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As the ExtraMile concept has evolved, it has kept one element steady: its commitment to the heavy c-store user, or someone who comes into the store an average of 20 times a month, up to three times per day. Here's a look inside and behind the scenes.
Plunge in oil prices sets the stage for record margins and boost in in-store sales. Also In This Issue: Profitability skyrockets for top performers! Other channels seek to redefine convenience! The economy enters a new stage. The growing health-and-wellness trend. Fuel demand; oil's slide; multicultural momentum; and data, data, data!


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The American ecommerce giant has invested more than 737 million dollars in the country since its arrival in 2014.
Amazon continues to grow. The American ecommerce company has opened a new operations center in Poland that has an area of 60,000 square meters. It is the seventh logistics center that Amazon opens in the country.
The company started operating in Poland in 2014, since then it has invested more than 737 million dollars in the country and has employed more than 16,000 people. Around the world, Amazon has more than 175 logistics centers and more than 13 million square meters of surface.
Until September, Amazon reached a profit of 8.3 billion dollars, 18.1% up from the same period the previous year, thanks to an increase in sales of 20% year-on-year, to exceed 170 billion dollars in total.

domain: news


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|Bid||0.00 x 800|
|Ask||0.00 x 1000|
|Day's Range||128.01 - 131.95|
|52 Week Range||119.20 - 179.12|
|Beta (5Y Monthly)||N/A|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||11.74|
|Earnings Date||Feb 01, 2022 - Feb 07, 2022|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||181.62|
Subscribe to Yahoo Finance Plus to view Fair Value for IACLearn more
NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IAC (NASDAQ: IAC) posted monthly metrics for December 2021, including metrics for Angi Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGI), in the investor relations section of the IAC website at https://ir.iac.com/. About Angi Inc. Angi (NASDAQ: ANGI) is your home for everything home—a comprehensive solution for all your home needs. From repairs and renovations to products and financing, Angi is transforming every touch point in the customer journey. With over 25 years of experience
Like many tech companies, Turo had a hot minute last year amid the pandemic. Will it also crash and burn?
With the holidays in full swing and the omicron variant spreading rapidly, conditions were ripe for a decrease in spam calls. That's exactly what happened according to RoboKiller, the app that eliminates 99% of spam calls and text messages: spam calls declined 11% in December. While Americans received fewer spam calls than they did in November 2021, spam calls as a whole remain elevated from 2020. RoboKiller identified an 8% increase in spam calls compared to last December's 5.8 billion.


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Looks like the announcement of rumoured LG G3 is just around the corner now. The popular technological blog The Verge has leaked the retail box of the alleged smartphone which reveals that the phone would also be available in Golden colour option.
According to The Verge, their tipster has confirmed the presence of Quad HD display bearing 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution in the smartphone. The LG G3 is highly expected to boast 5.5-inch HD display that company had launched last year.
The Verge, however has not revealed the other specifications, but a recent leak showed that the LG G3 will be powered by Android KitKat, and will pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8974 processor (Snapdragon 800 or 801 SoC), 3GB DDR3 RAM, 32GB of internal memory in addition to 13-megapixel rear camera with OIS, 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera and 4G LTE support.
A recent report surfaced online indicates toward the June launch with global availability from July. There is no word on pricing, but we should hope that the company will priced that phone aggressively in order to compete with the rivals Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8.


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Lexus has released the first teaser image of the 2012 Lexus GS which will have its world debut on Thursday, August 18th at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.As the fourth generation of the model, 2012 Lexus GS features completely new styling which influenced by the Lexus’s latest design language. The 2012 Lexus GS is look identical with the LF-Gh concept and is expected will has a 12.3-inch infotainment system and premium leather upholstery.
Although the specs of the engine have not released yet, but the car will have a choices of a four-cylinder diesel for Europe, a 3.5-liter V6, or maybe a hybridized 3.5-liter V6.
Lexus to Reveal All-New Lexus GS Luxury Sport Sedan at Pebble BeachLexus will reveal the all-new GS 350 mid-size luxury sport sedan on Thursday, August 18th in conjunction with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.The fourth-generation GS has been completely redesigned, inside and out, and will feature the brand’s new design philosophy, with styling cues such as a distinctive new front grille, that will soon be seen on all future Lexus vehicles. The new GS will also lead the rest of the Lexus lineup in an entirely new direction of driving dynamics.


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Yamaha R15 version 2.0 with new colours launched in India at Rs 1.18 lakh
Yamaha India have launched new colours (yet again) of the R15 version 2.0. The three new colours- Sparky Green, Revving Blue and Adrenaline Red also come with a price hike of approximately Rs 4,000. All the colour options are priced at Rs 1.18 lakh, ex-Delhi.
Yamaha had showcased the Blue colour at the Auto Expo 2016. Apart from the new colours and schemes, the motorcycles haven't undergone any mechanical changes. A few months ago, Yamaha had introduced the R15S with a unibody seat and tail lamp from the first-gen model. The Yamaha R15S is available with different colour options and while there was no price difference earlier between the S and version 2.0, now there is. The Yamaha R15S is priced at Rs 1.15 lakh, ex-Delhi.
In Indonesia, a revised Yamaha R15 was spotted testing. It is expected that this model will eventually make its way down to India to replace the ageing but still very capable version 2.0.
- NewsYamaha India commences online booking and sales of its motorcycle range
- NewsHyundai Mobility Membership loyalty program launched with unconditional benefits for Hyundai owners
- NewsMaruti Suzuki's Gurugram plant will be shifted to larger facility in Haryana
- NewsElectric vehicles can now be sold in India without batteries, states the Government
- NewsSteelbird India launches hands free face shield, plans to make 1 lakh units in three months


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Sainsbury's unveils 'step change' in advertising with new food campaign
Sainsbury's has unveiled an energetic and joyful food-focused campaign that...
Soft drinks company Lucozade Ribena Suntory has taken an unusual approach to finding a new head of marketing by advertising...
While the total number of deals in 2016 was only one deal more than 2015, the number of martech deals...
Lucky Generals has promoted business director James Fox, who becomes the agency's first managing director since launching in 2013.
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EE has been fined £2.7m by Ofcom for overcharging almost 40,000 of its customers.
Internal scrutiny has found nearly 1,000 cases of improper practice in the handling of digital advertising clients.
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After pledging to include a female director in every three-way pitch, Brothers and Sisters' Andy Fowler names the ones to watch.
Maltesers has launched a billboard in London written entirely in Braille as it continues its efforts to better represent disability in advertising.


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Japan Bitcoin Exchanges to Stop Trades Aug. 1br>
The Japan Cryptocurrency Business Association (JCBA) said 13 bitcoin exchanges that are members of the association will stop accepting deposits and withdrawals on August 1. The move comes to curb anticipated volatility during the SegWit2x activations.
“The occurrence of forking affects the transmission and receipt of bitcoins by all bitcoin users, and it is expected that all related virtual currency exchange operators and service providers will be seriously affected,” said a statement from the consortium. “We will stop only the services related to depositing and withdrawing bitcoins, but we will provide our regular services for other virtual currencies and legal currencies.”
The 13 exchanges:
- Bitbank Inc.
- Bitpoint Japan Co. Ltd.
- Quoine Co. Ltd.
- Fisco Cryptocurrency Exchange Inc.
- Coincheck Co. Ltd.
- Btc Box Co. Ltd.
- Tech Bureau Co. Ltd. (Zaif Exchange)
- GMO-Z.com Coin Co. Ltd.
- Campfire Corporation
- Bit Trade Co. Ltd.
- Bitcrements Bitcoin Exchange
- Tokyo Bitcoin Co. Ltd.
- Minnano Bitcoin
Japan’s largest bitcoin exchange by volume, Bitflyer, is not a member That exchange is expected to announce plans this week.
The suspensions will start August 1 at 00:00 Japan time. However, it could start earlier if a forking situation develops sooner. The official resumption of trading is open, with a tentative target of August 4.


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Vietnam is now adding fruit and vegetables to its rapidly expanding array of major agricultural exports. the Vinafruit industry group reports this week that exports are more than $724 million so far this year and will exceed $1 billion for the first time in 2013.
That’s a remarkable accomplishment for a country that faced starvation poverty a generation ago — and it shows Vietnam continues to grow as a major exporter of agricultural products.
Vietnam has a long way to go before it will become a global leader in fruit and vegetable exports, but the country already is at or near the top of exports of seafood, coffee, pepper, cashews, rice, and other products that come out of the earth and sea.
Vietnam sells fruit and vegetables in 40 international markets, especially in China, USA, Japan, Korea, and Europe.
Vinafruit says the global demand for fruit and vegetables is predicted to increase 5% annually, and Vietnam intends to continue to supply the world with an expanding array of produce.
Vietnam has completed the transition from an agricultural basket case to a growing food supplier for the world.


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Not next-gen but stylishly regenerated: Playstation 3 gets a makeover
By Oliver Franklin-Wallis 18 February 13
Though rumours and potential controller leaks might be swirling about the Playstation 4, there's still plenty of life left in the PS3 yet. Not least, due to games like undead thriller The Last Of Us and the enormously anticipated Grand Theft Auto V coming later this year. As a reminder, Sony has unveiled it's recently redesigned console in two bold new colours - we're liking the Iron Man red. As for the next generation, Sony has announced a major event next week - make sure you check back on GQ for all the latest updates…
PS3 super-slim, £249.99. Red excusively from game.com.


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Written by Chris Furnari for brewbound.com
Craft beer sales are quickly approaching $1 billion in U.S. supermarkets and the U.S. brewery count is climbing towards 2,000. Itâ€™s no secret that 2011 was a phenomenal growth year for the craft beer industry, and now we have some year-end Symphony IRI data to back it up.
The Brewers Association reported in January that 260 new breweries came online in 2011; nearly every brewery weâ€™ve spoken with is reporting significant volume growth.
Speaking at the â€œPower Hourâ€ hosted by the Brewers Association, IRIâ€™s Senior VP of Beer, Wine and Spirits, Dan Wandel, discussed craft beers performance especially in U.S. Supermarkets.
Here are the most important takeaways:
Craftâ€™s dollar share in U.S. Supermarkets was up 15 percent over last year to 10.8 share, the sixth consecutive year of growth. Thatâ€™s double the share it held in 2006. These numbers prove why craft beer is the number one growing beverage-alcohol segment in U.S. Supermarkets
So what products are responsible for the growth? Wandel pointed to several areas. Variety and seasonal packages, IPAâ€™s, large-format bottle offerings, the rise of canned beer and even private label brands (see below) are the major catalysts.
Boston Beer Co. continued to lead the way as the top craft vendor, generating $173 million in sales. Sierra Nevada and Craft Brew Alliance followed with $92.1 and $77.4 respectively.
But despite impressive dollar sales growth, seven of the top ten vendors actually lost a combined 4 share points of total segment dollars, no doubt because of the numerous emerging breweries earning more space on supermarket shelves. Only Bells Brewery and Stone Brewing Co. were able to gain a collective 0.2 percent dollar share.
Styles Driving Growth:
Kona Brewing cracked the top 15 new beer brands (dollar sales) with its variety pack, raking in more than $2 million in dollar sales. The only other craft brewer to make that list was Sierra Nevada with its â€˜Beer Campâ€™ beers.
Driving much of the growth were seasonal offerings, with three brands landing in the top 10. Samuel Adams seasonals, while still the category leader, actually dipped in dollar sales by 0.4 percent. Sierra Nevada and New Belgium on the other hand gained 0.9 percent and 12.1 percent respectively.
But the biggest brand winner was Sierra Nevadaâ€™s Torpedo Extra IPA, up 63 percent over last year. The biggest loser was Samuel Adams Light, down 14.9 percent since 2010.
Large Format Bottles Earning More Shelf Space:
Most craft brewers will tell you they make the most margin on â€˜bomberâ€™ offerings and it looks like they are right. The 22 oz. bottle single-serve format generated over $44 million in sales at U.S. Supermarkets, up 35.5 percent from 2010. But the 6-pack was still the top dog, up 12.2 percent over last year and accounting for $469.1 million in sales.
Yes They Can:
Of course, the hottest trend in craft brewing last year was cans. Craft cans generated $11.5 million in sales at U.S. supermarkets, up 97 percent from 2010. Itâ€™s hard to believe that in 2008, craft can sales totaled just 40,000 cases. Compare that to the 358,000 cases in 2011.
Itâ€™s also worth mentioning the craft-friendly 16 oz. 4-packs were up over 750 percent in U.S. supermarkets, accounting for $752,980 in sales.
IPA Leading the Way:
Sure, seasonals usually get the credit as the â€œbiggest brand,â€ but those include multiple styles. The best-selling style in U.S. supermarkets is the IPA. There were 319 IPA brands selling in U.S. supermarkets in 2011. Thatâ€™s up from 264 in 2010. Individually, there were 25 brands that generated $1 million in sales each. The category leader was Torpedo with $16.8 million in sales. Also in the top 5 were Redhook Long Hammer IPA, New Belgium Ranger IPA, Lagunitas IPA and Stone IPA.
And how about those private label brands? Those sales were up 44 percent across the food, drug and convenience channels with sales eclipsing the $35 million mark. Private label craft was up 35 percent overall and two brands made their way into the top five new craft beer brands. Double Take IPA and Double Take Amber Ale accounted for over $2 million in dollar sales at U.S. supermarkets. 14 new private label brands entered the beer space, 7 of which were craft.
So whatâ€™s in store for 2012? Wandel said he is â€˜feeling really bullishâ€™ about craft.
He is confident that it will be able to achieve a 12 share of total beer dollar sales in U.S. supermarkets. He also said there is some â€˜significant opportunityâ€™ in the drug channel this year.
In 2011, craft generated almost 1.5 million case sales in the channel and Wandel expects that to rise. He could be on to something too. Through the first 7 weeks of the year, craft is up over 20 percent in the Drug channel and 25 percent in the convenience channel. Craft has also moved over 4 million cases in the food channel, 10 percent more than last year.


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Disposable rubber gloves are indispensable in the global fight against the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
However, a month’s lockdown in Malaysia where three of every five gloves are made has upended the supply chain and threatens to hamstring hospitals worldwide.
The world’s biggest maker of medical gloves by volume, Top Glove Corp Bhd, has the capacity to make 200 million gloves a day, but a supplier shutdown has left it with only two weeks’ worth of boxes to ship them in.
“We can’t get our gloves to hospitals without cartons.
“Hospitals need our gloves. We can’t just supply 50% of their requirement,” says Executive Chairman Lim Wee Chai.
The virus, which emerged in China at the end of last year, has left Malaysia with the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia at nearly 1,800 cases, with 17 deaths.
To halt transmission, the government has ordered people to stay home from March 18 to April 14.
Glove makers and others eligible for exemption can operate half-staffed provided they meet strict safety conditions.
Still, the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) said it was lobbying “almost every hour” to return the industry to full strength to minimize risk to the global fight.
“We aren’t shutting down. We fall under an exempted category but still need approval,” said Evonna Lim, managing director at packaging supplier Etheos Imprint Technology.
Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious diseases specialist at the New York University School of Medicine, said she was using up to six times as many gloves as normal each day due to the number of patients with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
“If we get to the point where there is a shortage of gloves, that’s going to be a huge problem because then we cannot draw blood safely, we cannot do many medical procedures safely.”
With glove supplies dwindling, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on its website this month said some gloves could be used beyond their designated shelf life.
On Tuesday, the United States lifted a ban on imports from Malaysian glove maker WRP Asia Pacific who it had previously accused of using forced labor.
Britain’s Department of Health & Social Care has urged Malaysian authorities to prioritize the production and shipment of gloves that are of “utmost criticality for fighting COVID-19,” showed in a letter dated March 20 to glove maker Supermax Corp.


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Home Tags Tourism week
Tag: tourism week
Every year for Tourism Week, the Seychelles Tourism Board organizes a Tourism Fair, which brings together a number of committed players directly in the industry or supporting bodies of the industry to
On this important day marked by each and every country which considers tourism as a key industry, it is important to appeal to the six islands of the Indian Ocean Vanilla islands to commit even more t
To mark Tourism Day 2011, the Seychelles Tourism Board has put in place a week-long activity, which was launched by the reopening of the typical Creole "Cap Lazare" Restaurant.
The tropical islands of the Seychelles has just issued their 2011 Tourism Week program, which shows that these islands remain committed to the call made by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) fo
At the start of British Tourism Week, the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) will reveal new research that will explain why tourism is running away from the UK rather than towards it.


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Hilton has announced its intention to launch a new extended-stay brand aimed squarely at the "workforce travel market," or long-stay visitors.
The initiative, which Hilton has described as the outcome of intensive market research, has been given the working moniker "H3" and is now in the planning stages. In response to a vastly underserved demographic yearning for apartment-style lodgings, the hotel giant, which just reported strong Q1 profits, is now developing the new brand. Aimed at lower-middle-class tourists, H3 lodgings will provide a "stable and steady base for the lengthy stay," as described by Hilton.
Hilton's CEO and president, Chris Nassetta, made a statement in which he remarked that the company's new brand represents a greater chance to grow its portfolio while continuing to provide the dependable and friendly service its customers anticipate. The new H3 service is aimed towards people like travelling nurses, service members, and those who have just relocated for business and are looking for a place to call "home" while they are away.
According to Hilton, this product will rethink fundamental design components and provide necessities in a manner that is both homey and cutting-edge. The hotel's façade has warm wood tones, a contemporary farmhouse-inspired palette, and light industrial elements, according to a statement released by the group. The H3 brand will include outdoor patios with barbecues, a fire pit for gathering, and plush furniture.
Suites are designed to feel more like apartments than hotels, with a flexible arrangement that includes separate spaces for sleeping, working, cooking, and relaxing. Storage will be plentiful, closets will be well-organized, and there will be mobile, multi-purpose furnishings that makes it easy to use the room for both work and relaxation. A full-sized refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, and stove with two burners will be included in the kitchen as well.
Hilton's hyper-functional lobby, called "The Hive", has improved the stay for guests visiting for a longer period of time. According to Hilton, the unconventional lobby strikes the ideal balance between visitors' need for reassurance and their desire to be left alone to enjoy their stay. The Hive lobby provides sight lines from the front desk to exercise, laundry, and a basic retail market, providing a safe and friendly atmosphere for guests.
According to Hilton's chief brand officer Matt Schuyler, several long-stay customers never ceased travelling throughout the pandemic, particularly within the lower midscale extended-stay market, and the company developed a solution in direct reaction to this rising demand. "Project H3 will shake up the category and position Hilton to better serve guests who are staying for the long haul with dependable and welcoming service.
In addition, Hilton has just shared news that it would be adding a new all-inclusive resort to the Dominican Republic.


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April 17, 2019News
A new frontier of trade tensions as US turns attention to Europe
a trade deal between the US and China comes within striking distance, it
doesn’t look like the Trump administration is about to hang up its hat and call
it a day with regard to its protectionist push. Rather, it seems to be saddling
up to go into a fresh tussle, this time with the EU.
flared up after a series of accidents spurred European aviation authorities to
ground Boeing 737 Max aircrafts – which belong to the US firm’s best-selling
family of models. This breathed new life into dispute that’s dragged on for
more than a decade under WTO adjudication: Both sides accuse each other of offering
domestic aircraft manufacturers (Airbus in Europe and Boeing in the US) illegal
a WTO ruling that found EU subsidies to Airbus have had an adverse impact on
the US, the US has threatened tariffs on some $11Bn worth of EU goods. The
product list (which will be finalized after the WTO arbiter evaluates the
claims) covers mainly agricultural products:
salmon, lemons, an array of cheeses from Pecorino to Stilton, olive oil,
Marsala wine… For now, the market reaction has been minimal and our equity
analysts believe this is because such goods are mainly produced by private firms
that don’t trade on the stock exchange – farms, fisheries, dairies… There is
also some reassurance in the fact that the US is going through the correct
channels (the WTO). Last year, it attracted severe criticism following the way
it rolled out steel tariffs – the EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy was quoted as saying:
‘The world steel market is not the wild
west, where people do as they like. There are rules to guarantee the
The EU has come out with retaliatory tariffs totaling over $22 billion on items such as plums, mangoes, planes, beeswax, tractors and car parts. Now, the danger is further escalation. The US-China spat began with trivial items like washing machines, but before long, the value of goods caught in the US’ lasso was worth $250 billion, with $267 billion more threatened. The US is currently considering tariffs on auto imports - a move that could really imperil the EU economy, hitting Germany the hardest as the below chart shows. Germany’s export-oriented economy is already feeling the fall-out from the US-China dispute which weighed on global trade.
Source: Chelem, World Bank, Euler Hermes, BIL
Over the longer term, the result
may be that the US pushes the EU to forge stronger ties in the east. Already,
Europe has formed the world’s largest trading pact with Japan, covering roughly
one-third of global GDP. As it stands, the EU is China’s largest trading
partner, and on April 9th, the two agreed to furthers strengthen
their trade relationship and widen market access. Italy has become the first G7
nation to sign on to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and last week Germany’s telecoms
regulator gave its clearest signal yet that Huawei will not be excluded from
the buildout of 5G networks, despite pressure from the US.
the shorter-term, a tariff standoff risks putting a dent in both business and
investor confidence. And the problem with confidence is that all too often, it leaves on horseback and returns on foot…
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Great news for those who missed out this past December on the Air Jordan XI Black/Red colorway. You get a second chance! The sneakerhead interwebs are all a buzz this week when we found out that Nike will restock the AJ XI. Twitter was blowing up with the news. Footaction tweeted out the good news a few days ago and over 2,300 retweeted it. So if you are looking to get this colorway make sure you are ready to grab a pair.
No word yet if it is strictly an online deal of certain stores will carry it, but more info should be released next week. The Air Jordan XI Black/Red 2012 is currently selling for an average price of $300 on eBay. If you want to get an authentic pair for retail price well March 23rd is your chance. Good luck!


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Why we're investing in Kush and Ahmed of VartanaRead more
Sardine, led by Soups, Adi, and Zahid, is building critical infrastructure for the future of payments, connecting the traditionally siloed worlds of identity & fraud and traditional & decentralized finance. We couldn’t be more excited to announce our partnership to unlock the leading payments network of the future.
Trust is at the center of all commerce. Trust that one party will deliver goods or services. Trust that they will be honored with payment.
The late 90s and early 2000s brought a new frontier, one where eCommerce became the new modality, but one that lacked trust. eBay brought millions of buyers and sellers together in a worldwide marketplace, however, a key piece was missing – digital payments, and managing the associated risk. With the integration of PayPal, the missing piece of the puzzle was solved. PayPal enabled millions of buyers and sellers to transact in a trusted manner on eBay’s platform.
Fast forward to today and both a lot and a little has changed. Digital commerce is the growth driver of the economy; B2B adoption and decentralized commerce represent the next frontiers.
But in payments, there’s a more complicated story. The card networks have been both a great enabler and restrictor of innovation. Cards have allowed consumers to safely access a huge network of merchants, instantly, with next to no risk. However, they are expensive and are restricting access to the next frontiers.
Up until very recently, the “digital” alternative to cards in the US was connected to the ACH network, or the interbank clearing system. While this option is inexpensive and the preferred option for large volumes, it is very slow. ACH payments take 2-3 days to clear, which makes transacting a challenge, especially online. After all, we expect to receive items in 2-3 days, not have the payment take that long.
This problem has been the ‘elephant in the room’ for payments for a very long time. PayPal originally started as a wallet for the Palm Pilot but had to resort to cards. Across the globe, where cards were traditionally less accepted, mobile wallets leapfrogged cards, and have been followed by government-led faster payments systems. We can see this with UPI in India growing ~500% in 2 years, PiX in Brazil, and Open Banking in Europe. Increasing adoption of bank-to-bank transfers supported by regulatory tailwinds are pointing to a world in which digital payments will diversify off the card networks.
At Activant, we have asked the question for a long time – what payment platforms will power the next frontiers? And what will be the catalyst for change?
The last several years have seen the precipitous rise of crypto markets. Which, even with the recent cooling, are a trillion-dollar global market. Whatever your perspective on crypto, there’s no denying that it has been a major catalyst for change across all of finance. It’s provided a vocal challenger to the card hegemony.
But the success of decentralized commerce is dependent on the bridges between traditional and decentralized finance. Simply put, it’s really hard to get your money in and out. Sardine data shows that half of all transactions are rejected. You’d never flip a coin at register to buy a t-shirt. So why is this ok for what’s supposed to be the future of finance?
This abysmally low conversion rate, combined with aggressively high fees create a massive opportunity holistic payment platform. If you can solve for crypto – the highest-risk part of the market – you unlock so much more.
Accessing this enormous opportunity has always been about managing risk. After all, part of the reason cards have been successful is their ability to do so on a global scale. Trust is at the center of every transaction – which means it’s crucial to prove identity and manage fraud risk.
It’s one thing to manage fraud for an ecommerce transaction, where a merchant has days, not seconds, to stop their goods from reaching a fraudster. But if your goal is to move money instantly across the world, that’s a much harder problem, and one that never rests.
But moving money for fintech and between crypto and fiat is even more challenging – you can't simply cancel the distribution of funds like you can during the shipping window of a physical product. And risk isn’t tackled once; it is continual and ubiquitous challenge.
At Activant, we break it down across three vectors:
We’ve already touched on the first two – let’s talk about part three, the enabler of both. Identity and fraud solutions have traditionally been siloed:
Fraud platforms have been effective at managing eCommerce transactions, but are traditionally siloed from fintech and crypto, limiting their effectiveness on complex digital transactions. Identity solutions have unlocked an entire world of fintech in the past few years through digital onboarding, KYC, and AML. However, they have typically been point-in-time and failed to manage the ongoing risks like account takeover – you may have seen Chime and Venmo dealing with this recently.
Most importantly, identity and fraud solutions rarely talk to each other. Connecting the two is critical for managing risk holistically.
Sardine is the only offering in the market that combines fraud, identity, payments, and crypto in a single platform.
From our first meeting, we knew that Sardine had the team to tackle this massive problem.
Having looked at thousands of companies in fintech, it’s rare to find a team with deep experience all of these vectors. They built the risk models of many industry titans, like Coinbase, Revolut, PayPal, Adyen, Bank of America, and Bolt. But crucially, their previous work is powering billions of dollars of money movement every day across the highest-risk areas of finance.
Soups, Aditya, Zahid, and their entire team are building the platform they wished they had in their previous jobs.
They deeply understand their craft, love being in the weeds, and have a hunger to win. Just look at their customer base: Brex, MoonPay, and Chipper are just the tip of the iceberg.
At Activant, we are always on the lookout for foundational infrastructure players that can underpin the future of commerce – we believe Sardine is one of these, and are privileged to partner with them on this journey.
Sardine is hiring actively - check out their open roles.


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Interactive graphic introduces first major global comms program this year
PORTLAND, Ore.― Did you know dancing on the beach is popular in Brazil, while shark tolerance is highest in Italy? To launch Expedia.com’s Summer Sales event, the company recently partnered with CMD, Oregon’s largest multidisciplinary marketing agency, to create the 2012 Flip Flop Report, a fun and interactive infographic showcasing global beach trends.
No matter where you live, the desire to escape summer swelter for a breezy, beach destination is a worldwide movement. The nature of the research and interactive graphic of the Report helped it gain attention in the media, attracting multiple tier-one media outlets with more than 100 placements appearing worldwide in the first week after its release.
Using colorful illustrations to rank and compare key pieces of research, the CMD team produced an infographic that is easy to navigate, visually stunning, and fun to share. The Summer Sale campaign also features a Facebook quiz and a series of family-oriented city guides about beach habits as well as additional strategies for connecting travelers with vacation deals. The comprehensive data in the 2012 Flip Flop Report was culled from 8,000 people in 21 countries.
Expedia.com is an exciting new addition to CMD’s robust client roster. Sarah Keeling, director of public relations at Expedia.com, praised the new partnership, noting, “The Summer Sale is the biggest, most critical event of the year for most of our sites around the world, and CMD’s work for us in the digital and social space helped engage customers to bring them into our site in a fresh, creative way.”
She added, “We needed an execution partner, but what we got was an agency that truly cares about our business and about producing rich storytelling for our brand.”
In the coming months, CMD will continue to support Expedia.com in its 2012 global communications efforts through a variety of traditional and digital marketing initiatives. You can access the full Flip Flop Report at http://www.expedia.com/flipflop.
“This is simply another great example of how CMD empowers top tier brands through cutting-edge digital marketing. It showcases our agency’s technical, creative and social media savvy, and the many ways we generate value for our clients by producing the high quality creative work they expect from us,” said Phil Reilly, CMD president.
Tags: 2012 Flip Flop Report, Beach Travel, CMD, cmd agency, communications, Expedia, Expedia.com, infographic, Interactive Infographic, marketing, Marketing Agency, partnership, public relations, Summer Travel, Travel


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Tamworth farmers at tipping point over the price of milk
HERE is a question for you – if you were to walk into a supermarket today, which product are you most likely to buy?
Chances are that you've answered this with something that has become an amenity in households across the country: a bottle of milk.
But although it may sit there in your fridge, ready to be poured over your cereal, have you ever considered how much it's cost you?
And do you know how much of your money will go towards the people that work seven days a week, just to ensure supermarkets can stock their shelves full of the white stuff?
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Well, believe it or not, it's next to nothing – and things could get worse.
For Steve and Patricia Hill, they know all too well about being hit in the pocket by milk price cuts.
As the owners of Acacia Grove Farm, which has been passed down through family generations, the dairy farmers produce around 1.2 million litres of milk per year.
But like hundreds of dairy farmers across the country, it has turned into an unprofitable business.
Because for every 30p it costs to produce a litre of milk, the couple will get just 26.5p back.
When you consider the fact they have a 200-acre farm to run, with 150 milking cows, it is a daunting prospect – and what angers them the most is that the price varies for different farmers.
Naturally, the Hill's are furious – and they feel it is now time for them to speak up.
"As farmers we are known to keep our heads down and get on with it, but this is something that needs addressing, and we know a lot of people feel the same way too," said Patricia, who works both on the farm and in the town centre- a decision which she says was out of necessity when children Tom, now aged 24 and sister Lucy, now 22, were younger.
"We have had a lot of challenges, with foot and mouth, Bovine TB, and now this. It just feels as though as soon as you pick your head up, something else comes along.
"Dairy farmers are producing the same product, but the prices are not the same. Our costs are rising, have risen and will continue to rise."
And the farm, which is entirely family run, could face further challenges.
"With farm costs predicted to go up because of this bad weather, it all adds up," explained 50-year-old Steve, who took over the family farm from his father, Peter. "We can't afford to look after our animals if we do not get a fair price. That is exactly what we want – a fair price on the shelf, and a fair price on the farm."
And they are not alone in their stand. After dairy giants Robert Wiseman, Arla Foods UK and Dairy Crest announced cuts of 1.7 pence per litre (ppl), 2 ppl and 1.65ppl respectively, demonstrations began across the country.
The Hill's – who are members of lobby group Farmers for Action – were two of over 3,000 farmers who gathered in Westminster to protest against the plans.
They have attended further demonstrations across the country, and even visited ASDA Tamworth two weeks ago to spread the word on the effect the cuts will have.
"The people of Tamworth were happy to listen to us, and we even had some asking what it all meant," said Patricia. "They showed genuine disgust at the way farmers are treated by milk buyers and supermarkets, and we had many pledging their support."
The widespread demonstrations seemed to have had some form of effect, as this week, several milk suppliers reversed their decision over the cuts.
But Steve believes it is something that is far from finished.
"It has been quiet over the past couple of days, but we've got a long way to go yet," he explained. "This isn't over yet. They may say they reverse the decision now, but what about the future?"
It is clear that just by talking to the couple, farming is firmly in their blood.
Whether it's weekends, a bank holiday, Christmas Day, through sunshine, rain or snow, the family tell me that they work hard to keep their farm running.
The business has seen four generations working within it, with the youngest being son Tom, who studied a degree in agriculture at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.
The farm breeds pedigree Holstein cows – and recently, they picked up an award for the Midlands Best Pedigree Herd.
And it is these animals, who the family all know by name and have seen them grow and develop, that they worry will be directly affected by the cuts.
"It's the animal welfare that concerns me," said Patricia. "It will all be at stake, because we won't be able to afford to call the vet out to treat them if they get ill, and won't even be able to feed them properly."
It's a feeling shared by hundreds of farming families across the country, and with the number of dairy farmers is quickly dwindling, the industry is on the verge of crisis.
In Staffordshire alone, there were 1,276 farmers in 1996 – but in 2010, this had plummeted to just 568.
The National Farmers Union is now petitioning the Government to bring in new legislation that fits the need of the industry, and also a voluntary code of practice.
And although dairy giants may appear to have backed down over the cuts, the Hill's are calling on people power to prevent further price slashes.
"There are a lot of people that rely on milk, not just for their food but also for their jobs," said Steve. "If we get them telling supermarkets how they feel about milk prices, it could have a big effect."
"We are not asking to make a fortune – we need to cover our costs, and to do that, it needs to be fair."


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ICYMI: This Week in Social Media and Marketing
It’s that time of the week again! At the end of each week, Synthesio does a roundup of all of the top trending stories online covering social media and marketing topics. Here’s what you may or may not have missed from this week’s hot topics:
Facebook pushes ‘Friends Day’ as holiday — in its own honor via MarketWatch
Facebook Inc. on Thursday is telling everyone about Friends Day, a day to celebrate friendships. Especially the Facebook kind. Thursday just happens to be Facebook’s 12th birthday, and since nobody goes to Facebook’s page to post “HBD, big guy!” with a funny meme, the social network has decided to create its own holiday to make sure nobody forgets. Friends Day — it’s capitalized, so it has to be a real holiday, right? — so far has meant personalized videos for every Facebook member, new social-science research that shows how much Facebook knows about you, and the best part: new sticker packs!
Internet users had a lot to say Thursday during the Democratic debate—with mixed results, according to data from social media networks and search engines. While candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton duked it out on stage, viewers participated online, searching the candidates or mentioning them in posts on social media. Data from Google showed Sanders leading Clinton in number of searches, while Clinton led the conversation on Twitter. Data from Twitter showed mentions of Clinton taking up 56% of the conversation on the platform during the fifth Democratic debate. Google searches, however, for Sanders were higher both around the country and in New Hampshire, according to Google Trends.
The New Super Bowl Ad: $1 Million Emoji On Twitter via Co.Design
In 1995, advertising history was made when a 30-second Super Bowl ad buy reached $1 million. Now, Twitter’s Super Bowl has reached the $1 million mark, too…for custom emoji. According to AdWeek, clients who spent north of $1 million advertising on Twitter around the Super Bowl have gained the special privilege of including custom emoji as part of their campaigns. So whenever someone uses a prespecified hashtag, an emoji appears in the tweet.
Video ad tech company Teads released a study Tuesday that aims to provide insight as to what motivates people to use ad blockers. Research Now conducted the study and surveyed 9,000 people. Active users of ad blockers, including mobile, and those who are aware of ad blockers but have not yet installed them, were surveyed for the study. The research said pre-roll ads were among the most intrusive, with 41% of respondents saying they installed the ad-blocking software due to the ad format. Additionally, Hispanics are 78% more likely to use a mobile ad blocker while men are 22% more likely overall to use the software on mobile devices, the study said.
If you’ve been clamoring for multiple account support in the Instagram app, you might soon be in luck. Some iPhone users, including our own Mat Smith, are seeing the feature pop up on iOS. If you’ll recall, the ability to sign in to multiple accounts and toggle back and forth when posting made an appearance back in November on the Instagram Android app. You had to manually download an APK to take advantage then, but that’s not necessary in iOS. Since multiple account support is only available to a few, it appears to still be in the testing phase. Hopefully that’ll change soon as Instagram is one of the few social apps that doesn’t allow you to easily switch between accounts.
What’s Up With Uber’s New Logo? via Gizmodo
The new logo, as one of the other writer’s here has pointed out, bears a bit of a resemblance to the logo for Chase. According to Wired, founder and CEO Travis Kalanick didn’t go to a marketing company for the rebranding (also called a “coming of age” story in Wired), but did it all in-house. Maybe if they had gone to someone else, they would have been told that a logo so totally divorced from a connection with the actual name of the company defeats the purpose of a trademark: easy identification.
What are your thoughts on this week’s stories? Tell us in the comments section below.


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Nowadays, most people are usually divided into Android smartphone users and Apple iPhones users. However, apart from these, there are those who really want to see a free-software smartphone with no trace of proprietary code or firmware. This is why Purism has started a crowdfunding campaign to build the Purism Librem 5 smartphone. To date, over half a million dollars have been raised, but there’s still about a month to go. Luckily, Purism has also joined forces with the GNOME community which is one of the most important organizations in the Linux community.
The Librem 5 smartphone is expected to be a secure smartphone which will allow users privacy protection by default. Its creators ‘plan is to advance the hardware platform as a GNOME/GTK phone device. The GNOME Foundation is determined to help Purism create hackfests, tools, emulators and build awareness regarding “GNOME on Librem 5.”
In addition to being an open source, Librem 5 Linux smartphone is also the world’s first ever IP-native mobile handset, using end-to-end encryption for calling, email, and messaging. It’s expected that this 5’’ device will ship with a metal case, multifunction port, and a high-resolution screen.
As part of the collaboration, if the crowdfunding campaign proves to be successful, the maker of the best desktop environment will assist with the Librem 5. It will enhance the GNOME shell and the general performance of the system with Purism in order to enable features on the Librem 5.
A number of GNOME technologies are used profusely in embedded devices these days, with GNOME developers experiencing some of the challenges that deal with mobile computing specifically with the One Laptop Per Child project’s XO laptop, FIC’s Neo1973 mobile phone and Nokia 770, N800 and N900.
Both GNOME Foundation and Purism executives have expressed their excitement. For instance, Todd Weaver, Founder, and CEO of Purism stated how Purism is excited to collaborate with many communities and organizations to advance the digital rights of people. He believes an endorsement from GNOME Foundation for the Librem 5 hardware will bring us one step closer to a phone that will be free from the handcuffs of Android and iOS.
In addition, Neil McGovern, Executive Director of the GNOME Foundation is confident that a free and open source software on a mobile device will be a dream come true for many people and Purism has the proven team to accomplish this.
With the help of GNOME, Purism’s chances for success with Librem 5 increase immensely, although there’s still a long way to go. But, if fans of open source and privacy stepped up and pledged additional funds to the crowdfunding campaign it would definitely make a difference.
Anyone who wants to contribute can pledge a mere $20 dollars and have their name added to the official backer’s list. This would be an excellent way to show your support of the open source community publicly.
We’re hoping Purism and GNOME can break through this two mobile OS world.


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PRESS RELEASES: PASO ROBLES WINE COUNTRY ALLIANCE PRESS
Media Contact: Christopher Taranto
AJ’S FINE FOODS SHOWCASES PASO ROBLES WINES IN JANUARY
Promotion in Support of Grand Tasting Tour Offers Discounted Tickets and Opportunity to Win Trip
(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – The Paso Robles wine region located along California’s Central Coast has partnered with key retailers in the Scottsdale / greater Phoenix metro area to promote the region’s week long marketing blitz culminating with a Grand Tasting, February 9 at El Chorro Lodge, featuring 30 winemakers. Wine enthusiasts will find discounts on Paso Robles wines and opportunities to meet the winemakers at special dinners and tastings from the third largest and fastest growing wine region of California. AJ’s Fine Foods is the prime partner with ongoing promotions in their 13 area stores throughout January. Eight wine brands from Paso Robles are featured at special pricing through February. AJ’s customers may purchase an exclusive discount to the Wednesday, February 9 Grand Tasting and enter a sweepstakes opportunity for patrons to win an all-expense paid four-day trip to Paso Robles Wine Country. Details available on www.pasowine.com or in any of the 13 AJ’s Fine Foods stores in the Valley.
“We are excited to feature the wines from this uniquely distinct wine growing region,” said Alice Itsell, AJ’s Fine Foods representative. “The wines from Paso Robles are a great fit in value and quality that our ‘foodie’ customers have come to expect from AJ’s Fine Foods.”
Special pricing for wines from Eberle Winery, Midnight Cellars, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Liberty School, Robert Hall Winery, Victor Hugo Winery, and Vina Robles are featured store-wide. Videos promoting each of these brands and winemakers scheduled to be at the Paso Robles Grand Tasting are currently running on YouTube at EaterAZ TV. These irreverent, often comical videos highlight the personality of the wine region and the winemakers set to pour for Valley wine enthusiasts.
The Paso Robles Grand Tasting event takes place on Wednesday, February 9, at El Chorro Lodge in Paradise Valley from 6-8 p.m. Wine friendly fare will be provided by the historic El Chorro Lodge along with unlimited tasting from 30 Paso Robles brands. Admission is $55 per person. AJ’s customers may purchase tickets for $40. Visit your local AJ’s wine department for details to secure this special price and enter to win a four-day trip to Paso Robles Wine Country, no purchase necessary. Visit www.pasowine.com or call 800-549-WINE to purchase a ticket to the event and for more information.
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is also partnering with marquee Valley restaurants and independent retailers for special tastings and dinners for residents to experience the wines of Paso Robles February 7 - 10. Winemaker dinners at 5th and Wine, Big Daddy’s BBQ, Cowboy Ciao, Petite Maison and Rancho Pinot will showcase four to five Paso Robles winemakers at each dinner. Retailer Arcadia Fine Wine will offer dinner patrons the opportunity to purchase wines featured at the dinners. AZ Wine Company is set to provide a seminar later in the week featuring six Paso Robles wine brands. Details for these experiences are at www.pasowine.com. Dinner reservations are currently being taken directly through the restaurants listed.
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance represents wineries, growers, and businesses in Paso Robles Wine Country. Centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, along California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles Wine Country is California’s fastest growing wine region.
It encompasses more than 26,000 vineyard acres and more than 200 wineries.
For more information, visit www.pasowine.com
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Young-Chan Kim went to the US in the 1990s to work for Samsung Electronics. He returned to South Korea with a business idea that has brought golf to the masses. Twelve years since its inception, Golfzon is the world’s leading golf simulation company, with more than 200,000 people switching on to play each day. Over 55 international courses are available, with 2-3 new ones added on a monthly basis.
"The founder first came across the simulator as a piece of entertainment equipment on a US army base. He took it back home and made it better using sensor technology," says Min Su Sung, a director at STIC...
Private equity compensation rose across the board in Asia Pacific last year – a trend that is seen to reflect rising competition for talent as the number of firms and volume of capital in the region continues to grow.
Indian restaurant discovery and food delivery platform Zomato has raised $210 million from existing investor Ant Financial, the financial services affiliate of China’s Alibaba Group.
The Carlyle Group and Chinese healthcare services provider Meinian Onehealth have together invested in Adicon Holding, a local independent clinical laboratory (ICL) provider. Carlyle is now the company's single largest shareholder.
IDG Ventures India has changed its name to Chiratae Ventures to emphasize the firm’s identity as a backer of high-growth Indian start-ups with potential for global expansion.


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IN January alone food inspectors recalled almost 41 tonnes of groceries because of unsatisfactory quality.
Agriculture Minister Zsolt Simon told the Národná Obroda daily that in total inspectors made 2,317 visits to inspect food safety. In 1,841 firms they found 1,094 breaches of food safety regulations.
The inspectors issued 3,026 improvement orders of which 2,225 were for shops. In 136 cases the shopkeepers received an order to stop selling some goods as they exceeded the sell-by date.
In Slovakia, food safety is the direct responsibility of the Agriculture Ministry.
Ivan Bielik, spokesperson for the Public Healthcare Institution, suggested changing how the system is done.
According to him, the system is unsatisfactory and creates health risks to customers.
Compiled by Magdalena MacLeod from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
22. Feb 2005 at 10:37


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UK businesses are losing billions of pounds each year as consumers continue to demonstrate their intolerance for bad customer experience. Technology has been driving fundamental changes to the global economy, leaving many companies struggling to hold onto even their most loyal customers.
The speed of transformation to a digital, connected economy has caught many businesses off guard—the changes seen over the past decade have been extraordinary—and survival will depend on a business’s ability to adapt to this new environment.
Customer engagement may be a new term but as a concept it’s been around since the first merchants and banks of 3,000 years ago. Starting from the Industrial Revolution, the advancement of technology enabled mass production, creating a gap between producers and customers. Fast forward to 2018 and with the online economy thriving, this gap has only deepened. And while the technologies designed to fill this gap are out there, they are still not being properly deployed.
Within the last decade, the global economy has been fundamentally changed by the employment of technologies to choose and purchase products, and vendors are at different stages in transforming their customer engagement strategy. This is a crucial time for businesses as they race to adapt to the rapidly evolving digital economy while keeping hold of their current customers. Those that don’t invest wisely will pay a significant price.
There is plenty of evidence to show that customers value a product more if it’s accompanied by a positive customer experience. Click To Tweet
Consumer surveys consistently show that complaints are on the rise with customers becoming increasingly fickle in the face of a bad experience. The Ombudsman Services report last year estimated that UK businesses lose about £37 billion every year due to bad customer service. When customers have a bad experience, around a third will respond by spending less on that brand and are more likely to switch to a rival. They are also more likely to complain to their friends, tweet, or leave bad online reviews. The report revealed that the most complained about industry is retail, followed by telecommunications, with energy, transport, and banking coming in third.
Poor customer service not only affects the consumer, but it is also demoralising for the staff on the other end. Systems that leave the customer on hold or require them to repeat information many times over mean that instead of helping serve customers, call centre staff spend most of their time apologising to irate callers and directing complaints. This isn’t helpful and is extremely costly, especially taking into account that many of these customers will not be coming back.
There is plenty of evidence to show that customers value a product more if it’s accompanied by a positive customer experience. This is a trend that will continue and industry analysts say that spending on customer engagement projects is forecast to increase significantly as its influence and value become increasingly obvious.
Learn how RingCentral Contact Centre can help you keep customersGet a demo
Originally published Jun 29, 2018, updated Jan 17, 2023


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A new survey from Which? has revealed that 69% of people who use public EV chargers are unhappy with the current infrastructure.
The survey covered 1,004 Which? members who own at least one EV or PHEV, 40% of whom said they were unhappy with the availability of public chargers. The reliability of chargepoints was also brought into question – most of those who had used the public charging network (73%) said they’d found at least one charger that wasn’t working in the past 12 months.
Meanwhile, 60% of public charger users said they had faced a payment issue at least once and only 17% agreed that chargepoints were reasonably priced. A quarter of respondents who had used public chargers in the past told Which? that cost is why they’ve now stopped using them. Pricing transparency was also highlighted by the survey, with 63% of owners saying that they found it difficult to compare prices between chargepoint operators.
Other key findings included:
• 96% charged their EV or PHEV at home at least some of the time, compared to 38% for public chargers
• 49% of EV owners said they use public chargers every few months or less often
• 60% of public charger users experienced a payment issue at least once
• 73% of respondents bought their EV for environmental reasons.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: “We know that people want to make more sustainable choices and switch to an EV, but many drivers have a lack of confidence in the public charging infrastructure – and this also risks alienating people who aren’t able to charge their EVs at home.
“It is positive that the government passed new rules that should see improvements in consumers’ experiences of the public charging network. The government and chargepoint operators must continue working together to ensure the UK’s charging infrastructure is up to scratch. Charging must be easy and reliable to support more people to make the move to an electric car.”


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PARKING costs in Godalming are set to rise as part of increases across town and village centre car parks in Waverley.
A borough-wide alteration to parking is expected to generate an extra £70,000 for Waverley in the next financial year.
As well as increasing the cost for two hours from 60p to 70p in the council town centre car parks, Mill Lane car park will see an even bigger hike – parking for two hours will go up from 60p for two hours to £1.20 in a move forced through by the council’s ruling Lib Dems.
At a meeting of all councillors on Tuesday, leader Chris Slyfield (Lib Dem, Godalming, Farncombe
and Catteshall) said it is important that car parks are managed properly.
“As far as the economy of parking is concerned, you can only have that if you have somewhere to park,” he said. “You only create places to park if you increase prices.”
He added that many car parks were being used all day, which leaves few spaces for short-stay shoppers.
However, Tory opposition objected to the increase in Godalming, as well as at some car parks in Cranleigh, Farnham and Haslemere.
Cllr John Sandy (Con, Mil-ford) said people using the car parks earmarked for price changes would be faced with 100% increases.
“I believe these increases are massively unreasonable,” he said.
“We are showing contempt for the local economy. I believe this is no way for this council to be treating our community.”
Cllr Sandy called for the rises at Mill Lane to be sent back to Waverley’s Lib Dem controlled executive to be reconsidered.
“This is about our concern for the community and for businesses, shoppers and people visiting our communities,” he added.
Cllr Sandy’s request for the rises to be reconsidered was rejected. A council report into parking at Mill Lane described it as “extremely well used”.
“This proposal should increase turnover of space for local trade and accord with the parking strategy,” the report stated. “It should also generate a further £15,000 revenue.”
The parking changes could come into affect as early as next month.


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A US government body has released safety guidance for battery-operated fidget spinners, following incidents of the toys catching fire.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is advising people to avoid charging the toys, some of which are Bluetooth-enabled, overnight.
Children of all ages are also warned not to put fidget spinners of any kind in their mouths.
A recent BBC investigation discovered unsafe toys on sale in the UK.
Although intended for stress relief and popular with both children and adults, fidget spinners have also reportedly been the cause of accidents.
"Fidget spinner users or potential buyers should take some precautions," CPSC's acting chairwoman Ann Marie Buerkle said in a statement.
"Keep them from small children. The plastic and metal spinners can break and release small pieces that can be a choking hazard, and older children should not put fidget spinners in their mouths."
The commission wants all retailers to ensure that fidget spinners marketed at children aged 12 and under meet the US Toy Standard ASTM F963-16.
In June, a Bluetooth-enabled fidget spinner that played music reportedly burst into flames after being left to charge for 45 minutes in a family home in Alabama. The gadget left a burn on the carpet but was discovered by the family before it caused more damage.
And in May, another battery-operated fidget spinner caught fire after being charged for less than half an hour, according to Michigan local TV station NBC 25 News.
The toy had been sold without its own charger, so the family had used one from another device.
"Like any battery-operated product, consumers should be present and pay attention to their devices while charging them," said Ms Buerkle.
"It is important to use the charging cable that either comes with the fidget spinner, or one that has the correct connections for the device, as charging cables are not interchangeable."


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Video of Two Ladies Caught Shoplifting Items, Hiding Items in Their Underpants in Supermarket Goes Viral
- Two young ladies were captured on camera shoplifting at a supermarket, and many social media users couldn't believe their eyes after watching the video
- The ladies hid the stolen goods under their dresses and were still able to walk as comfortably as possible
- Many people in the comment section kept asking how the ladies could still walk comfortably as though there was nothing hidden between their thighs
Two young ladies have become internet sensations following their stealing skills displayed in a supermarket.
In a video that was shared on Instagram by @ourtalkroom, the young ladies could be seen shoplifting.
The shoplifters, who wore facemasks, hid the stolen items under their dresses and could still walk comfortably.
One of the ladies wore a long gown while the other put on a blouse and a long skirt.
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Social media reacts
Many social media users couldn't believe their eyes after watching the video and soon flooded the post's comment section to ask how the ladies were able to walk comfortably despite hiding stolen goods between their thighs.
Below are some of the comments:
An Instagram user with the handle @babsayobami said:
"Bandits attack a popular supermarket in the city."
"Haaaaaa, this one go shoplift a whole shop."
"I’m still asking!!! How????"
"Now this is what I call raw talent."
"it is well oooo..."
Two ladies caught on camera shoplifting
In similar news, a surveillance camera captured the moment two women walked into a supermarket pretending to be selecting items from a shelf before stealing products.
The video shows the two suspects in colourful outfits, making it hard for anyone to suspect they were on a mission to steal.
One of the suspects swiftly moved close to a shelf with well-arranged products as she prompted her colleague to watch for anyone approaching.
The duo later reached into a fridge and picked items as they tried to hide some under their outfits. Unfortunately, the video online is blurry, making it hard to identify the thieves.
As previously reported by TUKO.co.ke, well-wishers offered to help a man who walked out of a supermarket with goods without paying.
According to police officers in Florida, US, the man and his kids purchased diapers and baby wipes at the supermarket, but his card was declined on reaching the checkout counter.
He left the supermarket with his two kids without the items but later returned with a different card.
However, the second card was also declined, and he left the supermarket with the diapers and baby wipes without paying for them.
Police then released a photo of the man on Saturday, September 18, saying they were trying to locate him to be charged in court.


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Apple had planned to launch a live TV service along with its newest Apple TV last year, but negotiations with content providers reportedly fell through.
It sounds like the deals fell through because Apple online services boss and content dealmaker Eddy Cue was viewed as arrogant during negotiations from 2011 to 2015, according to TV executives interviewed by the Wall Street Journal.
Cue apparently showed up late to negotiations with Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, wearing jeans, no socks and a Hawaiian shirt.
One Time Warner executive “kept looking at the Apple guys like: ‘Do you have any idea how this industry works?'”
When Comcast executives, including CEO Brian Roberts, asked how Apple’s TV software would work, Apple reportedly refused. Instead, they said only that it would be “better than anything you’ve ever had.”
Of course, there were disagreements on terms as well. Apparently Apple wanted $10 per month per subscriber from the cable guys, and they wanted to handle the experience through its Apple ID logins.
Later, during negotiations with Disney — whose CEO Bob Iger is on Apple’s board — Apple wanted a “several year” freeze on the monthly rate it would pay to licence channels like ESPN.
Apparently, Apple believed Disney’s programming was only worth $13 per month.
The one network that Apple agreed on a rate with was Fox, for Fox News and some sports channels. (CEO Tim Cook was spotted chatting with Rupert Murdoch at a conference last fall.)
But Cue and Cook are apparently unbowed. Cue reportedly told media executives that “time is on my side” and executives sum up his negotiating style as, “we’re Apple.”
In the meantime, Apple has been funding television shows, including a reality show called “Planet of the Apps,” a show featuring Beats founder Dr. Dre, and a spinoff of CBS’s Carpool Karaoke. Apple also apparently bid on a spinoff of the British car show “Top Gear.”
The Wall Street Journal report is a fantastic read if you’re interested in how Apple blew its chance to launch a streaming TV service.
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03-24-2012, 08:37 AM #1
Govt cuts gold's import tariff value
The government on Friday reduced the import tariff value of gold from $573 per 10 grams to $530 per 10 grams, while the value was kept unchanged at $1,036 per kg for silver imports.
The tariff value, which is released fortnightly, is the base price on which the customs duty is determined to prevent under-invoicing and discourage import of gold to ease pressure on balance of payments.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) issued a notification on Friday in this regard, an official release said.
After crude oil, gold is the most imported commodity in India in terms of value.
Bullion traders and jewellers have opposed the recent hikes in tariff value as it would hit demand as the increased costs have to be passed on to consumers.
Early this year, the government had changed the duty structure on gold and silver from specific to value-linked, making precious metals more expensive.
The import duty on gold was fixed at 2 per cent of the value, instead of the earlier rate of Rs 300 per 10 grams. On silver, the import duty was pegged at 6 per cent, as against Rs 1,500 per kg earlier.
India, the world's biggest consumer of gold, imported 967 tonnes of gold in 2011.


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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines unveils brand new World Cruise on new ship Borealis in 2022, with departure from Liverpool or Southampton
Press releases • Sep 30, 2020 09:24 BST
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has today unveiled a brand new World Cruise aboard its new ship Borealis, with the opportunity to set sail from either Liverpool or Southampton in January 2022.


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In the near future, the BMW auto concern is going to organize an assembly of the X4 series at the facilities of the Russian Avtotor automobile enterprise, whose branches are compactly located in the Kaliningrad region. Behind BMW X4 Today, the Russian car market is asking for more than 2.7 million rubles. At the Avtotor enterprises, BMW is already assembling a number of cars, and even despite the economic crisis, it intends to expand the range of models produced here by almost twenty percent of what is being produced now. As a result, the figure produced by BMW Russian assembly will reach 10.2 thousand units per year.
BMW and Avtotor have been fruitfully cooperating for fifteen years. Today, BMWs of the Avtotor enterprises assemble third, fifth, seventh, X1, X3, X5, X6 BMWs. Now the "x-ray" line is replenished BMW X4. This thought is about BMW X4 assembly at Russian capacities comes to the leadership of the automaker is not the first time However, due to low rates of demand for cars not only of this brand, but in general of all produced under the BMW brand, the decision was postponed several times. In this context, it is still not entirely clear why the leadership will still expand the production of cars that the Russian consumer is not in a hurry to buy.
In early April 2015, a few months after the official presentation of the X4, they began to sell in Russia version of the car with a two-liter diesel enginedeveloping the power of 190 horses. The price tag of this car started from 2.8 million wooden. BMW car dealers today sell other crossovers in Russia, for example, xDrive28i with a price tag of 2,785,000 rubles, xDrive35i and xDrive30d, worth almost three million each. Several models far exceed the price threshold of three million. These are BMW xDrive35d, BMW xDrive20i M Sport and others. The most expensive car - BMW xDrive30d Exclusive costs over three million seven hundred thousand rubles. And how much will it cost BMW X4 Russian assembly, not yet specified. Most likely, it will be several tens of thousands of rubles cheaper than its foreign counterpart.Recommended article: Poseidon has developed the coolest Merc E63 AMG


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THE northern beaches is finishing the property auction year on a solid note, with a clearance rate of 83 per cent last week.
The result is well ahead of the state’s collective clearance rate of 71 per cent.
This weekend will be the last big auction weekend until the new year, with 35 properties due to go under the hammer.
Among the big sales last weekend was an as near-new three-bedroom at 2/41 Roseberry St, Manly Vale apartment with a monster nine-car garage, which sold under the hammer for a prize befitting its giant proportions.
The property was auctioned last Saturday with a price guide of $1.05 million — eventually selling for a whopping $1.52 million to a local buyer who is downsizing from acreage.
He did not want to be identified, but told the Manly Daily he was a car enthusiast and the garage would be perfect for him.
Marketing agent Angelo Goutzios, of Novak Properties Northern Beaches, said about 80 per cent of serious buyers wanted the property because of the garage.
“I had people asking me to keep an eye out for something like it and I had to say, ‘you’ll definitely be waiting a while because this is the first one like this that I have seen in 14 years in real estate,” he said.


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While restaurants in non-containment zones have been allowed for only home delivery services, those on state highways have been permitted to open for service provided they adhere to social distancing normsPhoto: PTI
Announcing state-specific guidelines for the fourth spell of lockdown
based on the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) guidelines, Gujarat
chief minister Vijay Rupani
on Monday emphasised on resumption of industrial and service activities for the benefit of the daily wagers, labourers and middle class, among others. The guidelines will be effective in Gujarat
from Tuesday May 19 till Sunday, May 31.
For instance, barring those in containment zones, other areas in the state including highly Covid impacted cities of Ahmedabad
and Surat have seen resumption of shops and offices with 50 per cent capacity on an alternate basis. While shops and offices in containment zones still remain closed, from Tuesday onwards those outside of containment zones will operate on an alternate basis while maintaining social distancing and hygiene.
While definition of green, yellow and red zones is awaited, Rupani said that due care has been taken in issuing guidelines to ensure minimal spread of Covid-19 while resuming business activity. "It is obvious that 55 days of lockdown
would have impacted the working class including daily wagers, labourers, poor and middle class. Gujarat
is a state of industry and trade and such activity cannot remain shut for very long," Rupani said in his address on social media.
As a result, Surat-based textile and diamond industry can now heave a sigh of relief with Rupani announcing resumption of activities in these industries at 50 per cent capacity even at textile markets while adhering to social distancing norms. As with other shops and offices, the Surat based industries will have to operate on an odd-even basis with alternate establishments remaining open each day.
In a major decision to make N95 masks and 3 layer masks available for general public, Rupani announced that the same will be sold at Rs 65 and Rs 5, respectively at Amul milk parlours. The state government has also announced a fine of Rs 200 for not wearing masks in public places.
continuing to reel under high number of daily positive cases and death toll of over 500, the city's containment zones will not see any resumption of activities except essential services. However, areas outside of containment zones in the western part of the city have seen relaxation in business establishments, shops and offices including non-essential services with 33 per cent capacity on alternate odd-even basis. While the inter-city public transport buses are being permitted in the state, the same will not be permitted to enter Ahmedabad.
While some of the MHA guidelines such as 7 pm to 7 am curfew along with closure of schools, colleges, gyms, swimming pools, malls, multiplexes, as well as religious and social gatherings remain the same, Gujarat has laid more restrictions in containment zones as well as the whole of Ahmedabad.
Cab aggregators and taxi services in Gujarat have also been allowed in areas outside of containment zones subject to one driver and two passengers adhering to social distancing norms, though the same continues to be restricted in containment zones of Ahmedabad. While restaurants in non-containment zones have been allowed for only home delivery services, those on state highways have been permitted to open for service provided they adhere to social distancing norms.
Public libraries except for those in schools and colleges have also been permitted to open at 60 per cent capacity in Gujarat. Auto garages and vehicle services centres have also been permitted to operate in non-containment zones, apart from allowing two-wheelers to ply with no pillion.
Meanwhile, apart from barber shops, beauty parlors and salons allowed to be opened in non-containment zones, the state government has also now permitted wedding ceremonies with attendance of maximum 50 people and cremation or burial services with maximum 20 in non-containment areas.


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More than 2.1 million cribs made by Stork Craft Manufacturing have been recalled after it was found that the cribs were responsible for the death and/ or injury of over a dozen children.
The cribs, which are also sold as Fisher-Price cribs, have a faulty drop rail that can detach from the crib, leaving a gap into which babies can become stuck and suffocate. Four children have suffocated in the cribs, with another 15 children trapped but saved in time.
The Stork Craft recall affects all dropside cribs manufactured and sold by Stork Craft from January 1993. The cribs were sold at outlets including BJ’s Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Walmart stores, and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has advised parents and caregivers to stop using the recalled cribs immediately and wait for a free repair kit.


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This Friday, Nov. 17, The University of New Mexico Main Campus Bookstore hosts a "One-Day Apple Sale," a sale that happens only twice a year.
As part of the sale students can save $50 off iPads, $100 off Macs and $150 all MacBook Pros with Touch Bar at the Main Campus Bookstore only. UNM IT will be on hand for free device set up. All computer and tablet sleeves and cases will be 50 percent off. Trade in old devices and receive UNM Bookstore gift cards for the value. Refreshments are provided by Satellite Coffee.
Additionally, this Friday, all UNM Bookstores will hold a "Beat UNLV Game Day Sale," where patrons can save 25 percent off all Lobo Wear and Spirit Gear in-store and online at all locations: the Main Campus Bookstore, the Medical Legal Bookstore and the Lobo Den at Dreamstyle Arena.
Also, look for Special of the Game and take 25 percent off purchases at that night’s game at stores inside the University Stadium. UNM hosts UNLV at University Stadium beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Check out the online bookstore to keep up with events and promotions.


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Disney + is celebrating its second birthday. The SVOD platform, launched in November 2019 across the Atlantic has some surprises in store for its subscribers.
Disney + is celebrating its second year of existence. The platform launched in November 2019 in North America will take this opportunity to organize a global event, online and also in physics! This week, several events are planned around the world, and one of them will take place in Paris. In the Marne-la-Vallée park, the SVOD platform will be in the spotlight November 11. On this date, visitors will be able to walk the blue carpet in true Hollywood tradition and take a few selfies along the way with iconic characters from the Marvel, Star Wars and Disney licenses. In the Backstage Restaurant, a themed dessert will be offered with the purchase of a menu.
Also note that visitors will be able to enjoy an additional half hour in the park, as well as a special Grand Final, which will illuminate the Hollywood Tower Hotel in blue.
A mess of ads
Apart from this celebration at Disneyland Paris, the big-eared firm will also unveil some of its next projects. On social networks, there should be plenty of announcements. We should thus be entitled to some trailers as well as official presentations. You will have to go to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram to discover these original images. Disney creators and stars will also be on hand. Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, Pixar or National Geographic, there should be something for everyone. One can expect to especially learn more about the future of home ideas on the small screen. If several series have already been announced, the broadcast dates for each of them remain secret for the moment. We expect in particular She-hulk, with Mark Ruffalo in the cast.
A slew of new content
On Friday, November 12, directly from the application, subscribers will also be able to enjoy a slew of new productions, including the reboot of Mum, I missed the plane. It will also be possible to discover the series of short films: Olaf presents as well as a short film adapted from the animated film Luca. A show dedicated to Boba Fett is also announced as well as a Marvel retrospective and a dive into the future of the franchise. Finally, Michael Keaton will return to the small screen in the lead role of the new Star series. Baptized Dopesick, it traces one of the biggest health scandals in the United States, at the origin of the opioid crisis. The full program for the month of November can be found here.
Note also that for a week, Disney + offers almost a month of subscription to new subscribers as well as to those who would like to continue their subscription. Until November 14, it is possible to enjoy the first month at 1.99 euros, before returning to normal pricing: 8.99 euros per month.
Subscribe to Disney + to take advantage of the offer


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If you recently visited the Android site from Google, you might notice some changes. The section with the tablets, which is located between the TV sections and the “wear”, temporarily disappeared. Google silently removed this section, which contains applications specifically for tablets, as well as lists the device models. The section disappeared on June 1.
However, soon after this section was returned. It turns out that these were just temporary malfunctions. The Google management says that when the site was updated, there was a bug that was quickly fixed.
One would think that Google decided to pay less attention to tablets in favour of other devices, like the Chromebook, but it’s not. Tablets iPad continue to dominate the market, but the tablets of other companies are not so bad. Fortunately, everything worked out, and Google is not going to throw tablets.


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Once again, SUVs are to blame.
In the United States, Mercedes-Benz offers its customers the choice of just two wagons. These are the E450 4Matic All-Terrain, which competes with the Audi A6 allroad, and the AMG E63 wagon. The limited selection is no surprise since wagons have fallen out of favor in recent years. Even Volvo, which has built some of the best wagons around, recently chose to discontinue its V60 and V90 wagons for the 2022 model year.
According to Autocar, Markus Schafer, Mercedes-Benz's chief operating officer, recently admitted that the future of the wagon is uncertain, especially outside of the UK and Europe where wagons remain quite popular.
"Estate cars, we have to see," said Schafer in an interview at the Munich auto show. "This market is under pressure as more and more customers move to SUVs, and there are just a few markets left for estates and station wagons. So we have to see how the volumes are developing."
We know that crossovers and SUVs are wildly popular in the US, and sources at Mercedes have suggested that this won't change with electrification. Lower-riding, more aerodynamic SUVs with electric powertrains are carving away at the few advantages the wagon body style still had to its credit.
For those of us less interested in practical motoring, there was more bad news from Schafer. "We have to recognize that the demand for cabriolets is dropping around the world. We will have to think about the coupe as well."
Electrification and drop-tops are not quite a match made in heaven, as Schafer says it's challenging to design an attractive convertible with a large battery pack at the bottom. "It's quite a job and a task to keep [its] nice proportions and not to lift it too high," he said.
Already, the beautiful Mercedes S-Class coupe and convertible - based on the previous S-Class sedan - won't be receiving successors. Hopefully, the E-Class wagon isn't headed down the same path.


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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chrysler Group LLC's chief executive told Michigan lawmakers Tuesday that the company plans to keep its Sterling Heights assembly plant open into 2011.
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne told Rep. Candice Miller and others that the automaker could build future versions of the Chrysler Sebring at the plant near Detroit.
Miller asked the Chrysler executive about the plant's future during a meeting with Michigan members of Congress.
Miller says Marchionne told them Chrysler would evaluate in 2011 where future products would be produced and he expected versions of the Sebring to be built in the United States.
Chrysler had previously said the plant would be closed next year as part of its bankruptcy plan.


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While Sony has officially shared some information about the PlayStation 5, they’ve also remained remarkably coy about the next-gen system since its existence was revealed by PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny in 2019. In that time, there has been a plethora of rumors surrounding the system, some more substantial than others. The latest revolves around Sony gearing up for an official PS5 reveal, and it involves a logo on a website.
Coming from the bastion of truth that is Reddit, a new image claims to show the PS5 logo on the Japanese PlayStation website. It’s hanging out alongside the logos for the PS4, PS4 Pro, and PSVR in the screenshot above.
While it looks kinda‘ legit, it’s probably not. Sure, it features what looks like the “V” shape seen in alleged leaks of the PS5 dev kit. And it matches the designs of the logos next to it.
But come on: a logo like this is so incredibly easy to Photoshop and fake it’s not even funny. That doesn’t mention that the photo itself is grainy enough to fudge a fake, and that there’s plenty of whitespace on the website for something like thise to “work.”
If we were capturing this, we’d just take a screengrab or hit “PRTSC” on our keyboard. Easy peasy. We wouldn’t whip out our phones and snag a pic.
Complicating matters, it seems that essentially no one else saw this logo on the Japanese PlayStation website before it was “taken down.”
The screenshot above was taken on February 12, 2020, at 3:50 p.m. EST. And the logo is nowhere to be seen. Though it could have been removed between the time the Reddit post was made and the screenshot was taken, the Wayback Machine shows no evidence of the PS5 logo on the page in question.
Rumors have swirled around the PlayStation 5, including that it fully supports backwards compatibility with every PlayStation that came before it, and that the coronavirus could impact its launch (as well as that of the Xbox Series X) during the 2020 holiday season.
Right now, those rumors are just that. Sony has officially confirmed very little about the PS5. However, we do know that something is afoot as Sony recently set up a PlayStation 5 website telling us to stay tuned.
We also know a bit about the system’s specifications, such as that it will use an SSD instead of an HDD, as well as some about the Dualshock 5.
So while this PS5 logo is probably a fake and some rumors about the system will (and are bound to) be untrue, we hopefully won’t have to wait much longer to officially find out.
Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more PlayStation 5 news and info.


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South Korea asks Samsung to extend its Note 7 refund deadline
Samsung Electronics has been asked by the South Korean government to extend its refund period for the Galaxy Note 7 in the country. Originally, Samsung had given consumers until the Monday just passed to claim a complete refund. Any customers who return their phone from now on would only receive a replacement model.
The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, the government agency responsible for product safety and recalls, has requested that Samsung communicate how much longer it could extend the refund period for consumers who missed Monday’s deadline. The agency also insists that Samsung should develop an alternative plan to better notify consumers that they can exchange their Note 7 or receive a refund.
The agency has refused to approve Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 recall progam in the country because the company has failed to come up with what it deems to be sufficient measures to remove smartphones already on the market. In other words, the South Korean government believes that Samsung has not done enough to inform consumers about their rights to refund defective Note 7s.
There has not been an official government backed recall in South Korea as a result, but the situation is different in the US. On September 15th, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued an official recall, nearly two weeks after Samsung began its global recall. The commission states that consumers are entitled to a refund or replacement device, but gives no mention of a deadline.
Samsung has not commented on the matter.


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The Caribbean’s largest cruise lines haven’t allowed a record hurricane season to stop them from making money. For example Carnival, the world’s largest cruise company, begins returning this month to Grand Turk, St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Most of the nearly 100 destinations in the Caribbean have been fully operational since the storms, and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) reports that nearly 90 percent of the region is open for business. That will make Royal Caribbean happy with the near completion of its new super ship Symphony of the Seas, billed to be the biggest cruiser afloat.
Carnival Corporation brands have operated normal schedules in the aftermath of the September storms, modifying itineraries for only a handful of impacted destinations. Vigorous recovery efforts to restore cruise travel to those affected destinations have led to the re-opening of cruise ports in Grand Turk, St. Thomas and San Juan.
Below is a summary of when Carnival Corporation brands return to these three popular destinations:
*Carnival Cruise Line returned to Grand Turk November 1, and will return to San Juan on November 30 and St. Thomas January 9.
*Seabourn visits St. Thomas today and will return to San Juan starting December 18.
*Holland America Line will return to Grand Turk on November 6, St. Thomas starting on November 8 and San Juan starting on December 7.
*AIDA Cruises will return to Grand Turk beginning November 9.
Princess Cruises will return to St. Thomas starting November 12, Grand Turk starting on December 15 and San Juan starting on December 20.
*Costa Cruises will return to San Juan starting December 17 and Grand Turk on December 23.
*P&O Cruises UK will return to Grand Turk on December 20.
“The Caribbean covers a far-reaching region of more than one million square miles, so it is important to know the vast majority of its islands realized little or no impact from the September storms, and we have been sailing thousands of guests to the Caribbean for great vacations,” said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation.
“The Caribbean is the world’s most popular region for cruise vacations – and its people and businesses are not only great hosts to our guests, but they also have a strong spirit and resilience.
“So, for those few islands that were impacted, we applaud them for their tireless efforts to recover and rebound, stronger than ever. We are thrilled to have our brands beginning to return to renowned destinations such as Grand Turk, St. Thomas and San Juan, and we know our guests will also be happy to have those ports as part of their cruise vacation.”
In October, the FCCA announced it launched www.CaribbeanIsOpen.com, a website that is part of its multifaceted, million-dollar campaign to generate awareness that the majority of Caribbean destinations are operating normally, unhindered by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and have been welcoming and continue to welcome tens of thousands of travelers every day.
“The landing site is an invaluable resource for destinations and cruise lines to spread information about and footage of the beautiful destinations awaiting guests,” said Michele Paige, president of FCCA.
“It is crucial to connect with potential travelers and show them that most of the unparalleled experiences in the Caribbean are fully available to them as they plan upcoming vacations, and also to let them know that the best way to show support is to travel to the Caribbean, as the entire region greatly benefits from tourism.”
The website – CaribbeanIsOpen – features footage of and updates from destinations, a map showing that nearly 90 percent of the region’s ports are open and welcoming guests, a Q&A broaching potential travelers’ questions about visiting the Caribbean, testimonials from travelers that recently visited the Caribbean and more.


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The Girl Scouts have found the perfect way to celebrate World Thinking Day, an international day the association has been celebrating on Feb. 22 since 1926. For the holiday this year, the organization has encouraged Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from across the world to write letters about their hopes for the future.
"In a bid to ensure young women’s voices are heard, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts has launched a letter-writing campaign, encouraging its 10 million members to share their hope and ambitions for a better world with girls across the globe so that together they can form a stronger collective voice about issues that affect them, such as gender equality and discrimination," reads a press release about the campaign.
The inspiring letters come from women like 22-year-old Zayn, who's a Girl Guide leader in Syria. "Being a girl guide truly changed my life," Zayn writes in her moving letter. "I became the strong, independent woman I’ve always wanted to become."
Check out a few of the incredible letters below, and prepare to be inspired.
Zayn, 22, Syria
Tata, 16, Georgia
Anonymous, 12, Greece
To learn more about World Thinking Day, click here.


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» Bbm Apps For Android Samsung Galaxy Young 5360
Bbm Apps For Android Samsung Galaxy Young 5360
Bbm Apps For Android Samsung Galaxy Young 5360 on Technology News and Updates AdmaTechnology.com at Friday, April 25, 2014
Apple reportedly ready to release a mini-version of the course will also be priced cheaper than its flagship smartphone, the iPhone.
Quoted from Techradar, Saturday (2/23), according to the report, the presence of the iPhone Mini will happen this summer.
The number of users increased four-fold compared to last year.
Website provider of free and paid storage service, Dropbox, today released an announcement stating that they have recorded a remarkable achievement by achieving 100 million users worldwide.
Faster, easier to use, and can be accessed anywhere
Confused viewing your Yahoo email today? Yes, Yahoo is just presenting a fresh new look.
In a posting on its official blog on Tuesday (12/11), Yahoo boss Marissa Mayer, said Yahoo! Mail is now not only [...]
Already know about Oz the Great and Powerful movie from Disney? If you like it, maybe you should glance at this one game.
Temple Run Oz is an endless running game Temple Run combination that has been popular with Oz movie.
Quoted from Cnet, Friday (3/8), [...]
Sony’s new hero class ‘affordable’ has arrived in Indonesia. Products named Xperia E is available in a single version of the SIM and dual-SIM.
One feature that is favored is HD Voice, where its function is to clear up the sound when [...]
BlackBerry, formerly known as RIM, decided not to sell latest BlackBerry 10 smartphone in Japan.
“Japan is not a major market for the BlackBerry,” said the company recently announced that BlackBerry Q10 and Z10.
Quoted from Cnet, Friday [...]
This feature can be used to create a reminder.
For the Pinterest users, now comes a new feature for the application of various writing and drawing.
Pinterest recently announced Secret Board, which allows the users to be able to make a writing board in [...]
A leak of GizmoChina mention that Lenovo is preparing a smartphone with an amazing battery.
The products allegedly named Lenovo P770 is a smartphone based on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. To accommodate all the needs, Lenovo immerse powerful battery 3500mAh.
Ranked first App Store in just 2.5 hours After released.
Rovio as Manufacturer game Angry Birds released an announcement about the success of Angry Birds Star Wars is the latest game that they controlled the first rank App Store.
Amazingly, this position [...]
With a target to save Mars Curiosity Rover mission taken over by a herd of pigs naughty.
Any word that is fun for the fans of the game Angry Birds Space on iOS and Android platforms.
While waiting for the presence of Angry Birds Star Wars game that is [...]
Apparently, the business particularly those managing IT security will work harder. Because the business is now a prime target for hackers.
52 percent of IT specialists are confident that these targeted attacks will be more frequent, based on findings [...]