text:
When 5G was first introduced, the big question for smartphone users faced with the prospect of replacing their devices to use it was: Is 5G worth it?
The huge popularity of 5G devices initially seemed like a resounding yes, but there are now concerns that the novelty has waned and many still see little real-world difference between 4G/LTE and 5G speeds…
For many years, 5G has been hyped as one of the biggest developments in mobile technology, with promises of gigabit speeds. Sales of 5G smartphones showed that consumers were sufficiently excited about the technology to upgrade, and Apple’s introduction of 5G for the iPhone 12 was seen as key to the range’s popularity.
However, real life didn’t quite live up to the hype. In my own testing with the iPhone 12, I found that while the isolated 5G coverage occasionally offered broadband-like speeds, the coverage was spotty.
At 10:58 p.m., two 5G bars delivered a completely useless download speed of less than 1 Mbit/s and a decidedly average upload of 11 Mbit/s.
Two minutes later, just a few hundred yards away, two 5G bars have been replaced by four 4G bars and we have a much more respectable 33Mbps up/17Mbps down.
In just a handful of steps, I’ve reached four bars of 5G, at the speeds most people would like to see on their home broadband connection: 196Mbps up, 86Mbps down.
This type of variability is the norm, not the exception. In fact, if you stood still in the exact same spot, you could sometimes see big differences within minutes. From what I’ve seen, signal strength, not 5G vs 4G, is the most important factor in speed. The only exception is that only full-strength 5G will bring you the kind of broadband-like speeds we’ve been promised.
Two years and two iPhones later, things haven’t changed dramatically.
Is 5G worth it? Consumers not so sure anymore
That financial times reports that consumer demand for 5G has declined.
Even in the Southeast Asian markets, which have adopted 5G much faster than most European and North American countries, consumer demand for 5G smartphones has only just begun to slow down. According to a recent report by Canalys, a company that analyzes technology markets, shipments of 5G devices fell by 7 percent to 24.5 million in the second quarter of this year.
“The 5G hype has died down and demand has shifted to more practical aspects of smartphones such as battery life, storage, processor speed and camera quality,” said Chiew Le Xuan, analyst at Canalys. “Everyone is feeling the need and the practical applications of 5G are yet to be seen.” He argues that 4G speeds are sufficient for everyday use in the vast majority of cases.
Airlines worry about the return on their investment
Cellular carriers collectively spent hundreds of billions of dollars buying 5G spectrum and building 5G infrastructure FT says many are now worried about whether that investment will pay off.
Concern is growing as to whether enough people are paying for the services they have invested so much in […]
As intense competition keeps 5G product prices low, operators are trying to recoup some of their infrastructure investments by coaxing consumers into higher tariff bands that offer more data. However, the global livelihood crisis could undermine this strategy, especially since the new products usually only offer minor advantages over the old ones.
The big fear is that the 5G experience will mirror that of 4G/LTE. There, network operators spent huge sums of money to upgrade their networks, but found that consumers were not willing to pay extra for it. The real beneficiaries of LTE have been companies like Apple, Google and Netflix, who now have the higher speeds to offer higher quality streaming without paying the bill.
What is your opinion?
What is your experience with 5G? Have you seen dramatically improved speeds that live up to the hype, or were the improvements more modest? Do you pay or would you pay a premium for 5G? Please take our poll and share your thoughts in the comments.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Visit 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:


text:
DETROIT -- If the 2015 GMC Canyon pickup looks a bit like a little brother to the larger Sierra full-sized pickup, that's by design.
The Canyon, which was scheduled to be unveiled Sunday, was designed to resemble a "little Sierra" to attract full-sized pickup buyers from other brands, says General Motors North America President Mark Reuss. He believes some owners of bigger trucks such as Ford's F-150 and the Ram 1500 want a smaller vehicle that still has most of their hauling and towing capability.
"We want to steal people from big pickup trucks in other brands with the GMC," Reuss said in an interview in November.
With the introduction this fall of the Canyon and its corporate cousin, the Chevrolet Colorado, GM will be zigging while its competitors zag. Both Ford and Ram have abandoned the shrinking market for mid-sized trucks, leaving the Toyota Tacoma as the dominant force.
Reuss says the Canyon and Colorado are aimed at slightly different buyer groups. While Chevy will position the Colorado as a sporty truck for active families, the bold-faced, industrial-looking Canyon will be for buyers who want more capability in a smaller package.

domain: news


text:
A new dog groomer is coming soon to Manchester! Highland Park Dog Grooming is coming soon to 464 East Center Street!
The new dog groomer will be located in the flat iron building, currently home to a barbershop and an art studio. No timeline has been announced for their opening, but they are already hiring dog groomers so a spring/summer opening is expected!
The dog groomers will be owned by Allison Saunders and Richard Roberts according to their business license filings.
Are you excited to see a new small business open in Manchester? Comment below!


text:
We’re looking forward to seeing what Apple Mac computers Apple is releasing this year. The Mac mini, a model that’s already been heard a faint marketing pattering before, may get a brand new design.
Rumors had it that the upcoming Mac mini would probably take design hints from the 2021 iMac and the original Apple TV, meaning it will be smaller and move away from the current unibody aluminium design.
Since 2010, the Mac mini has not been redesigned for years, suggesting it is close to the design revamp if this Apple silicon item becomes launched. Information was leaked by Apple leaker Jonathan Prosser about the appearance of the tech, which had not yet been released.
While Apple’s high-end displays may offer an appearance similar to thick glass, the company could be planning to release redesigned two-toned iMacs and MacBook Airs. This wouldn’t be an unexpected twist, since Apple is reportedly planning to adopt new colours in 2022 with its new line of iMacs and MacBook Airs.
There have already been many new Apple devices slated to release in 2022, including new AirPods Pro 2 devices and a brand-new MacBook Pro. Apple is planning to hold a launch event mid March 2022 to showcase a few of the new products


text:
As the saying goes, modern problems require modern solutions.
As automotive technology advances, criminals are getting more sophisticated. For example, keyless vehicles have been plagued by thieves using only a laptop and a signal extender. They’re replicating and amplifying the signal from the key inside the owner’s home to unlock and then drive away the vehicle.
Auto theft is on the rise
Auto theft is a serious problem. The FBI reports that in 2020, 810,400 vehicles were stolen in the U.S., amounting to $7.4 billion in losses. In the same year, more than 180,000 vehicles were stolen in the UK, approximately 120,000 in France, and 50,000 in Germany. No country is immune, and typically high-population, metropolitan areas are most at risk.
Early in August 2022, a new trend emerged: How-to videos appeared on TikTok explaining the process for stealing Korean branded vehicles using only a USB to start the ignition. Unfortunately, the vehicles that utilize a physical key also fall victim to this method as they aren’t equipped with a factory-installed anti-theft immobilizer. It’s reported that the vulnerability has been addressed in the latest 2022 models, but that may not be enough for a would-be thief to break into the car and try to use the method.
There is also a new trend in the electric vehicles (EVs) market — they’re being unplugged while charging either to annoy the owner or to allow an EV owner to charge their own vehicle.
The rise of a new anti-theft market
Law enforcement can allocate only so much to auto theft, so the onus remains with the car owner to take preventative steps by purchasing aftermarket anti-theft products. A sector of the market is dedicated to these products and their installation, accommodating a wide range of budgets.
High tech solutions include alarm upgrades featuring GPS tracking, key fob cloning prevention, and a password device that can be installed on a dashboard or steering column.
There are pouches that prevent the keyless fob signal from being cloned, and on-board diagnostics protectors to keep hackers at bay.
On the low-tech side, there are traditional steering wheel locks, and wheel clamps. These products may serve better as their immediate visibility to the would-be thief acts as a sufficient deterrent.
While the premise of aftermarket devices, particularly physical ones, are obvious to consumers, there may be barriers that can hold back potential buyers from making a purchase. It’s important for manufacturers to understand the types of barriers, how consumers feel about them, and then determine which are the strongest factors in preventing purchase.
It’s important for manufacturers to understand the types of barriers, how consumers feel about them, and then determine which are the strongest factors in preventing purchase.”
Security manufacturers have an opportunity to understand more than just the functionality of the devices they sell. Even if some barriers are difficult to overcome, manufacturers can find new ways to communicate with customers. For example, is storage of theft-prevention devices inside the car when the car is being driven an issue? They could also explore the behavior of current device users to learn more about their solutions for device storage, and if the device distracts or annoys them when it slides around the car floor. Gaining insights could help manufacturers develop new outreach for potential customers.
Below are some critical next steps for security manufacturers to explore:
- Behavioral research with users of current devices to understand challenges in use.
- Understanding what are the critical barriers that prevent a positive purchase choice.
- Develop awareness among consumers that supports going beyond the security standard set by vehicle manufacturers.
- Work with not-for-profit organizations such as Thatcham* to raise awareness levels amongst car owners. Use databases such as the Drivers and Vehicles License Association (DVLA) database to connect with an owner when they acquire a car to make sure they understand the strengths and weaknesses of their specific vehicle to encourage appropriate action.
Read a recent blog about the electric vehicle market.
Want to learn more about our insights work for the auto industry?
*Thatcham Research is a not-for-profit UK-based organization that influences manufacturers to improve vehicle security (and safety, as well as assessing the security of new vehicles through the NVSA program. They also support product certification and research and assessment into vehicle cyber security threats.


text:
PT Garuda Mataram Motor (GMM), as Audi's authorised distributor in Indonesia has plans to open a local-assembly (CKD) plant in the country, reports our sister site Autofun.co.id.
Stefan Hutahayan, a branch manager for PT GMM, shared that the company has "long had plans" to open said plant, which will be used to produce CKD Audi cars there.
Of course, that was delayed no thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. That said, Hutahayan adds that the plant could be "realised in 2023 or 2024".
This follows as the fully-imported Audi Q3 faces stiff competition from the recently-introduced Mercedes-Benz GLA, as Mercedes-Benz can offer more competitive pricing for their cars by virtue of being locally-assembled in the archipelago.


text:
Amazon Said Close to Agreement With Brookfield for London OfficePatrick Gower
Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is close to an agreement for Amazon.com Inc. to rent about 400,000 square feet (37,160 square meters) of office space near the London technology hub known as Silicon Roundabout, according to a person with knowledge of the talks.
The world’s biggest online retailer, based in Seattle, would occupy more than two-thirds of Brookfield’s Principal Place development, near the northern edge of the London’s main financial district, also known as “Tech City,” said the person, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private.
Henry Wallers, a Brookfield spokesman, declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Amazon declined to comment.
Companies from the technology, media and telecommunications sectors have buoyed London’s commercial property market as financial-services firms put off expansion plans. Media and technology companies agreed to lease more office space than any other industries during the first quarter, led by Google Inc.’s deal to lease an additional 160,000 square feet at its Kings Cross development, according to broker Knight Frank LLP.
Cushman & Wakefield Inc. is advising Amazon on the London lease talks, according to the person. Allsop LLP and Cushman & Wakefield are advising Brookfield.
Estates Gazette reported the lease talks on July 18.
To continue reading this article you must be a Bloomberg Professional Service Subscriber.
If you believe that you may have received this message in error please let us know.
- YouTube Bans Firearms Demo Videos, Entering the Gun Control Debate
- Stocks Tumble, Bonds Gain as Trade Tensions Rise: Markets Wrap
- Under Fire and Losing Trust, Facebook Plays the Victim
- Fed Lifts Rates, Steepens Path Through 2020 for More Hikes
- Uber Autonomous Accident Video Shows Car Just Before Collision


text:
FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - The Fayetteville Farmers Market opened for the season Saturday (Apr. 4th) at the Downtown Square, offering fresh and locally grown produce to people around Northwest Arkansas.
Local alpaca farmer Jane Dula was one of the 69 venders at the farmers market. She said the sunny morning helped bring out the customers.
"I love the farmers market because you're dealing with people, some people are from out of town, people are looking for gifts, and then I also have my regulars, I have people that come back week after week, month after month, that become personal friends," Dula said.
Kim Kapity also is a vender, and has a farm in Lincoln. She sells chicken, geese and duck eggs, and said on opening day of the farmers market, she sold over 1,000 eggs in 5 hours.
"Demand has been crazy, everyone's out, everyone wants the good fresh eggs," Kapity said.
Kapity said her sales from the farmers market allowed her to expand her business, and fulfill a life-long dream.
"It actually allowed me to quit my farm job, and so I do this full time which has been my dreams for years, and this made it possible, the volume of customers is fantastic I would have never been able to meet this many people on my own," Kapity said.
The Fayetteville Farmers Market is open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2p.m. Starting May 4th, Sunday markets will also open at the Jefferson Center Playground on 612 South College Ave. from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
In the River Valley, Van Buren is also opening its Farmers Market Saturday in the parking lot of the city's public library from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Here's a link to their Facebook page for more information.
Below is a list of a few farmers markets opening in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley this season.


text:
The fleet and motor industry has reacted with tempered enthusiasm to UK government plans to ban the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars by 2040.
The move followed countries such as France and India, matching the deadline of the former. While many industry commenters welcomed the plans, there were concerns over how it would be implemented in practice.
In a statement, Close Brothers Motor Finance said in order for the plans to be realised they required cooperation, and help for ICE car owners to adapt. Close Brothers Motor Finance said: “The decision to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040 can only work if more is done to support the public, and indeed car dealers, with making this change. Between now and 2040, the onus will be on car manufacturers and dealers to change negative consumer perceptions about the range and the cost of electric cars.
“The automotive industry is a huge contributor to the UK economy, and dealers, no less than consumers, will need support and education on any changes that are being rolled out, and how their businesses can continue to thrive in an evolving market.”
Simon Heath, director and automotive specialist at KPMG UK called 2040 an “aspirational deadline,” and cautioned that the changes would take time, and require large government investment.
He said: “In reality, this would only apply to new passenger vehicles, and it’s likely to take a further 20 years to clear UK roads of traditional petrol and diesel vehicles. The UK will continue to move towards plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles and target this aspiration, but this will take time: only 4.2 per cent of new car sales last month were in this category.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below formBy GlobalData
“The government needs to further consider the implications of the ban, as well as the huge infrastructure investment that will be required to install charging stations across the country”.
From the fleet sector, Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) said the government needed an additional short-term strategy to deal with pollution.
He said: “It will have almost no impact on NOx emissions here and now. It is what the government does in the short term to kick-start the transition and maintain its momentum that really matters. Any long-term zero-emission targets needs to be coordinated and underpinned by every localised, short-term strategy.”
Keaney also called for uniformity in standards for clean air zones across the country.


text:
Some really interesting research has been released from Abilene Christian University on mobile learning. They have a 1:1 ratio of mobile devices for staff and students and ran a trial with iPads over the last year with some interesting results:
- students who used an iPad to annotate text performed at a rate 25 percent higher on questions regarding transfer of information than their counterparts who used only paper.
- a 95% satisfaction rate using the iPad to accomplish their online coursework, citing convenience and the device’s range of features
- 86% of students reported improved student-to-student and student-to-teacher collaboration when using mobile devices
- 84% of ACU’s faculty reported using their devices frequently in class to facilitate enhanced classroom collaboration. 50% of ACU faculty reported using their mobile devices during every class period.


text:
Huawei Mate 20 X Review
Folding phones are no longer simple concepts, little by little the big technology manufacturers are presenting their first models for the masses and also little by little we are seeing more and more interesting bets. Huawei has been giving us clues with its invitation for today’s event and even some images have been leaked. Today, Huawei has presented its first folding phone, the Huawei Mate X. And it looks amazing.


text:
U.S. holiday retail sales this year were the weakest since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. In 2012, the shopping season was disrupted by bad weather and consumers' rising uncertainty about the economy.
U.S. holiday retail sales this year were the weakest since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. In 2012, the shopping season was disrupted by bad weather and consumers’ rising uncertainty about the economy.
A report that tracks spending on popular holiday goods, the MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, said yesterday that sales in the two months before Christmas increased 0.7 percent, compared with last year. Many analysts had expected holiday sales to grow 3 to 4 percent.
Shoppers were buffeted this year by a string of events that made them less likely to spend: superstorm Sandy and other bad weather, the distraction of the presidential election and grief about the massacre of schoolchildren in Newtown, Conn. The numbers also show how Washington’s current budget impasse is trickling down to Main Street and unsettling consumers. If Americans remain reluctant to spend, analysts say, economic growth could falter next year.
In the end, even steep last-minute discounts weren’t enough to get people into stores, said Marshal Cohen, chief research analyst at the market-research firm NPD Inc.
“A lot of the Christmas spirit was left behind way back in Black Friday weekend,” Cohen said, referring to the traditional retail rush the day after Thanksgiving. “We had one reason after another for consumers to say, ‘I’m going to stick to my list and not go beyond it.’??”


text:
The figure includes approximately 30,000 buyouts during the open signup period that concluded late Monday, plus about 8,000 who took deals offered at limited plants earlier this year.
Faced with lower demand for its products, Ford had hoped that 25,000 to 30,000 workers would sign up during the just-expired round of buyout offers so it could reduce manufacturing capacity to better match demand. The number who did was at the top end of that range.
The 38,000-worker reduction this year would amount to nearly 46 percent of the 83,000 unionized employees that Ford had at the start of the year. Ford has 10,423 unionized workers at nine plants in Ohio.
Ford shares rose 4 cents to $8.19 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Those who accepted the buyout packages will begin to leave the company starting in January, the company said.
The eight packages offered to employees ranged from $35,000 to $140,000 depending on their years of service, age and how close they are to retirement. One four-year package offered up to $15,000 per year for college tuition, plus half of the workers' salaries and health benefits. Another offer paid 70 percent of employees' salaries and tuition for two years.
"One of Ford's priorities, and a large cost component of our `Way Forward' plan for North America, is our ability to adjust manufacturing capacity with demand, while continuing to reduce operating costs and becoming more efficient," Ford President and Chief Executive Alan Mulally said in a statement. "While I know that in many cases decisions to leave the company were difficult for our employees, the acceptances received through this voluntary effort will help Ford to become more competitive."
The open enrollment period began in October. The offers included traditional packages for employees eligible for retirement, as well as nontraditional packages for employees with at least one year of service.
The company said just more than half of the employees accepted the nontraditional packages, which provided options such as lump-sum payments, tuition reimbursements or scholarship funds for family members.
Ford lost $7 billion in the first nine months of the year, and the company on Monday announced that it plans to get about $18 billion in financing due to negative operating cash flow and to pay for its restructuring. Ford's share of the market has declined from around 26 percent in the early 1990s to 17.6 percent at the end of October.
The company expects to cut its annual operating costs by $5 billion through 2008 through a combination of the reductions in hourly workers and by also offering packages to 10,000 white-collar workers, with further unspecified reductions in 2009.
Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans said the company is offering three programs to salaried workers — two early retirement packages and a buyout program. If the salaried workers are offered one of the packages, they are not able to select another, although the programs at this point are voluntary, she said.
Offers for two of the programs already have been made, while a third will go out in mid-December, she said.
"We think that the majority of the people who take the voluntary separation packages will do so by the end of the first quarter," Evans said.
Ford has 1,210 salaried workers at its Ohio operations.
Ford has announced plans to close 16 plants as part of the restructuring plan. Nine of the plants have been identified — including a transmission plant in Batavia near Cincinnati and a stamping plant in Maumee near Toledo — but the company has not named the remaining seven.
The company has said it doesn't expect to return to profitability until 2009, and that things would get even worse in the fourth quarter as market share continues to drop and Ford pays for further plant closures and job cuts to bring its manufacturing in line with lower demand.


text:
Daventry beef burglars steal tonne of steak from warehouse
Thieves made off with more than one tonne of prime beef in a raid at a Northamptonshire meat warehouse.
More than 360 fresh rib-eye roasting joints were stolen from Faraday Fine Foods Ltd in Faraday Close, Daventry, at about 19:00 GMT on Saturday.
Police said the thieves removed padlocks from the gates before forcing their way into the building.
They are appealing for "anyone who is offered large quantities of cheap beef" to get in touch.
David Baker, who owns the company, said: "This was prime Northamptonshire-branded beef from grain-fed, locally-reared cattle and was destined for the cruise liner industry.
"It's a large quantity of meat and its loss will hit us hard."


text:
Charleston Clears Backlog While Handling Record Container Volumes
After saying earlier this year that they had given up forecasting when the containership backlog off Charleston could be cleared, South Carolina Ports officials highlighted that they have finally been successful in reducing the backlog while also continuing to handle a record number of containers. SC Ports had its highest April ever for containers handled, marking the 14th consecutive month of cargo records at the Port of Charleston, while also making what it terms “significant progress,” on the backlogs and disruptions to normal port operations.
Currently, just two containerships are waiting at anchor to enter the Port of Charleston. This is down from a peak of 28 vessels in the anchorage. The South Carolina Ports Authority had predicted that it would clear its backlog by the beginning of 2022, later delaying the forecast to late February and then April, before saying it would no longer predict when the congestion would clear at the Port of Charleston.
At the beginning of April, analysts from MarineTraffic highlighted that there was more TEU capacity stuck outside East Coast ports than on the West Coast of the United States. At the time, 18 containerships were waiting at Charleston with analysts saying that they believed carriers and shippers were routing more traffic to the east to avoid the backlog, especially at the California ports along with the potential of future disruptions due to the upcoming longshore labor negotiations.
South Carolina Ports continues to handle record cargo volumes saying that the volumes are being sustained by retail imports. They reported that import volumes were up 34 percent in April compared to last year.
“With ongoing supply chain challenges and record cargo volumes, SC Ports remains focused on deploying responsive, creative solutions to return terminal and berth fluidity to normalcy for our customers,” SC Ports CEO Jim Newsome said. “We are in a strong position as we have proactively invested more than $2 billion into our infrastructure ahead of demand.”
SC Ports handled 264,099 TEUs at its two terminals in April, up 17 percent from last year. SC Ports has moved 2.4 million TEUs thus far in fiscal year 2022, from July through April, up 15 percent fiscal year-over-year.
April marked an all-time record for pier containers. SC Ports handled 145,779 pier containers last month, a 16 percent increase year-over-year. Thus far in fiscal year 2022, SC Ports has moved 1.3 million pier containers, up nearly 15 percent from the same period the prior year.
SC Ports COO Barbara Melvin pointed to the hard work of the port employees who helped to implement operational changes in real-time to respond to the ongoing supply chain challenges. Among the steps taken by SC Ports, they hired more than 150 people in operations, providing Sunday gates for motor carriers, prioritizing the shipping lines taking empties out, giving berth priority to vessels taking out more cargo, and leasing new chassis.
It is hard to compare the progress with the West Coast ports where they adopted a policy of asking containerships to register for berths and slow steam across the Pacific as opposed to anchoring or idling within a 25 mile radius for example off the San Pedro Bay. Yesterday, there were only four containerships anchored in or off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and in the Huntington anchorage accord to the Marine Exchange of Southern California. However, they reported that 16 containerships are scheduled to arrive over the next three days, which is basically consistent with the volumes seen in 2018/2019. They reported that a total of 31 containerships are currently registered as heading to the twin ports but of course, Pacific volumes have been impacted by the ongoing lockdowns in China.


text:
Creations Galore & Moore to open in Calera
Published 1:32 pm Wednesday, September 30, 2020
FROM STAFF REPORTS
CALERA — Creations Galore & Moore, a bakery, will hold a grand opening at its historic downtown Calera location Friday, Oct. 2, Calera Main Street has announced.
Located at 8261 U.S. 31 in the Historic Main Street District, Creations Galore & Moore offers custom cakes, pastries and other sweets handmade by owner-operator Nedra Moore. A wife, mother, business owner and former network engineer, Nedra found her true passion in cake baking almost seven years ago.
“Baking cakes was something I fell into,” Moore said. “I’m not a baker by trade, I’m a baker by trial and error. While working in IT, I would design cakes for close family members and friends. Surprisingly — and unbeknownst to me — folks actually thought I had a knack for this.”
“For the last six years, Moore has been operating from her website and the word of mouth of pleased customers to create truly unique culinary designs for any occasion,” said Jackie Batson, executive director of Calera Main Street. “She is excited to bring all of her experience to a brick and mortar location here in the heart of Historic Downtown Calera!”
A grand opening and triple ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Oct. 2 for this and two other new Main Street businesses. The Ribbon Cutting will begin at 9:30 a.m.
Creations Galore & Moore’s new store front will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit Creationsgaloreandmoore.com, Facebook @CreationsGaloreandMooreLLC or call 205-229-8439.


text:
All signs point to an impending launch for the Spotify streaming service on Xbox One.
Now you don't have to keep tabbing to YouTube to hear your favorite in-game tunes.
We guess this means people like to listen to music while playing their games. Who knew?
Sony has announced the launch of Spotify as part of its PlayStation Music service. So get ready to blast some serious tunes while you're gaming.
PlayStation Music will allow its users to enjoy their Spotify tunes from the comfort of their consoles and mobile devices this spring.


text:
Actavis Profits Decrease As Acquisition Takes Toll
Jacob is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
U.S. generics firm Actavis (NYSE: ACT), previously Watson Pharmaceuticals, reported a strong jump in its revenues in the fourth quarter and total earnings for 2012. Net revenues jumped 13% in the fourth quarter.
Although this was considerably less than 62% growth registered last year, it was compensated by the full year growth of 29%, in line with 2011. The company's growth was aided by a strong contribution from the acquisition of Swiss generics competitor Actavis (now the name of the new company). However, this led to a significant rise in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs, which nearly doubled during the quarter.
As a result of higher costs, margins suffered for both the fourth quarter and the full year. Net income reported by Actavis stood at $29 million, which was down 69% from the previous year for the quarter while full year profits dropped 62% to $98.3 million.
Following the merger with the Swiss company, the generics pharmaceutical firm has become the third largest generics player in the world. In 2012, Actavis launched more than 1,000 generic products globally. In the U.S. alone, Actavis has more than 185 Abbreviated New Drug Applications, with 49 first-to-file opportunities that could result in six months' exclusivity and a significant boost in sales ahead of competitor market penetration under the terms of the Hatch Waxman Act.
While cynics would point out that the costly acquisition was the biggest factor behind the disappointing results, the strategic move to acquire the Swiss competitor has not only resulted in a larger product portfolio, but has also developed the company's capabilities outside the U.S. into European and international markets.
The company expects to generate annual synergy savings of around $300 million over the next three years as a result of the acquisition. Unfazed by the criticism, the company is continuing with its merger and acquisition efforts, having recently acquired Belgium-based Uteron Pharma for $150 million plus up to $155 million in potential future milestone payments. The acquisition of the Belgian competitor has further expanded Actavis's pipeline for women's health products.
Actavis is merely trying to get ahead in the generics game, which is increasingly being characterized by size and specialization. Mylan (NASDAQ: MYL), another major U.S. generics company, has also been acquiring competitors to expand its reach. However, it is not enough to expand its reach in the domestic market, which is mature compared to overseas markets such as Europe or Japan in terms of generics penetration.
Unlike in the U.S., generic drugs do not feature in top lists in Europe, which essentially indicates high potential in these markets. Mylan started its international push in a big way by acquiring the generics business of the German pharmaceutical company Merck in 2007 but has since then expanded in India too. The management was not shy, saying that it would consider deals valued at “well over” $4 billion.
The consolidation is not endless as the largest generics player Teva (NYSE: TEVA) has slowed, after growing exponentially through a series of buyouts. The Israeli-based generic major has clearly moved toward an organic growth model, said its chairman Phillip Frost in November, marking a major shift from its history of acquisitions.
Teva has made 25 acquisitions in the past 10 years, including five valued at $3 billion or more. The last major acquisition for Teva was in July 2011 when it acquired a majority stake in the Japanese generic drug company Taiyo Pharmaceutical Industry.
Acquisitions will still continue to be important to Teva but the shift will be toward small to medium-sized deals that fit strategically with its pipeline.
All three companies are trying to maintain their growth rates through different strategies. While Actavis and Mylan seem to favor inorganic growth which offers instant benefits in boosting revenues and profits, Teva’s more calibrated approach of limiting buyouts to “bolt-on” acquisitions is aimed at consolidating and getting the best out of the acquired businesses. As such, Teva’s strategy provides a glimpse of the things to come for Actavis and Mylan.
valuewalk has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


text:
The landscape of electric car insurance is undergoing a significant shift, directly impacting electric vehicle (EV) owners. As of June 1, a notable change in third-party motor insurance premium rates has taken effect, drawing the attention of individuals interested in electric vehicles. Modifying premium rates raises essential questions about the cost of insuring EVs and what it means for those considering switching to electric. In this article, we’ll delve into the recent changes in electric vehicle premium rates to provide you with a clear understanding of how this development might affect your insurance decisions.
The recent approval by the Centre for updated base premium rates in third-party car insurance marks a significant development set to come into effect on June 1, 2022. These premium rates have maintained consistency throughout the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic and were last revised for the 2019-20 fiscal year. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) notified the public on May 26, 2022, about the impending implementation of these updated third-party motor insurance rates, thus bringing a fresh perspective on the cost structure for car insurance policies in the Indian market. #
Consumers must stay informed about these changes to make well-informed decisions regarding their electric car insurance policies, whether they currently own an EV or are contemplating a shift to electric vehicles.
Premiums For Electric Vehicles Over The Long Term
A three-year insurance policy for a new private electric vehicle (EV) having a power output of under 30 KW will cost Rs 5,543. The three-year premium would cost Rs 9,044 for an electric vehicle with a power output of more than 30 kW but less than 65 kW. Larger EVs with higher than 65 KW will each cost Rs 20,907 for three years of insurance.
Premium Prices For Electric Vehicles
Private vehicles under 30 KW will be charged an additional Rs 1,780. Personal vehicles with more than 30 kW but less than 65 KW will cost Rs 2,904, and cars with more than 65 KW will cost Rs 6,712.
The premium cost for bikes up to 3 KW will be Rs 457, and for vehicles more than 3 KW but under 7 KW, it would be Rs 607. Two-wheelers more than 7 KW but under 16 KW will need to pay a premium of Rs 1,161, and vehicles over 16 KW must pay a premium of Rs 2,383. You can use a car insurance calculator to calculate the costs of premiums. *
In a rapidly evolving world where sustainability and electric vehicles are becoming increasingly prevalent, staying informed about the nuances of electric vehicle insurance is paramount. The recent increase in third-party motor insurance premium rates starting from June 1 has prompted EV owners and prospective buyers to reevaluate theirmotor insurance choices. As electric vehicles continue to gain traction, understanding the intricacies of their insurance rates will be essential for making informed decisions. *
* Standard T&C Apply
Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.


text:
We recently discovered that coffee may be linked to lower breast cancer rates. Now it looks like guys have something to celebrate too — new research has linked coffee do a dropped risk of prostate cancer. Once again the complicated mixture of ingredients has shown to be beneficial, and this time even decaf drinkers get it.
Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service.


text:
Sales: $125 million
Hal Uhrman, chief executive officer; Brian Limbert, chief operating officer; Jim Beard, senior vice president, marketing; Eric Kowalewski, vice president, operations
Green Seal certified cleaners, drain maintenance, hand care, restroom care, water treatment and related products for the building, government, education, health care and industrial markets; Fragrance Factoryodor control; State 24/7 automated drain maintenance system; Soap Factory II hand care system
Privately held State Industrial Products says sales continue to grow steadily as it approaches a major milestone—its 100th year in business in Cleveland, OH.
As it honors its past, the company is committed to the future of the I&I business—green products. An active participant in the Consumer Specialty Products Association Product Care program, State offers products certified to the latest Green Seal GS-37 standard for cleaners, GS-40 for floor care and GS-41 for hand cleaners. State Industrial also offers products awarded EPA Design for the Environment (DfE) certification and EcoLogo certification.
To further bolster its green offerings, last year the company doubled production capacity by purchasing a 200,000-sq.ft. manufacturing facility in Hebron, OH.
“The purchase of the Hebron manufacturing facility is an important and exciting step in the ongoing growth and success of State Industrial Products,” said Hal Uhrman, chief executive officer. “The added capacity will improve our ability to provide exceptional customer service and allow us to broaden our rapidly growing ‘green’ product line.”


text:
Toyota is no longer perceived as the most environmentally conscious automaker in the world.
According to Best Global Green Brands ranking, Ford has surpassed the Japanese automaker as the world’s greenest brand. The annual survey, which is conducted by Deloitte Consulting, gauges consumer perceptions in markets around the world and combines that data with how companies operate internally and report their environmental behavior.
SEE ALSO: Ford Lowers MPG Ratings on Six Vehicles
Ford improved its ranking this year by communicating better on its environmental activities, while Toyota lost ground for not being as transparent as in years past with its non-product issues such as water usage, greenhouse gas and business travel.
GALLERY: Ford C-Max Hybrid
GALLERY: Ford C-Max Energi
[Source: Automotive News]
Discuss this story at our Ford forum


text:
This week’s theme is the future of deliveries, and you know what that means… DRONES!
The use of drones to make deliveries is kind of a stroke of genius. They’re occupying empty space, taking trucks and cars off the roads, and look pretty badass. Plus, they improve the most inefficient part of all deliveries, the last-mile. In an ideal world, implementing drone delivery would begin immediately, since multiple companies such as Flytrex, Amazon Prime Air, and Workhorse have already built drones that can carry small and medium packages across cities. However, a couple of impediments stand in its way:
U.S. regulations dictate that drones must be within line-of-sight. Several companies, including Workhouse, have tackled this problem by mating the technology with their already existing on-the-ground delivery fleet.
The lightweight nature of drones renders them susceptible to weather damage.
Drones will never be able to deliver heavy objects. Not only will it require too big of a machine, but the risks of dropping something heavy from high in the sky are too dangerous.
The last time drone delivery was tested in L.A., a whole bunch of people decided it would be fun to take out their pellet and paint guns and shoot them down. A whole other bunch of people chose instead to try and hack them.
Companies would still have to maintain multiple delivery logistics if they don’t have an insane number of drones to complete every single delivery.
All this being said, there are still hundreds of startups around the world dedicated to making drone delivery a reality. Most online purchases weigh less than 1kg, which is way below the max lift weight of 10kg for most drones. Drone delivery will potentially lower costs, improve operations, and help companies keep up with the ever growing online shopping market.
And if you’re still not convinced, how do you feel about pizza? Now you’re thinking, “What does pizza have to do with drone delivery?” EVERYTHING. Domino’s is one of the companies most enthusiastic about drone delivery. Domino’s Group CEO Don Meij was quoted saying, “We’ve always said that it doesn’t make sense to have a two-ton machine delivering a two-kilogram order.” That’s right folks, pizza delivery by drone will soon be a thing! Get excited.
I'm much more optimistic than this meme would suggested.


text:
The BALENCIAGA’S SPRING SUMMER 2023 show blew my mind with street style and lifestyle choices to cater to a diverse market.
The wonder and spectacle of style that is Haute Couture Fashion Week took place in Paris from the 4th – 7th of July 2022.
Balenciaga Catwalk Show On Wall Street in New York! Guests who secretly, or not so secretly, griped about the timing of Balenciaga’s
It is Sneaker Freak Friday and the perfect time to chop it up about Balenciaga’s Trashed Sneaker Culture Controversy. Shredded, stained and graffitied, the £1,290 ‘Paris’ sneakers are just the latest example of style’s flirtation with destruction.
Crocs have finally entered the luxe league – thanks to Balenciaga and the latest collaboration between the marquees.
Blame Balenciaga for making Crocs Fashionably cool for hipsters. The Paris-based luxury label Balenciaga with the creative direction…
Balenciaga has Reconstructed its Track Sneaker Into A Sneakerhead Bag! This will be the bag of the summer now.
This is already sold out! Yeezy and Balenciaga joined forces to create a long-sleeve t-shirt to memorialize rapper Earl “DMX” Simmons,


text:
The industry will thrash out 10 solutions to the transparency crisis in a public debate at tomorrow’s half-day AdNews Live! Tackling Transparency event. Be part of the debate and vote on the most feasible and workable solutions.
AdNews asked the speakers at tomorrow's AdNews Live! Tackling Transparency forum to each submit a workable solution that helps address the transparency crisis.
We're now able to reveal the 10 solutions that will be debated at the event tomorrow and voted on.
The debate is designed to move the conversation forward and lay the groundwork for a more transparent industry - both in the digital advertising realm, and in the relationships between agencies and their clients.
Participants and attendees at tomorrow’s event will vote yes/no to the 10 solutions up for debate. See the programme here.
There are a handful of tickets left so you can still come along.
NAB CMO Andrew Knott, who recently outlined a major push for transparency, is the keynote speaker.
For those unable to attend, AdNews is extending the opportunity to vote by opening a survey online here. Take the survey and vote here or below.
Here is the list of the 10 solutions, with a brief explainer. We urge you to get involved, and have your say.
Media owners to align with agencies on digital media currency definitions, and agree to third-party billable events based on them.
(The technology exists that can both enable and independently verify digital media processes. The industry needs to agree upon simple marketing metrics that make sense to everyone and allow for an independent auditing process against which any buyers of any digital advertising can easily purchase with genuine confidence.)
A scorecard for media owners, based on ad clutter, viewability, ad fraud, content and time spent.
(Publishers/media owners to be rated according to their digital offering based on the benchmarks listed above.)
Trade on one definition of viewability, and one industry-wide viewability currency.
(The trading of advertising and payment against an agreed minimum viewability standards as defined by one endorsed independent vendor.)
Blockchain technology for digital advertising.
(The use of blockchain technology to underpin the entire digital ecosystem, and when that ecosystem is used, by client, agency or consumer, an automatic record is kept on an open, public ledger. Sounds far-fetched, however, it is getting traction in the States already.
Push-back on global media commission rates.
(Sometimes global media commissions are not sustainable in domestic markets and can drive non-transparent behaviour, particularly if staff costs are high. Should local clients push back on global media deals that aren’t sustainable at a local level?)
Outlaw agency incentives.
(Should incentives like commissions, one-off payments, volume-based payments or any rebates/spend incentives from media vendors to media agencies or advertisers be made illegal?)
Set industry transparency benchmarks.
(Should there be a legal requirement for media agency incentives to be fully transparent and disclosed? This includes things like programmatic – if a media buyer is also a seller of media inventory do they have to declare their margins? Discounts – should discounts or free media inventories be passed on to clients?)
An industry standard on cost.
(Should industry standards on cost (staff billable hours, rate card guidelines, etc) become a baseline for pitching process negotiations to ensure clients are aware of sustainable levels of media agency remuneration?)
A best-practice agency-client remuneration model.
(How agencies are being remunerated can lead to non-transparent practices. Is there a remuneration model or mix that encourages more transparent in media buying practices? Is it possible to come up with a best practice model or is this not viable in reality?)
Enforce an industry-wide master media contract as a baseline. Update it annually to future proof it.
(Should there be an annual client/agency AANA master contract update that is adopted industry-wide?)
Vote here. AdNews will report back in coming days with the findings.
Alternatively, make space in your diary tomorrow morning, and attend.
Email Nicola at firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
A new independent survey among over 650 UK business leaders has found:
- 38% said their organisation is held back by a reliance on outdated practices or processes
- Decision-makers aged under 35 (48%) were more likely to hold this view than those over 55 (16%)
- Two in five (39%) said a greater reliance on digital communication during Covid-19 has lowered the quality of their customer service
- More than half (55%) of under 35’s said their organisation uses too many different communication channels, which impedes productivity.
As organisations reflect on more than 18 months of COVID-19, new research from Soffos.ai reveals that many have struggled with their digital transformation efforts.
The AI-powered corporate learning platform commissioned an independent survey among 4,000 UK adults, of which 666 are decision-makers within UK businesses. Over a third (38%) said their business is still held back by a reliance on outdated practices or processes, despite the transformations brought about by the pandemic.
Ineffective internal communication is a key problem: 38% of business leaders admitted that their organisation now uses too many varying channels for regular collaboration, which is interrupting productivity. Decision-makers under the age of 35 were much more likely to hold this view (48%) than those over 55 (16%).
Two in five (39%) said that the quality of their customer service declined over the past 18 months as a result of relying more heavily on digital communication. A third (36%) enlisted the support of online chatbots during this time to help them handle customer enquiries while physical interactions were restricted.
Similar numbers (35%) agreed that the quality of their core product or service worsened since relying more heavily on technology to do their work during the pandemic.
However, business leaders are split about their future plans. Just over half (57%) of respondents said that digital-first communication will not replace in-person interactions within their organisation in the long-term, with 43% conversely saying that digital-first is now the default.


text:
Luis Perez is the owner of 1958 Cuban Cuisine in Westfield. The restaurant that is usually packed with patrons hoping to get a table, was completely empty, like many other restaurants and businesses in town.
“For anyone coming to Westfield, the town is closed,” Perez said.
That’s because on Monday evening the town officially required all restaurants and retail to provide delivery or curbside pickup only in an effort to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
Marilou Halvorsen, the president of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association, says restaurants everywhere are now grappling with how to survive and take care of their employees in this sudden new reality.
“It was a 90% layoff on Monday night of restaurant employees. Those that choose to do delivery or takeout will retain some of their back of house. If this goes for for weeks, 45% of independent businesses may not reopen,” Halvorsen said.
“I had already informed them last week and I helped some them apply online for unemployment. We have some here, but it’s really hard to even know what we can have. It’s a day by day process,” Perez said.
On the ability of shipments of food he added, “Things are beginning to get scarce. A distributor told me that the’re out of chicken.”
Perez says the goal is to remain creative and optimistic, and he says that starts in the kitchen.
“I have an idea to do a menu like a package, like ‘this this and this for a family of six’ and have a special price from them. Everything is going to change day by day. I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. But I have to be fast enough to change the rules and what I am doing to survive,” he said.
Perez says in addition to ordering from local restaurants, people can also help out by making sure to tip a little extra when they receive their delivery.


text:
US: Dr Pepper Snapple Group enters energy drink market
Dr Pepper Snapple Group has unveiled its entry into the US energy drink market with the introduction of Venom.
The new drink, available in Black Mamba, regular and Mojave Rattler, low-carbohydrate/calorie, will be available in a 16.9oz re-sealable aluminium bottle, the company said today (10 June).
"Venom will accelerate Dr Pepper Snapple's entry into the fast growing energy drink market by delivering a jolt of energy in new killer packaging," said Charlotte Dimery, director of marketing for Venom. "Its piercing energy that strikes back in a new re-sealable bottle delivers something new and functional in the competitive energy landscape."
The Venom energy blend contains caffeine, l-carnitine, guarana, ginseng and taurine.
The two ranges will be available at retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of US$2.29 per bottle.
Australia's drinks industry could be facing a few seismic shifts over the next few months....
Drought conditions have made the last few years tough for Australian wine producers. But while one might have expected the extended hot and dry conditions to be a fillip for the soft drinks sector, fi...
A recent report has warned that confidence in the soft drinks industry in Europe is on the slide....
Energy drink maker DC Brands hopes to open up new business in the sporting world by signing a deal with well-known sports coach and trainer Steve Hess....
Dr Pepper and Major League Gaming (MLG), the video game league, have expanded their US sponsorship deal....
Dr Pepper Snapple has become the latest soft drinks firm to report trouble on the US market, with a decline in third quarter revenue, volumes and earnings....
PepsiCo Canada has announced that it will voluntarily disclose the amount of caffeine on all its product packaging, including Pepsi, Pepsi Max and Lipton Iced Tea brands....
Bebida Beverage Company is looking to increase the presence of its Piranha Spring Water brand in the US....
- Focus - Edrington's FY Performance by Brand
- Where Beer is Brewed Can Leave a Bad Taste
- Pernod relies on Indian whiskey to crack Africa
- Analysis - Storm clouds lift over Diageo Towers
- NPD: The Clear Soft Drink Trend is Back
- Diageo CFO Mahlan to head up N America
- Former Bacardi exec takes De Kuyper CEO role
- Diageo lining up Gleneagles sale - report
- Edrington posts FY profits drop
- Pernod Ricard allays Havana Club shortage fears
- Global liqueurs insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- The IWSR Company Profile 2014 – Remy Cointreau
- Edrington Group in Spirits (World)
- Diageo plc (DGE) - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review
- Global Tequila insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research


text:
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Posted: 04/11/2014 1:00 AM | Comments: 0
Last Modified: 04/11/2014 11:27 AM | Updates
ATLANTA -- A January trade delegation to Georgia led by Premier Greg Selinger has yet to bear fruit but it has accomplished perhaps its most important goal -- getting Manitoba on the radar in the hottest market in the United States.
The group, which included Bill Morrissey, head of Yes! Winnipeg, Elliott Brown, the province's director of Canada-U.S. and international relations, and Diane Gray, president and CEO of CentrePort Canada, spent several days in Atlanta and the surrounding area in search of investment in Manitoba and export markets.
Atlanta-based officials said this week they are on a never-ending quest to tell the world their city is within a two-hour flight (or two days by truck) of 80 per cent of the U.S. market, ranks third in the country with 14 Fortune 500 headquarters, including Coca-Cola, Home Depot, UPS and Delta Airlines, Georgia's six per cent corporate income tax rate hasn't changed since 1969 and the state has net in-migration of 50,000 people a year. On top of that, the six southeast states have a combined GDP of $1.6 trillion, making the area the 11th-largest economy in the world.
"We have to brand Atlanta and they have to do it for Winnipeg. We had a lot in common with them," said Renee Rosenheck, senior project manager of international investment with the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
"Nobody who lives in the U.S. wakes up and says, 'I want to open my business in Winnipeg.' They think Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver," she said.
There are 260 Canadian companies with operations in Georgia, the eighth-biggest state in the U.S., including Manitoba's Great-West Lifeco, Smith Carter architects and Winpak, a producer of high-quality packaging materials.
Price Industries, a Winnipeg-based manufacturer of air-distribution products, has more than 1,000 employees in the state, and New Flyer Industries produces 75 per cent of Atlanta's transit buses.
Total trade between Manitoba and Georgia was $540.5 million in 2012.
"Atlanta is increasingly a major global transportation and logistics hub, being well-known as the home of the world's busiest airport," Selinger said.
One of the most enticing carrots Georgia offers to companies considering setting up in the state is its Quick Start training program. Its people will visit the company's current manufacturing plant, do a training-needs analysis and put together a training program.
When a company confirms its investment in the state, the training program is put in place so employees develop skills specific to its production process.
"It can take a year or two to build a facility. While that's being built, we're training. On the day they cut the ribbon, they can start production," said Scott McMurray, director of international investment and global commerce with Georgia USA.
Bruce Berry, president and CEO of Winpak, said with 75 per cent of its business in the U.S., it only makes sense to have five of its 10 plants south of the border. (Six if you include one in Mexico. Four others are in Canada.)
Winpak established its presence in Atlanta in 1980 through an acquisition, and Berry said its timing was great, considering the immense growth of the region since then.
"Where there is population growth, there are people eating, and when they eat, their food has to be packaged. Food-packing operations tend to hover where the people are," he said.
It also helps that the U.S. southeast is a significant meat and poultry market, and that's right up the alley of a company that makes packaging materials for the highly perishable food products business, he said.
Geoff Kirbyson is touring the U.S. as part of a U.S. government program called U.S.-Canada: Partners in Economic Development.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 11, 2014 B7
Updated on Friday, April 11, 2014 at 11:27 AM CDT: Corrects that the six southeast states have a combined GDP of $1.6 trillion
Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.
Having problems with the form?Contact Us Directly
Philippines unlikely to meet full-year growth goal
Iconic Chinese liquor maker in graft probe
Stuart Olson acquiring Studon Electric
Black Friday booming
Audit: Most BP oil spill claims handled correctly
Colombians protest ban on ride-share company Uber
9 counties that won't meet new ozone standard
Valeant invests big in Steinbach
Wall continues to call for pipeline support
Safety board takes aim at transport oversight
How the Dow Jones industrial average did Wednesday
Jian Ghomeshi: his career before the scandal
Most actively traded companies on the TSX
CBC's 'Fifth Estate' to run Ghomeshi episode
Chinese woman denied own trial in seed-theft case
Twitter now tracks other apps you've installed
Company to give back wages to disabled workers
Stock indexes edge further into record territory
Holiday travellers greeted by cheap gas, storms
Canada Post on track to profit in 2014
Fact sheet: 2015 Honda CR-V
Housing affordability improves in Manitoba
3 Reasons holiday shoppers will spend cautiously
Calgary-based transport giant acquires Gardewine Group
US 30-year mortgage rates slip to 3.97 per cent
Bristol-Myers: FDA blocks hepatitis C drug for now
Snow makes Thanksgiving travel 'a little hairy'
TransCanada cuts ties to public relations firm
Netflix sues Yahoo CIO for alleged kickbacks
Alberta rolls back oil forecasts for 2014-15
Immigrants Social Security eligible in Obama plan
Boston Market CEO on Thanksgiving, food courts
Farmers in Manitoba having a good year so far
Health insurance sign-ups coming to shopping malls
US agency threatens to act against air bag maker
Benefits deal in effect for Maritime Link
Audit finds Pan Am security behind schedule
Grain mixed, livestock lower


text:
Blancco and Data Agility Group partnership increases Erasure as a Service sales opportunities
Blancco Technology Group, the industry standard in data erasure and mobile device diagnostics, announced that due to its close partnership with Data Agility Group (DAG), which delivers collaborative and innovative world-class technology solutions to businesses across the world, DAG’s Erasure as a Service sales opportunities increased by 200% year-over-year.
Blancco’s Erasure as a Service offering enables MSPs like DAG – as well as distributors, VARs and MSSPs – to add secure, auditable data erasure to their product suites.
DAG has incorporated Blancco’s Erasure as a Service as a value-add solution to its portfolio that enhances end-of-life data management and provides a verifiable audit trail to comply with the growing number of data privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA.
Christina Walker, Global Director of Channel Sales and Programs at Blancco, said the rise in demand for the company’s Erasure as a Service can be attributed to both the increase in data privacy regulation compliance mandates across the globe and the growth of new “green” initiatives that reflect an organization’s good corporate citizenship.
“Companies now have a much deeper awareness of the importance of data sanitization as they look to reuse or recycle hard drives, mobile devices, servers and more,” said Walker. “The result is fast-growing demand for data erasure in the channel. Our partnership with DAG illustrates how quickly the demand for Erasure as a Service has grown just over the past year.”
As a global professional services company with projects in more than 20 countries, DAG specializes in helping organizations with their digital transformation initiatives and data migration services between hosts, data centers or the cloud.
Through DAG’s partnership with Blancco, it is now able to protect customers’ critical data, permanently sanitizing and eradicating obsolete or redundant data while maintaining compliance with privacy laws and other standards.
“Our ability to offer turnkey services helps DAG to stand out from the competition, so it makes perfect sense that we’d incorporate Erasure as a Service not just as an ‘add on’ or afterthought but as part of our core offering,” said Andy Abbas, President and CEO of DAG.
“We’ve seen demand for Erasure as a Service grow exponentially over the past last year, and we credit much of this growth to our partnership with Blancco and its reputation of providing the best data sanitization solution available and a very helpful and knowledgeable team.”
DAG joins Blancco’s growing list of strategically aligned partners, which includes SHI International, Ingram Micro, Fujitsu and Techchef, as well as more than 100 active regional partners, such as H3 Secure, Bayside Solutions and Softchoice.


text:
Your brand is your biggest asset, especially in our space. In the article “The Employer Brand Imperative: Why It’s More Important Than Ever” written by Alex Rynne, it is noted that today’s brands are rushing to elevate their customer experiences as a point of differentiation. That’s the right call! But in many cases, we may be putting the cart before the horse.
As customer service expert Shep Hyken once said: “The internal customer experience determines the external customer experience.”
In other words, without invested, engaged, capable employees to spearhead the initiative, delivering stellar customer experiences is all but impossible. Research suggests that business leaders are wise to be more mindful than ever of their “internal customer experience,” and how it impacts the company’s ability to attract and retain talent.
Why? Because a reckoning is afoot. You can scroll down to our infographic for a visual summary of stats and insights or read on for our analysis of key takeaways.
Preparing For The Wave
The rippling uncertainty of last year’s pandemic caused many employees to adopt a “shelter-in-job” mentality, staying put more out of risk aversion than job satisfaction. Now, as things continue to open up here in the second half of 2021, that trend is about to flip on its head.
Data from LinkedIn and Microsoft suggests that 41% of employees are considering leaving their current employer this year. LinkedIn’s George Anders remarks that the numbers indicate “a doubling of job-switching intent.”
There’s a combination of forces at play. One is that more companies are hiring, with the economy kicking into gear following a stall-out. The other is that transforming work dynamics are creating new opportunities for employees, and greatly expanding their fields of possibility. The rapid rise in hybrid and remote positions means geography is less of a barrier.
Employer Brand plays a critical role in not only keeping your current talent aboard, but also appealing to the wealth of newly available talent exploring the job market. And so it’s very important to recognize that the traditional cornerstones of Employer Brand are giving way to new priorities.
Purpose Emerges as a Pivotal Element of Employer Brand
Yes, employees want to be compensated fairly, enjoy their work, and to be recognized and rewarded for good performance. But data shows that these considerations all fall behind one core focus: brand purpose.
Consider these numbers:
>>52% of employed Americans say the companies they want to work for changed during the pandemic.
>>67% of employees say that having a sense of purpose in their job is more important now than before the pandemic.
>>41% say they would not work for an organization that fails to speak out about racism in America.
More and more, we’re seeing customers choose to do business with companies that openly reflect their values and beliefs. The same is true for employees, and these data points help bear that out.
As the infographic starkly illustrates, when companies lead with purpose, employees are vastly more likely to want to work there, remain loyal, and forgive mistakes.
Marketers Must Get Intentional With Employer Branding
“Focusing efforts on ensuring a strong brand is critical for employers as we emerge from the cloud of Covid-19 pandemic challenges,” said HR.com CEO Debbie McGrath in a recent release highlighting new survey data. “Lack of intentional branding and recruitment strategies may not only lead to a loss of good candidates but also to a loss of business!”
Today’s marketers need to think in these terms. Building a strong brand isn’t only about appealing to customers, but also current and future employees. If businesses don’t succeed with the latter, they’ll have little chance with the former.
Michael Hammond is the founder and president of NexLevel Advisors. NexLevel provides solutions in business development, strategic selling, marketing, public relations and social media. A seasoned technology executive, Michael brings close to two decades of leadership, management, marketing, sales and technical product and services experience. His expertise spans start-ups to multi-billion dollar corporations, running businesses, business units, marketing, sales, strategy and product and services organizations. Michael brings exceptional insight, leadership, passion, and strategies that create profitability.


text:
Apple is set to use a new display maker in the next generation of iPhone – BOE. Wired gives a good overview of the relatively unknown company.
The company, which was founded in Bejing in 1993 and acquired the STN-LCD and OLED business of SK Hynix in 2001, is ranked second in the world for flexible OLED shipments, holding a market share of 11 % in the first trimester. of this year. It is naturally still far behind market leader Samsung, which held 81% of the OLED market share in the same quarter. Yet with a significant share of the OLED market already under its belt, it might not be too surprising – at least now – that the company already has some renowned allies. BOE’s display technology is currently being used in Huawei’s most popular smartphone models, including the premium P and Mate series, and it will apparently make the palm stretch screen this year. Huawei mate 40.
Check it out: Who is Apple iPhone Display-Maker BOE?


text:
In a surprise announcement, AMD said today that CEO Dirk Meyer has resigned as president, CEO and director of the company effective immediately.
Bruce Claflin, Chairman of AMD’s Board of Directors, is leading a search committee to find a replacement for Meyer. Industry veteran Claflin was also named Executive Chairman of the Board and will assume additional oversight responsibilities at AMD (NYSE: AMD) during the transition period to a new CEO, the company said. Seifert will maintain his CFO responsibilities and has asked not to be considered for the position of permanent CEO.
“Dirk became CEO during difficult times. He successfully stabilized AMD while simultaneously concluding strategic initiatives including the launch of GlobalFoundries, the successful settlement of our litigation with Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) and delivering Fusion APUs to the market,” Claflin said in a statement.
“However, the Board believes we have the opportunity to create increased shareholder value over time. This will require the company to have significant growth, establish market leadership and generate superior financial returns. We believe a change in leadership at this time will accelerate the company’s ability to accomplish these objectives.”
One of Meyer’s greatest accomplishments was finalizing a $1.25 billion settlement with Intel(NASDAQ: INTC) back in November, 2009 over the chip giant’s business practices that ended years of litigation between the two firms.
Chip analyst Nathan Brookwood credited Meyer with righting AMD’s ship from an engineering and product lineup perspective, but speculated that AMD’s board may be after someone with more marketing experience than Meyer who has an extensive engineering background.
“I’ve been on the phone with people at AMD and I get the impression they’re looking for someone to take the company to a higher level, someone with a proven track record as CEO,” Brookwood, principal analyst with Insight64, told InternetNews.com. “Dirk moved up the ranks at AMD and was well-regarded inside the company, but he’s had to rely on subordinates when it came to making marketing decisions.”
By contrast, Brookwood noted that Intel CEO Paul Otellini moved up the ranks with a marketing background. Brookwood said he thinks from a marketing perspective, Meyer has actually set the table nicely for a new CEO.
“AMD’s product lineup and technology has never been stronger,” he said. “One thing Dirk did was beef up the R&D ranks tremendously,” he said. “Some might question how long it took to get the new Fusion products to market, but it’s silly to argue over a few months.”
Brookwood said a real coup for the new CEO would be to get Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) to adopt the company’s Fusion integrated graphics processor. “Apple’s currently shipping a three year old Intel Core 2 Duo with an Nvidia chipset because it didn’t like Intel’s integrated graphics,” he said. “It would make tremendous sense to have that in the MacBook Air,” said Brookwood.
AMD’s stock was down 4.24 percent in after hours trading to $8.80.


text:
The billionaire Hinduja brothers have been named as the wealthiest people in the UK for a third time, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
Sri and Gopi Hinduja saw their fortune increase by £1.356bn in the last year to £22bn, the paper estimates.
Meanwhile, chemicals firm founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who topped last year’s list, has slipped to third place.
And Valerie Moran becomes the first black female entrepreneur ever to make the paper’s Rich List.
Family business the Hinduja Group was founded in Mumbai in 1914, and now has interests around the world including in oil and gas, banking, IT and property.
British citizens Sri, 83, and Gopi, 79, who are based in London, are two of the four brothers controlling the empire.
Among the properties they own is the Old War Office in Whitehall, which they hope to reopen as a luxury hotel.
The list, which estimates the 1,000 richest people in the UK, is based on identifiable wealth including land, property, other assets such as art, and shares in companies, the Sunday Times says. It does not include the amount contained in people’s bank accounts.
Brothers David and Simon Reuben – who made their fortune in property, carpets and scrap metal – are in second place on the list, with a combined wealth of £18.664bn.
Meanwhile, the richest person on last year’s list, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who founded the Ineos chemicals firm, saw his net worth drop by £2.9bn since last year, the paper says.
Inventor Sir James Dyson – who campaigned for Brexit and has announced he would be relocating his company headquarters to Singapore – comes in at fifth on the list, up from 12th last year.
Zimbabwe-born Ms Moran is the first black female entrepreneur on the Rich List, ranking joint 970th alongside her husband, Noel. The couple, whose combined fortune is estimated at £122m, have a 81.5% stake in financial technology company Prepaid Financial Services.
Kirsten Rausing, part of the Rausing family which was behind the Tetra Pak drinks carton empire, is the highest ranked woman on the list. She appears alongside her brother Jorn Rausing in sixth place, with a combined estimated wealth of £12.256bn.
Meanwhile, Sir Philip Green and his wife Tina are placed at 156th on the list, down from 66th last year. His fortune has been estimated at £950m – the first time in 17 years that Sir Philip has not been listed as a billionaire.
Sir Philip’s company, The Arcadia Group, has been coping with a pensions deficit.
Robert Watts, who compiled this year’s list, said: “On the face of it this looks like a bumper year for the super-rich, with record wealth, more billionaires and the entry level rising to £120m.
“But many of the rich are nursing big losses after a year of turbulence on the stock market and political deadlock in Westminster.
“Technology is making and breaking fortunes. We are finding young entrepreneurs making vast sums of money from online fashion retail, dating apps and creating YouTube videos.”
He added that online shopping “continues to have a profound effect” on UK high streets, adding that well known retailers “are seeing their fortunes smashed by this seismic change”.
For the sixth year in a row, Scotland’s richest person was named as Glenn Gordon and his family, the Jersey-based tycoon behind distillers William Grant & Sons. The group produces whisky including Grant’s, Glenfiddich and The Balvenie, as well as Hendrick’s gin.
And Cardiff-born venture capitalist Sir Michael Moritz remains Wales’ richest person with a £3bn fortune.
The richest sports star aged 30 or under was named as Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy.
Meanwhile, top of the Music Rich List in the UK – which includes writers and performers – is Andrew Lloyd Webber with a fortune of £820m.
Musician Ed Sheeran doubled his wealth last year, while grime artist Stormzy made his debut on the rich list of young musicians with £16m.


text:
One of Australia's richest telco entrepreneurs is putting up his own cash to unearth the next generation of technology start-ups.
Dodo founder, Melbourne property developer and confessed "serial entrepreneur" Larry Kestelman has launched a competition he says will see one or more up-and-comers receive up to $5 million in cash.
The Big Pitch is being organised by one of Kestelman's many companies, 15-month-old Oxygen Ventures.
The catch? The start-ups have to be willing to work with the man himself.
A year after he sold junior telco Dodo to M2 Telecommunications Group for $203.9 million (he is still its largest shareholder), Kestelman has time up his sleeve and is willing to invest some of the sale proceeds in new ventures.
"I love start-ups. I love doing things a little differently. I like to get involved in the business and expose them to the powers we have as a group," he said from his expansive 16th-floor penthouse office overlooking Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay.
He is not looking to fund start-ups the angel investor or traditional venture-capital way. He wants to foster them.
His LK Group has a number of companies, including call centre and marketing outsourcer Acquire, which he hopes to make available to any funded firm. In other words, start-ups will gain a chief mentor and will become his clients.
"We are looking for business ideas worth involving our time and resources. If they just need money, we're not the right people."
Oxygen Ventures has already taken two technology-based firms under its wing: freelancer journalist marketplace Newsmodo, and Silicon Valley-based network-monitoring maker Saisei. Kestelman said it was likely a new Big Pitch would be held every six months, with about $50 million up for grabs.
Applications for the first $5 million round opened last week. Oxygen investment director Ilya Frolov said a shortlist would see up to five businesses present to a panel that would also include Network Ten's Russel Howcroft and BlueChilli CEO Sebastien Eckersley-Maslin on June 17.
Frolov said if multiple ideas had potential to disrupt the online retail and/or mobile markets, more may be funded in the first round. Would-be telcos need not apply – Kestelman is still contractually excluded from the sector, he said.
Kestelman, whose group also backs the Melbourne Tigers basketball team, weighed in to the debate about the lack of mid-size funding for start-ups in Australia, saying he hoped to help fill the gap.
Australian entrepreneur Sam Chandler, CEO of US-based Nitro, previously likened Australia's innovation-funding environment to a country having a great primary school system but no secondary schools or universities. Chandler said there were plenty of avenues for seed funding, but start-ups had to go overseas for larger investments.
"In Silicon Valley, there's a lot of expertise. When you start investing larger amounts of money, you want to make sure you're involving people who have done this before. Because that expertise is not available here, we will provide it," Kestelman said of his network of marketers, lawyers, software developers and call centre staff.
"We're trying to create our own little micro climate, our own Silicon Valley miniature."
But Kestelman is reluctant to add too much advice to the fledgling Australian start-up community.
"I'm very much for Australia's promising start-ups. I hate the idea that people have to run off [to the US] to find funding and execution. I'm wanting to help, but I'm interested in what we do."
BlueChilli's Eckersley-Maslin said the Big Pitch would showcase Australia's talent and ideas and would be fantastic for the start-up ecosystem, helping with funding of all sizes.


text:
With programmatic ad buying set to be worth US$725 billion worldwide by 2026, it makes sense for advertisers to be able to measure the effectiveness of attention planning within this space.
That’s why Yahoo’s new partnership with Amplified Intelligence, which will allow advertisers to measure attention across a programmatic advertising buy, is drawing interest. A market-first partnership, advertisers using Yahoo’s demand-side platforms (DSP) in Australia will now have access to Amplified Intelligence’s attentionPROVE measurement solution.
“All of the major holding groups in Australia use Amplified Intelligence’s data as part of their planning process,” says Andrew Gilbert, director of platforms AUSEA at Yahoo.
“Adding programmatic measurement creates a significant opportunity for them to move past just high level planning and get deeper insights into their programmatic investment across desktop, mobile, tablet, and Connected TV.”
Why Amplified Intelligence caught Yahoo’s attention
Keep an eye on Amplified Intelligence! An Australian owned and operated company, it is a global pioneer in attention measurement. Now, it is Yahoo’s answer to bringing measurement to programmatic advertising buying.
This is thanks to Amplified Intelligence’s attentionPROVE solution, which enables agencies and brands to leverage active and passive human attention seconds to optimise impact, performance and cost effectiveness in real-time.
The attentionPROVE solution is the largest real-human dataset globally. It is built from the collected attention data of 110,000 people from fourteen countries, capturing more than 454 million data points.
The new partnership is predicted to dramatically enhance the effectiveness of planning for advertisers using Yahoo’s DSP in Australia. The new capability is being rolled out now across the Yahoo DSP.
“Attention is now widely accepted as a crucial part of any media buy and this integration is going to be a huge boost for our partners,” says Dr Karen Nelson-Field, founder and CEO of Amplified Intelligence.
“Now brands can get real-time human attention insights from their campaigns which in turn will help them optimise for better outcomes. Yahoo’s expertise in programmatic will help Amplified Intelligence’s partners to track attention effectively, which is very exciting for us.”


text:
One of today’s most popular game engines, Unity, is ditching support for OpenVR in a surprising snub to Steam creators at Valve. The company announced the move earlier today, clarifying that it will also be ending support for Samsung’s GearVR and Google’s Daydream virtual reality platform as part of the same decision aimed at improving its operating efficiency.
Valve already confirmed it is working on a replacement for Unity’s lack of official support for its platform that wasn’t expected to affect OpenVR seeing how that particular technology ecosystem is still in active development and hasn’t been effectively abandoned by its creators like Daydream and GearVR were. For reference, OpenVR is the same technology that powers SteamVR, one of today’s most widely used VR APIs and a direct rival of Facebook’s Oculus solutions.
The decision appears to have been rooted in technical reasons, however, as Unity has so far offered support for the aforementioned VR systems through a plugin system that has since been abandoned in favor of more universal support for extended reality headgear. None of the older tech really fits the bill and so Unity Technologies is pulling the plug on them altogether, leaving Valve to figure out how to extend the support moving forward.
For more up-to date technology news kindly check out our tech news category or follow us on Facebook!


text:
It’s been a year since the government introduced the game-changer Goods and Services Tax (GST), but Coimbatore, the hub of MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), is still reeling under the crisis precipitated by the launch of the uniform tax system and demonetisation of higher denomination notes.
Often referred to as Manchester of South India, this metropolis has an endless list of distress stories – entrepreneurs turning into employees elsewhere, pile up of water pumps, wet grinders and other accessories due to increased cost and job work units shutting shops altogether.
While these industries welcome levying of taxes, they want the slabs to be reduced to ensure that the micro and small-scale enterprises, which are the backbone of the industrial sector, thrive sans any difficulty.
The MSMEs also say that the introduction of the GST immediately after demonetisation sounded the death knell for these enterprises that depends on liquid cash.
“We somehow survived demonetisation after cash inflows became normal. But, even after a year, we are yet to come out of the GST crisis. The government should step in and take corrective measures,” B Balan, who has closed down his lathe unit due to financial losses, told DH.
A recent policy document presented by the Rural Industries Department estimated that more than five lakh people would have lost jobs after 50,000 units shut shop in 2017-18 with Tiruppur and Coimbatore being the worst hit. A majority of the MSMEs have been hit due to the differential GST slab applied on raw materials procured and the cost of the final product and bringing of the job work units under the purview of the new tax. While the raw materials for manufacturing water pumps attract 18%, the tax levied for selling a pump is just 12%.
“The differential slab has wrecked the industry once for all. While we pay 18% tax for procuring raw materials, we sell the product at 12% tax. We lose 6% at the manufacturing stage itself, and how are we supposed to make profits?” asked Kovai Power Driven Pumps and Spares Manufacturers Association (KOPMA) President K Maniraj.
Maniraj, who manufactures water pumps, told DH that the demand for pump sets, the basic need of a farmer, has halved in the past one year and he had to cut his staff strength from 30 to 15.
“There is no other way than downsizing production. What do we do with pump sets if they don’t sell in the markets? Many people who were into manufacturing pumps have shut shop and bid goodbye to the industry,” he said.
Coimbatore alone has 3,000 water pump manufacturers and around 15,000 units that produce spare parts for the pump sets. At least 300 such manufacturing units have shut down resulting in thousands of job losses.
Already, the industry is facing stiff competition from pump manufacturers in Gujarat, who provide 25% margin to dealers since they get a slew of sops like free electricity, insiders said.
“Since water pumps have been a necessity for farmers, the industry should come under the lowest slab of 5% to ensure farming thrives in the country,” Maniraj said.
President of the influential Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) V Sundaram said that another major problem encountered by the MSMEs is the difficulty in managing the working capital.
“Since manufacturers coming under an inverted duty structure are unable to get refunds from the state GST, MSMEs find it very difficult to manage the working capital. Hence, they are forced to borrow and this has to be addressed immediately,” he said.
The wet grinder industry is also facing the heat due to differential GST slab with the demand for the product plunging by a whopping 40%.
“After several representations, the tax slab was brought down to 18% from 28%. Yet, there is no forward movement, and hence, it should be brought down further since wet grinder is a necessity and not luxury these days,” a wet grinder manufacturer, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
The worst-hit in Coimbatore is the job work units, who have been brought under the tax ambit for the first time since independence in 1947.
The job units largely comprise of five to ten people who work in the confines of their residence and were an integral part of industries that manufacture pump sets, wet grinders, automobile and textile spares.
“Job work units have to pay 18% GST, which is unjustifiable by any measure. Many people who were running small units from their residences have not been able to run them after the introduction of GST,” Coimbatore Tiruppur district Micro and Cottage Entrepreneur Association (COTMA) President S Ravikumar said.
Another problem that the micro-units encounter is the insistence by big companies that these firms should sign up for GST though their turnout is less than Rs 20 lakh a year.
“The government says these firms whose turnover is less than Rs 20 lakh don’t have to register. But big firms don’t engage them unless they come under GST ambit. This puts an extra burden of 18 % tax on these small firms,” Ravikumar added.
The big firms do not want to take the tax burden on them, and hence, they force these job work units to register for GST or stop giving orders to them.
Echoing similar sentiments, Sundaram also supported the demand for bringing down the GST slab for job work firms from existing 18% to 5%.
“If this is not done, the job order industry would be very badly hit due to working capital shortage,” he said, and added that the reversal of Input Tax Credit (ITC) by the buyer for non-payment of bills within 180 days from the date of supply is unfair and leads to unnecessary complications.
Vanitha Mohan, President of the Coimbatore Chapter of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, agreed with majority of the demands of the MSMEs and found fault with the government for rushing through a major reform like introduction of uniform tax system.
“It is the duty of the government to go out to the ground and find out why the industries are suffering. The government cannot be skewed and it has to conduct a survey on the industries that have been worst-hit due to GST and find out where and why they have lost,” she told DH.


text:
Poco has tasted immense success in India in a very short span of time. Throughout 2020, the phone maker saw many of its phones do great business in the market -- especially during rounds of aggressive festive and year-end sales.
The company is now celebrating its first year anniversary as an independent brand, and to celebrate the occasion, it has announced an exclusive "Anniversary Sale" where it will be selling some of its popular phones at hefty discounts. The sale is being undertaken in partnership with the company's e-commerce partner, Flipkart.
Already underway from Feb 4, this sale from Poco will be a three-day event where the company promises it will sell best-selling Poco smartphones at a "never-seen-before price." Devices such as the Poco X3 which has recorded the sale of over a million units will be available for purchase. The phone will be sold at a discount of Rs 2,000 -- across all its variants -- with an additional discount of Rs 500 also available on prepaid transactions.
Poco has also announced that devices such as the Poco M2 and M2 Pro will also be available on a discount, with the latter getting a Rs 1,000 discount. The Poco M2, on the other hand, gets Rs 500 discount on prepaid transactions. Poco is also selling the Poco C3 which is being sold at a discount of Rs 500 and starts at Rs 7,999.
Talking about the phones on offer, the most interesting is the Poco X3 which comes to India with a bigger battery and no NFC as compared to the global variant of the device. However, the rest of the major features remain the same between the two devices.
As such, there is a 6.67-inch display that's capable of churning out Full HD+ resolution and running at a fast 120Hz refresh rate with 240mss touch sampling rate while doing so. The panel here is an IPS LCD one, with the company opting against going with an AMOLED panel to keep costs in check.
Under the hood, we have Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 732G chipset which the company claims brings substantial performance gains over last year's Snapdragon 730G. Interestingly, this is also the first phone to use this chip, so this should give the Poco X3 a definite advantage over its competitors.


text:
I think one of the most popular features on many mobile phones moving forward will be wireless charging. The Pre has a wireless charger option already, but most phones have to be connected to a wire to charge. I use a WildCharge case and charge pad for my iPhone to charge the device without needing wires, and it is great.
WiPower has announced a new developer’s kit for its technology called the Wireless Power Mobile Design Kit. The kit includes the wireless power charge base, access to white label transmitters and a wireless power transmitter good for up to 15W.
The coolest thing about the WiPower technology is that the power can be transferred to your device through a surface such as a wall or a desktop. The developer kit claims to allow you to prototype a device in a day and have it on the market in a few months. The design kit sells for $4500 and is available now.


text:
Look out Volkswagen Polo GTi owners, you’re about to become seriously, seriously jealous. The Audi RS1 is in the works.
Some of you have been put on waiting lists for the Polo GTi for up to a year. In a years time it could be perilously close to the launch of the Audi RS1, the hot hatch to end all hot hatches. Spy shots obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald have revealed an A1 with the famed Audi RS bade on it and a massive rear wing doing laps around the Nurburgring Nordeschleife in Germany.
The car is alleged to have up to 200kW of power from a 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine with all four wheels driving. The SMH is predicting that the price tag will be around the $60,000 mark and that it could do the 0-100kmh dash in under five seconds.
Picture via Autoblog


text:
Apple’s 2019 iPhones to come with new antenna design
With its 2019 line-up, Apple is expected to introduce the much awaited USB-C cables for the devices and bring improvements in iPhone’s camera performance.
The 2019 line-up of iPhones is expected to come with a changed antenna structure, according to famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
As part of the upcoming iPhones, Apple plans on using modified-PI Magnetic particle Inspection (MPI) material instead of using the Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) material which was used in the antennas of iPhones XS, XS Max and XR.
According to Kuo, the LCP limits the Radio Frequency (RF) performance of the handsets due to technology limitations and production issues, CNET reported on Sunday.
However, Kuo believes that the Cupertino, California-based company could still use LCP as the primary material for 5G antennas in 2020 iPhones.
The production issues affecting the RF performance of LCP antennas are expected to be resolved meanwhile, the report added.
With its 2019 line-up, Apple is expected to introduce the much awaited USB-C cables for the devices and bring improvements in iPhone's camera performance.