text:
The latest almond production projection from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) forecasts three billion meat pounds for California producers. The California Almond Objective Measurement Report estimates that the 2020 crop will be up 18 percent over last year. The forecast is based on 1.26 million bearing acres in the state.
“This year’s crop is proof that California is the perfect place to grow almonds,” Chair of the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors Holly A. King said in a press release. “Perfect weather during bloom, coupled with the steps almond growers have taken to ensure our orchards provide a healthy environment for honey bees and other pollinators, resulted in the abundant crop we are seeing on the trees up and down the Central Valley.”
The latest report is unchanged from the subjective report that was released back in May. The average nut set per tree is expected to increase 21 percent from last year to 5,645. Production from the Nonpareil variety is projected to be 1.3 billion meat pounds, with an average nut set of 5,621; an increase of 27 percent over 2019. The Nonpareil average kernel weight was two percent lower from last year, with average kernel weight for all varieties also declining two percent from last year to 1.6 grams. A total of 98.5 percent of all the nuts that were sized were considered to be sound.
The weather conditions throughout February help to provide for a strong bloom period this year, creating ample opportunity for pollination. There were some reports of damaged trees in mid-Spring related to heavy limbs breaking from windy conditions. The early summer conditions have provided assistance in crop development through the final stages.
Almond production surveys began May 26 and concluded on June 26, after 1,818 trees were sampled in 909 orchards. Last year, ABC’s Board of Directors approved an updated method for sampling to improve the accuracy of USDA-NASS’s reporting. The new protocols for the Objective Report include sampling from more orchards and providing nut counts for two branches per tree. Figures for weight, size, and grade of the average almond sample are now broken down by growing region instead of the growing district.


text:
Kendall Jenner was pulled over for allegedly running a stop sign with Hailey Bieber in the car — but the models didn’t seem bothered by the ordeal.
Jenner, 28, and Bieber, 27, were cruising around Beverly Hills, Calif., in the reality star’s silver Mercedes-Benz G500 Cabriolet on Tuesday when a police officer stopped them.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ that Jenner received a ticket for the incident, which occurred near the Beverly Hills Hotel.
The “Kardashians” star was photographed in a black sweatshirt, while the Rhode Skin founder wore a white top.
Jenner and Bieber were both seen laughing as they chatted with the cop through the window of their ride while being cited.
The duo wore black sunglasses as they drove off with big smiles on their faces.
This isn’t the first time Jenner and Bieber have found themselves being stopped by cops together; in 2014, the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” alum was pulled over on Santa Monica Boulevard after going Christmas tree shopping with her pal.
Jenner, who was 19 at the time, was reportedly driving her luxury Range Rover at nighttime without her headlights on.
The 818 Tequila founder and Bieber are fresh off a tropical getaway to Barbados.
For more Page Six you love …
Both ladies shared snaps from their recent New Year’s Eve vacation, where they were joined by friends as well as Hailey’s husband, Justin Bieber.
“Mentally I’m still on the beach,” Jenner shared in a post on her Instagram Story this week.
Jenner also sparked reconciliation rumors with ex-boyfriend Bad Bunny on the trip after fans heard his voice in one of her videos. However, they reportedly are not back together despite the vacation reunion.
Reps for Jenner and Hailey did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

domain: news


text:
Why would you put good beer in a can? Its a question that the crew at Oskar Blues has been answering since 2002, when the Longmont brewery inspired the Canned Beer Apocalypse by becoming the first beer maker in the nation to make and can its own craft brew. And its continued to answer the question with every beer it produces.
In the meantime, more than a dozen other Colorado breweries have joined the apocalypse, including New Belgium, Ska, Upslope and Avery.
Today, Oskar Blues will toast its colleagues at Burning Can, the first all-can beer festival in Lyons. Weve been fighting public perception for eight years now, says Oskar Blues spokesman Chad Melis. So this is a celebration of how far it has come and the different varieties of high-quality beer you can get in a can.
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
SHOW ME HOW
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
Two non-canning breweries, Left Hand and Pumphouse both in Longmont will be on hand as well, canning a couple kegs each just for the festival.
Burning Can runs from 1 to 4 p.m. at Sandstone Park; tickets are $35 and include unlimited four-ounce samples, beer-can chicken and music from Bone Pony. Proceeds benefit the Colorado Brewers Guild. For more info, go to www.oskarblues.com/shop.
Sat., June 26, 1-4 p.m., 2010


text:
Google Ads announced that it will consolidate Smart display and Standard display campaign options.
What’s Changing For Advertisers?
Google’s announcement notes that advertisers will still be able to use manual or automated solutions, but the option will now be available within one campaign type.
At the time of campaign creation, advertisers will be able to choose between an automatic or customized experience.
This change seems to be similar to that of the recent change in bidding strategies, where the feature functionality still exists, though, the setup process in Google Ads is changing. That said, theoretically, advertisers shouldn’t notice much difference in performance.
What Do Advertisers Need to Do?
According to Google’s Ads Liaison, Ginny Marvin, no action is needed. Existing Smart and Standard display campaigns won’t be affected at this time.
How Did We Get Here? The Evolution of Display & Smart Display
Google Ads released Smart Display campaigns in 2017, to allow advertisers to take advantage of a fully automated display experience.
Since then, they’ve also introduced additional automated solutions within Standard display campaigns; in 2018, for instance, responsive display ads were rolled out as the new default display format. Advertisers leveraging both responsive display ads as well as other static ads have probably noticed that responsive display ads receive far more visibility.
Later in 2018, Google also announced the ability to use the “pay for conversions” option within display, allowing advertisers with enough conversion data to use automated bidding with lower risk since they would only pay when conversions were received.
More recently, in June of this year, Google rolled out “Optimized Targeting” – a sister to the “Targeting Expansion” option within display. Both are features that help advertisers expand their reach within display but the difference is nuanced.
Targeting expansion would only expand upon the audiences given in any campaign, while respecting the bounds of targeting settings. Optimized targeting goes one step further and isn’t relegated to expanding only upon the specific targeted audiences but rather can expand fluidly in any area of targeting, such as demographics, for instance, to drive more of the intended action. For example, if you were specifically targeting 25-35 year-olds but the system identified that there were other age ranges likely to take the intended action, with optimized targeting turned on, the campaign could begin delivering to those audiences.
All that to say, because there are now so many automated features available within display, presumably, there’s enough overlap between Smart display campaigns and Standard display campaigns, that it made sense to streamline the campaign creation process by pulling both options under one roof.


text:
Desperate for some positive PR, after one of the worst weeks they've had since they were first licensed 2012 and to woo it's way back into TfL's good books, Uber announce they are to expand their electric car presence in London.
London's Taxi trade are about to be limited to purchasing only zero emission taxis from next year. We have to remember that the £50m government subsidy promised is finite and is proposed for both Taxi and private hire.
If relicensed, Uber will be looking to the mayor for a large slice of this subsidy, to provide fast charging units for private hire use only and if they continue to expand at the current rate, they could eat up over 60% of the money on offer.
Uber is to deploy a number of initiatives intended to expand the number of fully electric vehicles available on its app in London as a new Energy Saving Trust report uncovers major potential for many more private hire drivers


text:
The Changing Landscape of Mobile Ordering, To-Go, and Takeout and How it is Affecting Foodservice Design.
Already on the rise before the pandemic, off-premises dining was further accelerated by the shutdowns and restrictions. The changes mean operators and consultants have had to adjust to new ways of working.
The popularity of mobile ordering was already growing, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit it suddenly became a necessity. Pre-pandemic, Business Insider Intelligence predicted that orders placed via smartphone and mobile apps would become a $38bn industry and makeup nearly 11% of all quick-service restaurant sales by 2020.
Since then, mobile ordering has made it to Position 1 regarding how most consumers prefer to select their food. According to Datassential, in the US alone, since the peak of Covid, consumers are four times as likely to increase digital ordering compared with traditional methods.


text:
IO Interactive Sheds Light On Next-Gen Hitman Game
Posted on Thursday, January 16 @ 08:25:47 PST by Alex_Osborn
Hitman developer IO Interactive has released the first batch of information on its next entry in the stealth-action franchise starring the iconic bald assassin, Agent 47.
Over on the franchise's official site, the studio confirmed that Contracts Mode, a game option first introduced in Hitman: Absolution, will be making a return. In an open letter to fans, IO Interactive teased what is next for Agent 47, saying:
It sounds awfully ambitious, but I'd expect nothing less from IO Interactive as it gears up for its first big release on new hardware. Are you psyched for a new entry in the Hitman franchise? How do you think IO can improve the series? Let us know in the comments below.
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO.
Destiny: Rise of Iron
Age of Triumph launch trailer. (1:35)
Dark Souls III
The Ringed City launch trailer. (2:33)
Riders of Icarus
Corruption of Light Update Official Trailer. (0:51)
Toukiden 2 unleashed this Friday trailer. (2:49)
SAMURAI WARRIORS: Spirit of Sanada
SAMURAI WARRIORS Spirit of Sanada gameplay video. (1:36)
|More On GameRevolution|


text:
Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Ram ProMaster projected to have improved fuel economy and higher residual values
SANTA MONICA, California—The full-size commercial van segment, often ignored by consumers, is back in the spotlight as the refreshed 2015
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, new 2015 Ford Transit and 2015 Ram ProMaster start to arrive on showroom floors. According to ALG, by focusing on design and economy in the latest development cycle, manufacturers are delivering vehicles with significantly higher residual values and lower ownership costs.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which comes equipped with a new engine and all-wheel drive available for 2015, leads the segment with 52 percent original value retention after three years. Not far behind is the 2015 Ram ProMaster, which was introduced to the US last model year and enjoys a residual value of 49 percent.
Joining the Sprinter and ProMaster is the all-new 2015 Ford Transit. As part of the One Ford plan, the Transit is replacing the venerable Econoline as their full-sized commercial van model. ALG projects the Transit’s three-year residual value at 47 percent, significantly higher than the residual values for the most recent Econoline model years.
“Escalating fuel prices have placed greater importance on fuel economy for commercial fleet owners,” said Larry Dominique, president of ALG and executive vice-president of TrueCar. “These three European-style vans feature lighter-weight construction and better fuel-efficiency than their predecessors. By improving fuel efficiency from an average of 14 mpg from a few years back to nearly 20 mpg today, business owners will save hundreds of millions of dollars each year.”
“The market for full-size vans has pent-up demand for vehicles with lower running costs. Businesses are thinking about the entire cost-of-ownership picture now more than ever, and, finally, automakers are responding,” said Dominique.
The 2015 Residual Value Awards, honouring new vehicles projected to best maintain their value, will be announced Nov. 17.


text:
Two segments which witnessed robust sales growth in India last year were the compact sedan segment and the mini SUV segment. Essentially, these segments are identical in the fact that these cars are designed to take advantage of India's sub-4 meter excise benefit.
In this story, we list out 7 upcoming mini SUVs, all of which have one thing in common apart from their length: To match or exceed the Ford EcoSport.
1. Tata Nexon
Unveiled as a concept at the Auto Expo 2014 this month, the Nexon previews Tata's crossover which is reported to enter production within 24 months. Using the same X1 platform as the Vista, the Tata Nexon concept was powered by a three-cylinder turbocharged 1.2-liter petrol engine outputting 110 PS and 170 Nm of torque.
Features seen on the concept, which we believe could be extended to the production version include 17-inch alloy wheels, a 5-speed automatic transmission, 4WD and LED headlights.
2. Chevrolet Adra
A mini SUV could save the face of General Motors in India, who sadly haven't had the dream run they were hoping for with products like the Sail and Enjoy.
General Motors was tight lipped about the Adra's platform or even its engine for that matter. All we know is that the concept was designed by Indian designers at the GM Technical Center in Bangalore, India. From a design standpoint, the Chevrolet Adra certainly has the looks to take on the EcoSport.
3. VW Taigun
A revised VW Taigun concept was shown at the Auto Expo and the highlight of the Expo demo vehicle was the externally mounted spare wheel. Using VW's TSI technology in a compact 1.0-liter three-cylinder displacement, the Taigun is capable of sprinting from 0-100 km/h in 9.2 seconds.
VW will place the Taigun into production by 2016, and India and Brazil are reported to get priority for first deliveries. However, the Taigun is based on the Up!'s platform, which we have heard time and again from VW India, is an expensive platform. VW will have to achieve a high level of localization to price the Taigun competitively.
4. Maruti XA-Alpha
Unveiled two years ago at the 2012 edition of the Auto Expo, the Maruti XA-Alpha is yet to see the light of day.
Maruti's immediate focus it seems is in replacing existing models with newer generations, rather than entering a new segment. This year will see the SX4 get a successor, while the A-Star was recently swapped with the Celerio.
Maruti is unlikely to launch the XA-Alpha before mid-2015. A possible reason for not launching the car is because Maruti wants the XA-Alpha to use its self-developed diesel engine from Day 1. Maruti's new diesel engine family is still sometime away from being application-ready, though once it does, expect top-class fuel economy from this new engine family.
5. Mahindra S101
The Mahindra S101 will arrive in showrooms as early as next year, confirms Dr. Pawan Goenka, the company's executive director. Based on an all-new monocoque chassis, the S101 will also preview Mahindra's new petrol engine family.
This new petrol engine is reported to be a turbocharged 1.2-liter motor rivaling Tata's yet-to-be launched 1.2-liter turbo Revotron engine. Apart from offering petrol power, the S101 will be offered with a diesel heart, which could be the Quanto's 1.5-liter three-cylinder unit, albeit in an improved condition. This diesel engine is nothing but a three-cylinder version of the Xylo's 2.2-liter mHawk engine.
6. Renault Kwid
The Renault Kwid is an interesting take on a mini SUV featuring Renault's modern design. While the Duster does its duty of getting the sales numbers, its design or interior cannot be termed 'modern' or 'premium', as it is based on the Dacia Logan.
Renault India's new managing director, Sumit Sawhney, was quoted telling a publication that it would be "interesting" to have another SUV in the portfolio. Renault India may have to leverage on the compact SUV segment, as clearly, badge engineered products such as the Pulse and Scala are not getting them appreciable sales. The concept Kwid was powered by a turbocharged 1.2-liter petrol engine mated to a dual-clutch automatic transmission.
7. Mahindra Quanto AMT
The Mahindra Quanto was off to a decent start in its initial post-launch period. However, sales quickly tapered off once the EcoSport was launched in June 2013. From June-December 2013, the Quanto has been selling in triple digits with the highest monthly sales of 500 units in October 2013.
Mahindra recently launched "Yoga Seats" on the Quanto, though we feel the company would do better to quickly get the AMT version into showrooms. Shown at the Auto Expo 2014, the Quanto AMT could very well appeal to the Indian buyer who needs a rugged, diesel, automatic car.
The most affordable diesel SUV in India is the Mahindra Scorpio, while the most affordable diesel automatic car as such is the Verna. Thus, the words 'diesel' and 'automatic' should give the Quanto AMT the USP its looking for.


text:
Gorinchem, 28 September 2022 – Wuustwezel has gained a new store. Optical retail chain Hans Anders will open a store in the center of Wuustwezel on Wednesday, September 28th. The new store can be found at Bredabaan 439 and is open six days a week. With parking in front of the door, a wide range of (brand-name) frames, and state-of-the-art interiors, the shop team looks forward to helping the residents of Wuustwezel and the neighboring areas with beautiful, affordable glasses, sunglasses, or contact lenses.
The new store has a generous floor space of approcimately 94 m2 and presents almost 1,000 frames; models from the trusted Hans Anders collecton and the latest collections of top brands such as Ray-Ban, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste and Vogue. Visitors will also find the innovative DRIIVE collection of innovative sports eyewear, developed by Hans Anders in collaboration with World Tour cycling team DSM. The building is decorated according to the optical chains latest shop concept; with a mondern and fresh, but also cosy interior.
Hans Anders is doing well. Against all trends, the optical retail chain is growing and the number of storesis gradually being expanded. Barry Oosting, Retail Manager Belgium: "In recent years, we have gradually grown in Belgium and now have as many as 142 shops. This is how we have ensured that we really are easily accessible to our customers in every region. This store is a good example of that. Of course, residents could previously go to Kalmthout or Hoogstraten, but we saw that there was room for a nice store in Wuustwezel. I am proud that we can now also open this store and good luck to the enthusiastic team of expert colleagues."
The store will be officially opend on Wednesday, September 28th with a festive promotion: free lenses with the purchase of a frame. The promotion will run until Saturday, 15th October. Hans Anders recommends making an appointment in advance for an eye measurement via hansanders.be.


text:
A majority of Americans -- about 56% -- now own a smartphone, according to Pew Research Center's latest survey.
Emerging markets and lower prices will push worldwide smartphone shipments close to the billion-unit level this year, according to the latest forecast by IDC.
More smartphones will ship worldwide in 2013 than other so-called mobile 'feature' phones as the average price of smartphones drops, IDC said Tuesday.
All that new data flowing into enterprises can bring along an expensive partner: multiple copies.
Despite dismal forecasts for PCs and servers, tech stocks have been doing well on optimism about cloud technology and mobile devices.
HTC has cancelled plans to develop a larger Windows RT tablet because demand for tablets based on the Microsoft operating system has been weak.
Server revenue worldwide was down 7.7 per cent year-over-year in the first quarter, as weak economic conditions and server consolidation by customers slowed sales, according to research firm IDC.
A strong stock market could open the floodgates for more tech IPOs in the wake of Friday's solid debut of Marketo and Tableau, but not all segments of IT may be able to ride the wave.
Android has remained at the top of the leader board when it comes to smartphones, according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report.
Microsoft's Windows Phone may be struggling to gain a foothold in the US, but the software giant and Nokia are starting to see results on a global scale: Windows Phone was the third-most popular mobile smartphone operating system worldwide between Ja...
The combination of highly virtualised environments inside enterprise networks, along with an explosion of mobile traffic, are exposing the limitations of existing networks, and driving the need for a new era of dynamic and scalable networks of the fu...
Nvidia will stay on board with making Tegra ARM-based processors for Windows RT tablets despite sluggish early sales of the devices, making the same commitment that Qualcomm has made, an Nvidia executive said
Microsoft may be revealing the second generation of its Surface tablets during its developers' conference next month, according to a printed report.
Windows RT tablets grabbed just 0.4% of the tablet market in the first quarter, a dismal result that led some tech experts to urge Microsoft to scrap the platform that's in its six-month infancy.
Tablet shipments exploded by 142 per cent in the first quarter of 2013 year-over-year as all Android tablets, including low-budget white box versions, dominated the market over Apple iOS tablets, IDC said.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Bose SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth headphones
- 2 Apple iPhone 6 Plus: An in depth review
- 3 Medion Akoya P2214T (MD99430) hybrid laptop
- 4 Motorola Moto G (2nd Gen.) android smartphone
- 5 HTC One Mini 2 android smartphone
Best Deals on GoodGearGuide
Latest News Articles
- Germany backs plan to retain personal flight data across EU
- China: Facebook not banned, but must follow the rules
- Google AI project apes memory, programs (sort of) like a human
- Nintendo targets new health business with sleep sensor
- China's Xiaomi surges to become world's third largest smartphone vendor
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
- FTAccount ExecutiveNSW
- FTTechnical Marketing ManagerNSW
- FTPartner Marketing Communications Manager - Leading Global Tech BrandNSW
- FTBusiness ManagerNSW
- CCWeb / Mobile Developer - Magento - HTML5, CSS - Excellent CMS SkillsNSW
- FTBusiness development manager - retargettingNSW
- FTDigital PR SpecialistNSW
- FTChief Information Officer - CSIROACT
- FTStudio Design ManagerVIC
- FTMarketing Communications Operations Manager - Global Tech Market leaderNSW
- FTDigital Account ExecutiveNSW


text:
New funds to perk up local coffee industry
Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
The ailing coffee industry has been given a lifeline with a J$310.5-million injection through a Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries initiative.
The ministry was also at the receiving end yesterday, when the European Union (EU) donated 65 laptop computers and a spanking new vehicle to enhance its database and, ultimately, boost food productivity.
EU Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni said yesterday's donation was valued at J$16 million and forms part of the €5.9 million of its two-year food-security programme.
In the meantime, the $310.5 million that was pumped into the coffee industry has been provided jointly through a fully secured loan by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) and the EXIM Bank.
The DBJ will provide 70 per cent of the total loan, amounting to J$214 million, at interest of 10 per cent, and EXIM Bank the remaining 30 per cent at an interest rate of between seven and eight per cent.
Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said the loan would finance the purchase of 135,000 boxes of Blue Mountain Coffee.
Tufton said the first payment to farmers would amount to J$1,500 per box and an anticipated final payment would be in the sum of J$800 per box.
The financing arrangement was approved on Monday by Cabinet.
Tufton said he felt compelled to intervene to find an interim solution to the problem.
Japanese market dries up
The once-assured Japanese market, which ate up the bulk of high-quality Jamaican coffee, has all but collapsed, leaving coffee producers to fend for themselves.
"The Jamaica coffee is now at a crossroads," asserted Tufton. "The sector is running at huge excess capacity as demand is not matching supply."
Tufton noted that the crisis in the sector was precipitated by the decision of the Japanese to terminate the advance-payment system.
"This also means that instead of Japanese importers bearing the cost to carry the inventory of Blue Mountain Coffee, Jamaican exporters will now have to bear this cost," he noted.
Tufton said the new developments have placed the sector at great risk as coffee farmers may not reap the cherry coffee and the crop could be lost.
"This means a loss of income for coffee farmers, especially as we approach the holidays," Tufton added.
Milverton Reynolds, DBJ managing director, said the bank was pleased to be of assistance to the coffee workers and expressed confidence that the loans would be repaid on a timely basis.
He was supported by Lisa Bell, managing director of the EXIM Bank, who echoed the sentiment that the loan would provide a unique opportunity to restructure the industry.


text:
Financial gains for Thales, Aware, Mitek, FacePhi demonstrate sustained biometrics growth
Thales, Aware, Zwipe, and Mitek unveiled and summarized the financial results or the changes to their business made in the first or second fiscal quarter of 2022, while Next Biometrics looked to their past with the publishing of its 2021 annual report with a financial summary and announced a purchase order from Televic. FacePhi, meanwhile, has confirmed a best-yet year by revenue in 2021 from its selfie biometrics and onboarding software.
Thales Digital Identity & Security sales and orders rise in Q1
Thales’ Digital Identity & Security division, which includes the multinational’s biometric offerings, showed approximately 16 percent year-over-year growth with its sales and order volume in the first quarter of 2022 as one of the company’s stronger-performing segments.
In order intake, the digital identity division made €739 million (approximately US$779 million) in orders, compared to €636 million (approximately $670 million) in Q2 2021. In sales, it followed largely the same pattern with €739 million compared to €636 million in the first quarter of 2021.
Overall order intake fell, from €3.2 billion (approximately $3.4 billion) in Q1 2021 to €3 billion (approximately $3.2 billion) in Q1 2022, a 4 percent drop. The decline was driven by a 27 percent decrease in Defense & Security orders. Its sales volume saw a 4.4 percent upsurge however, with Aerospace and Digital Identity & Security keeping Q1 2022 sales at €3.7 billion (approximately $3.9 billion) versus €3.6 billion (approximately $3.8 billion) in Q1 2021.
Thales says the sales and order intakes fell largely in line with their expectations, as Q1 2021 featured four large contracts worth more than €100 million each (approximately $1.05 million) according to company chairman and CEO Patrice Caine. He added that the strong dynamics of its Space and Digital Identity & Security businesses offset the decline in Defense & Security revenues, due to a high basis of comparison.
Caine said that despite supply chain tensions and uncertainty about air traffic recovery, the company met its financial targets for 2022.
Thales predicted a rosy future after strong financials gave it the confidence to revise its predictions and projections upward.
Aware reports highest quarterly revenue since 2018
Aware reported notable growth with subscription revenue for its biometrics-based security products, propelling the first quarter of 2022 to the highest quarterly revenue since 2018.
In a press release, Aware says revenue for the first quarter of 2022 was $4.7 million, a 6 percent increase compared to $4.4 million in Q1 of 2021, and a 17 percent increase compared to $4 million in Q4 of 2021.
Aware attributes the growth in revenue due to subscription-based revenue and maintenance revenue. The company saw its recurring revenue increase 30 percent year-over-year because of a 73 percent leap in subscription revenue over the same period in Q1 2021 because of new partners and continual expansion of existing partners.
“Our first quarter results demonstrate the additional progress we have made towards building a solid recurring revenue base as we continue to transition into a subscription-based SaaS platform company,” says Robert Eckel, CEO of Aware.
Net losses in Q1 2022 totalled $1.3 million compared to $1.4 million in Q4 2021 and $1.4 million in Q1 2021.
Eckel comments, “We are continuing to expand our reach into new geographies and end markets through our integrated reseller partnerships. As our financial results have demonstrated, our partner strategy has facilitated higher adoption of Aware’s offerings due to those partners’ well-established customer relationships and deep insights into their customers’ needs.”
The Q1 2022 financial results continue its recent business success, with its revenues rising by 49 percent in 2021, driven by its flagship face biometric solution Knomi.
Eckel says Aware is seeking to build its operational momentum in 2022 and focus on driving topline growth at a rate exceeding the biometric market compound annual growth rate of approximately 15 percent.
Zwipe to invest in growing number of staff
Zwipe says it will invest more in staff to meet increasing demand for its biometric-powered payment and access control solutions and services.
The company revealed the update in a run-down of its first quarter of 2022 with its average monthly operational cash flow rate at NOK negative 8.3 million (approximately $9 million) against a loss of NOK 6.3 million (approximately $6.8 million) in the first quarter of 2021. Zwipe was approved by Visa and for pilot programs in the Middle East for its biometric payment cards and was selected by Fraport AG for biometric access control.
The company also saw a small increase in sales revenue at NOK 600,000 (approximately $65,000) compared to NOK 300,000 (approximately $32,000) in Q1 2021.
Its closing cash balance for Q1 2022 ended at NOK 103.6 million (approximately $11 million) versus NOK 108.9 million (approximately $11.8 million) the year prior.
“All in all, our long-term optimism has only been strengthened with another solid quarter. We firmly believe that millions of consumers everywhere will be using Zwipe enabled biometric payment and access cards in the years to come,” said CEO André Løvestam in a statement.
Mitek reports record revenue in Q2 from digital commerce
Mitek reports a record second fiscal quarter in 2022 following a rise in revenue driven by commerce’s transition to digital channels.
In the second fiscal quarter ending in March 31, 2022, Mitek says revenue increased by 21 percent year-over-year to $34.7 million. GAAP net income increased 88 percent year-over-year to $1.9 million, or $0.04 per diluted share. The company also says it has $93.4 million in total cash and investments at the end of the quarter. Cash flow from operations was measured at $7.4 million.
“Digital identity verification has moved beyond just being an enabler of digital commerce, it now serves as an integral element of most organizations’ technology stack,” says CEO Max Carnecchia. “We believe the next decade of fraud prevention will be defined by an organization’s approach to the lifecycle of identity and access management capabilities.”
Carnecchia also made mention of Mitek’s recent acquisition of biometric identity orchestration company HooYu, saying it will bring its capabilities, “to more use cases and industries helping them increase customer acceptance while reducing fraud and operational costs.”
Next Biometrics headcount down, signs access control contract
Next Biometrics saw a decline in its overall revenue across 2021, though it did incur less of a loss on EBITDA.
Revenue for 2021 stood at NOK 50.8 million (approximately $5.5 million) compared to NOK 58.1 million (approximately $6.3 million) in 2020. Though it did not provide an exact reason, CEO Peter Heuman blames supply chain constraints from COVID-19 that impacted the ability for it to deliver biometric sensors to certain customers in 2021.
Next Biometrics did see improved cash flow in 2021, with a loss of NOK 47.7 million (approximately $5.1 million) compared to NOK negative 80.4 million (approximately $8.7 million) in 2020. The company says that change was because of reduced operating losses. The company saw the average number of employees fall from 40 in 2020 to 26 in 2021, combined with fewer other expenses and R&D investment.
The company’s EBITDA loss was NOK 51.2 million (approximately $5.6 million) in 2021, compared to a loss of NOK 83.3 million (approximately $9 million) in 2020. When adjusted, the loss stood at NOK 32.0 million (approximately $3.5 million) in 2021, compared to a loss of NOK 77.5 million (approximately $8.3 million) in 2020.
Next Biometrics also received a purchase order for a biometric access control device from Belgian ICT provider Televic. An announcement from Next Biometrics says it is ready to be put in specific European markets with an initial product launch in Belgium. Televic hopes to launch the product in additional European countries in 2022, it adds.
FacePhi reports highest turnover in its history in 2021
FacePhi says the 2021 financial year ended with its highest gross revenue to date in a sign of the success of its face biometrics product and business strategy.
In a press release, FacePhi says its consolidated audited annual turnover for the 2021 financial year ended with €13.16 million (approximately US$15 million). It confirms a preview of its 2021 financial year results made in February that also reported 81 percent growth in turnover compared to 2020.
The company also reports an adjusted EBITDA of €1.88 million (approximately US$1.9 million) from international expansion and its structure, that does not account for the compensation agreed for the voluntary dismissal of a managing director. Its unadjusted EBITDA in February was given as €860,445.
FacePhi says its growth was made possible with the doubling of its workforce in 2021 compared to 2020, with more than 175 employees today. With almost 70 percent carrying a technical background, FacePhi believes it has created a multidisciplinary team that can develop digital identity verification technology, strengthen its commercial team, and build alliances to expand globally. Earlier this year, FacePhi announced its intent to move into South America with a Uruguay office, and made a hire for the EMEA region. Its software debuted in Chile, Nigeria, and Vietnam last year.
And like its February preview, FacePhi says it has moved from startup to scaleup in 2021.


text:
Price rise in Gujarat, a move by Modi govt to benefit companies: Cong
Even as the BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi have been criticising the Congress-led UPA government over price rise, the BJP government in Gujarat was facing protest after hike in milk prices and power tariff.
The main Opposition Congress, the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) and other organisations have protested against price rise in Gujarat.
"Mr Modi is saying everywhere that good days are to come. Good days have come in Gujarat in the form of price rise," Arjun Modhwadia, chief of Congress in Gujarat, told UNI today.
He said the hike in milk prices and power tariff will put 'more burden' on the common man.
Mr Modhwadia alleged that the Modi government has been providing benefit to industries as they spent crores of rupees in his marketing during the Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress expressed apprehension that prices of CNG, PNG and other commodities will increase in the coming days.
The SUCI(C) has also strongly opposed the price hike of milk and power tariff. It staged a protest against the price hike in the city. It demanded roll back of price hike by Amul.
"SUCI(C)) strongly condemns and opposes the recent price hike in milk by Amul; the second consecutive in last six months and 19th consecutive price hike in last eight months," the SUCI(C) said.
It said this price rise will hit hard the common people already burdened by price rise of all essential commodities.
"SUCI(C) condemns this 'profiteering' attitude of Amul who is spending crores of rupees behind its advertisement instead of giving relief to the common people," it said.
The SUCI(C) also appealed to the common people to build up an united movement against this price rise. Amul has increased milk prices by Rs two per litre in Gujarat from May 4 due to 'increase in production cost'. Amul had increased prices of milk in October last year.
During the last eight years, price of milk had increased 19 times.
After the hike, prices of Amul Gold have been increased from Rs 44 to Rs 46 per litre, Amul Taaza from Rs 32 to Rs 34, Amul Shakti from Rs 40 to Rs 42 and Amul Diamond from Rs 46 to Rs 48.
The Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) yesterday approved tariff hike of 44 paise per unit for Torrent Power consumers.
However, the GERC denied a hike in tariff for consumers of four government-run power companies. In tariff order for Torrent Power, overall increase for
all the categories of consumers was 44 paise per unit that includes increase in fixed/demand charge and energy charges that was the tune of 7.5 per cent.
In the order, there was no increase in power tariff for BPL consumers, agriculture consumers and residential consumers using electricity up to 50 units per month.
Torrent Power supplies electricity to Ahmedabad and Surat in the state.
The order had come into force with effect from May 1, 2014. The revised rate would be applicable for the electricity consumption from May 1 onwards.
(Posted on 07-05-2014)


text:
White label products, when managed appropriately, are a cost-effective alternative for clients, says More Rosh & Waters’ Clint Waters.
This week, Firstmac managing director Kim Cannon said brokers are too focused on income and warned that the broking industry may be headed down the path of the financial planning industry.
While Waters accepts that it’s possible some brokers use white label products to their own financial advantage, he says he isn’t personally aware of any that do and that the cost benefits for consumers far outweigh any potential risk.
“I think the perceived value [of white labelling] is price, so our lending product is distributed on the base that it’s essentially a wholesale product. It may lack a couple of bells and whistles, but, generally speaking, we’ve got very good communication with the lender.”
Waters says his white label product has no controls on margin, which he says is key.
“I don’t think that as a broker it’s up to us to manufacture a product. We should be given a level of products that compares apples with apples.”


text:
In the latest trading session, Activision Blizzard, Inc (ATVI) closed at $74.36, marking a +0.03% move from the previous day.
Activision Blizzard (ATVI) is set to release World of Warcraft - Dragonflight on Nov 28
EU antitrust regulators will decide by Nov. 8 whether to clear Microsoft Corp's proposed $69 billion acquisition of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard, according to a European Commission filing on Friday. The deal, the biggest in the gaming industry, will help the U.S. software company better compete with leaders Tencent and Sony. The Commission is likely to do the latter because of recent regulatory concerns over deals by Big Tech, sources familiar with the matter said.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Bota Bio today announced that it has raised more than $100 million in an oversubscribed Series B funding round.
Bota Bio, a global industrial biotechnology company advancing sustainable biomanufacturing, today announced that it has raised more than $100 million in an oversubscribed Series B funding round. The financing was led by Sequoia Capital China. Other investors included previous backers Matrix Partners China, Source Code Capital, Sherpa Healthcare Partners, and 5Y Capital, among others. This Series B financing brings Bota Bio's total funding to $145 million to date.
Bota Bio is a global industrial biotechnology company focused on programming biological systems for the clean and efficient biomanufacturing of common household and industrial products. Bota Bio is led by an experienced, multidisciplinary team of industry veterans combining data and automation to translate biotechnologies into business value and consumer welfare.
(c)2011-2020 by Massinvestor, Inc. For contact info, please check out our about


text:
Automobile industry keeps growing in good ol’ Mexico!
Mexico is in the automotive news this week with the announcement by Toyota Motor Corporation that it will expand its Tijuana assembly plant and Ford Motor Company’sdecision to move all its small-car production from the U.S. BMW also broke ground this week on its $1bn plant in San Luis Potosi.
Toyota will invest US $150 million at its Baja California plant in order to increase output of its Tacoma pickup truck from the current level of about 100,000 units a year to 160,000.
The plant, where a third shift was added in April last year, is stretched to the limit, running 24 hours a day Monday through Friday. The expansion will create about 400 new jobs, the company said.
Ford reconfirmed this week it would move the production of all its small cars to Mexico, where it already makes the Fiesta, over the next two to three years.
It is already building the plant in San Luis Potosí where most of the production will go. The $1.6-billion facility,announced last April, will begin operating in 2018.
Nearly two years after announcinga new assembly plant, BMW Group began construction this week of a new factory in San Luis Potosí.
Meanwhile German auto maker BMW will build the next-generation 3-series sedan at the new factory, with annual production predicted to total 150,000 cars. The model is one of the top-selling luxury cars in the U.S. and represents 30% of BMW’s revenues.
The US $1-billion plant will begin operating in 2019, employing 1,500 people directly, said company executive Oliver Zipse at a press conference.
By Elliot Bullman for Mexico News Network
more recommended stories
11 year-old girl will represent Yucatan at World Mathematics Olympiad in Bulgaria
To get to Molas you have.
Mérida attracts Chinese business sector attention
A delegation of the municipal government.
Yucatán national leader in avant garde technological solutions
Scientific staff will learn to market.
Fake photo brings out real issues
Social media users began circulating a.
As he continues leading the polls, AMLO has surrounded himself with mainstream economists
Mexican front runner presidential candidate Andrés.
Rate President Donald Trump’s Job Performance
Newsmax.com, America’s leading independent news service,.
Mérida, among the 10 best cities for doing business: “Entrepeneur”
During the present municipal administration Mérida.
Trump told Shinzo: “I can hand you over ’25 million Mexicans’ to give you a taste of the migration problem”
President Donald Trump reportedly made some.
Mérida breaks ground for the new “Litoteca Nacional de Yucatán”
MÉRIDA, Yuc.- The inauguration ceremony of.
New Companions And Fun Time In Video Chat
If you are willing to find.


text:
Jacksonville’s hotel industry, alongside other Florida markets, is showing a major increase in revenue compared with 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association and Kalibri Labs ranks Jacksonville 45th out of the 50 top hotel markets. But when it comes to recovering from the revenue slump caused by the pandemic, Jacksonville nears the front of the pack with other Sunshine State metropolises like Miami, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale.
The lodging association projects Jacksonville’s 2022 hotel revenue for business travel at $296 million and hotel revenue for leisure travel at over $326 million. Both figures are big improvements over 2019 revenue — by 3.25% and 16.77%, respectively.
That’s performing ahead of the national average, driven by a very polarized and uneven recovery between many major cities.
The top two U.S. markets, New York City and Washington, D.C., have decreased more than 20% in hotel revenue for business travel and are also in the red for leisure travel.
In contrast, Miami, one of the big winners in the report, has shown a 23% jump in business revenue. That increase of $274 million — for a projected total of $1.5 billion — is nearly equal to Jacksonville’s total projected revenue for the year.
Tampa and Fort Lauderdale also show significant revenue growth from 2019, even better than Jacksonville’s and well ahead of the majority of U.S. markets.
The reported revenues are not adjusted for inflation, and Kalibri notes that for most markets the hotel industry will likely not see a real recovery for several years.
While the jobs market overall is cooling, it’s still tilted in favor of labor as the lodging association reports more than 115,000 vacant positions at hotels nationwide. An association survey in September reported that 81% of hotels have increased wages to attract new employees, and 1 in 3 have expanded benefits.
Article by Raymon Troncoso originally published at WJCT News. Reporter Raymon Troncoso joined WJCT News in June of 2021 after concluding his fellowship with Report For America, where he was embedded with Capitol News Illinois covering Illinois state government with a focus on policy and equity. You can reach him at (904) 358-6319 or Rtroncoso@wjct.org and follow him on Twitter @RayTroncoso.


text:
- Podcasts can lift brand awareness between 24% to 79%, or as much as 30 times the lift rates of other media channels such as digital display, print and linear TV, which average about 2.6%, Claritas announced. The consumer insights company published its findings in a report released this week.
- Retailers had the highest average podcast campaign lift of 79%, ahead of B2B (77%), consumer goods (63%), pharmaceuticals (37%), automotive (30%), telecommunications (26%) and insurance (24%). Claritas analyzed 834 million podcast impressions among 158 campaigns over 36 months.
- Claritas used a methodology called "incremental lift analysis" that lets marketers measure the effectiveness of media channels such as podcasts. The company conducted the research on behalf of Entercom, a creator and distributor of podcast content.
Claritas' study suggests that podcasts are highly effective at raising brand awareness compared with other media channels, making them a compelling platform for mobile marketers.
Podcasts are a portable, on-demand format that capture audience attention in a variety of settings, and the growing menu of programming appeals to a diverse group of audience segments. The number of podcasts surged 80% to 1.44 million in the past year, per Apple Podcast data compiled by My Podcast Reviews, and the number of podcasts on other platforms adds to that total.
Brands are taking notice, with ad spending on the channel forecast to rise 15% to about $1 billion this year, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau and consulting firm PwC. The portion of advertisers that added podcasts to their annual media plans nearly doubled to 47% in the past year as more marketers sought to reach the channel's growing audience. Business interest in podcasting was exemplified in Omnicom Media Group's July announcement of a groundbreaking deal with Spotify to spend $20 million by the end of the year on podcast ad placements.
Growth in ad spending is, in turn, fueling investments in podcast programming among a variety of audio platforms that seek to differentiate their services in a crowded market. Spotify in the past two years has been more aggressive than other companies in building out its library of podcast content through direct investments and licensing deals.
Most recently, the company started a multiyear sponsorship deal with Riot Games that makes Spotify the exclusive streaming partner for "League of Legends" events. Spotify in June partnered with Warner Bros. and DC in a multiyear deal to carry scripted podcast series based on the comics imprint's superheroes. Those agreements followed an exclusive deal to stream popular podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience" and the acquisition of Bill Simmons' The Ringer network earlier this year.


text: The Samsung Galaxy S Advance was announced on Monday, and not even a week later the device has shown up in Vietnam and received a hands-on from Mai Nguyen. The handset reportedly features a design that is a combination of the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Nexus, complete with a curved display. The Advance’s specs fall between the Galaxy S II and original Galaxy S, however, featuring a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 5-megapixel camera, 768MB of RAM and 2GB of internal storage. The handset reportedly had a “solid feel,” with a thickness of 9.7mm and a weight of 120 grams. The Galaxy S Advance is expected to be released in Vietnam at the end of February for roughly 9.5 million VND, or $450 USD before subsidies. Another image of the new phone follows below.


text:
Leaders Luncheon – Thursday 6 June
Fremantle Mayor, Dr Brad Pettitt invites you to a special leaders luncheon with Perth Lord Mayor, Lisa Scaffidi.
Leaders Luncheon April
View the James Best (Managing Director of Best Business Communication Pty Ltd) presentation.
Destination prospectus now open
Businesses are invited to participate in any of the destination campaigns running from July 2013 to June 2014.
Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE)
We have remaining places available for Fremantle businesses or precicnts to be representated at ATE 2013 being held in Sydney from 26 to 30 April.
CBD prospectus now open
Businesses are invited to participate in any of the CBD campaigns running from July 2013 to June 2014.
Our users found these pages very useful...
This week's featured video.


text:
Hello TWIF UK & Europe friends,
Please find another week of fintech news, financings and exits below.
Note: There will be no newsletter next week as I am off on holiday.
Editor’s Note: If you’re an early-stage startup founder raising equity or debt, I may be able to help - reach out to firstname.lastname@example.org.
Tweet of the week 🦉🏆
There were 19 deals in the fintech space across the UK and Europe with a total investment of ~$300m. See the below highlights.
🇪🇺 Balance Re raised a $10m Series A from Anthemis, Global Brain, Roland Berger and Talabot Finance.
🇪🇺 Mooncard raised a €20m round from Aglae Ventures, BlackFin Capital, Partech and RAISE.
🇬🇧 pawaPay raised a $9m seed round co-led by 88mph and MSA Capital.
🇬🇧 Capitalise raised £10m from Experian, Gauss Ventures, Hambro Perks, PostFinance AG and QED Investors.
🇬🇧 Sikoia raised a $2.3m pre-seed round led by Earlybird with participation from Seedcamp and angels from Auxmoney, ComplyAdvantage and WeFox.
🇬🇧 Wombat is preparing to raise a £10m Series A round.
🇬🇧 BankiFi raised £2.2m led by Praetura Ventures.
🇬🇧 Thought Machine is rumoured to be raising £150m in a round led by Nyca Partners, valuing the fintech at unicorn status.
🌍 a16z announced a $400m seed fund after ditching the seed stage back in 2013.
🌍 Jeeves raised a $57m Series at a $500m valuation led by CRV.
Challenger Banking 🚀
🇪🇺 Ecolytiq is partnering with Worldline to provide transparency on the environmental footprint of bank customers.
🇪🇺 Doconomy is partnering with Parley for the Oceans to boost solutions to address both climate change and the plastic crisis in oceans.
🇪🇺 German neobank Tomorrow is removing its free account and moving completely to a paid model. They have attracted 85,000 customers in three years.
🇬🇧 Revolut is set to offer a credit card product in the US as a way to differentiate itself from other neobanks.
🇬🇧 Wise is beta testing it’s upcoming investment product, “Assets”, giving users the ability to convert dormant cash into a passive investment fund, iShares World Equity Index, via a partnership with BlackRock.
🙌🏻 TWIF Take - I was shocked when I heard the cost was 0.7% initially, but upon further reading the platform fee to Wise is 0.55% and Blackrock’s product fee is 0.15%. Both are fairly reasonable although the market did seem to have settled on 0.45% (Hargreaves Lansdown, Nutmeg and MoneyBox charge this). Wise also seemed to pitch the product as liquidity management tool which I think is somewhat unsuitable given the risk (which they do disclose). You can spend directly from the value of your fund investment which is interesting.
🇬🇧 Wombat has launched a “Battery Boom” ETF to give customers exposure to the growing battery and energy storage space.
🇬🇧 Iwoca and Funding Xchange are lending cash advances to small businesses via a fully automated product powered by open banking.
🌍 The SEC is potentially looking to crack down on gamification by broker dealers and PFOF. The stock is down over 6% in the past five days.
Digital Assets ₿
🇬🇧 Coinbase is announcing ETH2 staking rewards for its UK customers, having already been available in the US.
🇬🇧 Students in the UK are turning to crypto investing to address their £340 monthly shortfall.
🌍 MetaMask hit 10m monthly active users, accelerating from just over 500,000 in July 2020 to 10.4m in August 2021.
🌍 Centre Consortium, the group founded by Circle and Coinbase that oversees USDC, is expanding globally to create a “global network of stablecoins”.
🌍 NFT marketplace OpenSea recorded its largest transaction volume month in history at $2.8bn
🌍 SOL’s recent run up in price has seen it overtake Dogecoin as the 7th largest cryptocurrency
🌍 Much like Binance, BlockFi has now had a high level exec quit. Ex-Chairman of the CFTC Christopher Giancarlo has quit his position on the board of BlockFi after four months.
Traditional Banking 🏦
🇪🇺 BBVA Switzerland has launched Next Gen, an investment account which allows users to build portfolios around themes such as climate change and robotics. They also included a crypto wallet.
🇬🇧 Standard Chartered has joined crypto alliance Global Digital Finance (GDF).
🇬🇧 Former HSBC CEO John Flint will head up UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), a green and regional focused infrastructure bank helping finance a green revolution in clean energy, transport, digital, water and waste.
Fintech Infrastructure 🚧
🇬🇧 Railsbank and Status Money have partnered to create a cashback credit card that invests rewards in crypto.
🌍 Astra is now an official Auth partner of Plaid.
🇪🇺 Stripe found 94% of websites across Europe had 5 or more errors on their checkout pages which can lead to lost sales. They also found a lack of ability to save payment data for the future, few guest checkout workflows and social media account logins. 89% didn’t support Apple Pay and 97% didn’t support Google Pay.
🇪🇺 Adyen has launched Score, a ML tool to identify unusual behaviour to help fraud and malicious users.
🇪🇺 Worldline has turned on crypto payments for its 85,000 Swiss merchants that use its POS and e-POS.
🇬🇧 Laybuy is launching a shopping app to allow UK customers to pay in instalments at popular merchants.
🌍 PayPal is rumoured to be considering a stock trading platform according to CNBC as it pushes towards becoming a superapp.
🌍 Twitter upgraded its “Tip Jar” to allow users to tip with bitcoin. Its “Super Follows” feature will be powered by Stripe.
🌍 Apple announced it was allowing in-app links for media companies to bypass its 30% commission for subscriptions.
Regulatory Corner 🔎
🌍 The SEC has launched an investigation into Uniswap Labs concerning how it is used and marketed. This puts a one of crypto’s major players in the SEC’s crosshairs.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the other TWIF newsletters below!
Longer reads 📜
One ETH to rule ‘em all - Nakul Gupta
The franchise value of finance - Ilya Kulyatin
Algorithmic Stablecoins - Nicola Santoni
Scarcity Networks: Social Networks on Web3 - Justine Humenansky
Still grappling with crypto basics? You’re not alone - Gillian Tett, FT
The Great data debate - Scott Harkey
Your feedback is a gift, please give below 🙏
Good || Bad || Needs Improving
See you next week!


text:
Want to get the latest Maker Pro news right in your inbox? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“Right now, at least, IP cameras are one of the most vulnerable things in the entire Internet of Things.” –Alasdair Allan, security researcher and Babilim Light Industries director
Internet of Oops
This past weekend, a serious attack on the infrastructure of the web rendered major sites like Netflix and Google inaccessible to many North American web users.
Here’s where maker pros should pay attention: though the outages were caused by a distributed denial of service attack — a common hack that overloads web servers by overwhelming them with requests — it swiftly became clear that the devices perpetrating the hijinks were not a botnet of personal computers, as is generally the case, but a zombie army of Internet of Things devices like DVRs and security cameras that had been hijacked by malware.
The incident is a wakeup call to Internet of Things developers and an embarrassment to those whose devices were infected. Chinese electronics outfit Hangzhou Xiongmai, whose cameras were implicated in the attack, has already issued a recall for its vulnerable devices.
If similar attacks follow, it could undermine trust in the Internet of Things among consumers when confidence is already weak. According to a worrisome recent study, some 40 percent of Americans expressed no confidence in the security and privacy of connected devices.
“Right now, at least, IP cameras are one of the most vulnerable things in the entire Internet of Things,” he said. “They’re widely used, they’re widely deployed — mostly by people that don’t know a lot about them — and even when the manufacturers do publish security updates, which is not a given, most people don’t apply them.”
Maker Faire Shenzhen Weathers the Storm
The threat of Typhoon Haima prompted the organizers of Maker Faire Shenzhen (@MakerFaireSZ) to push the event back by two days — but it was still a heck of a show. As the largest Maker Faire in Asia and the fourth largest worldwide, the event was a high-energy peek into China’s premier hardware innovation ecosystem, with guests ranging from MakerFashion (@makefashionCA) and Formlabs to Microsoft and Mouser.
The event, which took place at the waterfront Nanshan Sea World, was organized by Shenzhen’s first makerspace, Chaihuo Maker Space (@chaihuomaker), which Seeed Studio (@seeedstudio) sponsored to create a community for hackers and entrepreneurs in the city.
Speaking of Shenzhen, Quartz recently ran a provocative story about the city. It follows Yekutiel Sherman, an Israeli entrepreneur who launched a crowdfunding campaign for his big idea, a smartphone case that unfolds into a selfie stick that he called Stikbox.
But just a week after he launched a Kickstarter campaign for the product, Sherman saw a clone of it for sale on Chinese retailer AliExpress. Some even used the name Stikbox.
The incident highlights a phenomenon as intriguing sociologically as it is technologically: the fast-moving copycats who spot a promising concept online, figure out how to make their own version, and then undercut the original.
International intellectual property enforcement is an uphill battle, so entrepreneurs are left with few options: notable among them, according to experts interviewed in the story, is either to withhold the “secret sauce” that makes a product tick or to build up a brand name buyers will pay more for.
What’s the role of Shenzhen for maker pros? Are you better off building locally or going overseas? And what would you do if someone stole your idea? Send us your thoughts at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Elsewhere on the Maker Pro Web:
A new Sculpteo roundup looks at the best crowdsourcing platforms for product design, broken down into strengths like making an idea grow or a focus on graphic design.
Speaking of 3D printing, Fabbaloo (@fabbaloo) ran a lengthy email from an employee at a large manufacturer who argued that industry has failed to embrace additive fabrication not because it’s uninterested, but because three major barriers remain: limited printing materials, the need for extensive post-process finishing, and the threat that worn-out 3D printed parts will be expensive to replace.
Boston-area youth makerspace Parts and Crafts (@partsandcrafts) is jumping on the subscription box bandwagon by crowdfunding a series of Creative Commons and Open Hardware licensed educational kits that showcase electronic concepts in fun ways — like a DIY lightsaber. The best part? They’ll mail you a new kit each month.
Also, a new paper by UC Berkeley research fellow Anna Waldman-Brown (@annawab) explores whether the maker movement might come to permanently influence the structures of market competition — a question also addressed in a memorable 2015 cover story in The Atlantic.
Do you have an item you’d like to see in the Maker Pro Newsletter? Email us at email@example.com.
Upcoming Maker Faires
León Mini Maker Faire (Spain): Oct 28–30
Wenatchee Mini Maker Faire (WA): Oct 29
New Taipei Mini Maker Faire (Taiwan): Oct 29–30
Cleveland Mini Maker Faire (OH): Nov 5
Rio de Janeiro Mini Maker Faire (Brazil): Nov 5
Kharkiv Mini Maker Faire (Ukraine): Nov 5
Bangkok Mini Maker Faire (Thailand): Nov 5
Maker Faire Lille (France): Nov 5–6
Find a Maker Faire near you on the Maker Faire map.


text:
Hamburg’s data protection commissioner, Johannes Caspar, said he issued an emergency three-month order prohibiting the social network from processing WhatsApp personal data for its own purposes.
The watchdog opened urgent proceedings last month because of concerns that WhatsApp users were being required to agree to the update by May 15 or else they wouldn’t be able to continue using the service.
WhatsApp denied the update is connected with any expansion of data sharing with Facebook, pointing out it is related only to messages between businesses and customers.
The order “is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose and effect of WhatsApp’s update and therefore has no legitimate basis,” WhatsApp said in a statement, adding that because the Hamburg regulator’s claims are wrong, it wouldn’t affect the update’s rollout.
WhatsApp initially tried to introduce the update at the start of the year but backed off after a wave of confusion and misinformation among users, many of whom flocked to rival chat apps such as Signal and Telegram.
Caspar warned that with 60 million users in Germany, there’s a danger WhatsApp could be used to influence voters in September federal elections through Facebook ads. He said he would refer the case to the European Data Protection Board to get a Europe Union-wide decision.
Facebook’s German headquarters is based in Hamburg, giving Caspar jurisdiction at the national level when it comes to enforcing the EU’s strict General Data Protection Regulation for the company.
LONDON (AP) — By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer.
Google Announces Google Workspace for Everyone
Google announced on Monday a series of updates that build upon its vision to deliver a single, integrated communication and collaboration solution to everyone via Google Workspace.
Now, all of the company’s three billion-plus existing users across consumer, enterprise, and education have access to the full Google Workspace experience, including Gmail, Chat, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet and more.
In addition to offering Google Workspace to everyone, the company announced new innovations that address the specific challenges and opportunities of the hybrid work world:
- The evolution of Rooms in Google Chat to Spaces
- A new individual subscription offer: Google Workspace Individual
- New enhancements to Google Meet that enable collaboration equity
- New security and privacy capabilities across Google Workspace
“Collaboration doesn’t stop at the workplace – our products have been optimized for broad participation, sharing and helpfulness since the beginning,” said Javier Soltero, VP and GM, Google Workspace. “Our focus is on delivering consumers, workers, teachers and students alike an equitable approach to collaboration, while still providing flexibility that allows these different subsets of users to take their own approach to communication and collaboration.”
“With this update, Google Workspace is creating a new competitive advantage by optimizing for a single, connected experience across its products that it is extending to consumers and individual business owners, to align with the experience that its enterprise and education subscribers benefit from today,” Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst, Moor Insights & Strategy, said in a statement.
Google Workspace for everyone
Every day, the world’s most innovative companies, schools and nonprofits use Google Workspace to transform how people work and achieve more together.
It’s a daily part of how leading healthcare providers revolutionize patient care, schools turn remote learning into an immersive, personalized experience, and aerospace companies rethink flight. Starting today, Google Workspace is available to anyone with a Google account, meaning friends, family, or groups of any kind can stay connected, work together, and share helpful information in a single space.
For example, you can organize a junior sports league with ease, take that fundraiser to the next level, or even turn a hobby into a business. Starting today, users can enable the integrated experience in Google Workspace by turning on Google Chat in Gmail.
Connecting content and people in powerful ways
With the introduction of Spaces, the Rooms experience in Google Chat will evolve into a dedicated place for organizing people, topics, and projects in Google Workspace. “Over the summer, we’ll evolve Rooms to become Spaces and launch a streamlined and flexible user interface that helps teams and individuals stay on top of everything that’s important,” a statement by the search engine said.
Powered by new features like in-line topic threading, presence indicators, custom statuses, expressive reactions, and a collapsible view, Spaces will seamlessly integrate with files and tasks, becoming a new home in Google Workspace for getting more done—together.
Spaces will also provide a place to fuel knowledge sharing and community building for teams of all sizes, where all the relevant information, conversations, and files for a project can be organized, and where topics—even at the organization level—can be intelligently moderated.
With the ability to pin messages where everyone can see them, Spaces will play a crucial role in helping people stay connected and informed.
Google Workspace Individual
Google Workspace is also launching Workspace Individual, a powerful, easy-to-use solution that was built to help individual business owners grow, run, and protect their business. This new subscription offering provides premium capabilities, including smart booking services, professional video meetings and personalized email marketing, with much more on the way.
Within their existing Google account, subscribers can easily manage all their personal and professional commitments from one place with access to Google support to get the most out of their solution.
Workspace Individual is rolling out soon to six markets, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, and Japan.
A single, connected experience
As businesses move to a hybrid work environment, the importance of creating secure collaboration spaces and fostering human connection has never been more important. Because Google Workspace was designed to fuel anywhere, anytime collaboration, it’s now helping millions of organizations navigate the challenges and opportunities of the newly emerging work model.
Customers are using Google Workspace to rethink virtual meetings, provide people with modern tools to stay connected and manage their time and attention, and double down on security and privacy.
Apple reaffirms privacy stance amid Trump probe revelations
Seeking to protect its image as a guardian of personal privacy, Apple maintains it was blindsided and handcuffed by a Trump administration probe that resulted in the company handing over phone data from two Democratic congressmen.
Apple delivered its version of events Friday in response to news reports detailing the U.S. Justice Department’s aggressive attempts to use its legal power to identify leaks tied to an investigation into former President Donald Trump’s ties to Russia.
The Justice Department was able to persuade a federal grand jury to issue a subpoena that culminated in Apple turning over the metadata — information that can include general records of calls and texts — about House Intelligence Committee members Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell, both California Democrats, during 2018. Both lawmakers were key figures on the committee looking into Trump’s connections with Russia; Schiff is now the panel’s chair.
Neither Schiff and Swalwell knew some of the information had been seized until May 5, after a series of gag orders had finally expired, according to the company.
The revelation of Apple’s compliance with the subpoena emerged at a time when the company has been ramping up efforts to frame privacy as “fundamental human right” in its marketing campaigns. Apple also upped the privacy ante in April when it rolled out privacy controls on the iPhone as part of an effort to make it more difficult for companies such as Facebook to track people’s online activities to help sell ads.
In a statement, Apple emphasized it will continue to fight unjustified legal demands for personal information and keep customers informed about them.
But in this instance, Apple said it was constrained by a nondisclosure order signed by a federal magistrate judge and said it had no information about the nature of the investigation.
“It would have been virtually impossible for Apple to understand the intent of the desired information without digging through users’ accounts,” the Cupertino, California, company said. “Consistent with the request, Apple limited the information it provided to account subscriber information and did not provide any content such as emails or pictures.”
Apple also believes other technology companies may have been confronted with similar legal demands, based on the broad nature of the request it received for “customer or subscriber account information” spanning 73 phone numbers and 36 email addresses.
It remains unclear how many other companies may have been swept up in the Trump administration’s attempt to track down leakers.
In a statement, Microsoft acknowledged receiving at least one subpoena in 2017 related to a personal email account. It said it notified the customer after the gag order expired and learned that the person was a congressional staff member. “We will continue to aggressively seek reform that imposes reasonable limits on government secrecy in cases like this,” the company said.
Privacy experts were more troubled by the U.S. laws that allowed the Justice Department to secretly obtain the subpoenas and then keep them under wraps for years than by Apple’s limited compliance with the demands.
The subpoenas represent a “a quintessential example of government abuse” that ensnared Apple, said Alan Butler, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
“It’s very difficult to challenge these types of subpoenas, but it’s not impossible,” Butler said. “And if there ever was one worth challenging, it might have been these.”
Apple’s response to the subpoena doesn’t necessarily contradict its stance on the sanctity of personal privacy, said Cindy Cohn, executive director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group. That’s because Apple privacy commitments mostly revolve around shielding its customers from online surveillance.
She thinks the bigger issue is why U.S. law allows a grand jury to issue a subpoena and then block Apple from alerting the affected people.
“The overall secrecy of this is troubling, especially since it appears to have all been a politically motivated investigation,” Cohn said.
Apple has a history of fighting legal requests, most notably in 2016 when the Justice Department sought to force Apple to unlock the iPhone owned by one of the killers in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California.
Apple refused to cooperate, contending it would open a digital backdoor that would pose threats to the security and privacy of all iPhone users. The legal showdown ended when the FBI hired another firm to unlock the iPhone connected to the shooting.
“Apple really put its money where its mouth is that time,” Butler said.
SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer.
The 4 major benefits of using cloud computing services for your business
It is hard to argue against the convenience of having a seamlessly accessible hard drive in the sky, used to send, and retrieve data at any point, from anywhere. Whatever documents or files you think might be remotely useful at some point, just stick it on the cloud and forget about it.
The benefits that cloud adoption brings to businesses large and small are no different.
There are major benefits to companies that choose to adopt cloud computing services that cannot be overlooked and that give such companies a serios edge over their competition.
Well strictly speaking, it is limited by the size of your wallet and the number of servers in a warehouse. You do not, however, need to carry any hardware such as portable drives or thumb sticks to store your data. That’s the cloud providers problem, and so long as you pay for space, they are happy to provide.
Many organizations fear that using cloud computing services may leave them vulnerable to being breached. Using in-house storage may give them a sense of security given the servers are right in front of them.
But consider this, a cloud provider’s full-time job, their specialty, is to constantly monitor and secure their connections and respond in cases of emergency.
Though there is a gap in readiness to adopt, 75 percent of IT professionals view the public cloud as more secure than their own data centers and solutions according to a 2020 report by Oracle; while response times to breaches and disaster recovery are made easier and much faster compared to in-house security teams.
On top of all that, there are the decreased costs; organizations need not divide their time and resources on security if they can outsource all that to specialists for a price.
Collaboration and Flexibility
The ability to access data from any device gives employees the ability to, well, do just that. In any conference or meeting, on a plane or in a hotel on vacation – not that an employee should be working on vacation, but it’s a brave new world.
This increased flexibility makes it easier for different departments and employees to collaborate and access common files. Like a companywide Google doc.
If a business needs to increase their bandwidth, or adversely, if they no longer need it for whatever reason, they can easily scale their needs up and down.
Instead of adding, removing, storing, or modifying in-house servers, the company can simply tell their cloud provider who can scale their processes based on the needs of their customers.
In parallel, if a company is looking to implement a new operating system or software update, a lot of time can be saved by simply applying the change through the cloud itself.
We know by now that companies who do not advance don’t stay around. The adoption of cloud computing services is the perfect way for small, medium and large-scale businesses to take care of their tech needs without splitting themselves into parts or wasting resources that could be used to improve and grow their business.
McDonald’s latest company to be hit by a data breach
Google Announces Google Workspace for Everyone
Buy now pay later services to reach $995 Bn globally in 2026
Omantel successfully tests enhanced 5G at its HQ
NEOM: A $500 Billion smart-city to be built in Saudi Arabia
5 Reasons Why… Telecoms is Important in Society
Advantages and drawbacks of Voice Recognition Technology
Telecom Sales Strategies that will Bring You Success in 2020
Interview with Yashu Kapila, BugRaptors CEO
Interview with Vic Bozzo, Chief Revenue Officer at SONOC
Raghid Charara, Vice President and Khaled Chatila, VP of Business Development at ANALITICO
Michel Robert, CEO of Epsilon
- Cryptocurrency3 weeks ago
UAE launches DubaiCoin, as Elon Musk tweet causes Bitcoin price surge
- Cryptocurrency2 weeks ago
Norton to rollout cryptominer for Ethereum
- Technology4 weeks ago
How 5G gaming might be every gamers dream come true
- Community4 weeks ago
Changed by pandemic, many workers won’t return to old jobs
- Technology3 weeks ago
Everything you need to know about the Android 12 update
- Views from the Inside2 weeks ago
How are AI and ML Turning the QA Industry?
- News2 weeks ago
CGTN: China gears up for sci-tech development, focusing more on self-reliance
- News3 weeks ago
Gaza-based journalists in Hamas chat blocked from WhatsApp


text:
Black Friday 4K TV deals are here. Find the latest savings on Samsung Frame, Curved, LED and QLED TVs listed below by the deals experts at Deal Tomato.
With plenty of Black Friday deals out there, this one stands out because of the huge discount - an impressive 47% off. Visit Amazon's Black Friday page and Walmart's Black Friday home page for their latest deals.
Sony TV KD-65A8F is a 4K TV that features a large 65 inch display. LG, Samsung, Sharp, and other worldwide brands all have their own version of a 4K smart TV.
Valencia 2 - 2 Chelsea | 27 Nov 2019
I wouldn't say I feel fortunate. " Then the word after the game was it might not be as severe as we first thought ". But Lampard was unhappy with the number of opportunities his team gave away.
While Samsung has become dominant in using OLED technology on mobile displays - even Apple uses its screens for iPhones - in TVs, the big name in OLED is its competitor, LG.
What is the explanation behind the name Black Friday? Amazon makes Black Friday shopping hassle-free through its massive selection of discounted products, custom gift guides and their offer last Black Friday of free shipping with no minimum purchase required.
Do Amazon and Walmart offer Black Friday deals?
Pokemon Sword and Shield is getting absolute unit Gigantamax Snorlax
Gigantamax Snorlax is coming next month to Pokemon Sword & Pokemon Shield's Max Raid Battles , starting on December 4. The new super-sized Snorlax will grow to more than 35 meters in height but its weight isn't specified.
With a 48.6% share of all online sales during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend a year ago (Edison Trends), Amazon now reigns over other retailers in overall Black Friday performance.
Walmart's e-commerce sales are predicted to grow by 33% in 2019, as reported by eMarketer.
According to a recent Amazon press release, in 2018 the e-commerce retailer sold 180 million products during the 5 days that spanned Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. As an Amazon Associate Consumer Articles earns from qualifying purchases.
SEVEN KILLED: Investigation ongoing in Kingston plane crash
From the description given by police, this is the rough area where the plane went down in Kingston on Thursday evening. Trained search and rescue technicians dropped down from the helicopter into the wooded area north of Creekford Road.


text:
Reducing the risk of fraud: A necessary evolution in payments
When it comes to the payments industry, new and upcoming fintech solutions mean there are new ways for cybercriminals to try and defraud anyone with a dollar to their name. For as long as money has existed, thieves have been trying to steal it – and the digital era of payments and banking is no different. As we enter 2023, credit unions must consider several payment fraud risks as they inherently prepare for and respond to these differently than larger financial institutions.
Risk #1: Look no further than your phone
As digitization trends continue to grow stronger, we’ll see an increase in mobile card non-present payments – led by popular apps such as Apple Wallet and Google Pay. Fraud risk in this area has really taken off in the past decade, as smartphones and mobile apps caused a rise in scam calls, texts, etc. What was once a generally “safe” device is now a central element of daily life, with most of us spending every waking moment using it. We don’t just have all our social media apps on our phones but also store all our credit/debit cards, addresses, email accounts and even driver’s license in one place. In other words, it’s a centerpiece for a thief to gain access to your bank account and more.
As with many things, the way consumers and businesses exchange money has changed drastically in the past few years. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced industries and the businesses within them to fully embrace digitization, threatening to leave those who couldn’t transform behind their competitors. With this, digital transactions have reached an all-time high, and so has payment fraud. The rise in online shopping, contactless pickup, and delivery apps, means that nearly everyone is engaging in online transactions, increasing their threat level for payment fraud.
Risk #2: What you do online matters
A symptom of smartphones and increased digital transactions is that members have a higher digital presence than ever before, which means more of their data ends up online than they realize. Data breaches are becoming more harmful as they compromise both the information stored by a breached business as well as that of any connected apps or partner data. Because our mobile devices feel like such an extension of ourselves, we don’t think twice about our private data stored on them, which otherwise we’d protect with much more care.
Think about how many places you have your credit or debit card saved for simple “Buy Now” payments. It’s the equivalent of leaving your credit card on the counter of a store. Because this level of digitization is brand new, we don’t have tried and safe member habits in place. Instead, members lean only on the convenience of digital payments, and don’t realize how vulnerable they’ve left themselves. It’s not just personal data we’re adding without a second thought. It’s financial data as well.
Risk #3: The human error factor
As a foundational approach to these new problems, credit union executives should remain hyper-aware of the pace of digitization. They should also remain aware of the evolution of tools and training that pair with that digitization. If an organization lets a new fraud prevention tool slip their notice, it could expose them to an entire sector of fraud.
Without proper training, employees might even miss fraud attempts when they’re right in front of them. This training gap is widening, particularly in credit unions that rely on third party resources that larger financial institutions don’t have to. That said, the training issue is perhaps more important than the tool issue. If an organization cannot afford the appropriate tools to combat fraud, they must make it a priority to at least be able to afford the necessary training.
Steps to take in 2023
With all these new and emerging risks, credit unions may find themselves more vulnerable than other institutions for several key reasons, including less budget to spend on protections than major financial organizations, fewer overall resources and a heightened risk of reputational damage. This is not to say that credit unions are at a disadvantage when, in fact, they have a myriad of opportunities available to them and can often stay ahead of the pack as a smaller, nimbler organization.
Credit unions can begin with readily available tools capable of preventing major issues. For example, authentication tools are part of most, if not all, financial organizations. The trick is to place them correctly and to make them a non-negotiable part of the member onboarding process. Members want immediacy and convenience, so it may seem counter-intuitive to include an authentication process as part of an onboarding process. However, members inevitably prefer to complete these steps upfront rather than follow a more complicated and disruptive setup in the future (or worse, become a victim of a cyberattack).
Solutions enhanced with behavioral artificial intelligence can also be a wise investment, as it will become familiar with a member’s monetary habits over time, sending immediate warning alerts when an anomaly appears. This allows a credit union to be always on top of their member’s needs.
At the end of the day, protecting your members is protecting your credit union. Small credit unions may not have all the tools and resources a financial giant might, but with the right training and selection of key tools, they can start at the root of the problem to prevent it from becoming a giant issue later. Credit unions can’t afford reputational damage from not protecting their members in the way large financial institutions may be able to. The same reputational damage that could lead to a bad quarter for a large institution could be the end for a credit union. Growth is never easy, but it’s necessary.


text:
DJI Mavic Options in Atkinson IL 61235
The camera is modest but relatively strong on paper: its one/two.three-inch sensor can capture 12MP stills in JPEG or DNG RAW structure, and online video at many different resolutions and frame rates: 4K at 30fps or 1080p at approximately 96fps.
Envision which you rented a crane truck and stuck your digicam over a tripod on that crane, and you receive a sense for the way stable this issue is often.
Electronics Stores in Atkinson, Illinois 61235
Drones for Sale in Atkinson Illinois
Atkinson IL - BingNews Search results
Judge denies second expert request in Atkinson shooting
CAMBRIDGE — A Massachusetts man charged with shooting at an Illinois State trooper south of Atkinson in October won’t get a second psychologist’s examination at the public’s expense. In Henry County C...
Mary Helen Claeys
ATKINSON, Ill. — Mary Helen Claeys, 75, of Atkinson, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, July 1, 2018, at Hammond Henry, Long Term Care Unit, Geneseo, Illinois. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Fri...
070318-qct-obt-pending Pendings List
Illinois. Arrangements are pending at Vandemore Funeral Home, Atkinson, Illinois. Odelia Cotton, 90, of Rock Island, passed away Saturday, June 30, 2018, at her residence. Arrangements are pending at ...
Remodeled Verlo Mattress Store Grand Opens in Ft. Atkinson, WI
Verlo Mattress, the national sleep products company, is grand opening a completely renovated store in Fort Atkinson, Wisc. as part of its national expansion plan to improve and increase its locations ...
Lake Minneola DE Stephone Atkinson commits to Western Kentucky
Right now, I’m strictly D-End for them,” Atkinson said. “It was between Western Kentucky and Northern Illinois and I just felt Western Kentucky. I feel pretty good about it. I was kinda stressing at o...


text:
E3 2014: End Of Serenity Arriving This Summer On PSPAnd maybe on Vita?06.10.14 - 8:57 PM
Set for a digital release in summer, Natsume will be publishing Kemco's traditional 2D RPG End of Serenity
on the PlayStation Portable. The Final Fantasy
-inspired title has previously been released on Android and iOS, but will feature and a new localisation on PSP.
The story is set in a world where the advanced technology an ancient civilisation has led to ruin and a new threat known as the Underworld.
Natsume have expressed that they hope to also release the title digitally on PlayStation Vita, but that it's currently "up to Sony" what happens.


text:
After months of rumors and leaked reports LG has finally officially announced LG G2 flagship smartphone. It is the successor to company’s previous Android flagship device LG Optimus G and comes with a lot of improved features including brand new rear panel design. The phone is having great features to compete against the other high-end rival phones including Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One.
Features wise, LG G2 comes with a full HD 5.2inch True IPS display with the resolution of 1920*1080 pixels. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core processor which is one of the best system on chip available in the market for the smartphones. It is running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system version and will be receiving future Android updates for sure. It comes with 16/32GB internal memory models and powered by a 2GB RAM memory.
An interesting change in the design of the phone is that company has located the Volume Rocker and the power buttons on the back side of the phone below the rear camera. Power button of the phone also acts as a quick launcher for camera application. It comes with 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilization and also features a 2.1MP front facing shooter. It is powered by a massive 3000mAh battery and comes in Black and White color choices. The phone will be available to buy in South Korea then North America which will follow the launch in other key markets in coming eight weeks. However, there is no word on the pricing of the phone at the moment. We will update you more when it will be available to buy in the Indian market.


text:
The previously-announced return of zombies in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare will rush Xbox One players that purchase the Havoc DLC pack in January 2015.
Telltale Games has revealed that Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series, its adaptation of/contribution to HBO's Game of Thrones universe will arrive on PC, Mac and American PS4s on December 2.
Rockstar joins this week's money-saving festivities with a collection of Black Friday price drops on collectibles and apparel featured in its online store.
Sony already mentioned that PS4 owners with subscriptions to PlayStation Plus will receive gratis access to both Secret Ponchos and Injustice: Gods Among Us in December.
The recently-announced Just Cause 3 will not feature multiplayer capability when it launches in 2015, but developer Avalanche Studios and publisher Square Enix are being coy about the mode being patched in down the road.
Wander is an unconventional, combat-less MMO that's currently in beta on PC and Linux and planned to reach PS4 in March 2015, as announced on the PlayStation Blog.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor players will be able to put their warrior skills to the test in a free batch of DLC launched today, publisher Warner Bros. announced.
Omega Force's history-based brawler Bladestorm: Nightmare is coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PS3 in North America on March 3, publisher Koei Tecmo revealed this week.
After some delays, Halo developers, 343 Industries are finally released a patch today that promises to fix those matchmaking issues, among other things. You can find the complete patch notes here.
An upgraded version of the crowdfunded dimension-swapping platformer Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams will launch for the PS4 and Xbox One next month.
GameStop's Black Friday ad has apparently leaked, spilling dollar-saving deals all over the Internet's floor.
The next-gen version of the smash-hit title is set to hit shelves on November 18, and the GTA 5 dev team are asking fans to give feedback on the range of new features set to debut on Tuesday.


text:
WASHINGTON -- In an open letter to President Clinton published Wednesday, over 230 economists warn of the dangers of antitrust lawsuits that are designed to help rival firms instead of consumers.
US antitrust officials should avoid lawsuits like the suit against Microsoft that are designed primarily to benefit the software company's competitors, says the letter published in ads in The New York Times and The Washington Post.
"We urge anti-trust authorities to abandon antitrust protectionism and refrain from such speculative enterprises when actual consumer harm cannot be shown," says the ad, which was organized by the Oakland, California-based Independent Institute, which receives part of its funding from Microsoft.
"It seemed the public debate was not focused on the fact that there's little consumer harm," said David Theroux, the institute's president. He said his group published a similar ad critiquing the Clinton health care plan's proposal for price controls.
Separately, a taxpayer watchdog group on Tuesday said it wants to know how much the US government is spending on its lawsuit against Microsoft.
"The Department of Justice owes it to its client -- the American taxpayer and consumer -- to make this information available to the public. If it were a law firm, it would be accountable to its clients," says Aaron Taylor, a spokesman for Citizens Against Government Waste.
But the Justice Department isn't telling. A spokesman said the government does not keep track of how much time its lawyers spend on cases -- and even if the info was available, it wouldn't be released until the case was over.
"I am requesting all paperwork detailing costs incurred by DoJ in its investigation of, and litigation against, the Microsoft Corporation from 1989 to the present," said the letter from CAGW to Attorney General Janet Reno.
"Your department has stonewalled every attempt by our organization to obtain this data," the letter said. The Justice Department denied an earlier request from the group.
Accurate data on the cost of the trial is near-impossible to obtain. One estimate is that costs for just US District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson and his staff might be US$6,000 a day -- which would mean that proceedings since last October might total some $500,000.
But the biggest price tag comes from the government lawyers who have spent thousands of hours litigating the case. Government economic witnesses are usually paid hundreds of dollars an hour plus travel expenses. Attorneys must fly across the country to depositions.
The Justice Department is requesting a $21.09 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1999, an increase of $317 million. Of that additional money, $6.37 million will be used to hire new attorneys for civil antitrust suits.