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It’s getting more and more difficult to keep up with startup events across Europe, because they seem to be multiplying like bunnies.
One of the trends is cities trading startups. Why, we have no idea. Shouldn’t they be stealing each other’s talent? That said, since the early days of Dispatches (way back 90 days ago) we’ve predicted talent migration in the form of techpats seeking the most interesting opportunities will become the new normal.
So, let’s just say we saw this one coming ….
(Application deadline is Friday, April 15.)
Applications for the second year of the NYC2Amsterdam startup boot camp are now open for New York City-based startups looking to expand to Europe.
NYC2Amsterdam Startup Bootcamp 2016 is billed as a two-day intensive program to introduce NYC startups to the startup scene in Amsterdam and Europe. This bootcamp is organized by StartupAmsterdam in collaboration with the New York City Economic Development Corp.
The bootcamp will be followed by The Next Web Conference Europe, a tech conference bringing together the world’s technology leaders, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. (See below.)
Startup Amsterdam, a public-private partnership, is sponsoring the event. This is from their website:
Participating startups will gain valuable information from Dutch industry experts, lead users and peers on a soft landing in Amsterdam, and learn how to expand and scale their companies in the European market. StartupAmsterdam will provide a tailor-made introductory programme into the Amsterdam startup ecosystem. Included bootcamp activities are meetings with Dutch corporates/launching customers, one-on-one advice on legal/recruitment/financial practices, access to the TNW Conference Europe and many more!
StartupAmsterdam collaborates with partner cities, according to their website. The inaugural NYC2Amsterdam bootcamp was organized last August. A bootcamp to Paris took place this March.
For more information about the bootcamp and how to apply, check the factsheet here.
In this exchange, Haarlemvalley will travel with a maximum of 30 startups, investors, government folks and experts to New York on May 28 through May 31. Six (Dutch and American) startups will pitch to a combination of Dutch and American investors in Harlem, New York. (Get it? Haarlem to Harlem?)
• STARTUP DAY 2016, Stockholm, April 23 (runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
This is short notice, but this event has some serious star power including Shahan Lilja, former deployment stratagiest at Plantir Technologies (the Peter Theil-backed company that crunches data for the world’s intelligence agencies) and Klarna co-founder Niklas Adalberth. Startup Day is organized by the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship.
From the Startup Day website:
Startup Day gathers the entire startup ecosystem in an annual event focusing on eclectic startup inspiration and once-in-a-year networking.
This all-day event features inspiring founder stories on stage, an Impact Expo offering resources for growing startups, a pitching competition, an all-day Startup Jobs Fair, and more than 1000 founders, entrepreneurs, students, VCs, press and other enthusiasts comprising an opportunity of awesomeness in one of the most formidable entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world.
The city of Amsterdam plays host to the 11th annual TNW Conference, a technology gathering that brings together the world’s top technology leaders, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs. Inspiring keynote talks and endless networking opportunities are tied together by more than 8 stages, 300 exhibitor pavilions and a week full of satellite events about the future of technology, innovation, marketing, communication and imagination.
Unlike a lot of the lesser tech events, this attracts celeb Silicon Valley names. For 2016, Gary Vanyerchuck is on the roster along with Steve Huffman from Reddit, Youtube producer Casey Neistat and Julie Zhuo, director of product design at Facebook. TNW also has serious sponsorships from Adyen, Google, Paypal, Amazon and Facebook.
• STARTUP FEST EUROPE, 25 May to 28 May, Amsterdam.
This promises to be huge. Startup Fest Europe is a week-long festival scheduled during the European presidency. And in that vein of being a showcase event for Europe’s effort to create a digital startup culture, there’s very much a political element to what promises to be a stellar event with some amazing names.
Airbnb’s Nathan Blecharczyk, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Uber co-founder and CEO Travis Kalanick (who’s also CEO of Twitter) are just a few of the Silicon Valley A-listers scheduled to participate. Here’s the deal: Former European Commissioner for Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes, now envoy to Holland’s StartupDelta effort, personally invited Cook and Kalanick during her 2015 visit to San Francisco with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
A Dutch startup executive close to Kroes also confirmed to Dispatches Europe that Cook & Co. are coming to Startup Fest Europe. Other huge gets include Alibaba’s Jack Ma and Adyen co-founder Pieter van der Does.
• SEEDSTARS PRAGUE, 27 August
(Deadline to apply 13 August.)
Seedstars is best-known as the organization that promotes startup cultures in the Developing World. Which, to us, doesn’t include Prague. But, that’s where they’re headed.
From the website:
Seedstars World is coming for the first time to Prague!
The 12 best startups from Czech Republic will be invited to pitch in front of an investment panel and compete to be crowned the most promising seed-stage startup of Seedstars Prague 2016. The winning startup will join the global Seedstars Family and take part in the regional and global Seedstars Summits that include our tried and tested bootcamp and investor forum. It’s a catalytic platform for high–growth emerging market startups.
In addition to seeing the top startups pitch, you can look forward to an event filled with disruptive tech, inspirational discussions, networking sessions and one flight ticket for the winner to come to Switzerland to compete for over $1mn in investment.
• PIRATE SUMMIT, Cologne, Sept. 6 & Sept 7.
You have to love a six-year-old gathering that bills itself as “Europe’s craziest startup conference.” And it’s being held in a scrapyard. BUT, if you can get your concept past the Pirate Summit crew, they’ll send you two free tickets to come pitch to about 200 investors. It appears there are 600 slots open for 1,200 attendees.
It doesn’t appear there’s a speaker, but they’re open for suggestions.
Here’s the agenda:
Dates & Times:
Official start: Tuesday, Sept. 6th 2016 at 9am
Official end: Wednesday, Sept. 7th 2016 at 18:00h
There will be a get-together for participants who arrive early and those that stay longer.
Contents & Sessions
In 2015 we changed our formats a bit. There were less keynotes and less panels, in 2016 we’ll try to make it even more interactive. There will be more focus on intense hands-on breakout sessions with experienced session leaders. Furthermore, on the first day there will be mentor sessions, the Walk the Plank semi-finals and the Burning Man ceremony.
The mentor sessions are an exclusive opportunity for selected VCs and startups to interact with and learn from each other. For the Walk the Plank pitch competition the hottest 80+ startups from around the globe will present their startup in a 3min pitch followed by a 2min Q&A.
In the run up to Cologne, there are Pirate Summit Global Tour stops across Europe including Paris (May 9), Barcelona (May 10), Amsterdam (May 24), Rotterdam (May 25) and Zurich (June 6).
Here’s the background on Pirate Summit from the website:
So far we have organized more than 50 Pirates On Shore events in 30+ countries in 2015 alone. We have been to cities such as Tehran, Beirut, Minsk, Tirana, Moscow and Cluj to find the most promising startups from Europe and the Middle East. In 2016 we’re going to increase the number of events for our POS-tour and bring the Pirate spirit to as many places as possible + and at least one startup from each city to the Pirate Summit.
And to quote the Pirate Summit website, good luck and aarrghh!


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After rolling out Android 11 stable update for OnePlus 7 series device earlier this month, the company has now started rolling out new updates for OnePlus 8 series devices. The company already rolled out Android 11 based OxygenOS 11 update for OnePlus 8, and OnePlus 8 Pro a few months back. In January, the company rolled out OxygenOS 220.127.116.11 update for both smartphones bringing OnePlus store app to the devices. Now, the company has started rolling out OxygenOS 18.104.22.168 update with the March Android security patch and several other bug fixes and optimizations to the OnePlus 8, and OnePlus 8 Pro.
OnePlus has also fixed the lagging issue which occurred while playing videos recorded in 4K CINE 60fps mode. The company has also fixed the failure issue that users encountered after changing the customized font. OnePlus has also fixed the issue due to which the expanded screenshots were not working in some cases. The company says that it has also fixed an alarm clock-related bug due to which the alarm wasn’t playing as scheduled on workdays. The new update comes with a host of optimizations, and bug fixes. Take a detailed look at the changelog below,
System Optimized the position of the EMERGENCY icon in the lock screen Improved the navigation gestures sensitivity during charging Fixed the failure issue after changing the customized font Fixed the issue that the Splash Screen Information Service may stop working Fixed the small probability issue that the language in Provision does not follow the system language Fixed the small probability issue that the expanded screenshot may stop working Fixed the small probability issue with the Recorder that the recording quality may not meet the expected result Fixed the issue that reusing the wrong fingerprint long press to unlock will cause a flash screen Fixed the small probability issue that double-tapping is abnormally triggered when typing Fixed the failure issue when waking the voice assistance in lock screen by swiping the icon Fixed the issue in which home screen time is displayed abnormally when the system language is Arabic Updated Android security patch to 2021.03 Camera Fixed the lagging issue when playing videos recorded by 4K CINE 60FPS OnePlus Share Fixed the issue that files sent by other third-party devices cannot be received Clock Fixed the issue that the alarm clock may not ring as scheduled on workdays
OnePlus 8 users in India are receiving an OxygenOS 11 update with version 22.214.171.124.IN21DA, while the OnePlus 8 Pro users are receiving OxygenOS 126.96.36.199.IN11DA update. OnePlus will soon start rolling out the same update in the European and North American regions. OnePlus 8 users in EU will receive OxygenOS 188.8.131.52.IN21BA update, while the users in NA will get OxygenOS 184.108.40.206.IN21AA version.
OnePlus will roll out OxygenOS220.127.116.11.IN11BA update for OnePlus 8 Pro users in EU, while the users in NA will receive a new update with version 18.104.22.168.IN11AA. Do you use an OnePlus 8 or the OnePlus 8 Pro? Have you received the update on your unit? Do let us know in the comments below.
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RiseUp, a startup accelerator, announced Wednesday that Egyptian startups can now enter applications for the second edition of the Jack Ma Foundation “Africa’s Business Heroes” (ABH) prize competition, with a prize pool of $1.5 million, open to entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries, closing 22 June.
Businesses with a track record of 3-year revenue-generation can be one of 10 finalists sharing a prize pool of $1.5 million, up from $1 million in 2019, the competition’s local partner RiseUp said in a statement.
Other perks include being able to pitch directly to Alibaba mogul Jack Ma himself, the opportunity to gain exposure through the competition's "Africa's Business Heroes” show, to receive training at Alibaba headquarters in Hangzhou, and to receive mentorship by renowned business leaders, according to the statement.
In 2019, Nawah-Scientific's Omar Sakr and Mumm's Waleed Abdelrahman won $150,000 and $65,000 in cash, respectively.
Moreover, they were able to further expand their network by joining the Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI), a network of mentors and African startups that have at least three years of revenue-generation under their belt, according to the statement.
Under competition rules, applicants will go through several competition stages, and 10 finalists will be selected to compete in a final pitch competition show that will be broadcast online and across the continent.
Semi-finalists will be announced in August, and the top 10 finalists will be unveiled in September.
ANPI is the Jack Ma Foundation’s flagship philanthropic programme in Africa. The initiative aims to give entrepreneurs across Africa a platform to develop their talent and business ideas and to inspire others to pursue entrepreneurship.
The competition was announced by Jason Pau, senior advisor for international affairs at the Jack Ma Foundation, at the 2018 RiseUp Summit.
Since the programme’s inception, RiseUp has played an integral role in outreach to North African entrepreneurs and in providing support to the initiative through a series of webinars and mentorship opportunities to targeted startups.
This year marks the second year in a row that RiseUp will be partnering with ANPI.


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Despite surge in grain prices, Lugansk-Niva keeps cost of social bread intact
LUGANSK, October 5 (Lugansk Media Centre) – A public joint-stock company Lugansk-Niva is not going to raise prices for social bread Stanichnyi and Luganskiy despite purchase prices for grains surge, said the chairwoman of the Lugansk Economic Union social organization, chairwoman of the Lugansk-Niva board Zinaida Naden.
She said crop yields dropped this year, but the grain quality was high due to favorable weather conditions, and the most part of the crops was constituted by food-level grain.
The market conditions, Naden said, made famers raise grain prices for customers to be able to maintain and purchase new equipment.
"Up to 87 percent of our products cost, flour in particular, is the cost of raw materials. Nevertheless we decided to keep prices for social bread Stanichnyi and Luganskiy intact until the next crops arrive."
LuganskMediaCentre — 08 October — Lugansk
Kiev forces violate ceasefire five times over 24 hours
Kiev forces violate ceasefire eight times over 24 hours
LPR People’s Militia urges intl community to make Kiev implement Minsk Agreements
LPR-published book finds way to Harvard University library
Avakov's plan on Donbass aims at eliminating Donbass population – People's Militia


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There has been a lot of Windows Phone activity recently, with Microsoft finally pushing out version 8.1 to users and even seeding the very first major update for Windows Phone 8.1 to developer preview users. Its only fitting that users get a brand new experience from an app that they’re likely to use multiple times a day. The official Facebook for Windows Phone app has received a major update which not only brings a handful of new features but also includes changes to the user interface.
Most of the changes that have made their way in this app come from the beta version of the Facebook for Windows Phone app. The beta app was updated a couple of months ago with these features and now they finally make their way to the public channel. Faster and more reliable connections are promised with a much more refined and faster user experience.
The app receives support for quite a few additional languages and it also supports integration with the standalone Facebook Messenger for Windows Phone. The social network has broken off the messaging app from its core app across all of the major mobile platforms its available on.
Facebook for WP will connect direct with People Hub on devices running Windows Phone 8.1. Users also get the ability to upload videos taken with their device straight through the app. On WP8.1 Facebook contacts, events and photo albums will now be powered by the updated app.
Those who already have the app will receive a notification for update, those who don’t can download it right now from the Windows Phone Store.


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Leave it to showman Neil Patrick Harris to make off-color quips and allusions to illicit substances during the inauguration of a family-oriented cruise ship.
Harris kicked off Thursday night’s “christening” of Walt Disney Co.’s newest cruise ship, the Disney Fantasy. Docked on the Hudson River, the 130,000-ton ship played host to performers including Jerry Seinfeld, Mariah Carey and Harris, who entertained the crowd with a medley of Disney-spoof songs such as “At the Buffet,” set to the tune of “Under the Sea,” from “The Little Mermaid.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Neil Patrick Harris dancers,” he exclaimed. “Didn’t know I had dancers, did you?” he continued, adding under his breath: “I’ve had three of ’em.”
Harris descended from the stage to approach members of the audience including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger, who mock-scolded Harris for going off-script with his jokes.
In an interview on the ship earlier that day, Iger said the cruise business offers an important platform for Disney.
“It’s not quite a theme park on water,” he said. “But it is an experience that offers a significant amount of entertainment [and] differentiates itself from everyone else in the business because of the storytelling that we do.”
The Fantasy is the fourth ship in Disney’s line, and is described in press materials as reminiscent of “the golden age of cruising during the 1930s.”
Among the features is a nightclub area offering bars and clubs with various European-city themes, albeit, as Harris pointed out, with one notable exception.
“Unfortunately they decided to leave out Amsterdam—this is Disney,” he said. “I’m told those brownies are delicious.”
Elsewhere in Europe, off the coast of Italy, the cruise industry suffered its biggest disaster in years with the capsizing of the Costa Concordia ship in January. But that incident hasn’t had long-term implications for Disney’s bookings, Iger said.
“There was a brief period of time where people were being a little bit cautious and reacting to the news,” he said said.
In recent weeks, Iger said, the Fantasy has booked customers at the same pace as it did during last year’s launch of the company’s third ship, the Disney Dream.
“We feel very good about where we are from a bookings perspective,” he said.


text: Don’t expect retiree Valentino Garavani to step away from the spotlight. The famed fashion designer walked Sunday’s Oscar red carpet with co-host Anne Hathaway, who kicked off her four-hour wardrobe odyssey in a strapless red stunner from his fall 2002 couture collection. Later this year, Valentino will be the toast of New York Fashion Week. The Museum at FIT has announced that he is the winner of the 2011 Couture Council Artistry of Fashion Award. “Valentino was chosen in recognition of his status as a world-historical figure in modern fashion, a man who has dressed every beautiful woman of the past 50 years, from Jacqueline Kennedy to Madonna,” said Valerie Steele, director of the museum. “Valentino’s concept of beauty is Apollonian in its classicism and perfect taste. Yet red, the color of love and passion, runs like a leitmotif through his career, asserting his passionate love of beauty.” He will receive the award at a September 7 benefit luncheon at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Expect a fashionable and generous crowd (last year’s event honoring Karl Lagerfeld raised $600,000) that will again include Daphne Guinness, whose personal collection is the subject of an exhibition opening at the Museum at FIT this September. Among the past Couture Council award recipients, which are selected by an advisory committee chaired by Steele, are Dries Van Noten, Isabel Toledo, and Ralph Rucci.


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Thursday, June 28, 2018 9:38am ET by Pressparty
Louis Tomlinson's "Back To You" ft. Bebe Rexha reaches Platinum status in the US
Louis Tomlinson's "Back To You" feat. Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals reaches Platinum status in the US.
This means that the track has sold over 1 million copies in the US alone. Currently global sales stand at over 1.5 million copies.
The summer banger which reached No. 1 in 37 countries, has already amassed over 300 million Spotify streams and been certified Gold in the UK, as well as in Belgium, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Poland and Sweden.
The former One Direction star is currently gearing up to release his highly anticipated and long-awaited debut solo album.
Latest 10 Louis Tomlinson News Stories


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Just a little over two days after Apple began its worldwide rollout of the iPhone 5S, the company’s Online Apple Stores in each of the 11 countries participating in the phone’s launch are showing stock outs until October. As of late Saturday, Apple’s online storefronts in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK and US all show no available inventory for all nine iPhone 5S variations with delivery dates being pushed back into October.
The first model to go in each country was the new gold version, stock of which was rumored to be severely constrained prior to launch day. Even China’s iPhone 5S reservation system, which was meant to dissuade scalpers and help manage crowds, foreshadowed the high demand when it opened earlier this week.
Apple’s 64 GB “Space Gray” iPhone 5S was the next to sell out online and in a number of other countries, with multiple reports coming in mentioning that the model has been sold out at physical Apple Stores in the US, Canada, Australia, China, France, Hong Kong. Supply of the silver iPhone 5S, the only color to carryover from the iPhone 5, was last to sell out in many countries.
Although it took a little bit longer for the iPhone 5S to sell out compared to last year’s iPhone 5, there were several factors that have to be kept in mind, including the simultaneous release of the cheaper iPhone 5C. Comparatively, the supply for the iPhone 5C still appears to be high, with the Online Apple Store quoting ship-by times for the device as being within 24 hours.
Were you able to get your hands on an iPhone 5S? If so, what was your experience like?


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Microsoft says making Activision Blizzard games exclusive to Xbox will not be profitable in response to Sony’s criticisms of the $68.7 billion acquisition
LaLiga Tech has aided sports properties to safeguard over $9.2 billion in content and build more beneficial and direct links with their fans, demonstrating technology's potential to improve the business.
Apple reportedly aims to double its ad revenue, suggesting iOS users could find more ads in Maps and other first-party apps
Telegram CEO calls out Apple for App Store’s ‘obscure’ review process that is reportedly delaying the messaging app’s latest update
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz revealed that they have been working on a very exciting new digital initiative that builds on our existing industry-leading digital platform in innovative ways.
The Bundesliga champions aim to create personalized digital experiences in managing relationships with supporters globally to secure their long-term loyalty.
Apple has reportedly started production for its September product launch event for the next iPhone and Apple Watch
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Apple will raise iPhone 14 costs, possibly increasing the base model’s price to nearly $1,000
Nintendo is currently not planning a price hike for the Switch console amid increasing shipping costs and continuing supply chain constraints
WhatsApp will block screenshots for View Once messages and will let users silently leave group chats
‘Final Fantasy 16’ release date: Square Enix moves major information reveal to 2022, pandemic delays development
“Final Fantasy 16” will be the first game of the franchise to exclusively launch on the new-generation console PS5, so the anticipation among fans is understandable. Unfortunately, its development was not spared by the COVID-19 pandemic. While Square Enix has yet to announce a specific release date, the delays forced the developers to push its major information reveal to next year.
Square Enix originally promised to have the big reveal for “Final Fantasy 16” this year. But with only a few days left in 2021, it was time for both the developers and fans to face the reality that that is not going to happen. Producer Naoki Yoshida addressed fans in a statement released on Monday, where he apologized for not fulfilling the promised big reveal this year.
Yoshida said the “Final Fantasy 16” development team is composed of creators worldwide, but they implemented decentralized operations due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that allowed developers to work from home. “This has unfortunately hampered communication from the Tokyo office, which, in turn, has led to delays in—or in extreme cases, cancellations of—asset deliveries from our outsource partners,” Yoshida added.
However, the “Final Fantasy 16” producer said they are hoping to address this issue before the year ends by focusing on the primary tasks they have at the moment. These include “increasing graphic resource quality, refining combat mechanics, fleshing out individual battles, putting the finishing touches on cutscenes, and conducting overall graphical optimization.”
With priorities set, Yoshida said they are planning on releasing the “Final Fantasy 16” big reveal sometime in spring 2022. That usually means within the first half of the year.
The producer also said the timing of their next big reveal should “build excitement” for the game’s release. As mentioned, it is still unknown when “Final Fantasy 16” will be released. But considering what the developers are currently focusing on and the schedule for the next big reveal, it seems like the game’s launch is not too far off into the future.
“Final Fantasy 16” was first announced in fall 2020 during a PlayStation event, where it was also confirmed that the game will exclusively launch on the PS5. In October 2020, Square Enix released more details about the Valisthea, the world where the game is set, and the six factions that will play a major role in the game’s plot.


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THE British Plastics Federation (BPF) has reacted to the UK Budget announcement regarding plans to introduce a new plastic packaging tax, stating that it hopes the money generated will be invested ‘appropriately and where it is needed’.
“As an industry, we want to play our part in leaving the environment in a better state for future generations and taxing plastic packaging that contains less than 30% recycled content will increase the use of recycled material,” the BPF said. “We are pleased that this tax includes dealers of pre-filled packaging too, as otherwise it risked disadvantaging UK businesses, driving jobs overseas and increasing carbon emissions by favouring heavier imported products.
“Questions remain, however, regarding whether the tax will apply to packaging that cannot incorporate recycled content due to existing legislation. We look forward to working with the government during the upcoming consultation to address these matters.
“The British Plastics Federation (BPF) hopes that the money raised by this tax is invested appropriately and where it is badly needed: in upgrading the UK’s recycling infrastructure. In the interim, our recycling infrastructure could be improved via reforms to the existing PRN system, which the industry has been requesting for many years.
“We also welcome the two-year extension of the Climate Change Agreement (CCA) scheme. As an organisation that manages the CCA for the plastics industry, we know this scheme is valued and has helped to significantly reduce energy use.”
The Recycling Association described the tax as a ‘game-changer’. Chief executive Simon Ellin said “The introduction of a Plastic Packaging Tax from April 2020 of £200 per tonne is a game changer. It is an amount that will stimulate the use of the 30% recycled content in plastic packaging the Government wants to achieve and lead to the development of more plastic recycling infrastructure in the UK.
“However, the devil will be in the detail, particularly around the scope of what is included in the tax. While I welcome the plastic packaging tax, I wonder if there should be a similar tax introduced on other packaging materials such as paper and cardboard if it does not include 30% recycled content. This would help to stimulate markets for other materials too.
“I am also pleased to see in the consultation document on the plastic packaging tax that the Government remains keen to reform the producer responsibility system to ensure that multi-material packaging is discouraged and incentivise instead those packaging materials that are easy to recycle.”


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Consumers have shown a great deal of resistance to GMO food over the years, but the Golden Arctic apple, which will soon be available to Midwestern shoppers in the US, is the first GMO product to hit the market that actually adds tangible value for the consumer. Rather offering benefits to farmers (being resistant to an herbicide) or to chemical companies (that sell herbicide), Golden Arctic apples offer a powerful lure to customers: They simply don’t brown.
Golden Arctics are a Golden Delicious apple that has been modified to get rid of the enzyme that causes browning in apples, and the main appeal seems to lie with lunchbox crowd—busy parents for whom sweet, pre-sliced apples offer welcome convenience.
This apple will be a real bellwether in the GMO debate. Suspicion of GMO corn and soy abounds, but then again, so do GMO corn- and soy-derived ingredients in everything from Nature Valley Granola Bars to Doritos. With the Cavendish banana facing a slow but steady march toward extinction in the face of banana wilt, the question of whether shoppers are willing to buy GMO fruit may determine what’s in our fruit bowls at all in 20 years.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: This autumn’s apples mark the beginning of the designer fruit era


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HTC’s lifeless fall from smartphone glory will continue in 2022, with the firm interestingly engaged on a original metaverse-targeted phone in April as the dregs of the once-flagship smartphone enterprise continue to hold to whichever zeitgeist phrase they may be able to to withhold afloat.
According to Taiwan’s DigiTimes, HTC‘s long-established supervisor for the Asia-Pacific dwelling, Charles Huang, acknowledged publicly at MWC 2022 that the corporation would perhaps well well be announcing a original high-close smartphone with undefined “metaverse” traits subsequent month.
HTC’s Upcoming Smartphone Revelation
The revelation sounds eerily associated to HTC’s most modern major foray into relevance: its Exodus label of blockchain telephones, which had already been marketed for several years. The telephones promised decentralized apps (“Dapps”) and a built-in cryptocurrency pockets, that would perhaps well perhaps flee blockchain nodes and even mine little amounts of cryptocurrency.
HTC’s foremost highlight at MWC 2022 changed into once the introduction of a “Viverse” – the firm’s metaverse belief, which claims to raise collectively VR, XR, 5G, blockchain technology, NFTs, and additional correct into a original, speculative platform. Given the incidence of tasks love Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Areas or Microsoft Mesh, which aim to wait on integrate feeble units love smartphones into VR and AR interactions, the metaverse-integrated smartphone is a possibility.
A high-close HTC “metaverse” phone will more than possible be interconnected with the firm’s VR headsets for a seamless, frightful-software program interplay that considerably alters how can a shopper mediate utilizing smartphones in digital environments.
The metaverse phone would perhaps well well additionally be a mediocre smartphone with a handful of semi-digital actuality apps preloaded. For what or no longer it’s worth, HTC’s Viverse advise specifically states that “any phone, tablet, PC, or VR headset” will more than possible be in a role to salvage with its metaverse belief. Perchance HTC’s upcoming metaverse phone will more than possible be a step forward, the form of product that restores HTC’s relevance and locations it on the forefront of the market.
HTC’s Fresh Fate
The HTC HD2, the HTC Evo 4G, the HTC One X, the extremely-slim HTC One, and the jewel-toned HTC U11 were amongst the final note hardware accessible. In 2017, the enterprise offered a substantial portion of its smartphone abilities to Google for $1.1 billion. Since then, Google’s Pixel telephones include finest improved, whereas HTC’s smartphone possibilities include plummeted.
HTC, love LG, Motorola forward of its devour trials and tribulations with Google, and completely different Android software program producers, changed into once additionally unable to search out lengthy-time interval financial success, being edged out on either within sight Samsung’s highly popular Galaxy units whereas on completely different by Apple’s iPhones. Though preserving up its ambitions, the firm continues to offer high-close digital actuality headsets for enterprises, and it no longer too lengthy previously launched the Vive Trip with the circulation headset for extra typical avid gamers.
With its Vive headsets, HTC changed into once a pioneer in digital actuality, nonetheless it surely’s unclear how any of that pertains to a handset. With the introduction of Android 11, Google discontinued its Daydream VR ambiance for smartphones, The firm desires to set apart in plenty of work forward if it produces a smartphone with a VR component. It is soundless unclear whether or no longer or no longer this smartphone will more than possible be offered outside of Taiwan.
Simplest Mobiles in India
Story first published: Friday, March 4, 2022, 12: 30 [IST]


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Senior business executives and advisors in the state do not expect 2015 to bring major positive change to the state’s economy, according to a recent survey by the Connecticut Turnaround Management Association.
More than half – 56.1 percent – say the state’s economy is stable, but only 5.3 percent see it as growing and 38.6 percent say it is declining, the survey shows. Respondents also had mixed reviews about their own business prospects.
Asked to identify the three biggest factors in the state’s economic condition, 19.7 percent named state taxes, while 11.5 percent blamed workforce quality. Further, 10.8 percent cited labor cost and 10.2 percent pointed to unfair state mandates.


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Plans announced by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for Making Tax Digital (MTD) continue to remain unclear, say Milsted Langdon Chartered Accountants – despite the fact that the change is imminently upon us.
Thus far, very little information has been made public about exactly what MTD will involve, says Simon Denton, resident Tax Specialist at Milsted Langdon.
“MTD will change the tax return as we know it, and is expected to replace the current system altogether by 2020,” says Simon Denton.
Despite HMRC’s limited information released on the topic so far, Milsted Langdon can reveal that HMRC’s plans will be broken down into two main strands: MTD for businesses and MTD for individuals.
“The proposed changes will have a significant impact on both business and self-assessment taxpayers, and I’m chasing HMRC to give our clients the lowdown on the potential effects of both.
“We understand that quarterly updates will be capable of being aligned for VAT registered businesses – following Government concerns that quarterly digital reporting will address poor record keeping in the SME sector.
“So far, it has been confirmed that HMRC’s initiative to bring tax up to speed with the digital age will see the traditional tax return effectively scrapped – most likely in favour of online banking-style accounts offering more regular payments and a digital tax breakdown for their users,” says Simon Denton.
Experts at Milsted Langdon suspect that HMRC will expect information on business and personal income and expenditure to be submitted ‘at least’ quarterly.
However, by far the most alarming change HMRC are attempting to enforce is to make digital tax reporting compulsory within the next few years – boldly stating that tax in Britain will be 100 per cent digital in less than 4 years’ time.
This change means that any businesses who currently use handwritten books to keep up with their accounts are in for a serious shake-up.
Simon Denton said: “The problem so far is that HMRC’s consultation on how the policy will be implemented is far more concerned with raising awareness of its existence than explaining what exactly will be required of taxpayers”.
Milsted Langdon has offices in Bath, Bristol, Taunton, Yeovil and London.


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MIND CONTROL. Some people recreationally partake in cannabis to free their minds. But the plant’s non-intoxicating compound, cannabidiol (CBD), might actually be able to help others rein their minds in.
According to a new study from King’s College London (KCL), just one dose of CBD can reduce abnormal brain function in people with psychosis, a condition in which a person experiences a disconnect from reality and may see, hear, or believe things that aren’t actually real. Read More
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a marijuana-derived drug for the treatment of two rare and serious forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, that begin in childhood but can persist in adulthood.
The drug is made from purified cannabidiol, or CBD, a compound found in the cannabis plant. The drug will be marketed under the brand name Epidiolex. Read More
A study was published by The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, conducted by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University. This study showed that a chemical in marijuana, known as cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD), strengthens bones and accelerates the healing of fractures, without causing any psychotropic effects. Read More
As Valentine's Day approaches, it's a great time to be a man and a woman. But there's a problem...
When researches asked over 5,000 women to report on their orgasms, it found a sad gap in the joy of the opposite sex. While men reported having orgasms 95% of the time, woman reported in as low as 50%! Read More
If you haven't already heard, Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive component of Cannabis that seems to have a wide range of therapeutic benefits. CBD is naturally occurring in the Hemp plant and according to the United States own government patent #6,630,507 it supports the nutritional health of aging bodies. Cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Read More
Everything from uses to historical cultivation to the future of hemp. Read More
A thorough introduction to CBD, what it is, how it is derived, and how it is different from THC Read More
Attorney General Chris Koster announced today that his office has filed suit against four retail shops for sale, and selling hemp extract, including cannabidiol oil (commonly known as “CBD oil”), without a license, in violation of Missouri law. Read More


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CoverGirl’s Slogan Isn’t ‘Easy, Breezy, Beautiful’ Anymore
CoverGirl has been making huge strides over the past year, particularly with its ambassadors. We’ve seen the brand’s first male face with 17-year-old James Charles. Now the brand is making some more big changes, starting by getting rid of its famous slogan.
“Easy, breezy, beautiful… CoverGirl” has been the CoverGirl way since 1997, but now the jingle is getting the boot. Ukonwa Ojo, CoverGirl’s Senior Vice President since 2016, said in a statement, “In leading the relaunch, we started with the insight that people no longer strive for a singular standard of beauty, but use makeup as a tool for self-expression and personal transformation … We hope to spark a provocative dialogue that shifts cultural assumptions about when, where, how and why people wear makeup.”
Because of that, CoverGirl needed to make a transformation too, which means a new motto: “I Am What I Make Up.” The campaign video tapped six of their CoverGirls — including Katy Perry, Issa Rae, 69-year-old Maye Musk, and Ayesha Curry — who demonstrate what it means to make yourself to be the new faces of the brand.
The makeover even includes a new look for the cosmetics powerhouse, with a bold, attention-grabbing logo that feels right at home in 2017.
What do you think of CoverGirl’s new direction? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photos via CoverGirl)


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By JOSH FUNK, Associated Press
Troy Warren for CNT
OMAHA, Neb. — The Biden administration plans to issue a new rule to protect the rights of farmers who raise cows, chickens and hogs against the country’s largest meat processors as part of a plan to encourage more competition in the agriculture sector.
The new rule that will make it easier for farmers to sue companies they contract with over unfair, discriminatory or deceptive practices is one of several steps that the White House plans to announce in the next few days. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also expected to tighten the definition of what it means for meat to be labeled a “Product of USA” to exclude when animals are raised in other countries and simply processed in the United States.
Some farmer advocacy groups have pressed for these changes for several years, but Congress and the meat processing industry have resisted the changes in the past. A USDA official familiar with the White House’s plan said an executive order is expected to be announced later this week that will clear the way for the new rules.
The regulation that will make it easier for farmers to bring complaints under the Packers and Stockyards Act is similar to one the Trump administration killed four years ago. That rule was first proposed in 2010.
Currently, several court rulings have interpreted federal law as saying a farmer must prove a company’s actions harm competition in the entire industry before a lawsuit can move forward. The new rule would ease that high burden of proof.
Chicken and pork producers, for example, must often enter long-term contracts with companies such as Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride that farmers allege lock them into deals that fix their compensation at unprofitably low levels and force them deeply into debt.
Previously, the major meat companies have defended the contract system as fair that calls for farmers to provide the barns and labor to raise chickens while the companies provide chicks, feed and expertise to help raise the birds. When the previous rule was killed in 2017, the National Chicken Council trade group said it would have opened up the industry to a flood of “frivolous and costly litigation.”
The USDA also plans to review the definition of what it means for meat to be labeled a “Product of USA” under its rules. Currently, companies are allowed to use that label anytime meat is processed in the United States even if the animals were born and raised in another country. USDA officials say that today most grass-fed beef labeled as made in the country actually comes from imported cattle. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has said he wants that label to accurately reflect what consumers expect when they read it.
The Agriculture Department also plans to invest in new local and regional markets, so farmers will have more options of where to sell the animals and crops they raise. Critics have said the major meat processing companies dominate the market for cattle, hogs and chickens, which makes it harder for farmers to get a fair price for the animals they raise.
This week’s expected executive order follows an announcement earlier this spring that the USDA was planning to strengthen protections for farmers under the law and encourage more competition in livestock markets.
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# Apple Vision Pro May Arrive in Europe Sooner Than Expected
In a surprising twist, the highly anticipated Apple Vision Pro could make its debut in European markets much earlier than initially thought. According to renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a sharp decrease in demand within the US could lead Apple to accelerate its plans to cater to other markets. This comes as quite the revelation, given that the Vision Pro, following its launch, faced a brief period of unavailability but is now readily available for delivery within just three to five days, hinting at a cooled demand in the US.
Upon its introduction to the market, the Vision Pro was quickly snapped up, leading to a temporary shortage of the device. However, as the supply situation has stabilized, delivery timelines have significantly shortened, indicating a stabilization in demand. Kuo interprets this as evidence of the market’s subdued enthusiasm for the product in the United States.
The initial hurdle for Apple wasn’t the production capacity but rather the stringent software requirements needed to comply with local regulations and laws in different markets. Nevertheless, with the demand challenge seemingly under control, Kuo suggests that Apple might now be in a better position to tackle these regulatory requirements more swiftly.
Initially, expectations had been set for a launch delay extending into the autumn, but the latest insights from Kuo bring hope for a much earlier arrival of the Vision Pro, possibly even before Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The timing is crucial, as having the Vision Pro available to a wider developer community before the WWDC, typically held in early June, aligns with Apple’s interests in fostering app development and broader engagement with the new platform.
## The Road Ahead for the Apple Vision Pro
Kuo’s prediction puts the spotlight on Apple’s immediate plans for the Vision Pro, suggesting an ambitious timeline for its wider availability. However, when it comes to anticipating the release of a second-generation model, Kuo advises patience. Based on information from suppliers, Apple is projected to distribute a maximum of 800,000 units of the Vision Pro this year. Compared to other Apple products, this figure might seem modest, underscoring the Vision Pro’s status as a preliminary foray into a new product category rather than a mass-market release.
Looking towards the future, significant updates or a full-fledged successor to the Vision Pro are not expected until 2027 at the earliest. It seems that Apple is taking a measured approach to developing its first augmented reality headset, carefully testing the waters before committing to more substantial changes or iterations.
In summary, the Apple Vision Pro’s journey is just beginning, with an encouraging outlook for an earlier-than-expected launch in Europe and beyond. This strategic shift, prompted by shifting demand dynamics and market readiness, could potentially offer European consumers and developers a sooner-than-anticipated chance to experience Apple’s latest technological innovation. As the WWDC approaches, all eyes will be on Apple to see how the Vision Pro’s rollout unfolds and how the company plans to evolve its vision for augmented reality in the years to come.


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Toyota has announced prices for its new iQ city car and they're very different from my guestimate of what the car would cost when we heard about it earlier in the year.
The iQ is quite a clever little car with excellent use of its limited space. Powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine with a manual gearbox it'll do 65mpg and has emissions of 99g/km, which makes it free from road tax.
The snag is the price. The cheapest costs £9,495 which is of course not a fortune, but it's more than you have to pay for a Fiat 500 and several other small cars. The highest-speed iQ comes in at £11,495 which is a lot.
The Fiat isn't as small as the Toyota but it's cooler and hardly uneconomical.
I'm still looking forward to driving the Toyota to find out if it's as clever as its name suggests.


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In the past few weeks, Australia has been genuinely shocked by a reality show. Front page news, TV & radio interviews, modelling contracts; had it not been for all the wrong reasons (depending on your perspective) it would have been a PR’s dream.
According to Dale Carnegie, author of the classic book ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ a person’s name is the sweetest sound in any language. It goes a long way to explaining why this video about a so-called Starbucks barista writing customers’ names incorrectly on their cups has gone viral. Over 8,000,000 views and counting reinforce the old (well internet old) maxim, that to go viral online you need to be very funny, rude or quirky. Or a combination […]
You have millions of customers. They spend billions of dollars on your goods/services every year. Collectively, these people are vital as they add up to the financial and market share reports you pore over every day. Individually, however they’re a pain in the neck.
Moving a letter one pixel to the left may be the digital equivalent to splitting hairs, but as it turns out, even small changes can have a big impact.
You may not be the content developer in your business, but chances are that creativity is as much of an issue for you as for writers and designers.
Last week we discussed what agencies to avoid in the jungle of digital marketing. As there are quite a lot of online marketing success stories out there, one has to come to the conclusion that not all agencies are bad. That is why we now are going to show you what turns a digital agency into a keeper.
Yesterday was April Fool’s Day – a day when we had to be on our guard for crazy, wacky pranksters. As a serious marketer though, staying on your guard is nothing new. Digital has really provided businesses of all sizes with great marketing opportunities. However, with great functionality comes great complexity, making the totality of digital marketing’s opportunities somewhat hard to grasp.
Dear old Facebook has been working on a little something lately. It’s called “DeepFace” and it’s what will close the gap between humans and computers as far as facial recognition goes.
Twitter is eight today. Even though it doesn’t sound like much, the microblogging platform is only two years younger than Facebook – a veteran among social networks.
A majority of successful companies are well aware that not having a Facebook or Twitter account is no longer okay – but do they know why? How many times have you looked for a company’s Google+ page and found it to be blank or out of date? Chances are that you have at least once. You go to all the trouble of looking up the company you’re about to do business with and they didn’t even bother to roll out the virtual red carpet for you.


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The project will include a significant expansion of Penneys, a 14-screen cinema and a 190-bed hotel.
Traders and members of the public were briefed last night about the massive redevelopment, which will make the shopping centre one of the biggest in Munster.
Local residents raised concerns about chronic congestion on the Bishopstown Road, which already suffers from heavy traffic volumes linked to Cork University Hospital.
Architect Turlough Clancy, working on behalf of Clarendon Properties, said the issue was being addressed.
“The bulk of the traffic will be on Sarsfield Road. We realise there is an issue with traffic and what we are offering is a new entrance on Sarsfield Road, directly into the multi-storey,” Mr Clancy said.
“Overall there will be 1,700 car parking spaces available when completed. The idea is to take traffic off the Bishopstown Road.”
There were also concerns among traders that Penneys would close during the works.


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One of the world’s most enduring game is getting a high-level professional league for its top players. At the Game Awards this evening, Wizards of the Coast revealed a new e-sports initiative that covers both the physical version of Magic: The Gathering, as well as the PC iteration, Arena. The competitions will include a combined $10 million in prizes.
At the core of this new venture is the Magic Pro League, which will include 32 of the world’s best players, competing in a series of weekly match-ups as well as major tournaments, called Mythic Championships. Each MPL player will receive a $75,000 contract in addition to the opportunity to earn prize money. The first major MPL tournament will take place at PAX East in Boston next year, and…
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Author: Andrew Webster
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Each week, Mic reviews the outfits the U.S. first lady wore in her public appearances.
What did the first lady wear to Thanksgiving festivities this past week?
This time, Melania Trump didn't wear stilettos to visit hurricane-ravaged communities.
Melania Trump appeared alongside her husband at the memorial service in Pennsylvania this week.
Melania Trump was barely seen this week.
Melania Trump's fashion was back to normal this week.
The only place she's been seen is on Twitter.


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18 April 2022
“Our world-class city was sparkling as it welcomed home the Pacific Explorer and the return of cruise tourism, which pre-pandemic was worth more than $5 billion a year to the national economy,” said NSW Tourism Industry Council Executive Manager, Greg Binskin.
“There is huge pent-up demand for cruising and consumers have been looking forward to the day they can book with confidence and safely explore our state’s world-class cruise destinations,” Mr Binskin said.
“The ban on international cruise ships has played havoc with the Visitor Economy and businesses across the Sydney CBD, The Rocks and port destinations along the state’s eastern seaboard.
“It has had a prolonged and substantial financial impact on the supply chain of goods and services provided by businesses that relied on the cruise sector.
“It’s not just the Sydney CBD accommodation sector that was impacted. It’s the travel agents, the transport services, the retailers, the entertainment industry, restaurants and cafes.
“All these local suppliers have been unable to service the cruise industry and its customers for more than two years.
“Today’s arrival of P&O Pacific Explorer means we are another step further along the path to recovery for NSW’s Visitor Economy,” Mr Binskin said.
Pacific Explorer’s first cruise is set for a four-night round trip to Brisbane departing on 31 May 2022.


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Grandiose Supermarket is the ‘Official Supermarket’ for “Taste of Dubai 2023”
Fresh ingredients for masterclasses with culinary icons provided by the homegrown supermarket chain along with a series of exciting activities, competitions and giveaway vouchers
Grandiose Supermarket,the UAE’s premium food and grocery retailer, is the ‘Official Supermarket’ for the annual food festival “Taste of Dubai 2023”, taking place from Friday, 3rd February to Sunday, 5th February 2023 at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. The homegrown supermarket chain will provide chef-approved fresh ingredients for the free masterclasses and celebrity cooking demos with culinary icons at the food festival weekend.
Offering an exclusive selection of premium and unique products tasting stations along with its ‘Crave Cave’ concept that is gaining popularity for its delicious assortment of waffles, crepes, popcorn, and cotton candy, Grandiose Supermarket is set to enliven the spirit of the food and music fiesta. Furthermore, the Supermarket will host a series of exciting activities, such as face painting, Spin the Wheel game, competitions to giveaway vouchers, goody bags and more.
The ‘Taste of Dubai’ is returning after a two-year hiatus to bring together the UAE’s leading local restaurants, celebrity chefs, local artisan producers, popular cuisines, and beverages, with live entertainment and exciting weekend activities.
Part of the Ghassan Aboud Group, the Grandiose Supermarket is one of the fastest-growing retailers in the UAE today and has been implementing a significant expansion plan across the country. Since its launch in 2017, Grandiose Supermarket has built a strong name for providing high-quality grocery essentials, exclusive and premium brands for organic produce and food products, home products and fast-moving consumer goods to its customers. It has also been setting new benchmarks in offering leisurely F&B experiences with a continued focus on introducing innovative and unique in-store concepts.
Join us at Grandiose pop-up store for the finest food and mocktails tasting experience and indulge in exciting weekend activities and gifts at the ‘Taste of Dubai’. For more information, please visit: https://tasteofdubaifestival.com/
About Grandiose Supermarket
Grandiose Supermarket is a premium food and grocery retailer offering an unparalleled retail experience through its supermarkets, and neighbourhood convenience stores across the UAE.
All Grandiose stores offer a mix of leisurely F&B experiences along with high-quality grocery essentials bringing to life the true family value promise. The vision of the supermarket chain is to uplift the shopping experience in the supermarket consumer industry, whether in-store or online.
The homegrown grocery retailer embraces responsible retailing while focusing on health, wellness and eco-friendliness and has won the Most Admired Retailer of Food and Grocery at the Middle East Retail Forum 2022.


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Binance Month 13: Highlights of the Crypto Exchanges Performance
Binance Released its ‘Monthly Highlights’ for the 13th Month
On August 17, 2018, the famous virtual currency exchange Binance, has decided to release its monthly highlights for the month 13th, from July 15, to August 14, 2018.
The first point they make is related to the new listings they have. They have 147 tokens available and 379 trading pairs. This month, they have added 9 different trading pairs related to 4 tokens, ARDR, HOT, DOCK and POLY.
They have also added an announcement feed, an open orders location function and an added price locked function into their platform for PC users. In their website they have also made some improvements. For example, they added recent market activity, launched the ‘Year in Review’, launched Binance Academy Beta, added device fingerprint feature to enhance security and more, including support for Italian language.
Binance has also some interesting activities taking place online and offline. About the online activities we can mention the following:
- Round 8 of the ‘Community Coin Vote’
- New Tiered Trading Fee Discount Program and Adjusted BNB Discount Rate
- Red Pulse (RPX) Token Swap to PHOENIX (PHX)
- Distributed VTHO
- 100 Million VTHO Airdrop for VET Holders
We can also mention the distribution of GAS and ONG and the VEN mainnet swap to VET.
Binance has also been involved in donating cryptocurrencies (50,000,000 JPY) to Okayama and Hiroshima, that experienced heavy floods. In August, there was an important Binance meetup in Hyderabad.
Other activities are related to global cooperation and arrangements. For example, Binance has acquired the secure mobile virtual currency wallet Trust Wallet. Additionally, it has launched the Binance Blockchain Charity Foundation and the Binance Academy.
Binance is clearly one of the most important exchanges in the world. It performs an important number of activities around the world, it engages with the community and it provides a great overall experience that goes far beyond traditional trading activities.
At the moment, Binance is the second most important virtual currency exchange in the market and it has registered a volume of $1.28 billion dollars in the last 24 hours.


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Microsoft Corp. is in advanced talks to acquire the Discord Inc. messaging platform for $ 10 billion or more, according to people familiar with the matter, as the software giant looks to deepen its consumer offerings.
Microsoft and Discord are in exclusive talks and could close a deal next month, assuming the negotiations don’t fall apart, the people said.
Originally favored by gamers, San Francisco-based Discord offers voice, text, and video chat. The popularity of the platform has increased since the pandemic took hold, as people stay home and connect online, as has other chat services, such as WhatsApp from Facebook Inc. and Signal Messenger LLC. Discord has been considering an IPO.
Microsoft, which has a market value of more than $ 1.7 trillion, has been looking for an acquisition that will help it reach more consumers. Last summer, he held talks to buy the popular video-sharing app TikTok amid a high-profile geopolitical standoff sparked by the Trump administration, before abandoning the effort.
VentureBeat reported this week that Discord was exploring a sale and had entered into exclusive discussions with an anonymous suitor.


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The Interactive Advertising Bureau might want to look away now; despite insisting that ad-blocker downloads had levelled out, a new survey reveals that 44% of consumers have now installed one on at least one device, with laptops and PC/Mac users leading the way.
That is according to the Connected Screens Survey from Mediatel, which interviewed 2,000 adults in broadband homes.
The findings are in stark contrast to the IAB’s research – carried out by YouGov and released in August – which showed there had been a slight decrease, with 21.2% claiming to be blocking ads in July down from 21.7% in February – nearly half the figure quoted by Mediatel. YouGov is obviously interviewing a different 2,000 adults.
The latest wave of the Connected Screens Survey is for H1 2016. It is the fifth survey but only the first to include a question on adblocking.
When grouped together, 44% of those surveyed have installed an adblocker on at least one of their connected devices, with 40% of laptop and PC/Mac users doing so.
However, while ad-blocking on mobile devices is still in its infancy, the fact that it is not as straightforward to install an adblocker on a mobile device compared to a PC browser should be factored in.
According to an analysis of the data by Research the Media managing director Richard Marks, not only are ads on smartphones less likely to be blocked, smartphones have an advantage over tablets when it comes to targeting, as they are less likely to be shared devices.
Some 87% of smartphone users said they never let others use it, compared to 59% of tablet users. So arguably ‘targeted’ advertising will be less of an irritant on smartphones than on shared devices, Marks argues.
He draws the conclusion the rise of adblockers has to be the fault of the advertising itself. “They are a wake-up call to online advertising to get its house in order and learn from ‘traditional’ established media how to deliver a blend of content and advertising that people will embrace rather than reject. Because deep down I genuinely don’t think people have adblockers because they ‘hate advertising’. They just want a good user experience on their devices.”
Ad-block downloads ‘level out’ but IAB urges caution
Facebook and Adblock tool up for online battle royal
Facebook says it will force ads through ad-blockers
Data insight ‘the only cure to ad-blocking epidemic’
Annoying, irrelevant ads driving ad-block take-up
Ad-blocking up again but many turn it off – if forced
Huge rise in mobile take-up fuels ad-blocking fears
Over half of all online ads are never even seen
Revealed: why ad-blocking has not hit mobile yet
IAB rejects ‘adblockalypse now, yet take-up rises


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Google is really on some cool futuristic technologythese days. The company is working on wearable technology in its secret off-campus Google X lair.
Over the last year, Apple and Google have secretly begun working on projects that will become wearable computers.
Their main goal: to sell more smartphones. (In Google’s case, more smartphones sold means more advertising viewed.)
In Google’s secret Google X labs, researchers are working on peripherals that — when attached to your clothing or body — would communicate information back to an Android smartphone.


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An Eau Claire man left a New Richmond business holding the bag after selling it more than $16,000 worth of stolen lawn mowers, according to charges filed in St. Croix County Circuit Court.
Prosecutors charged 36-year-old Ryan M. Sturz with one count of felony theft by false representation Nov. 16.
According to a criminal complaint:
New Richmond police were asked by Chippewa County authorities in July to assist with a theft case involving four stolen lawn mowers. The machines, stolen from businesses in Chippewa Falls, were believed to be at St. Croix Motor Sports in New RIchmond, where they'd been sold.
The suspect, Sturz, had bought the lawn mowers by writing bad checks totalling more than $37,000 for all four, plus some other merchandise.
Officers spoke with the St. Croix Motor Sports owner, who confirmed buying all four lawn mowers from Sturz on July 18 for $16,100. He later learned from his bank that the checks he'd written to Sturz had cleared.
Staff at the New Richmond store had attempted to confirm if the mowers were stolen, but the inquiry revealed nothing suspicious at the time. The owner said Sturz "had a pretty good story about why he was getting rid of the mowers," the complaint states.
Sturz told St. Croix Motor Sports officials he had a landscaping company called Top Notch Lawn Tree and Snow Services. The company was going under because he couldn't find reliable help, so he was forced to sell the equipment, Sturz told St. Croix Motor Sports.
Police interviewed Sturz Sept. 14 in Eau Claire County Jail, where he was being held on a probation hold. He eventually admitted to selling the stolen mowers in New Richmond.
"Ryan described himself as a real piece of work at that time and he sold the mowers to support his cocaine and drinking addiction," the complaint states, which goes on to note that the proceeds were spent on a 2007 Chevy Tahoe.
Sturz is charged in Chippewa County with one count of theft by false representation and seven counts of issuing worthless checks. He also faces worthless check charges in Dunn County
His first appearance on the St. Croix County charge is set for Dec. 20.


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Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky cut its stake in Terex Co. (NYSE:TEX) by 4.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 23,000 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 1,100 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky’s holdings in Terex were worth $725,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of TEX. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Terex by 3.5% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 441,605 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $11,221,000 after buying an additional 15,043 shares during the period. Creative Planning boosted its stake in Terex by 3.1% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 8,864 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $225,000 after buying an additional 264 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Terex by 0.8% in the third quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 76,620 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,947,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in Terex by 2.6% in the third quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 45,323 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,152,000 after buying an additional 1,160 shares during the period. Finally, Oakbrook Investments LLC bought a new stake in Terex during the third quarter valued at $254,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.32% of the company’s stock.
Shares of Terex Co. (NYSE:TEX) remained flat at $32.45 during mid-day trading on Friday. 1,197,612 shares of the company were exchanged. Terex Co. has a one year low of $18.91 and a one year high of $33.87. The stock’s market cap is $3.44 billion. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $31.13 and a 200-day moving average price of $29.78.
Terex (NYSE:TEX) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 21st. The industrial products company reported $0.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.12. Terex had a net margin of 2.01% and a return on equity of 7.39%. The firm had revenue of $974.70 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $918.81 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.50 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 16.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Terex Co. will post $0.82 EPS for the current year.
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Several research firms have recently weighed in on TEX. Credit Suisse Group AG set a $38.00 price objective on shares of Terex and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 25th. Citigroup Inc began coverage on shares of Terex in a research report on Monday, February 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $36.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Terex from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 20th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $35.00 target price on shares of Terex in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted their target price on shares of Terex from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $30.06.
In other news, insider Steve Filipov sold 5,215 shares of Terex stock in a transaction on Friday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.14, for a total transaction of $157,180.10. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 137,425 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,141,989.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director G Chris Andersen sold 10,000 shares of Terex stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.06, for a total value of $310,600.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have acquired 472 shares of company stock worth $14,999 and have sold 60,215 shares worth $1,880,330. Insiders own 3.70% of the company’s stock.
Terex Corporation is a manufacturer of lifting and material processing products and services that deliver lifecycle solutions. The Company has three business segments: Aerial Work Platforms (AWP), Cranes and Materials Processing (MP). It delivers lifecycle solutions to a range of industries, including the construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, shipping, utility, quarrying and mining industries.
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Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Place: Hyatt Minneapolis
Medical-device maker Tornier has reached a deal to buy OrthoHelix Surgical Designs Inc. in a deal worth $135 million.
Medina, Ohio-based OrthoHelix makes plate and screw systems that physicians use to treat deformities and fractures in feet and ankles. The company is expected to generate about $29 million in revenue this year, up 30 percent compared to 2011, Tornier said in a press statement.
Tornier, which makes medical devices for treating orthopedic problems, will pay $100 million in cash for OrthoHelix plus $35 million in stock.
“The transaction will enable us to substantially expand our sales coverage of foot and ankle surgeons, significantly enhance our addressable lower extremity market opportunity and position us to achieve more consistent growth across our upper and lower extremity product categories,” Tornier CEO and President Doug Kohrs said in press statement.
Tornier (Nasdaq: TRNX) is based in Amsterdam, but its U.S. headquarters are in Edina.
Katharine Grayson covers med tech, clean tech, technology, health care, and venture capital, and she writes the Innovation|Minnesota blog
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Facebook Director Emily White Moves to Instagram
Posted: April 4, 2013 by Maja Johnson
The fast growing popularity of Instagram, which has passes its 100 million user so far, has made its founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger take further steps into expanding the application to future potential partnerships. The first step was taking Emily White, Facebook's Director of Mobile Partnerships and making her Director of Operations at Instagram. White is making this internal move from Facebook to Instagram to work with its co-founders on improving the product in total.
Emily White has an excellent background working with super brands, like Facebook and Google. Before joining the Facebook team, she used to work for Google where she helped develop Google AsWords. White joined Google when the company consisted of just 200 people and left it numbering 22 thousand, which says a lot for her contribution to the company's growth.
She joined the Facebook team in 2010, where she was Director of Local Partnerships and then moved onto becoming Director of Mobile Partnerships. Her primary goal was to put the Facebook application on every device possible – latest count was 2,500 devices so far.
Instagram has made a great move by taking Emily White into their team. Her special knowledge and experience with advertisement partnerships and business operations will surely contribute to the expand of the application in the virtual world, with increase in revenue, popularity and future success.


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A new electric car can soon be launched in the Indian market by the French car company Citroën. The company has given this information. A lot of work has been done by the company on the cost of the car as well as what capacity battery will be given in it. We are providing its information in this news.
The first electric car will come.
The market for electric vehicles is continuously growing in India. Many companies are constantly introducing EVs. In this sequence, preparations are now being made by the French car company Citroën to present the first electric car in the Indian market. According to the company, the car can be introduced early next year.
Know about battery
According to the information, the company can provide a 30.2 kWh battery in C3EV. It may contain LFP cells. An AC charger of 3.3 kW can also be given in the car. Latest car News Apart from this, the car will also support fast charging. If a battery of this capacity is given in the car, it will give a better range than Tata’s Tiago in the Indian market. The company offers a 24KWH battery in Tiago, which offers a range of 315 km of Tiago MIDC on a single charge.
The biggest challenge for the company will be regarding the cost of the car. According to the information, the company is working a lot on this. The electric C3 is expected to be around Rs 10 lakh. The ex-showroom price of its petrol variant starts from Rs 5.88 lakh. At the same time, the ex-showroom price of its top variant is Rs 6.80 lakh.


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The Cross River State Government is subsidising prices of foodstuffs such as rice, tin tomatoes, groundnut oil and sweet corn by as much as 40 percent to enable the residents of the state celebrate the coming Christmas with joy.
The subsidy on the foodstuffs, which is already drawing traffic from even neighbouring states to the Tinapa Free Trade Zone where the foodstuffs are being sold, is the first of its kind in the state according to some residents.
The State Commsioner for Finance who also doubles as the Managing Director of Tinapa Free Trade Zone, Asuquo Ekpeyong Jnr. said the subsidy on the foodstuffs was to enable citizens of the state celebrate the Christmas with their families despite the current economic condition in the country.
“The Governor, Senator Ben Ayade decided to subsidize the cost of food stuff in this yuletide season to enable the people of Cross River State celebrate with their families whether they are indigents or not.
“We reduced the cost, working with the operators by paying off some of the cost of the goods up to 40 percent .
“We know that people will rush for it because of the present economic realities and we have provided for the required stocks that will cater to the needs of the estimated population of the people living in the state.”
On why the government decided to use Tinapa as the selling point, Ekpeyong said; “We are doing a double bottom approach method by providing for the welfare of the people of Cross River State and at the same time driving traffic to Tinapa for the retail sales.
“The Governor has been working hard with the management of the Nigeria Customs Service over the last one year to try and see how to revive trade in Tinapa and we have gotten to certain level in the commercial sales but that of retail sales is still lagging behind. So we are using the subsidy on the food items to attract traffic into Tinapa and will last till early January 2017.”
Some of the residents who went to buy the food stuffs at Tinapa also expressed delight at the gesture by government.
Findings revealed that a bag of rice that goes for between N22,000 and N25,000 in the open market is being sold at N15,000 in Tinapa.
Also a pack of tin tomatoes that sells for N9,000 in the market is being sold at N6000 in Tinapa.
Similarly, Sweet Corn and groundnut oil is being sold at N8,000 and N7,000 respectively as against N11,500 and N11,000 in the open market.


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Read the full article here.
This content was originally published by IoL Business Report. Original publishers retain all rights. It appears here for a limited time before automated archiving. By IoL Business Report
FNB chief executive Jacques Celliers said the country needed to grow its economy in the face of the threats posed by a possible downgrade.


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LIVONIA, Mich. - The Michigan Boating Industries Association is promoting the use of personal floatation devices by including the North American Safe Boating Campaign logo, “Boat Smart - Boat Safe - Wear it,” - and the statement, “Boat Smart - Wear A Life Jacket,” on all tickets for admittance to MBIA boat shows.
The PFD promotion is included on ticket stubs that are returned to the boat show attendees after entering the show, MBIA said in a release today.
“The association feels it is important to promote the voluntary use of personal floatation devices to recreational boaters in various ways,” said MBIA president Van Snider, who also manages the association's boat shows. “With both our shows, we have the potential to reach more than 100,000 boaters and we felt this is one of our best ways to remind boaters who are attending MBIA boat shows to boat smart and wear a life jacket.”
- For more of the latest news, click here.


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Hyundai Australia is aware of gaps in its product portfolio as it eyes a higher position on the sales leaderboard.
Toyota and Mazda have long dominated the sales charts after Holden started fading, but Hyundai says it is nearly ready to renew its attack on the biggest automotive players in Australia.
However its biggest challenge may not be the Japanese brands positioned above it, but its sister company Kia – and its new diesel Tasman ute due in 2025.
Asked if the South Korean brand wants to move up the sales charts in Australia, Hyundai Australia General Manager of Corporate Communications Bill Thomas told Drive at the media launch of the Ioniq 5 N: “It’s natural to be ambitious, but you need to have a realistic outlook as well.
“I don’t think we would ever be driving home a message where we’re looking for number two or number one on the market, but we have to be ambitious.”
Last year Hyundai finished the sales race in fifth position with 75,183 sales, trailing compatriot fourth-placed Kia which notched a 76,120 tally and Ford on a 87,800 total.
Mazda was a clear second with 100,008 sales to its name, while Toyota was again the top-selling brand with 214,240 new vehicles sold – the 21st consecutive year it has taken out the title.
However, the gulf between Hyundai and Mazda is quickly disappearing, with the former’s sales up 4.9 per cent – or 11,865 sales – to the end of February this year, while the latter is down 9.1 per cent, or 15,515 sales.
Hyundai and Mazda field vastly different products, while also adopting differing market strategies, but in some segments where they do go head-to-head, the South Korean brand is coming out on top.
The i30 hatch and sedan, for example, was the best-selling passenger car in Australia last year and so far this year, is outselling the rival Mazda 3 nearly three to one.
The new-generation Kona – now available in petrol, hybrid, and all-electric flavours – that launched last year is also outpacing the CX-30.
The crucial mid-size SUV battle will also heat up later this year as Hyundai readies its facelifted Tucson, which will be offered as hybrid for the first time to better compete not only against Mazda’s best-selling model, the CX-5, but also the supply-struggling Toyota RAV4.
That leaves the Mazda6 and CX-3 that are managing to stay ahead of the Sonata and Venue respectively.
Hyundai also offers a Staria people-mover, all-electric Ioniq 5 and 6, and Palisade large SUV that Mazda does not have an answer for, but Mazda’s march upmarket has also seen it add the CX-60 and CX-90 to its arsenal, with the CX-70 and CX-80 expected to launch later this year.
Hyundai also has its N range of high-performance variants offered across its i30 hatch, i30 Sedan, i20 and Ioniq 5 model lines, whereas Mazda points enthusiasts towards the venerable MX-5 at showrooms.
However, the ace in Mazda’s deck is the BT-50 workhorse, which is now based on the Isuzu D-Max, which added 17,526 units to the Japanese brand’s bottom line last year.
Hyundai has confirmed it is working on an answer to the BT-50 ute that will also take on the three-top-sellers last year, the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu D-Max, though details are scant and the brand is remaining tight-lipped for now.
Hyundai Australia Product Manager Andrew Tuatahi admitted there are holes in the brand’s line-up that are looking to be filled.
“Anybody that is ambitious in this industry is going to have boxes they need to tick, and want to tick,” he said.
“N is an example of something that we had our eye on that we wanted to achieve, we wanted to deliver, and you can see the fruit of that work.
“If you look at our portfolio at the moment, there are certainly gaps and opportunities, so we’re looking at all options.
“And anything that can deliver what our customers are interested in, we’re looking.”
It is believed the Hyundai ute will share its underpinnings with the Kia pick-up, expected to be called Tasman and teased earlier this week, but might still be at least a few years away.
Currently, it is unclear if Hyundai will offer a diesel-powered version like Kia has already confirmed, or solely launch its workhorse as an all-electric model as it has recently applied for the ‘Ioniq T10’ trademark in Australia.
The post Hyundai Australia has “ambition” to climb sales charts appeared first on Drive.


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One in four Irish adults are likely to participate in Dry January this year, according to the results of a new study.
According to the ‘Behaviour & Attitudes Dry January Research’ study, health and wellbeing has become more of a priority for Irish adults following 2020.
This is particularly prevalent in the 25-34 age group, where more than one third of respondents indicated they were likely to participate in this coming Dry January (36 per cent).
Up to 379,000 (13 per cent) of Irish adults who have never attempted Dry January are likely to attempt it this year.
The study, conducted by Heineken, also found that almost half of Irish adults under the age of 35 (42 per cent) would agree that the option of a non-alcoholic beer or non-alcoholic alternative helps them achieve their training goals.
The drinks giant released the study along with its advent calendar-style ‘Dry Pack’, which contains 31 cans of non-alcoholic Heineken.
Mark Noble, marketing manager at Heinken Ireland said: “We know Irish consumers want a balanced lifestyle, but many go the extra mile in January and abstain from alcoholic drinks completely. Research has shown that 20 per cent of people miss drinking alcohol when participating in Dry January, but with Heineken 0.0 they don’t have to compromise on taste.”


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UPDATE: Sony has confirmed via press release that the PlayStation 4 will come packed with a Blu-Ray drive. All is right in the world.
Original Story: If you watched Sony’s PlayStation 2013 event, there’s no doubt that you were blown away by all of the awesome video game footage and new features we were shown today. But there are two things that were odd about the conference:
- We didn’t see the actual console
- There was no talk of a disc drive.
There were rumors swirling around years ago that the next PlayStation console would drop discs but it may be a reality, which Sony’s strict emphasis with online features tonight seem to hint at. It was also confirmed that the PlayStation 4 would not be backwards compatible, but instead, gamers can stream PSOne, PS2 and PS3 titles via a cloud server.
Kazuo Hirai, CEO of Sony Corporation, stated in 2010 that the next PlayStation console would not drop disc support. We have contacted Sony for more information concerning the issue and will update you when they get back to us.


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The return of the ‘free’ PC
IBM to supply 200k PCs
A British start-up is to offer up to free PCs to the public. The catch? The PC fills the screens with ads for 60 seconds every 20 minutes.
Each month, the company, Metronomy, mails a CD containing targeted advertising. Your PC will work only if the CD is installed. You must also agree to use the PC at least 30 hours a month and you must sign up to use the Internet. It is unclear from weekend newspaper reports if the punters must pay for Internet access, but if this service is free, Metronomy will have pulled off a extraordinary feat of economic engineering.
Customers sign up for three years, but can simply return their PCs, if they don't want to continue with the scheme, company founder John Thornhill told the Mail on Sunday.
Metronomy will monitor computer usage - but not Internet surfing activities - as well as as ad-watching activity. If enough people sign up, this will give the company an opportunity to flog market research, we figure.
And Metronomy is thinking big. In the first phase of the campaign, 200,000 PCs, supplied by IBM, are up for grabs. The company hopes to roll-out the scheme to up to two million homes within three years. The first free PCs will start rolling out early next year.
The venture is funded to the tune of "several million pounds" by Terry Fisher, a former chairman of Huddersfield Town FC, who made his fortune from the travel industry. And several institutions are underwriting the deal, according to the Mail on Sunday. We guess Metronomy needs enough capital to satisfy IBM that it can meet long-term leasing commitments for the PCs.
Also unnamed advertising companies are said to be backing the venture.
Metronomy's Big Idea is interesting, but we been in this territory before. The US was awash with free PC offers in 1999 and 2000. In 1999, for example, Microsoft, AOL and Prodigy ran free or nearly free PC promotions. But those were the days when there was plenty of gross margin in Internet access to play with. And if these promotions had worked out financially, we'd all be using free PCs now, no?
The free PC idea, as with the mobile phone and games console industries, is to subsidise the hardware in return for software and services income. But it is difficult to see how Metronomy can generate enough advertising income from what will inevitably be a downmarket demographic. Add in a couple of quid a month for Internet access, and bring down the PC costs by running Linux desktop software, and it is still difficult to see how this stacks up. Especially, when the customers call for help.
The problem with mass market PCs is that after-sales service is a logistical nightmare, especially as there is little or profit to be had in the hardware.
We suspect that Metronomy customers will quickly tire of having to stop what they are doing on their PC for three minutes an hour. Returns could be a big headache. ®


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Greiner Bio-One Preanalytics has announced some of the trade shows and events it will be attending this year. There will be many opportunities to get to know Greiner Bio-One and its innovative products.
Three main events are planned from February to May 2018, where you can visit the company and get to know the latest and most relevant innovations.
Take the opportunity and talk to Greiner Bio-One Preanalytics about innovations, the latest trends in the market and important topics such as improved safety when using medical devices in your daily work.
The company is an expert and one of the leading companies in the field of medical technology. Greiner Bio-One is developing and producing innovative specimen collection systems for human and veterinary samples from blood, urine and saliva, as well as numerous safety products and associated accessories.
The firm looks forward to seeing you at its booths at:
- Medlab 2018, which is taking place from 5th to 8th February in Dubai, UAE. Greiner Bio-One will share a booth with WKÖ
- 26th Congress of Biomedical Analytic, which is taking place from 13 March to 14 March in Vienna,Austria.
- Africa Health 2018, which is taking place from 29 May to 31 May in Johannesburg, South Africa. Greiner Bio-One will share a botth with WKO


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ALBANY, N.Y. — New York could ban retail pet shops from selling dogs, cats or rabbits as soon as mid-2021 under a Democratic state senator’s bill.
The state would join Maryland and California and hundreds of municipalities nationwide that have taken a stand to outlaw sales of those pets, Deputy Senate Leader Mike Gianaris said Monday.
Supporters including The Humane Society of the United States and the New York State Animal Protection Federation say the vast majority of New York pet stores already don’t sell cats, dogs or rabbits. But Libby Post, the executive director of the federation, says the proposal is an “opportunity for pet stores to rebrand themselves as compassionate businesses that put puppies over profits.”
Post said the issue of puppy mills fueled by high demand for young canines is the “most pronounced.” But she said there are also mills that cater to owners seeking designer cat breeds and families seeking bunnies for the Easter holiday.
The legislation would impact an estimated 80 pet retail stores largely located in New York City and Long Island that have registered with the state.
New Yorkers could still buy cats, dogs and rabbits directly from breeders. Pet stores could face penalties for violating the law, which also allows shops to work with animal shelters or rescue groups to offer animals for adoption. The bill would become effective a year after it’s signed into law.
Animal welfare groups argue that importation certificates show New York pet stores too often bring in puppies from states in the Midwest with high numbers of commercial pet facilities. Supporters say the federal government is failing to sufficiently investigate a system in which pet stores can turn to regulated dog brokers who buy puppies from breeders and resell them to retailers.
A spokesman for New York’s agriculture department says licensed pet dealers that move animals across state lines must document that a veterinarian observed the pets and that they don’t appear to have a disease.
“Buyers are also entitled to receive information about where their pets came from and dealers are required to provide that information at the time of sale,” said spokeswoman Kirstan Conley.
Over 2,000 dogs are for sale in pet shops in New York at any time, according to advocacy group New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets Executive Director Edita Birnkrant. “By passing this legislation we can shut down the puppy mill pipeline and ensure that animals from shelters are adopted at New York shops instead of enriching cruel breeders,” Birnkrant said.
Animal welfare activists argued Monday that pet stores make most of their money from selling pet supplies anyways.
But Pet Industry Advisory Council President and CEO Mike Bober said New York’s bill would threaten locally owned pet stores while doing nothing to address irresponsible breeders. Bober, whose group represents the nation’s pet industry, said it’s more important to strengthen and enforce federal standards for pet providers.
“These protections, along with the consumer warranties that pet stores are required by law to offer, are not mandatory for any other animal source,” Bober said.
The fate of New York’s bill is unclear. It so far has over a dozen Senate co-sponsors and at least one co-sponsor in the Assembly.
A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his office is interested in any proposal that would better protect pets. The governor last year signed into law the nation’s first ban on declawing cats.
“We’ll review this legislation in consultation with the state’s top kibble and chew toy advocate, Captain,” said senior advisor Richard Azzopardi, referring to Democrat Cuomo’s two-year-old gray and white Northern Inuit dog.


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Some will go home heroes, some will fail miserably. Reputations will be built and destroyed tonight.
No, we're not talking about the guys on the New York Giants and New England Patriots, we're talking about the people behind the ads that are running during the big game.
For the second year in a row, Mashable is live blogging the Super Bowl. Once again, we're only mildly interested in what's going on on the field. But we're very focused on the ads.
I am Todd Wasserman, Mashable's business editor. Joining me this year will be some Madison Avenue bigshots, including Euro RSCG Chairman Lee Garfinkel, Kaplan Thaler Managing Director of Digital Strategy and CRM Danny Flamberg, 360i Vice President, Emerging Media David Berkowitz, Gyro Executive Creative Director Mike Tittel and Landor Associates chief marketing officer Hayes Roth. In addition, Vice President of Marketing at Bluefin Labs Tom Thai and his colleague, Associate Marketing Manager Eleanor Dowling will be providing some real-time social media stats and Mashable's own Charlie White and Sam Laird will be on hand to offer some color commentary.
Join us at 6:30 p.m. EST. We'll cover all the ads, from kickoff to the final second.


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This weekend only, when you donate $90 or $8/month, you can snag our cozy new Marketplace zip–up hoodie. Don’t wait –– this offer ends Sunday at midnight.
TEXT OF STORY
KAI RYSSDAL: With the financial world in tatters we haven’t really had a chance to check in with Google lately. Just to fill you in on the progress of their business model, that is, to rule the world. The company’s latest target is the the mobile phone market.
Google unveiled its long-awaited smart phone today. Android goes on sale next month at your local neighborhood T-Mobile store. There will be comparisons with the iPhone — touch screen, music player and the rest. Looks like a full-frontal assault on Apple, but Google may have another competitor in mind. Marketplace’s Rico Gagliano reports.
RICO GAGLIANO: The G1 sports a slide-up screen, a raised keypad, and open-source software. Anyone can design their own applications for it. The iPhone has none of that, but minutes after the G1 was unveiled, tech analysts started comparing it to that other device.
KENT GERMAN: Overall, I think it could be a good alternative. Maybe not necessarily a competitor, in a lot of ways, to the iPhone.
That’s Kent German, senior editor at C-Net. He thinks the G1 has enough features to keep T-Mobile customers from switching to AT&T, the only telecom company that supports Apple’s phone.
But competing with Apple may not be the point. Rob Enderle is technology analyst for the Enderle Group.
ROB ENDERLE: Google’s attempting with this phone, their Android platform and their Chrome browser to make a solid run at Microsoft.
The idea, Enderle says, is to compete with Microsoft in areas where it isn’t already dominant.
ENDERLE: Smart phones are moving against PC’s as the primary way people are accessing the Web, communicating and running applications. And smart phones are not dominated by anybody at this point.
Getting its Android operating system on cell phones is also a good way for Google to do what it does best: sell search advertising.
ENDERLE: Google’s goal is not to make money off the phone. In fact, the original plan was to see if they could give the phones away for free. Their goal is to make these things advertising-supported, because that’s their business model.
T-Mobile will start selling the G1 in October.
In Los Angeles, I’m Rico Gagliano for Marketplace.
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