text:
Satyam Computer Services Ltd. (NYSE: SAY), a leading business and information technology services provider, today announced that Forrester Research has named the company a leader in SAP implementation capabilities. “The Forrester WaveTM: SAP Implementation Providers, Q4, 2007 (December 2007)” places Satyam in the same category as companies heading “an extremely well qualified pack.”
The report states “Satyam has a strong overall value proposition in addition to a long track record with SAP. Its client satisfaction scores are high, its pricing is reasonable, and a large number of clients were willing to attest to its value.”
“It is certainly true that our customers have been our greatest assets and references,” said Manish Mehta, Business Head, Satyam SAP Practice. . “Our achievements are a direct result of our commitment to delivery excellence and the demonstrated value of our SAP implementations. We always try to exceed our customers’ expectations, and our recognition in the report reflects these efforts.”
The report is especially relevant because demand for SAP services continues to grow globally, as organizations increasingly leverage the ERP provider’s expanding portfolio of offerings. In addition, many existing customers need to upgrade to newer versions of SAP.
“We are pleased to be recognized as a leader by Forrester Research and rated as no.1 in current offering amongst Indian organization,” said Mehta. “We are proud of our exceptional SAP expertise, and of our ability to help our customers in a broad range of industries gain the maximum benefit from their ERP investments.
As the report noted, we continue to invest in our SAP Practice, and this is evidenced by our increasing number of end-to-end implementations. Companies all over the globe benefit from those efforts, as well as the skills of our SAP consultants.”
The report is the result of information compiled by Forrester by researching the world’s leading SAP implementation organizations on 108 evaluation criteria. It noted that Satyam is an especially good fit for companies that “need experienced SAP technical skills,” and those that “require vertical knowledge in the manufacturing, high-tech, or semiconductor industries.”
Moreover, the report praises Satyam’s implementation capabilities. “Not surprisingly, given its strong SAP methodology as well as internally developed engagement aids and implementation experience, Satyam scores strongly in the implementation portion of this survey,” the report said. Satyam’s skills in strategy, post-implementation, remote delivery, overall vision, and overall value were also noted.
Forrester is one of several independent industry analysts to recognize Satyam in SAP services recently. The report is available from Forrester Research website.
Satyam (satyam.com), a leading global business and information technology services company, delivers consulting, systems integration, and outsourcing solutions to clients in 20 industries and 57 countries.
Satyam leverages deep industry and functional expertise, leading technology practices, and an advanced, global delivery model to help clients transform their highest-value business processes and improve their business performance. The company’s 45,700* professionals excel in engineering and product development, supply chain management, client relationship management, business process quality, business intelligence, enterprise integration, and infrastructure management, among other key capabilities.
Satyam development and delivery centers in the US, Canada, Brazil, the UK, Hungary, Egypt, UAE, India, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia serve 599 clients, 173 of which are Fortune Global 500 and Fortune US 500 corporations. For more information, see satyam website.
*As of Sept. 30, 2007
Satyam, SAP, Forrester Research, Manish Mehta


text:
Ravenna Pizza Hut open for dine-in customers
The Ravenna Pizza Hut at 1313 E. Main St. has opened its doors to dine in customers. The Ravenna Pizza Hut is the only open dining room in the Portage/Summit county area. All other locations are open for carryout and delivery.
Dining room hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Carol Feret Magazzeni, a spokeswoman for the locally owned and operated Pizza Huts, said seating has been rearranged to accommodate for social distancing and customers are asked to maintain a six-foot distance from others while in the restaurant.

domain: news


text:
Joint project to boost trans-Tasman exportsPrime Minister
The Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia have agreed to investigate ways to boost the flow of business and exports, from Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), across the Tasman.
“About 75 percent of New Zealand SMEs export to Australia and more Australian firms export to New Zealand than any other country,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. “Both Prime Minister Turnbull and I see huge potential for both our countries in making it easier, and speedier, for SME’s to do business across the border.
“I see this as the next step in CER and an extension of the potential that exists in the agenda for a Trans-Tasman Single Economic Market (SEM).
“Today Prime Minister Turnbull and I agreed to commission a joint programme of work to investigate the factors that help to contribute to the success of SMEs across the Tasman, and to work through the factors that are constraining their success.
“We have also agreed to jointly commission a review of our policy and regulatory frameworks to ensure that they are creating an environment in which trans-Tasman digital trade is as open and facilitative as they are for conventional trade.
“The first leap into exporting for the majority of SME’s in both Australia and New Zealand is across the Tasman and it’s often a spring board from there to the global market.
“While there has been steady progress on the SEM since it was established in 2009, we want to see progress sped up in relation to smaller businesses especially in areas like the streamlining of trans-Tasman travel.
“Business has been telling us for a while about the benefits of e-invoicing, and removing departure cards, and other barriers to business, such as regulatory costs and some duplicated processes.
“Given the crucial role smaller businesses play in driving the growth our country relies on, it makes sense to make it easier for those firms to do business with our closest neighbour,” Jacinda Ardern said.


text:
合作伙伴上线”顺丰打车” 顺丰:未经允许 解除合作-NetEase Tech
What happened: SF Express’ intra-city on-demand freight delivery service that is believed to be provided through local logistics partner Banyunbang was suspended one week after its launch. SF Express says the service was removed because Banyunbang has been using its brand without the company’s consent. The express delivery and logistics giant has reached preliminary cooperation intention with Banyunbang previously, but the later used SF Express’s brand to promote its business before they could reach any final agreement.
Why it’s important: Along with the rise of China’s passenger ride-hailing service, the on-demand delivery business for cargos is also gaining momentum over the past few years. One year after the merger with Hong Kong startup GOGOVAN, 58 Suyun rebranded as Fast Dog (快够) in August in an effort to speed up business expansion. Lalamove launched enterprise-faced business to further explore the intra-city delivery market. As one of the top players in the sector, Banyunbang is eager to move ahead in a crowded market. Its partnership with SF Express was once highly anticipated where the two companies could create great synergies in a market with great potentials.


text:
WayForward, developer of DuckTales Remastered and the upcoming Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don’t Know!, will launch a “major” Kickstarter campaign next Wednesday, September 4, the company announced.
“This one’s going to be big,” WayForward teased in a blog post.
Additionally, the studio revealed plans to bring Mighty Switch Force! 2, which is currently available on the 3DS eShop, to the Wii U eShop this October.
If you’re at PAX Prime in Seattle this weekend, WayForward’s latest 3DS eShop game Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is playable on the show floor.


text:
Chevron sale an opportunity for Bahamians
The country manager for Texaco Bahamas is calling it too early to sound the alarm over a move by its parent Chevron to put its Bahamas operations up for potential sale–even as local businesses are encouraged to send in bids.
“Everything is premature, we don’t know what’s going to happen yet,”Ryan Bain told Guardian Business recently.”Chevron is soliciting bids for its fuel marketing and aviation business in the Caribbean and select markets in Central America.
“So nothing is concrete at this time, it’s just too early to say what’s going to happen.”
His comments follow Chevron’s announcement this week of the potential sale of its Bahamas business as a part of a new policy to’downstream’its retail and wholesale trades in this country and eight other markets in the region. Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Suriname, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Saint Maarten, Turk and Caicos and the U.S. Virgin Islands will also be affected.
There are currently more than 20 Texaco locations throughout The Bahamas, said Bain.
Local businessman Tennyson Wells said the sale represents a ripe opportunity for Bahamians, with the opportunity being made available to change another major brand over into Bahamian ownership.
“I don’t know if I’ll buy it, but I think a Bahamian should try,”he toldGuardian Business.”We should buy it because it’s really a national asset that should be owned by Bahamians.
“I think a broad section should come together for the purchase… the pension funds, the co-ops… they should buy it if it goes on the market.”
Chevron currently acts as a franchisor to retailers in the country and any changes in ownership could see things remain exactly the same or slight changes stem from name changes to new operation guidelines. Bain reassures that information on the potential sale will be announced at a later date.


text:
Date of the probable first flight of Santa's sleigh, a versatile, all weather, multi-purpose, vertical short-takeoff-and-landing vehicle capable of traveling vast distances without refueling and deployed, as far as we know, only on Christmas Eve (and briefly for a test flight about a month before Christmas), according to NORAD: Dec. 24, 343 A.D.
Length of the sleigh, built by Kringle and Elves Inc. and home-based at the North Pole: 75 cc (candy canes)/150 lps (lollipops)
Weight at takeoff: 75,000 gd (gumdrops)
Propulsion: Nine (9) rp (reindeer power)
Armament: Antlers (purely defensive)
Climbing speed: One "T" (Twinkle of an eye)
Max speed: Faster than starlight
Year that Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, placed a Christmas tree in the White House for the first time, according to PolitiFact.com and the National Christmas Tree Association: 1856
Year that President Calvin Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn: 1923
Year that the National Christmas Tree was not lit until Dec. 22 because of a national 30-day period of mourning following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy: 1963
Source: National Christmas Tree Association.
Date of the first Christmas celebration, according to research by DMR Stats and fun facts pages: Dec. 25, 336 in Rome
Year the first Christmas card was sent: 1611
Years that Christmas was banned in England by the Puritans: 1647 to 1660
First time Christmas was a bank holiday, originally observed in England: 1834
Year Christmas became a U.S. federal holiday: 1870
Source: DMR Stats and fun facts pages.
Year that tinsel was invented in Germany and was originally spun from real silver, making it far from the decoration it is now, according to Surprising Christmas Facts from CDS Global Inc.: 1610
Source: CDS Global.
Percentage of parents who blame the internet for their children no longer believing in Santa, according to a survey by Wriggly Toes: 16.5
Percentage who say Google searches are responsible for their kids discovering the truth: 33
Percentage of kids who have watched as their parents made an online gift purchase: 25
Source: Wriggly Toes.
Using salary information from comparable jobs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, estimated percentage annual salary raise for the North Pole's most famous and beloved resident in 2022, according to insure.com: 2
For all his tasks -- from Rudolph's nose maintenance, running the workshop, reading letters, checking his list (twice) to taste-testing each delicious cookie, even the oatmeal raisin ones -- amount that Santa, with "a magically tireless work ethic," earned this year (up from $159,622): $162,555
Percentage of adults who say they expect to feel more stressed this upcoming holiday season compared to last, an increase of 9 percentage points since 2021, according to a poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA): 31
Ranks of affording holiday gifts, meals, and finding and securing holiday gifts on the list of potential drivers of stress: 1, 2, 3
Source: American Psychiatric Assocation.
Estimated number of children under age 18 in the world, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): 2.375 billion
If we assume that each household has, on average, 2.5 children, number of stops Santa would have to make on Christmas Eve, traveling 221 million miles: 950 million
Given the different time zones, number of hours that Santa has to deliver gifts, making his average speed approximately 650 miles per second: 36
Utilizing theoretical "relativity clouds" that would allow Santa to stretch time like a rubber band and give him months to deliver gifts, amount of time that would pass for the rest of us, according to Larry Silverberg, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University: a few minutes
Source: UNICEF and Larry Silverberg.
Number of consumers who plan to shop in-store and online on "Super Saturday" -- the last Saturday before Christmas Eve and Christmas -- this year on Dec. 17, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights and Analytics: 158 million
Percentage of their holiday shopping that is completed as of early December: 53
Percentage who say their holiday plans include purchasing after Dec. 25: 70
"You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson


text:
- Subscribe NowNewsletters & Alerts
Send this story to a friend
Motorola Solutions, Boeing profits up; Caterpillar plummets (Video)
- Staff Chicago Business Journal
Construction equipment company Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) said its third-quarter earnings dropped to $946 million, or $1.45 per share, from $1.7 billion, or $2.54 per share, a year ago, while revenue fell 18 percent to $13.42 billion. Analysts were expecting the Peoria-based company to earn $1.68 per share on $14.29 billion in revenue.
The company forecast full-year revenue to be $11 billion, or 17 percent, lower than last year, dragged down by an expected 40 percent fall in its mining gear sales. It now expects 2013 earnings of about $5.50 per share, $1 less than its previous forecast, and revenue of about $55 billion.
"With $11 billion coming off the top line, it has been a painful year and has required wide ranging and substantial actions across the company," Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman said in a statement.
Caterpillar shares were down 6.8 percent to $83.09 a share on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Schaumburg-based Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) said its third-quarter profits rose to $307 million, or $1.16 per share, from $206 million, or 72 cents per share, a year earlier. Earnings excluding one-time items was $1.32, which beat a FactSet analysts’ forecast of about $1.02 per share. Revenue fell 2 percent to $2.11 billion, but also beat expectations of about $2.12 billion.
The company also forecast full-year revenue to be about flat from last year’s $8.7 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.63 to $4.70 per share.
Motorola shares were up more than 3 percent to $62.47 a share late Wednesday afternoon.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- Could United Airlines de-hub Denver?
- United Airlines to upgrade food service for premium cabin travelers
- New Chicago Bears TV spot is full of the unexpected — and the cute
- Mike Andres is out of the Roadhouse and running McDonald's USA
- Hostess to close Schiller Park plant where Twinkie said to be invented
- Digital 120 Sports channel adding new football content
- Jell-O sales continue long slide, but Kraft pushes back
- Sears may close even more stores, as loss widens
- Bears wideout Marshall lists Florida home for $4.9M
- Gov. Pat Quinn vetoes the so-called 'Uber bill'
Business Operations Analyst Motorola Mobility | Chicago, IL
D2D Pros Needed - IGS Field Sales - Teams Welcome Confidential | Chicago, IL
NURSE: RNs or LPNs - Ventilator & Pediatric Experience Home Staff, Inc. | Chicago, IL
Athletes Wanted - Marketing Sales Account Managers - M4i | Chicago, IL
Highly Motivated QA Analyst needed near O'Hare! Robert Half Technology | Chicago, IL


text:
Except under the provision specifically mentioned by the bank, no one shall engage in making this kind of payment in a foreign country, the notice said. The bank urged citizens not to do any work related to payment abroad. The notice also warned that if anyone is violating the rules, strict action will be taken under the prevailing laws.
In April 2022, Nepal’s central bank announced the ban on import of vehicles and other luxury items citing liquidity crunch. Nepal’s foreign exchange reserves rose by about 3% in mid-December to touch $9.8 billion – enough to cover 8.7 months of imports – from mid-July levels, according to central bank data.
#Central #bank #bars #Nepalese #investing


text:
Samsung's highly anticipated next-generation flagship phone, the Galaxy S5, returns to the spotlight, as a new teaser image appears for the handset on O2, the German carrier website.
The German carrier claims it will be among the first to debut the Galaxy S5 when the handset releases by the end of February. The official teaser on the O2 site reads: "Ende Februar mehr erfahren", which means "The end of February to learn more."
As NDTV Gadgets reports, potential buyers may register online for further updates on the availability of the handset with the carrier. The teaser spills some more titbits about the handset through message hints such as "Get news about Samsung that can do more" and "Anticipation of 5".
While the former message hints at accessing news updates for the Galaxy S5, the latter points to the Samsung unPacked 5 event, where the Galaxy S5 is expected to be unveiled on 24 February at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014.
Besides, the O2 teaser page does not reveal anything specific about the Galaxy S5, except for showing some device submerged in water. This could actually suggest that Samsung might be offering dust and water-proof capabilities along the lines of Xperia Z and Xperia Z1 in its upcoming flagship phone.


text:
Sony has announced the top 10 most popular add-ons downloaded from the PlayStation Network last month.
Lol cod is numero uno.
isn't it the same on 350?
Didn't media claim it wouldn't sell because of killzone 3? http://n4g.com/news/698588/... Yep, they did
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


text:
The U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce presented a conference Tuesday focusing on business in the Southern Caucasus and Turkey.
Speakers at the conference, which was sponsored by Nobel Oil, included Azerbaijan Ambassador to the U.S. Elin Suleymanov, America-Georgia Business Council President and Johns Hopkins University Professor Mamuka Tsereteli and Ayse Oge, an expert on international trade.
Suleymanov discussed the potential for economic investment and existing business opportunities, while highlighting the country’s role in creation of the region’s infrastructure project and in bringing businesses to the area.
"Projects like Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, Baku International Trade Port, creation of diverse cargo terminals make Azerbaijan a favorable place for businesses,” Suleymanov said. "Regional transportation of goods will reach the next level in terms of time and quality as a result of BTK railway, the completion of which is expected in 2015. Direct flights to New York carried out by AZAL starting from Sept. 24 are yet another important development in the area of regional tourism and transportation infrastructure."
Tsereteli spoke about Georgia’s business and economic climate, describing Azerbaijan as a regional power player. He said that Azerbaijan had provided assistance to Georgia for projects like the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.
Oge spoke about Turkey’s business environment and legislative activity in the country. She highlighted a joint project of the three countries – the BTK project.


text:
ILC Dover has designed and produced an wide range of engineered inflatable products since the mid 1970's.
Our innovative inflatable structures are designed to save space, withstand extreme conditions, and, in many cases, save lives. Whether it's protecting valuable infrastructure from potential flooding as experienced in Super Storm Sandy, bringing speeding training torpedoes back to the surface, or protecting valuable radar systems we're up to the challenge. We collaborate with our customers to create customized solutions to fit their needs.
View this latest news story on our Homeland Security/Flood Mitigation ribbon cutting ceremony!


text:
Sara Salinas, Lauren Feiner
Drew Angerer / Getty Images
The company has self-reported unaudited financials for several quarters — one of the few tech giants expected to debut this year to do so. That means the public S-1 serves less as the typical first look into financials and acts more as a contextualized official record.
Uber reported 2018 revenue of $11.27 billion. The company posted net income of $997 million in 2018, but an adjusted EBITDA loss of $1.85 billion.
Uber reported a metric it called “Monthly Active Platform Consumers” or “MAPC,” which reflects “the number of unique consumers who completed a Ridesharing or New Mobility ride or received an Uber Eats meal on our platform at least once in a given month, averaged over each month in the quarter.” In Uber’s fourth quarter 2018, the company reported 91 million MAPCs, which was up 35% from the same quarter the previous year.
Uber also broke out trips and gross bookings on its platform. Trips represent “the number of completed consumer Ridesharing or New Mobility rides and Uber Eats meal deliveries in a given period,” rather than counting individual consumers. Uber said an UberPOOL ride with three separate customers paying would represent three trips, while an UberX ride with three passengers but just one paying customer would represent a single trip. In Q4 2018, Uber reporter 1.49 billion trips compared to 1.09 billion in Q4 2017.
The company defines gross bookings as the dollar value of ridesharing and new mobility rides, Uber Eats deliveries and amounts paid by shippers on Uber Freight. Gross bookings includes tolls taxes and fees but does not adjust for consumer discounts, refunds or tips earned by drivers. Uber reported $11.48 billion in gross bookings for its ridesharing business in Q4 2018 compared to $9.19 billion in Q4 2017. For Uber Eats, it reported gross bookings of $2.56 billion in Q4 2018 compared to $1.12 billion in Q4 2017.
The filing comes about two weeks after rival Lyft debuted on the public markets.
The two ride-hailing companies had been racing toward the public markets practically in tandem, though Uber’s offering is likely to be significantly larger, and one of the largest offerings this year. The company was previously reported to be seeking a valuation of up to $120 billion.
Uber’s self-reported financials for 2018 showed narrowing losses but slowing revenue growth.


text:
JLL Examines NYC Tech Market for March
- May 07, 2014
JLL has released its April Tech Monthly report for New York City and reveals that activity has more than doubled in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013 (approximately 1.2 million vs. 583,000 square feet leased).
In fact, January tech leasing set the bar high for the year, generating 663,276 square feet of total activity due to a number of large leases signed that month—three larger than 100,000 square feet. After this atypical January, leasing activity in February and March declined.
“Tech leasing was still strong when compared to historical figures,” Bill Peters, executive vice president with JLL’s New York office, told Commercial Property Executive. “Tech accounted for 12.6 percent of activity in March and 14.4 percent of all activity for the quarter, second only to financial services.”
Half of all tech deals in March were done in Midtown vs. Midtown South, which claimed 30 percent of tech deals for the month.
The report shows that throughout Manhattan, March was the biggest month for venture capital funding so far this year, as funding was up 12 percent over this time in 2013 ($716 million vs. $627 million).
According to Peters, the company receiving the most venture capital was CPXi, a digital media holding company, which received $30 million in funding. Exosome Diagnostics, a biotech company, received $27 million in series-B funding; followed by Payoneer, an e-commerce company, which received $25 million in series-C funding.
“The biotechnology sector was the strongest this month, receiving more than $67 million in funding,” he added. “Almost half of this funding, though, went to Exsome Diagnostics.”
The report shows that Manhattan tech employees average about $93,915 a year, almost 50 percent more than the average U.S. employee, but about 13 percent less than their counterparts in Silicon Valley.
Looking ahead, as the tech ecosystem evolves and more take note of New York City as a tech hub, Peters said venture capital should continue to pour in, with tech employment expanding, hiring remaining vibrant, and the economy continuing to improve.
“New York City is often dubbed as the next Silicon Valley. Its tech sector is dynamic and robust. It remains the sector to watch,” Peters concluded. “We expect a large number of tech leases to close in the coming months.”


text:
Automotive sales in the ASEAN region rebounded 27 percent in 2022 to 3.42 million units from 2.79 million in 2021, with the Philippines posting the third fastest growth among six nations.
Sales in the Philippines went up 31.3 percent to 352,596 from 268,488 units. Malaysia posted the fastest growth of 41.6 percent to 720,658 from 508,853 units, while Vietnam registered 33 percent increase to 404,635 from 304,149 units sold in 2021.
Indonesia remained the region’s largest market with 1.048 million units sold in 2022, compared to 887,202 units in 2021. It ranked fourth in terms of sales growth.
Myanmar and Singapore registered slower sales of -24.4 percent and -27.8 percent, respectively. Myanmar sold 7,058 units, down from 9,350 units 2021, while Singapore sales slowed to 42,550 from 58,953 units.
Thailand continued to be the biggest producer among motor vehicle manufacturers in the region. The country’s production reached 1.88 million units in 2022, up 11.7 percent from 1.68 million units in 2021.


text:
Apple's App Store is quite a success - but for that to continue, says Seb Janacek, the company needs to watch out it doesn't anger developers.
These are heady times for Apple's App Store. The online marketplace for third-party iPhone and iPod Touch apps is reporting huge sales since its launch in July.
Just a month after go-live, the App Store had sold more than 60 million applications with an estimated revenue of $30m. Since then, users have downloaded an estimated 100 million apps and raked in $70m for Apple and its developer partners to divvy up.
Reports claim this growth even outstrips the initial success for music tracks purchased from the iTunes Store.
Steve Jobs himself is naturally elated, telling the Wall Street Journal he'd never seen performance like this during his career in software. He estimated the App Store could quickly hit half a billion dollars in sales and end up being a $1bn marketplace.
However, the relationship between Apple and its developer community is showing signs of souring. In the last month Apple has pulled the plug on a number of applications - and it's the manner in which it acted that has made the developer community jittery.
There was the famous 'I am Rich' application that cost $999.99 and did nothing. Not that it stopped eight people buying it, one of them accidentally.
Then in the last couple of weeks, the company refused to allow an application called 'Pull my Finger' to be downloaded. The frivolous app simply made fart noises when a digital finger was 'pulled' by swiping the screen. It also invoked the iPhone's vibrate function, which was a nice touch. Apple said the app had limited utility. But so do dozens of other applications on the App Store.
And now the latest news that Apple has refused to allow a developer of a podcasting application (Podcaster) to sell its wares on the App Store has caused real concern. The app streams and downloads podcasts over wi-fi and mobile networks.
According to Apple: "Since Podcaster assists in the distribution of podcasts, it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes."
What's worrying is that Apple appears to be adopting an anti-competitive stance by stifling apps such as Podcaster that compete with its own.
Jobs has also confirmed the existence of a 'kill switch' that remotely swipes black-listed applications from devices during a standard software upgrade.
Presumably this means the developer can't sell the app from its own website for fear it will be deleted whenever the user upgrades the iPhone's firmware, which on current form is every few weeks.
Podcaster didn't break any rules or terms and conditions in the iPhone SDK - and nowhere is it stated that certain kinds of apps are not permitted.
As a developer you simply have to hope the application you spend good time producing and marketing doesn't irritate Apple. Because you'll only find out when you submit it to Apple for addition to the App Store.
It's fair to say the number of applications that have been banned from the App Store is a small minority compared to the thousands available for download today.
However, the refusal to allow Podcaster to be made available for purchase has caused a ripple of discontent through the web and will undoubtedly plant seeds of doubt in the minds of developers.
At a time when the nascent store is gathering real momentum and contributing millions of dollars to Apple's coffers, the company would be better off deciding whether or not the App Store really is a fair and open marketplace.
If it continues to reject applications for spurious reasons it should at least admit as much and publish a set of guidelines for what is and isn't fair game.
At a time when the platform is enjoying rapid, organic growth and incredible sales, Apple can ill afford to alienate the very community needed to make the marketplace thrive because of fear, uncertainty and doubt.
-- Posted By Seb Janacek


text:
LONG HAUL: Trade with Belarus remains one of the strong points in Lithuania’s economy.
If on a weekend you were to take a closer look at the cars in the vast parking lots at Vilnius Akropolis, the Lithuanian capital’s largest mall, you’ll see that nearly every fifth vehicle - mostly luxurious BMW, Mercedes and Lexus SUVs - carries a red-green-and-ornamented-strip license plate, attributing the vehicle to Belarus. The well-to-do Belarusians’ invasion to the main Vilnius mall has been surging exponentially, competing in growth only with the Russians.
Doubling every year
“Incredibly, the 2011 Belarusian ruble’s meltdown, when the currency lost nearly half its value, has not effectively affected the Belarusian customer influx. We’ve been seeing a doubling of Belarusian shoppers from the previous year, for the fifth consecutive year. That’s impressive, particularly considering that they usually sweep up luxury items and pricey foods,” said Ceslovas Urbanavicius, the Vilnius Akropolis administrator.
“And large-sized toy teddy bears as well?” I asked.
His increasing chortling turns quite wild as he slights the quip: “Every Belarusian is very valued in Akropolis.”
According to the mall’s stats, Belarusians make up to five percent of the flow, and the number is steadily increasing.
More brands on show
In the mall, eavesdropping on passers-by conversations, I didn’t have a hard time quickly spotting a Belarusian couple, probably in their late 30s. He a sharp, goatee-wielding and crew cut-sporting beefy man in a swanky leather jacket with a massive golden necklace. His booby mistress caught my eyes with her “wet-look” curls, dripping recklessly, a wasp-like waist and, perhaps characteristically to the Slavic female shopper, stiletto heel shoes.
I mustered my best Russian for a short on-spot interview. Though being cast over by incredulous exploring glances, I was lucky to make the shopping-occupied couple squeeze out brief grins by sincerely admitting that I intend to show Belarus in a positive light, quite a rarity in the Lithuanian media.
“No politics!” I promised, and they nodded, agreeing.
“We have plenty of luxury stores back home, but they mostly cater to very upscale clientele and lack many of the brands we are seeing in the Vilnius mall. Besides, price-wise, most goods are cheaper here,” said the guy, who agreed to be quoted as “Ruslan from Minsk.”
“What I really enjoy here is the relaxed sauntering and a nice-mix up of unpretentious people,” noted the girl, introducing herself as “Oksana.” Also from Minsk. “Anyway, you are in the Union, so Lithuania for us means an escape to the West. Still a hard one, bearing in mind the lengthy visa procedures.”
Several recent Lithuanian governments have been resolute in easing up the visa regime with Belarus, lifting it for the inhabitants within a 50-kilometer space on both sides of the border to rev up trade, but the initiative has stalled.
Social Democrats lambast Conservatives in dealing with Belarus
But the influential Social Democrat and former Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas, with whom I spoke with, was terse and assertive on the new Lithuanian government. The ruling Social Democrat are resolute in putting the draft law into effect as soon as possible: “The 50-kilometer free movement thing is in our core interests and it may lead to a thaw in the Belarusian and Lithuanian relationship. We really need that. The former Conservatives-led government was intimidated by the EU sanctions against Belarus and has frozen this good initiative.”
Ironically, neither Oksana and Ruslan, nor the former Lithuanian PM approves of Lithuania’s stance in the teddy-bear-dropping-from-the-skies scandal. “You deliberately let your airspace be used for the toy-laden foreign plane, to play those shady political tricks in our territory. It didn’t sound very friendly to us and, in this case we stood behind our president,” Oksana said, stirring her neatly trimmed eyebrows as she yanked her shopping bags up in a sign that my time is up.
“It’s quite shameful that those EU sky-controlling NATO base radars missed the plane. And instead of acknowledging the major airspace security lapse, we join the EU-led drum beating against Belarus,” noted Kirkilas. “Not very smart of us. Particularly, taking into account that Belarus’ cargo transit through the Klaipeda State Seaport makes up half its trade volume.”
Frankly, quite straightforward and blunt assessments from somebody who will, no doubt, be the ears and eyes for the new Social Democrat Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius.
Does this hint that the rift-on rift-off Lithuanian and Belarusian relationship will move onto a smoother and more predictable path? The thawing between the countries would certainly irritate the political right-wing, which in “defense of democracy” had taken a hawkish stance against Belarus, though most political analysts deem the efforts “mostly declarative.”
Druskininkai depends heavily on Belarusian guests
In anticipation of a political thaw, hopes for the resort of Druskininkai, 140 kilometers south of Vilnius, are also high. Located just a mere 10 kilometers from the Belarusian-Lithuanian border and 40 kilometers from the 325,000-inhabitant Grodno, the resort tries to get the best of the proximity.
And despite the movement constraints at the border, Druskininkai are doing well. The Belarusian presence in the town has been so ubiquitous that one of the resort’s senior heads I spoke to called, jokingly, Druskininkai’s eastern neighbor Saudi Arabia, stressing its massive economic impact on the report and perhaps also its still narrow doors to the West.
When asked about Belarus, I heard exaltation in the voice of director of Druskininkai Tourism and Information Center (DTIC) Rimantas Palionis.
“We really need to build a monument for our Belarusian guests in acknowledgment of their massive contribution to the Druskininkai wellbeing. Just with the 400-bed sanatorium is Belarus alone, constantly filling 90 percent as their flow into our resort has soared 33 percent in this year’s first nine months against the same period last year. And we’ve been seeing another joyful trend: a rampant increase from the commercial Belarusian side in the resort’s other hotels and sanatoriums,” the DTIC director said.
With the Belarus soil at arm’s reach and the new center-left government’s pledge to “open up” more with the neighbor, the future can perhaps be even more promising to Druskininkai.
“If the 50-kilometer free transition thing will be enacted, I reckon Druskininkai will have to take on a rapid expansion to accommodate all those folks from over the border. No exaggeration,” said a confident Palionis.
Belarusian cargo transit feeds Lithuanian seaport
But no other sector, in terms of money-making, is as important to the Lithuanian economy as the Belarusian cargo transit through the Klaipeda State Seaport. Today some 40 percent of the cargo flow from Belarus goes through Klaipeda. In monetary terms, the turnover translates into a whopping 2 billion euros a year. In 2011 alone, out of 36.6 million tons of shipments, nearly one-third, 11.5 million tons, were from Belarus. Another state enterprise, Lietuvos gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Trains), last year hauled six million tons of Belarusian potassium fertilizer and two million tons of its oil products, for $100 million in total.
Lukashenko may sound very belligerent and assertive, but, thank God, he has not fulfilled his threats to take away the golden egg-laying hen from Lithuania.
Loss would be massive
The last time the sultry Belarusian leader’s threat to move the Lithuania-bound cargo to Saint-Petersburg seaports came in November during his meeting with the Leningrad region’s governor, Alexander Drozdenka.
“If that happened, the seaport would be crippled for quite some time and the loss to other sectors would amount to some 300 million euros,” a high-ranking official in the Klaipeda Seaport Authority said on the condition of anonymity.
Lithuania has been hearing many resentful statements from Belarus and its president. And every time a new threat to cut the cargo flow shows up, Lithuanian stevedores feel uneasy. “Lithuania cannot afford to have animosity with Belarus. Regardless of the politics and policies. Diplomacy has first to serve the economy, not vice versa,” said a convinced Viktoras Krolis, president of Klaipeda Trade, Industry and Craft Chamber.
And the stevedores praise the Belarusian cargo haulers as sincere, reliable and schedule-savvy. “We’re really happy about the work with our Belarusian partners, and I can just hope that our new government will perceive our urgency to continue working with our Eastern neighbors,” said Audrius Pauza, director general of KLASCO, a Klaipeda stevedoring company mostly serving the Belarusian shipment haulers. He added: “It is just not smart to be proud, but naked.”


text:
Anyone can sneak a few brown-bagged bottles into her luggage and transform even the dodgiest motel room into a private pub. (Other people do this, right?) But for those seeking slightly more elevated experiences, several American breweries offer overnight accommodations, either at or adjacent to production facilities. Boutique hotels are also getting in on the […]
Underbelly, a globe-trotting Houston restaurant that earned chef Chris Shepherd two James Beard Awards, is in the midst of major changes. Last fall, it introduced its first-ever cocktail program. Spirits director Westin Galleymore began creating ambitious menus that change frequently, riff on classics, and feature seasonal produce like winter satsumas. ”People want to drink darker, […]
Those hoping to balance their yin and yang this season might consider a nutrient-rich, cold-pressed juice… Just don’t forget to add the booze. The juicing trend has taken a turn from detox to cold-pressed cocktails. Last year Pressed Juicery, one of the country’s most popular juice bars, collaborated with New York City steakhouse Quality Eats on […]
They say that everything’s bigger in Texas, and while the state’s wine industry may not be quite bigger than California’s, or Washington’s, or Oregon’s, it certainly has come a long way in a short amount of time.
Who says you have to leave the country to go on an unforgettable, wine-soaked getaway? As much as we’d all love to jet off to Tuscany for a long weekend, most of us just can’t afford that kind of luxury. Thankfully, we live in a country that’s brimming with breathtaking wine regions; more likely than […]


text:
Business owners are bracing for the major road closure they believe could hurt business.
It’s one week away from the shutdown of Cecil Ashburn Drive. Business owners along the road are using the time to make sure their customers know they’ll be open and need their business. They say they’re unsure how the road closure will affect them.
Several of them say they have ‘regulars’ from Hampton Cove who will have to go the long way around the mountain.
“The main thing I want to let people to know is you can still access all the businesses up here so you can still go to Mellow Mushroom, you can go to Moe’s, you can come here to Anaheim Chili,” said Scott Harriman, owner of Anaheim Chili. “We’re all still here. We’re all still open.”
Construction begins January 7th and is expected to last 18 months to widen the road.


text:
Apple plans to sell replacement parts and tools for some iPhones and Mac computers to consumers so they can take on minor repairs themselves. This repair option will first be offered in the US and then in other countries over the course of the coming year, Apple announced on Wednesday.
Continue reading now
… and get free access to this Professional Briefing for a month.
Are you already a guest at the Europe.Table? Log in now


text:
Purpose has been a buzzword for the last couple of years in marketing and communications, but now - amidst a pandemic, civil unrest around racial discrimination and political uncertainty—the term holds more weight than ever.
Zeno Group explores this concept in its new 2020 The Strength of Purpose study, which includes insights from more than 8,000 individuals across eight markets (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia) about their perceptions of 75-plus brands and the role of corporate purpose.
One insights from the study reveals that consumer are four to six times more likely to purchase from, trust, protect and champion companies they believe have a strong purpose, but cancel culture is just as strong. More than three out of four (78%) of respondents say they have taken action in response to a brand doing something they disagree with, whether no longer buying from that brand, switching to a competitor or dissuading others from purchasing or supporting that brand.
"We define Purpose as an organization’s unique role and value in society that allows it to both grow the business and positively impact the world," said Alison DaSilva, managing director of Purpose + Impact at Zeno Group. "A clear purpose becomes the filter for decision-making: how to behave, what issues to advance and how engage all stakeholders."
DaSilva added that the power of purpose transcends age, meaning that a brand’s strength of purpose and the likelihood to take positive action is notable across all generations, with the strongest being among Gen Zers. Rather surprisingly, people 74 years old and up are more likely than any other generation to be motivated to purchase from brands with stronger purpose, according to Zeno’s research.
Something marketers should keep in mind, DaSilva said, is that while the majority of consumers believe brands should have a strong purpose, only 37% think most companies have a clear or strong purpose, which means businesses are "leaving equity on the table."
See below for other top takeaways from the study.
The Purpose Paradox: Although most consumers agree companies should have a strong purpose, only 37% believe companies actually do.
Consumers have raised the bar and are looking to companies to advance progress on important issues within and outside of their operational footprint. They have high expectations for brands to have a more meaningful reason for being, with 94% of consumers globally saying it is important that the companies they engage with have a strong Purpose and 83% of consumers saying companies should only earn a profit if they deliver that positive impact. However, an interesting paradox ensues: the majority of consumers do not believe companies today have a clear and strong Purpose.
Strong Purpose drives incremental reputation and business benefits: After rating more than 75 brands on their perceived strength of Purpose, we asked consumers to indicate their likelihood to take a positive action towards these brands. A correlation and regression analysis of the data demonstrated that when a brand has a strong Purpose, consumers were:
- 4x more likely to purchase from the brand;
- 6x times more likely to defend that brand in a challenging moment;
- 4.5x more likely to recommend (champion) the brand to friends and family;
- 4.1x more likely to trust the brand.
Benefits of Purpose hold across regions and generations: 82% of consumers state they took action to support a company or brand when they believed in its Purpose, sharing positive opinions of that brand with others, encouraging others to support or buy it, or starting to buy from the brand themselves. And 9 out of 10 consumers (90%) agreed that "if a brand or company truly lives by a clear and strong brand purpose" they would be more likely to support them, even in the event the company or brand had a "misstep," or received "public criticism," showing the significance of a well understood purpose to a company or brand’s reputation.
Consumers are holding brands accountable: The study also found the so-called "cancel culture" expressed in respondents’ replies, as nearly eight-in-ten (76%) global consumers indicated they will act against brands whose Purpose, values or behaviors they disagree with, by no longer buying from the brand, switching to a competitor, or discouraging others from buying or supporting it.


text:
Forget the internet: Americans still glued to TV sets in 2012
289 million screens glowing for days each month
Americans are consuming more media on more kinds of devices than ever before, but plain old television still rules the roost, according to the latest statistics from market analytics firm the Nielsen Company.
Nielsen first rose to public prominence in the 1950s as the company behind the Nielsen Ratings, which remain the leading measurement of TV viewership. Today, Nielsen compiles usage statistics for the internet and connected devices as well, but it seems the bulk of its audience sample still loves the boob tube the best.
According to its latest report, 289 million Americans own at least one TV set, and most own more than one – many more, in fact. Fully 48 per cent of the viewing audience owns two or three TVs, and 41 per cent owns four or more.
By comparison, Nielsen found that only 278 million Americans were accessing the Internet during a sample period in September 2012, and of those, only 212 million did so using a computer, as opposed to a smartphone or some other device.
The total population of the US is estimated at about 315 million people.
What's really telling, however, is just how much time Americans spend with their connected devices. "Wasting time on the internet" has become a popular concept in recent years, but even in 2012 nothing wasted time like the idiot box. Each month, the average American spent 144 hours and 54 minutes – just over 6 days – watching traditional TV.
Surfing the web came next, but it wasn't a close second. On average, Americans only spent around 28 hours and 29 minutes online with their computers.
The largest share of that time, around 20.1 per cent, was devoted to social networks and blogs, Nielsen found. Online games were next at 8.1 per cent, then email at 7.1 per cent, and videos and movies at 5.2 per cent, followed by a variety of other websites and services.
Although TV is still the favorite medium for content, online video is definitely changing Americans' viewing habits. In addition to their couch time, the average American spent another 5 hours and 51 minutes watching video on a computer and another 5 hours and 20 minutes watching video on a mobile device.
Interestingly, both those figures are slightly higher than the average time spent watching DVDs or Blu-Ray discs – which was just 5 hours and 13 minutes – indicating that physical media is being passed over for more convenient online options.
Moreover, so-called smart TVs didn't much figure into the mix, either. Nielsen found that just 4 per cent of Americans owned an internet-enabled set in 2012.
One device category that does seem to be on the rise, however, is tablets. According to the report, in the second quarter of 2012, 16 per cent of television owners – or 46 million Americans – also owned a fondleslab. In addition, the majority of mobile subscribers were using smartphones, at 56 per cent.
Nielsen's figures may be taken with a grain of salt, however. Critics have argued that the stat giant's methods no longer hold up to scrutiny in the internet age, and that it regularly tweaks its sampling methodology to make sure its results favor a TV-centric bias.
One thing that is for sure, though: Even Nielsen admits that today's media landscape is vastly different from when it first started gathering TV viewing statistics in the 1950s.
In those bygone days, radio and broadcast TV were the only mass electronic media available. In 2012, Nielsen found that the number of Americans who watched over-the-air TV exclusively was down to just 9 per cent. ®


text:
2021 has been the most amazing year in the history of crypto. As per PitchBook Data, the total market capitalisation of cryptocurrencies reached $3 trillion (roughly Rs. 2,25,36,058 crore) in 2021, as venture capital funds pumped in $30 billion (roughly Rs. 2,25,346 crore) into the market through the year. The top five bullish crypto events of 2021 were:
- In February, Tesla announced the purchase of $1.5 billion (roughly Rs. 11257 crore) in Bitcoin. It also said t would take payments in Bitcoin. This led to Bitcoin’s total market capitalisation crossing $1 trillion (roughly Rs. 75,04,768.69 crore) for the first time ever.
- In March, a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) of “Everydays: the First 5000 Days” from the digital artist Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) was auctioned for over $69 million (roughly Rs. 518 crore).
- In April, crypto exchange Coinbase was directly listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Its valuation peaked at a whopping $112 billion (roughly Rs. 8,40,534 crore).
- In June, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced plans to make Bitcoin legal tender.
- In September, El Salvador officially adopted Bitcoin as legal tender.
Here’s how some of the top cryptos fared in 2021:
|Cryptocurrency||January 1, 2021
|December 25, 2021
|Bitcoin||$29,374 (roughly Rs. 22.06 lakh)||$51,000 (roughly Rs. 38.30 lakh)|
|Ether||$730 (roughly Rs. 54,833)||$4,000 (roughly Rs. 3 lakh)|
|Binance Coin||$38 (roughly Rs. 2,853)||$550 (roughly Rs. 41,308)|
|Solana||$2 (roughly Rs. 150)||$190 (roughly Rs. 14,270)|
|Cardano||$0.2 (roughly Rs. 15)||$1.5 (roughly Rs. 112)|
|Terra||$0.7 (roughly Rs. 53)||$97 (roughly Rs. 7,286)|
|Avalanche||$4 (roughly Rs. 300)||$116 (roughly Rs. 8,709)|
|Polkadot||$8 (roughly Rs. 600)||$29 (roughly Rs. 2,178)|
|Dogecoin||$0.006 (roughly Rs. 0.45)||$0.2 (roughly Rs. 15)|
|Polygon||$0.02 (roughly Rs. 1.5)||$2.5 (roughly Rs. 188)|
In November, the overall market capitalisation of cryptocurrencies crossed $3 trillion (roughly Rs. 2,25,36,058 crore) for the first time ever.
2021 was a great year for meme coins, especially Dogecoin and Shiba Inu.
We have also seen a flurry of news around Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) with China leading the pack.
A prominent report found that 55 out of the top 100 banks in the world have some form of blockchain or crypto exposure in their portfolios.
On the bearish side, the largest crypto exchange Binance suffered many outages and also faced a ton of legal problems in many countries.
The year also saw a massive number of rug pulls, hacks and scams. Reuters estimated that Decentralised Finance (DeFi) platforms lost over $10 billion (roughly Rs. 75,047 crore) to frauds and scams.
The strangest was the massive $643 million (roughly Rs. 4,825 crore) hack on the Poly Network. The hacker returned all the funds!
A huge rug pull was the Squid Game token, which zoomed to a price of nearly $3,000 thanks to the coverage by top media houses like CNBC, Forbes, Business Insider, etc.
One of the biggest scams, $3.6 billion (roughly Rs. 27,017 crore) , was carried out by brothers Raees and Ameer Cajee who operated the South Africa company Africrypt.
A crypto phishing scam targetted users of crypto wallets MetaMask and Phantom, and the crypto swap platform PancakeSwap.
The US law enforcement agency, FBI, warned of frauds that leveraged crypto ATMs and QR codes.
Other losses include:
- Liquidity pool provider MonoX: $30 million (roughly Rs. 225 crore)
- Decentralised Autonomous Organisation BadgerDAO: $120 million (roughly Rs. 900 crore)
- DeFi protocol bZx: $55 million (roughly Rs. 412 crore)
- AnubisDAO phishing attack: $60 million (roughly Rs. 450 crore)


text:
Polish ecommerce company allegro is set for the countrys biggest-ever stock market debut after setting the price for its listing on the warsaw exchange at 43 zlotys a share.
Allegro said it would sell 213.5m shares and raise 9.2bn zlotys, valuing the groups equity at 44bn zlotys ($11bn), making it polands most valuable listed company.
The hotly anticipated ipo is the latest sign of increased investor interest in digital companies during the pandemic, and could give a shot in the arm to warsaws stock exchange, which is dominated by state-owned groups and has struggled to attract listings in recent years.
Allegros listing, which tops the previous record of 8.1bn zlotys raised by insurer pzu in 2010, is expected to be followed this year by debuts from other retail and gaming companies, including the clothing group , and the mobile games application provider huuuge.
Allegro, which competes with the likes of amazon, said it was raising about 1bn zlotys in funds in the offering by selling 23.3m new shares, and that it expected to use the bulk of the proceeds to cut its debt.
The remainder of the proceeds of the ipo will go to the three private equity groups cinven, permira and mid europa partners that bought the business from south africas naspers in 2016 in a $3.25bn bet on polands growing middle class and rapidly expanding online market.
Poland has been one of the eus fastest-growing economies over the past decade, but despite being a leader in digital payments, has a relatively small online retail market, which allegro says gives it scope for further growth.
Allegro, which announced on friday that it was increasing the size of the deal in response to investor interest, has an overallotment option to increase the offering by 15 per cent once the stock starts trading on october 12.
If the banks underwriting the ipo exercise in full their option to sell the additional shares, which would come from the three private equity groups, the size of the ipo would increase to 10.6bn zlotys, and the free float would rise from 21 to 24 per cent.
Founded in 1999, allegro has about 12.3m active buyers. last year, it made a net profit of 399m zlotys, up 73 per cent from a year earlier. revenues were 2.39bn zlotys, up 31 per cent on 2018.


text:
Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
Criteo Swaps Out CEO
With the GDPR compliance deadline bearing down, Criteo has restored its former CEO to the corner office. JB Rudelle will once again take the reins at the company, as Eric Eichmann steps into an advisory role prior to transferring out of the company. “I sincerely thank Eric for his high integrity, great leadership and commitment in growing our business over the last five years,” Rudelle said in a statement. “After being away from the day to day operations of the business for two years, I am honored and excited to return to the company that I love.” The company reports earnings next week. Press release.
Read And Listen
Former Wunderman CEO Mark Read sat down for his first interview as co-COO of WPP since CEO Sir Martin Sorrell left the company earlier this month. Along with his colleague Andrew Scott, who will focus on the financial and operational aspects of the group, Read will concentrate on helping clients through the transition as WPP fights to get back to growth. So far, “Not one client has said to me that, despite being sad to see Martin go, they will make any change to how they work with WPP,” Read told the Financial Times. Still, WPP is facing a rough review period, with flagship clients like Ford, HSBC, Mars and Marriott pitching away their business. Despite the challenges ahead, Read is ready to throw his hat in the ring for the top job. “I assume I’ll be considered,” he said. “Yes, I’d like the job.” More.
Agencies are pushing for server-to-server header bidding integrations with top publishers, Mike Shields reports for Business Insider. Taking a page from Amazon, which launched a header bidding solution that plugs directly into publisher sites, agencies like GroupM, Dentsu and Omnicom hope to cut out ad tech middlemen and reestablish the buying clout they benefit from in the TV market. Most of these integrations so far are experimental, and not all publishers are willing to let agencies into their stacks (or believe they have the technical chops to do it). Still, caught in a battle between disruption and declining trust, agencies need to find a way to bring value to their clients. “As agencies, we need to make it clear: This is what we’re good at, this is why we’re valuable,” Steve Katelman, EVP of global digital partnerships at Annalect, said. “We’re going hard at this idea.” More.
Reddit rolled out native ads in its Android Apps on Wednesday. The ads will have all the functionality of a regular Reddit post, including the ability to upvote, downvote and comment. The announcement comes a little over a month after Reddit released native ads for iOS. Regardless of the operating system, the idea is to increase engagement with promoted posts, which are vying for attention in the feed with organic content. It’s hard to compete with hilarious cats and bizarre news bites, but the early indications are good. Reddit said in a blog post that it’s seen a more than 300% increase in clickthrough rates after the launch of Promoted Posts on iOS.
And then there were five … almost. The Senate Commerce Committee gave its blessing to Democratic FTC nominee Rebecca Slaughter on Wednesday. An aid to United States Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Slaughter now joins the quartet of other Trump FTC commissioners waiting to get to work. Four nominees – Joseph Simons, Noah Phillips, Christine Wilson and Rohit Chopra – were all confirmed in February, but they’re still waiting for final confirmation through a vote by the full Senate. That should happen soon, according to committee chairman John Thune. It’s a good thing, too, because the current FTC is running on fumes. Acting chairman Maureen Ohlhausen was nominated for a judgeship, and the only other commissioner who’s still there, Terrell McSweeny, is leaving by the end of the month. More in Broadcasting & Cable.
But Wait, There’s More!
- Open, Closed And Privacy – Stratechery
- Private Equity Firms Targeting Amazon Sellers – The Information (with subscription)
- Vincent Bolloré Held By French Police Over Alleged Corruption – WSJ
- Google Has A Facebook Problem – The New Republic
- New Outlook On SVOD Landscape – eMarketer
- GDPR Awareness And Action Gap Reduces Among Marketers – WFA
- Netflix Orders 20-Episode BuzzFeed News Docuseries – The Hollywood Reporter


text:
Highly reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI securities is forecasting the 2017 iPhone will have an all glass front and back and will come with a stainless steel metal frame for the higher variant.
According to the KGI report, Apple was really impressed with how much people loved the glossy Jet Black iPhone 7 and by implementing glass will make it less prone to scratches.
The report also suggests Apple will use the 2.5D glass which has been said to withstand shocks much better than 3D glass because of the curvature of the cut. A full glass iPhone is also easier to make as compared to the Jet Black glossy iPhone which has a 9-step anodization and polishing process.
Switching to glass makes sense in this case as the jet-black iPhone has proved the most popular with 30-35 per cent pre-orders asking for the glossy black variant. None of the Apple Stores except one in France has stock of the jet-black variant. Using glass delivers the same glossy finish but has a less tedious manufacturing process along with being much less scratch prone. We witnessed a similar story in London which is also without the new Jet Black colour.
Additionally, there is chatter which suggests that the high-end version will have a stainless steel frame instead of aluminium which is usually used. This would make the phone sturdier.
This would be a major throwback to the iPhone 4 design but with a difference in the use of metal to push the higher variant.
Using an all-glass design also means the bezel size will be reduced by a lot. That means we can see a 5.8-inch screen in the next iPhone after the 2016 iPhone 7 came out with 4.7 and 5.5-inches displays.
2017 will mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone that legendary Steve Jobs famously launched after making a comeback to Apple. And it is highly likely that the current CEO Tim Cook will leave no stone unturned to invoke even higher levels of innovation for the next iPhone. At least what most fans are hoping for considering the seemingly tepid update to the current iPhones.


text:
Opinions on Demonetisation After A Year
Md of Sudha Mills India Pvt Ltd
Demonetisation has been promising for traders as black money has been wiped out from the market, so thereis no delay in fabric delivery. Businesses have witnessed tremendous changes has more e-transactions are taking place and not forgetting GST which has reduced the burden of paying so many different taxes.
MD of Srivari Industries
Honest tax paying businessmen and industrialist were not affected by Demonetisation. Yes, black market suffered during Demonetisation buts then to they are still streaming in the market. India on its peak of progress as electronic money and transaction is on full-fledged.
Ex. Hon General Secretary
Bharat Merchant Chamber
Demonetisation is first in India as in textile Industry nobody was sure about the result but it is well enough, situation moneywise quite good. Credit purchase is very much low now, Demonetisation has change the scenario. In the beginning there were several difficulties but over all benefits are goods.
MD, APPAREL & LEATHER TECHNICS PVT. LTD.
Demonetisation is very good for financial growth of the country and companies existing in country. As regards to ALT has straight norms from the beginning notdidnot change by Demonetisation. Its bring rationalisation to business and GST has given fair play ground to every industry.
MD of KupsEnterprise(Cosset international)
As a result of Demonetisation, we face some instability in first six month but after six months we seen more clarity more accountability and purity in business.If everything going well and good and everybody support it’s definitely make India’s and Indian future bright.Any New comers can achieve their goal in this new era of business.
Bhiwandi’s powerloom industry continues to struggle
- Khalid Ansari, a young businessman who was running his family business for the past 10 years, shut his unit with 24 powerlooms three months back. Demonetisation hit his business hard and forced him to shut his 30-worker unit.
- Mumna Shaikh has been sending his earnings back home to Sultanpur since 15 years but after the powerloom unit was closed down, Shaikh has not sent a single penny home.
- There are clear signs that the unorganized industry will not be able to survive much longer unless they enter the organized sector.
Polyester hub in Surat yet to bounce back a year after note ban
India’s polyester capital, Surat, is yet to bounce back a year after demonetisation, which led to more than five lakh job losses and an estimated 40% plunge in production. Most of the shops in the textile markets on the Surat Ring Road, which usually gear up for post-Diwali business rush for the forthcoming wedding season, remain closed.
There is no demand from any quarters – textiles have been almost erased from the consumers’ priority list, thanks to demonetisation and then GST (goods and services tax),” said Champalal Bothra, general secretary of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association. The entire polyester value chain from yarn to the garment is under pressure. The withdrawal of high-value banknotes put sudden brakes on the disposable income of consumers, with grave consequences.
Till a year ago Surat produced 40 million metres of synthetic fabric daily. More than 1.5 million workers were involved in the process of manufacturing yarns, grey fabric, dyeing, embroidery, packaging and allied services.
Surat boasts 700,000 looms that make the grey fabric, bought by 65,000 traders spread across textile markets such as Radhakrishna Textile Market, New Textile Market, Surat Textile Market and several others on Surat Ring Road.
The grey fabric would go to the 400 dyeing processing houses and get routed to embroidery units for embellishments for the final garment. Surat ushered in polyester revolution in the country through sheer volume game, offering sarees and dress material at Rs 125.
Now, the city presents a sorry picture. The migrant workforce was sent packing to their respective states — Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar — and those who are still here, crave for work. Almost 400,000 women who would earn Rs 300-800 per day by working from homes —sewing, stitching or pasting diamonds and other embellishments on fabric — have no work.
Arvind, Sutlej Textiles show interest in buying Alok Industries
1) Arvind Limited and Sutlej Textiles are among the investors that have shown interest in buying debt-laden Alok Industries, according to sources.
2) Apart from them, JM Financial ARC and Edelweiss ARC are also understood to have shown interest in Alok Industries.
3) The Ahmedabad Bench of the NCLT had admitted Alok Industries for insolvency proceedings in July this year based on the petition by State Bank of India.
4) Alok Industries had total debt of Rs 23,443 crore on its books as on March 2017.
- Corporate Update2022.11.26New Homegrown Sustainability Initiative from NanoTextile
- Global Textiles2022.11.26By 2027, the market for bio-based coatings will be worth $18.2 billion, growing at a CAGR of 9.5%.
- Articles2022.11.26Sustainability and Solar …
- Articles2022.11.26Textile Reinforced Concrete Composite Material & Pultrusion Products for Modular Houses


text:
Best Western has redesigned its mobile application with improved navigation and deeper enhancements to help consumers research and book their upcoming travels.
ING Direct Canada is adding a mobile deposit feature to its mobile application to make it easier for consumers to manage their finances.
Dave & Buster’s is giving users the opportunity to design a mobile application that will be featured as an arcade attraction at its locations nationwide.
EBay is making a bigger play in mobile commerce with its revamped eBay Now iPhone application, as well as plans to release an Android app and expand to more delivery zones in the future.
Online flash retailer One Kings Lane has redesigned its iPhone application and launched an iPad app that focuses on images to give shoppers a universal shopping experience.
EBay is turning to its same-day delivery mobile application to let consumers look for and purchase last-minute Father’s Day gifts.
Yelp is craving a bigger piece of the location-based mobile space with a new application feature that pulls together multiple pieces of data for more personal recommendations.
Fruth Pharmacy has launched a mobile application that makes it easy for customers to refill prescriptions no matter where they are.
Amazon has expanded its online grocery service AmazonFresh into Los Angeles to further its mobile expansion.
Online wine retailer Invino is leveraging mobile and social for a Father’s Day promotion that encourages consumers to try out the site by sending a gift card to friends and family members.


text:
Tag Archives: G2E Asia
- G2E Asia 2017 to proudly receive brand exhibition award once again at Macao Convention and Exhibition Commendation Awards
December 8, 2017
Global Gaming Expo Asia, the region’s largest sourcing platform for global gaming & entertainment products, is the recipient of the Brand Exhibition Award.
- Global Gaming Expo Asia 2018 gets set for Industry Heavyweights
November 10, 2017
Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia will be returning to Macau, the heart of Asian gaming, from May 15 -17, 2018 at The Venetian Macao.
- Spintec had a successful Asian launch of a new product line Aura at G2E Asia
June 5, 2017
Aura was presented for the first time in Asia. The feedback from visitors confirmed that Aura gaming terminal is next big thing for operators.
- UltraPlay and Sky City recorded successful G2E Asia 2017
May 26, 2017
Focusing on Asian-tailored products and advanced betting solutions, UltraPlay and Sky City caught the interest of many visitors during this year’s G2E Asia.
- Beyond Macau: Asian neighbors punt on a slice of gaming pie
May 25, 2017
Macau’s neighbors are playing their cards right as the world’s largest gambling hub looks to diversify its entertainment offerings.
- G2E Asia 2017 day 1 recap
May 17, 2017
It's the biggest gaming event in Asia and we won't let you miss it! CalvinAyre.com is at G2E Asia in Macau and here are the highlights of the first day.
Dragon Corp. wants to bring blockchain to Macau’s casino floors
September 25, 2017
Macau night spots to hit when you’re not gambling
April 2, 2014
Parisian Macao battling Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak
April 25, 2017
Typhoon Hato delays MGM Cotai opening until January 29
September 29, 2017


text:
On August 15, Xiangdao Mobility announced at the partner conference that it has completed a B round of financing of over 1 billion yuan. The investors include SAIC, Momenta, Gaohang Management Consulting and other institutions. According to Xiangdao Travel, the company’s valuation has reached $1 billion, making it one of the “unicorns” in the industry.
Yum China: Applying for a voluntary conversion of its secondary listing status to a primary listing on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
On August 15, Yum China announced that the company applied for a voluntary conversion of its secondary listing status to the main listing status on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. On August 15, the company received a confirmation letter from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company will have dual primary listings on the New York Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The effective date for the conversion to a primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is expected to be October 24, 2022. The company’s common stock on both exchanges will continue to be fully fungible, and investors can continue to choose to trade their shares on either exchange.
Recently, Baidu’s self-driving travel service platform “Tuipao” launched a commercial pilot in Hefei City to provide the public with paid self-driving travel services. In the early stage of Carrot Run, 10 Apollo Moon Weima version self-driving models were launched. The service scope covers key areas such as the Binhu area of Baohe District, and 54 recommended pick-up points are set up. The operating hours last from 9:00 to 17:00. At present, users can experience the one-click car-hailing travel service through the Carrot Run App, Baidu Map App, and WeChat Mini Program.
Xiaopeng Motors releases S4 ultra-fast charging pile
On August 15, Xiaopeng Motors released the S4 ultra-fast charging pile, with a maximum output power of 480kW and a maximum output current of 670A per single pile. With the support of the S4 ultra-fast charging pile, the Xiaopeng G9 can be charged for 5 minutes and have a battery life of 200 kilometers. It is understood that in the third quarter of this year, Xiaopeng Motors will start laying out S4 ultra-fast charging equipment in cities with the top ten G9 orders such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Next year, it plans to complete the coverage of the S4 ultra-fast charging network in key cities and core highways across the country; by 2025, it is expected to build another 2,000 Xiaopeng ultra-fast charging stations.
Li Auto’s revenue in the second quarter was 8.73 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 73.3%
On August 15, Li Auto announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. The financial report showed that the revenue in the second quarter was 8.73 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 73.3% compared with 5.03 billion yuan in the same period last year. The 9.56 billion yuan in the first quarter of 2022 is down 8.7% from the previous quarter. Li Auto’s vehicle sales revenue in the second quarter was RMB 8.48 billion, a year-on-year increase of 73.0% and a quarter-on-quarter decrease of 8.9%. Other sales and services revenue for the second quarter was RMB 249 million, a year-on-year increase of 83.6% and a quarter-on-quarter decrease of 1.7%. After the announcement of the financial report, the U.S. stock of Ideal Auto fell more than 3% before the market, and is now at $31.41 per share.
Douyu’s total revenue in the second quarter of 2022 is 1.833 billion yuan, with a gross profit margin of 16.9%
On August 15, Douyu released its financial report for the second quarter of 2022. According to the financial report, Douyu’s total revenue in the second quarter was 1.833 billion yuan. The gross profit was 309 million yuan, corresponding to a gross profit margin of 16.9%. Under non-GAAP, it recorded a net profit of 23.5 million yuan, compared with a loss of 145 million yuan in the same period last year. Mobile quarterly average MAU was 55.7 million with 6.6 million paying users.Return to Sohu, see more


text:
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced Tuesday that it will enhance safety standards for the use of liquid nitrogen by revising “Standards and Specifications for Food Additives.”
The latest move came after a recent incident involving a 12-year-old boy consuming liquid nitrogen from nitrogen-injected crackers called “yonggari snack.” New standards will be added to prevent liquid nitrogen from remaining in the product, the ministry said.
The ministry’s safety management measures also include new standards for cleaner agents, calcium pyrophosphate, and revision of usage level of 136 items such as color pigments.
Calcium pyrophosphate has been designated as a new product, with its standards and specifications newly established so that it can be used as a swelling agent and an acidity adjusting agent in food production.
<© Korea Biomedical Review, All rights reserved.>


text:
Simply yesterday we reported the anticipated launch of the Google Pixel 7 and there’s already new details about the corresponding working system often known as Android 13. In newly revealed safety launch notes on Google’s web site, there’s data that the brand new working system can be launched as early as September.
- Android 13 is meant to be launched as early as September 2022.
- The anticipated market launch of the Google Pixel 7 contradicts this rumor.
- Xiaomi has already begun testing the beta for Android 13.
Many rumors surrounding the discharge of the brand new Android working system model are circulating on the net. Now, concrete clues concerning the date appear to have surfaced. It’s because within the new safety launch notes from Google, there’s speak of September 1, 2022, being the discharge date. Many beforehand assumed that we might get to see Android 13 in October on the earliest with the discharge of Google’s Pixel 7 smartphone, after all.
Expertise exhibits that Google at all times launches its newest working system on the brand new Pixel telephones first. This was additionally the case final 12 months, when the Web large launched its Google Pixel 6 and the corresponding Android 12 on the identical time in mid-October. In the meantime, data from Google has led us to consider that the brand new safety entry is also a mistake.
Xiaomi has begun with first beta assessments for MIUI 13.1
The smartphone producer from China has already offered a mini replace in its personal nation that enables customers to entry a beta model of the brand new MIUI 13.1 on their very own Xiaomi 12. That is primarily based on Android 13. Different beta variations have additionally been out there for fairly a while, so we are able to assume that the ultimate model of the working system is already prepared for launch.
Although the betas and hints present a risk that we are able to already entry Android 13 subsequent month, the query nonetheless stays: Why is Google altering its technique right here? It’s because a launch of the Google Pixel 7 in September is out of the query. Thus, the producer would possibly launch a brand new working system model with out the related smartphone. So, it stays to be seen whether or not Google has nonetheless considered one thing else or we are able to already use Android 13 on our smartphones as early as subsequent month.
What do you consider this rumor? Are you already trying ahead to Android 13 or are you giving it a large berth for now? Tell us within the feedback!


text:
The Spartan booth manned by Kevin McGilton, vice president for sales of Arkansas-based Riceland, was a case in point.
U.S. rice exports to Cuba totaled 20,000 to 30,000 metric tons a year before the economic crisis, but were zero last year, he said. Vietnamese government rice companies have long beat out U.S. suppliers by offering "broken" rice that doesn't look as pretty as U.S. rice but is cheaper. The country also has been extending multiyear credit terms.
Cuba "didn't have the hard currency to pay cash in advance, which is what they have to do with U.S. companies," McGilton said, adding that the only promising leads he had during the trade show this week came from other countries, such as Mexico.
Still, those doing business with Havana kept up a cheery tone at the fair, which included 500 exhibitors from overseas and ended Saturday.
The pavilion that housed U.S. delegations bustled as workers in matching T-shirts dumped fistfuls of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into the hands of conventioneers and handed out canvas bags stuffed with Skittles candies. Cubans took turns posing for pictures with a person dressed as an oversize Hershey's chocolate bar.
Conventioneers praised Alimport for professionalism and savvy, and played down the importance of the credit restrictions.
Richard N. Waltzer, president of Procurement Systems Inc., said a recent U.S. policy allowing Cuban-Americans to send more money to islanders has increased their ability to purchase the U.S. brand names his company distributes.
PSI's Cuba business has grown 30 percent a year for the last decade, and Waltzer was optimistic about Cuba's expanding tourism industry and growing small private enterprise under President Raul Castro's reforms.
"They're modeling their new economic model after Vietnam and China, so in the future it's opening up for capitalism," he said. "And bringing in these great American brands, I believe, is going to take it to the next level."
Todd P. Haymore, secretary of agriculture and forestry for Virginia, which shipped $65 million in agricultural goods to Cuba last year, said the island is a consistent top 15 market.
But businesspeople back home see bigger possibilities if embargo rules are simplified.
"They feel like you might lose out on a sale or capturing additional sales because of these additional fees, additional turns of currency. ... Every time you go from one country to the next there's always a loss," Haymore said. "Someone's gaining a piece of that pie that's not going into your back pocket."
Those at the fair were also jockeying to be in position for an unknown future date when the U.S. sanctions might disappear altogether.
"Cuba is becoming a more and more important market for U.S. companies. ... Everybody wants to have some kind of presence," said Hector Rainey, managing director of Intervision Foods of Atlanta. "If something changes all of a sudden, they have an angle here."
Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi


text:
Since the recent release of Android TV on multiple connected devices and TVs (such as Sony, Sharp, Razer, Philips, and Panasonic), it appears that Android TV is Google's attempt to own the app marketplace in the living room.
Google debuted the Nexus Player in the fall and showed off some amazing apps and games on the platform. It's clear that the device is focused on entertainment. After all, when we're planted on the couch in our living room, that's exactly what we need.
The Nexus Player hit retail stores Sunday, and the lineup of additional devices running Android TV should be coming out later this year. So I've put together a list of the top 10 entertainment apps on Android TV:
1. Pluto TV
A new but fast-growing app, Pluto TV hits the platform with a goal of "entertaining the planet." Pluto TV has more than 100 TV-like channels in every category, including news, sports, comedy, entertainment, and kids. The content is a mix of online videos, full episodes, and live broadcasts. Pluto TV is free, and yes, it has a 24/7 Cats channel.
My guess is you've probably heard of this one. Netflix is the first word in cord-cutting entertainment. The app is as clean as the usual online interface. With all of its award-winning and watercooler-monopolizing original content, Netflix is increasingly becoming an entertainment force of its own.
3. HULU Plus
Hulu Plus is well worth the $7.99 a month if you are cutting the cord and still want to see all of your favorite primetime shows within a day of them airing. You can also catch up on earlier seasons of current hits such as "The Good Wife" or classic TV such as "Family Ties." The movie selection can't begin to rival Netflix, and the $7.99 won't get you out of having to sit through ads, but for TV shows, it really can't be beat.
4. HBO GO
HBO recently announced that the new year would bring a new subscription service, where you can have HBO GO independent of any other HBO subscriptions. Essentially, you can have the app without having the cable bundle. This is an app for the cord cutters and money savers alike. It's perfect for Android TV because HBO GO has a stellar mobile app you can sync with your Android TV.
This app is for the gamers. Watch live broadcasts, chat with players, and more--all on the large screen your television provides. Covering a wide variety of games and developers, Twitch is a great integration of social interaction, new games, and your old favorites. This app is for the gamers who want more out of the gaming experience.
VLC is the video player that's known for supporting a huge number of different file types. The app will integrate with Android TV's interface and voice search, and the beta version currently has the ability to adjust playback speed and aspect ratio, audio playback, album art and subtitles.
This is your go-to free app for podcasts and talk radio. It has over 100,000 live radio stations, podcasts, and other channels of content for your listening pleasure.
This is the Cards Against Humanity for the digital age. One of the best things about having Internet-capable televisions is that you can use them for so much more than just watching TV. Cardcast is the perfect app for utilizing your TV to bring game night into the 21st century.
9. Just Dance Now
Android TV, like the phone, is great for games. Just Dance Now is already popular on handheld devices, but it's even better on larger screens. With new music added regularly, it stays updated while other dance games fall behind.
Chances are that your teenager has already been using 8tracks to find new music and share it with others. The site now has more than 2 million playlists to show for it. Not your usual music player, it's Pandora for those who have gotten tired of Pandora. 8tracks is only limited by the music tastes of its users, who create playlists all the way from "Daydream" to "Mathematical Concept." 8tracks provides a more human music experience--now on your television.
Many popular apps are already part of the Android TV app store, and the number of available apps will only increase with time. If you're looking to add additional entertainment beyond the cable-box, an Android TV-powered device will bring numerous other entertainment options straight to your living room.


text:
IMF projects China's economy will grow 8.1% in 2021 and 5.6% in 2022. The global growth is expected to be 5.5% in 2021 and 4.2% in 2022 after an estimated 3.5% contraction in 2020, according to the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) released on Tuesday.
The projection on global growth was revised up 0.3 percentage points from the forecast in October 2020. IMF's chief economist attributed the rise in the latest forecast to expectations of a vaccine-powered strengthening of activity and additional policy support in a few large economies.
The IMF raised China's 2020 economy growth forecast from the previous 1.9% made in October to 2.3%. The higher economic base dragged down its 2021 forecast from 8.2 percent to 8.1%, which still leads the growth among major economies. China was the first to return to its pre-epidemic forecast growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2020.
According to IMF projections, the growth in 2021 for the US is 5.1%, EU 4.2%, Japan 3.1%, the UK 4.5% and 4.3% for all advanced economies. India's projection for 2021 is as high as 11.5%, but from negative growth of 8.0% in 2020.
While IMF said that global activity will remain well below pre-COVID-19 of January 2020 WEO projections, economies will follow differentiated and diverging recoveries.
IMF pointed out that considerable differentiation is expected between China - where effective containment measures, a forceful public investment response, and central bank liquidity support have facilitated a strong recovery - and other economies, especially emerging markets and developing economies.
Consistent with recovery in global activity, global trade volumes are forecast to grow by 8.1% in 2021, before moderating to 6.3% in 2022. Services trade is expected to recover more slowly than merchandise volumes, which is consistent with subdued cross-border tourism and business travel until transmission declines everywhere, per WEO report. Strong multilateral cooperation is required to bring the pandemic under control everywhere, IMF concluded.


text:
A new game Metal Gear Rising: Vengeance from Hideo Kojima already been waited by many people. There’s a good news about this game, the release date and a trailerÂ video ofÂ Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance already released in YouTube.
From an official announcement,Â Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will be released at February 21, 2013. It quite long wait for you who already wait for this game. If you already wait for this game and want to buy this game at the released date, we give to you a trailer video of this game. From this trailer video, at least we can see what will this game be.


text:
Arts, Entertainment, Media, Communications, & Technology Legal News.
I want to give a big thanks to Houzz PRO for hosting this webinar. This program covered: –The five key problem areas in design contracts
EMPLOYMENT (820 ILCS 90/) Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Illinois passed a law that amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Expands the scope of the Act
Arts, Entertainment, Media and Advertising Law News – Protecting Furniture Design Keeps Getting Harder
Herman Miller, Inc. – a leading furniture brand and purveyor of the iconic Eames Chair Design – suffered a loss at US Trademark Trial and


text:
In an effort to expand its consumer testing network, a major analytics platform is acquiring a well-known name in the gaming industry. Asteri Holdings, in preparation for GDC 2019, announced the acquisition of the digital assets of Prima Games from DK Publishers.
Prima Games was founded in 1990 and was shut down in November 2018 after a 28-year run. With this acquisition, Asteri will be partnering with Greenlit Content on the Prima Games website, which will be a portal to gaming news and guide content. The site will also have a new feature that reflects Asteri Holdings' focus on analytics.
“As a long-time gamer and game-maker, the Prima acquisition is a particularly sweet one for me; my guides from all the Lord of the Rings games over many years are proudly displayed on my coffee table today!” said Steve Gray, Founder and CEO, Asteri Holdings. “On its face, the Prima site will continue to function as a gaming portal serving up gaming news and player tips for fans of all ages. Beginning today, as part of the Asteri consumer testing network, Prima Games will also serve as a hub for game creators to gather critical player feedback on projects in development. It’s truly a perfect fit for the Asteri network.”
Prima Games has a long and deep history in gaming and it makes perfect sense for Asteri Holdings to grab up the brand to expand its coverage of various entertainment mediums. The company was founded in 2017, features a growing network of game, entertainment, sports, news, and kid's websites, and has begun acquiring additional sites recently.
Asteri Holdings will be showing its analytics platform at GDC 2019 at booth N3306 for those attending. The team is showing off demos for new Asteri projects, Otrio and Gobsmax. Stay tuned to Shacknews for additional updates.


text:
The FWD believes the Government’s move to attract more HGV drivers to the UK is ‘too little, too late’ and still doesn’t appease wholesaler concerns about distribution as the industry heads towards one of its busiest periods of the year.
The association believes an extra 5,000 HGV drivers might just do enough to reduce the gaps on supermarket shelves, or keep the forecourts open, but it won’t do much to reassure foodservice outlets of what the supply will be around Christmas.
Read more: FWD announces conference line-up
“We have been pressing the Government for months to introduce temporary visas to bring in skilled EU workers until the UK is able to recruit, train, test and properly reward a new generation of HGV drivers,” explained chief executive Jame Bielby. “Had they listened and acted earlier, they could have avoided the PR disaster of panic at the petrol pumps in every newspaper and TV channel.”
“An extra 10,000 seasonal visas for drivers and poultry workers won’t increase the flow of food and drink into FWD members’ distribution centres, or return order fulfilment to the levels customers expect. But the concession does demonstrate that the government is finally taking the issue seriously. Now the door is open to adding HGV drivers to the Shortage Occupation List – with vastly improved wages, the relative weakness of the Pound against the Euro, and the assurance of a more permanent stay than the three months offered by the new visa scheme, it is hoped that European drivers will fill UK vacancies, especially if they have existing ties here,” he added.
Bielby also explained that there’s a real concern that this period of relative prosperity is coming to an end as the full extent of the food distribution crisis reveals itself. “With schools back and Christmas looming, short-staffed teams are already at full stretch keeping their customers stocked in the face of unreliable and incomplete deliveries from suppliers, while facing their own challenges finding and retaining drivers for their HGV vehicles.”


text:
J.C Penny Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) Has Big Plans For Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) Including 600 New Nike Shops Located Within Department Stores
In order to boost customer incentive, to come shop at J.C Penny Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) Department Stores, the department-store giant, recently announced that it would be ensuring the grand opening of over 600 Nike Inc. (NYSE:NKE) shops, throughout their stores.
This was announced on Tuesday, in the same announcement, it was disclosed that these stores would have a variety of products available. Including Nike merchandise, such as Basketball clothing, training, running, and other categories of merchandise.
More about the Nike shops opening at J.C Penny Department Stores
In a news release on the matter, John Tigher, the Chief Merchant of J.C Penny, stated, “Nike is immensely popular across all categories and with the rapid rise of activewear and athletic shoes, we want to have the best expression of Nike in any department store.”
Despite this major move by J.C Penny, the exact locations, which would become privy to having a Nike store, within their own store, was not disclosed. In the statement, it was revealed that a test store had been open.
The location for this demo project was in Portland. This is situated close by to the hometown of Nike, which is Beaverton, Oregon. It was however revealed, that the company would be willing to divest stores such as the brick-and-mortar stores.
The significant of this move from a rivalries perspective
The market of attracting, and retaining shoppers, is a nasty one. This is the reason that stores such as the Local American Apparel, have shut down due to bankruptcy, and the cause for J.P Penny to make such a bold statement to its competitors.
This is also the concern that J.P Penny announced at the Weitzman Annual Forecast, which was held in Texas last week. The concern was that J.P has over 1,000 stores throughout the nation, which can be considered too many if there is not an accurate split regarding brand definition.
J.P Penny stock closed at $6.81, after witnessing a decline of $0.13 or 1.87%


text:
The official twitter account for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has announced the release date for the upcoming game. However, developer Daedalic Entertainment has also confirmed that it will be coming to Nintendo Switch at a later date.
It states that “Gollum’s quest for his precious will begin” later this year when the game releases in September. Coincidently, the new game will release just one day before Amazon’s Lord of the Rings TV show does. The Rings of Power will premiere on Prime Video on September 2nd which is also the anniversary of J.R.R. Tolkien’s death.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will release on September 1st for all modern consoles, except the Nintendo Switch. Daedalic Entertainment will be announcing the Nintendo Switch date for the game at a later date. Hopefully the developer will have a new trailer for Lord of the Rings: Gollum this summer.


text:
The WhatsApp platform is about to launch new features that will allow you to modify the privacy settings in order to satisfy users who wish to hide their online activity from certain contacts.
The new function will allow, for the first time, to omit the last online activity only to specific users, choosing between four options: share the last online time with everyone, only with contacts, with no one or “with all my contacts except… ”.
Once this feature is available, all users will be able to choose between allowing all contacts to see their online activity and, at the same time, defining exceptions for specific contacts selected by the user at certain times.
This possibility of restricting information to just a few contacts will also apply to the display of the profile photo and the user’s biography. The aim is to allow more options for users to protect their privacy and be able to act according to the mood of the moment.
The information was advanced by the website WABetaInfo who reported that the feature appeared in a beta version for iOS and that WhatsApp has not officially announced a date for the final release.
Another novelty that is being tested by developers is the search for this service. WhatsApp wants to be able to further expand the detail fields that can be used to search for messages and content, such as searching for message dates. Users will have a list with the day, month and year, so they can indicate the date they want to search for their message content.
The WhatsApp application claims that in the near future it will boost multi-device mode and also sending money. Testing is expected to continue in the coming weeks.