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Along with iPads, AirTags, and a whole bunch of other gadgets expected to be announced, Apple might also be gearing up to launch a podcast subscription service at tomorrow’s “Spring Loaded” event. Rumour has it that the service will be called — wait for it — Podcast+.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this rumour. Back in January, the Information reported that Apple was in talks to launch a paid subscription podcast service. Around that time, Loup Ventures analysts (via MacRumors) noted that Apple saw 16% growth in services in 2020, adding that 2021 was a prime time for Apple to offer a paid tier as it was losing “tier-one” podcasts to exclusive Spotify deals. The big thing this time around is that Vox’s Peter Kafka tweeted it’s likely the service will drop tomorrow.
There are a few reasons why the timing looks ripe. For starters, after eight betas, it’s expected that the Release Candidate build of iOS 14.5 will drop after tomorrow’s event, with the public release to soon follow. And what is in the iOS 14.5 beta? Snippets of code that heavily imply a paid subscription podcast service is happening. In particular, the Podcast app redesign in the iOS 14.5 beta replaces the notification bell with an account button in the Listen Now tab, as well as a change in phrasing from “Subscribe to Podcast” to “Follow Podcast.”
More evidence of paid podcasts coming: the Podcast app redesign in 14.5 beta include an account button on the Listen Now tab. Show notifications were moved there and I imagine unsubscribing from paid notifications will move there too. pic.twitter.com/oC3i4jyQLV
— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) March 22, 2021
Apple also recently launched a new nonfiction podcast, “The Line,” as an accompaniment to an upcoming docuseries with the same name. This corroborates a Bloomberg report from last year that suggested Apple was snapping up original podcasts to promote its Apple TV+ service. Adding another podcast service — especially if it’s lumped into the Apple One bundle or with Apple Music — would be just another way to cross-promote its services and hook users further into its ecosystem.
Apple first went all-in on services at its spring event in 2019, launching News+, the Apple Card, Apple Arcade, and Apple TV+. It followed up by launching Fitness+ late last year, along with the Apple One bundle. Considering Apple’s Podcast app is already widely used by iPhone users — and honestly, one of the things that helped launch this podcast craze in the first place — it’s actually sort of odd that Apple hasn’t tried capitalising on them in the same way Spotify has. (Though, there’s likely a compelling antitrust reason for that.) Speaking of Spotify, the streaming service also appears to be mulling launching a paid subscription for podcasts as well, for a fee of somewhere between $4-10 a month. Apple making its own service might also just be an attempt to keep up with the competition.
While the signs point to it, even if Podcast+ is announced tomorrow, it likely won’t be the star of the show. There are also plenty of instances of features or products in beta code that take ages to officially launch — like AirTags. In any case, it’s probably a good idea to accept that Podcast+, or something like it, is on the way.


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The Children’s Book Project has been awarded a $15,000 California COVID Relief Grant in recognition of our ongoing work during the pandemic to give free books to children who need them. Research shows that children who grow up with books do better in literacy, numeracy, and even technology. This grant helps us continue to make sure every child has a lifeline to learning with books of their very own—for keeps!
Children’s Book Project Receives CA COVID Relief Grant
by Kathleen Wydler | Jul 31, 2021 | Uncategorized

domain: news


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James Kirkham has posted his latest showreel focused on his shading, lighting, compositing, grading and hair lookdev/sim work.
Rare Replay - Making Of
RealtimeUK go behind the scenes on the CG trailer they created for Rare.
Houdini 14 - Sand/Snow RnD
Graham Collier has created some sweet sand and snow tests using the new Houdini 14.
Elite: Dangerous - CG Trailer
RealtimeUK have created the CG launch trailer for Elite: Dangerous.


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A division of Galpin Motors Inc., Galpin Auto Sports tricks out thousands of cars and trucks each year for the parent company's seven dealerships in the Los Angeles area.
The business adds as much as $500,000 in monthly revenue, said Beau Boeckmann, 38, president of Galpin Auto Sports and vice president of Galpin Motors.
"Times are tough right now," Boeckmann told Automotive News, "but the people who can afford it still want what they want."
Galpin Auto Sports jobs, featured on the MTV cable network's reality show "Pimp My Ride," range from a set of wheels with huge chrome spokes to a hot tub in a pickup bed.
The business has created its own marketing brand — a Galpin Auto Sports-customized vehicle is said to have been "Galpinized."
Other dealerships may not have tuner shops to match the Galpin Auto Sports showroom, down the block from Galpin's giant Ford dealership in the San Fernando Valley. But Boeckmann said customization offers a profit opportunity for franchised dealerships of varying sizes.
|It's a GAS|
|Prices charged by Galpin Auto Sports for customization services|
|Wheels||$100 to $2,500 per wheel|
|Grille||$400 to $7,500|
|Navigation system||$1,200 to $2,500|
|Custom-designed leather seats||$1,500 and up|
|Hot tub in pickup bed||$30,000|
|Source: Galpin Auto Sports|
'Going to grow'Last year, U.S. customers bought $38.1 billion worth of auto accessories, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association reports. Between 1996 and 2006, the market grew by an average of 7 percent a year, said SEMA spokesman Peter MacGillivray.
Franchised dealerships have just a tiny fraction of the customization market, MacGillivray said. But when dealerships start promoting customization extensively, he said, "our business is going to grow exponentially."
Galpin Auto Sports customizes about 500 vehicles a month, Boeckmann said. About 350 are at customers' requests; the rest are projects Galpin Auto Sports tackles to show off its abilities. Most of the cars and trucks Galpin Auto Sports customizes come from Galpin dealerships.
Boeckmann said Galpin Auto Sports customers often end up buying new vehicles from Galpin dealerships. "That was part of the reason for bringing other makes and models to GAS," he said.
The cost of Galpinization varies widely. The owner of a small car might spend $1,200 for an audio system. An entertainment system and new wheels for an SUV can cost as much as $10,000. Customizing a corporate promotional vehicle with, say, a living room and a bar could run $100,000.
And while profit margins on factory parts used for customization are about 20 percent, Boeckmann said, margins on nonfactory parts are as high as 50 percent.
"I have a grille over at GAS that has a bigger margin than many of the cars we're selling," Boeckmann said.
Factory tiesGalpin's Ford dealership in North Hills, Calif., is one of the world's largest. When Ford Motor Co. last year formed a dealer panel focused on customization, Boeckmann was a charter member, said Al Giombetti, executive director of Ford's customer service division.
Panel members such as Boeckmann "push us to be more aggressive, especially in body kits." Giombetti said. "They push us to get into technology such as electronics and wheels."
This year, Ford launched a line of customized accessories it sells at dealerships and online.
At Galpin Auto Sports, wheels are the most frequently customized part, Boeckmann said, and the Ford Mustang is the most customized vehicle. "You can probably configure a Mustang in a million ways," he said.
Galpin Motors, a customization pioneer, has been in the business since the 1950s. The company formed Galpin Auto Sports in 2006 to boost its margins by buying specialty parts directly from suppliers.
While the rewards of customization to dealerships are great, Boeckmann said, so are the risks of the "extremely complicated" business. Dealerships must find reliable vendors and experienced employees, he said.
But Boeckman said all dealerships can offer at least simple customizations, such as wheels, tires, body kits and stereo upgrades.
"It is what customers want these days," Boeckmann said. "And when customers want something, they are willing to pay more for it than when they need it."


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Search Results for "Apple"
Normally, a new Apple product being made available draws long lines, but with the launch of the Apple Watch, that is one thing you won’t need to do.
Apple’s ultra-thin MacBook impressed us for a brand new product, and the keyboard has really grabbed our attention. But how good is it? We’ve taken an extended play with the keyboard to see how well developed Apple’s all new ultra-slim keyboard plays with fingers.
Have you ever looked at a laptop and said “sorry, but this isn’t thin enough”? Apple has, and with its latest laptop, has found a way to make one of the lightest, thinnest, and most futuristic computers yet. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Apple’s MacBook.
April 10 may well be the day that Apple takes preorders for its first smartwatch, but it’s also the day it brings a new computer to town, as Apple’s MacBook reinvents thin for a new generation.
Fancy watching Star Wars but don’t want to dig out the old VHS copy, or even go buy a Blu-ray version? No worries, because for the first time ever, the George Lucas classics — and even those new ones — are available online without physical media.
It’s not hard to see Apple’s iPad Air 2 as a serious content creation tool, and we’ve even written a book on the thing, but to do that, you generally need a decent set of keys, and these can make the iPad look a little bigger, but Moshi hopes to solve this.
Salespeople might well be informing the public on how Full HD has just been beaten by Ultra HD, but there’s another level beyond this, and Apple may well be jumping onto this sooner than we expect.
Now that there’s a new Intel chip out in the world, you can bet that Apple is ready with an update to its popular MacBook Air computer, and here we are with one that does away with the fan and makes a truly silent Apple laptop.
Now that Intel’s latest generation of processors is out and has been for a few months, Apple is ready with an update, refreshing its line of computers to take the new chips, as well as a dash of something else. Could this be your next computer purchase?
Apple’s smartwatch revolution is nearly here, and while watch-face makers and app developers are prepping what they can do to make Apple’s first attempt a fruitful one, so too are the accessories people, with Griffin getting in with a stand.


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Japanese car maker Nissan will set up a new regional business unit for Africa in line with its Nissan Next global strategy plan, aiming to boost manufacturing capacity and penetrate one of the world’s biggest undeveloped new car markets.
The move marks a reorganization of the firm’s disparate operations on the continent, bringing them within one entity headed by Mike Whitfield, who previously served as managing director of Nissan’s units in both Egypt and South Africa.
“Beyond internal operating enhancements, this also positions Nissan to focus on the massive opportunity that Africa presents to the organization globally,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Despite harboring the largest population and household income growth in the world, Sub-Saharan Africa’s 1 billion people account for just 1% of the world’s new passenger car sales, based on industry data.
Most automobile manufactures have focused manufacturing and sales in South Africa, the continent’s most developed economy, which accounts for 85% of Africa’s new car purchases.
Nissan, along with competitors Volkswagen, BMW, and Toyota, have been lobbying African governments to grant conditions that favor local assembly and manufacturing while curbing imports of cheap used cars.
Automobile makers are also hoping to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA) which is expected to come into force in early 2021, and will reduce tariffs and ease the flow of goods between member states.


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420 and we are celebrating!
New Mexico is about two months out from being able to sell recreational marijuana.
Southwest has made more than a name change, the mega-growers based in Taos with dispensaries all along the Rio Grande, are ready for the changes headed our way!
Heads up New Mexico Cannabis Cardholders in Taos!
With winter weather’s arrival, taoStyle wondered if scarves and winter gloves could be used as personal protective equipment.
The New Mexico Artisans Market is an event held to highlight some of the state’s best artisans and makers.
A capsule wardrobe for working from home.
People have been experiencing increased fear, stress, anxiety and lack of sleep.
Could non-medical face masks become a new accessory category?
Looking ahead to days and weeks of being at home during spring
Personal style is a matter of taste but these days more and more people, men and women are choosing to wear a uniform of sorts.
We’ve all been there.


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The UK’s negotiations with the EU were subject to full-scale wrecking tactics last week – and there is no doubt more to come.
The campaign to reverse Brexit is now in full swing, as political and corporate interests determined to upend the 2016 referendum seek to renege on the biggest expression of democracy in British history.
Jeremy Corbyn clearly wants Britain to leave the EU. He opposed membership of the European Economic Community in the 1975 referendum and, as an MP, voted against Maastricht in 1993 and the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.
Yet the Labour leader, despite his much-vaunted “principles”, last week announced that he wants to stay in a customs union with the EU – contradicting his own party’s June 2017 election manifesto. For Corbyn, all that matters during these UK-EU talks is causing chaos and toppling the Government – whatever the cost to the country.
The customs union puts a tariff wall around the EU, imposing charges on exports from the rest of the world. So UK shoppers pay more – particularly on food, clothing and footwear, goods accounting for a high share of poorer households’ incomes – often to protect inefficient EU producers elsewhere. Some 80pc of those tariff revenues are then sent directly to Brussels.
Because the UK has a higher share of non-EU trade than other large EU members, we get a uniquely bad deal from the customs union. Yes, it means there are no tariff barriers within the EU – which we’re often told is necessary to protect complex supply chains, particularly in manufacturing. But such tariffs generally apply only to finished goods, not components. And outside the customs union, “frictionless” trade is still possible under a UK-EU free-trade agreement.
Customs union membership apparently means we benefit from the EU’s “60-plus” free-trade agreements with other nations. But only around 30 are in force. Some are with sizeable economies – such as South Korea and Mexico. But most of the deals are with minnows.
The EU is bad at negotiating trade deals because member states’ interests often conflict. That’s why, after years of trying, there is no EU free-trade agreement with the US, China, India or any really large economy. The UK has a better chance of securing such deals negotiating alone. Switzerland signed a free-trade deal with China in 2014. And deals cut by London will favour sectors where Britain is strong – such as services – rather than being skewed towards French and German interests as EU deals so often are.
When the UK joined the EEC in the early Seventies, the bloc accounted for 30pc of global GDP. Once the UK has left, it will be just 15pc – despite the EU now comprising over four times more member states. It makes no sense for a diverse, competitive economy like Britain to be behind a tariff wall that harms our consumers and discriminates against 85pc of the world economy, while leaving us unable to cut bespoke trade deals with the world’s largest markets.
Organisations like the Confederation of British Industry exist to protect the interests of large incumbent corporations – which is why they never want change. Leaving the customs union, though, would help smaller firms grow by exporting to a much broader range of markets.
So Corbyn is now aligning himself with big corporate interests, at the expense of British shoppers. He is backing a customs union that blocks high-value exports from some of the poorest countries on earth.
Mindful of the billions of pounds of tariff revenue we send to Brussels each year, the European Commission is determined to keep Britain inside the customs union. But the UK would then be obliged to impose EU tariffs without being able to influence them. Despite Brexit, the UK Government wouldn’t have control of our money, laws and trade as voters were told.
Corbyn’s volte-face was timed to coincide with the throwing of what one Brussels insider dubbed “a hand grenade aimed at the British Parliament”. The EU tried deliberately to destabilise Theresa May by issuing a draft treaty “rendering operational” plans to create a border in the Irish Sea, effectively splitting Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. This incendiary outcome can only be avoided, Brussels says, if Britain stays in the EU’s customs union.
The Prime Minister made her opposition “crystal clear” and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, threatened to withhold UK cash unless the EU backs down over Northern Ireland’s border with the Republic. They were right to do so. For this border issue is being irresponsibly hijacked in an attempt to frighten the British public and make Brexit seem impossible.
The Irish border already copes with differing currencies, excise duties and other tax rates. The UK says, as detailed in an August 2017 government paper, there is no need for the kind of physical border checks that could inflame sectarian sensitivities. The head of the HMRC has also made clear no hard border is necessary, as has his Irish equivalent.
Even a European Commission paper published in November 2017 accepted there was no need for physical border posts. Technology and cameras would be sufficient – cameras that already exist on the Irish border. And if they’re ever attacked, drones can be used, as they are on the US-Canada border.
Despite all that, the European Commission continues to reject flatly any commonsense solution – so keen is it to mess with the Northern Ireland peace process to put pressure on May.
What kind of organisation deliberately frustrates a government seeking to implement the democratic will of its people? And what kind of people seek to aggravate ancient cross-border enmities, greatly improved but still fragile, just because a nation wants to leave the EU?


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It makes too much sense, right? Tim Hortons as an official sponsor of Toronto’s venerable Verizon IndyCar Series race, the Honda Indy, which celebrates its 30-year anniversary this year?
Indeed the coffee that probably gets more play by Americans than Canadians, but is still huge in Canada, has become an official partner this year.
The full release from the event, which runs July 15-17, is below:
Tim Hortons will roll up to the Honda Indy Toronto this year to fuel the event with its iconic coffee. Organizers of the event announced today that Canada’s largest quick service restaurant chain will join the Honda Indy Toronto as an official sponsor.
As part of the sponsorship agreement, Tim Hortons will serve as the official coffee and baked goods provider at the Honda Indy Toronto this summer, having a presence onsite with a Tims Coffee Truck to deliver Canada’s Favourite Coffee to event-goers and team personnel, along with branding throughout the event site and along the historic street course.
“Tim Hortons is a big part of Toronto and Canadian culture,” said Jeff Atkinson, President of the Honda Indy Toronto. “Partnering with an iconic Canadian brand like Tim Hortons is important to us. We are excited to be working with them.”
“Tim Hortons is proud to sponsor the 30th running of the Honda Indy Toronto,” said David Clanachan, President and COO, Tim Hortons Canada. “We are thrilled to help fuel Honda Indy fans with our always fresh coffee throughout race weekend.”


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The owners of Shammy’s Auto Wash are adding a location on the west side of Owensboro. The new touchless car wash will be constructed at the corner of West Parrish Avenue and Carter Road, formerly home to Thai Food Owensboro and Metro PCS.
Sean Byrne, one of the owners, said construction is expected to start within the next week depending on the weather. Byrne said if everything comes together, the new location could be operating by the end of the year.
The owners also operate a Shammy’s at 2524 Frederica Street and the Sparkle Brite on Emory Drive (both in the Wesleyan Park Plaza area). Byrne said there will be a fourth car wash added to the portfolio at a later date.
Byrne said once the new car wash is operating, they will work to add an unlimited package that will be eligible for use across all their car wash locations.
The new Shammy’s will be set up similar to the current one, which features two touch-free automatic LaserWash wash bays along with vacuums, carpet shampoo, spot remover, fragrance machines and car care products.
To help with traffic flow, the only entrance for the new Shammy’s will be located on Old Henderson Road rather than Carter or Parrish.
The former Metro PCS and Thai Food buildings have already been torn down. Both businesses both relocated just down the road in a strip center.


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Thursday, June 18, 2015
825 Massachusetts St. • (785) 843-0080
There’s a word for a family of 350 artists: fun, says Sue Shea, manager of the Phoenix Gallery.
The gallery, being honored as the best gift shop in town, has about 350 artists represented in its space, but has worked with a lot more during its more than 20-year history in downtown.
The store chooses to work with artists who share the same philosophy about art.
“Our mantra is to have art that everyone can have,” Shea says. “We have a price point of $10 and up. That is pretty much our motto: Get art in everyone’s hands.”
The store offers jewelry, blown glass, ceramics, wood work, mixed media, sculpture, paintings, drawings and many other types of art.
Many of the pieces are from local artists, which Shea says adds to the fun of the store.
“You really do get to know the artists like family,” she says. “They come in the store and we chat. When they bring new stuff in, I can’t hardly wait for them to open the box so I can see what they have.”
Best of Lawrence 2015


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Business Armenia supports exporting enterprises and those with export potential to utilize the preferential trade regimes and enter markets of different states in the world.
The REX system of goods’ origin self-certification has been introduced and run by GSP+ regime since January.
It is most beneficial for SMEs. By once registering in the system and receiving an individual registration number the Armenian producers can export their up to 6000 Euro worth production to EU states with no requirement of certification from the country of origin. With the support of Business Armenia, the Sharoyan-Saryan company has exported its “Halep” sweets to France.
Within the first half of this year 26 Armenian producers have been consulted on how to use the GSP+ REX, GSP USA and GSP Switzerland regimes. The Business Armenia’s support is offered with the cooperation of the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments of RA.
Click here to read more


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The Petersen Automotive Museum presents a new exhibit celebrating Italian design firm and coachbuilder Pininfarina running today, March 25, through Dec. 5.
Located in the Armand Hammer Foundation Gallery, “The Aesthetic of Motoring: 90 Years of Pininfarina” exhibit will convey the significance and evolution of the Italian firm through a curated display of four key automobiles representing its storied 90-year history. Vehicles on display will include a 1931 Cadillac Model452A Boattail Roadster, the first Pininfarina body mounted on a non-Italian chassis; a 1947 Cisitalia 202 Coupe, considered one of the most attractive vehicles ever built; a 1966 Dino Berlinetta 206 GT Prototype, the first mid-engine Ferrari; and a 2019 Automobili Pininfarina “Battista,” which is an early design model of a luxury hypercar, as opposed to a functioning automobile. A 1967 Ferrari 365P Berlinetta Speciale “Tre Posti,” the last vehicle bodied by Pininfarina for a private client, will replace the 1966 Dino Berlinetta 206 GT Prototype in April.
“With its commitment to elegant, aerodynamic design and small-scale production, Pininfarina has created some of the most innovative and revered car designs in the history of the automobile,” Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges said. “The new exhibit will provide visitors with a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s design history while paying homage to its innovation through these four rarely-seen vehicles.”
“We are honored that a prestigious museum such as the Petersen is dedicating an exhibition to our anniversary,” said Paolo Pininfarina, chairman of the Pininfarina Group. “The models on display perfectly represent our identity, which today is the same as in the 1930s. The centrality of design, an aesthetic sense capable of creating timeless beauty, the obsession with quality, the force of a tradition that combines industry, technology and stylistic research. Pininfarina has built up 90 years of innovation in compliance with these values.”
The exhibit will complement other Pininfarina designs currently on display throughout the museum. The “Supercars” exhibit on the Otis Booth History Floor includes a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Interim Berlinetta, 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO, 1989 Ferrari Testarossa, 1991 Ferrari F40 and 2004 Ferrari Enzo. Additional Pininfarina-designed vehicles can be seen in the Vault Presented by Hagerty, including a 1953 Nash-Healey Roadster, 1954 Nash-Healey Le Mans Coupe, 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4, 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta, 2010 Ferrari 599 GTO, 2014 Ferrari F12, 2017 Ferrari F12 70th Anniversary, the 1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi from “Magnum PI” and a Ferrari 458 Challenge art car by Tyler Ramsey.
Tickets must be purchased in advance online. Guests will be required to wear masks and practice physical distancing.
For information, visit petersen.org.
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New website channel expands coverage of pharmaceutical and medical packaging news, trends and insightsNew website channel expands coverage of pharmaceutical and medical packaging news, trends and insights
April 12, 2016
Pharmaceutical & Medical Packaging News, a sister publication of Packaging Digest, has moved its website to now serve as the channel dedicated to covering pharmaceutical and medical device packaging.
We will be posting news, analysis, features, guest columns, and more several times per week, so please be sure to keep your subscription current by clicking here.
PMP News will also be published twice a year as a print supplement to Packaging Digest, issued in May and October 2016. PMP News will also publish news and more in the quarterly issues of Packaging Digest. All current PMP News subscribers will receive these quarterly editions and supplements.
And on June 16, 2016, in New York City, we will host the Pharmaceutical & Medical Packaging conference at EastPack. Please mark your calendars now to join us!
Please e-mail me with any ideas or questions at [email protected].
Best wishes to you in the New Year!
About the Author(s)
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Author: Jagdish Kumar, India
In a view to jointly develop in the field of Blockchain, artificial intelligence, analytics and data processing, India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The MoU was signed between Invest India CEO & MD Deepak Bagla and UAE Minister of artificial intelligence (AI) Omar Bin Sultan Al Obama in New Delhi recently.
“This partnership will generate an estimated $20 billion in economic benefits during the next decade for both countries,” the joint statement said.
“The MoU will spur development across areas like Blockchain, AI and Analytics as data and processing will be a catalyst for innovation and business growth and serve as the backbone of more effective and efficient service delivery systems,” the statement added.
Both the countries also emphasised that by 2035 AI can potentially add $957 billion to the Indian economy.
It was also noted that both countries decided to increase usage of Blockchain technology for streamlining supply chains and expediting the movement of trade.
According to recently launched ‘UAE Blockchain Strategy 2021’ in April 2018 estimates that adopting new technologies could save industries $3 billion every year, as well as 25 million work hours.
With this contract, UAE intends to become a world leader in this technological field.
Dubai is also hoping to become the world’s first Blockchain government, with all its bureaucracy under the control of the technology by 2020.
Apart from this, the UAE has invested over $5.3 billion in India and infrastructure is one of the top 5 focus sections of UAE-India bilateral trade.
Indian government is also launching multiple initiatives to create an environment for digital growth through which the potential of AI can be realized in the areas of agriculture supply, healthcare and disaster management services, the statement added.
Image credit: NRIcafe.com


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- ‘Hi Nanna’ review: Emotional roller-coaster
- Tirupati: Ambedkar’s contributions to society unmatchable
- A career in Biotechnology with B.Tech degree
- Nellore: Seeds at 80% subsidy to affected farmers says Kakani Govardhan Reddy
- Cyclone damages 7,126 hectares paddy crop in Tirupati district
- Weather update: Rains to continue for next two days in Andhra Pradesh
- Google Unveils Gemini: Next-Gen AI Model in 3 Variants, Powers Bard & Pixel 8
- Ongole: Collector AS Dinesh Kumar pays floral tributes to Ambedkar
- Pragati Bhavan to be free from high rise barricades in two days
- PL Technicals Daily Morning Report - Dec 7
Kerala to set up country's first global trade centre for women
In a major initiative to accelerate women entrepreneurship and secure gender parity, Kerala will set up the country’s first International Women’s Trade Centre
In a major initiative to accelerate women entrepreneurship and secure gender parity, Kerala will set up the country's first International Women's Trade Centre (iWTC), in consonance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in Kozhikode.
A key project of the state's Gender Park under the Department of Social Justice, it is envisaged as a safe space away from home for women to harness their entrepreneurial capabilities, set up or expand their businesses and get their products marketed globally.
The first phase of iWTC, being executed under the Gender Park's 'Vision 2020', is scheduled to be completed by 2021.
"It is significant that the Gender Park has unveiled iWTC project at a time when more and more women are foraying into entrepreneurship and exploring other self-employment options in Kerala," said Minister for Health and Social Justice K K Shailaja.
Gender Park CEO, P T Mohammed Sunish said the overall scheme of iWTC would be that of a world class shopping destination, encompassing within its ambit a string of outlets catering to the needs of women entrepreneurs.
"The facility will have women's start-up and incubation centre, retail fashion and technology outlets, health and wellness centres, business centres and offices, conference-convention-exhibition spaces, performing arts centre, residential suites and day-care for seniors and children," he said.
The official also said they were seeking financial support for the project from relevant institutions.
Besides serving as a facilitator to launch their own ventures, iWTC is envisaged to enable women entrepreneurs to come forward and participate in international trade, enjoy greater economic benefits and enhance their competitiveness to tap market opportunities.
Special emphasis will be on hand-holding and bringing economically backward women, marginalised groups, women with disabilities and transgenders to the forefront by helping harness and nurture their entrepreneurial capabilities.
While creating a safe and sustainable environment for the growth of industry, business, trade and lifestyle, iWTC will also have a dedicated space for cultural expressions of women to promote and showcase performing arts and cultural forms like dance, music and theatre.
"This is a fine concept that looks upfront," said eminent choreographer and activist Mallika Sarabhai, who is an advisor to the Gender Park, an autonomous body under the Social Justice Department.
In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda, which includes 17 SDGs to transform the world, building on the principle of "leaving no one behind".
It is a call for action by all countries to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.
The iWTC is conceived in line with the aims of SDGs like efforts to end poverty in all its forms, provide good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality and women's empowerment, innovation and infrastructure and reduced inequality.
Adhering to green protocol, iWTC will be housed in an environment-friendly and resource-efficient building.
In its piloting year, it will help flood-affected women and provide them with opportunities for livelihood and entrepreneurship, the official added.


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Every week, we put together a list of our top 5 articles of the past week. Happy reading!
Journalism That Stands Apart NY Times, 2020 Report
The NY Times is definitely focusing on digital subscriptions as its core strategy. Great report from the Times and very transparent as well, journalism must adapt its business model in order to thrive again.
Good piece on Wired on IMAX and their big get. VR might still be in the gestation phase from a consumer point of view but the big entertainment companies are heavily investing in the technology.
Good high level report on the automation and its impact on employment. Robotics and artificial intelligence are going to create & displace more jobs this century than the industrial revolution (imho).
The ad world isn’t immune to the large changes affecting the industry. This piece in Forbes highlights the need to change and the opportunity for agencies to take advantage of.
Episode 14: JD St-Martin co-CEO @ Chronogolf PNR Podcast
We had the pleasure of talking to JD St-Martin, co-CEO from Chronogolf. Full disclosure: JF and I are investors in his startup. We’re big fans and we had a great talk about where he’s taking the company.


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Cider making has become a popular business concept in Tacoma, with one new venue recently opened and another to open later this month.
▪ Tacoma Cider Co., 1116 Court E, Tacoma, has announced its grand opening celebration starting at 2 p.m. Oct. 26. The business is an offshoot of Tacoma Brewing Co., which launched in 2012, with all operations based in the city.
Morgan Alexander, founder and brewmaster of Tacoma Brewing, told The News Tribune via email that the event will run until 9 p.m. “or until the cider is gone.”
The event will include flights and 10-ounce pours.
“We’re also working on some special grand opening cider cocktails,” he added. “Cocktails are a big inspiration for the ciders we’re doing. Many will be designed to work with the addition of spirits.”
Also of note: its sister company, Tacoma Brewing Co., will have its seventh anniversary celebration, 2-9 p.m. Nov. 9.
In its announcement on Facebook, the site calls the event, “A party with food, music, give-aways, and all kinds of good stuff! We’re celebrating our new home in Tacoma & saying goodbye to the construction zone.”
According to an initial announcement in January, this is the company’s first retail tasting room site, “offering one of the largest draft cider selections in the South Sound,” along with beer and wine.
“The last three years have been dedicated to establishing our brand in order to take this next step,” said Incline Cider’s co-founder and owner, Jordan Zehner, said in the January announcement.
The craft cider company launched in 2015 in Auburn. Its products are distributed just here and at grocers and other outlets in Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Missouri, Nevada and Alaska.


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Banking, Lending and Fintech Topics
on Jun 13th, 2018.
The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia hosted the 11th Conference for Payments and Market Infrastructures: Let’s Get Digital in cooperation with the De Nederlandsche Bank, which was held in Ohrid, from 6th to 8th of June 2018. The Conference which has had an international character for many years will enlighten the ongoing global process of moving to a digital business and payments.
Our colleagues Bijana and Aleksandar have participated in the conference to learn more about the latest digital trends in payments and market infrastructures.
For more info, visit the following link.


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SAS reports major losses
Airline SAS, which is partly owned by the Swedish state, has reported major losses, far higher than expected.
In the first quarter of 2012 SAS made a loss of over US$ 167 million. SAS has lost money in nine out of the last ten years, and has received support money from its Swedish, Danish and Norwegian state owners, in order to stay in business.
The company's CEO, Rickard Gustafson, writes in the quarterly report that his company is struggling due to "an uncertain economic situation, high fuel prices, and tough competition."
The company does not expect to turn a profit in the rest of 2012, but expects better times in 2013.


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Residents of Darlington are being urged to register to vote, ahead of the Local Government Elections on Thursday, May 2nd, 2019.
Concept drawings showing the potential improvements and developments of the Darlington’s Indoor Market have gone on display. Residents, traders and businesses within Darlington are being asked to have their say on the plans, ahead of the historic market being restored to its former glory and transformed into a modern retail and leisure destination. Option 1 MAM (Darlington) Ltd invest £2 million f...
Vue Darlington has launched a competition for budding artists to coincide with the showing of “Exhibition On Screen: Rembrandt (Encore)” at the cinema.
Union J star Jaymi Hensley is making his musical theatre dream come true in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which visits Darlington Hippodrome in May.
A new exhibition featuring the work of local photographer, Peter Giroux, has gone on show at the Head of Steam - Darlington Railway Museum.
Following a £50,000 investment, the 1189 Bar and Kitchen has opened its doors at Walworth Castle Hotel.
The new Parkgate Bridge has officially opened to pedestrians and cyclists in Darlington.
A scaled-down model of the steam locomotive Tornado has returned to its rightful place after undergoing a makeover.
"Strictly Come Dancing" star Shirley Ballas will headline a star-studded cast in the upcoming Darlington Hippodrome pantomime, "Jack and the Beanstalk".
Darlington Restaurant Week is set to return after the promotion was deemed a "great success" by restaurants and diners alike.
Three colourful book benches, inspired by Darlington residents’ favourite children’s books and authors, have taken centre stage at Crown Street Library.


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Volkswagen has a lot to answer for. The scandal that engulfed the company over its fitting of “defeat devices” to its diesel cars in an attempt to subvert CO2 emissions regulations has snowballed into a campaign against all diesel vehicles, one of society’s biggest bêtes noires. In the wake of the scandal, we’ve seen governments saying that the sales of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines will be banned, from an ambitious 2025 (Norway) to a more feasible 2040 (the UK and France).
There has also been change in the emissions testing process, with the adoption of the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Testing Procedure, which uses real driving emissions data to measure CO2, as opposed to the previous laboratory-based protocols.
Air quality issues have also leapt up social and political agendas, with clean air zones and even outright bans being established, which will make life more expensive or even downright awkward for diesel drivers.
Volkswagen has been a catalyst for legislators to introduce measures that were already being considered. The need for everyone to address climate change and air quality has become more urgent in recent decades and the Volkswagen scandal was perhaps just the straw that broke the environmental camel’s back.
Either way, huge changes in road transportation are under way and our reliance on fossil fuels is about to be seriously challenged.
Not dead yet
Fleet operators, many of whom are heavily reliant on diesel as a fuel – because of the cost benefits it brings and the positive effects those have on lowering fleet vehicles’ total cost of ownership (TCO) – will particularly feel the impact of measures to reduce its use.
The reality is, of course, that diesel still has a place in fleet use, especially as the latest engines – designated Euro 6 in Europe – are much cleaner than ever before, with strict controls on NOx emission and particulate matter. The key for fleets is to choose the right vehicle for the job, which will sometimes be a diesel.
John Pryor, chairman of ACFO, the fleet decision-makers’ organisation, says: “It is for fleets to look at what the requirements for the journey are and then choose the vehicle to fulfil them accordingly. Companies and fleets have to look at the requirement for the job. Sometimes it will be an EV, sometimes it will be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and sometimes it will be diesel,
or even petrol.
“Sometimes, they’re going to have to bite the bullet and decide that it has to be a diesel: they know that drivers will be driving into a low emission zone and there’s going to be a cost to that. But at least they know about it. And where people can make a change, they will make a change. It’s a mathematical equation.”
Fleets will continue to use diesel vehicles for many years simply because they’re cheaper
to operate over longer mileages. But do fleet managers and senior management also have to consider diesel’s continued use as a corporate social responsibility issue? \
Understanding diesel technology
It’s fair to say that diesel vehicles are being demonised. And for new vehicles that’s unfair and unwarranted: the air quality-damaging NOx being emitted by Euro 6 vehicles is set at 0.08g/km, compared to 0.25g/km for Euro 4, introduced in 2005. Older diesels are dirty (particulate matter has only been regulated since Euro 5b was introduced in 2011) and there is a watertight case for restricting their use in areas with poor air quality: that case is considerably weaker for Euro 6 diesels, but media coverage has lumped them all together.
As Ian Robertson, editor of Diesel Car magazine explains: “In terms of emissions, Euro 6 diesel cars continue to produce CO2 emissions that are around 20% lower than an equivalent petrol car and, in terms of NOx, the Euro 6 limits mean that the regulations require diesel cars to produce similar levels to petrol cars. Business users can choose new diesel cars with absolute confidence.
“The biggest problem is that the media isn’t differentiating between modern Euro 6 clean diesels and older, dirty diesels that produce higher levels of emissions. In a similar way, many of the regulations will mean that older petrol cars will be outlawed, too, but this never appears to hit the headlines. Clear differentiation between the latest Euro 6 clean diesels and older diesel cars, vans and buses needs to be made.”
Much of the hysteria surrounding diesels will abate in time – although it might take the introduction of Euro 7 regulations in the early 2020s for that to happen.The current attitude towards diesels is undoubtedly having an effect on sales, with demand falling relatively rapidly: the Society
of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) recorded a year-on-year 17.1% fall in diesel vehicles registrations in 2017. This fall in demand is yet to hit the used car market, though: SMMT figures show that used diesel car transactions rose 3.3% in 2017, with more than 3.3 million motorists (40.8% of buyers) investing in one.
“The media isn’t differentiating between modern Euro 6 clean diesels and older, dirty diesels that produce higher emissions”
If used diesel values fall, however, fleets don’t necessarily need to be overly concerned, especially as so many fleet vehicles are leased. It’s the leasing companies that will be worried, as Martin Reeves, head of sales at Lombard Vehicle Solutions, explains: “Leasing companies are going to be worried about the fact that they’ve got a load of vehicles on their books that potentially aren’t going to be worth as much as they thought at the end of their life. That doesn’t necessarily affect the fleet customer, directly, unless they do own vehicles.”
The alternative to diesel for fleets is to go electric, in part, if not completely.A recent report from Sewells Research and Insight has illustrated the need for fleet operators to recognise how alternatively fuelled vehicles (which includes EVs and plug-in hybrids) are increasing in popularity – sales grew by 34.8% in 2017 – and embrace them.
Report author Mark Sutcliffe says: “At some point before 2020, the majority of fleets – especially those operating vans predominantly in urban environments – will need an emissions reduction strategy that will see them replace a proportion of their fleet with electric vehicles. The timing of this decision and the extent of their commitment to EVs will be the defining strategic choice facing fleet decision makers over the next five years.
“Proactive fleet managers who work out their transition strategy now will more effectively manage their residual value risk and avoid some awkward conversations with their finance and operations directors over the next three years.”
So fleets need to start thinking about that switch now because, as the Sewells report concludes: “The risk for fleet operators in delaying adoption of EVs is that by the time the next phase of emissions legislation makes the switch unavoidable, demand for EVs may already outstrip supply, leading to serious availability issues which could impact on fleets’ ability to operate cost-effectively in urban environments.”
The change seems to be happening already, albeit gradually, says ACFO’s Pryor: “Fleets will be quite happy to adopt electric vehicles – we’ve seen more coming on to fleets. But there is still range anxiety. As that changes and more vehicles have a much longer range, that will disappear. We’ll then come to other issues about where to charge it up, how to charge it up, have fleets got enough charging units? I suspect that they will increase their range, which will lead to less use of petrol or diesel engines, especially when we see EVs with 300- or 400-mile ranges. Then in time, we’ll have hydrogen.”
Many automotive industry experts see the journey as a series of progressions in technology. The product plans of the car industry appear to be geared up in this way. We’re seeing more plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) coming on to the market, with the likes of Volvo, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi leading the way (Toyota and its Lexus sub-brand are also pursuing a policy of hybridisation, but their cars are hybrids that don’t require plugging in, so have shorter electric-only ranges).
“Proactive fleet managers who work out their transition strategy now will more effectively manage their residual value risk”
Volkswagen already has a PHEV Golf, while Kia and Hyundai have launched plug-in variants of their own models. The fall in diesel sales is suddenly exposing manufacturers to fines for not meeting corporate CO2 targets, so the pace of plug-in development will have to be increased.
A load of hot air?
The next stage is the steady stream of new EVs from around 2019-2020. Again, the premium car makers are taking a lead here: this is partly because the technology always tends to be premiered in more expensive models, before trickling down to smaller, less pricey cars, but also because the likes of Mercedes, Volvo and Audi have rather had their thunder stolen by Tesla, which has truly disrupted this area of the car market. So we’ll see the Mercedes EQ electric car range, perhaps more BMW i cars, Audi e-trons, a Volvo EV and the Porsche Mission E, all within the next two to three years.
And then, as Pryor implies, around 2025 to 2030 onwards we could be seeing hydrogen fuel cell cars (FCEV) starting to be launched in numbers. These vehicles can be filled with hydrogen in minutes, will have ranges comparable with petrol and diesel vehicles, but only emit water, as the hydrogen reacts with air in the fuel cell to produce electricity to power motors.
Toyota already has its Mirai on sale in the UK, with Hyundai about to launch its second FCEV, the SUV-style Nexo, later this year (replacing its ix35 FCEV). The drawbacks for fleet use currently are that they’re expensive – the Mirai is £66,000 – and that there are fewer than 20 publicly accessible hydrogen filling stations in the UK.
But if the refuelling infrastructure issues are overcome – and they could be if more countries adopt a wider hydrogen economy – FCEVs could be a serious option for fleet vehicles needing to cover longer distances, with EVs being used for shorter, more urban-oriented tasks.
Which leads us back to the need for future fleets, in the coming years and decades, to have vehicles powered by petrol and diesel, electricity and even hydrogen. Each will have a place in the fleet mix, ensuring that operators minimise their costs and the impact that their fleet has on the environment.


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Providence woman accused of pepper-spraying store security officer
DARTMOUTH, Mass. — A Providence woman was arrested here Monday after the police said she sprayed a department store security officer with pepper spray.
Dartmouth police said Ruby Mena, 29, was in a Macy’s department store at about 1:15 p.m. Monday when a store employee tried to detain her and another woman in connection with a shoplifting investigation.
During the confrontation, the police said, she sprayed the employee in the face with pepper spray and because of that action was charged with assault and battery.


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Melbourne Style Hub’s (MFH) pop-up party is again for its third year, with 17 pupils and graduate designers showcasing new styles that place folks and the planet to start with.
The event also serves as an opportunity for the general public to get a firsthand glimpse into rising designers in the course of the conceptualisation period of their manufacturer and order one particular-of-a-variety items ahead of the relaxation of the entire world.
As the remaining practical aspect of the designers MFH 6-week system, founder and proprietor of the hub Julia Browne is contacting it “facilitated learning” that prepares the pupils for the upcoming.
“I function with all the designers to go over all the fashion principles that they are going to need in purchase to not only signify themselves and their brand in a public-dealing with customer and industry setting, but to just take their business ahead as properly,” she said.
“Everything from finding out how to established up a sole trader ABN, all the way by way of to items and conceptualisation and stage of sale is coated. The pop-up is a functional aspect of everything they have learnt in get to interact with the community and the field.”
The hub’s Invest in the Foreseeable future pop-up at Emporium Melbourne will be open up to the community on Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, from 10am to 7pm.
This function will abide by on from the opening evening event, which will see designers offered a prospect to engage and hook up with people in the trend field, purchasers and media.
While only a minimal assortment will be showcased from just about every designer, Ms Browne explained some of the students were being now thinking forward of techniques to navigate this.
“One of the designers is actually going to be using measurements of individuals on the day and building semi-bespoke garments. So, he will digitally produce a individual avatar of that man or woman and build the garment particularly to suit the customer’s unique measurements,” Ms Browne reported.
“The amazing point I have discovered by talking with the pupils and graduates is that they all have distinct methods to method it, and electronic technological innovation is creating producing, creating and customisation so substantially a lot more obtainable.”
Of the outstanding 2023 designers that occur from a multitude of vogue institutes, there are finalists from the MFW 2022 Scholar Collections Runway, a winner and runner-up of the Myer Emerging Designer Award 2022, and a designer highlighted by Vogue Australia, amongst other achievements.
In accordance to Ms Browne, this year’s pop-up also comes at the great time, with there staying no superior time to guidance and winner Australia’s future style expertise.
A latest report from the Australian Vogue Council has demonstrated a new drive to aid and market area designers on the world phase by way of its Australian Fashion trademark marketing campaign, and Ms Browne strives to choose element in “supporting their [AFC’S] larger goal”.
“We all have to operate on a collective system to encourage Australian style and I actually want the earth to see what we are executing here, for the reason that we have these kinds of incredible talent,” she claimed.
“I want to see them [the students and graduates from MFH] in manner months and festivals in Sydney and globally, that is my desire.”
The Melbourne Manner Hub will be positioned on the decrease floor ground of Emporium Melbourne, reverse Fortress Melbourne.


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- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent western sanctions on Russia have affected wheat exports from the Black Sea region and impacted food security in several countries, especially in Africa and West Asia.
- The disruption to global wheat supplies in turn has thrown open opportunities that India’s grain exporters are eyeing, especially given the domestic surplus availability of the cereal.
- Egypt, one of the largest importers of wheat, has recently agreed to source the cereal from India.
What is the status of India’s wheat exports?
- Globally, Russia is the market leader for wheat exports (almost 15% share) and Ukraine is also a major producer. Exports from these two countries have been hit by the war and sanctions.
- India expects to produce 112 million tonnes of wheat in the current season. The government requires 24-26 million tonnes a year for its food security programmes. With surplus wheat production, opportunities have opened up for exports. Wheat exports in the 2021-2022 financial year were estimated at 7.85 million tonnes, a quadrupling from 2.1 million tonnes in the previous year.
- More countries are turning to India because of the competitive price, acceptable quality, availability of surplus wheat and geopolitical reasons. While the existing importers are buying more, new markets have emerged for Indian wheat. Exports this fiscal are expected to be almost 10 million tonnes worth $3 billion.
Which new markets are expected to buy from India?
- The different grades of wheat produced in India are of the milling quality. So, apart from Egypt and Jordan, countries in East Africa are also likely to source the foodgrain from India.
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Ministry of Agriculture are also sending delegations to several countries to resolve market issues, if any.
What is being done to facilitate exports?
- The Commerce Ministry has put in place an internal mechanism to facilitate it and get the paperwork ready for the related sanitary and phytosanitary applications to help facilitate shipments.
- Wheat is going in full vessel loads and needs to be transported to the ports from the growing areas. The railways is providing rakes on priority to move the wheat.
What norms are buyer countries using to approve Indian wheat?
- Countries that have not previously imported wheat from India insist on the completion of the Pest Risk Analysis to provide market access. There are also other different standards that the buyers share with their sellers here. While, at present, Indian suppliers are able to meet these criteria, Indian authorities are working closely to step in and negotiate resolution if any unreasonable standards are stipulated.
What is the future outlook?
- The government is optimistic about the long-term export opportunities not only for wheat, but for all cereals including millets and superfoods.
- Trade sources say if Indian wheat prices remain competitive and geopolitical and weather conditions stay favourable, the scope is good for wheat exports.
- India has won the confidence of markets such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It needs to establish itself in the new markets too and the government should facilitate it.


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Posts Tagged «web»
Chrome now has a noisy tab indicator, and a virtual desktop ‘Chrome OS’ interface for Windows 8 January 15, 2014 at 11:14 am
We’ve all been there: You’re just sitting there peacefully at your computer, perhaps with your mom or girlfriend looking over your shoulder while you show her some travel snaps, when suddenly a noisy video starts playing in the background. What follows is a manic hunt to find and shut down that embarrassing emanation, preferably before the first expletive, moan, or power chord gushes forth from your speakers. With the new stable version of Chrome, however, you will now see a speaker icon in tabs that are currently making noise. Genius.
Google has built a neural network to identify 100 million house numbers for Streetview January 9, 2014 at 3:21 pm
Google has created an artificial neural network that is as good at reading addresses in Streetview as a person. It has already figured out 100 million of them on its own.
PS4 owners watch three times more porn and have better taste than Xbox One owners January 3, 2014 at 12:09 pm
According to SugarDVD, the Netflix of porn, PS4 owners are watching three times as much porn as Xbox One owners. This massive discrepancy isn’t caused by the PS4 outselling the Xbox One, either: The latest figures put the PS4 at 3.4 million units sold, versus 2.4 million for the Xbox One. In short, it really does seem that PS4 owners are much more likely to partake in the porn than those with an Xbone. Furthermore, it seems that each console also has rather different tastes in porn consumption as well: Xbox One owners, you’ll be unsurprised to hear, are connoisseurs of Big Butts, while the PS4 crowd prefer Amateurs.
The NSA is building a quantum computer to crack almost every kind of encryption January 3, 2014 at 10:03 am
New documents leaked by Edward Snowden reveal two NSA programs that seek to build a “useful quantum computer” that can break all known forms of classical encryption. Such a quantum computer would obviously give the NSA unprecedented access to encrypted communications, but a working quantum computer is also vital for defensive purposes: If someone else gets their hands on a quantum computer first, then it is the US government that will suddenly have all of its encrypted communications cracked wide open.
Back to the future: Scientists search the internet for evidence of time travelers January 2, 2014 at 11:31 am
If you were to ask 100 people to pick the single greatest superhero power or sci-fi technology, time travel would almost certainly win. And believe it or not, time travel isn’t entirely outside the realm of reality — for some unified theories of the universe, such as general relativity, traveling in time is actually fairly easy. That’s why two American researchers have started searching the internet for evidence of time travelers.
Chromebooks pick up 10% of the computer market in 2013, capitalizing on Windows 8′s failure December 30, 2013 at 8:21 am
Surprisingly, out of Amazon’s top three best-selling laptops this holiday season, two of them are Chromebooks. Even weirder, according market research company NPD, Chromebooks account for 21% of all commercial US laptop sales so far this year, and 10% of all computers and tablets sold in the US. In 2012, Chromebooks accounted for just 0.2% of all computer and tablet sales. Is this really happening? Is Google doing it again, first with Android taking the world by storm, and now Chrome OS? Is the low-cost, netbook-in-sheep’s-clothing Chromebook the surprise breakout hit of 2013?
Christmas lights, nerd style: 22,000 remotely controlled lights, connected to the internet via Linux December 24, 2013 at 10:36 am
What do you get if you combine Christmas, jury-rigged electronics, 22,000 lights, over a dozen inflatables, webcams, and custom server software running on a Linux server? Alek Komarnitsky’s controllable Christmas lights, of course! Every year, Alek — who is one of the world wide web’s most infamous OGs — lights up his house with 22,000 lights and over a dozen inflatables, and then lets strangers on the internet control them all via a gaudy website. Why? To raise money for research into celiac disease, which his kids were diagnosed with a few years ago.
Bitcoin value collapses as China bans new deposits December 18, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Bitcoin prices have fallen sharply on news that China has banned third-party deposits of the cryptocurrency. Is this a sign of future declines, or a readjustment to an overvalued, speculative commodity?
Google may design its own ARM chips, could threaten Intel’s server business December 13, 2013 at 7:23 am
Google is reportedly considering spinning its own flavor of ARM cores. The short-term threat to Intel’s x86 server business is minimal, but the chip giant has reasons to care.
The digital download dream: Physical media is here to stay, thanks to slow internet connections December 11, 2013 at 10:03 am
Within the United States, many of us are stuck with shockingly slow internet connections. Some of us are even burdened with oppressive bandwidth caps, so the idea of downloading tens of gigs of video games is unthinkable. With the launch of the PS4 and Xbox One, games are growing to an enormous size, and it’s clear that the average download speed simply can’t keep up.


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US group Amplify Snack Brands is lining up Skinnypop for a summer launch in Germany as part of a push behind its popcorn brand in Europe.
Amplify has rolled out Skinnypop in the UK this spring, with the product first being stocked in coffee-shop chain Costa Coffee.
The company has secured its first UK grocery retail listing for Skinnypop at The Co-operative Group, where the brand will go on sale next week. The group said it was in talks with other UK grocers but said “further retail listings” were “likely” from September.
Amplify, which last year gave itself a platform to launch its brands in Europe with the acquisition of UK crisp maker Tyrrells, said other markets in Europe are on the horizon.
“We cannot disclose much information but conversations are already taking place Europe with potential retailers. The first agreed listing will hit shelves in Germany from August this year,” Amplify said.
The launch of Skinnypop in the UK sees the brand enter a growing market for popcorn, with notable brands including Metcalfe’s Skinny, owned by US peer Snyder’s-Lance.
Last month, Amplify launched legal action against Snyder’s-Lance in the US over the Metcalfe’s Skinny brand. Amplify said it had learned Snyder’s-Lance was preparing to launch Metcalfe’s Skinny in the US and alleged its competitor’s actions were a “willful infringement” of its Skinnypop trademark in the country and “an obvious attempt to confuse consumers”.


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As we reported yesterday, Network Solutions has been in a lot of deep-water after many people discovered the company was guilty of "front-running"–the practice of registering a domain name after someone has checked on its availability.
Today, CNET is reporting the company is reeling from the backlash and has announced they will make changes to their practice.
One change is that the company will offer only an "under construction" page for sites that it has reserved…Another change coming soon is that Network Solutions will register domains only when people search for domains from the company’s home page. No longer will it do so when people use the company’s Whois search page.
It make you wonder what went through the minds of the executive that make these reputation-risky business decisions–probably just dollar signs.


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Deals wrap: Just one word – plastics
Plastics. They don’t glitter like gold does, but more top hedge fund managers are betting on the chemical commodities that go into making plastics and buying up shares in the companies that produce them.
The Smart Money 30, a group that includes some of the biggest stock-picking equity funds, also trimmed bets on tech giants Apple and Google while favoring General Motors and Citigroup, according to data compiled by Thomson Reuters.
What’s the easiest way to boost your company’s reputation? Buy up a top global brand. At least that’s the advice being given to top Chinese companies by the country’s commerce minister, who is urging the country’s firms to seek out new foreign acquisitions in an effort to secure more name recognition abroad.
More signs that the luxury market has bounced back from its recession-induced slump. France’s LVMH, the world’s number one luxury group, snapped up widely-popular Italian jewelry maker Bulgari in a deal valued at $5.19 billion as it aims to bulk up its jewelry business and expand in emerging markets. Some analysts say the offer could set off a new wave of consolidation in the luxury market.
Some of the hottest tech startups are clamping down on trading of their shares as the race to snap up pieces of pre-IPO companies has attracted the scrutiny of U.S. regulators, write correspondents Alexei Oreskovic and Liana Baker.


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Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership
Although Colombia’s economy has grown significantly in recent years, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which employ approximately 30 percent of the labor force, often face challenges in accessing the financing that would enable them to grow. In collaboration with Fundación Carlos Slim, the Enterprise Partnership launched Fondo Acceso S.A.S. – a $20 million investment fund that will invest in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are seeking to expand but are underserved by existing capital markets. The fund’s goal is to enable job creation and sustainable income increases in Colombia.
On September 15, 2011, Acceso announced its first investment of U.S. $1.35 million in Alimentos SAS (Alimentos), a Colombian manufacturer that produces several lines of natural fruit juices and pulp for distribution in supermarkets and for institutional customers. This investment will enable Alimentos to make plant improvements, expand into new markets, and create 100 new manufacturing jobs and up to 177 indirect jobs at the small farmer level. This, in addition to the company's already established reputation, will give Alimentos a competitive advantage to grow to the next level.


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FINDING LUXURY IN THE FABRICS
Byline: Allegra Holch
NEW YORK — “Investment dressing” has been a mantra for women who value quality over quantity, but prices are often prohibitive.
Enter bridge designers who, for fall, are delivering luxury fibers and fabrics in must-have shapes that are meant to last beyond next week.
“I have said consistently, since starting my bridge line, that there’s no reason why this customer can’t have luxury and sophistication. She craves it and wants it — at the right price,” said Michael Kors. “In general, the designer business has become so predicated on luxury. The bridge customer can find the answer with blends.”
For fall, Kors said about 35 percent of the line will be made up of luxury fabrics, including leather and suede, cashmere and wool blends, alpaca blends for coats and sweaters and camel hair outerwear.
“With luxury fabrics, the clothes are investment clothes. [In designing with luxury fabrics] you have to keep the balance between timeless and new,” said Kors. “People won’t invest in a trendy item or color when you get into these fabrics.”
“The consumer has less disposable income, and as a result, she makes buying decisions much more carefully,” said Donna Karan. But she doesn’t skimp on fabrics, even for her secondary lines. “Clothing is a sensory experience. I love the feel, the touch, the smell of incredible fabric against my skin. There’s nothing like it.”
In DKNY, she’s offering the kind of investment pieces she says women want: a leather suit jacket, a cashmere wrap, a great silk knit sweater or suede pants that can be mixed with what they already own. Karan cited angora, silk knits, butter-soft leathers and high-twist stretch wools as key luxury fabrics for fall.
“The way people are buying clothes now, they’re being careful and they want a good investment,” said Maurice Antaya, design director for Anne Klein II.
“It’s also a status thing,” he said, pointing to the renewed popularity of high-end luxury lines like Gucci and Hermes. “It’s all part of that scheme.”
Antaya said about 15 percent of the collection will be made up of luxury fabrics.
“We’re returning to all our wonderful fabrics — the fabrics and good quality we were always known for.”
To that end, camel hair and angora are the key luxe elements in the collection. “We’re doing a camel hair, notch-collar wrap coat that’s very Forties Hollywood, as well as a peacoat and blazer,” he said.
The angora pieces will be offered in a pretty palette, including lavender, patina green and pale bordeaux, as well as almond and black in coats, dresses and jackets.
“Luxury fibers make everything more special,” said Allyson Shenar, head designer for knitwear at Oscar, Oscar de la Renta’s bridge line. “The customer knows quality fabrics, and color lends itself better to nicer fibers.”
The company will offer knits in a yarn blended of 70 percent wool and 30 percent cashmere, as well as luxuriously thick, cabled mohair sweaters and fine-gauge merino wool and silk sweaters.
“Because of our price points, we couldn’t do 100 percent cashmere,” said Patricia Clyne, design director for Oscar, who oversees wovens. Instead, she’s working with a cashmere and wool blend in colors ranging from pink and light green to navy and rum that will be offered in a long coat, jacket and structured dress silhouette.
“We’ve done a lot with luxury fibers in the past, but this season, there’s something in the air that suggests opulence,” said Linda Allard, designer for Ellen Tracy. “The clothes are simple, but the colors and textures create a wonderful aura.”
Allard said there will be lots of leather and suede, which the company did particularly well with last fall. She also cited camel hair, alpaca and silk for knits and iridescent shirts, and blends of silk with wool and cashmere as key.
“Silk blended with wool and cashmere lends a nonseasonal quality to the fabric, which is important as more women travel all over the world.” Allard also noted a return to simple styling for fall: “Basically, the shapes are lean. Lean jackets, flat-front, straight-leg pants and lots of coats.”


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LOUISVILLE, KY, October 26, 2009 – Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM) announced the grand opening of its 13,000th restaurant outside the U.S. and China by its international division, Yum! Restaurants International (YRI), reinforcing the strength of the Company’s global portfolio of brands and growth in key emerging markets. The new restaurant, located in New Delhi, is the first KFC in India to feature a Krushers beverage bar and store design highlighting YRI’s popular new line of cold and hot drinks.
“The enormous popularity of KFC and Pizza Hut has never been more evident as we continue to expand our system around the globe,” said Graham Allan, president, Yum! Restaurants International. “It is fitting we are opening our 13,000th restaurant (outside of the U.S. and China) in India, one of the world’s most dynamic markets with huge growth potential.”
The Company’s latest opening is India’s first KFC with a Krushers store–in–store concept offering a range of cold and hot beverages that includes yogurt and fruit smoothies, dairy–based and soda–based drinks. The Krushers line of beverages, which is customized for each market, is the largest beverage launch in YRI’s history. The Company will have Krushers in at least 2,000 restaurants by year–end 2009, with plans to expand to 5,000 restaurants in 2010. Krushers first launched in Australia and is currently located in 19 markets across the globe, including Brazil, the Philippines and the Middle East.
Over the past 11 years, Yum! has become the largest and fastest growing restaurant company in India. As of the third quarter 2009 earnings, the Company has 153 Pizza Huts in 34 cities and 49 KFCs in 11 cities. In June, the Economic Times (India) named Pizza Hut the most trusted food service brand in the country for a fifth year, demonstrating the brand’s popularity in a market with a large middle class population.
“By 2015, we expect to have at least 1,000 restaurants in India, up from just over 200 today,” said Niren Chaudhary, managing director, Yum! Restaurants International India. “The number of people who can afford our food will reach 200 million people within five years and we are very excited about serving Pizza Hut, KFC and soon Taco Bell to them.”
YRI is the largest division of Yum! Brands with 13,000 restaurants outside the U.S. and China Division (including Thailand KFC and Pizza Hut and Taiwan KFC). One of Yum! Brands’ four key business strategies is to drive aggressive international expansion and build strong brands everywhere. In 2008, operating profit for YRI was $528 million. The year 2008 also marked the eighth year that YRI has opened more than 700 new restaurants outside the U.S. and China.
Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the world’s largest restaurant company in terms of system restaurants, with more than 36,000 restaurants in over 110 countries and territories. The company is ranked #239 on the Fortune 500 List, with revenues in excess of $11 billion in 2008. Four of the company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silver’s – are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, Mexican–style food and quick–service seafood categories, respectively. Outside the United States, the Yum! Brands system opened more than four new restaurants each day of the year, making it a leader in international retail development. The company has consistently been recognized for its reward and recognition culture, diversity leadership, community giving, and consistent shareholder returns. In 2007, the company launched World Hunger Relief, the world’s largest private sector hunger relief effort to raise awareness, volunteerism and funds to benefit the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger relief agencies. To date, this effort has raised $36 million for the WFP and other hunger relief agencies and is helping to provide 160 million meals and save the lives of about 4 million people in remote corners of the world, where hunger is most prevalent.


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|Articles - April 2011|
|Wednesday, March 23, 2011|
Page 3 of 4
“The Timbers have been a fantastic organization to work with,” Adidas soccer business unit director Antonio Zea says. “We can’t play favorites, but by fact of proximity, we link with the team as much as possible.” Adidas has hosted press conferences with the Timbers to raise awareness of the team, the league and the brand. “People don’t know our headquarters is in Portland,” Zea says.
As the leading global soccer brand, Adidas is working with MLS to raise soccer’s profile in this country through sponsorship of local tournaments and clubs. The majority of soccer products sold by Adidas are to youth, according to Zea. “If you look at the pyramid of who’s playing, the base is 8- to 12-year-olds.” If these kids or their parents then decide to buy jerseys like their favorite pro players wear, all the better. And while Zea couldn’t confirm that the Timbers green home jersey was the best-selling jersey in MLS these days, he did say it’s a “top seller” with a proud grin.
Across the front of that green jersey are the white letters of the Timbers’ sponsor, Alaska Airlines. “This is the biggest sponsorship in our history, without exception,” says Alaska's managing director of marketing and communications Greg Latimer. “It was not an overnight decision.”
When MLS announced in March 2009 that the Timbers would be an expansion team, sponsorship of the team was on the airline’s radar, but “our financials were not in place at the time,” Latimer says. “It became more front-burner when we realized we had a problem in Portland. We were not performing as well as we should as an airline, financially.” Sponsorship of the Timbers, a community-minded sports organization with a rabid fan base, “allowed us to tell the Portland market ‘you matter to us,’” Latimer says.
The sponsorship extends beyond the season, with marketing efforts like painting an airplane with the Timbers colors and logo. Alaska Airlines signed a four-year deal with the Timbers, and the 2,300 Alaska Airlines employees in the Portland area are thrilled. “Even the non-soccer people are buying jerseys,” Latimer says.
All this brand visibility, including a billboard on Interstate 84, could generate what’s known as “activation” in sponsorship circles. The hope is to sign more travelers up for Alaska and Horizon credit cards and frequent-flier programs. The airline is doing its part to continue the community connection, too, by sponsoring Corners for Kids, which donates up to 40,000 miles per Timbers corner kick to the Children’s Cancer Association for families that need to travel while dealing with illness.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
By MEGHAN NOLT
VIDEO: Revamping a Classic — an iconic eatery stays relevant in a changing marketplace.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Checking in with the managing director of Arnerich Massena.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
BY JACOB PALMER | OB DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
They say maintaining a healthy marriage takes work. So does running a business with your spouse.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
BY LINDA BAKER
Researchers in a multitude of disciplines are searching for ways to soak up excess carbon dioxide, the compound that contributes to global warming.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
BY JASON NORRIS | OB GUEST BLOGGER
Active vs. passive investing: what you need to know.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
BY LINDA BAKER | OB EDITOR
What is the impact of the legal pot industry on carbon emissions? An NEBC energy forum breakfast makes the case for taking the new industry’s emissions impacts seriously.
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
BY LINDA BAKER | OB EDITOR
The Oregon Business Plan Leadership Summit drew more than 1,000 people to the Oregon Convention Center yesterday.
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Is your business ready to join us in the call for action? This opening panel includes Oregon businesses who will discuss why they signed the Oregon Climate Declaration, the investments they are making to reduce carbon emissions, and how their actions are affecting their companies.
Get ready for two days of special events produced with the EPA, Portland Timbers and ISOS before and after the GoGreen Conference on October 16.
hubbub health uses behavior change science to rethink wellness programs.
In Ashland, a public-private partnership results in online resources to help diversify the local economy.
How sports tourism is driving economic growth and making cities across Oregon a better place to live.
Sussman Shank LLP is pleased to announce that Matt Mertens has joined the firm. Matt will practice in the firm's Business, Litigation, and Business & Restructuring practice groups.
If you have given a former employee access to your company’s electronic information by virtue of assigning a desktop or laptop computer and you suspect he or she of having taken electronically stored data, there are several steps to follow to preserve electronic forensic evidence from spoliation.
The official launch will be Jan. 14.


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Oriolus Japan has launched a new online storefront in March 2023 to make their products more accessible to global audience. With the new storefront, customers from all over the world can browse and purchase Oriolus Japan's products with ease.
In addition to headphones and digital audio players, Oriolus Japan's online storefront also features a range of accessories and replacement parts. The storefront also offers a wider range of payment options to accommodate customers from different regions.
Whether you're an audiophile looking for the latest in audio technology or simply someone who appreciates great sound quality, Oriolus Japan has something for you. Check out their new online storefront today and elevate your audio experience with Oriolus Japan!


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Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec lowered its position in shares of Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS) by 21.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 72,400 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock after selling 20,300 shares during the period. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec’s holdings in GAP were worth $2,466,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. San Francisco Sentry Investment Group CA grew its position in shares of GAP by 543.3% in the 4th quarter. San Francisco Sentry Investment Group CA now owns 3,493 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $119,000 after buying an additional 2,950 shares during the last quarter. Cerebellum GP LLC bought a new stake in shares of GAP in the 4th quarter valued at about $130,000. Acropolis Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of GAP by 115.4% in the 4th quarter. Acropolis Investment Management LLC now owns 4,185 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $143,000 after buying an additional 2,242 shares during the last quarter. Mariner Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of GAP in the 4th quarter valued at about $203,000. Finally, Squar Milner Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of GAP in the 4th quarter valued at about $210,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.72% of the company’s stock.
Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS) opened at $32.67 on Wednesday. Gap Inc has a 52 week low of $21.02 and a 52 week high of $35.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $12,700.00, a P/E ratio of 15.20, a P/E/G ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.88.
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 2nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 11th will be issued a dividend of $0.2425 per share. This is a positive change from GAP’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $0.97 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.97%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 10th. GAP’s payout ratio is currently 42.79%.
A number of research firms have commented on GPS. Oppenheimer upped their price target on GAP from $30.00 to $33.00 in a research report on Friday, March 9th. Nomura boosted their price objective on GAP from $31.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, March 5th. TheStreet raised GAP from a “c+” rating to a “b” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 1st. MKM Partners set a $35.00 price objective on GAP and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 2nd. Finally, B. Riley reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $35.00 price objective (up from $29.00) on shares of GAP in a research note on Friday, March 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twenty have issued a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $31.99.
In other GAP news, EVP Julie Gruber sold 5,462 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.00, for a total transaction of $191,170.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 11,988 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $419,580. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Dara Bazzano sold 4,066 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.00, for a total value of $138,244.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 696,033 shares of company stock valued at $23,754,526 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 27.30% of the company’s stock.
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The Gap, Inc (Gap Inc) is an apparel retail company. The Company offers apparel, accessories and personal care products for men, women and children under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta and Intermix brands. Its products are available to customers online through Company-owned Websites and through the use of third-parties that provide logistics and fulfillment services.
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Storage Vendors Pleased With Comdex
Most storage vendors with booths on the show floor said they felt that the attendees of this show were better qualified, and more able to talk business, than in the past.
Several of the storage vendors that said they had good booth traffic were those with solution providers in their booths to talk to customers, including Nexsan Technologies, Computer Associates International and Qualstar.
Diamond Lauffin, senior executive vice president of Nexsan, which manufacturers ATA hard drive-based storage arrays, said that in his 10 years of going to Comdex, 2003 was the best show he has ever seen in terms of new business. "We expect to pay for our presence here by three [times] or four times just from the first day," he said.
Lauffin footed the bill for a number of solution providers to join in part to show that his company has no direct sales. "For resellers, Comdex is still a valid vehicle," he said. "We have capitalized on the lack of interest from Sun [Microsystems] and Hewlett-Packard in releasing new products here."
The quality of the visitors to the show has vastly improved from in the past, said Lauffin. "In the past, a lot of companies sent their people as a perk," he said. "So after 9/11, we didn't see a drop in the number of companies visiting, but did see a drop in all the extra people they brought."
Murray Granger, executive vice president of sales at VeriStor, a Duluth, Ga.-based solution provider who worked the Nexsan booth, said he was at Comdex to help a vendor that focuses on the channel. "The way [Nexsan] protects the channel is the reason the channel is so happy with them," he said.
During the show, Nexsan unveiled its new SATAblade, a 1U rackmount unit with up to eight Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives. Because the drives are hot-pluggable, solution providers can configure them on-the-fly, said Lauffin. SCSI and Fibre Channel versions are in beta testing now, and are expected to be released in early 2004, followed shortly thereafter by iSCSI models, he said.
The company also showed its ATAtwin, an on-line disk-based backup appliance. Inside are one or two ATAbabies, each of which offer 900 Gbytes of storage for a price of about $2,795, Lauffin said.
Fastora, City of Industry, Calif., showed its family of NAS appliances based on Microsoft's Windows Powered Storage Server operating system for the solution provider and retail markets.
New for the company was the DAS-T8CA, a storage array for up to eight SATA hard drives, said Larry LaCross, channel sales manager for the company. The direct-attached storage unit is expected to ship in December with a list price of $3,995, excluding the hard drives which are left to solution providers to install. A 3U, 15-bay version is expected to be available after Christmas, followed shortly by a version with NAS capabilities, said LaCross. They will ship mainly through distributors, he said.
Fastora's storage devices now include a copy of version 2.0 of Avail Solutions' Integrity backup and restore software. The software is burned on the Fastora devices' controller and comes with a 30-day free trial, said Jay Bartlett, director of sales for Avail.
The software allows data from multiple servers to be backed up to disk-based or tape-based backup units, and offers data replication and migration capabilities, Bartlett said. Version 2.0 also now allows an Internet-like keyword searching of the names of files across all storage devices on a network, he said.
The Integrity software will soon be part of new combination hard drive and tape drive appliances from Fastora and Breece Hill, said Bartlett.
Breece Hill showed its iStoRa 4000 disk-to-disk-to-tape backup appliance. The 4U rackmount enclosure has six hard drives and a 10-cartridge tape autoloader built in, said Frank Saab, vice president of marketing. it is expected to ship in January for slightly less than $10,000, including three hard drives and a VS160 tape drive, he said.
Breece Hill will follow them with the iStoRa 2000, a 2U appliance with six hard drives, one tape drives, and no tape slots starting early next year, said Saab. It will be followed by the iStoRa 1000 with a 1U enclosure, three hard drives, and a DDS tape drive, which in turn will be followed by the iStoRa 7000, a 7U device with 2 Tbytes of disk storage and a two-drive LTO tape library, he said.
Kashya showed its KBX 4000, a 1U-high data protection appliance that replicates heterogeneous storage to any distance via TCP networks, said Mehran Hadipour, vice president of product marketing. The appliance allow allows data replication and synchronous and asynchronous data snapshots, he said.
For the SOHO market, Iomega introduced an Ethernet-enabled external drive that allows 250 Gbytes of capacity to be added to a home LAN for about $429, said Chris Maddox, product manager. A 120-Gbyte version is priced at $299.
The company also showed its new Super DVD QuikTouch Video Burner, which allows recording of videos to DVD in three common DVD formats by pressing a single button, Maddox said.
Iomega also showed its new REV removable hard drives, expected to be available in March. Each cartridge has up to 35 Gbytes of capacity and its own motor inside to prevent contamination from dust, said Troy Davidson, chief software architect. Data transfer rate is 18 MBps on the average, allowing it to both replace tape and serve as a boot drive if a system crashes, he said.
STORServer, Colorado Springs, Colo., unveiled three backup appliances based on rackmount tape libraries from Qualstar targeting solution providers from the entry-level to the enterprise, company executives said. Capacity ranges from 35 Gbytes to 12 Tbytes using AIT tape technology, with SDLT and LTO versions expected to be available by year-end.
Hewlett-Packard and Plasmon unveiled optical drives and optical jukeboxes based on the Ultra Density Optical (UDO) technology the two co-developed.
UDO arrives in time to meet the booming need for storage media on which to archive information for long periods of time due to regulatory and compliance issues, said Dave Dupont, vice president of marketing at Plasmon, which is making the drives. Instead of storing such data on tape or hard disk, where it needs to be migrated to new technology every few years, UDO disks have an expected life of 50 years, he said.
Initial capacity of UDO media when it ships in quantity will be 30 Gbytes per disk, said Dupont. This will be bumped up to 60 Gbytes in 2005 and 120 Gbytes in 2007, he said.
Plasmon and HP both plan to offer jukeboxes to their channel partners through distributors such as Optical Laser, NewWave, Tech Data, Cranel and Bell Micro. In addition, more than 25 ISVs already support the new format.


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Houston CEOs contemplate the next generation of leaders at Celebrate Enterprise
Michael Holthouse, founder and former CEO of Paranet Inc., a computer network services company, opened up the Houston Business Journal’s CEO Leadership Summit event at the Celebrate Enterprise conference with an ancient Chinese curse.
The curse, which Holthouse said roughly translates to “may you live in interesting times,” forebodes times of uncertainty and disorientation. Unfortunately, Holthouse said, this curse is a reality for the U.S. business world, which is facing increased international competition, more taxes and a struggling education system.
In order to tackle these issues, business leaders must, among other things, better prepare the next generation of leaders through education, mentoring and creating a positive work environment, Holthouse said.
“You can’t solve a problem with the same level of thinking that it took to create. We are going to have to change our game,” he said during the conference.
Holthouse isn’t the only business leader with this theory. Four other Houston CEOs agreed with his sentiments during a CEO forum after Holthouse’s speech. These CEOs included Deborah Cannon of the Houston Zoo, Anthony Milton of My Fit Foods, Bradley Freels of Midway Cos. and Matthew Morris of Stewart Information Services Corp.
Throughout the summit, which had more than 150 attendees, all of the speakers discussed the qualities it takes to be a great leader.
Holthouse said it takes goals, not dreams.
“Personally, I have always been a very big goal setter, and I believe that is one of the keys to our success,” he said, adding that all employees should know and be on board with where the company is going, how it is going to get there and what that journey means to them.
Molly Ryan covers manufacturing, technology, the Port and logistics for the Houston Business Journal. For her breaking stories and industry insights, follow her on Twitter.
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