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Firearms manufacturer Mossberg has partnered with the Robertson-family owned Duck Commander to release 12 different types of guns.
Mossberg partnered with the "Duck Dynasty" family make nine different shotguns, as well as two semiautomatic rifles and a semiautomatic pistol, according to a CNN report.
Some of the shotguns have shipped out to distributors, but the name of specific retailers to receive the guns hasn’t been released.
The Duck Commander guns will come in a "waterfowl pattern" camouflage design, though not all of them are intended for duck hunting, according to the report. The guns also bear the Duck Commander logo, of a duck in flight.
The pistol and one of the rifles have military-style designs with large capacity magazines holding at least 25 rounds. The rifle has some of the features of an assault rifle, but with a relatively low .22 caliber.
Mossberg's website says its .22-caliber pistol is "perfect for small game, plinking, target shooting -- or clearing cottonmouths out of your duck blind."
The firearms will all come with an American flag bandana "like the one worn by Willie," a character on the show.
Phil Robertson and his sons are featured prominently in four videos ads for the new guns on Mossberg's website, according to the report. Phil narrates one of the spots saying, "Do you know what makes me happy ladies and gentlemen? To blow a mallard drake's head smooth off."
Duck Commander was founded by Phil Robertson in West Monroe, La. 40 years ago. The family patriarch, whose family is featured on the A&E show “Duck Dynasty,” was recently suspended for making anti-gay remarks in an interview with GQ Magazine.
Phil Robertson was later reinstated after the family said it didn’t know how it could continue doing the show without Phil.
In wake of Robertson’s suspension, Cracker Barrel pulled “Duck Dynasty” merchandise from its stores, but then later brought the products back based on customer response.
“Duck Dynasty” has the highest ratings of any cable show in history. A wide array of products bares the name and likeness of “Duck Dynasty” family members.


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10 new happy hour deals to check out right now in Houston
There's no better time to mix and mingle than at happy hour when you can enjoy drinks and bites for a deal.
At the newly-opened Ouzo Bay at River Oaks District, score specially priced cocktails, wine, beer and bites during happy hour.
The new menu at Midtown staple Damian's Cucina Italiana includes discounted fare and wines by the glass.
See above for 10 must-try happy hour specials to check out right now in Houston.
Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message

domain: news


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Where are the lowest gas prices in Montgomery? Here's an updated list
As gas prices rise, use this tracker from Gas Buddy to see where the cheapest gas prices are around Montgomery, Alabama.
For subscribers:Are oil and gas companies price gouging consumers at the pump?
Mel Fronczek is a digital producer for the USA TODAY Network's South region.


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Google makes its screen reader easier to use on Chromebooks
ChromeVox is now the default option and it just got a lot of improvements.
'Windows Cloud' looks like Microsoft's answer to Chrome OS
It's Windows 10, but with tighter restrictions on what you're allowed to run.
Apple's $200 education bundle includes apps like Final Cut Pro X
Logic Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4 and MainStage 3 are also part of the offer.
AmpMe's speaker-linking app adds access to your Spotify library
The mobile software continues to get more useful.
SoundHound wants to take on Google and Amazon in voice AI
An extra $75 million should help get things moving.
Google Maps warns you about parking woes before you leave
Right now, the new feature is only available in 25 cities in the US.
Fender brings its guitar tuner app to Android devices
The Tune app debuted on iOS in August.
Apple is bringing the iPhone's night mode to the Mac
Night Shift has surfaced in the latest macOS beta.
Apple's 'Find My iPhone' app will help you locate lost AirPods
The new feature will arrive with iOS 10.3.


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Zamen | زامن
Android Instant Apps are now available for limited testing
Android's Instant Apps were one of the most interesting things Google announced at its I/O developer conference last year, and now they're making their first steps into the wild. Google said yesterday that it was running a limited test of the technology — which can load up a bitesize version of an app without needing users to install it — for Android users ahead of a wider rollout.
BuzzFeed, Periscope, Viki, and Wish are among the handful of apps included in this early trial, but Google says that it will be able to "expand the experience" once it gets more feedback from users. Instant Apps will come into play whenever Android users click a link with an associated app they haven't already downloaded onto their phone, but it's not exactly clear how widespread this initial test will be, nor when exactly Google plans to widen the trial.


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Injustice: Gods Among Us is now but a month away, and NetherRealm Studios are furiously adding more DLC content, characters and preorder incentives to claim our cash. Sinestro, Doomsday and Lex Luthor (clad in exoskeleton armour) have recently been added to the game’s roster, but what excites me the most are the DLC packs that […]
The rise in mobile gaming has not only provided an outlet for small developers that couldn’t afford to get their product onto the major consoles, but it’s also seen a increase in video game adaptations of older or moderately obscure franchises and licenses. Developer Second Fiction has announced that its first action-platformer will be based […]
Based on the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics, The Banner Saga: Factions is a joy to behold, from the tutorial cutscenes through to the gameplay itself, presenting a colourful Viking-themed fantasy world that is, according to the developer, inspired by the work of Eyvind Earle.
Blood Bowl: Chaos Edition, the latest iteration of Cyanide’s take on the classic Games Workshop board game, is out today. Those who purchased any of the previous editions can receive a 66% discount by heading to the Focus Home Interactive checkout and inputting their player key.
Green Lantern strikes cinemas next month, and true to tradition a video game tie-in is also set to hit consoles on June 7th Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters.
SOE may have announced a severe staff culling, but that hasn’t stopped the release of the second major update pack for DCUO – imaginatively title Update 2, and formally known as the March update. So, what does the belated March update bring those of us lucky enough to have made it through to early April? […]


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Norway becomes first country where electric vehicle sales exceeded 50% of car trade in 2020Comments
Norway became the first country in the world where electric car sales exceeded 50% of all new vehicle registrations in 2020, a specialised industry group has said.
Figures published by the Road Traffic Information Council (OFV) found that electric vehicles had a market share of 54.3 percent last year in Norway. That was also an increase of a 42.4 percent share of sales in 2019.
Among the best-selling models in the Nordic country in 2020 were fully electric vehicles such as the Audi e-tron, the Tesla Model 3, and the Volkswagen ID.3.
The Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association said that Norway was the first country to break the overall 50 per cent threshold, according to AFP.
A total of 76,789 electric vehicles were sold in 2020, the report added, compared to 12,162 diesel (9% of all new registrations) and 11,305 petrol cars (8%). Plug-in hybrids achieved a market share of around 20 percent.
In December, electric car sales also set a monthly record in Norway with 66.7 percent following the arrival of new models, the OFV said.
Meanwhile all car sales in the country were down by just 0.7 percent in 2019, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Norway is the largest producer of hydrocarbons in Western Europe and has also become a pioneer in electric mobility thanks to an extremely advantageous fiscal policy.
Unlike very heavily taxed diesel or petrol cars, green vehicles are notably exempt from almost all taxes, which makes them competitive to purchase.
Norway's government has also pushed manufacturers towards electric by imposing strict pollution limits and stated that all new cars sold by 2025 must be emission-free.


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If you thought your favorite campground seemed a little more crowded and expensive this past year, you weren't imagining things. At least not according to camping app The Dyrt, which just released the results of a survey of campground managers and hosts with some fascinating new statistics.
According to its survey, which spanned all 50 states, 48.6 percent of the responding camping hosts and campground managers said they raised their rates in 2022. This increase coincided with a rapidly-rising demand for more campsites. Don't expect costs to decrease anytime soon either. The Dyrt also reports that 46.6 percent of those responding said they plan to raise rates in 2023, and another 27 percent of those surveyed said they raised rates in 2022 and will do so again in the new year. The Dyrt says the survey was comprehensive, covering properties of all types, from those that offer simple tent camping to RVs and even "glamping" experiences.
The news wasn't a surprise to The Dyrt President John Hayden.
"In a year where the price of nearly everything increased, it's not surprising to see campsite rates increase as well," Hayden said in a press release. "But inflation is only part of the story. With a trend toward offering high-end glamping accommodations, activities, and immersive environments like farm stays, the rates charged by state parks are no longer a benchmark. Private camping options are increasingly offering a different product, and they are starting to charge a different rate."
As a case in point, The Dyrt highlighted a California avocado ranch that doubles as a campsite owned by the father and son team of Stephen and Perry Radl. There are only six sites on their property, two for camper vans and four glamping sites, but they have proven extremely popular. The Radls now provide luxury tents, fire pits, and other amenities for guests. They increased their rate from $30 to $60 in 2021, and they now charge $105 for a family tent and $95 for a two-person tent. Despite the rate increases, bookings never slowed.
This seems to align with another survey of campers, which indicated there are many newer campers who care less about a wilderness experience and more about a unique vacation experience. According to The Dyrt, almost a third of campgrounds responding to another survey added glamping-type campsites in 2022. That survey also indicated that campsite demand has surged since 2020 and is outpacing the number of sites available.
"America doesn't have enough campsites," The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long said in a press release. "National and state parks are booked up months in advance and aren't able to add capacity. It's three times harder to find an available site to book than it was pre-pandemic. This environment provides campground owners an opportunity to develop their business in exciting ways."
Personally, I also noticed a slight rate increase at the state level this year when I booked my summer camping trips, and the state parks seemed more crowded than ever before. We'll have to wait and see if the trend continues past 2023.
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Rain has launched its first Standalone 5G (SA 5G) network — powered by Huawei — in South Africa.
Rain’s Standalone 5G is currently available in Cape Town covering areas including Sea Point in Cape Town, Claremont, Goodwood, Bellville, Durbanville, and Cape Town City Centre.
The SA 5G network are built on Rain’s own sites. This allows rain to significantly enhance its fixed wireless broadband (FWA) service experience in the covered areas.
“Standalone 5G will improve 5G network performance with increased the uplink rate, lower latency, and improved reliability, ushering in high-end cloud VR and cloud gaming services, more diversified enterprise and home broadband services,” said Rain chief marketing officer Khaya Dlanga.
Rain 5G offers fast unlimited Internet for R699 per month. The company will offer both its Standard and Premium Unlimited 5G packages in Cape Town, priced at R699 and R999 per month, respectively.
Rain’s standard package caps speeds at 30Mbps and allows a single HD video stream, while its Premium package offers multiple HD+ quality streams and has no speed limitations.
Rain said its premium users can expect average speeds exceeding 200Mbps.


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Researchers in the University of Texas Arlington have developed a micro-windmill that could help recharge phone batteries.
The device is about 1.8 mm at its widest point and the windmills are so small, you would be able to fit 10 of them on a single grain of rice.
The researchers say that hundreds of the windmills could be embedded in a sleeve for a phone.
Holding the phone up on a windy day or waving the phone around would generate the electricity needed to help charge its battery.
The metal alloy used to create the micro-windmill is flexible and durable and the researchers say they can withstand strong winds without fracturing.
Taiwanese tech company WinMEMS has struck a deal with the team to explore the opportunities for commercialisation.
Here’s one of the windmills in action, although whether you will see them on a product remains to be seen.
More from thejournal.ie:
- Prostitutes in Ibiza register to pay taxes and receive welfare
- EU puts further pressure on Google to address antitrust concerns
- ‘Drunk’ man arrested for trying to extinguish Arc de Triomphe flame
- Ryanair launch group booking as it targets large travelling parties
- Part of The Saturday Night Show removed from RTÉ Player over ‘legal issues’
This story was originally published by journal.ie.
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IOWA TOURISM: Focusing On The Food
Producers, growers and restauranteurs are coming together to make Iowa a food destination and they are taking tips from a Canadian on how to make it work.
“There is really only one thing every tourist does three times a day regardless of why they come to your destination, and that is to eat. And if you can give them a taste of place, you’re creating a great memory that adds value, for whatever reason they’ve come, it’s going to add value to their experience. That may encourage them to linger longer and ultimately spend more in the state of Iowa,” says Rebecca LeHeup of the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance.
LeHeup was the keynote speaker at the Iowa Culinary Tourism Summit in Ankeny Thursday. She’s known around the world for developing food tourism.
LeHeup emphasized connecting local agriculture to tourism to showcase food as part of the culture. She says that covers food trucks to fine dining to craft breweries.
Kurt Garretson operates an elderberry farm south of Mt. Pleasant. He also offers wine tastings and farm tours. He’s looking for more ways to share his products with Iowans.
“It makes me exited. I like to talk about elderberries anytime I can. Just to have people come out and see the farm, what we are doing, there are a lot of things out there like corn and soybeans, just seeing alternative crops like that is really exciting so when they see something at the grocery store they’ll know what it is,” says Garretson.
One way LeHeup says to create culinary tourism, is to have more local ambassadors showcasing the foods of their communities.


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Ford recalls 650,000 trucks and SUVs because of faulty windshield wipers
Ford announced earlier this month that it is remember 652,996 F-Series, Expedition and pickup trucks Lincoln The navigation devices made for the 2020 and 2021 model years address an issue that can cause windshield wipers to detach, reduce visibility and lead to potentially hazardous driving conditions .
According to Blue Oval, one of its suppliers used worn tooling components that resulted in the wiper arms being manufactured with shafts that weren’t high enough to fully attach to the motor shafts to which they were mounted. input, which may cause the connection to break when the motors are turned on. This can result in the wiper arm not moving or just operating intermittently.
Ford said in its defect report: “Abrasive wear of the wiper bar tool core at the supplier results in an insufficient wiper bar tooth height, which can cause the swingarm attachment to break when it is installed. for use with some higher torque wiper motors”. NHTSA. “Possible symptoms include slow or erratic wiping speed of the driver or passenger’s wiper arm. Improperly operated wipers can reduce speed.
visibility under certain conditions, which may increase the risk of an accident. “
Ford says these vehicles are not made to order by VIN, so while not all of the nearly 653,000 vehicles have poor wipers, all of them are suspected until proven otherwise. is safe. Ford will notify owners of the recall campaign beginning in May.


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Untuk dunia finansial, gunakan Sisense untuk analisa beragam data.
Big Data: Faster. How Sisense's Crowd Accelerated Analytics platform can boost the banking world - International Banker
Big Data: Faster. How Sisense's Crowd Accelerated Analytics platform can boost the banking world
By Leron Kornreich, Communications Director, Sisense
Financial institutions and banks know what to do with traditional data. They've been using and processing huge amounts of data long before anybody was talking about Big Data, yet the financial world has been slow to join the Big Data revolution. The banking world is often described as conservative, and, until recently, hasn't been quick to adopt technological solutions to solve financial problems.
All that could be about to change. Sisense, the Big Data Company, with offices in Israel and now NYC, offers a faster, cheaper solution to data processing issues facing banks and large financial institutions. At the Strata+ Hadoop World Conference in NYC last month Sisense unveiled the latest version of their Prism BI tool- Prism 2.0 in-chip technology with Crowd Accelerated Analytics. This means that whilst other data analytics tools slow down trying to information, Sisense's Prism speeds up the more queries it has to deal with, even if they aren't under the same query. "While other solutions get clunky and costlier as load increases, SiSense Prism gets faster and overcomes the increased expenses associated with slow-downs," says Amit Bendov, CEO, SiSense. "It's like we're breaking the laws of physics. We call it power querying."
Non-traditional data sources
Big Data Analytics Solutions, such as Sisense can pull huge amounts of data, including from non-traditional sources including social media and search engine queries, and can process it to help financial institutions gain greater insight into their customers, and into their transactions. Most Big Data solutions slow down when processing huge amounts of data, resulting in processing that is costly and slow. Prism 2.0 Crowd Accelerated Analytics maximises data processing, both from traditional and non-traditional sources for banks and other institutions with large-scale financial data, allowing different team members to query and process the same data set without slowing down the processor.
Improved customer relationships, better risk management
Big Data Analytics such as SiSense Prism 2.0 offer financial institutions the possibility of improving their customer relations, by using non-traditional data to understand their customer behaviour. By collecting data both from social media and google search a bank will better understand it's online reputation, and how better to offer their customers what they are looking for.
Big Data also helps banks and other financial institutions with their risk management. Combing social data, news sources and other available information together with tradition financial data the bank may hold allows them to get a clearer picture of transactions, and the risk they involve. Big Data is vital for traders, and other financial professionals deal with high-risk transactions, and the speed the data is processed is crucial to financial success.
Big Data Analytics may offer a boost to the financial world, but processing all that data gets expensive, and when dealing with the massive data input of the banking world, any established data solution was bound to be slow. Cue SiSense's release of Prism 2.0 last month. Now Big Data solutions are quicker, because the more data is inputted the faster the results will be. SiSense's Crowd Accelerated Analytics are a revolution for the banking word precisely because the product can handle massive data, whilst maintaining optimum speed, even for complex queries.
Unlike some enterprise BI products, Prism 2.0 In-chip technology is relevant to financial organizations and institutions of all sizes. SiSense is democratizing Big Data Analytics by pioneering a new approach that enables organizations of all sizes to make sense of their data. SiSense Prism™ — powered by Elasticube™ technology — delivers unmatched performance, agility & value. With customers in 49 countries, including global brands like Target, ESPN, Merck and NASA, SiSense was recently recognized as one of the "10 Most Innovative IT Ventures" at Under the Radar and designated a company to watch by Information Management and Prism won the "Audience Choice" award at the O'Reilly Strata Conference.
Via Dolphin Browser
The future, as envisioned by Waterloo-based tech titan OpenText.
1. Cloud becomes the new normal
"The cloud will be embraced en masse in 2015 because the benefits are huge," the Canadian company believes. "By digitizing information-intensive processes, costs can be cut by up to 90% and turnaround times improved by several orders of magnitude."
What they expect to see by year end is a world of hybrid deployments in which some information and applications reside in the cloud and the remainder resides on premise. Data security is a top priority, and a hybrid model allows organizations to balance their workload, meeting all their data sovereignty requirements while leveraging the power of the cloud.
2. Digitization begins the next massive displacement and migration of labour
The employment landscape will be in flux throughout 2015, the early stages of what they expect to be "the next significant labour displacement in history."
Digital technologies like the Internet of Things, wearable technologies, and mobile and smart devices will force organizations to change the way they engage customers, and develop and deliver new products and services. "Analytics will become ubiquitous, bringing intelligence to every process," OpenText says. "Robotics, smart machines, and artificial intelligence will infiltrate new parts of the organization and automate positions that are repetitive and transactional in nature. In time, we could see 20 to 30 million jobs migrate or disappear."
It’s not all doom and gloom, though—rather a shift from transactional jobs to tacit jobs. Tacit jobs require data analysis, judgement, and problem solving skills, as well as the ability to think creatively, communicate effectively, and collaborate in teams, says OpenText. Tacit jobs are predicted to grow two-and-a-half times faster than the transactional segment and CEOs will soon recognize the skills gap around tacit jobs for technology.
3. New startups will mesh digital and physical
The year 2015 will be the year that we see an increasing amount of nimble startups outpacing established enterprises to bring new products to market faster, according to OpenText: "Technological advances like 5G networks, more processing power, advances in storage, and cloud and mobile computing are blurring the boundaries between the physical and the virtual—between people and their technology. Startups will follow in the footsteps of Tado and Dash to leverage this “zero-distance connectivity” and offer compelling new products and services."
Startups are purists in their approach, organizing their operations around a focused sense of purpose and the promise of tremendous growth. "Agility trumps size, which makes startup culture dynamic, unstable, easy to scale, and eager to embrace (even define) new business models," the company says. "The startup philosophy entails a rapid product development cycle."
Over the next few years, we’ll see development cycles evolve from sprints to hyper-connected dashes. Innovation will become faster, more compressed, and approach the spontaneous. To keep pace in a Digital-First World, CIOs and business leaders will have to think like entrepreneurs and adopt startup strategies. Borrowing from the startup ethos will empower them to build adaptive enterprises that can proactively create opportunities for growth.
4. The world realizes the “Internet of things” is just the Internet
Everyone is buzzing about the Internet of Things. The IoT is the extension of the Internet, connecting us to millions of machines, sensors, and objects around us. "The IoT will transform the world as we know it, creating a giant, global network of devices and machines that are connected, communicating, and exchanging data," believes OpenText. "This market will see 50 billion devices connected by 2020 and a value of $14.4 trillion. Its potential impact is huge."
And while the IoT is viewed by many as a nebulous, futuristic concept, in reality, it already exists: we wear pedometers, smart watches, and cameras; our pets are microchipped; and we drive cars with built-in sensors. Thanks to the IoT, many of our everyday appliances will soon have the ability to self-monitor and communicate with a network—think Marge’s fully automated “Ultrahouse 3000” in the Simpsons.
"Organizations in both the public and private sector are already using sensor-based technologies to improve inventory control and manage energy through smart grids," says the company. "As we progress through 2015, more and more people will come to realize the IoT is simply the next evolution of the Internet."
5. The Chief Data Officer and Chief Digital Officer will become mainstream
To help guide the enterprise on its journey to digital transformation, two C-level roles will find themselves at the executive table: the Chief Data Officer and the Chief Digital Officer. While their roles are unique, both will focus on the strategic importance of information in a digital economy.
The Chief Digital Officer will be the executive advocate for the digital customer and will emerge to oversee both the strategy and the technology for a seamless and satisfying digital customer experience. According to Gartner, 25% of businesses will have a Chief Digital Officer by the end of 2015.
The Chief Data Officer will emerge as the executive advocate for data management—using the exploding volumes of data and analytics to improve decision making and identify new revenue opportunities. Across the organization, every function will want access to data and insights about their operations. The Chief Data Officer will make this possible by optimizing the management of data (integrating, deploying, securing, governing) and mobilizing their organization around an Enterprise Information Management strategy.


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Seven in 10 consumers globally are open to using robo advice for banking, insurance and retirement planning.
Clients around the world welcome the use of automated algorithms and computer advice for their financial needs but still seek human interaction for more complex financial decisions, a recent report from Accenture found.
The consulting firm also found that consumers are open to non-traditional financial providers, such as Google, Amazon and Facebook. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed would switch to one of the tech leaders or even a supermarket or retailer for banking, insurance and financial advice. Robo advice is the term used for wealth management services that are automated by computer algorithms, often based on individual questionnaires.
Among younger consumers, only 41 per cent would switch to Google, Amazon or Facebook, “indicating that many younger consumers see value in traditional financial institutions,” the report stated.
The findings are a bit troublesome for banks, said Alan McIntyre, senior managing director and head of Accenture Banking.
“The vast majority of today’s consumers view their bank relationships as entirely transactional; in order to gain customer loyalty, banks have to be more assertive in using technology to provide tailored, personalized offerings when, where and how customers want them,” he said.
The Distribution and Marketing Consumer research found that 71 per cent of those surveyed are open to using robo advice to determine which bank account to open, while 74 per cent would use the service to decide which insurance coverage to purchase, and 68 per cent said they would use automation to plan for retirement. About 78 per cent of those surveyed said they would use robo advising for traditional investing, which is what the technology is normally used for.
The survey of 33,000 consumers in 18 countries and regions found that two-thirds would still prefer a human interaction for things like complaints and complex financial products such as mortgages.
Emerging markets have the largest appetite for robo advice, with clients more open to the technology in Indonesia (92 per cent), Thailand (90 per cent), Brazil (86 per cent) and Chile (84 per cent). Demand was still high in the countries that were less accepting of robo advice: Canada (56 per cent), Germany (59 per cent) and Australia (61 per cent).
Consumers are also willing to share data with financial service providers in exchange for faster and less expensive services, with 67 per cent willing to give their bank more personal data. Of those, 63 per cent would expect better services in exchange for data.
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Lico-U.S. will exhibit its Hydro Fix Comfort Core flooring line Jan. 23-25 at the International Surface Event (TISE) (booth #2077).
Hydro Fix Comfort Core flooring integrates RCB technology, which is twice as dense as any LVT/WPC core and offers a thinner, more rigid plank. It is 100% waterproof, can be installed over most existing hard surfaces and will not telegraph minor subfloor imperfections. It also boasts the highest acoustic performance in the market.
“The Surfaces show is the perfect venue to introduce new products because it’s such a comprehensive show and maintains a stellar industry reputation,” said Rob Rebman, president of Lico-U.S., a newly-formed corporation between LI & CO and ACP. “We’re eager to showcase how our made-to-order flooring will offer North American customers a competitive alternative to what’s currently on the market.”
Lico-U.S. is investing $10 million to begin manufacturing Hydro Fix at its Neenah, Wis., headquarters, a 200,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing and distribution facility that will include PVC flooring extrusion and milling lines. The company will also provide sales and service in North America for Lico’s many other flooring technologies and brands manufactured at Lico’s main production facility in Müstair, Switzerland.
For more information, visit www.lico-us.com.


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Car-buyers are being tugged two ways in a German debate over carbon-dioxide emissions: Should they buy cars for the fast lane, or downsize to smaller cars more suited to the slow lane of German autobahns?
A German's worst nightmare: traffic jams on the autobahn
The dilemma came to a head when Chancellor Angela Merkel's government debated an economic stimulus package in October.
With global talks on a new climate-saving pact due next week in Poland, the dispute underlined the conflict between ecology and the economy.
Germany initially wanted to grant two-year vehicle tax rebates to buyers of all cars with sophisticated technology to reduce and purify emissions, but an outcry from environmentalists halted the plan.
The green camp was upset that even powerful sports utility vehicles with clean engines could claim the subsidy, while all cars would receive half the subsidy, no matter how polluting they were.
One group, Greenpeace, accused the government of encouraging "climate hog" motorists who drive heavy SUVs and limousines.
Road vehicles account for about a fifth of Germany's carbon-dioxide emissions, so reducing car exhaust could help Europe's largest economy meet its climate goals.
The export problem
The trouble is, cars are one of Germany's main exports.
The world likes Germany's cars big and strong
The cars that the world -- and many Germans -- want to buy from Germany are not small fuel sippers, but big, strong cars that eat up the kilometers and keep occupants in a steel cocoon of safety.
Despite localized speed limits and widespread congestion, there are still plenty of no-limit sections on German autobahns where the usual cruising speed in the fast lane is 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) or more.
A few weeks ago, Germany's main Lutheran church group asked pastors to set a good, green example to their flocks by limiting their autobahn speed to 120 kilometers per hour.
However, there seems to be no sign that such restraint is catching on.
Speed limit allergy
A sign many Germans don't like to see
Germany's auto industry regularly opposes efforts to introduce a national speed limit, and it suggests that environmentalists who call for weaker, slower cars are out of touch with ordinary Germans.
The industry has lobbied against earlier implementation of European Union fuel-economy and carbon-dioxide standards for cars.
"The German government is trying to stop effective CO2 limits and acting as an errand boy for incorrigible auto executives," accused Juergen Resch, head of the German environmentalist lobby group DUH.
The controversy in Berlin over vehicle-tax rebates, which has rumbled on for two years, has not gone away.
Under pressure, Merkel chose to delay. She has promised the half subsidy to all new-car buyers, and said that her government will next year fine-tune the low-emissions element of its subsidy program.
The tax dilemma
The squabble seems set to continue next year, with environmentalists pushing for a tax scheme that acts as an incentive to buy lower-powered cars.
Will banning this car help Germany's green record?
Two states -- Bavaria, home of BMW, and Baden-Wuerttemberg, home of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche -- pressed ahead this month and said they would distribute the tax rebates in the form that environmentalists oppose.
The auto industry is also pushing for another incentive which it contends will be good for industry and good for the climate at the same time: a buy-in of polluting older cars.
Martin Winterkorn, chief executive of Volkswagen, has claimed that scrapping every car made before 1999 currently on German roads would reduce total carbon dioxide emissions by 11.2 million tons.
General Motors' German subsidiary Opel has also argued for a buy-in as a way to help the stumbling industry.


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Burger King has tilted at Wendy’s for years in an up-and-down battle for the spot as the world’s No. 2 burger chain after McDonald’s.
Now Patrick Doyle comes along to give the flagship property of Restaurant Brands International a healthy dose of expertise and capital in the hopes of making a decisive difference for the home of the Whopper. The highly successful former CEO of Domino’s and executive chairman of RBI is teaming with the new chief of the Burger King brand, Josh Kobza, to enact a multi-year plan they hope will put the chain firmly on the path to financial and franchisee success for the long term.
→ Continue reading at Forbes


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Building a better battery.
Batteries have come a long way since the disposables that needed replacing in our walkmans and cameras. The lithium-ion batteries used in most electronics today are longer-lasting, rechargeable and, with some improvements, are also the key to making electric cars travel farther and to using more solar and wind power. So who is working on making batteries better?
You’ll find Nova Scotia-based Novonix in the middle of the fray. The Canadian firm doesn’t build batteries, but instead helps make better ones. It does this with a technology that tests the efficiency and lifespan of lithium-ion batteries more precisely, which helps clients like Panasonic and Bosch identify weaknesses in their battery design quicker, and develop the next major breakthrough in battery technology sooner.
With an estimated 6 billion lithium-ion batteries produced annually, there’s major demand for Novonix’s technology.
From research lab to market success.
Novonix’s technology started out as a research project at the renowned “Dahn Lab” at Dalhousie University. It quickly became clear that the publicly-funded research had commercial potential. In 2013, students Chris Burns and David Stevens undertook to realize that potential. They secured investment from Australian-based Novonix Group and a $500,000 contribution from the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
The rest, as they say, is history. Novonix went global, and now has a number of tier-one international battery makers as customers.
Pushed to grow.
Governments have an important role to play in helping companies like Novonix make the jump from research lab to market success. Public funding for pure research like the work at Dalhousie’s “Dahn Lab” provides the push to develop new ideas, while grants and loans through initiatives like ACOA’s Business Development Program help firms grow into companies with global reach.
Accelerating clean innovation in Canada means helping companies make the jump from research lab to market success. Governments have a role to play. Find out more through Smart Prosperity's latest work on Accelerating #CleanInnovation in Canada.


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The function of financial leaders corresponding to chief financial officers (CFO) in Australian companies has advanced. Similarly, the focus of financial decision-makers in SMEs has moved from being purely liable for historic evaluation to changing into a leader of business technique and driver of digital transformation. This has led to the emergence of a new cloud-based finance operate that’s creating extra alternatives for SMEs.
Over the previous two years, many financial decision-makers have applied digital applied sciences for his or her organisations, with 72 per cent having the remaining say on the know-how path of the business. Since COVID-19, financial leaders have recognised the pressing must capitalise on cloud know-how that helps companies scale with agility to realize progress, whereas constructing resilience in opposition to financial challenges.
A latest research discovered that 38 per cent of Australian SMEs had been actively working to automate key financial features by way of cloud-based platforms. Best-in-class companies that had already adopted cloud-based finance instruments had been attaining a 98 per cent discount in the value of processing expense studies and a 30 per cent general improve in productiveness.
For this purpose, SME finance leaders are broadening their obligations and taking the lead in know-how investments that ship extra data-driven insights and excessive constancy of predictive forecasting.
In the new digital office, financial decision-makers are more and more recognising cloud-based applied sciences as an actual differentiator in phrases of driving progress by way of business responsiveness, scalability, and innovation.
These applied sciences are additionally altering the function of the finance operate itself, in that SME finance decision-makers now must have a lot broader information throughout each finance and know-how.
In addition, finance duties have gotten digital, empowered by cloud-based platforms. These capabilities are serving to SMEs obtain larger finance and operational efficiencies throughout the board, which reduces business prices.”
Through instruments corresponding to cloud-based journey and expense administration options, SME finance leaders are gaining a lot sooner and higher business and market insights, extra business mannequin flexibility throughout merchandise and geographies, and innovation in companies and buyer expertise.
There is a rising development in giant enterprises the place the function of the CFO is reworking to grow to be extra carefully aligned with the chief data officer (CIO) in delivering a real cloud business know-how platform. This identical development will translate to small companies over time, so SMEs want to contemplate the know-how platform that may help and elevate their financial choice making into the future.
Ultimately, it will likely be automated cloud-based finance software program that differentiates SME market leaders who could have a lot increased ranges of productiveness and larger business efficiencies, with decrease working prices, than SMEs that proceed to depend on the legacy CFO business mannequin.


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How would the media cope if advertising revenue completely vanished?
This was the question asked and discussed in a Webinar for INMA members on Wednesday. Dominic Young, formerly of News Corp International and currently a media commentator, presented his vision for a redefined media landscape that is bigger, more competitive, and more profitable than ever before.
Re-thinking the economic pillars of the media, focusing single-mindedly on consumers, and taking a careful look at how the media’s relationship with the Internet evolved to its current dysfunctional state leads to some conclusions that are simple and actionable. The insights discussed in the Webinar can help media companies begin to reduce their dependence on advertising, and increase their profitability, right now.
“The search for a new business model has been slightly hampered by the need to retain what’s already there,” Young said. “It’s quite difficult to continue doing what you’re already doing and at the same time do something new.”
This challenge, and many discussions with a number of media organisations, led Young to consider the question at the forefront of this Webinar: How would a world without advertising look?
The post-advertising landscape
“I don’t think that’s necessarily going to happen, but it is a question we need to ask,” Young said. Shares of advertising market amongst news brands has been declining steadily. According the Group M research, in the United Kingdom news brands’ share of the advertising market has dropped from over 40% in 1999 to between 5%-10% today.
“Anyone who is still building a strategy around advertising and the retention of advertising revenue has to confront the reality, I think, that our ability to stop this and reverse it is really quite limited,” he said.
The reason is news media brands no longer have the dominant ability to reach the audience. With the power of the Internet and the strength of major tech companies and platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Apple, media publishers have a difficult time capturing that audience the way they once did.
“Our ability to command that audience simply doesn’t exist anymore,” Young said. Therefore, media publishers must consider the post-advertising landscape and how their business models must transform to address it and survive.
Most publishers would say the next model to look at would be subscription revenue. While Young agrees that a subscription business is vitally important, he stressed that there are problems with it as well.
- Most people bounce off paywalls, hiding your product from potential customers.
- It doesn’t scale well. Growth gets harder as the subscriber base increases.
- Competition for limited subscriber commitments gets more difficult as more publishers adoption subscription models.
- It simply doesn’t work for many products and demographics, rendering it inherently limited.
“I don’t think subscription is the answer,” Young said. “But consumer payment is absolutely the missing piece of the media jigsaw.”
A casual payment world
Young urged INMA members to think about the pre-Internet world. In those days, payment was as casual as consumption. In the UK, a significant portion of pre-digital newspaper and magazine readership was done through casual payments, not through subscriptions — and this was likely the case in the rest of the world. Newspapers and magazines were predominantly bought in shops, often on impulse or because the opportunity was there.
“Casual payment is a good phrase for what I think the media needs because it matches the behaviour of consumers.”
In this world:
- Payment becomes as casual as browsing.
- There are no walls, barriers, or multiple sign-ups.
- Pricing matches the value.
- There are no inherent limits on the market.
Casual payment completely changes the nature of the news media/consumer relationship, and fills in the gap.
“At the moment, media is squashed up at opposite ends of the value proposition,” Young said. “At one end there are a huge number of free [Web] sites, but the economics of that are perilous and declining. [At the other end] there is a pretty small number of successful subscription sites — and nothing much in between. But in between is where we know user behaviour is.”
Could media companies change and thrive?
“The question is not only could you survive, but if you are existing in this world where there is no inherent limit, could you thrive? Could you expand and grow and become more profitable?” Young asked.
Young believes it is perhaps easier to move beyond the advertising-or-subscription revenue question than people think — but not without change. This means putting the consumer back into the driver’s seat of the economics.
“I think it is possible to return to a thriving media market, but there is some change needed. What would the product need to look like in this post-advertising world? Because solving the payment problem doesn’t solve everything.”
Because of the way the Internet has evolved and put limits on the capabilities of news publishers, this status quo has done strange things to publishing.
- Optimising revenue in an advertising and data-centric world doesn’t always produce the best product for consumers.
- Excessive, intrusive advertising, along with tracking, clickbait, and SEO.
- Reduced ability to invest in content.
- The result is often un-lovely.
“It’s not true that simply by expanding the reach and popularity of your product, you’re guaranteed to be able to make more money,” Young said. “And it certainly isn’t a linear link between how popular you are and how much money you make.”
Casual payment requires a re-think
Looking to adapt a casual payment model requires a product re-think, Young said: “Three big things are different in this world,” as he described it.
- The consumer is the customer. Building a product focused entirely on them becomes imperative.
- Revenue becomes scalable. The more popular you are, the more money you make. Investment can be paid back.
- The market becomes collaborative. Companies are no longer competing for a limited revenue pool, which changes incentives.
This could also change the relationship that publishers have with the big platforms, Young added.
These differences also lead to new imperatives.
- Market and product appropriate pricing. Every publisher can adopt the right price for their product and audience.
- Investment in product pays back. With scalable revenues, better products make better money. Consumer behaviour becomes habit, not commitment, driven.
- Do less, better. It’s not just about sheer scale anymore, which is good news for smaller, local publishers.
“When this starts to become a realistic outcome for [publishers], almost always one of the first things that happens is they turn their attention to doing fewer things, better,” Young remarked.
The potential for a thriving market
If publishers make great products, market them well, and attract loyalty — and readers can pay for what they want, when they want it, from a wide range of publisher sites, this model could create a thriving media market, Young said.
“If they read more, they spend more. The market does not hit a ceiling where the consumption is continuing to rise but the revenue is going in the other direction.”
Readers are also more likely to form a relationship with an actual product, rather than content consumed through social media or an aggregator. Publishers, as well, can collaborate to encourage greater consumption. Publishing builds its own network, in short, and publishers make more money by selling more product. Independent, niche publishers can thrive alongside big brands.
This model is actually very familiar and one that publishers know well, Young said, because it had been the model throughout publishing history until the Internet up-ended it.
“It has completely decimated the business model of many parts of the media,” he said. “Some parts of the media have ended up with this inverted world in which the more traffic they get, the less valuable that traffic becomes.”
The potential for a market like this is huge, Young said: “The network is already there. Media has a network at least as big as Facebook or Google. Because collectively, media talks to everybody. We have a powerful network, we just need to activate it. The question is, how?”
The ability to collect casual payments is the missing piece. Young started a business to put that missing piece in place, he believes.
All poses the question: Can we actually create structural change for the Internet?
“I just think, let’s not forget who we are. We’re the media. We talk to everybody. And actually, the Internet is proving at the moment to be a little disappointing for consumers. The power of the platforms is beginning to raise eyebrows amongst legislatures, amongst media companies, and even amongst consumers, too. This is a moment when everything is changing, and this is a moment when we, as an industry, can create change for ourselves.”
He cautioned that if the media waits for someone else to present the answer, we will see the repeating pattern of what’s happened on the Internet before, with other incentives coming first.
The need for change is now, and the heyday of advertising is over.
“It remains true that when consumers move online, advertising money does not follow them. Getting started with change is a tiny step; the big change is the evolutionary one that happens after that. The more publishers join the network, the more consumers will join it. But it’s up to the whole industry to make that happen.”


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News Online 12 Jul 2022
SCCG Venture Fund invests in Ronin Sport
By Gambling Insider
SCCG Management Founder and CEO Stephen Crystal has revealed its venture fund made an investment in RoninSport.io.
Back in April, SCCG and Ronin, a sports data provider, entered into a strategic partnership to help grow the latter’s North American footprint.
Now, they have taken this partnership one step further. The SCCG Venture Fund, managed by Stephen Crystal, David Hanlon, Pierre Cadena and Dave Antony, targets gaming opportunities for seed and series A funding.
In particular, the Venture Fund specialises in companies involved in sports wagering, iGaming, esports gaming and wagering, sports data, affiliate solutions and venue management.
Ronin has now become a recipient of the Venture Fund, and will also benefit from SCCG’s help. In addition to making an investment, the consultancy will serve as a strategic partner, offering insights, business development and advisory services.
“SCCG will be a strategic business partner to Ronin Venture and help the company grow the business in the North American market,” said SCCG.
“SCCG will provide insights, business development and advisory services to grow the company within different North American sports market segments.”
Ronin got its start in January 2020 and offers live TV and streaming data for a range of sports spanning several countries.
The Venture Fund has also invested in two other companies this year, both in March. Play Caller Sports is a planned fan engagement platform that will offer both fantasy and traditional sports betting.
Bounty Sports, meanwhile, is a daily fantasy sports platform designed for “casual sports fans,” allowing them to compete against one another to win cash prizes.
Frederic Luvisutto appointed Wynn Macau and Wynn Resorts COO Wynn Macau has appointed current Wynn Palace Chief Operating Officer Frederic Jean-Luc Luvisutto as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO)…
As US gaming continues to grow, the payment solutions package provided by operators has become crucial in driving retention and lifetime player value. Why? We discuss this all-important…


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Outlet Retailers Plan Interviews Friday At Job Fair
LIMERICK PA – Several retailers who occupy the Philadelphia Premium Outlets, 18 W. Lightcap Rd., have a growing need for employees to work during what all hope will be a hot holiday selling season. To find potential candidates, the outlets will hold a job fair Friday (Oct. 19, 2018) from 2-7 p.m. in its Food Court building, its representatives said.
Those who attend will be able to apply for more than 150 open positions at the center, offered by more than 30 merchants that include ASICS, Aldo Outlet, Clarks, Coach Outlet, Dress Barn, Fossil, Lucky Brand Jeans, Steve Madden, Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, Under Armour, UGG, Nike Factory Store, Gap Factory, Bath & Body Works, and others.
Available positions include stockers, sales associates, and full-time manager positions.
Applicants should come prepared to present resumes, complete employment applications, and participate in interviews, according to the outlets’ notice. Business-casual attire is encouraged. Openings available at each store vary.
For more information, visit the outlets’ website, here.
Photo from Google Images


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MGCOOL, a popular action camera and accessories manufacturing company based in China has announced 2-year warranty for the budget-friendly MGCOOL Explorer ES action camera.
In a statement released to the press, MGCOOL disclosed that most of the competing action camera companies such as GoPro, Xiaomi, SJ Camera provide one year warranty. Hence, the provision of a 2-year warranty for the budget friendly MGCOOL Explorer ES will be a great advantage for customers.
MGCOOL Explorer ES features a 2-inch display, Allwinner V3 processor, internal storage expansion up to 64GB including H.264 compression mode support. Moreover, the camera also integrates enhanced waterproof capabilities alongside Wi-Fi support.
Your Explorer ES camera will not be destroyed if you immerse the action camera up to 30m depth. When it comes to the wireless connectivity, the MGCOOL Explorer ES offers range up to 10m.
Powered by a 1050mAh battery, the Explorer ES action camera is capable of delivering up to 80 minutes backup. The attraction of the camera is that you will be able to charge the battery up to 2 hours paired with an integrated 5V/1A power adapter.
With the help of 170-degree wide angle lens, you will be able to shoot immersive visuals. You can shoot FHD videos at 60 fps including the ability to capture stunning images from 2MB to 16MB.
The main purpose of the 2-year warranty is to improve aftersale service quality. Moreover, it will enhance the brand characteristics among other prospective customers. Nowadays, people opt for an extended warranty period for products since it will provide great expectations.
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NEW YORK Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc. has set up its first self-service auto parts recycling facility in Rhode Island after acquiring an existing business this past week.
Richard Peach, the Portland, Ore.-based companys chief financial officer, told AMM that Schnitzer acquired Cumberland, R.I.-based Bills Auto Parts under its Pick-N-Pull business division.
Although the acquisition cost was not disclosed, AMM understands it was below $1 million.
Pick-N-Pulls first foray into Rhode Island follows Schnitzers increased focus on the state, where it operates two scrap facilities in Providence and Johnston.
The company has strategically targeted expansions in its auto parts business near existing scrap recycling facilities, adding 11 Pick-N-Pull locations over the past six months to its previous 51 locations.
One of our main strategies has been increasing the amount of synergy between our auto parts and metals recycling businesses, Peach said. What we did in our fiscal second quarter was purchase a couple of auto parts businesses in Massachusetts which were close to our recycling facility in Everett, Mass. This time we are buying one in Rhode Island since we already have an export facility in Providence and Johnston. So this continues our strategy.
Schnitzer chief executive officer Tamara Lundgren announced the acquisition during an earnings conference call June 27.
Subsequent to the (fiscal) third quarter, auto parts business (APB) invested in a new store in Rhode Island, establishing our first Pick-N-Pull store in that state. This new location is near our metals recycling operations, which will expand APBs presence in our core northeastern market and strengthen our regional supply chain, she said. Since 2009, weve grown the number of our APB locations by over 50 percent and we intend to continue to actively grow this business. In aggregate, these investments will enable us to further penetrate core markets for our auto parts business, leverage existing operational resources, and enhance scrap flows to our metals recycling business.
Lundgren said organic growth and contributions from the 10 new locations it started during its fiscal second quarter resulted in an 8-percent increase in vehicle purchases.
The Rhode Island Pick-N-Pull acquisition increases its combined regional presence to 16 facilities.
During the conference call, Peach said that in the fiscal year to date Schnitzer has invested $47 million in a combination of new auto parts business locations and the acquisition of noncontrolling interests in a Canadian subsidiary. For fiscal 2013 as a whole, we anticipate cap-ex spending of up to $100 million, of which approximately 40 percent is related to completion of major projects in Canada and Puerto Rico. Consequently, we expect a significant reduction in capital expenditure in fiscal 2014.
The company is investing in new technology at its facility in Puerto Rico to boost nonferrous metal recovery and secure better yields and margins from scrap flows.


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Korea Electronics Technology Institute has announced the world’s most flexible OLED material, a precursor to bringing foldable smartphones to market.
Caltech researchers are working on a tiny 3D scanner nanophotonic coherent imager (NCI) chip that could end up being embedded into a variety of smart products.
Ossai’s Cota technology aims to make it affordable for OEMs to add remote wireless power to all Wi-Fi or Bluetooth equipped devices
Leap Motion has teamed up with Razer to bring its hand motion tracking features to the OSVR virtual reality headset.
SolidEnergy, a start-up out of MIT, is developing a battery boasting twice the energy density of traditional lithium-ion designs. The first commercial product is scheduled to arrive in 2016.
Chris Cox, Chief Product Offer at Facebook, announced that the company is working on virtual reality apps, but they won’t be available for “a while” yet.
Sense, an intelligent cloud-based recognition engine, could help create a limitless, interactive encyclopaedia of things based on information from users.
StoreDot demonstrates the latest version of its super fast charging battery. The new battery is slimmer and the charger looks much more refined.
Keyssa kiss connectivity could could change the game in terms of how smartphones are assembled and how data is transferred between devices.
TSMC has announced that it has already entered risk production for its 16nm FinFET Plus process and is planning to produce integrated CMOS MEMS packages for future tech products.


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Microsoft's most affordable Windows Phone is heading to Brazil, where it will be offered with the option of integrated digital TV on board, for just a few dollars more than the standard Lumia 435.
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Microsoft today launched its affordable Windows Phone 8.1 device, the Lumia 630, in Brazil - and it has a feature not yet seen on 630s in other parts of the world: integrated digital TV support.
Microsoft are set to invest $100 million into Rio's Porto Maravilha revitalization project, joining companies like Cisco and Lenovo in opening an advanced technology centre in the area.
Microsoft Brasil's president, Emilio Umeoka, said that ideology led Brazil's government astray when it decided to adopt Linux's free software in public sector computers. "If the country closes itself off again -- as it did...


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Chip Foose presented by Magnaflow coming to the Summit Racing Lone Star Nationals
Automotive designer, artist, and TV personality Chip Foose presented by Magnaflow will make a guest appearance on Saturday, September 28th at the Goodguys Summit Racing Lone Star Nationals at Texas Motor Speedway.
Over 2,000 hot rods, customs, and classic cars will be on display, the Super Summit Shopping Experience happening inside the Cup Garage, AutoCross racing, and Chip Foose? What’s not to love about this one! Chip will have two autograph sessions on Saturday, September 28th. The first one will take place from 10am to noon, and the second from 2pm to 4pm. He’s only there for one day – don’t miss your chance to catch up with this automotive legend!


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Danish toy manufacturer Lego has made an announcement that it will now use plant-based plastic to make many of its products in order to tackle the problem of plastic waste. Since 1963, Lego bricks have been made with a strong oil-based plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
The company will use polyethylene, sourced from sugarcane, to manufacture these plant-based plastic products. The new product range will be a soft, durable, and flexible polyethylene made from ethanol.
The sugarcane used is sourced in accordance with guidance from the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance and is certified by the Bonsucro Chain of Custody standard for responsibly sourced sugarcane, the Lego Group says. All suppliers must comply with the company’s code of conduct, which has requirements for ethical, environmental, and health and safety standards based on top global guidelines.
Read full news here: https://www.environmentalleader.com/2018/03/lego-plant-based-plastic/


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"In other personal pursuits," the profile reads, "[Kalanick] once held the world’s second-highest score for the Nintendo Wii Tennis video game."
Unfortunately, that's all we get. There's no other detail in the profile to corroborate the claim, and Kalanick's name doesn't appear anywhere on Twin Galaxies, the organization that tracks video game high scores and world records.
The claim apparently goes back to an anecdote from Uber investor Chris Sacca. Back in 2015, the investor noted on Twitter that he'd "never, ever want to compete" with Kalanick. When pressed to expand on that comment, Sacca took to Medium with a story about his dad's failed attempt to beat Kalanick at the Wii Sports minigame. Read more...More about Wii Sports, Nintendo, Travis Kalanick, Uber, and Gaming'>


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VOIP provider Jajah Sept. 17 launched a new application that lets users make free 2-minute Web phone calls from Twitter.
[email protected], a beta for Jajah users in the United States, lets users call others in the [email protected] program from anywhere they access Twitter, including mobile phones or PCs via Twitter applications such as Seesmic or TweetDeck.
Why only 2 minutes? Jajah said it considers 2 minutes the “verbal equivalent of a tweet” or Twitter message, but free calls also cost the company a bundle if a lot of people use the service.
To make a call, Jajah users can send a tweet with “@call @twittername,” with “twittername” representing the Twitter handle of the person being called. Users’ phones will then ring and the call will be connected. The caller and the call recipient must both be Jajah users for the call to connect. See how it works in this Jajah video.
However, the beta service is currently only available to selected Jajah users. Those who want to see if they’re among the chosen must log into their Jajah accounts and check for a Twitter Calls link under My Services on the My Account page. If users don’t see this and they want to try [email protected], they must send an e-mail to [email protected] for an invite.
Jajah suggested that users tweet, “Call me free-reply with @call” or add [email protected] to their account information to let other Jajah users know they’re participating in the beta.
Out of respect for privacy, users may only make calls to people who follow them on Twitter and all contact details will be kept private, so calling via [email protected] doesn’t give out the user’s phone number.
Jajah’s use of Twitter with its free voice-over-IP service is part of a recurring theme for the startup. As noted on GigaOm, Jajah in 2008 partnered with Yahoo to let users make calls via Yahoo Instant Messenger.
Angling for enterprise customers for its cloud calling services, Jajah partnered with Microsoft in August to provide SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) trunking services for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2.
Clearly, Jajah recognizes the importance of buddying up to big brands.
The company’s pitch is that Web calls with Jajah are even easier to make than calls using Skype because Jajah’s cloud-based calling requires no headsets, downloads, software or hardware, CEO Trevor Healy told eWEEK in August. While this beta is aimed at consumers, Jajah must hope that plenty of Twitter users will leverage [email protected] and open the door for business users as well.
Twitter is proving to be an effective marketing tool for businesses as well as an efficient, real-time messaging platform for consumers. If [email protected] gains traction on Twitter, more users may find themselves subscribing to use Jajah’s free services. If Jajah proves itself for those users, businesses will come calling. That’s the normal adoption crossover in this Web 2.0 world of social networking sites.


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Sony to Slice PlayStation2 Price in Japan28 Jun, 2001 By: Hive News
In a prelude to a possible price shift in the U.S., Sony Corp. said on Thursday it will make a modest cut in the price of its PlayStation 2 game console in Japan in anticipation of the fall launch of rival game consoles, according to Reuters.
Sony Computer Entertainment said it would lower the price of its PlayStation 2 in Japan to $281.7 (35,000 yen) starting Friday. Sony's overseas subsidiaries will set retail prices for their particular markets.
Sony hopes that the expected move will provide PlayStation 2 with a boost in the U.S. that will carry over through the fall, short-circuiting attempts by either Microsoft with its Xbox or Nintendo with its GameCube to grab the price lead and generate momentum at launch.
A Sony spokeswoman said the lower price would not impact revenue or require a revision of Sony's earnings forecast for this fiscal year, according to the wire service report.
Sony Computer Entertainment sold 9.2 million PlayStation 2 consoles worldwide for the fiscal year ended March 31. Sony says its goal is to sell 20 million PS2 units this year.


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AmaWaterways has revealed it will return to Europe’s rivers this summer, starting with Portugal cruises from 3 July 2021.
AmaWaterways’ Executive Vice President and Co-Founder Kristin Karst provided the following statement:
“We are so excited to see the situation in Europe evolving in a positive direction. We are proud to announce a selection of sailings starting the first week of July in Portugal with other restart dates throughout July on select ships on all the European rivers including the most luxurious ship on the Danube River, the AmaMagna on 21st July.
On a personal note, being born in Germany, I could not be happier about the announcement that Europe will be opened this summer to safely welcome back tourists to assist with the much needed economic and social recovery.”
The series of summer cruises will commencing with AmaDouro’s first sailing departing 3 July 2021, with AmaWaterways ships taking to the Danube, Rhône, Seine, Bordeaux and Rhine throughout June.


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Nintendo UK has reassured the trade that it will keep Wii Fit stock flowing right up until peak season as its Feel Great Britain tour continues to increase awareness of the top-selling title.
A mass media assault based around the Feel Great Britain tour has already included TV activity, a media partnership with The Guardian, extensive PR work with regional and national media and a central microsite, along with plenty of high profile POS material at retail level.
And while the trade struggled to cope with demand for Wii Fit in its first few months on sale, that’s all in the past now, said Nintendo UK’s trade and promotions marketing manager Ben Taylor.
As we’ve always maintained, we continue to bring stock into the UK on a weekly basis and Wii Fit’s recent performance in the software chart is testament to this,” he told MCV. Continual shipments into the UK will carry on right up to and through the peak season period and we are continuing to look at the current stock situation very closely.”
Taylor added that the Feel Great Britain tour will encourage further sales of the titles and the bundled balance board peripheral.
Indications so far are that the tour has been very popular and the software very well received,” added Taylor.
It is pleasing to see so many people step up for the first time to video games and thoroughly enjoy the experience. Whether it’s a grandmother doing a bit of yoga or an avid gamer getting a sweat on, it’s very positive to see such a variety of people having fun with Wii Fit.”


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Minister for Small Business and Assistant Treasurer, the Hon Kelly O'Dwyer MP, today announced that the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman is now ‘open for business’.
Today’s announcement delivers on a key Government election commitment to establish a dedicated Ombudsman with real capability to deliver benefits for small businesses.
The Ombudsman will be a:
- Commonwealth-wide advocate for small businesses and family enterprises;
- Concierge for dispute resolution services to allow businesses to resolve disputes without resorting to costly litigation; and
- Contributor to the development of small business-friendly Commonwealth laws and regulations.
"Ms Kate Carnell AO, who commenced her new role on Friday, brings extensive experience and knowledge. The Ombudsman role will provide value to the small business and family enterprise community and help with the government’s aim of making it easier to do business in Australia," Minister O’Dwyer said.
Ms Carnell, who ran her own small businesses for 15 years before becoming ACT Chief Minister, is well-positioned to support small Australian businesses and family enterprises.
The Government acknowledges small businesses make a substantial contribution to Australia's economy with over two million small businesses generating around a third of economic output.
Other small business initiatives of the Coalition government includes:
- immediate deductibility of all eligible assets costing less than $20,000;
- tax cuts for all incorporated small businesses to 28.5%;
- 5% tax discount for unincorporated small businesses;
- cutting red tape on small business by $4.5 billion in our first two years, including by simplifying the process for establishing an employee share scheme; and
- immediate deductibility of professional expenses when establishing new small businesses.
These measures also complement the Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda, which provides a suite of incentives for innovative start-ups to reach their potential.


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[November 28, 2023 – Hoofddorp, NL] – ASICS today announces the launch of the GEL-NIMBUS™ 26 shoe. With improvements to the fit and better grip, the 26th edition of the brand’s flagship cushioned running shoe delivers an even smoother ride.
The most significant update is the addition of the new HYBRID ASICSGRIP™ technology. The combination of ASICSGRIP™ technology and AHARPLUS™ outsole rubber deliver better traction, improved softness, and advanced durability, allowing runners to feel at ease when running on wet and slippery surfaces.
With improvements to the midfoot fit, due to the use of an engineered knit upper and an update to the construction of the eyelets, a softer yet more supportive midfoot hold is generated. The upper is made from a lightweight, breathable knit material.
Just like its predecessor, crowned the most comfortable running shoe in an independent comfort test*, the shoe benefits from FF BLAST™ PLUS ECO cushioning. A lightweight and energetic foam that creates cloud-like cushioning over a range of distances, made using 24% bio-based content from renewable sources such as leftover waste from sugar cane processing.
Other key features include ASICS’ rearfoot PureGEL™ technology, a material that is lighter and 65% softer than conventional GEL™ technology, providing even softer landings. The shoe’s knit collar construction also gives the GEL-NIMBUS™ 26 shoe a modernized look with a luxurious step-in experience.
Rohan van der Zwet, Senior Product Marketing Manager Performance Running at ASICS EMEA said: “With comfort still the number one consideration for purchasing running shoes, we’re proud to be launching the 26th edition of the GEL-NIMBUS™, known as the leader within the cushioning shoe space. After the major changes to the silhouette last year, this year we focused on further improving the award-winning comfort of the shoe. We’ve also added CO2e labelling to the GEL-NIMBUS™ 26 shoe to transparently inform consumers on our sustainability performance and the progress we are making. We’re confident these changes will ensure that runners experience an even higher level of comfort as they move their minds with the GEL NIMBUS™ 26.”
The GEL-NIMBUS™ 26 shoe will be available from ASICS retail, online stores and specialists running outlets regionally from January 15th, 2024, for €200.
To find out more about the GEL-NIMBUS™ 26 shoe and its latest technologies, please visit asics.com.
– ENDS –
NOTES FOR EDITORS
* Tested by 100 runners against competitor products. Independent comfort test, The Biomechanics Lab, South Australia, October 2022


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PostNL delivered around 12 million Sinterklaas gifts
In the run-up to Pakjesavond, PostNL processed a record number of around 12 million parcels in its distribution centers. Last year just under 10 million parcels were processed between Black Friday and December 4th, NU.nl reports.
According to PostNL, this figure was higher than expected, thanks to the increasing popularity of doing Sinterklaas shopping online. Black Friday and Cyber Monday were also busier than ever. The Dutch postal service is preparing for a similarly busy Christmas period.
The company received many complaints about packages not being delivered in time for Sinterklaas. PostNL struggled with a backlog due to the large number of packages. "There are delays, that is certainly true", a spokesperson said to the newspaper. He could not say how many packages were delivered late. "The majority of the orders were delivered on the promised day."
According to the Dutch Payments Association, around 2.4 billion euros in payments were made in the seven days leading up to Sinterklaas, slightly more than last year. A total of 991 million euros was spent in online stores through online payment platform iDeal, compared to almost 768 million euros last year.


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Turnberry Associates has unveiled its duplex collection at Turnberry Ocean Club, with prices starting at $19.5 million.
Turnberry Ocean Club’s “Collection Residences” feature their own outdoor swimming pools, hydrotherapy spas and summer kitchens. Five-bedroom units will have 6,935 square feet of indoor space, according to a press release. Carlos Zapata and Robert Swedroe designed the interiors, which include a private, two-story elevator lobby, foyer, grand salon, gourmet kitchen and dining room. Two bedrooms will face the west, while the master bedroom will offer eastern views with a private balcony, walk-in closets and master bedrooms.
Read the entire article and see more pictures: http://therealdeal.com/miami/2016/01/12/sneak-peek-turnberry-ocean-clubs-duplex-collection-residences/


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China Trade Council asks USA to "carefully consider" tech investment ban
China's International Trade Council has formally requested the US to "carefully consider" their latest regulations intended to restrict U.S. investments in China.
The rules, signed through an executive order by Joe Biden, the US President, will come into effect sometime next year. These restrict investments into Chinese establishments involved in artificial intelligence systems, quantum information technologies, semiconductors, and microelectronics.
The primary goal of the order is to safeguard national security and prevent aiding the Chinese military through US funding.
However, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade said that the order fails to differentiate between civilian and military purposes. Instead, they are too broad and vague.
According to the council, the new rules only serve to damage the highly interdependent global industrial chain and will also give rise to compliance costs and transaction risks.
U.S. financial firms, which have a Sept 28 deadline to provide input on the new rules, have said the orders are vague and place undue compliance pressure on them. The firms are seeking more clarity on the proposed new rules.


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Apple is preparing to launch two new stores in India, and just reopened two remodeled locations in the US, as part of a rebranding of its physical locations into a larger town square-like concept, Retail Dive reports.
The new format aims to be reminiscent of an old-school coffeehouse, and the company has even been droppingthe "Store" from its flagship branding.
Apple is looking to use its stores to foster a community at each location. To create such an environment, the company is deploying new stores with significantly more space, and has redesigned almost 100 locations to match. According to Angela Ahrendts, Apple's SVP of retail, "The goal is to help foster human experiences that draw people out of their digital bubbles." It is unclear if this new concept will be able to attract the communities that Ahrendts desires, but the rebrand could burnish Apple's brand and further differentiate its in-store experience, especially now that many have copied its original innovative store format.
Even top brick-and-mortar retailers like Apple are being forced to change as e-commerce rises. The consumer electronics segment has seen decreasing sales of late, and Apple's market share in consumer electronics retail stagnated from 2011 to 2015.
Meanwhile, Amazon accounted for $5.1 billion of the $5.6 billion in growth the segment saw in 2015. Apple's store rebrand may be an attempt to push its in-store experience as a unique and valuable proposition to combat Amazon's immense threat.
To receive stories like this one directly to your inbox every morning, sign up for the E-Commerce Briefing newsletter. Click here to learn more about how you can gain risk-free access today.


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This weekend millions of people across the globe are preparing to bear witness to a yearly American tradition: Super Bowl Sunday. In the final battle of yet another exciting NFL season, either the Baltimore Ravens or San Francisco 49ers will be taking home the coveted Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night.
In addition to pro athletes competing on the field, marketing pros lucky enough to work for companies that are willing to spend big bucks for TV ad time - $3.8M for 30 seconds in 2013 - are thrilled to witness this year’s next great batch of creativity. DevOps wizards, on the other hand, have a more nerve-wracking perspective on the event. Questions like, “What if our predictions for TV to online viewer conversions hold true?” and “Is our site really tested to handle this level of short term load?” are certainly keeping these rock stars up late at night this week.
And when you start considering mobile website optimization, the questions only get more strenuous. In fact, according to Adobe’s Digital Index team, mobile video viewing is expected to double on Super Bowl Sunday alone. Yikes.
That’s right, as we dig into that never-ending plate of Buffalo wings, we'll all also have our smartphones and tablets on the ready to replay, review and critique all the best new commercials immediately after we watch them live.
But what happens if your mobile site isn’t ready for primetime? Chances are, if you work for a company like Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo or GoDaddy you’ve already invested the time, energy and resources into making sure your new spots are bulletproof - or, in GoDaddy's case, nearly bulletproof. But this is a great lesson and reminder for the rest of us about the importance of building and monitoring scalable websites. There's simply too much to lose and the margins of error are razor thin.
You are never too big to fail. Just yesterday, Twitter's website and mobile app were both over capacity, causing prolonged outages for the second time in so many weeks. Lucky for them they're Twitter, so they get a free pass. But if Twitter can have this kind of problem on any given Thursday, what makes you so confident that your mobile site will be able to handle the extra stress of Super Bowl Sunday?
All it takes is one missed opportunity, one failed conversation, and you can be left out in the cold, desperately hoping for a chance at next year’s title.
So as you gather this weekend with friends to watch America’s favorite championship game, don’t forget to ask yourself, is your site ready for the bright lights of the big show?


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Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 10:58 AM
The WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-100 was out in Kaycee, Wyoming last weekend for the Chris LeDoux Days charity event. Those in attendance got to see the custom truck up close after it raised $170,000 for SEMA Cares charities Childhelp and Victory Junction at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in January.
Big thanks to Brian O’Leary with O’Leary’s Truck Service who got the vehicle there and back safely and handed out WD-40 brand hats and No-Mess Pens to those passing by. And, of course, thanks again to Robert Wilson, the new owner of the custom F-100, for allowing it to be a part of a great event.
To see more photos of the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-100, check out Chip Foose’s Facebook page.
Thursday, April 4, 2013, 10:37 AM
One of our favorite build partners from a few of our WD-40®/SEMA Cares project vehicles is LGE*CTS Motorsports, home of L&G Enterprises and Custom Truck Shop. Theresa Contreras, a custom painter and designer there, does amazing paintwork with her team on a wide variety of custom and high-end vehicles.
Recently, Theresa took our WD-40 Specialist®/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-350 with her on a field trip to Bonita High School in Southern California for career day. Check out a few photos of the kids enjoying standing next to the huge Super Duty.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 9:29 AM
For a limited time at select automotive retailers, your 8oz WD-40® Smart Straw® can will also come with a free bonus – 20% more FREE! That’ll help you protect more tools, unfreeze more locks, drive out more moisture from engines and equipment, and remove more gunk.
Get some inspiration by watching how legendary hot rod designer Chip Foose uses WD-40 Brand products to get the job done in his shop, and then pick up the WD-40 Smart Straw 9.6oz Bonus Can at an Advance Auto, AutoZone, or other retailer near you!
Monday, January 21, 2013, 4:28 PM
The WD-40®/SEMA Cares Foose ’53 Ford F-100 appeared at the SEMA Show and San Diego International Auto Show before finally being auctioned over the weekend at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. At auction, the custom vehicle received a winning bid of $170,000 from Robert Wilson of Loveland, Colo., and all of the proceeds went to support Childhelp® and Victory Junction children’s charities!
Toby Keith, who mentions WD-40 in his song "Made in America" also donated a signed guitar to the winning bidder, and Chip did a sketch of the F-100 on the back as a bonus. Check out photos of this special pickup truck inside the Motorheads group photo gallery, and stay tuned on what’s next for the WD-40 Specialist®/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-350!
Thursday, January 17, 2013, 8:16 AM
After being introduced in Las Vegas at the SEMA Show in November and making a stop at the San Diego International Auto Show in December, our beloved WD-40®/SEMA Cares Foose ’53 Ford F-100 pickup is ready for its prime time send-off at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, AZ!
As you know, this vehicle is particularly special to us. With a vintage “shop truck” look, updated drive train and suspension, one-off Foose wheels and custom paint, the vintage pickup truck commemorates WD-40 Company’s 60th anniversary and looks similar to the truck used to deliver the first case of WD-40 Multi-Use Product back in the days of Rocket Chemical Company.
This is the fourth year in a row we’ve built a project vehicle to benefit SEMA Cares, and our last three vehicles have raised a combined $400,000 for children’s charities. Again, all of the proceeds from this auction will go to two deserving children’s charities – Childhelp®, an organization that provides services to abused and neglected children, and Victory Junction, which provides life-changing camping experiences to special needs and chronically ill children.
Below are the auction details… Please tune in to check it out and thanks for your support!
- Date: Friday, Jan. 18, 2013
- TV Channel: Speed TV
- Time: Set to cross the auction block at 6:00pm PST / 9:00pm EST (may be a few minutes earlier or later depending on the bidding before us)
- Lot #: 3011
Thanks again to our build partners – Chip Foose, Street Scene Equipment, Barrett-Jackson, LMC Truck, L&R Engine, Egge, MHT Wheels, American Autowire, Painless Performance, Quiet Ride Solutions, K&N Filters, BASF Paint, Pirelli Tires, McGard, O'Leary's Truck Service, and others – for making this a huge success!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 2:59 PM
Our WD-40®/SEMA Cares project vehicles were finally introduced at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas and the custom trucks were a huge hit with auto buffs and gearheads alike. If you didn’t see the trucks in-person, don’t worry… we have some photos for you inside the Motor Heads group.
You can also read all about the trucks and what went into them by visiting our updated website, WD40.com/Foose. Thanks to all of our generous bulild partners who make these great projects possible!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 7:49 AM
Excitement continues to build around the two WD-40/SEMA Cares trucks that will be introduced at the 2012 SEMA Show today. After receiving their final touches in shops across Southern California, the two trucks – the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose ’53 Ford F-100 and the WD-40 Specialist/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-350 – made it to Las Vegas and are ready to wow.
Don’t miss the press conference for the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose ’53 F-100 in the SEMA Show Grand Lobby (in between the North and Central Halls) at Noon today, Tuesday, Oct. 30. At the event, you’ll hear from Chip Foose, WD-40 Company president and CEO Garry Ridge, and other partners about this year’s build project and how that special pickup truck will help support some great charities. The custom Ford Super Duty will be placed inside WD-40 Company’s booth – #12217 – throughout the show, so check that too if you’re there.
You can learn more about both projects at WD40.com/Foose.
Monday, June 25, 2012, 3:27 PM
Last week, the WD-40 Company team got to join Childhelp for its annual “Drive the Dream” gala prior to the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Orange County, Calif. The event raised $325,000 for Childhelp, which meets the needs of abused, neglected and at-risk children, and does great work to treat and prevent child abuse.
Check out photos from the event.
As you may remember, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Camaro, WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang and WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Challenger have raised a combined total of more than $400,000 for Childhelp® and The Victory Junction Gang® Camps children’s charities over the last three years. We’re proud to be a partner with such a great organization!
At Barrett-Jackson, held the three days after the gala, the first 2013 SRT Viper was auctioned off and raised $300,000 for the Austin Hatcher Foundation, followed by a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 fastback, which raised $253,000 as the highest-selling non-charity car.
Which car’s your favorite?
Sunday, September 25, 2011, 4:45 PM
The WD-40® brand has a new interactive web page set up to promote its partnership with legendary hot rod designer Chip Foose and keep you up to speed on the progress of our charity vehicle build, so check it out at WD40.com/Foose!
On the site, you can get a sneak peak at the new collectible cans that feature some of Foose’s greatest designs and watch “Chip’s Tips,” a series of how-to online videos that show Foose using WD-40 Multi-Use Product to help build, restore and maintain vehicles. Stay tuned for more photos and blog posts in the Fan Club!
Thursday, June 30, 2011, 12:08 PM
Two of the biggest names in the automotive world are partnering together… Legendary hot rod designer and TV star Chip Foose is partnering with the WD-40® brand on a high-octane integrated marketing campaign. The star of TLC’s “Overhaulin’” and Discovery Channel’s “Ultimate Car Build-Off,” and the youngest person to be inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame, will be featured in print ads, online banner ads and “Chip’s Tips” – a series of how-to online videos that show WD-40 Multi-Use Product being used to help build, restore and maintain vehicles. He’ll also be designing special cans later this year!
Chip says WD-40 Multi-Use Product is the first tool he ever bought, and his dad always had a can in the garage. He and his team continue to use it on a daily basis to loosen stuck parts, degrease engine blocks and remove rust from tools.
Stay tuned for more info, and check out photos of Chip with his favorite tool around the shop…


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Apple Shuffles Revenue Out of U.S., Pays Only 1.9% in Taxes on Foreign Earnings
November 5, 2012 11:40 AM
comment(s) - last by
Apple does not count foreign tax savings in its reported profits
Whether you're voting for Romney or Obama tomorrow, neither candidate comes close to offering a tax rate sweet enough to
sate the appetite
of Apple, Inc. (
), the world's most profitable technology company, and
most valuable firm
in terms of present market capitalization.
In 2011, Apple
made a fortune on foreign earnings
, paying a lowly 2.5 percent on the $25B USD it earned outside the U.S. Financial documents
filed last week
indicate that the company's fiscal year, which concluded in September, saw an even bigger revenue boom outside the U.S.
Apple in calendar Q4 2011-Q3 2012 paid a
mere 1.9 percent
in foreign taxes, while ballooning foreign earnings to $36.8B USD. That's a pretty hefty sum considering Apple's full-year reported earnings were $41.7B USD on revenue of $156.5B USD.
Here's where things get a little confusing. The $41.7B USD is a post-tax figure that assumes Apple's effective U.S. tax rate extends to its foreign earnings. Apple is currently hoarding that cash overseas -- an estimated $82.6B USD, but it breaks from some in not reporting all of it as earnings.
It also has avoided spending the massive profits, gained by using tax shelters like the Cayman Islands, Ireland, and small European tax-haven nation states. It is estimated that Apple's decision not to include the tax-sheltered earnings in its bottom line cost it an extra $10.5B USD of profits (on paper, at least) over the last three years).
Apple paid less than 2 percent in taxes on its overseas earnings.
[Image Source: SomanyMP3s]
Apple's decision to not report the gains as profits is interesting, and perhaps a reflection that Apple believes that the U.S. government will eventually force technology companies to "pay up" amid growing scrutiny of corporate tax sheltering practices.
Apple, which almost exclusively manufacturers its products in China, is not alone in its smart-sourcing of profits to tax shelters and manufacturing to cheap Asian labor sources. Google Inc. (
), Apple's perennial smartphone foe has engaged in similar practices, although not to such a massive extent.
The on-paper general corporate tax rate in the U.S. is 35-percent, however, that figure is misleading as the complex U.S. tax code typically leaves a wealth of loopholes available for big businesses to lower their rates. With loopholes considered, the average for Fortune500 tech companies is around 16 percent [
Apple does indirectly contribute a great deal to the U.S. economy, directly and indirectly
creating 304,000 U.S. jobs
, plus an additional 210,000 U.S. iOS developer jobs.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
All companies do this
11/5/2012 12:19:13 PM
If it was only Apple doing this I would look closely at them. But all companies do this. This money would be great in the US but our government for some reason won't address this issue. Instead the government wants to raise income tax to address the budget issue.
RE: All companies do this
11/5/2012 2:59:26 PM
yup. dont hate the player, hate the game...every company does this. this is a cheap attempt to put out an article to make apple look bad on something that isnt news.
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Xiaomi is in the works to unveil a new charger with up to 55W speed. Today, this new charger with model number MDY-12-EQ has appeared on 3C certification. The charger supports multiple charging rates which are 5V/3A (15W), 9V/3A (27W), 20V/2.5A (50W), and 11V/5A (55W).
The certification does not reveal the smartphone models that will feature this 55W fast charging. But, a reliable Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station claims that upcoming mid-to-high-end Xiaomi smartphones will feature this new 55W charging. Some Redmi smartphones will also get this new fast charger.
Earlier this year, Xiaomi launches the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro 5G with 30W and 50W charging speeds respectively. So, rumours are that the upcoming Xiaomi Mi 11 flagship series could feature this new 55W fast charger. The Mi 11 series is expected to make its debut in January 2021.
Xiaomi is among the most popular companies when it comes to fast charging. In the past, the company has launched Mi 10 Ultra with 120W fast charging and an 80W wireless charger that fully charges a 4,000mAh battery in just 19 minutes.