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Every year, Google takes to Google I/O to announce its plans and products for the coming year. While the event itself will run for several days, the opening keynote presentation covers all the major announcements, from the newest version of Android to the latest versions of the Pixel smartphones.
- Google Pixel Fold
- Google Pixel 7a
- Google Pixel Tablet
- AI features in Gmail, Maps, and Photos
- Google Bard will soon be available for everyone
- Google Bard can also generate images, thanks to Adobe
- AI search results are supercharging Google Search
- Universal Translator
- Developing on Android is now easier than ever
- The Find My app will use other Android devices to find your lost items
- Android and Wear OS keep getting bigger and better
- Generative AI is bringing wallpapers to life on Android
- Wear OS 4 is coming this year
- Waze comes to cars with Google built-in to help find charging locations
- Google Play updates
So, what did Google have in store for us with Google I/O 2023? Quite a lot! From the Pixel Fold to the Pixel 7a to a ton of AI updates and more, here are all of the biggest announcements from Google I/O 2023.
The long-awaited foldable Google smartphone, the Google Pixel Fold, has finally been revealed — and it’s a doozy. It’s a book-style folding smartphone, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. And it shares a lot of similarities with the Samsung foldable, but with the stylistic flair we’ve come to expect from the latest Pixel line.
It’s clear this is a Pixel phone from the moment it’s visible. The now iconic Pixel camera bar is present on the rear, while the front of the phone looks quite similar to the Pixel 7 Pro, with slim bezels and a centrally placed hole-punch selfie camera. The 5.8-inch outer OLED display is much smaller than those on any of the other Pixel phones on the market right now, and it sports an impressive 2400 x 1080 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and a max brightness of 1,550 nits.
That impressive display isn’t even the star, either. Fold open the phone, and you’re treated to a 7.6-inch OLED display with similarly showstopping specs. A 2208 x 1860 resolution joins a 120Hz refresh rate and a max brightness of 1,450 nits — making it every bit the technical powerhouse as the outer display, but in a much, much larger 6:5 aspect ratio. It’s also the thinnest folding phone available right now, and while there are visibly chunky forehead and chin bezels, they’ll be useful for holding the phone while in the unfolded mode.
Google has put a lot of thought into how the phone’s fold can be useful. The Pixel Fold is built to work in a half-folded “tabletop” mode that’s perfect for watching videos, or for setting the phone down for a tripod-less selfie. Or, face the rear cameras toward yourself and use the outer screen as a viewfinder for the perfect selfie.
These features are nothing new — the Z Fold 4 has the same features — but there are some niche cases where the Pixel Fold will shine. Take the Pixel’s excellent astrophotography mode, for instance. The Pixel Fold will be able to take amazing night sky photos without needing a tripod by unfolding the phone, placing it facedown, and using the outer screen as a viewfinder.
Speaking of the camera, the Pixel Fold looks set to continue Google’s tradition of amazing smartphone photography. The rear camera setup comprises a 48MP main lens, a 10.8MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP 5x optical zoom. The selfie camera on the outer screen is a 9.5MP fixed-focus lens, which is a little disappointing on paper — but Google threw another lens inside to make up for it, as the inner screen also has an 8MP lens. Neither selfie lens is likely to set our best camera phones list on fire, but that won’t matter when you can use the rear cameras to take a selfie anyway.
Finally, the Pixel Fold is powered by the same Tensor G2 chip as the Pixel 7 range. This chip is plenty powerful enough, even if it has some issues with overheating during gaming. It’ll be interesting to see how it holds up when pushed in the much larger Pixel Fold. There are 256GB and 512GB variants in terms of storage, and the battery is a relatively small 4,821mAh. That could be a weak point for this big foldable phone, and we’ll be sure to let you know if it struggles.
Preorders are open now, and units will ship next month when ordered from the Google Store. Anyone hoping for a lower starting price will be disappointed, as the Pixel Fold starts at a hefty $1,799.
Google I/O is traditionally where Google announces the next version of its midrange A-series phone, and this year is no different. The Google Pixel 7a, the worst-kept secret of the last few months, has been officially revealed. As expected, it’s a slightly toned-down version of the flagship Pixel 7, but one that doesn’t compromise on processing power or camera capabilities. The Pixel 7a has the same Google Tensor G2 processor as its flagship cousins, giving it a high level of performance whether you’re browsing the internet or playing Fortnite.
The Pixel 7a also has the largest megapixel count ever seen on an A-series Pixel, thanks to the 64-megapixel main lens. The camera pedigree of the Pixel is, without doubt, superb, so we’re looking forward to seeing what this model can accomplish. It has a smaller battery than last year’s Pixel 6a, but it does have wireless charging this time around, meaning it’s a lot more convenient than its predecessor.
It’s likely to be the Google phone to keep an eye for compact phone fans, as it’s the smallest of the range. The 6.1-inch display with slim bezels mean the phone is a lot more one-hand-friendly than the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, making it perfect for those who find the bigger phones tough to manage. It’s also packing another first for the Pixel A — a 90Hz refresh rate. Matching the Pixel 7, this increased frame rate will mean using it will feel smoother than ever before.
There was another surprise, and a very welcome one — there’s no wait for the Pixel 7a, as it’s available right now. Prices start from $499, and you can pick it up directly from Google, Amazon, and Best Buy, as well as most carriers.
The humble Android tablet hasn’t had the easiest time of it in recent years, and the Apple iPad has had almost unchallenged reign over the midrange and premium tablet market. Now, Google will be hoping to put Apple to the test with the new Pixel Tablet.
The Pixel Tablet is another brand new line for Google, and it’s clear Google is throwing a lot into it. A 10.95-inch LCD display runs a 2560 x 1080 resolution and is joined by four speakers, making this a good option for a multimedia tablet. A nano-ceramic coating makes it easy to hold, always a bonus for a larger tablet, and it also comes with Google TV built-in for even easier video streaming.
But why all the emphasis on media streaming? That’s because the Pixel Tablet isn’t just a tablet. Instead, it’s better to think of it as a blend between a tablet and a smart home device. Drop the tablet into Google’s Charging Speaker Dock, and the Pixel Tablet shifts into Hub Mode, turning it into a Google Nest smart display. In this mode, you can use it the same way you’d use any smart display, with Chromecast support for casting from other devices, and voice activation for the Google Assistant.
The design is on the bland side, but when viewed as a blend between a tablet and smart display, that makes sense — smart displays are meant to blend into the background and not stand out. The Pixel Tablet will start at $499, with a Charging Speaker Dock included. Preorders start today, and units arrive on June 20.
AI is Google’s big theme at this I/O, and it makes sense that Google is adding some useful new AI-powered features to its apps.
Gmail has always been on the cutting edge of AI and machine learning, with suggestions and Smart Replies leading the way. Soon, Gmail will be able to create entire replies for you using Help Me Write. In the example we saw, Help Me Write created a reply to a customer service email, adding important context, including order information from previous emails. You can set the reply to be as elaborate or simple as you like, and you can always check it before it’s sent.
Google Maps is also getting extra AI smarts through Immersive View for routes. Later this year, users in a number of cities will be able to use Immersive View to zoom along a 3D-generated simulation of their route, allowing them to see landmarks along the way from a bird’s-eye view. Maps will even generate traffic amounts depending on how busy it expects the route to be at that time and even insert the correct weather. Immersive View for routes is coming later this year to 15 cities, including New York, San Francisco, London, and Tokyo.
Finally, Google Photos is getting an AI-powered Photoshop expert in the guise of Magic Editor. Essentially a supercharged version of the Magic Eraser, Magic Editor looks set to be an enormous leap. We saw Magic Editor used to remove clouds and reposition people within the photo frame, with machine learning filling in the background as it went. The most impressive example showed Magic Editor recreate elements that had been cropped out of the original photo.
It wouldn’t be an AI-focused Google I/O without Bard, Google’s own version of ChatGPT. As you might expect, Google had some big news for us about Bard, and the biggest is probably that the waitlist is going away. Yes, Bard will soon no longer have gated access, and you’ll be able to chat with Google’s own AI soon. Google Bard will also be available in Japanese and Korean starting today, with 40 other languages also coming soon.
Bard is getting some other useful new features too. Soon you’ll be able to ask Bard to generate a spreadsheet based on specific criteria and then export that spreadsheet directly into Google Sheets for your own needs.
AI-generated images are something we’re increasingly used to seeing, and Google Bard will also be able to make these, thanks to a partnership between Google and Adobe. Starting soon, you’ll be able to ask Bard to generate an image from your prompts, rather than just text.
What’s the difference between this and other image-generating AI? Quite simply, it’s likely to be a lot more robust. Adobe has the heft and resources to create something truly excellent — but most importantly, it won’t be relying just on limited stock images and potentially stolen imagery. Instead, Adobe will train Firefly entirely on its own stock of images, making it much less likely that those images will run into legal challenges down the road.
Honing your Google-fu will soon be a thing of the past, as Google is going to introduce an AI that will do all the hard work for you. Rather than Googling for broader terms and then digging into the results yourself, generative AI will be able to understand a more specific question and do the research for you, adding a summary to the top of your results that includes the information you’re looking for.
Sources will be included, and the AI will categorize them based on the specific type of information, whether they’re a roundup or a firsthand experience from a blog. You can also ask follow-up questions, like “Can I get that in red?” and it will be able to contextually understand what you’re looking for and how to react.
Having a universal translator used to be a feature of science fiction like Star Trek or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — but not anymore. Google is creating an AI tool that will translate videos into other languages and, as an extra touch, will pace the spoken word to match the lip movements of the original video.
Such a powerful tool is something that could be used to nefarious ends, but thankfully, Google is aware of the harm that can be caused by this tool and is only making this feature available to its own trusted partners.
Despite the big announcements, Google I/O is, at its heart, a developer conference. With that in mind, you can always expect to hear about some developer-focused additions to Android. It’s a little bit on the dry side, but it’s always worth keeping an eye on what’s being pushed out by Google to the devs, as it presages wider changes to the Android platform as a whole.
As should be no surprise by now, AI is the big reveal here. AI assistance is being added to Android Studio in the form of Studio Bot, which will be able to answer questions inside Android Studio, suggest coding changes, and offer debugging assistance when asked. Several APIs will also get some valuable machine learning-powered features like bar code scanning and text recognition, and previews of machine learning-generated 3D face models will also be available.
Everyone hates losing things, and with an increasing number of small items coming with us every day, it’s becoming easier and easier to lose an earbud or leave a smartwatch at the gym.
Google’s Find My app is getting supercharged so that won’t happen again. Google has borrowed some ideas from Apple’s own tracking apps, and Find My will now leverage other nearby Android devices to help you find your lost items.
It will also send you a notification if it detects an unknown tracker is traveling with you. This has been developed with Apple, so it’s a cross-company effort to help keep you safe. Find My will be updated later this year.
There’s a lot of hardware on offer at this I/O keynote, but don’t think that Google has forgotten about its software. Google shared updates for Wear OS, Android Auto, and Android TV — and it’s clear that those operating systems are starting to pick up some serious steam.
The big winner is clearly Wear OS, which has exploded in size by five times since the launch of Wear OS 3 in 2021. This has probably been helped a lot by Google being able to add the Samsung Galaxy Watch devices to its roster after Samsung’s switch to Wear OS away from Tizen OS with the Galaxy Watch 4 line. Regardless, it’s making people sit up and take notice of Google’s smartwatch OS, as WhatsApp is on its way to Wear OS as a dedicated app.
Android Auto is seeing similar growth and will be available in 200 million cars this year. Google built-in, the other Google car OS, is also set to grow significantly, with numbers predicted to double by the end of this year.
Android is becoming a more common sight on larger screens, too. Not only is Google optimizing a number of apps for larger screens like tablets and foldables (including Google’s apps, Spotify, and Minecraft), but Android TV is the No. 1 streaming platform by shipment numbers. As if that wasn’t enough, Google also announced a partnership with Samsung to create a new platform that uses Android to combine augmented, virtual, and mixed reality into a single “extended reality” (XR). That’s going to be something to keep an eye on.
Wallpapers are a personal choice, and everyone wants something unique. Google is using AI to help you to create a wallpaper all of your own, whether it’s a fully AI-generated image from a prompt you’ve made or a wallpaper generated from a selection of emojis you’ve chosen.
But the most exciting new option is the ability to create a cinematic wallpaper from one of your own images. If you’ve ever received a generated cinematic photo on Google Photos, then you know what to expect from this feature. If you’re not familiar, it will isolate the foreground from the background and use machine learning to add a 3D and motion effect. People will seem to pop away from the background and move with your phone.
Pixel devices will be the first to receive emoji and cinematic wallpapers, and those will land next month. The fully generated images will be arriving in the fall.
Wear OS 3 may be doing good numbers, but that doesn’t mean Google is content to leave it at that. You can expect to see Wear OS 4 land on your smartwatch this year, and Google has touched on the improvements you can expect when the update hits.
The biggest improvement for most people is going to be the improved battery life through tweaks to the software, but there are some other upgrades to consider. Google has been relatively tight-lipped about Wear OS 4 so far, but we know it’s eyeing improvements to the text-to-speech engine to make it faster and more reliable, as well as a backup and restore system that allows for swapping between phones and watches without having to factory reset your watch. Devs will also have access to new watch face building tools in collaboration with Samsung.
Expect to hear more details about Wear OS 4 as we get closer to release. At the moment, a developer preview is available, but there’s no public beta, so we’re still some time away from a full release.
As electric vehicles become more and more common, it becomes increasingly vital for drivers to know where the nearest electric charging point is. Waze is rolling out app support for all cars with Google built-in, and with it comes the ability to use Waze to find the nearest EV charging point. With this feature validated by the Waze community, you’ll be able to see which plug types and charging ports are available on your current route, as well as the charging speeds on offer.
This feature will arrive in the next few months and will be supported on Android Auto, Google built-in, and CarPlay.
The Google Play Store is getting some updates to help app publishers, and a number are centered around Google’s new push toward AI. Starting today, app publishers will be able to use Google’s generative AI to create new listings. Give the AI a prompt, key theme, or target audience, and it’ll create an app listing for you. Machine learning tools will also be able to translate your app listings into 10 different languages using Google Translate, opening your app to new audiences without needing to extensively translate it yourself.
AI will also be used to streamline your experience when you’re looking for a new app to download. Google is rolling out an AI that will read an app’s positive reviews and summarize the key points, reducing your need to trawl through multiple reviews to gauge whether you’ll like an app or not.
It’s not all about AI, though, as there are other useful features rolling out. One particularly interesting one is the ability to customize an app listing specifically for inactive users of your app, so you can try and tempt them back in again.
- Google Pixel 8: all the latest rumors and what we want to see
- Should you buy the Google Pixel 7 or wait for the Google Pixel 8?
- Why I’m not ditching my Pixel Fold for the Galaxy Z Fold 5
- Can the Pixel Fold’s camera beat the Galaxy Z Fold 4? I found out
- I’ve used an iPhone for 14 years. The Pixel Fold made me want to stop


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TOKYO — DaimlerChrysler Japan Ltd. executives had to convince headquarters in Germany that they could sell diesel engines in Japan. If they succeed, it may convince other European carmakers to follow in its footsteps.
DaimlerChrysler Japan on Aug. 25 unveiled a diesel-powered E320 CDI Avantgarde as part of a reskinned E-class lineup in Japan. It last sold a diesel-powered car in Japan in 2002.
Hans Tempel, CEO of DaimlerChrysler Japan, won't give sales forecasts for the diesel-powered E320, saying only: "The numbers are attractive enough for us to go into this endeavor."
In 2005, DaimlerChrysler sold 46,161 Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Japan. The E class represents about 20 percent of Mercedes-Benz sales in Japan.
The diesel-powered E320 will be offered as a sedan or station wagon, making it two of 16 E-class variations offered in Japan.
The high sulfur content of diesel fuel sold in Japan used to be a barrier to the sale of modern diesel engines. That has changed dramatically.
In January 2005, the sulfur content of Japan's diesel fuel dropped to 10 parts per million, from 50 ppm, two years ahead of schedule. Today Japan has the lowest sulfur content of any market in the world. Some nations in Europe still sell diesel with a sulfur content of 50 ppm.
In early 2005, DaimlerChrysler Japan began discussions with headquarters in Germany about selling a diesel-powered car in Japan. "For years we had been telling Stuttgart that there was no market" for diesels in Japan, Tempel says. "So convincing our own organization in Japan and convincing Stuttgart was the first step."
Now it must convince Japanese consumers. Over the past year the company has held seminars on engine technology to raise awareness of how diesels have changed.
DaimlerChrysler Japan does not plan a major advertising blitz, however. Instead it will have its dealers offer test drives to potential customers, starting with a loyal base of owners of aging diesel Mercedes.
When introducing a new model, DaimlerChrysler Japan often trains the sales manager about the car's features. He then trains his staffers.
Not this time. "Each salesman was trained individually on diesel engines," says Kai-Uwe Seidenfuss, DaimlerChrysler Japan's vice president for sales and marketing in the Mercedes Car Group.
The carmaker chose the E class as the first car to offer a modern diesel in Japan to show that diesels are suitable for mainstream luxury cars. Offering it on an SUV "would create a new image for diesels, as a powertrain for a specialty car or niche market," Tempel says.
Other European carmakers remain cautious about trying to market diesels in Japan. Only Volkswagen AG has said it will offer a diesel-powered vehicle, the Touareg SUV.
"I think they're all waiting to see how Mercedes-Benz does," Tempel says. "It's the same with Chrysler. If this whole thing is going to fly, then let's try Chrysler."
Diesels once made up about 6 percent of Japan's passenger-vehicle market, mainly SUVs. But after Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara began attacking diesels as dirty and a hazard to public health, carmakers dropped diesels from their lineups. Today only one Toyota SUV is offered with a diesel engine in Japan.
So far, only Honda Motor Co. among the Japanese carmakers has said it will sell a diesel-powered car in Japan.
One concern is transmissions. Japanese carmakers have a shortage of transmissions that work well with diesels, which produce different levels of torque at different revolutions per minute than do gasoline engines.

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With Diwali just around the corner, e-commerce retailers are looking to lure as many customers as they can to shop on their online portal. Matching up to the likes of Flipkart and Amazon, Paytm is currently hosting its Maha Cashback Sale starting today, ie October 22 till October 25.
During the sale, Paytm will display a slew of offers on smartphones, laptops, cameras, electronics, TVs and large appliances. Users will be offered ‘Golden Hours’ price drop from 8 am to midnight when products will hit their lowest prices. There will also be no-cost EMI options, 100 percent brand guarantee, cash on delivery and free shipping available on all products sold through the platform.
Among the discounts available, Paytm will be offering the latest iPhone XS and last year’s iPhone X at a Rs 12,000 cashback during the Maha Cashback sale. Paytm is also offering the cheapest iPhone at Rs 16,050 for the 32GB iPhone 6 which was previously sold for around Rs 22,500. The 64GB Google Pixel XL from last year is also getting a Rs 7,000 cashback when bought for Rs 43,996.
Buying the Coolpad Note 8 for Rs 9,999 will get users a Rs 2,000 cashback with the Galaxy Note 9 from Samsung receiving a Rs 6,000 cashback. Paytm is also hosting the pre-order of the latest iPhone XR from Apple which starts at Rs 76,900 and goes all the way up to Rs 81,900. The newly launched Oppo F9 Pro and Vivo V11 Pro will also be available for discounted prices of Rs 23,909 and Rs 25,990 respectively.
Additional offers include cashbacks on Canon EOS-1300D DSLR and notebooks including the likes of HP 15, Dell Inspiron 3000 and Lenovo Ideapad 330. Users making purchases through Kotak Bank credit cards will be able to avail an additional 10 percent discount, even on EMI payment. Paytm will host Golden Hours from 8 PM to might every day during the sale offering bigger discounts on a wide array of products.


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Organic food is a hot topic in the current time where almost everyone is curious to know more about it. People are having a major concern about the transparency of the product. Is the food really organic which we are buying or consuming? People now want to get aware about their selection so that they are buying or consuming the very product that they desire.
“It is very important to know whether a person is consuming a genuine organic product or not. Organic food is invading the food sector more than ever which is attracting a lot of health-conscious people who believe in spending a healthy life,” says Aaditya Pancharya, owner, TGIH.
Organic farming has been in the talk since 2001 which has been promoted since then by various third-party certification systems. Among these is the National Program for Organic Production which is guided by Agriculture and Processed Foods Export Development Authority which is under the Ministry of Commerce. Products which are certified by them carry the India organic logo. Another system started in the year 2015 where farmers went on inspection by themselves making sure for the organic credentials. A group of farmers were elected by themselves who went from land to land making sure that the foods to be received are organic. This system was called Participatory Guarantee System which is run by the Ministry of Agriculture. They have their own logo which is PGS-India Green logo that certifies about the food being organic.
Things have certainly changed with time. The government is making a statement in production of organic food by introducing its certification. As compared to international countries, the certification is handed over to a third party structure whereas in our country the government is directly stepping into the process. The government has tied up with FSSAI which are looking after the organic food.
How to identify?
The FSSAI logo and license number which are imprinted on the genuine organic products is the key thing from which a person can identify about the product being organic or not. On the other hand, PGS product comes up with its own logo and unique product id. Recently FSSAI has introduced a new logo for the organic food products which comes with the tagline Jaivik Bharat.
Single ingredient product labeled under the NPOP system which meets all the requirement of being organic is labeled as “Organic”. But when it’s about the multi ingredients products, they come up with the label “Certified organic” from which people can distinguish whether the product is organic or not.
Another scheme or system which is going around in India is the PGS – Indian scheme which has its own label for stating a product to be organic. They come up with the label PGS-India Green which states the product to be organic.
Organic food has taken the industry by storm but still has a long way to go. Ranging from production to consumption. The government being involved in making sure whether the product is organic or not, we can say that this particular food segment is heading in the right direction.


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Warren Buffett may not own Apple’s (AAPL) stock, but the consumer technology giant is right up the famed investor’s alley, said Phil Ash, CEO of Baton Investing. 'Based on his earnings per share projections that have been described in Buffettology, we project that Apple ten years from now will be at $625 per share and of course you have the 1.8% yield as a kicker along the way,' said Ash. Buffettology is an investing book written by the so-called Oracle of Omaha’s former daughter-in-law Mary Buffett. Shares of Apple are up 6% so far in 2015. Even better is the performance of Ross Stores’ (ROST) stock, which is up almost 16% year-to-date. Ash called the retailer a 'classic Warren Buffett company' due to its consistency and earnings growth. 'Earnings per share have been growing every year for ten years. No negative years, no backtracking on the earnings and we don’t see any reason why that is going to change,' said Ash.
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IndieBI: Superhot Team's biz dev platform that helps indies stay indie
Business developer Tomas Kaczmarczyk on why good business intelligence benefits the whole industry
If there is one universal truth in the games industry, it's that being an indie is hard. It comes with a whole suite of challenges and pitfalls that small teams without specialist staff are largely unequipped for.
Success in the indie sphere is a hard won thing, a combination of grit, determination, failure, and luck. Any indie developer will tell you that business development comes second to actually finishing the game.
So while turning to a publisher can help with business development, it comes with a complex web of strings attached. But for developers unwavering in their commitment to independence, it can look like an insurmountable task.
However, Polish studio Superhot Team, developer of 2016's minimalist and genre subverting FPS Superhot, has been working on some solutions for its fellow indie developers. Talking at Dev.Play in Bucharest last month, Superhot Team business developer Tomasz Kaczmarczyk outlined one of the biggest challenges facing indie devs: how to measure performance and adapt accordingly.
"It's impossible to tell if you're doing the best job possible, because you have no reference points... My personal crusade, which I started last year is about fixing this, providing additional information and tools."
Currently in beta, IndieBI is a new platform from Superhot Team that aims to help indie developers establish benchmarks and best practices based on credible data. It allows developers to breakdown their game sales across platforms and in different regions; these numbers can then be compared to other games in order to better understand how well a game is performing.
One of the main problems indie developers face currently is a loose approach to business development, says Kaczmarczyk. The model most people have is "just hustle." Without the time or resources to finely tune a strategy, developers use discounting, promotional deals, bulk sales, localisation, and regional marketing to try and make an impact, but it's difficult to base these decisions on solid, quantifiable data, let alone measure their effectiveness.
IndieBI has been designed to give developers feedback, and allow them to make informed decisions, breaking down the value of a game in different regions, and what changes can be made to capitalise on the market's potential.
The new platform follows on from Superhot Team's recently announced indie development fund, Superhot Presents. Much like IndieBI, the fund is geared towards helping indies stay indie. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Kaczmarczyk says it's about "giving back to the industry, helping developers be smarter and potentially more successful," without relying on a publisher.
"It is a rising tide raises all boats kind of situation, where it makes it better when the entire industry is smarter"
IndieBI was originally developed for internal purposes at Superhot Team. Kaczmarczyk says it was the result of "running out of my mind" trying to figure out what worked and what didn't when it came to business development.
"[We were] also running into problems where you can't answer basic questions like how many games have you sold this month, because there are just too many sales to represent," he continues. "I asked one of the teams to start working for us, and to build a tool to be a little bit more aware of what we are doing on the business development side."
While IndieBI has made Superhot Team's business development more effective, shining a light into the dark and inaccessible corners, it's real strength comes from comparison and feedback. Considering this, Kaczmarczyk says its important that the platform is available and affordable to any developer who wants it. Better-established and more successful developers will be asked to pay a small fee to support its upkeep, which will subsidise smaller companies less able to afford access, but in no less need for its services.
"It is a rising tide raises all boats kind of situation, where it makes it better when the entire industry is smarter," he says. "We won't be able to figure out everything ourselves, I would much rather have other people working with us, and then coming up with best practices and ideas, and what can we do better and how do we manage our games more effectively.
"Then at the same time... if you are just using it internally, it provides some value. It provided value for us for a while, but then you still run into issues where you have no external reference points. You don't have benchmarks, and you don't know if you're underperforming in China, because you have no way of measuring what a good performance in China looks like.
"We also expect that with more people participating in the system, there will be more people speaking the same language and having access to the same data about our games. And the entire industry will be a little smarter."
"You don't know if you're underperforming in China, because you have no way of measuring what a good performance in China looks like"
Of course, discoverability remains a pressing concern for indies. The over-saturation of Steam is problematic for many smaller studios, and the Epic Games Store isn't an option for everyone. IndieBI isn't trying to solve this problem, but if it is able to fulfil its promise of smarter business intelligence, it should help offset the difficulty somewhat.
"People that have games that just aren't interesting or exciting for an audience are probably still not going to break through the noise levels," says Kaczmarczyk. "But what this can hopefully do is, with access to your Steam wishlist information and some additional marketing signals that we'll be able to collect, such as Twitter followers, social media buzz, and your early community, the system should be able to tell you what to expect.
"To have a projection of what similar games have done in the past, so you will not be disappointed, or you will know that launching your game right now has very slim chances of actually doing anything, and you should maybe work on building out your audience first, building something that gets people excited."
Importantly also, IndieBI is engineered as a tool rather than a commercial product, and Superhot Team won't be selling the data. Users will own their information, and if they delete it, "it gets nuked out of existence." Data sharing also rests with the user, rather than Superhot Team.
"It works kind of like Google drive or similar services, where you have to have a measure of basic trust with the service itself, that we're not just going to be leaking your data all over the place," says Kaczmarczyk.
This obviously creates problems for publicly owned companies however, which cannot store their data on external servers. But Superhot Team is investigating ways to adapt the platform for internal ecosystems. This will come at the cost of some functionality, but users will still have the internal tool for their own business intelligence.
"Hopefully, this will help people that don't have a publisher, giving them oversight and advice from whatever their experience is," says Kaczmarczyk. "They will still be able to get the same type of information. They will not be disadvantaged against people who are signed up with a publishers."
Disclosure: GamesIndustry.biz attended Dev.Play with help from the organisers.


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Only two nights after her husband was rocking out with Bon Jovi and Taylor Swift, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, made her own solo appearance.
Dressed in a dramatic little black dress and carrying a bright red clutch, Kate attended the London SportsBall charity event to raise funds for up-and-coming British athletes.
“Kate, 31, who had left her four-month-old son Prince George at home with daddy at Kensington Palace, was out and about in her role as patron of the charity, which provides financial support for promising young athletes,” the Daily Mail explained. “Crowds gathered outside Embankment Gardens in Central London to watch the glamorous Duchess alight from her official car at 7 p.m. and walk the red carpet.”
The Daily Telegraph reported that Kate chose an Alice Temperley dress, Jimmy Choo shoes and an Alexander McQueen purse for the occasion. The ensemble was widely declared a success — as is usual for the Duchess’s fashion forays.
“For a black-tie ball we had expected to see Kate in a dazzling floor-length gown. Instead, the Duchess chose a simple little black dress by Temperley London,” reported fashion blog, Duchess Kate: Following the Life and Style of the Duchess of Cambridge. “It is undoubtedly a beautiful dress, very pretty and understated.”
The dress apparently came with a $780 price tag, according to the blog — a bargain compared to her $940 Jimmy Choos.
Several reports mentioned that Kate appeared to have darkened her hair, after some nasty headlines about noticeable greys prior to Remembrance Day.
“Kate’s hair looked a shade darker since she was last pictured. Her lighter streaks seemed to have disappeared, prompting speculation she has chosen to dye it a richer shade of brown,” noted the Express.
The Daily Mail, which said her tresses were “back to their glossy best,” speculated that Kate may have been avoiding hair dye for a very good reason.
“Kate’s visible grey hairs in recent weeks suggested that the Duchess, like many breastfeeding women, had decided not to dye or highlight her hair,” said the Mail. “But tonight her hair appeared significantly darker and more bouncy that it has of late … her thick mahogany locks that never frizz, kink or wisp have, unsurprisingly, become her trademark.”


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News The Prodigy Release ‘Breathe’ Remix From ‘The Fat Of The Land’ Reissue
Zed Dead’s mix of Breathe is previewed online ahead of album reissue
The Prodigy have released a new clip from The Fat Of The Land reissue on it's 15 anniversary release. The Zed Dead remix of 'Breathe' is available to sample below.
Originally selling over 10 million copies worldwide at it's original release in 1997, the new edition, released December 3rd, will include remixes from Noisia, Baauer and Major Lazer.
Earlier in the week the band announced two shows to celebrate the 'end of the world' extravaganza at London's Brixton Academy on December 18th and 19th. Keith, Liam and Maxim are currently working on their sixth studio album 'How To Steal A Jet Fighter'.
The 'Fat Of The Land' reissue will be available with a bonus 12-inch and digital EP with a star-studded contribution as below:
1 'Smack My Bitch Up' (Noisia Remix)
2 'Firestarter' (Alvin Risk Remix)
1 'Breathe' (Zeds Dead Remix)
2 'Smack My Bitch Up' (Major Lazer Remix)
'The Added Fat' EP download:
1. 'Smack My Bitch Up' (Noisia Remix)
2. 'Firestarter' (Alvin Risk Remix)
3. 'Breathe' (Zeds Dead Remix)
4. 'Mindfields' (Baauer Remix)
5. 'Breathe' (The Glitch Mob Remix)
6. 'Smack My Bitch Up' (Major Lazer Remix)
Records & Merch
No Tourists 180g Double Vinyl Double LP
Ant Beanie Black
World's On Fire Hot Sauce 2020
Ant Logo Mug
The Prodigy x Skeleton Cardboard Ant Patch
A campaign has launched to get The Prodigy’s ‘Firestarter’ to number one
“Let’s make sure the fire continues”
The Prodigy frontman Keith Flint dead at 49
He was found at his home in Essex this morning (4th March).
The Prodigy - No Tourists
While this isn’t vintage Prodigy, it gets pretty damn close.
The Prodigy share ‘Get Your Fight On’ video
The track features on album, ‘The Day Is My Enemy’.


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SEOUL, Feb.18 (Korea Bizwire) – Changes are afoot in the cosmetics industry, with brand rankings in turmoil. It’s Skin climbed up to rank fourth due to its success with ‘snail cream’, and the formerly fourth ranked Etude dropped to sixth after slow sales continued for two years straight.
According to industry analysts, The Face Shop secured its place at the top after seeing 2015 sales increase by 3.1 percent year over year to 629.1 billion won.
Second ranked Innisfree saw a 30 percent increase in sales (to 592.1 billion won), following closely behind The Face Shop.
AbleCNC’s Missha remained in the third spot for the second year, after seeing a five percent decrease in sales compared to 2014.
It’s Skin jumped two ranks, passing Etude and Nature Republic, landing in fourth with sales increasing by 28 percent year over year to 309.6 billion won.
Officials at It’s Skin said that the company’s success came from the popularity of its PRESTIGE creme d’escargot line, which is also known by its nickname ‘snail cream’. Company representatives added that It’s Skin is widely popular in China, where the company is often referred to by its Chinese nickname, ‘Yisi’.
Nature Republic secured the fifth spot with a 10 percent increase in sales compared to 2014.
On the other hand, Etude, another Amore Pacific brand, saw its sales drop by eight percent to 257.8 billion won. As sales fell two years in a row, the company’s rank in the market also dropped to sixth. Etude officials explained that an increase in investment to restructure distribution channels and renovate stores resulted in a sales decrease.
Cosmetics brand shops became popular in the early 2000s by offering decent quality and cheap prices. The K Beauty craze and an increase in the number of Chinese tourists boosted growth. However, the brand rankings are continuously changing due to new businesses and the appearance of products that hit the popularity jackpot.
Industry watchers comment that brands with a clear concept that are popular in China have a tendency to grow. “Innisfree has a clear message of using ingredients from Jeju Island, and It’s Skin is very popular in China. These are some of the elements that are changing the brand rankings in the market.”
By Lina Jang (firstname.lastname@example.org)


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“If you bought Apple’s stock at the beginning of the year then you must feel like you hit the Mega Millions jackpot. Shares of the iPod seller are up 217 percent in 2004, making Apple far and away the biggest winner in the S&P 500. Heck, even if you bought the stock sometime this autumn, you’re probably grinning from ear to ear right now. Apple has surged almost 75 percent since the last time I wrote a bullish column about the company — and that was less than two months ago,” Paul R. La Monica writes for CNN/Money.
“Shares closed on Wednesday at $67.79, just 6 percent below their all-time high from March 2000. But can Apple keep going? Several institutional investors are starting to sell even though they still think Apple’s fundamentals are strong. And if you’re sitting on a hefty gain in Apple stock, it’s probably not a bad idea to follow suit. ‘The key to success in tech is taking some money off the table,’ said John Buckingham, manager of the Al Frank fund. ‘The lesson for investors is not to own things in black and white. There’s a happy medium. You can sell some but you don’t have to sell all of it,'” La Monica writes.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to suggest that Apple is going to have a bad quarter or that the iPod is a fad that’s about to peak. But if you’ve been fortunate enough to make some money from a stock that has more than tripled in less than a year, the smart thing to do is to take some profits…just like the pros are doing. ‘Apple has been very good to us,’ said Buckingham. ‘But I’m not that greedy. I’m content to let others fight over the last 10 to 15 bucks of upside,” La Monica writes.
Full article here.


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NEW ASTON BARCLAY WESTBURY SALE SIGNALS GREATER FOCUS ON LCVS ACROSS THE GROUP
Posted 7 March 2018
Aston Barclay Westbury has announced that its popular fortnightly light commercial vehicle auction is moving to a Thursday from the 22 March.
The sale features light commercial stock from leasing and finance companies such as Ogilvie and Venson as well as franchised dealers such as Robins & Day, and signals the start of a new focus on van remarketing across the Aston Barclay network.
The eight-acre Westbury auction is set for a reorganisation that will include moving its inspection area, including the imaging turntable, to free up space to expand the LCV, dealer and fleet sales at the Wiltshire site.
An extra 10-acres coming on stream at Donington during 2018 and the development later this year of an extra six acres of land at Prees Heath means the group has the additional space it needs to start to grow its LCV business.
Aston Barclay is looking to utilise its new technology such as imaging turntables and SpinCar (SpinVan) which enables buyers to closely examine the interior and exterior of a vehicle while buying online.
It will also start marketing the free Buyer App to light commercial buyers to help them locate and buy more vehicles online. Already the App has over 4,500 used car buyers bidding on and buying via the App, driving online sale volumes to record highs. Aston Barclay is confident such new technologies will start to revolutionise the CV remarketing sector.
“We are expanding our auction footprint to enable us to meet our expansion plans to double our volumes to 160,000 over the next few years,” explained Martin Potter, Aston Barclay’s group operations director.
“Remarketing used vans needs extra space and when that comes on line over the next 12-18 months we will be in a perfect position to start focusing more on expanding our LCV operation,” he added.


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In the digital age of disruption, how can retail banks meet super savvy young customers’ expectations?
It’s the age of The Internet of Things. And one of those things is banking. The rapid pace of technological evolution has created many super trends like [...]
Local Economy: The JSE has 'recoupled' with the US stock exchanges, which is almost reverting to the norm, thanks to fewer bad news stories [...]
Local Economy: Stockmarkets worldwide continue to show significant volatility. The JSE ALSI index ended Friday on 57582, a 9.6% yr on yr increase. The [...]
Local Economy: Locally, our stock market seems to be taking the lead from the American stock exchanges riding each up and down in the market [...]
Negotiation was key to convincing Jacob Zuma to step down as South Africa’s president. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko Steven Friedman, University of Johannesburg The removal of [...]
Deur prof. Basie von Solms, direkteur : Sentrum vir Kubersekerheid (www.cybersecurity.org.za); mede-direkteur: Global Cybersecurity Capacity Centre, Universiteit van Oxford, Brittanje; voormalige president: IFIP en [...]


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On November 11, the Tianyi Intelligent Ecological Expo was grandly opened in Guangzhou. As one of the three TOP smart (communication) exhibitions in the world, Tianyi Smart Ecological Expo leads the development of the global smart ecology and is of great vane significance. It is an important industry business card for China Telecom. With the theme of “Cloud and Network Integration, Digital Intelligence”, this expo comprehensively displayed innovation achievements in the fields of scientific and technological innovation, cloud network integration, digital life, network security and other fields. At the meeting, China Telecom and Ziguang Guowei launched a The E-surfing cloud card integrated service was unveiled for the first time, and many main booths such as China Telecom Group and E-surfing Digital Life focused on presenting the service and related products. At the same time, Tsinghua Unigroup also focused on displaying the smart chip ecological series products at the exhibition, and gave a wonderful demonstration of the integrated service of Tianyi cloud card, and many guests and audience stopped to experience it.
At present, the world is entering a period of rapid development of the digital economy, and human society is entering a new era of digital civilization. In the era of digital civilization, data has become the most important factor of production, and the value of digital assets has become increasingly prominent. As an innovation of digital intelligence technology, the integrated service of e-surfing cloud card pays great attention to the needs of digital life. It was launched by China Telecom and Ziguang Guowei, which deeply integrates e-surfing cloud disk and e-surfing large-capacity cloud card, creating a more convenient and more convenient service for users. Smarter and more reliable digital asset management experience.
E-surfing cloud disk has high-speed transmission, safe and reliable cloud storage capabilities; E-surfing large-capacity cloud card has large storage space, with 32GB, 64GB, 128GB storage specifications, can replace TF card to expand mobile phone storage. After connecting the two, the Tianyi cloud card integrated service not only allows users to obtain the large storage space of the local cloud card and network cloud disk at the same time, but also provides users with the cloud card integrated backup function. The important data of the mobile phone is encrypted and stored on the Tianyi large-capacity cloud card, and saved to the Tianyi cloud disk synchronously.
E-surfing cloud card integrated service fully meets the needs of users for storage, data security, and cloud services. After the important digital assets are backed up by double copies, they are anti-loss, anti-leakage, and anti-tampering, no matter what happens on the mobile phone, cloud, or card. Accidentally, data can be safely recovered.
At the same time, the innovative interaction of cloud card integration has also brought new momentum to the development of China’s telecommunications business. First, the capabilities of Tianyi cloud disk have been expanded, cloud + scenarios have been further enriched, and cloud + service experience has been further upgraded; second, cloud cards, as network entry and edge cloud expansion nodes, provide telecom development 5G and cloud disk users. Powerful assistance; third, the extension of the cloud card function to the cloud disk also promotes the deepening of the card slot operation, which is expected to accelerate the scale development of the mobile business; finally, the cross-border cooperation between the cloud and the card also connects the network and the terminal. It helps China Telecom to build an integrated platform for cloud, network, and terminal cards, cooperate with vertical industries to develop various smart applications, and better build a digital and beautiful life for users.
Driven by smart cores, accelerating the release of the vitality of the digital economy
The construction of the digital economy is inseparable from the driving of chips. my country’s “14th Five-Year Plan” outline clearly proposes to create new advantages in the digital economy, focus on key areas such as high-end chips and operating systems, and strengthen key core technology research. As a domestic leader in smart chips, Tsinghua Unimicron has been committed to continuously launching system solutions and innovative terminals based on the core capabilities of chips, enabling the transformation and upgrading of digital intelligence in thousands of industries. At this expo, Ziguang Guowei also highlighted the cutting-edge achievements of the super smart chip ecology.
Among them, THD89 reappears as a star chip. This product is the first domestic chip that has obtained the global ultra-high security level certification SOGIS CC EAL6+, and is widely used in finance, communication, Internet of Vehicles and other industries; in the field of digital RMB, the main exhibition It has developed a mobile phone digital RMB hard wallet solution in cooperation with telecom and other operators, which can be applied to subway public transportation, education and medical care, government affairs payment and other scenarios, and is undergoing trial operation in several pilot cities; Lock products and management solutions have landed at the exhibition as smart city infrastructure. At present, they have been used in public rental housing, online room appointments, smart campuses, smart parks and other scenarios. They have been deployed in batches in more than ten provinces and cities such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu to help mobile population management. Digital intelligence upgrade.
In addition, the conference also highlighted the quantum security super SIM card. As the ecological application of super SIM card in the field of quantum technology, it can provide support for quantum encrypted calls, quantum security mobile office, quantum security financial payment and other scenarios. Long-term security of encrypted communication systems. At present, the quantum security super SIM card has been commercially used in the quantum secret phone products jointly incubated by Tsinghua Unigroup, China Telecom and Guodun Quantum. This product is also the first 5G encrypted communication application of the national quantum security communication trunk. It is of great significance to ensure security and realize the security development of network information.
In the journey towards digital civilization, innovation is undoubtedly the brightest background. Ziguang Guowei said that it will continue to build a digital world base with chip technology innovation, join hands with China Telecom and upstream and downstream partners to jointly develop a smart future, promote the construction of an open, healthy and safe digital ecology, and promote the in-depth integration of information technology and economic society and people’s livelihood , to help release the amplification, superposition and multiplication effects of digital on economic development.
The Links: LTM08C015KA 2MBI200VB-120


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Title: Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer Breaks Records, Sparks Controversy with Depiction of Miami
The highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 has sent shockwaves through the gaming community, as the game’s trailer shattered YouTube records, amassing a staggering 93 million views within just 24 hours of its release. The trailer not only revealed exciting new features but also confirmed that the game will be set in Vice City, a hyper-fictionalized version of Miami.
The trailer’s depiction of Vice City has ignited passionate debates online, with viewers divided over the portrayal of Miami’s contrasting aspects – its glamorous allure and its crime-ridden underbelly. Rockstar, the studio behind the game, aims to blur the lines between fiction and reality, offering players a satirical take on American culture.
Interestingly, the characters and scenes showcased in the trailer are heavily inspired by real events and headlines from south Florida. This realistic touch has further intensified the discussions, with critics arguing that the game’s portrayal of Florida’s crime and chaos is one-sided and overbearing.
Some residents of Miami have expressed shock at the trailer, feeling that it misrepresents the vibrant city they call home. They criticize the game for perpetuating negative stereotypes without truly capturing the essence of Miami’s diverse culture and community. They believe that there is much more to their city than what the trailer portrays.
On the other hand, a significant number of Miami residents have embraced the depiction, considering it a point of pride and associating it with Florida’s notorious reputation for eccentricity. They see it as a reflection of the “crazy” image that the state has garnered over the years.
Despite the controversy, fans around the world eagerly await the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is scheduled for 2025. The game’s visuals, mechanics, and intriguing storyline have created high expectations among players, who anticipate an immersive experience in an incredibly lifelike Vice City.
With Rockstar’s commitment to pushing boundaries and offering players an engaging narrative, it remains to be seen how the game will ultimately paint Miami in the eyes of millions of players worldwide.
“Infuriatingly humble tv expert. Friendly student. Travel fanatic. Bacon fan. Unable to type with boxing gloves on.”


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Tata Motors domestic sales up 21 per cent at 51,896 units in July
Domestic passenger vehicle sales were up 14.37 per cent at 17,079 units last month as compared to 14,933 units in July 2017, the company said in a statement.
Commenting on the passenger vehicle sales performance in July, Tata Motors President - Passenger Vehicles Business Mayank Pareek said the growth was on the back of the strong demand of the company's new generation vehicles - Tiago, Tigor, Hexa and the Nexon.
"The recently launched Nexon AMT has been received well in the market. We will continue to strive towards driving volumes and increasing our market share as part of our on-going turnaround journey," he added.
Tata Motors said the auto industry faced challenges with the new axle load limits regulation, followed by transporters strike which continued for eight days in July.
The company said its commercial vehicles sales in the domestic market stood at 34,817 units in July as against 27,842 units in the corresponding month last year.
Tata Motors President - Commercial Vehicles Business, Girish Wagh said the company has been able to increase sales in the domestic market despite a challenging month.
He said the medium and heavy truck segment registered a growth of 18 per cent while the intermediate and light truck segment, grew by 17 per cent led by the e-commerce segment and increased rural consumption.
Total exports during the month stood at 4,971 units as compared to 3,441 units last year, a growth of 44 per cent, the company said.


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From Bloomberg's "Apple Judge ‘Inclined’ to Unblock Epic’s Unreal Engine But Not Fortnite" posted Monday:
The judge hearing Apple Inc.’s fight with Epic Games Inc.said she’s “inclined” not to order the iPhone maker to immediately reinstate the Fortnite app as the companies faced off in their first courtroom showdown.
But U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said during a hearing Monday that the dispute over Apple’s App Store isn’t a “slam dunk” for either side. She was sympathetic to the game developer’s argument that Apple retaliated against it by threatening to cut off Epic’s graphics technology, known as Unreal Engine, a suite of software used by millions of developers to build 3-D games and other products...
[T]he judge also said Apple’s decision to block access to the Unreal Engine “does to me look retaliatory.”
The bigger issue in the case is whether Apple’s control over its App Store amounts to a monopoly. Apple isn’t alone in taking a commission. Rogers noted that Epic takes a 12% cut from third-party game developers in its store that offers computer games.
“The definition of the market will be an interesting and complicated issue.“ Rogers said. “The battle here will not be won or lost on a temporary restraining order” or a preliminary injunction, she said.
My take: The Unreal Engine is the real deal. Just ask the creators of the Mandalorian, Westworld and Game of Thrones, to name a few.


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Palisades Park, NJ – The global pandemic continues to widen the gap of human interaction. To bring the world closer together, serious action must be taken in terms of providing safe health products.
Be Healthy, an import and export company based in New Jersey, announces their KF94 Mask to support America’s effort in winning the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The mask is imported from South Korea and is guaranteed to be of high quality and standard.
Unique features of the KF94 Mask include adjustable earloop, hard shell technology filter by DuPont, and 4 ply with Melt Blown filter. They are available in different colors, sizes, and look very stylish. Customers can also purchase brands like FACEIT and ETIQA, with quantities ranging from 10pcs to 1,000 pcs.
To start shopping, please visit here.
The global pandemic has affected the world in so many ways. People have lost loved ones, businesses have suffered, and nations and cities have had to adjust their lifestyles. To overcome all these challenges and get back to normal and protect ourselves, everyone must take safety precautions seriously. And one of the best ways to do that is to have access to face masks.
We need quality face masks to tackle this pandemic. But many people are used to KN95, which has been certified to the safest and best mask against COVID-19 infection. However, KF94s are also very effective and have been seen to have a very high filtration level like KN95 masks. They help keep people safe especially when in a high-risk environment like in crowded areas.
Due to the high level of effectiveness and increasing popularity, the demand for KF94 masks is increasing. That’s why consumers have to be careful when buying the masks because of potential counterfeits.
Be Healthy is a company with many years of experience and expertise in securing high-quality health products to sell In the US. They were dealing in different kinds of products until the pandemic came when they decided to bring in face masks to help tackle the scarcity.
Today, they are the leading distributors of KF94 masks in the US. Their goal is to offer premium products from South Korea at a very reasonable price. Not only do they have a team member in South Korea trying to locate the best products, but they also go through a very thorough quality check before deciding to carry it.
For more information, contact (201) 482-0813 or visit www.behealthyusa.net.
Company Name: Be Healthy USA
Contact Person: Daniel K Ohn
Email: Send Email
Phone: (201) 482-0813
Address:324 Broad Ave.
City: Palisades Park
State: NJ 07650
Country: United States


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The first Tesla 3 has arrived to Morocco thanks to a group of electric vehicle enthusiasts, the Tesla Club Morocco. One of the challenges, the biggest challenge, for any nation or individual looking to import electric cars is making sure there is constant and reliable access to electricity. There are 3 older Tesla models circulating the […]
The number of cases of road accidents is increasing rapidly in India, posing a threat to individuals’ life. Every year, more than 1 million people die on roads due to vehicle collisions. A road accident is one of the leading causes of poverty in countries like Bangladesh, because either it leads to the lack of […]
Human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track, two-wheeled bikes are emerging as the most disruptive tech in transportation. Now China’s top two dock-less bike-sharing titans are rolling into Startup Nation with plans to deploy thousands of bikes in Tel Aviv in the first half of 2018, threatening existing stationed bike platforms like local provider Tel-O-Fun.
Creating potable drinking water from the air is coming closer to being everyday reality, with companies like Drinkable Air already offering devices that create drinkable water from thin air. This idea is already in use by some military forces, including the Israeli and US military, for creating drinking water in arid regions where obtaining clean drinking water supplies […]
It’s hard to believe that in 2017 women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive. Shwaya, shwaya! Saudi Arabia announced this week that it would allow women to drive, ending a long-term approach that’s shown the world how oppressed women can be in the Middle East. We’ve learned from jokers on YouTube about how […]
We’ve all heard about the crazy Middle East driver right? Or the drifters in Saudi Arabia that purposefully steer into crowds for thrills? Middle East driving is bad. And fatal, killing more people than the ongoing conflicts. New study suggests more can be done at work to keep drivers safe: The more one conflicts with […]
Despite Nissan and Tesla EV cars not having a presence yet in the Middle East, both companies appear to be making concerted efforts to produce more affordable electric cars with longer driving ranges. These efforts have come about despite low oil prices which have made high fuel consuming vehicles more popular again; regardless of the increasing effects […]
Car accidents are a number one cause of death in the Middle East. Forget conflicts, more people are dying from dangerous driving. Car accidents, as any police officer, medical personal, or car accident lawyers can tell you, are among the most common and most devastating parts of our culture. Even in New York where public […]
Stuff. We’ve all got it. Unless we’re from the Nomad class, we’ve got stuff to move and ship. Lighter stuff can be packed in a small envelope or box and sent in the mail. Just about everything else from printers to mattresses to books and clothes. We can’t send it over high speed Internet, yet. […]
Cities in Iran are some of the most polluted in the world. It’s estimated that 27 people a day die in Tehran from the low quality of air. Mohammad Bakhtiari, 25, from Arak decided he couldn’t take it anymore, and started car-free Tuesdays –- a day when he’s encouraging Iranians to find alternative ways to […]
Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and, as with all major cities, traffic congestion is becoming an ever present issue. Traffic causes smog and respiratory illness, as well as a major part of our world’s greenhouse gases. According to the latest statistics, Dubai’s metropolitan area is now home to just […]
Electric car fortunes have had their ups and downs; especially following the collapse of the Better Place electric car network that left hundreds of EV car purchasers with the possibility of being stranded without power over in ISrael. Although some electric car models like Nissan’s Leaf and Tesla sport EVs have made modest inroads, over all, electric cars have yet […]
It’s raining cats and dogs in Amman, Jordan now, closing roads (flooded underpasses), some schools, and many offices. It’s the usual drill for a city ill-equipped for atypical weather. Now online transportation giant Uber is helping to “rain down more dogs” for a limited time today in what could be the world’s most adorable fundraiser.
Due to political unrest, Cairo’s subway had been closed for two years. Now it will be closed for an indefinite amount of time. Tahrir Square’s Sadat metro station was closed this month after Egypt’s prosecutor-general Hisham Barakat was assassinated. This is another clear example of how conflict and violence seriously impedes any environmental progress in […]
We’ve laughed and we’ve cried over stories in Saudi Arabia and women drivers. Let’s face it: what’s happening in Saudi Arabia is not about driving it’s about women’s rights. There is the No Woman No Drive video from a few years back. We’ve reported on Saudi Arabia holding the record for greatest number of deaths […]
You have all surely heard of Elon Musk, the billionaire innovator of space travel and the electric vehicles industry. He was the man who made the electric car cool with the launch of the Tesla Roadster (named after Nicolai Tesla), an electric vehicle capable of outperforming many sports cars and have zero emissions at the […]
If you’ve never been to a Gulf-region country – be prepared to scratch your head over the deadly past-time called drifting. The idea is to take your cars out of their carports and then drive your car as fast as possible on the highway, slam on the breaks and then attempt to frighten onlookers and […]
Saudi Arabia is a dangerous place to drive. It’s the world’s most dangerous, according to recent media reports. Drifting, that past-time where young Saudi males drive their skidding cars into crowds is one cause, but camels, are to blame for about 97% of all accidents and fatalities that occur in the Kingdom, a new study […]
While online hightech companies might seem to be on the money, investors are hungry for new advances in physical products. But developing them takes years, and lots of money. There is a lots of waste in the prototyping stage in terms of time, materials, and money. Rapid prototyping using 3D printers can help form ideas […]
Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde has created an LED-lit glowing bike path that. The solar-powered LED lights glow at night, and give cyclers a trippy ride that looks like Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting. The path is less than a mile long, and was created using both glow-in-the-dark tools and solar-powered LEDs. Find it in Brabant, the Dutch county […]
While visionaries like Elon Musk are trying to make electric cars like Tesla mainstream in America, electric cars have yet to become commonplace, largely due to their cost and low driving range. A number of countries are now involved in developing electric car technology that will give these vehicles a sufficient cruising range, while being […]
Last year, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg became the first pilots to fly across America in a featherweight plane fueled only by the sun. The Swiss duo now plans to circumnavigate the world in a next-generation solar aircraft named the Solar Impulse 2. The March 2015 flight will start and finish in Abu Dhabi.
Happen to be in Istanbul? Then hop aboard Botobus, a new eco-friendly public transport option that features an organic rooftop garden. Introduced last week by the Istanbul Transportation Authority (IETT), the “botanical bus” embarked on its first journey between Edirnekapi and Taksim. The project aims to draw attention to global warming and the environment.
Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC) was recently approved for a $33 billion expansion making it the largest airport project on the planet – another world record for the booming emirate.
Travelling by rail is a great way to save gas and greenhouse gas emissions. But the Middle East is completely not mentioned in a new worldwide report on rail travel. No surprise given the ongoing conflicts and lack of future planning. We can learn from Japan and the US: Read on for the report.


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7 Shocking Tri-Cities Stores Actually Closed on Thanksgiving
This year you may head to your favorite local store on Thanksgiving morning to find that they are actually closed for the day. These are the surprising Tri-Cities area stores that announced this year they are closed all of Thanksgiving day.
What Tri-Cities Stores Announced They Are Closed for Thanksgiving in 2022
Not sure if these companies appreciate family or if they are just trying to hold on to their workers, but some of these stores closed this year for Thanksgiving are surprising.
Probably the most surprising on the list, Walmart announced they will be closed on Thanksgiving. The CEO even said that being open on Thanksgiving is a "thing of the past" for Walmart. Doesn't look like they will be open on Thanksgiving for years to come. Don't worry, they open early for Black Friday.
Target is another unexpected closing for Thanksgiving. Like Walmart, they announced that Thanksgiving would be off for all employees moving forward. For the last two years they have spread the deals over two weeks instead of having them all on Black Friday. That worked so well, they are moving to this model permanently. Also just like Walmart, they will be open early for Black Friday.
Just like the last 2 years, Best Buy will also be closed for Thanksgiving. They also announced they are "Bringing back Thanks and Giving." Sunday, Oct. 16, they kick off a 10th holiday season "joining St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases." They have also switched to promoting Thanksgiving shopping sales for "big savings on BestBuy.com or through the Best Buy app."
REI is also closing on Thanksgiving from here on out and they are also pulling out of Black Friday deals. It was launched back in 2005 to get employees to "Opt Outside" for Thanksgiving according to Foot Wear News. I am sure you can still shop online however, just no special deals.
Macy's will also be closed all of Thanksgiving but they will have deals all day online according to Swag Bucks. Black Friday deals can already be had online or in their stores and they will be open early for Black Friday if you want to rush in.
Costco is another large store in Tri-Cities that will be closed on Thanksgiving. If you need large amounts of food for your dinner, make sure you plan ahead. " Costco is not open on Thanksgiving day just like it remains closed on all other major/important holidays. Therefore, this year, Costco will also stay closed on Thanksgiving just like every year."
Just like last year Kohl's has made the switch to spreading out their savings throughout the whole month. They will also be closed for Thanksgiving bat say on their website announcement "Shop Early, Save Early: Shop early holiday deals at Kohl’s with multiple savings events throughout the month of October." Check out all they have to offer by clicking here to read the full announcement.


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If a television-show character dying after using a Peloton Interactive (PTON 7.29%) exercise bike can really cause the connected fitness leader's stock to fall, then the markets are completely lacking in seriousness. Selling or buying shares over a fictitious event is silly, and might be another sign we're in the very late stages of this bull market run.
Peloton, though, has a lot of other concerns that have been weighing on its shares, which have now lost three-quarters of their value in 2021.
A reopened economy, more competitors, a perception of being a luxury product at a time of tightening wallets, and lower use by existing customers are just some of the problems facing the maker of connected fitness equipment. None should necessarily be fatal, though, so let's see if Peloton's depressed stock is a buy this month.
Lack of engagement
The biggest change hitting Peloton is the ability of people to exercise outside the home again, whether outdoors or in gyms. Lockdowns kept people inside, so home fitness equipment was a logical option, and Peloton's sales soared.
Where fiscal first-quarter revenue more than tripled last year, it was only up 6% in the current period. While showing growth on top of those remarkable year-ago gains is a testament to the demand that still exists for Peloton products, the rapid deceleration is worrisome.
At the same time, engagement on the platform also fell, with workouts per subscription coming in at 16.6, down 16% from the 19.9 recorded in Peloton's fiscal fourth quarter and off 20% from the 20.7 seen in the same period last year.
Chief financial officer Jill Woodworth admitted the fitness equipment maker misjudged the market, telling analysts, "It is clear that we underestimated the reopening impact on our company and the overall industry."
That's forcing Peloton to cut prices. It announced the price on its entry-level bike would be slashed by more than 20% because "there remains a lingering perception that Peloton is a luxury item."
A narrow market with many players
Yet there are also more rivals now targeting the same space. Nautilus (NLS 1.51%) recently reported its own earnings that saw sales rise 20% above last year, and 167% over the level hit two years ago, pre-pandemic. And Lululemon Athletica (LULU 1.70%), best known for its yoga pants, got into the equipment market with the connected Mirror.
Yet they're all seeing the same impact on their business from the reopened economy as Peloton is. Lululemon has dramatically halved the revenue growth it predicted for its Mirror segment earlier this year.
iFIT Health & Fitness had also planned a Nasdaq public listing under the ticker symbol IFIT at price ranging between $18 and $21 per share, but it pulled the debut because of market uncertainty and will reevaluate whether to go public at some time in the future.
A long-term play?
While Peloton's stock has taken a major haircut and currently trades at around $38 a share, it's not such a bargain. It might not be as overvalued as it was at the start of the year, but trading at 3 times sales when your business is decelerating is not enough of a discount.
Wall Street, though, still expects revenue to more than double by 2026 to $9.7 billion, when it will swing to meaningful profits of $1.31 per share. It should be producing over $1.3 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) by then, too. That could be why Wall Street has a consensus price target of $101 per share, suggesting more than 150% upside.
I don't see Peloton's business as being quite so compelling. Supply chain issues, pricing, competition, and other issues mean the connected fitness guru has too bumpy a road ahead to warrant putting more than a little money for the speculative portion of my portfolio into Peloton shares.


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Rs 150 cr earmarked for horticulture development; Measures being taken to check sale of spurious pesticides, fertilizers
SRINAGAR, MAY 6: Minister for Horticulture, Mr. Abdul Rehman Veeri has said the government has earmarked a budgetary provision of Rs 150 crore for development of horticulture sector in the State. He said high density fruit plants and root stockings would be imported from European countries to boost fruit production.
This was stated by the Minister during a meeting with the representatives of Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers & Dealers Association (KVFGDA) here on Wednesday.
Chairman KVFGDA and presidents of Fruit Growers and Dealers Associations of all districts attended the meeting.
Veeri said the horticulture is the mainstay of the States economy and government is making all out efforts to boost the fruit production by initiating several innovative measures. He said soil testing laboratories would be setup in each district and scrutiny of pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers would be ensured so that penetration of substandard material is checked.
He said the government has already taken several measures to curb the menace of spurious pesticides and fertilizers in the markets. Enforcement wing of the Horticulture Department has been strengthened and vested with more powers to control and check the sale and purchase of spurious pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers, he said and warned that any dealer found selling spurious pesticides and fertilizers would be dealt with stringently.
The Minister said cold storage facility would be provided in the districts adding that steps have already been taken to expand fruit and vegetables mandis in all districts. He said measures for upgradation of Fruit Mandis at Sopore, Pulwama, Pampore and Narwal have already been initiated while as development of several fruit and vegetable markets including Jabalpora are apace and would be completed within stipulated time.
Responding to the demands of the Association, the Minister said the government has approached the Centre for flood relief package adding once funds are released, the same would be provided to the affected fruit growers across the State.
The Minister said the issues regarding extension of loan recovery period besides waiving off interest on advances would be taken up with concerned authorities.
For providing adequate and timely transport facility to fruit growers for dispatching their fruit crop outside the state, the necessary steps are also being taken.
Seeking the cooperation of fruit growers for development of horticulture sector, the Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir has immense horticulture potential and to give this sector a boost we need to work collectively.
Earlier the KVFGDA presented a charter of demands including timely availability of standard fertilizers/pesticides besides ensuring severe punishment to defaulters found involved in trade of spurious fungicide and pesticide, frequent visits by experts to orchards to aware fruit growers about spray schedules and latest farming technologies to increase fruit crop production, introducing horticulture crop insurance, enhancement of KCC loans from 3 to 10 lakh, establishment of horticulture model villages in each districts, setting up of kissan ghars besides providing cold storage facility in all fruits and vegetables markets of the valley .
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RENO, Nev. — A 46-year-old Reno man is accused of stealing identities and using more than 8,000 fraudulent PayPal accounts, bank accounts and other financial accounts to defraud victims of $3.5 million.
Kenneth Gilbert Gibson was arrested to face a total of 35 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The federal indictment issued Tuesday alleges Gibson between 2012 and 2017 used victims’ identities to open unauthorized online accounts, credit accounts, bank accounts, and prepaid debit and credit card accounts to obtain money and property.
Gibson’s defense attorney didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
The case was investigated by a task force that includes the Reno Police Department, the FBI, the Secret Service, the IRS and the Postal Inspection Service.


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Two Rivers Mall, Kenya’s biggest shopping mall, has officially opened its doors in the capital, Nairobi. Being one of the biggest real estate developments in the East African nation and the biggest shopping mall in Sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa, getting around the mall may prove to be quite a chore for the first time or even in subsequent visits.
Which is why there is a companion application that seeks to complete the shopping experience and make it hassle-free.
The application, simply called Two Rivers Mall, is simple and easy to navigate. A slide out hamburger menu allows users to access all the included features.
Features of the app include navigation through the mall’s 67,000 square metres retail space, a parking locator (and parking payment option as well), access to a calendar of events taking place at the mall, the ability to join the loyalty club, access to promotions and even a way to provide feedback to the retail space’s management.
A tab in the app that lists shops is just that, a list. Users get contact details of respective stores renting out space at the mall and nothing else, meaning that there is clearly room to get the app to do more than just offer information.
You can check out the Two Rivers app on the Google Play Store.


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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its final “deeming” regulations, extending the agency’s regulatory authority over all tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, cigars, hookah tobacco and pipe tobacco.
During an FDA media briefing, FDA commissioner Robert Califf described the regulations, which were announced May 5, as “a critically important foundational rule [and] a milestone in consumer protection.”
- Join CSP's Tobacco Update webinar on May 24 to hear industry experts' input on how the new regulatory landscape could affect tobacco retailing.
Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), said the FDA considered all of the more than 135,000 comments received during the public comment period.
“We believe our approach in this final rule is both reasonable and balanced,” Zeller said. “This historic rule allows the FDA to use a variety of regulatory tools to improve public health and protect future generations from the dangers of tobacco use.
Among other things, the regulations—which go into effect in 90 days (Aug. 8, 2016)—will restrict the sale of these newly deemed products to anyone under 18. Specific provisions aimed at restricting youth access include:
- Not allowing products to be sold to persons under the age of 18 years (both in person and online).
- Requiring age verification by photo ID.
- Not allowing the selling of covered tobacco products in vending machines (unless in an adult-only facility).
- Not allowing the distribution of free samples.
Beyond restricting sales to minors, the final deeming rule did not differ greatly from the proposed deeming regulations the FDA issued in April 2014. Once the rule goes into effect, manufacturers of newly regulated products will be required to submit a premarket tobacco application (PMTA) to the FDA unless the product (or a substantially equivalent product) was on the market as of Feb. 15, 2007.
In the initial proposed deeming rule, the FDA estimated the PMTA process would take approximately 500 hours per application. The figure has now tripled, to 1,700 hours per application.
The February 2007 date (known as the predicate, or “grandfather,” date) was something many electronic-cigarette and vaping advocates had hoped would be pushed back to the date deeming goes into effect, which would allow electronic cigarettes and other newer products to qualify for the less costly substantial equivalence (SE) pathway.
Instead, the FDA addressed concerns by establishing a “staggered timeline” that would give nongrandfathered products more time to submit a PMTA than products that qualify for the SE pathway. Under the final rule, such manufacturers would be allowed to keep products on the market during the two years they have to submit a PMTA, as well as up to one additional year as the FDA reviews said applications.
“The product review process gives the agency the ability to evaluate important factors such as ingredients, product design and health risks, as well as appeal to youth and non-users,” Zeller said.
Another issue in question was how the FDA would treat premium cigars. In the proposed rule, there was an option to exempt premium cigars from FDA regulation all-together.
“The FDA has concluded there is no appropriate public health justification for excluding premium cigars," Zeller said. “All cigars pose serious health risks. To exclude such a product from FDA regulation would be neglecting our duty to protect public health.”
Zeller and others at the FDA were quick to point out that the 499-page final deeming rule is just the start of regulatory actions to come. The final rule included a guidance suggesting that the agency will soon look to extend the ban on flavored cigarettes to also include the use of characterizing flavors in cigars.
“This is just a foundational rule,” said David Ashley, director of the CTP’s Office of Science. “The vast majority of actions are still down the road.”
Join CSP's Tobacco Update webinar on May 24 to hear industry experts' input on how the new regulatory landscape could affect tobacco retailing.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.


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Back in February of this year, OpenSignal published its “State of Mobile Networks” results, which showed that Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile were tied for the top spot when it came to speed rankings.
DirecTV Now is one of many cord-cutting options out there for folks who want a stripped down way to watch TV, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need features.
AT&T has started sending out emails to customers who continue to remain on its grandfathered unlimited data plan for the iPad that starting from May 24, 2017, their usage will be throttled after using more than 22GB of data in a single billing cycle.
Just a couple of weeks ago, AT&T and other major carriers in the United States revised or launched new unlimited mobile data plans. When compared to offerings from T-Mobile and Verizon though, AT&T’s unlimited plan felt like a rip off.
The wireless industry in the United States continues to see wave after wave, and unlimited data for more people appears to be the result.
Fees are part of the package when it comes to most wireless carriers, whether that’s to upgrade your line, or to activate a new one.
AT&T has done away with the traditional unlimited data plan, but for folks who have clung onto it over the years, there’s another price hike on the way.
Rumors have been swirling for some time that AT&T had plans to launch its own TV streaming service, with packages of channels to choose from.
Gone are the days of unlimited data when you didn’t need to keep track of your Internet and app usage. But here we are now, stuck in tiers of data. The upside is that most plans come with unlimited talk and text, but sometimes it’s easy to lose control of your data usage.


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As part of an ongoing commitment to support entrepreneurs, Sam’s Club and “Hatched” are seeking small businesses to pitch their executives and investors for a chance to be featured on the show, connect to growth opportunities and have their products on Sam’s Club shelves. “Hatched”, produced by INE Entertainment, combines a multi-media platform with prolific investors and retail and corporate partners to create a successful ecosystem for growing consumer brands ready to take their business to the next level. The auditions will take place on March 13 at the Phoenix Sam’s Club located at 1525 W. Bell Road.
“Phoenix has seen a surge in the number of startups, entrepreneurs and incubators in the past couple of years,” said Sam’s Club chief experience officer Tracey D. Brown. “We’re excited to meet with this rapidly growing group as they take their shot at the American Dream. Through the collaboration with Hatched we not only have the opportunity to provide mentorship to up-and-coming entrepreneurs, but also to keep our pulse on new and unique innovations that we can bring into our club locations to surprise and delight our members.”
Interested entrepreneurs are encouraged to complete the online Hatched Casting Call Application in order to be considered. If selected, “Hatched” producers and Sam’s Club will be in touch with details on the filming schedule, location, what to bring and to answer any questions. Due to the number of entrepreneurs expected, walk-ins will not be accepted.
“Our casting calls give small business owners an opportunity to not only pitch their business to successful investors and retail executives, but to also have important dialogue that will help them sharpen their business strategies and continue to grow,” said CEO and Executive Producer, Mark Koops of INE Entertainment. “We can’t wait to continue our search for the next great company and see what the Phoenix community has to offer.”
“Hatched” is hosted by television personality and author Nicole Lapin. Each episode assesses a brand’s potential for investment and popularity in a retail setting with feedback from consumers and industry experts. Regular judges include entrepreneur Victor Green, early stage investor Steve Seigel, Home Shopping Network’s (HSN) Dara Trujillo, and Courtney and Carter Reum from holding company M13. Hatched airs in Phoenix on KTVK on Sundays at 1:30 p.m.
Not in the area? Castings will continue in Chicago, IL (March 27).
Hatched, created by Andrew Kavovit, Mark Koops and Anthony Samadani, is a nationally syndicated TV show connecting emerging brands was successful mentors and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. More than just entertainment Hatched combined a multi-media platform with retail and corporate partners digital expert and prolific investors to create an ecosystem around growing consumer brands.
Mark Koops and Eric Day have been at the cutting edge of innovative content for more than 15 years, and their INE Entertainment is now a powerhouse in the digital space — having generated hundreds of hours of short-form content. Their digital portfolio includes producing three seasons of the groundbreaking real-time social media series Summerbreak, the original digital docuseries Top Grier starring Hayes Grier, HISTORY’s Emmy-nominated The Crossroads of History, as well as the Tiesto-starring EDM documentary series Your Shot. They have created over 1,000 hours of TV programming — developing, creating and show running some of non-scripted TV’s biggest hits, including The Biggest Loser (NBC), Masterchef (Fox), Something Borrowed Something New (TLC) and two-time Emmy nominated children’s program Recipe Rehab (CBS).
About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club®, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products, savings and services to millions of members in 659 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. To learn more about Sam’s Club, visit the Sam’s Club Newsroom, shop at SamsClub.com, and interact with Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.
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In this week's round-up of automotive gossip, Bentley tells use why though it's interested in autonomous tech it won't lead the revolution, we hear how Renault's new car-sharing brand will embrace non-traditional drivers and Swindon has a proposal for Elon Musk.
Bentley won't pioneer AVs
Bentley boss Adrian Hallmark has talked up autonomous functions but said the company won’t be pioneering in the field: “We want to be a close follower but not a pioneer, to avoid all the boring bits.” During the same interview, he called hydrogen “a great idea” but said “the quantities of energy required for its production and the challenges of storing and transporting it mean it doesn’t make sense yet”.
Renault shares the love
The Renault Group's new Mobilize brand has been launched as a separate entity to Renault, Dacia and Alpine because it’s “for people who aren’t interested in owning a car”, according to design boss Laurens van den Acker. He said the brand’s customers will “not have the time, patience or money to have a garage, park their car or pay for maintenance”, so “the business model needs to be treated in a different way”. The Mobilize EZ-1 electric two-seater was designed specifically for shared use. It is believed to serve as an indirect successor to the niche-appeal Renault Twizy.
Swindon courts Tesla
Swindon's council leader has written to Tesla CEO Elon Musk to ask him to consider taking over the town’s Honda plant, which is due to close in July. David Renard called it a “prime site” with good transport links and suggested that its “biggest selling point” is Honda’s 5000 staff, who will all need new jobs when the plant closes. Tesla has rapidly expanded its global manufacturing footprint in the past few years, and its first European site is now being built in Germany.