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Samsung has announced the launch of its latest flagship mobile processor that's expected to power face recognition in the firm's upcoming Galaxy S9 series devices. According to the South Korean giant, the Exynos 9 Series 9810 is company's most innovative mobile processor so far, and it is meant for AI applications and richer multimedia content.
The Exynos 9810 octa-core processor comes with four high-performance big cores running at up to 2.9 GHz and four little cores which has a higher power efficiency. The company claimed that Exynos 9810 offers 100% increase in the single-core performance and 40% increase in the multi-core performance over its predecessor. It will have an additional secure processing unit to safeguard biometric and other personal data such as the iris, face, and fingerprint scans.
Thanks to the neural network-based deep learning and robust security offered by the Exynos 9810, smartphones with this chipset will be able to easily identify people and objects in photos for depth sensing or for quickly performing image search.
The Exynos 9810 is now in mass production, again, because it'll be in the Galaxy S9 internationally.
It has LTE Cat.18 6CA-supported modem that supports up to 6x carrier aggregation (CA) for a maximum download speed of up to 1.2Gbp (Cat.18) and 200 megabits per second (Mbps) uplink.
Fabricated on Samsung's second-generation 10nm FinFET process, the Exynos 9810 chipset features third-generation CPU and faster gigabit LTE modem, along with sophisticated image processing with deep learning-based software.
Samsung's Exynos 9810 SoC sports a 3rd generation custom CPU that Samsung has upgraded with wider pipelines and optimised cache memory. With 10-bit HEVC (high efficiency video coding) and VP9 support, the MFC can render 1,024 different tones for each primary color (red, green and blue). It also features firewalls that isolate internal sub-systems from each other. The chip is likely to be sold in Asia, while USA and European customers will get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip. This "hybrid face detection" feature could be a worrying factor for Samsung's rival Apple, which has filled deep pockets for Face ID feature in iPhone X.
Finally, the Exynos 9810 includes dedicated image processing to enhance stabilization of images and video, as well as UHD video at 120fps.
What makes the new processor even more interesting is that it will come with advanced AI capabilities.


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Fitbit, the world’s biggest seller of activity trackers, has stepped up its efforts in wearable technology with a new range of fitness bands including one that helps users meditate.
As the world’s top tech companies prepare to descend on Europe’s biggest tech show, Fitbit unveiled two successors to its best-selling Charge and Flex activity trackers, which can measure steps, heart rate and sleep quality.
The devices, which come with new features such as the ability to estimate fitness levels and meditate, pre-empt a flurry of new smartwatches due to be unveiled by Samsung, Huawei and Motorola at this week’s IFA tech show in Berlin. Apple is also expected to unveil a more powerful Apple Watch in the coming weeks.
Fitbit commands around a quarter of the wearables market and hopes it can maintain its lead against the likes of Apple and Samsung. The Charge 2, a £130 upgrade to its most popular activity tracker, taps into the growing trend for meditation apps with a “guided breathing” relaxation feature. According to Deloitte, 9pc of Brits own a fitness band.

domain: news


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EARLY ADOPTERS of Android 8.0 Oreo have been discovering bugs as roll out begins.
This is normal, but after the Bluetooth problems in the final beta, which we told you about we assumed, perhaps naively on our part, that would be that.
Now we're hearing of users (via Reddit) of 'final' custom ROMs who are using more 4G data when connected to a WiFi network than when they are not.
Unusual_Sauce writes: "After updating to Oreo last night, I received a huge spike in data usage, all the while being connected to WiFi. I contacted support and was told that they are aware of the issue and are working on a fix. In the meantime I have turned off mobile data while at home, so only WiFi is being used."
Historically, Android has a mechanism that shuts off 4G connectivity when there's a working wifi connection, but this time it appears that the option to have both running simultaneously has been enabled by default.
Given that this is the Developer menu which only appears after you enable it, that's a big problem.
That said, it doesn't appear to be the case for everyone.
But as badokami retorts: "I completely agree, this is a bug that should not have occurred and 99 per cent of normal users probably aren't aware that this option even exists. Honestly, I think 'Oreo' could have used a few more weeks in the oven before being unleashed to the world."
Oreo is yet to be released on any major handsets, and even the flagship Pixel devices are still running 7.1.2. But with more companies like Nokia and Sony promising swift upgrades, this is not the news that anyone wants to hear.
Then there are idiots on the Nexus forums who get all entitled about it, and will almost certainly be the ones complaining when it isn't perfect: "I bought Nexus 5x from Flipkart less than a year ago.
"Google promises OS upgrade for at least two years from the date of purchase. However, my phone still has not got system update to Android Oreo."
Samsung flagship will be made available in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB variants
Rogue employee allegedly passed sensitive info to competitors
And it's ARM-ed for crunching mind-boggling workloads
'The motion is, free coffee for all sentient robots'


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The past two quarters have been a real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tale for graphics chip maker NVIDIA
This quarter's highlight was that NVIDIA recaptured the high-end desktop graphics processing units (GPUs) segment. According to Mercury Research's Third Quarter PC Graphics Report, its market share grew from 26% to 64%. This had immediate impact, as this performance segment's gross profits are many times higher. The increase in high-end market share will also provide a long trickle-down effect as the company's latest GeForce 6 architecture is sold to mainstream and value segments. Volume production of GPUs targeting these markets has already begun.
The encouraging news is that NVIDIA's ramp-up of GeForce 6-based products is still in its early stages. Unit shipments of GeForce 6 GPUs increased more than 500% quarter over quarter and are projected to increase several times more in the fourth quarter.
It is crucial that NVIDIA leverages its re-emergence in the high end. The same report showed that in the stand-alone desktop segment, rival ATI Technologies
NVIDIA has a card up its sleeve that may prove instrumental -- GeForce 6 GPUs support the Pixel Shader 3.0 technology, a capability that ATI will not have until the first half of 2005. The jury is still out on the significance of this -- not many current games support the technology. Should it become more common, NVIDIA would have a strong trump card for a long time.
The stark contrast between second- and third-quarter results will have some asking, "Will the real NVIDIA please stand up?" There are many investors still smarting from the previous quarter's debacle (a 24% drop in price takes out plenty of stop-loss orders). NVIDIA needs to prove that the last quarter was merely an aberration. With this quarter's recovery in the performance segment, the company is well on the road to redemption. Now NVIDIA needs to bring that success to the mainstream market.
For a related Take, see:
Fool contributor Tim Goh does not own any stake in the companies mentioned.


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Shakhtar Donetsk, a number one soccer team in Ukraine, will sell a series of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The membership intends to auction plenty of signed jerseys to prefer funds for Ukrainian voters tormented by the ongoing war with Russia.
FC Shakhtar Donetsk to Auction Digital Collectibles With Befriend From Binance
Binance NFT, the marketplace for non-fungible tokens of the sphere’s leading crypto commerce, launched Friday the launch of an NFT series of FC Shakhtar Donetsk, one in every of Ukraine’s top legitimate soccer golf equipment. Next week, Shakhtar will doubtless be auctioning nine signed jerseys from its ‘Soccer for Peace’ initiative.
The foremost aim of the initiative is to reinforce Ukrainian younger of us tormented by the protection power hostilities in their country by organizing fine fits and donating the proceeds from the tickets. The auction will launch on Would possibly 7 and will final for a week, Binance detailed in a weblog post.
“The absolute most sensible bidders will each and each receive a limited edition FC Shakhtar Donetsk jersey with the ‘Soccer for Peace’ set on it,” the trading platform added. The jerseys will doubtless be autographed by all Shakhtar avid gamers and coaches, at the side of Ukrainian stars Taras Stepanenko, Mikhail Mudryk, and Andriy Pyatov.
Furthermore, 10,000 NFT Mystery Boxes will doubtless be put it on the market at 10 BUSD. They’ll even be available on the Binance NFT Market from Saturday. Proceeds from the auction and the Mystery Boxes gross sales will doubtless be donated to the Shakhtar Social Fund and the Binance Charity Relief Fund. The money will doubtless be spent to abet Ukrainians looking out humanitarian aid.
“We’re devoted to helping the Ukrainian community rise aid stronger from this disaster. Blockchain is edifying for this given the transparency and accountability that it provides,” commented Sergei Palkin, CEO of FC Shakhtar Donetsk. “All the diagram in which by the ongoing disaster in Ukraine, digital assets, at the side of NFTs, personal performed a truly main role in offering snappy, efficient, and simple abet to those in want,” added Helen Hai, head of Binance NFT.
Since Russia launched its protection power invasion in gradual February, Ukraine has been an increasing form of counting on cryptocurrency donations and has already raised millions of greenbacks in digital coins to fund its protection and resolve humanitarian issues. Contributors of the crypto community and various worldwide locations personal offered or pledged strengthen for these efforts.
Shakhtar became once first and foremost primarily based within the Jap Ukrainian city of Donetsk, currently controlled by the legitimate-Russian separatist forces. The protection power war within the Donbas place of living forced the football membership to transfer its headquarters to Kyiv. Since 2014, Shakhtar has performed its dwelling fits in Lviv, Kharkiv, and the Ukrainian capital.
It is doubtless you’ll well per chance also strengthen Ukrainian households, younger of us, refugees, and displaced of us by donating BTC, ETH, and BNB to Binance Charity’s Ukraine Emergency Relief Fund.
Tags in this epic
wait on, Auction, Binance, Binance NFT, Membership, collectibles, Sequence, Crypto, crypto commerce, Cryptocurrencies, Cryptocurrency, football, abet, humanitarian, initiative, Market, NFTs, Russia, russian, sale, Shakhtar, Shakhtar Donetsk, soccer, strengthen, team, Tokens, Ukraine, ukrainian, Ukrainians, War
Assemble you seek details from various sports activities golf equipment to reach aid up with the same crypto initiatives in strengthen of the Ukrainian of us? Uncover us within the comments section below.
Lubomir Tassev is a journalist from tech-savvy Jap Europe who likes Hitchens’s quote: “Being a writer is what I am, as opposed to what I abolish.” Apart from crypto, blockchain and fintech, worldwide politics and economics are two various sources of inspiration.
Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
Disclaimer: This text is for informational capabilities most attention-grabbing. It is no longer an instant supply or solicitation of a proposal to steal or sell, or a suggestion or endorsement of any merchandise, products and companies, or companies. Bitcoin.com does no longer provide funding, tax, edifying, or accounting suggestion. Neither the corporate nor the writer is guilty, in an instant or no longer without lengthen, for any hurt or loss introduced about or supposed to be attributable to or in connection with the utilization of or reliance on any bellow, goods or products and companies talked about in this text.


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Twitter is buzzing with rumors that Apple is on the verge of acquiring Color Labs, the company that famously raised $40 Million in venture capital before failing to produce anything that resonated with a large number of customers.
The article on The Next Web alludes to the possibility of there being some patent value in Color’s holdings. Interestingly enough, Color has apparently only recently published several patent applications related to sharing of information among “device groups.” The applications listed are all published within the past month and a half, and all feature iPhone-like art in the supporting illustrations.
I haven’t taken the time to dig through the content of these patent filings but the the fact that they are based specifically in sharing of content among iPhone-like devices, and that they were filed within the past few weeks, lends credibility to the separate speculation by The Next Web that Color’s founder Bill Nguyen has been specifically angling for an acquisition by Apple. “See these pretty iPhone patents? They could be yours!”


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With Executive Chef Nguyễn Tiến Đức from Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi
Increasing meat imports are adding to the pressure on the country’s livestock industry brought by free trade agreements and the African swine flu epidemic, experts said.
Fine dining in candle light offers more than just cuisine, it’s about emotions.Minh Thu sits down at the table.
Hòa Phát Group (HPG) targeted a revenue of VNĐ70 trillion (US$3 billion) and after-tax profit of VNĐ6.7 trillion in 2019.
Four Vietnamese tycoons have been named in Forbes Billionaires 2018, and they share a common interest in agricultural investment or businesses dedicated to benefiting Vietnamese farmers and the poor.
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is offering a free stay for two people with breakfast on February 14 for Việt Nam residents who purchase two Valentine’s dinner set menus in Le Beaulieu restaurant and a bottle of Champagne.
Việt Nam paid US$410 million for imported beef last year due to increasing demand, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
As the demand for imported beef soars, Australian exporters are strengthening their market share in Việt Nam, but the situation is fraught with risk, experts say.
The Lý Club, housed in a period building near Hoàn Kiếm Lake, offers diners quality food and traditional service in an exquisitely designed ambiance. Hà Nguyễn tries out some dishes.
Việt Nam’s dairy market is predicted to double in size by 2020, reaching US$8.2 billion as the population is expected to increase by five million and dairy consumption to rise by a compounded annual growth rate of seven per cent.


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We’re sure you’ve seen the latest headlines about how shipping delays may impact Christmas shopping this year. Well, it has been brought to our attention that current delays* in the post office delivery system could also be impacting your bills and payments.
If you are concerned about your payment reaching us on time, please call us at 251-989-6247 and one of our Member Service Representatives will be happy to help! In the meantime, we encourage you to utilize one of our many alternative payment options (like paying online, through the app, or enrolling in autopay!), which are explained here. We’re so thankful for our members during these strange and uncertain times!
*Our previous bill printing issue that resulted in mail delays last month has been resolved.


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IoT For All made the pilgrimage to sunny Los Angeles to attend MWC Los Angeles last week and we came away excited to see momentum growing within the IoT sector. The continued maturity of cellular IoT technologies such as LTE-M and NB-IoT and the launch of private LTE networks such as OnGo/CBRS within the United States and Multefire in Japan has the industry buzzing.
We believe 2020 will finally be the year that large-scale IoT deployments become more commonplace as the tailwinds of decreasing communications and infrastructure costs coupled with technical advances across the board bode well for the entire industry.
Polte provides a location services platform that makes use of ubiquitous cellular LTE networks to create a cost-effective alternative to traditional GPS technology for both indoor and outdoor applications. IoT For All met with Ed Chao (CEO), Trent Waterhouse (CMO), and JC Elliott (Director of Marketing) to talk about their recent $12.5M funding round and the momentum they’re seeing within the market for their innovative technology.
Polte supplies their firmware to baseband chipmakers such as Altair and Sequans to enable carrier-agnostic location services via patented multi-lateration techniques based on cell tower locations and cell site reference signals. Their location service can provide 30-80 meter positional resolution indoors and outdoors without using GPS–reducing component costs and increasing battery life in the process. Customers and partners simply subscribe to their cloud service to gain access to positional information and are charged on a consumption basis. Polte technology is already powering location services for several device makers that use LTE-M connectivity and the company plans to offer NB-IoT support next year.
We sat down with Colin Sutherland, Geotab’s EVP of Sales & Marketing, to learn more about the company’s GPS fleet management solutions and their data strategy. Geotab is the world’s leading connected vehicle company, helping businesses leverage the power of data and analytics to better manage and track fleet performance. The nearly 2 million vehicles within their growing network collectively drive 83 million miles daily and generate over 3 billion data points per day.
Geotab is very active in advocating for data and interface standards across car manufacturers and OEMs to help combat climate change and promote worker safety. They have nearly 50 data scientists that slice and dice their massive data sets stored in Google’s BigQuery database and provide anonymous aggregated data for free to enable better decisions on behalf of their customers and the fleet industry at large.
Geotab views the vehicle as an extension of the workplace and is committed to improving the safety and working conditions of drivers. With autonomous electric vehicles on the horizon and cars increasingly being viewed as a subscription service given the success of companies such as Uber and Lyft, they are very bullish about their position in the market and we agree with them. For more information, please visit https://www.geotab.com/
We spoke with Rohit Tripathi, SVP and Head of Products, and Meenal Prasad, Head of Product Management, at the show and learned about how they are bringing people and things together into a cohesive next-generation enterprise offering called SAP IoT Connect 365. SAP Digital Interconnect enterprise services simplify object connectivity, roaming and subscription management and data security across multiple regions and networks through a single connection and contract.
From their vantage point, the next generation of IoT services will need to do more than simply connect physical objects; they will need to overlay human-centric data from other sources such as weather, natural disasters, social networks and geopolitical events to provide business continuity and prescriptive adjustments to system performance. Adoption of IoT Connect 365 continues to grow and they are finding that customers are starting to embrace their transaction-based, pay-as-you-go model. They believe that as IoT becomes critical to business operations, risk management and simplified global reach will become more important to customers.
Synchronoss provides platforms that help customers create new experiences, engagement models and revenue streams and they recently launched an IoT platform in the smart building space with AT&T. Mary Clark, Chief Product Officer and CMO, told us that their Smart Buildings Platform, which is typically sold through operators such as AT&T, has been very successful and gives their customers new tools to monitor and control utilities and security systems–helping them to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
The platform, which is essentially the building’s operating system, can be easily integrated into structures less than 25 years old, and provides facilities managers with a single cohesive view of the entire building. Although Synchronoss is heavily focused on their smart building product right now, they see emerging opportunities in curb management in the future given the proliferation of alternative forms of transportation such as scooters and bikes. For more information, visit https://synchronoss.com/products/iot/
CalAmp is a telematics pioneer with over 10 million customers worldwide and a vast portfolio of carrier-agnostic devices that provide asset visibility and control for numerous industries such as commercial fleets, public safety, insurance and construction. Michael Burdiek, CEO, and Kim Haneke, Director of Marketing Communications, told us that they’re aggressively expanding their portfolio of solutions through a hub-and-spoke strategy. They are moving downstream and creating a layered vehicle area network that enables customers to not only track their vehicles but also gain insights about cargo and shipments through low-cost BLE devices that can be easily configured to communicate through the installed hub. For instance, a trucking company can view detailed telematics information about the driver and cab as well as perform cold-chain monitoring of the contents in the trailer through the multi-modal vehicle area network. The company’s focus on IoT solutions should unlock further growth and help solidify their leadership position within the telematics industry. For more information, visit https://www.calamp.com/
Mobilogix is a California-based startup that specializes in the technology convergence space of IoT and M2M communications. They utilize their core competency in telemetry and systems integration expertise to create intelligent end-to-end solutions that connect people to machines. Mathi Gurusamy, CEO, and Charlie Williams, VP of Sales and Business Development, met with IoT For All to talk about their recent work in the micro-mobility sector.
Micro-mobility addresses the connectivity needs of the millions of rentable electric scooters and bikes offered by companies such as Bird and Lime. Mobilogix provides the GPS-enabled device installed on many scooters plus the software solution used for remote management and control over a LTE-M connection. They have seen tremendous growth in this product line and hope to augment the solution with better data analytics, edge processing and machine learning in the future. If you’re looking for a turnkey tracking solution with the option for customized elements, visit https://mobilogix.com/
Vodafone is an established leader in the IoT connectivity space and their recently announced partnership with AT&T to enable NB-IoT roaming between North America and Europe underscores their commitment to simplifying deployments for the entire industry. IoT For All met with Phil Skipper, Head of Business Development M2M, to learn more about their App-Invent application enablement platform and how they engage customers.
App-Invent was launched in June 2019 and is an application-as-a-service platform targeted at the mid-market that specializes in asset tracking and remote monitoring. Vodafone combines a robust application platform with highly trained local teams capable of autonomously scoping, customizing and integrating applications in direct collaboration with customers. It has flexible pricing that optimally blends CapEx and OpEx business models to match customer needs. They are starting to scale with their customers and view 5G technologies such as low-cost cellular IoT and private LTE as accelerants for the industry. For more information, visit https://www.vodafone.com/business/iot/managed-iot-connectivity/iot-platform/app-invent
Comcast has been making great progress over the past few years in breaking down the silo between mobile and fixed connectivity. With over 20 million Xfinity hotspots and 1.5 million Comcast Mobile subscribers using their Verizon-powered MVNO network, they are quickly evolving from a traditional cable operator into a connectivity-agnostic communications powerhouse. Their MachineQ division continues to lead the way with LoRa network offerings and the company’s focus on security across the board increases peace of mind for anyone connecting their things to the Internet–whether that be smart home devices or businesses increasing productivity through remote monitoring. Patty Loyack, VP Xfi, Multifamily, and Digital Security, told IoT For All that providing seamless connectivity not only enables magical experiences for customers but it is lowering customer churn and driving growth for the business. Check them out at https://www.xfinity.com
We met with Jefferson Wang, Managing Director, Strategy, Communications, Media, and Technology, to get Accenture’s insights on the state of the IoT market. From their perspective, the IoT industry is going through a reboot of sorts and large enterprise customers are taking a step back to focus on data governance, access policies and privacy ahead of large-scale rollouts.
Accenture still believes the IoT market is fragmented with many custom implementations but they are seeing an increased commitment to IoT projects due to customer awareness of the power of data. They think 5G will be a big catalyst for growth next year with cellular IoT protocols such as LTE-M and NB-IoT leading the way. If you’re a large enterprise just getting started with an IoT project, check them out at https://www.accenture.com/us-en


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One person is reported dead and another has been injured after two individuals arriving in a car had attacked them with sharp weapons in a textile shop at Wewala Junction of Hikkaduwa today (Nov.30), the police said. MORE..
30 Nov 2022 (3:11 PM)
Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera says that the Southern and Ella tourism zones will be exempted from the 1 hour 20 minutes night-time power cuts with effect from December 01. MORE..
30 Nov 2022 (6:16 PM)
Lanka Sathosa says it has decided to reduce the prices of four essential food items with effect from tomorrow (Dec.01) with the aim of providing relief to the consumers. MORE..
30 Nov 2022 (7:45 PM)


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We pray for those who have lost their lives due to COVID-19, and we send our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their affected families who are currently suffering.
We also express our deepest sympathies to all management and their employees. There has undoubtedly been an immense impact on corporate and family businesses since the declaration of a state of emergency.
We would like to extend our utmost gratitude to all medical staff who are working hard amidst all uncertainties of this disease and fears of medical collapse.
In all 200,000 years of human history, pathogens have posed a considerable threat to our existence. It goes without saying that this battle against COVID-19 impacts people's daily lives and economic activities all over the world. As we reflect upon our history, even the most grim of pandemics have ceased. No matter how dark the night may be, dawn will always come--a new horizon and a new future within our gaze, and within our grasp.
From the end of February, we adopted a system to facilitate smooth communication and workflow at Gramco. All of our employees switched to work from home, and we maintain our usual work schedule through remote meetings and video conferences. Similarly, meetings, sessions, etc. with our clients continue without interruption by utilizing a remote conference system.
Although there have been influenza, SARS, and MARS epidemics in recent years, a pandemic of such enormous scale has not occurred since the 1918 Spanish Flu, which infected one-fourth of the world's population (500 million) about 100 years ago. At that time, it was referred to as a common cold in Japan, but in actuality, it was a virus. The number of affected people from 1918 to 1920 (Taisho 7 to 9) reached 23 million in Japan.
During this Spanish Flu, a recession of the post WWI economy had occurred.
Moreover, with the 14th century Plague, the feudal system came to an end and democratization had progressed. The Renaissance spread thereafter from Italy to the rest of Europe, and the times moved forward from the Middle Ages to the modern day.
Halting the rapid spread of COVID-19 is first and foremost. Japan needed three years to end the Spanish Flu, which is unacceptable in today's era. Stopping the second and third waves of this virus to restore normality--as early as possible--is paramount.
However, businesses must look towards what lies ahead after COVID-19 (or how to live with COVID-19), maintain company value, and take measures to stop brand damage.
What will change because of COVID-19?
What could happen to consumer behavior? Under the state of emergency, there have been undesirable activities such as people flocking to obtain low stock items and subsequent price gouging. Nonetheless, a change in consumption has begun, and online shops will continue to evolve. The main advantages of shopping online thus far have been its speed, convenience, and affordability. After long periods of staying home, even middle-aged and elderly people who prefer shopping at brick-and-mortar stores are becoming more familiar with online usage. Online stores share their unique brand worldview and offer experiences similar to window shopping. With the aid of 5G (including VR, etc.), they will aspire to a higher quality shopping experience.
Strong brands are undoubtedly more likely to also earn strong results in online shopping.
In addition, physical stores will be expected to undergo further changes to be “worth the visit.”
After COVID-19 is fully contained, consumers are likely to enter a psychological state known as “revenge consumption.”
People may currently feel restrained, but once they are allowed to go out, they will satiate their desires of travelling, shopping, and eating out. As health consciousness becomes greater, the desire for learning will presumably increase not only among people with strong ambitions, but also among overall populations.
The shift to remote work has been sudden, dramatic, and impactful. With the state of emergency declaration, this swift evolution was necessary and absolute. As a result, not only the younger generation, but also managers and executives have become familiar with this telework initiative. From now on, the incorporation of telework into our ways of working is widely expected. The introduction of 5G will also support this work style. In other words, our current situation is the catalyst for changing the way we work.
Work procedures will become more efficient. Though, there is a risk that language expression and communication may become rather blunt and emotionless. Remote conferences promptly end within the scheduled time--which is good and timely--but some argue that such conferences may turn superficial and end without deeper discussion.
Perhaps the biggest change is in people's values.
With heavier online usage, accelerated digital transformation, and the continued demand for social distancing, we must avoid encouraging the feelings of isolation that may occur. More than ever, we must have empathy and boost mutual support.
On the company level, now is the time for leaders to be vigilant so that their employees feel connected and united. It is a crucial time to clarify the company's purpose in order to rise higher. After all, those results will indeed serve as the future basis for social thought.
On the other hand, clients and consumers will be stricter towards businesses. Needing a good reason to engage with a brand will become the norm. Brand message and its underlying concept will most likely need to transform.
Amidst these changing times, is your company/brand being able to clearly communicate its values and feelings to the people both within and beyond the company?
It is essential for companies to make arrangements and preparations for moving forward With Corona/After Corona, all while being aware of various changes that may occur.
As a Japanese branding firm with an enviable track record in Japan and a global foundation, Gramco's duty is to assist Asian brands to advance worldwide. With greater commitment, we work towards our mission so that these brands will continue to shine.
Together, we can overcome this pandemic. And together, we will create our new tomorrow.
President and CEO


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When Kate Paulson’s* mother comes over to visit, she and her grandchildren typically watch a movie together. But about a year ago Paulson noticed that every time they sat down to watch, her mother would get on her phone and go on social media.
Her mother-in-law similarly spends a lot of time on her device when her grandchildren are around. “As much as my mother-in-law likes to do things with them, she absolutely loves her iPad,” says Paulson. “She plays games a lot when she’s babysitting the kids and gives it to them to use way more than I would.”
She’s also found that after the kids go to sleep, her mother-in-law stays up late playing games, which makes her exhausted–and sometimes short and irritable with the children—in the morning. “That irks me,” says Paulson.
When it comes to screen time, Paulson, like most parents, keeps a close eye on the amount of time her children spend on their devices. But she’s worried about how much time her kids’ grandmothers are spending on their phones and iPads when they’re with her kids—and the effect it might be having on her kids. It’s an awkward subject to bring up though, especially to her mother-in-law, she says, as she doesn't typically think of needing to "parent" the grandparents. “I don’t want to open a can of worms,” she says.
Paulson’s kids aren’t the only ones whose grandparents gravitate to tablets and phones when they’re around—a Rutgers University study found that kids’ aged two to seven spend about 50 percent of their time on a device—watching videos or playing games—during their visits with grandparents.
And while people often think of excessive phone use as a younger generation issue, studies show that boomers are just as enamoured with their devices as other age groups. Depending on which piece of research you look at, those born between 1944 and 1964, spend 10 hours a day, on average, in front of some sort of screen, with smartphones accounting for between two and five hours of that total. Much of that time is spent playing games or surfing the Internet— Facebook is big among this cohort, according to studies.
As well, while all age groups have seen their smartphone use increase over the years, the 65-plus group was the only cohort that didn’t cut back on other types of screentime—boomers just added more to their days. “In many cases they’re like 12 or 13-year-olds who have just gotten their first smartphone,” says Matthew Johnson, director of education at MediaSmarts, an Ottawa-based organization that studies and promotes digital and media literacy. “I’m always hesitant to use words like addictive, because the science isn’t there yet, but we know that people can spend time with these types of activities at the expense of other things in their lives.”
While there so far aren’t studies that have looked at how increasing smartphone use impacts the grandparent-grandchild relationship, there are some on how the parent-child relationship is affected by device usage, which Johnson says may be applicable. A big issue with distracted parenting—the term given to parents who overuse their mobiles when they’re around children —is that it can put children in danger. A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found a correlation between phone use by parents and incidences of playground injury.
A separate Boston Medical Center study found that distracted parents were more likely to get irritated with their children’s behavior—they get upset faster—while other research has found that too much screen time can impact the connection between parents and children. “There’s no reason to think that wouldn’t be true with grandparents as well,” says Johnson.
When it comes to grandparents and device use, however, it's important to keep things in perspective and look at the specific circumstances. For example, Sara Dimerman, a Toronto-based psychologist, parenting expert and author, says the length of the visit might play a role: if your kid is with their grandparent for a few hours during the day, for example, they can probably keep their phones at bay, but if a sleepover is involved, they’ll be more likely to need their fix.
Grandparents might also consider watching YouTube videos or playing iPad games together to be time well spent with their grandkids—and many simply want to please their grandchildren, so they’re quick to say yes to screentime. This isn’t necessarily all that different from the past—many of us watched cartoons or other television programs with our grandparents—but if it’s what they mostly do together, then that’s a problem, says Dimerman.
She doesn’t necessarily recommend butting in, though. As long as everyone is happy, a little extra phone time for the children and the grandparents at a weekend sleepover is similar to when the grandparents give their grandkids an extra helping of ice cream after dinner, says Dimerman.
However, pay attention to see if it’s impacting the grandparent-grandchild relationship, says Julie Freedman Smith, founder of Calgary-based Parenting Power. It’s likely a problem if your children mention it. They might say that they would like to talk to their grandmother, but they can’t or maybe they say something about getting into arguments with a grandparent when they’re on their phone, because the grandparent isn’t listening when the child is trying to interact with them. “These are good indications that something’s happening—that they’re trying to get the adult’s attention,” says Freedman Smith.
If you do see the device use as a bigger issue, then at some point you will need to talk to your parents. That’s what Paulson did about the phone during movie night. “I finally told her that it bothered me,” she says. “I said we’re not spending quality time together if everyone is distracted by a device.” Fortunately, her mother listened to what she was saying, and she hasn’t picked up her device during movie time again.
It’s a different story with her mother-in-law. While she would like to say something about her smartphone use, she hasn’t spoken up. “I don’t like conflict,” says Paulson. So far, she’s handled it by telling her kids to abide by the house smartphone rules when they’re at a sleepover, which they do, she says. “They hand the phone back to her when they’ve reached their limit,” she says. “My 14-year-old even sets a timer.”
If you do want to talk to your family member, using blaming or accusatory language won’t get you very far. Instead, be respectful and constructive. Ask your parents if they would be willing to hear your perspective on cell phone use in general and the way they are hoping to model this to your children. Then, you can ask for the grandparents' support, suggests Dimerman. Use words like, “I’ve noticed that,” or “I’m hoping you can,” as opposed to, “you’re always on the phone,” adds Freedman Smith. Don’t have this conversation as the parent is using their phone—wait for another time, when they’re not using it and when the kids aren’t around. As well, if you find you're taking the grandparents' phone use personally—and wondering WHY they'd rather be on their phones than hanging out with your kids—try and keep your emotions at bay. It might help to script what you’re going to say ahead of time.
As well, as much as your parents may like to be around the kids, it’s possible they don’t know what to do with them. If they seem open to it, you can give them ideas on where to take their grandkids—an indoor playground, for instance—or offer some ideas for activities, like colouring or drawing, that they can do with them. It’s also fine to let your parents know that it’s OK to say no to screentime, adds Dimerman.
When it comes to playing video games with the grandkids on devices, Freedman Smith doesn’t think parents should get too worked up. “There is some kind of communication happening between the child and the adult,” she says. “I think it's healthier if they are using it together.” Still, there’s nothing wrong with explaining the rules you have at your house and asking the grandparents to follow them as best they can. As well, the Canadian Paediatric Society has screen time guidelines, such as no screen time for children under two, which you can review with your parents.
Parents need to look at their own phone use, too. If you’re on your phone constantly, then what kind of message are you sending to not only your children, but your parents, too? “Look at your own behaviour,” says Dimerman. If you’re trying hard to curb your own smartphone overuse then you can say to your parents that you’re working hard at making changes and it would be great if they could do their part. If you’re not trying to improve, then it may be harder to convince other people to adjust their own habits.
While Paulson wishes her mother-in-law would use her phone less, the kids do bond with their grandmother, she says. They go for walks and participate in other activities, like playing board games, baking, going to the movies and shopping together. She also shows up for their school activities and cheers them on, so it’s not all smart phone all the time. And, in those cases when she's taking them for a few nights, a little distracted grandparenting is still worth the break from parenting. “Who would ever say no to having a weekend off?” she says. If she has one piece of advice for grandparents, it’s to remember what made them feel connected to their kids or to their grandparents when they were younger. “No one will look back and say we really wish we had more screen time with grandma.”
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As demonstrated in the PYMNTS Store Front Business Index, Store Front businesses are the heartbeat of the local economy.
The Index assembles data on each and every one of these businesses across the U.S. and measures their vitality every single quarter; think of it as your window into the health of this vital sector each and every 90 days.
So how is that view looking?
Well, according to a new study from JPMorgan Chase Business Leaders, it’s a little uncertain. As detailed in the 2016 JPMorgan Chase Business Leaders Outlook report, the outlook is positive on a local economy level, but nationally/globally is a little more shaky.
The study, which takes into account the perspective of executives from middle market businesses and small businesses, shows that they have positive outlooks for the next 12 months (70 percent and 69 percent, respectively). But when looking at that from a more national perspective? That middle market exec crowd dips to 10 percent being optimistic, and 27 percent of small businesses execs feeling the same.
“While business leaders admittedly see challenges overseas, they continue to see opportunities at home and anticipate positive growth in international markets over the next few years,” said Jim Glassman, Senior Economist at JPMorgan Chase.
“The challenges facing middle market businesses, especially those related to hiring talent and managing costs are indications of growing pains,” said John Simmons, Head of Middle Market Banking and Specialized Industries, Commercial Banking, Chase. “It is a positive sign that even with concerns about the global economy, their growth expectations remain strong.”
Here’s how the numbers broke down:
- Local economy: 50 percent optimistic, compared to 62 percent in 2015
- National economy: 39 percent optimistic, compared to 68 percent in 2015
- Global economy: 10 percent optimistic, compared to 19 percent in 2015
The top challenges facing businesses, according to the study in 2016 are:
- Revenue/sales growth (74 percent), named by the most respondents in the history of the survey.
- The retail industry was higher at 86 percent.
- Limited supply of talent (40 percent), especially in the construction (63 percent) and services (50 percent) industries.
- Managing labor costs (40 percent) which is highest in the West (52 percent).
- Despite global pessimism in this area, businesses project strong international growth for their companies.
- Among the 60 percent who are globally active, seven out of 10 (70 percent) expect their overseas sales to increase in the next five years.
- Sixty-nine (69) percent of small businesses are optimistic about their own company’s performance.
- Local economy: 53 percent optimistic, compared to 55 percent in 2015.
- National economy: 43 percent optimistic, compared to 47 percent in 2015.
- Global economy: 27 percent optimistic, compared to 26 percent in 2015.
- Fifty-eight (58) percent of small businesses plan to obtain financing this year, compared to 52 percent in 2015.
- The top reasons for using the proceeds – for those considering loans of $100K or less – are: buying and repairing equipment (19 percent); purchasing inventory (18 percent); expansions (15 percent); and software and technology (15 percent).
The top challenges facing small businesses for 2016 are:
- Growing revenue/sales (48 percent).
- Uncertainty of economic conditions (33 percent).
- Taxes (28 percent).
“The challenges they are facing are certainly significant, yet not out of the ordinary for small businesses,” said Jennifer Piepszak, CEO of Business Banking at Chase. “Their general eagerness to seek financing is a strong sign that they are readying for near- and long-term growth.”
How PYMNTS’ Research Stacks Up
PYMNTS’ Store Front Business Index continues to show positive, healthy results. While demonstrating some volatility coming out of the recession, since the second half of 2012 it has shown steady growth through the second quarter of 2015.
From a benchmark of 100 in the first quarter of 2007, the SFBI has increased to 112.9 in Q2 2015. The SFBI was (not surprisingly) at its lowest in Q1 2010. From those depths it has increased by 14.5 percent through Q2 2015. Year over year, in the 2nd quarter of 2015, the Index value increased by 3.1 percent, as compared to the second quarter of 2014.
Specific improvement was driven regionally by 4.1 percent and 4.0 percent gains in the Southwest and Mountain areas, respectively, and categorically by 4.9 percent gains for Professional Services. Growth continues to be strong, and our growth forecast shows a slight reduction to 3.0 percent for the fourth quarter of 2015. This projection is led by regional increases in the Pacific West and categorically continues to be led by Professional Services. Nevertheless, if our forecast hits the mark, the SFBI will stand at 114.5 as of the end of 2015.
For more details about this month’s Store Front Business Index, click here to download the entire Index.


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Former Bullied Teen Model Gets Booked for New York Fashion Week
What goes around, comes around. After being bullied for years at school due to severe acne on her face, a teenager named Cassandra Bankson is getting the last laugh — the model was recently booked to strut down the runway at New York Fashion Week.
According to the Daily Mail, Bankson, who first garnered a lot of attention last year after releasing a 10-minute YouTube video (see video below) about the way she uses makeup to hide her acne, is scheduled to walk the catwalk, wearing items from the U.S. label Boy Meets Girl's spring / summer collection. Cassandra told TODAY.com that she left school after being bullied and spent her time doing research to find out which makeup products worked best on her face. She was diagnosd with cystic acne at the age of 14, and her skin condition is 70 percent improved since she first started creating her YouTube tutorials.
Related: Stars at New York Fashion Week
This all comes after Bankson's video, which has gotten close to 40 million hits, got the attention of national modeling agencies. Since then, she has been modeling for brands such as Bebe and Range Rover.
Related: 12 Model Beauty Tricks We All Should Know
Tell us: What do you think of Cassandra's story?
Photo: Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images; © DiamondsAndHeels14 via YouTube
beauty tips and style advice
Forget spanx! These clever pieces use color blocks and patterns to help you look thinner. Click through for 15 pieces that will ensure you won't have to hit the gym post-Thanksgiving.
Celebrity beauty looks made headlines this year. Super short cuts topped the news, but that wasn’t the only trend creating a buzz. Punk looks turned haute, peroxide blonde became the color of the moment, and braids reached an unprecedented level of artistry. Here, we look back at the most memorable hits and misses. For more year-end roundups, check out the Best and Worst Red Carpet Looks of 2013.
From the good, the bad, to the just plain bizarre, we’ve rounded up the top 13 hits and misses to grace the red carpet this year. For more year-end roundups, check out the Best Hairstyles of 2013.
=Hairdresser Rossano Ferretti can expect plenty of business following my news that the Duchess of Cambridge booked in to his luxury hair spa for a marathon six-hour session recently.
Selena Gomez with short hair? Behold the evidence at the KISS FM Jingle Ball last night.
Having a sister means stealing each other’s clothes and fighting over the bathroom mirror. It also means enjoying two wardrobes and sharing new beauty-product tips and tricks. Here, our five favorite sets of celebrity sisters and the beauty lessons we’ve learned from them.


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Tata Motors might bring in a new Jeep-like rugged SUV in the entry-level segment, aims on competing with Thar and Jimny
Tata Motors seems to have plans of bringing a new lifestyle-friendly SUV in the entry-level segment. This new SUV is looking forward to competing against the likes of Mahindra Thar and Maruti Jimmy.
According to reports, N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Motors made statements during the Tata Motors’ 78th Annual General Meeting, which suggested the possibility of a new Jeep-like rugged SUV. He further expressed in the meeting that the company is invested in exploring different market segments.
Reports also suggest that this new SUV in discussion won’t be a rip-off or imitation of any existing model. The company seems eager to produce a fresh SUV, which can target the niche competitive SUV segment.
As of now, the company hasn’t revealed any detailed possible features or specifications. However, one can speculate on the possibilities of the upcoming SUV.
Since the suggestions state that the new SUV would be a Jeep-like rugged SUV, we can think of their Curvv or revamped Sierra, which are notable names by Tata Motors in the rugged SUV segment.
Competing with Mahindra Thar or Maruti Suzuki’s Jimny however, isn’t going to be that easy. The Thar has gained massive success by selling about 1 lakh units, ever since it was launched in 2020. On the other hand, Jimny has marked about 50,000 booking statistics, which makes it another product that already has a good hold of the market credibility.
After recent inputs, we can now wait for Tata Motors to share more information about the upcoming SUV. The market will anticipate the same and look forward to teasers, unleashing, and inputs about the features and specifications.


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The members of Delta Tau Delta at Florida Atlantic University capitalized on the inevitable long lines people would be waiting in for new iPhones today. For the meager price of a $100 donation to their charity, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the boys have camped out all night in line for an iPhone so you don’t have to.
Last year, the guys raised about $4500 for their cause, and this year, the philanthropy event is bigger than ever. Sixty brothers, none of whom will be buying their own iPhones, have been camping out since 10pm last night at Boca Raton’s Town Center mall waiting for the release of the newest Apple product. The guys were permitted to enter the mall at 6 o’clock this morning, and were admittedly “pretty sleep-deprived,” but overall felt good about what they were doing.
DTD has gotten some backlash for “exploiting” the Apple product, but overall the response has been pretty positive. Local pizza shops and FAU sororities have supported the brothers of Delta Tau Delta by providing them with snacks for their hard work. Tons of people have donated money, and pleased with themselves, the boys seem ready to tailgate tomorrow, per their Twitter account.
[via Local 10]
Image via WLRN


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LG will announce eight new 8K TVs at CES 2020 in Las Vegas next week. These will be headlined by both an 88- and 77-inch LG Signature OLED model, and accompanied by six (slightly) more affordable LG NanoCell sets, which will be available with the choice of either a 75- or 65-inch screen.
These models will be decked out with the latest hardware the manufacturer has to offer, including its state-of-the-art Alpha 9 Gen 3 A.I. processor. LG says it’s a lot more advanced than its predecessor, having been armed with all the skills needed to transform Full HD into an 8K Ultra HD resolution.
In fact, the Alpha 9 is so powerful that it’s helped the 8K TVs surpass the Consumer Technology Association’s benchmark for 8K Ultra HD certification, redefining what it means to be an 8K TV — a dig at arch-rival Samsung’s current 8K TVs, which merely comply with the specification, not exceed it.
Designed with the future in mind, the Alpha 9 supports all the latest codecs, such as HEVC and AV1 — the latter of which is used by major streaming services like YouTube. This means the 8K TVs can theoretically stream 8K Ultra HD at 60 frames per second, so long as there’s an internet connection fast enough to fuel it.
“LG is committed to providing consumers with an outstanding viewing experience,” said LG Home CEO Park Hyoung-sei. “With LG 8K OLED and NanoCell TVs, customers can know they are getting future-proofed products that deliver mesmerizing picture quality regardless of the format.”
In typical fashion, LG made several other claims about the new Alpha 9 driving the 8K TVs, saying it uses A.I. to achieve a whole new level of remastering witchcraft, in terms of both image and audio — but we won’t be able to tell how accurate that is until we set our eyes on them next week.
Just one of these nifty enhancements is A.I. Sound Pro. The manufacturer says this can detect and categorize the audio across five categories — movies and sports, for example — and remaster it accordingly to produce clearer voices and more immersive background noise when required.
Of course, no modern television would be complete if it wasn’t armed with smart software — and LG’s latest 8K TVs sport the brand’s impressive webOS system, which provides one-click access to all of the leading streaming services and voice control for simplified navigation.
LG will detail pricing and availability at its press conference on January 6.
- Samsung’s biggest Neo QLED 8K TV comes with an equally huge price
- Denon’s small-room 8K AV receivers start at $549
- Are TCL and Hisense the next LG and Samsung?
- Samsung debuts Premiere 8K UST projector at CES 2023 with images up to 150 inches
- Samsung shows off the first two 77-inch QD-OLED 4K TVs at CES 2023


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The arrival of fall — or close enough, anyway — means a few things. Football. Too much excitement for pumpkin spice. And all kinds of new tech. And that extends to the TV world (and more) this week with TCL’s global flagship product launch.
TCL is probably best-known for its televisions. And we’ll hear plenty on the latest in QD-Mini LED tech (we’ve been plenty impressed by the Mini LED side of things thus far). But we’re also expecting more from the world of home theater products in general, as well as smart home appliances, NXTPAPER (we first saw that sort-of Kindle/iPad hybrid at CES in January), and plenty more.
So there’s going to be plenty for everyone. But, of course, we’re all looking forward to the latest on the TV front given TCL’s proclivity for creating televisions that hit the sweet spot between features and affordability. (Plus there’s this 98-inch monster that just got announced that we can’t wait to get our hands on.) And maybe a few other surprises on that front? There’s only one way to find out, of course. And that’s by flying to Europe, eating some great food, having some great coffee, and then checking out the whole thing.
Or, ya know, fire up your computer and watch live from the safety and comfort of your own home.
The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday, August 29. (That’s 5 a.m. on the West Coast, and 2 p.m. local time in Europe, where the event is taking place.)
You’ll be able to watch the event live on TCL’s YouTube channel.


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Dragon Age: Inquisition Won't Feature DLC Characters
BioWare says Dragon Age: Inquisition will feature nine party members, but don't get your hopes up if you want to bring that number into the double digits. According to the game's creative director, the game is breaking from past titles in the series by not supporting downloadable characters post release.
In an interview with OXM, creative director Mike Laidlaw says the decision was part technical, and part political. Characters are a fundamental part of the game's design, so some of their data has to be baked onto the game discs. Because of that, Laidlaw says some consumers see it as being forced to pay for content that is already part of the game. "It's not the case, but we've decided this time to not go that route," he says. "There will be no DLC party members."
The decision to avoid character-based DLC seems to indicate that EA and BioWare are listening to feedback from consumers, which is a good thing. Nine characters is about the norm for the series, too, which means that players won't necessarily miss out on a robust group of adventurers by not shelling out additional cash. Now we get to start speculating about what kinds of DLC we will see in the game.


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Raymond jumps 7% as the company stitches a profitable Q4
The counter is trading 15-odd per cent lower to its 52-week high of Rs 408.95. However, in May 2018, it surpassed Rs 1,100. Shares of Raymond did not actively participate in the market during 2020 as the scrip is still about halfway from its pre-Covid levels.
850% jump in a year! This textile midcap is riding a new Covid-induced trend
Analysts attributed the performance to the company’s focus on im...
Business units other than essential goods and services closed in Karnataka till May 4 to contain COVID
According to the modified order, ratio...
Indian textile industry faces shortage of Viscose Staple Fibre, wants duties to be removed
The industry has been pleading the Government to remove anti-dumping duty of USD 0.103 to 0. 512 per kg imposed on the VSF during the last several years, which is under active consideration. The Government is mulling the removal at the time of sunset review which is due in August 2021.
COVID-19: Surat textile/diamond workers need to get tested once a week
In daily tests here in Gujarat, majority of those found infected are associated with the textile business, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) said in a release issued on Monday evening.
PLI for man-made fibre, setting up of 7 textile parks to boost production, exports: AEPC
The council in a statement said that buying houses believe that Indian man-made fibre (MMF) garment exporters can aspire to grab USD 20 billion business in the global MMF garment trade even as the domestic apparel industry works at resolving its limitations.
China exports spike to highest in decades after Covid-19 hit
Electronics and textile exports such as masks contributed to the spike in outbound shipments, as demand for work-from-home supplies and protective gear against the virus outbreak soared during the pandemic.
Cosmo Films to foray into FMCG business
Cosmo chief executive Pankaj Poddar said: “We are responding to evolving consumer needs by extending our core business to categories where we have synergies.”
Reliance's proposed business reorganisation credit neutral: Fitch
The reorganisation of the business in Reliance O2C Limited (O2C) "will have a neutral impact on RIL's credit metrics and rating," it said in a statement.
Expect business to be back to normal by August: Arvind Fashions
In the third quarter ended December, the Bengaluru-based retailer registered 106% sequential growth driven by festivals, winter sales and online shopping. “Our ecommerce business recorded 230% growth over last year and now contributes to 20% of our business,” Chaturvedi said.
BRFL Textiles completes Rs 240 crore equity investment from marquee investors
BRFL Textiles Pvt Ltd (BTPL) was recently formed as a separate entity in August 2020 as part of a restructuring process undertaken by Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd.
TVS Group approaches NCLT for business recast
The ownership restructuring would not affect either the management or functioning of the various listed and unlisted companies in the TVS Group and they would continue to be managed by the same family members.
This stock is analysts' top pick in textiles
The stock has rallied 17 per cent in the last year. It is currently trading at 9.5 times its FY23 estimated earnings, compared with its five-year average forward PE of 13.3.
Century Textiles Q2 results: Posts net loss of Rs 10.35 cr
The company posted a "resilient performance amidst challenging market conditions on account of the pandemic-induced shutdowns," CTIL said in a post-earnings statement.


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Staff at two Lincoln bakeries have been left bewildered after they received a call to tell them their stores were closing and they have been made redundant with immediate effect.
Cooplands bakeries in the Bailgate and in the Carlton Centre have both closed without notice to either customers or staff.
The company has claimed in a letter to its employees that the decision was made due to rising operational costs.
In February 2015, Cooplands entered administration resulting in the closure of three Lincoln stores. Some 39 stores had been closed nationally, including the ones on Lincoln High Street, Sincil Street and in The Forum in North Hykeham, resulting in more than 300 job losses nationally.
However, the two up hill stores remained open at the time.
One employee, who wanted to remain anonymous, told The Lincolnite that they received a phone call earlier in the week telling them the store had closed. They later received a letter in the post confirming they had been made redundant.
The employee said: “I am very saddened by the way this was handled as it was a complete unexpected shock.
“Cooplands has shut down a few stores and made everyone in those stores redundant with zero notice. The shops have already had fridges and oven and everything taken out as well.”
The letter received by employees says that staff will continue to receive weekly payments and will receive notice of any redundancy and holiday pay within 14 days of the letter being sent.
The letter, written by George Burdett, Head of Retail for the company, says: “On behalf of the company, I regret the necessity for this decision and I would like to thank you for your valued service with the company and offer our best wishes for the future.”
Attempts to reach the Cooplands Bakery by The Lincolnite to comment on the situation have so far gone unanswered.


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The athletes and tourists from all over the world don't have to worry at all about vegetable safety during the Beijing Olympic Games, said an official with the Supervision and Testing Center for Vegetable Quality of Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).
Liu Su, vice director of the center said on Thursday that his center would dedicate full efforts to cooperate with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) in order to ensure vegetable safety during the sports event in 2008.
According to Liu, the center, which came into operation in January of 1999 after jointly certified by the Ministry of Agriculture and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ), now has more than 40 types of advanced testing and analyzing appliances including gas chromatographer, automatic nitrogen determining instrument, plasma emission spectrometer, ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, for testing nutritious qualities, mineral elements, microbes and various pollutants such as pesticide residues and heavy metal contents of vegetables.
Liu said the testing of vegetables at the center would strictly follow China's national standards for safe vegetables, 80 percent of which are similar to international standards.
Liu said, the MOA introduced a regular surveillance system for supervising agricultural product quality and safety in 2001. 125,000 samples of vegetables, animal products and aquatic products have been tested, and 1.1 million effective data have been collected.
At the present, the MOA regular surveillance covers pesticide residues in vegetables in 37 cities, clenbuterol contamination in animal products as well as diethylstilbestrol contamination in chicken in 36 cities, and chloramphenicol residues in aquatic products in 22 cities. According to the surveillance findings in this April, the compliance rate of vegetable samples tested for the pesticide residue in 37 cities was over 94 percent, live pig samples tested for the clenbuterol contamination 98.9 percent, the aquatic product samples tested for the chloramphenicol residues 99.4 percent.
Liu said the findings showed that agricultural product quality and safety are reliable in China.
Statistics showed that there are in total 323 ministerial quality and safety testing centers for agricultural products, and the Supervision and Testing Center for Vegetable Quality of MOA is only one of them whose special focus is on vegetable quality and safety. 12 percent of the centers focus on multi-purpose testing, 59 percent is specialized in testing of crop, animal or aquatic products, 18 percent for testing agricultural inputs, and 11 percent for other testing purposes. There are also more than 200 provincial testing centers and more than 1500 testing centers at the county level.
(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2007)


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UBS Reiterates Buy as Centene (CNC) Completes Dialog with California Department of Insurance
- Donald Trump Sworn in as 45th U.S. President
- Wall Street ends higher as Trump becomes president
- Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) Said to Face Antitrust Concern for Rite Aid (RAD) Fix - Bloomberg
- Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) Says It Won't Pursue Accelerated U.S. Regulatory Pathway for Opdivo Plus Yervoy in Lung Cancer
- Apple (AAPL) Sues Qualcomm (QCOM) Over Patent Royalties in Antitrust Case - Bloomberg
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UBS reiterated a Buy rating and $80.00 price target on Centene (NYSE: CNC) as the company completes its ongoing dialog with the California Department of Insurance. Management submitted its final filing for 2017 benefit plan design and rate adjustments associated with the off-exchange PPO plans. The company plans to provide additional details and what the premium update and benefit design changes mean for 2017 following its 3Q release on 10/25.
Analyst A.J. Rice commented, "After the close, CNC filed an 8-K noting that the company has completed its ongoing dialog with the California Department of Insurance and has submitted its final filing for 2017 benefit plan design and rate adjustments associated with the off-exchange PPO plans. CNC shares closed down 5.5% on Monday on concerns around the lack of update on the company's CA PPO premium rate and benefit design changes. In a quick conversation with the company post its 8-K release, management notes that these design changes, along with other provider contracting and medical management initiatives, will significantly improve the performance of its CA off-exchange PPO plan in 2017 versus a loss of $125 mln recognized as PDR in 2016."
Shares of Centene closed at $63.31 yesterday.
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Geneva preview: NLV Quant
February 23, 2010 § Leave a comment
NLV Solar AG last year commissioned Swedish supercar-maker Koenigsegg to collaborate on an electrically-driven super-coupe. A model of the Quant made its debut at last year’s Geneva Motor Show, complete with solar panels to supplement battery-charge – and next week, a nearer-production version is to debut, reports Autoblog Green.
The Quant is a four-seater with a carbonfibre chassis, a body now entirely covered in a solar film to trap energy, and four 150kW motors to propel it. More details in Geneva; the company says that “within the coming year, the NLV Quant will be fully engineered and ready for production”, and the car’s progress can be followed online.
The Quant is planned to be the first production car with a four-seat carbon fiber chassis and a body entirely covered in a thin solar film. Propulsion will come by way of a quartet of 150 kilowatt electric motors. We’ll be looking for more details next week.


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Google's dominance of the UK search market is even greater than in the US - it accounted for 81% of all internet searches in the UK in December, compared to 59% of US searches, according to research firm comScore.
Jim Brigden, chief executive of The Search Works - Google's biggest UK client - said his company would certainly welcome competition to Google on a European basis.
He said: "The proposed Microsoft/Yahoo merger sounds like a compelling concept, but there's a long way to go and it would certainly be a couple of years before it would have any impact in Europe."
Andrew Girdwood, head of search at Bigmouthmedia, said a Microsoft/Yahoo merger would benefit clients.
He said: "Everyone wins if Google has more competition. The hope is that Microsoft plus Yahoo will equal three and while Google has expressed concern about the deal it has welcomed competition before.
"It's great news for us. To get Yahoo's level of traffic and Microsoft's rates of conversion will make more money for our clients."
Tony Samios, chief operating officer at Steak Media, said: "At the moment it's a three-horse race, but two of the contenders aren't strong enough to compete. Finally, Google is going to get some competition."
Microsoft and Yahoo's UK operations were remaining tight-lipped about the proposed $44.6bn take-over announced on Friday.
However, Google's managing director for UK sales, Mark Howe, agreed with suggestions that Microsoft could now attempt to exert the same sort of influence over the internet that it did with the PC.
He told Media Week: "Competition stimulates the market and we welcome fair and honest competition. Yahoo has had a tough time of it of late when it comes to search and it's not healthy to have weakened colleagues."
Microsoft, meanwhile, has ramped up its rhetoric through its corporate blog. "The combination of Microsoft and Yahoo will create a more competitive marketplace by establishing a compelling number-two competitor for internet search and online," the company wrote.


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Despite a strong performance in the overall stock market, Disney shareholders have experienced a disappointing year. The stock has remained stagnant, leaving investors eager for signs of a recovery.
All eyes now turn to the upcoming earnings report for the June quarter, which is scheduled to be released after the close of trading on Wednesday. Hopes are high that this report will provide some much-needed positive news.
However, Disney is facing numerous challenges. Its streaming business has underperformed, and recent box-office sales for its films have been weak. One such example is the significant failure of “Haunted Mansion.” Additionally, ESPN and other cable television channels are struggling due to the rise of cord-cutting and other issues.
According to Wall Street analysts tracked by FactSet, the consensus estimate is that sales will reach $22.5 billion for the quarter, representing a 4.6% increase compared to the previous year. Adjusted profits are expected to reach 97 cents per share, a decrease from $1.09 in the same quarter last year.
The Media and Entertainment division is forecasted to see a 1.6% increase in revenue, reaching $14.3 billion. This includes an estimated 13% growth in direct-to-consumer media revenue, including Disney+. However, Linear Networks (the cable channels) are expected to face a 6.3% decline, bringing their revenue down to $6.7 billion.
As for the Parks, Experiences, and Products segment, analysts predict revenue of $8.1 billion, representing a 10% increase. Within this segment, the parks and experiences business is anticipated to grow by 10%, although consumer products are projected to decrease by 7%.
Disney Stock Faces Challenges as Analyst Lowers Target Price
Analyst Bryan Kraft from Deutsche Bank has reiterated his Buy rating on Disney stock ahead of the quarterly results. However, he has lowered the target price from $131 to $120. Kraft explains that the reduction in target price is due to lower estimates, primarily driven by decreased advertising revenue and “underperformance at the box office.” Additionally, softer theme park attendance in Orlando, Florida, has also contributed to the revised target price.
Despite these challenges, Disney stock closed at $88.13 on Tuesday, showing a 1.4% increase so far this year, while the S&P 500 has risen by 17%.
Kraft predicts that the company will lower its full-year financial forecasts, which previously anticipated high single-digit growth in both revenue and segment operating income. This adjustment is widely anticipated, and its impact is largely factored into Disney’s current stock price.
Disney faces multiple headwinds, as Kraft acknowledges. The ongoing strike by Hollywood actors and writers is causing various disruptions to the business. This includes delays in movie and TV show releases. Kraft also notes a “creative slump” at Disney, citing poor performances of recent films such as the latest Indiana Jones installment and the animated adventure Strange World.
The future of ESPN is another concern. Kraft believes that a streaming version of the service will launch by 2025 or 2026, although specific details have not been disclosed yet.
Investors are also interested in Disney’s plans for its nonsports linear channels, including ABC, National Geographic, FX, and the Disney Channel. In a recent CNBC interview, CEO Bob Iger hinted that these channels might not be core to the company’s future. Speculation has arisen that some or all of these channels could be up for sale.
Furthermore, Disney is expected to acquire the one-third stake in Hulu currently held by Comcast. Under the existing agreement between the two companies, Comcast has the right to sell its stake to Disney in January at a minimum valuation of $27.5 billion.
Overall, Disney’s potential challenges and upcoming developments have implications for its stock performance. Investors will be closely monitoring the quarterly results and subsequent announcements from the company.


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According to the Provincial Economic Activities Study Report, 2020/21, issued by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the area under food crop cultivation in the province has expanded by 2.69 percent, while production has increased by 6.52 percent.
Rice production has increased by 3.81 percent, while maize and millet production has increased by 17.45 percent.
According to the survey, the Salyan district has the largest vegetable production in the province, while the Humla district has the lowest.
Egg, meat, and fish output has increased, while milk product production has decreased by 0.69 percent.
The analysis determined that the lockdown and limits imposed in response to the COVID-19 risk were to blame for the fall in vegetable and milk production.
According to the NRB report, the tourism industry was the hardest damaged. Tourist arrivals have dropped dramatically in the province. The number of tourists arriving has dropped by 94.96 percent.
There has been a 6.43 percent decrease in the number of tourist-grade hotels and resorts. The number of hotel beds, on the other hand, has climbed by 12%.
Meanwhile, the registration of land and dwellings, as well as the cash generated from them, has increased significantly. The number of people who register has climbed by 57%, while revenue has increased by 162%.


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Posted Tue Sep 13, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by Tom Landy
The family comedy will meow to Blu-ray in November.
In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is working on 'Nine Lives' for Blu-ray on November 1.
Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner and Christopher Walken star in this purr-fect family comedy. Billionaire Tom Brand's (Spacey) workaholic lifestyle has distanced him from his beautiful wife Lara (Garner) and adoring daughter Rebecca (Malina Weissman). Hoping to make amends, Tom buys Rebecca a cat for her birthday. But a bizarre event lands Tom inside the cat's body. Now, Tom must either cough up proof that he's a loving dad – or he'll spend the rest of his life coughing up hairballs in this hilarious romp directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black films).
The Blu-ray combo pack will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: Letting the Cat Out of the Bag: The Making of Nine Lives and Russian for Herding Cats.
You can find the latest specs for 'Nine Lives' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 1.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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Here's when you can meet British royal, author and designer India Hicks in Indianapolis
She's the goddaughter of Prince Charles — making her 678th in line to the British throne — a designer and a best-selling author.
And she'll be in Indianapolis this week.
India Hicks, who's the founder and creative director of her lifestyle brand, India Hicks Inc., will be in town for a luncheon and a signing of her latest book, "A Slice of England."
The visit to Indianapolis is part of a U.S. book tour that includes New York, Boston, Tampa and Orlando, among other cities.
The luncheon will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Woodstock Club, 1301 West 38th St., and it is sold out.
Following the luncheon, Hicks will do a book signing at 4 p.m. at Charles Mayer and Co., a gift, antique and tabletop store at 5629 N. Illinois St. This event is free and open to the public.
Hicks was born in London. She's the daughter of famous interior decorator David Hicks. And her mother is Lady Pamela Hicks, whose father was the last Viceroy of India.
According to a news release, Hicks launched her lifestyle brand in 2015, "after a decade of designing collections in partnership with well-known global companies." Her line includes a range of handbags, accessories and fine fragrances. Her products are sold by entrepreneurs known as Ambassadors and online.
Hicks now lives in Harbour Island, Bahamas, where she raised her five children.
She has written best-selling lifestyle books including, "Island Life," "Island Beauty" and "Island Style." In her latest book, "Slice of England," Hicks shares stories of her roots in the English countryside and the houses and remarkable gardens of her childhood. She
also shares stories of the lives lived in the houses, from riding horseback across endless farmland and serving as a bridesmaid at Prince Charles' and Princess Diana’s wedding.
Claudia Ryan, president and owner of Charles Mayer and Co., said she believes many Indianapolis women can identify with Hick's story.
"She's someone who has traveled all over the world. She's a mother and an entrepreneur, and she's someone who cares a great deal about giving back to our communities," Ryan said.
IndyStar reporter Natalia Contreras writes about things to do in Hamilton County. She can be reached at 317-444-6187 or firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow her on Twitter, @NataliaECG
Keep up with all things Hamilton County. Get the latest news, things to do and more delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the IndyStar North newsletter.


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Retail security systems are extremely important in America right now because, as one restaurant owner in Chicago said recently, “This [looting] is the new normal.”
Upscale shopping districts from coast to coast are facing a nightmare scene of constant, unexpected riots and looting and, if there’s anything that the civil unrest of 2020 has shown, it is that the sudden destruction of luxury retail districts can happen on any day, with little to no warning.
Luxury retail store managers need to be prepared at all times – and these retail security tips will help.
The New York City Meltdown
“The looters tore off the plywood that boarded up Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square, swarming by the dozens inside to steal whatever they could find before being chased down by the police. Others smashed the windows at a Nike store, grabbing shirts, jeans and zip-up jackets… a group of looters approached Madison Jewelers on Broadway, where the glass storefront lay shattered, and forced open the store’s metal gate. With the store alarm blaring, young men foraged inside and dozens of others rushed to the scene. When an unmarked police car with its lights on passed the scene, it paused briefly — and then continued down 37th Street.”
This chilling New York Times eyewitness account of the mayhem that erupted in New York City in early June 2020 serves as a stark reminder that luxury retail stores are likely to be the top targets during periods of looting and civil unrest. It also serves as a reminder that boarding and roll-down gates will not work to keep out determined looters.
Footage from source moments prior to NYPD arriving in which looters broke into the Herald Square Macy’s pic.twitter.com/mGWu7ooZno
— Matthew Fischetti (@Matt_Fischetti) June 2, 2020
Fortunately, boarding and roll-down gates aren’t the only options for retail security and, fortunately as well, alarms aren’t the only theft deterrent available for a complete retail store security system. In cases of looting, the best solution for luxury retail security is Riot Glass.
Retail Security Tip #1: Install Forced Entry Resistant Doors
Humans are creatures of habit, which means that whether you’re conducting legitimate business or you’re a looter intent on destruction, your first instinct for entering a building will be through the doors. Effective luxury retail security requires that you install forced entry resistant doors, such as ones with Riot Glass retrofitted onto them.
Fast Facts on Riot Glass
Riot Glass is a patented framing and clear ArmorPlast shield system made from a combination of polycarbonate and plastics that mechanically anchors to your windows and doors for maximum strength. The framing system comes in anodized clear and bronze, custom fit to your doors and storefront window system to create a protective, clear shield that is always working. (Think: Permanent, clear boarding up.) The panels are scratch-coated, solar UV treated, and extremely durable.
Riot Glass stops break-in attempts using sledgehammers, crowbars, knives, pickaxes, bricks, blocks, bats, and more – in short, it stops looters from getting in to your luxury retail store.
Does it really work? Riot Glass has proven more effective any other forced entry protection system including boarding, roll-down gates, and security window film. Riot Glass currently has a 100% success rate in stopping breach attempts. It has literally never failed.
A Scene of Destruction in Los Angeles
“…[D]emonstrators have descended on some of Los Angeles’ most upscale, iconic retail areas, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Hollywood and the Fairfax District. Looting has occurred in some of those locations, as some used the cover of what were largely peaceful protests to rob stores.
On social media, residents in some communities where the protests have raged complain of the destruction, the sound of helicopters and sirens and the thick smoke that hangs in the air.”
After a night of destruction in Los Angeles, also in early June 2020 and described by the L.A. Times, many upscale retailers were still struggling to contain the damage in what should have been a bustling luxury retail district. The stores had just barely opened after the coronavirus shutdown restrictions were lifted.
A local ABC news on-the-scene broadcast (below) shows smashed windows and doors at Gucci and construction crews struggling to board up a damaged Ermenegildo Zegna before the next night of expected mayhem continued.
Retail Security Tip #2: Have a Permanent Security Solution in Place
Lately, it seems that any town and city in the U.S. could be the next location of civil unrest and violent uprisings, yet it takes time to board up a large glass retail storefront or luxury hotel. The best idea for luxury retail store managers is to install a permanent solution that you can count on for retail security exactly when you need it.
Riot Glass reinforced glass windows are a great choice for permanent retail store security and, as a security glass solution, you can also rely on Riot Glass to help prevent damage from other disasters like wind storms, blasts, and active shooter attacks.
Looting is “The New Normal” in U.S. Upscale Retail Areas
“The looters arrived downtown in cars about 1 a.m. Police had major intersections blocked off, but that did not stop groups of mostly young people roving through the district of high-end retail stores, smashing windows and stealing goods. Clothes hangers and smashed glass covered sidewalks along North Michigan Avenue. Water Tower Place, the district’s premier indoor shopping mall, was broken into on both its west and east sides. Looters shattered windows of convenience stores and retailers including Macy’s, Ralph Lauren and Express.”
The damage and destruction hasn’t stopped. Riots still continue. Though the scene above sounds almost precisely like the events that happened in New York and L.A. in early June, these events in Chicago occurred in mid-August, 2020. And, sadly, they are likely to happen again and again in response to the brutal killings of Black people in this country.
As the Washington Post reported on the scene at the Chicago riots, “A woman who was quickly walking while carrying a Target basket filled with goods said she and her friends went downtown because they ‘felt like starting a riot’” and a 33-year-old restaurant manager who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated that “This [looting] is the new normal. At this point you become desensitized to it.”
Retail Security Tip #3: Understand Bullet Resistant Glass Levels
In scenes of mayhem and destruction, it’s common to watch looters wrench open roll-down gates and smash their way through boarded-up luxury storefronts. It is also common to watch looters use more weaponized methods to break in, such as Molotov cocktails, bricks, bats, concrete blocks – and even bullets – to gain entry to a valuable store.
Once the looters are inside, they can steal inventory, vandalize the property, and set fire to the building. The best idea is to keep looters out of your store entirely.
Though there are many methods to improve luxury retail security, one of the top ways to deny entry is to use bullet resistant polycarbonate panels that look like glass. Although ballistic-rated glazing or polycarbonate panels are incredibly effective materials for stopping forced entry, you can still stop forced entry with NON-ballistic-rated versions of Riot Glass. This approach allows you to reduce the cost while still achieving your objective of keeping looters out.
Choose the right level of bullet resistance for your needs by reading our handy guide on bullet resistant glass…
…Or you can simply contact the retail security experts at NGS to learn more about your options.
NGS is a national window film and security glass installer focused on the top retail security solutions, including security window film, anti-graffiti solutions and Riot Glass. Riot Glass has a 100% track record of success for stopping forced entry attempts. Learn more about your options for retail security when you contact NGS today.


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Google appears to be increasing the use of answer boxes — typically used for informational queries and how-to searches.
Today, the team at Cognitive SEO spotted this box on mobile for a search ‘smallest car camera‘. Currently, Amazon is snagging the top ranking with a product page. These large answer boxes have been reducing traffic to top-ranking pages for awhile now, but typically only publishers and informational websites like Wikipedia have been impacted.
With this new trend, we could start to see more answer boxes on transactional queries, leading to a larger imbalance in clicks between the one and two top slots in search results.
Answer Boxes Gone Commercial. Prime time position for "smallest car camera" for Amazon. pic.twitter.com/ALmL8BfTXk— cognitiveSEO (@cognitiveSEO) April 12, 2015


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Carolyn and Cassandra stop by, making this the official 'Ladies Night' broadcast! They delve into the specifics of the new iPhone coming out in September, and question the necessity of said 'bells and whistles.' Also, gluten-free foods and the regulations on preparing them are discussed. Photo by Kenny Louie from Vancouver, Canada.
Michigan's Big Show 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Connect with Michael on FB: http://facebook.com/MichigansBigShow


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The latest Android platform numbers are in, and they show a nice rise in the amount of phones running version 4.0.
The latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, is now powering 7.1% of active Android devices, according to the company’s official statistics.
Meanwhile, Android 2.3, Gingerbread, remains the dominant version, still living on 65.0% of all Android devices. Android 2.3 is the most up-to-date version of Google’s smartphone software before Android 4.0. The 3.0 designation is only used on Android tablets, which accounts for 2.7% of all Android devices.
The percentage of Gingerbread devices actually grew over last month, because there are still trickling rollouts for phones being upgraded from version 2.2, also known as Froyo.
Froyo now represents 19.1% of the Android installed base, while Android 2.1, Eclair, dropped to 5.2%. The legacy versions 1.5 and 1.6, combined, do not even make up one percent.
Last month, Ice Cream Sandwich was living on 4.9% of Android devices. In the past couple months, though, updates finally arrived for a couple of the most popular phones like the Galaxy Nexus S 4G and the Galaxy S II.
In addition, we’re finally at the point where new Android phones are being shipped with Ice Cream Sandwich installed out of the box.
Google hopes Android 4.0 will be a big reset button on the mobile platform, since it has much stricter hardware guidelines that it hopes will help prevent fragmentation in the future. This is a goal we’ve heard in previous rollouts of Android, so we’ll see if it actually is realized this time.


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Berkeley Powersports in Moncks Corner, S.C., is under new management.
Sal Gatbonton took over the 7,000 sf dealership -- which sells Suzuki, Kawasaki and Hyosung bikes, ATVs and scooters -- March 1. He says his off-highway location lets him compete on price.
“That’s one of the advantages we have (versus) those on the highway,” he told the Post and Courier. “We have lower overhead costs. We have to be different. We have a good time. When somebody comes in here, it is supposed to be a personal environment.”
The operation has six employees an inventory of 100 vehicles, as well as service center and PG&A sales.
Gatbonton, a former GM auto dealer, hopes to expand the shop when the economy picks up.
Posted by Holly Wagner


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They were in big demand at last week’s Computex show now US Company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has scored orders from Samsung who will license its graphics technology for use in smartphones and tablets.
AMD who is fast stripping market share from Intel has confirmed that the Samsung deal is at this stage limited to smartphones however ChannelNews understands from Taiwanese sources that Samsung could also end up using AMD technology in their PC range.
The deal is worth millions of dollars in licensing revenue to the U.S Company who has seen their shares climbed 7.5% on the news, Samsung shares rose 3%.
According to sources, the next generation of Samsung devices that have the AMD processors will be ideal for mobile gaming and graphics-intensive applications, the losers are Nvidia ARM and Qualcomm.
Bloomberg claimed that under Chief Executive Officer Lisa Su, AMD has been concentrating on winning back lost share in PCs and server computers by revamping its products for those markets.
Licensing its technology to Samsung, whose own chip unit supplies only a portion of its mobile division’s needs, will provide AMD a way to participate in the massive market for smartphone parts without the risk of investing directly.
AMD’s rebounding earnings and the promise of market share gains have helped its stock rally almost 50% this year.


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The City Council of Houston, Texas, has approved purchasing 97 battery electric vehicles. The new EVs will replace ICE vehicles ageing out of the official fleet. The Houston Climate Action Plan aims to convert all non-emergency, light-duty municipal vehicles to electric by 2030.
“With today’s purchase approval, we more than triple the number of EVs in our municipal fleet!” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. He also admitted that they still had “a long way to go” to reach the climate targets but were “determined to continue leading by example.”
The new purchase will add to the 40 battery-electric vehicles already in the fleet. However, the City of Houston did not detail the type and make of the new EVs but mentioned pickup trucks.
The Fleet Management Department is spearheading the City’s EV initiative. In addition, they partnered with Evolve Houston, a self-described “coalition of sustainability-minded civic, business, and academic leaders who seek to accelerate clean transportation through electrification.” For Houston, they apply life cycle analysis and optimisation modelling to determine the financial and environmental impacts of EVs and associated infrastructure.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, their study saw significant savings from electrifying the municipal fleet, especially as BEV prices continue to decrease. For example, the purchase price of battery-electric pickups is only 7% ($2,774) greater than a similarly equipped gasoline pickup.
Director of Fleet Management Gary Glasscock added, “Over an 8-year life, each EV is expected to save the City approximately $16,000 in the total cost of operation and reduce tailpipe and upstream greenhouse gas emissions by 25 tons compared to a conventional, gasoline-powered vehicle.”
The purchased electric vehicles will be deployed throughout the City departments, including the police and fire departments. The City and Evolve Houston will collect data from operating the EVs across the city and in different use cases to optimise future deployments.
The City of Houston is already placing EV charging infrastructure at some of its facilities to support the additional EVs. However, delivery is set no sooner than Spring 2023 due to supply chain issues, so the Mayor’s office.
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