, but the consumer use cases are a couple of years away. 5G is all about enterprise.”
The CEO argued that the advanced programmable nature of 5G – as well as Advanced LTE, Wifi 6 and 6G – make it easier for companies to innovate, but Shabodi is about making that process even simpler.
“Private 5G promises to empower businesses with the speed and security they need to transform customer and employee experience,” said Joe Beatty, a long-time telecom entrepreneur, and angel investor in Shabodi.
Beatty joined Shabodi’s board as part of this latest round as a representative for CEAS Investments. “The company’s Application Enablement Platform is timely,” he said. “Many global enterprises have already started planning 5G deployment and are either already looking or will soon look for solutions to maximize its use and ROI.”
Another aspect that could prove a boon for Shabodi is the banishment of Huawei from Canada and the US.
Huawei’s expulsion from both markets opened up space for the likes of Nokia and Ericsson to win 5G network contracts. However, Chopra argued that those larger players are more focused on deploying networks and missing the opportunity to build on them.
“What people are ignoring is not the network, [it is] what solutions and applications can you build on top of that network,” he said, claiming that Shabodi is the only startup he’s seen in western countries tackling the 5G API market.
Shabodi has begun working with its first group of customers and expects those partnerships to launch in the new year. Chopra said Shabodi is seeing the most interest from companies in the manufacturing, logistics, mining, and defense sectors.
Feature image courtesy Shabodi.
The post Shabodi closes $14 million CAD Series A to simplify 5G for developers first appeared on BetaKit.


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Google, JetBlue, eBay join alliance to combat wildlife trafficking
The U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance says it’s teamed up with 13 companies, including Google, eBay and JetBlue, to tackle illegal trafficking of wildlife.
Each of the companies will go after trafficking in different ways, depending on their particular areas of expertise and zones of influence in the business world.
Other companies in the new alliance include Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren and Discovery Communications, the alliance says.
Sophia Mendelsohn, head of sustainability for JetBlue, said the airline will educate passengers traveling to trafficking hot spots like Latin America that it is illegal to dine on certain animals or take others home as pets.
“It’s about stopping the problem before it gets to the point of being on an airplane,” she said. “Once it’s in a box or a bag on an airplane, it’s already too late.”
Discovery said it will educate its viewers and reach out to schools about trafficking of endangered wildlife. The company is also creating virtual reality content to be shown at zoos and aquariums about wildlife trafficking.
David J. Hayes, chair of the U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance and former deputy secretary of the Interior, said that “some companies have platforms that traffickers use, or try to use, to sell their products.”
He said that eBay and Google are “raising their efforts to develop algorithms and other methods to stop the selling of illegal products.”
Google Shopping already has a policy against the advertising of products from “threatened or extinct species” like tigers, shark fins, elephant ivory, tiger skins, rhino horn and dolphin oil.
He said that Tiffany will partner with other jewelers to educate them about the harm of selling jewelry made from wildlife, like ivory from elephants.
Poaching and the international black market in wildlife parts is a multi-billion dollar industry that’s been linked to the funding of terrorism, according to Representative Ted Poe, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade.
The illegal wildlife trade “runs the gamut from illegal logging of protected forests to supply the demand for exotic woods, to the illegal fishing of endangered marine life for food, and the poaching of elephants to supply the demand for ivory,” according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service International Affairs.
Ivory harvested from illegally killed elephants and rhinoceroses is most one of the notorious aspects of the industry. Despite the efforts of some African nations to stop the poaching, it’s caused a massive reduction in animal populations.