text:
U.S. Bank has announced that it is starting a trial in Portland and in Salt Lake City.
FlexPerks Visa cardholders in Portland, Oregon and Salt Lake City, Utah are being offered a new opportunity from U.S. Bank, in which they can try out a new mobile payments opportunity based on NFC technology.
This opportunity to try the mobile payments product is specific to individuals who have an iPhone 4 or 4S.
Though neither of these devices is enabled with NFC technology, customers who sign up for the program will be shipped a special case created by DeviceFidelity that will allow them to use their iPhones in order to make a purchase at the checkout counter of participating merchants. U.S. Bank explained that its introduction of the service is to be considered a beta release for account holders with the new FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa Signature card (and an appropriate model of the iPhone).
The NFC technology mobile payments service will be rolled out more broadly later in 2013.
The DeviceFidelity case will provide multiple benefits to the iPhone 4 and 4S device users who receive it. It will not only enable them with NFC technology – a capability that is absent in all Apple smartphone models – but it also contains an additional battery in order to extend the length of the charge of the device.
This is not only convenient in addition to the NFC technology chip, but it also provides the user with the added peace of mind of knowing that they have better odds of completing their purchase transactions without running out of power.
According to the U.S. Bank Payment Services chief innovation officer, Dominic Venturo, “We have incorporated all of the feedback we have received from prior pilots and our customer research into this latest offering and we are excited to offer U.S. Bank Go Mobile in these two markets.”
Though DeviceFidelity is among the more obvious partners in this venture, as it is the provider of the NFC technology cases, there are others involved in this project, as well. For example, Visa will be providing its PayWave tech in order to receive the contactless payments at the checkout counters of the participating merchants. Moreover Datacard Group will be securely issuing and provisioning the accounts.


text:
Alternative products to HAKARAN
HAKARAN is Hacker News Rankings for story/show/ask, update once daily
8 alternative and related products to HAKARAN
Product Hunt surfaces the best new products, every day. It's a place for product-loving enthusiasts to share and geek out about the latest mobile apps, websites, hardware projects, and tech creations.

domain: news


text:
Banter jokingly claims to have invented a Genital Recognition Application Prototype to confine, well, Weiners.
The Golden State Warriors will open a new high-tech sports and entertainment complex in 2018, and the basketball team's testing some of the innovations in its current arena now.
Venture capital funding for mobile apps helps end 2014 with a big influx of money for startups.
The comedy about bumbling journalists trying to assassinate North Korea's dictator enjoys its day in the sun as online streaming and a small but closely watched theatrical release subvert the ban that hackers demanded.
LG has erected its own ad atop Samsung's teaser for the Galaxy S4. Lawks, what a wizard wheeze!
Deciding, perhaps, that Facebook will bring him closer to the masses, the famed physicist signs up and shares a post that says being curious is vital in today's world.
The first video ads for the new iPhone feature Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake gushing about the bigger screen and beefier camera.
The social network updates its Snapchat-like photo-sharing app to let users respond to their friends' reactions.
New international trailer for Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" sets the stage for what looks like an epic summer blockbuster.
Calling Jeff Bezos "Lex Loser," Stephen Colbert organizes a campaign to sell one first-time author's book through a different retailer.


text:
There are currently no items in your cart
The Christmas period has proven to be fruitful for Alibaba, with the tech business reporting a 41 percent increase in revenue YOY.
A new partnership between Alibaba and Wine Australia will give local products an edge in China's upcoming Global Wine and Spirits Festival.
A new concept store that’s set to open in Hong Kong on Thursday could be the future of fashion retail, as Alibaba demonstrates its latest AI tech.
Alibaba has launched its first trial of Alibaba’s Food Trust Framework; in the hopes blockchain technology will be able to reduce the amount of fake food and wine that’s appearing on the Chinese e-commerce platform.
At a recent report launch, Australia Post and a board of high-profile panelists spoke about the growth potential for online retailers who are willing to branch out into international markets.
Alibaba Group has opened an augmented reality pop-up at Melbourne's QV, in a bid to introduce China's concept of 'New Retail' into the changing Australian retail market.
Post-millinials with ageing-anxiety and a penchant for luxury items hold the buying power, resulting in cross border trade growth into China.


text:
Mysuru: Gravel racing is booming in popularity as evident in this morning’s Dasara Gravel Fest, an autocross event for four-wheelers near Lalitha Mahal Helipad, where over 3,000 adventure enthusiasts gathered to see cars zooming on dirt-and-gravel tracks. Dirt roads provided a perfect sanctuary for a gravel rider.
Charged up crowds cheered as race cars and modified mean machines, driven by expert drivers, zipped past tracks and navigated hairpin bends and cleared humps and hurdles. The smell of engines and thick dust mingled with the roar of race cars. The event was aimed at bringing the halcyon days of motor racing back to Mysuru along with its associated glamour.
Today’s event was jointly organised by Automotive Sports Club of Mysuru (ASCOM), in association with the District Administration and the Tourism Department. It was inaugurated by Tourism Department Director B. Ramu, Mysuru DC Abhiram G. Sankar and Deputy Director, Tourism Department H.P. Janardhan.
The event began at 9 am and over 3,000 spectators had assembled at the gravel tracks. As it is a Sunday, crowds were continuously pouring on to the venue. Making hay when the sun shines, many food and snack stalls were set up at the venue where snacks were sold like hot cakes.
It was a two-kilometre track and was divided as ‘Track A’ and ‘Track B’ (inner and outer tracks) where two cars could move simultaneously. While one set of cars entered the main track crossing a ramp way, the other group of cars took the route under the ramp to join the main gravel track.
In all, 178 racers from New Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh participated in the festival. Though a similar Gravel Fest was organised in Mysuru, it was held today for the first time as part of Dasara.
There were four categories of cars – 800 CC, 1,000 CC, 1,400 CC and 1,600 CC – apart from categories including Mysore Open Novice (that provided a chance to local youths), Open Category (any type of Indian and modified vehicle), SUV Category and an exclusive Women’s Category. It will be an all-day event where there will be 98 races.
It took over a week for the organisers to set up tracks for the Gravel Festival and all the racers were taken on a walk of the tracks last evening for them to familiarise with obstacles, undulations, dirt tracks and twists and turns.
Top Indian car racers including V. Vijayakumar who owns Chennai Race Track, Ketan Shivakumar, Den Thimmaiah and Bopaiah and others took part in the racing. 14 women drivers too participated in their racing category. Maruti Esteem and some of the customised race cars stole the show with their booming sound.
Sources from the Automotive Sports Club of Mysuru told Star of Mysore that from the year 1988 till 2000, there were many reputed racers in Mysuru and it was considered Number 1 sport. “Gradually, the numbers fell. This Gravel Festival has been organised with an intention of bringing back the racing glory to Mysuru,” one of the organisers said.
Note from Kannada.Club : This story has been auto-generated from a syndicated feed from https://starofmysore.com/gravel-racing-game-attracts-thousands/


text:
Ex-Mothercare boss Logue joins bailed out retailer Dreams to turnaround fortunes
Rescued bed retailer Dreams has hired the former UK boss of Mothercare to help rehabilitate the business.
Mike Logue took up the reins as chief executive yesterday following a five months search after the business collapsed.
It was acquired in a pre-pack administration by Sun European which bought the bulk of the stores.
New boss: Ex Mothercare chief executive Mike Logue is to take over the top job at bed retailer Dreams
Around 95 stores which were not part of the deal were shut. Logue, who has worked for Asda and Marks & Spencer previously, will spearhead the turnaround.
Logue said: ‘Dreams is a fantastic brand and I am delighted to be given the opportunity to build upon the solid foundations that have been laid by the management team.’
Interim boss Kim Zaheer, said Logue ‘brings with him a huge amount of both retail and operational expertise’.
Most watched Money videos
- Euro NCAP safety tests of new Porsche Taycan shown in clip
- What will 2020 hold for investors and the UK stock market?
- Durability of Tesla Model X examined in Euro NCAP clip
- Vauxhall launches fifth generation of top-selling Corsa hatchback
- Introducing the new Ford Puma with fuel-saving powertrain technology
- Urban Electric's new pop-up chargers rise from the pavement
- Door comes off Volkswagen Sharan during Euro NCAP safety tests
- How a biotech trust invests in the future of medicine
- Volkswagen unveils concept for robots to deliver chargers to cars
- Hyundai Uber concept flying taxi shown off in promo vid
- Blue Whale: We want companies that can grow whatever happens
- Wireless charging network will be installed in Britain from 2020


text:
Phish returns to New York at the end of the year to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a four night run at Madison Square Garden, beginning Wednesday, December 28th through Saturday, December 31st. The four shows will bring the band’s total performances at the world famous arena to 39 in the years since their MSG debut in December 1994. As with Phish’s two prior MSG runs, all floor tickets will be general admission.
An online ticket request period is now underway at http://tickets.phish.com, ending Monday, October 10th at 12 noon ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, October 14th at 12 noon ET online at http://www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 866-858-0008. Any remaining tickets may be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office beginning Saturday, October 15th (Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm).
Phish and CID Entertainment are also offering travel packages for the New Year’s Run (which include hotel and tickets). Phish will be donating their proceeds of these travel packages to the WaterWheel Foundation. Travel Packages go on sale Thursday, October 13th at 12noon ET. Full details available at bit.ly/2cY6sVy


text:
DESSANGE COOKS UP NEW COLOR LINE
Byline: Julie Naughton
NEW YORK — As Paris-based global salon and spa chain Jacques Dessange prepares to gain a foothold in the makeup business with a new 99-stockkeeping-unit cosmetics line, it is also wrangling with the U.S. Justice Department over visas granted to workers in its U.S. salons.
For her part, Marie-Laure Simonin, general manager of Jacques Dessange Beaute, the company’s global makeup division, would rather concentrate on the makeup, which she sees as a “natural next step” for the company.
“When you look at cosmetics megabrands like Chanel and Givenchy, they are linked in the consumer’s mind with haute couture,” Simonin said. “To us, the idea of teaming beauty with haute coiffure made even more sense. We have 40,000 women worldwide daily going into our salons, and as a company, we realize that hair and makeup need to work together.”
However, this isn’t Dessange’s first foray into makeup. The company ventured into cosmetics in 1990, in partnership with Sanofi Beaute. “It was a very good line, but wasn’t really geared at retail,” said Simonin, although she added that the line did average about $8 million retail in five countries at its high point. “It was more for providing makeup services in our salons. This new collection is more of a retail line, and the company made a huge investment in doing it in-house.”
According to Simonin, that investment included naming her to head the division, as well as hiring a team of 15 people and creating an in-house research-and- development department.
The result is the new Jacques Dessange Beaute collection, which consists of 23 types of products available in a total of 99 colors. Included are eight foundation/complexion sku’s, four eye sku’s, six lip sku’s and five nail sku’s, ranging in price from $19 for an eye pencil to $49 for a compact powder foundation. Each item is packaged in matte gold with shiny gold accents and has a JD logo stamped on it in purple.
Simonin says that the cosmetics line features several points of difference, most notably in its use of light. “Dessange has always been known for putting light in hair color,” she said. “Knowing that, we couldn’t launch makeup without that same concept. To do that, we employed micronized pigments. Other companies also use such pigments, but they use them as light reflectors. Our pigments are used as light dimmers.”
Simonin sees key products as the foundations — “they make skin glow from within,” she said — and pencils.
Each of the pencils will be packaged with an accessory — an eyebrow comb for an eyebrow pencil, and a lip brush with a lip pencil, for instance.
An additional nine brushes will also be offered. They include a powder brush, a blush brush, a large and a medium eye- shadow brush, a tapered eye-shadow brush, a retractable lip brush, disposable foam applicators and a glass nail file, and range in price from $12 for a tapered eye shadow brush to $37 for a blush brush.
The cosmetics line, which launched in July in France, will be available by the end of December in Dessange’s five U.S. salons, as well as at Dessange salons in Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Austria and Greece. The skin care line is also currently rolling out and is slated to reach the U.S. by early next year — tentatively in early February, said Simonin.
Beginning in January 2000, makeup and skin care will start rolling out to the remaining Dessange countries. Both lines are expected to be in all 35 Dessange countries by the end of December 2000. There are more than 660 Dessange salons worldwide.
Simonin said that the makeup and skin care products are projected to do $16 million retail by the end of December 2000, with that number expected to climb to more than $32 million retail within three years.
The chief challenge to U.S. growth, Simonin said, is the fact that Dessange has just five salons in the States. “That’s not conducive to building a big brand, so we are in discussions to expand our distribution to other channels here in the U.S. sometime next year,” she said. Simonin said she hopes those channels will include department stores and upscale cosmetics stores like Sephora.
Building its product business has been a focus for the chain since 1990, the year in which the first Dessange makeup products appeared. The company followed in 1991 with a skin care line, in 1992 and 1993 with hair care lines and in 1997 with a product line of clay-based personal products called Phytodess.
In the salons, the makeup will be displayed on freestanding tester stands resembling totem poles. “Our intention is to make the cosmetics easy to try — and buy,” said Simonin.
No U.S. advertising is currently planned for the new products. “We need to work out the distribution first,” said Simonin. “However, we’re planning advertising for both makeup and skin care in many of the top fashion magazines in Europe for 2000.”
As the cosmetics division is planning its growth, the company’s U.S. service arm is gearing up to deal with the U.S. government regarding immigration issues.
The government indictment alleges that Jacques Dessange Inc. (JDI) illegally obtained more than 30 U.S. work visas between 1994 and 1997 by claiming that foreign hair stylists were actually senior-level managers. It also alleges that JDI conspired with the New York law firm of Deutsch & Salberg to provide erroneous information on visa applications.
“While the incidents alleged in the indictment are regrettable, to classify them as criminal is a terrible distortion of the facts,” said Bernard Sagon, president of Jacques Dessange Inc., in a statement. “We may have relied on bad legal advice, but we did so in good faith, and we never conspired with anyone to evade the law. We are confident that our position will be upheld by the courts. “
According to Sagon, JDI is cooperating fully with the Justice Department and has done so since the investigation began.
In fact, JDI has filed a legal malpractice suit in the New York Supreme Court against Deutsch & Salberg and its partners, charging that the attorneys’ actions in providing legal advice on immigration matters and in preparing visa-related documentation “constituted willful misconduct or negligence and caused JDI to sustain pecuniary and other damages.” The complaint requests that “the court award damages of no less than $250,000” for the alleged malpractice.


text:
China Attempts to Grapple With 18.5% Inflation
China, struggling to stem record inflation and public unrest over the spiraling cost of living, announced a series of measures today to restore central government price controls that were dropped under the country’s economic reforms.
The measures, the latest taken by the government in a sweeping retrenchment of the market-oriented reforms launched by senior leader Deng Xiaoping in 1978, were announced by a Chinese official at a meeting of the ongoing session of China’s Parliament.
The package included a ban on local governments’ approving price hikes without authorization from Beijing. The meeting was reported by the official New China News Agency.
Price reform--ending artificially set low prices and allowing the market to reflect major commodity prices--has proven the most controversial of the economic reforms. Although giving incentive to producers, it has contributed to record inflation.
Vast Consumer Demand
Inflation, unknown in China until recent years, ran officially at 18.5% last year and is estimated unofficially at more than 30%, in part reflecting vast consumer demand on a still-inefficient supply system and erratic monetary policies.
Premier Li Peng, in a speech Monday to the opening session of the National People’s Congress, the nominal legislature, called inflation the key problem the country faces and warned of several years of tighter central control and austerity.
At an NPC session today, Ma Kai, vice director of the State Price Administration, said the State Council, China’s cabinet, would set “price control goals” for provincial and local governments.
At the same time, he said, officials would “concentrate pricing power in the central government,” adding that no local government would be allowed to approve price hikes on goods without State Council authorization.
The measures also include efforts to increase the supply of daily necessities, tighten controls on prices of energy, raw materials and agriculture-oriented products, possibly through price ceilings, and establish a system by which local governments would apply in advance to hike prices of major commodities.


text:
Friday headlines include: American Airlines declaring a dividend, Earnings from Amazon, Baidu.com and Visa and McDonald's 86ing chicken products in its Hong Kong restaurants.
Air carrier American Airlines Group (AAL) declared a dividend of 10 cents per share Friday. It is the company's first dividend since 1980. The company also announced plans to spend $1 billion buying back its own shares and will make additional pension contributions. The company earned $1.98 per share on an adjusted basis, topping the mean analyst estimate for $1.95 per share in the year-ago quarter. Revenue was $11.36 billion, topping the $11.33 billion analysts had expected.
Online retailer Amazon (AMZN) said Thursday that it lost 27 cents per share in the second quarter, which was wider than the 13-cent -per-share loss that analysts had expected. Revenue was $19.34 billion, topping the $19.33 billion analysts had expected. The company said revenue growth slowed in the company's cloud computing division enough to affect the company's finances in a “meaningful way” although Amazon does not provide numbers for the AWS unit.
Chinese internet giant Baidu.com (BIDU) earned about $571.1 million in the quarter ended June 30 on revenue of $1.9 billion. The company said it plans to focus on apps and other mobile applications in the second half of 2014 as it tries to hold off increasing competition.
Credit card network operator Visa (V) said Thursday that it earned $2.17 per share in the second quarter on $3.16 billion in revenue. Analysts had expected the company to earn $2.09 per share on $3.16 billion in revenue. Payment volumes during the quarter rose by 11 percent to $1.2 trillion during the quarter. The number of transactions also increased by 11 percent to 16.7 billion.
McDonalds (MCD)has taken chicken nuggets and chicken filets off the menu in Hong Kong restaurants after a supplier in mainland China was accused of selling tainted meat. The company said that while much of the meat used in its Hong Kong stores comes from a different factory than the one implicated in the most-recent allegations, it has sold meat from the problem Shanghai factory in the past. McDonalds said the meat in those batches conformed to all Hong Kong safety standards.


text:
Social welfare recipients should be aware of an upcoming payment date change.
Due to the June Bank Holiday, banks and post offices will be closed and therefore recipients will receive their payments on a different date.
In fact, they will be paid a few days early.
Read more:Cost of living: Hundreds of parents set to receive €300 gift
All Social Welfare offices will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday, 5th June 2023, as well as banks and post offices.
If your welfare or pension payment is due to be paid at a post office on Monday 5th June, you will be able to collect it early from Saturday 3rd June 2023.
All welfare or pension payments made direct to bank accounts that are due on Monday 5th June will be paid instead on Friday 2nd June 2023.
If you normally get paid by cheque and that is due on Monday 5th June – it will be posted out a day earlier than usual so you may get it on Friday, depending on your local postal service.
As well as social welfare recipients, parents who collect Child Benefit will be paid early - including the €100 cost of living bonus.
It is set to fall on the June Child Benefit date, which is the 6th of June. However, due to the fact this date is just after a bank holiday, there is a good chance it will land in accounts early.
Usually when Child Benefit falls on the Tuesday after a bank holiday, parents see the payment in their account on the Friday or Saturday, so people could receive the bonus on the 2nd or 3rd of June.
Get the latest RSVP headlines straight to your inbox for free by signing up to our newsletter
Cash boost for the public as supermarkets slash the price of everyday food items
Cost of living Ireland: Four social welfare payments that will help you pay your rent and mortgage
Cost of living Ireland: Five social welfare payments carers can apply for
Cost of living Ireland: Irish workers could get big cash boost with deadline weeks away
Cost of living: Parents can apply for €100 cash boost per child within weeks


text:
by Michael Snyder
The Economic Collapse Blog
It is during times of great crisis that we find out who we really are. Now that strict “shelter-in-place” orders have been instituted all over the world, most people have a lot more free time than usual. Of course some are using all of this extra free time for constructive purposes, but many others have decided that “self-medicating” is the best way to “cope” with this coronavirus pandemic. When under great pressure, people tend to gravitate to whatever is most important to them, and that is why what we are witnessing during this pandemic is so alarming. Just check out these new numbers…
The virtual-sex trade has got a lift: Pornhub, the leading adult entertainment website, saw a near-12% increase in global traffic from Feb. 24 to March 17. British lingerie chain Ann Summers said sex toy sales were up 27% in the last week of March compared to the same period a year ago, with its quietest vibrator fast becoming its best seller.


text:
It just seemed yesterday that the wallet meant a folding leather case to carry credit and debit cards, and a wad of currency notes. Now, it has a new dimension — the mobile wallet, which resides inside your phone, and can be used for recharges, paying utility bills and even for shopping.
Icing on the cake — this wallet has now found a wider use in the lives of students across India.
Paytm, India’s largest mobile wallet company that claims to have 147 million wallets,is taking its cashless solution to ISBM University’s campus to offer its students ease and comfort while making payment of academic fees, registration and enrollment charges and any such transaction that would involve sending and receiving of money through online modes thus keeping cash transactions in ISBM University campus to minimal. In a very short duration of time, Paytm has gained likeability in the Indian markets due to the freedom and convenience that it offers to the users. The wallet system in India is growing with a tremendous pace.
ISBM University is an UGC recognized private University in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India under section 2(F) of UGC Act 1956. It is approved by the Government of Chhattisgarh under the Chhattisgarh Private Universities (Establishment and Operation) Act, 2005 (Amendment Act 2016) to confer doctorate, degree, diploma and certificates to students. The programs of ISBM University focus on building depth of understanding, capacity for interdisciplinary learning and research, analytical skills, critical thinking and communications in an atmosphere of academic freedom and integrity with special focus on ensuring socio-economic tribal-development in scheduled areas of Chhattisgarh.
Dr. Vinay Agrawal, Executive Director at ISBM expressed his gratitude by saying that, “This tie up will benefit students, teachers, parents and the institute altogether. By making ISBM University transactions cashless we wish to contribute to the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a digital nation. ISBM University’s association with Paytm has resulted into a surfeit of fee payment and transaction options to students. Implementation of the Paytm wallet system has made online admission process at ISBM University relatively easier.”
Upbeat about the cashless campuses concept, many Universities are now implementing wallet-based payments in different styles bringing out various offers for the users. These are cash backs, contests and discounts in association with such education brands.


text:
Microsoft has announced the launch of its online storefront on Tata CLiQ. The newly launched Tata CLiQ is an e-commerce venture by Tata Group, India's biggest business conglomerate, aimed to be a marketplace for in-house and partner companies to sell apparel and electronics.
Prior to its launch on CLiQ, Microsoft's storefront was listed on Amazon India. While several Microsoft Lumia devices were available broadly in the market, flagship devices — the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, Surface Pro, and Xbox One — were exclusively available on Amazon.
That is changing now. Except Xbox One, several products are available on Tata CLiQ, as we reported for the Surface Pro 4. Also, as it appears now, the Lumia 650 and Lumia 550 are no longer listed on Amazon, and are available discounted as part of an inaugural offer at Tata CLiQ for ₹14,699 and ₹6,599 respectively.
Tata CLiQ also allows consumers to buy their favorite Microsoft products and services using their innovative services such as the ability to click online and pick up at store. These 'phygital' services will be available across 500 plus stores of 12 partner brands.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Microsoft Edge Dev channel gets new collections features, extension sync
Another weekly update is out for the Microsoft Edge Dev channel, and it has a host of handy features to check out. New in this release are a couple of improvements to collections, extension sync, and more.
Join us for the latest Windows Central Video Podcast
We're live with the Windows Central Video Podcast today at 2:30pm ET, make sure you're there!
Are you working from home this week? (poll)
More people are working from home than ever right now, and we're wondering how you all are managing to stay productive in your homebound state. Chime in and let us know in our poll!
Here are the best apps to stream movies and TV on Windows 10
The number of streaming services continues to grow. Toss apps to rent and buy movies on top, and there are a lot of options. Here are the best apps to stream movies and TV shows on Windows 10.


text:
Find a Question:
Google reveal some smart glasses applications support for Optics
A variety of devices
Google goggles can be worn over prescription glasses
He stressed, “Timothy Jordan” one of the developers of “Google” working smart in the draft glasses, during the review of the glasses in the Technical Conference, it does not hinder the user from exercising normal life while wearing as they do not obscure vision.
“The Jordan” that applications for glasses designed to ensure that block vision and carry out its tasks quickly and easily, as well as their response to voice commands for the user or the movement of the head or touches carried out by the control panel installed on the side of the glasses, which are three methods to control the glasses.
And use the control panel that to move between interfaces and perform movements such as back-to-back and to move forward and to switch between different cards similar to the modus operandi of Google Now service cards in the system “Android”.
The “Jordan” to the names of some of the applications that have been developed specifically for glasses smart like the Gmail application, which enables the user to read the new incoming messages and can respond immediately vocally, in addition to applying the newspaper “New York Times” news that sends breaking news directly to the glasses are allows the user to see the news title and his image, and if the user chooses to know the details, the application reads audio details.
The user can work through the glasses on the famous application notes Evernote Path application that displays pictures of friends and allows the possibility of leaving comments via voice.
To this, and pointed out “Google” that her glasses Smart supports installation on eyeglasses without losing any of its advantages, as revealed in a post on “Google Plus” for a picture of a working draft “Google Glass” wearing glasses over his glasses, and noted the company The experimental model just will not support this feature, but the pattern is expected on the market will support the addition lenses and eyeglasses framework to نظاراتها.
Noteworthy that the glasses “Google” is still in the final development stage where not raised commercially yet, but American company is currently working on a review of its advantages and made available to a limited extent in the United States and price of U.S. $ 1,500.
It should be noted that the raised glasses is expected before the end of this year, according to news reports, which also showed that the price of the glasses will be equal to the price of smart phones, which currently put on the market.
google google glass glasses GoogleViewing:-381
Answer this Question
You must be Logged In to post an Answer.
Not a member yet? Sign Up Now »
Star Points Scale
Earn points for Asking and Answering Questions!


text:
As per a recent study by Accenture research, 63% consumers prefer to purchase products and services from companies that live by a bigger purpose that goes beyond their corporate bottom line. Up until recently, brands were basking in the glory of successfully articulated brand values, but it’s a different ball game now on. Today’s consumer preferences are shifting more and more towards brands with purpose. Brands now behold the additional responsibility of making a positive difference to the world. As per a Harvard Business Review study, 64% of consumers who associate with a brand do so if the said brand shares their own beliefs and values. It’s no surprise then that brand marketers are increasingly viewing their social commitments as integral to winning customer loyalty. As a result, traditional businesses and companies too are rethinking their idea of brand marketing, to one that reflects authenticity and greater risk-taking.
Here are some brands that are setting a great benchmark in this regard:
– Levi’s: Late last year, Levi’s dared to do what few American brands would it launched a campaign propagating better gun control in America. In his open letter featured in Fortune, Levi-Strauss CEO Chip Bergh said, “We simply cannot stand by silently when it comes to the issues that threaten the very fabric of the communities where we live and work. While taking a stand can be unpopular with some, doing nothing is no longer an option.” Levis definitely ain’t all talk no action. The brand has set up ‘Safer Tomorrow’, a $1m Fund to “fuel the work of nonprofits and youth activists who are working to end gun violence in America.” That’s not all; the company is also working on tackling this issue by getting business leaders to encourage their respective employees to get more politically active.
–The Body Shop: For most part of the last 18 months, the cosmetic retailer has been working on revamping its brand purpose in order to put “activism at the heart of its brand strategy”. True to their aim of being a feminist brand, their reinvented brand purpose will be gender-equality focussed. As explained by their head of global activism, Macneil-Brown: “We’re seeing our way into the women’s rights space because at the heart of our activism we want to work towards gender equality”. In an effort to ensure activism remains at the core of their stores, they are up-skilling their store teams to run local activism projects as well as organizing periodic workshops conducted by grass-root activist groups.
–IKEA: Swedish company, IKEA has launched its ambitious urban farming program in collaboration with British designer, Tom Dixon. The idea of this partnership is to explore the future of urban farming by encouraging patrons to explore innovative means to utilize their home space for agriculture. It was kick-started with a show providing a futuristic look into how urban dwellers can use their kitchens and rooftops to grow food with least amount of energy consumption and minimal carbon footprint. It has already started integrating urban farming techniques in its own stores – case in point, in March IKEA announced they were growing lettuce in their shipping containers, only to use the produce later in their store restaurants!


text:
Delvo Cheese CT-Taste allows cheesemakers to cut ripening time by up to 50%, resulting in significant energy savings around control temperature and humidity, DSM said.
Save around £180,000
According to its internal data, the production of 1Mkg of continental cheese with a typical four-week ripening time would save around £180,000 in production costs, if ripening time is halved.
“Delvo Cheese CT-Taste opens up new opportunities for companies that want to produce their cheese more efficiently and sustainably,” said Gert van den Hoven, product application specialist for cheese at DSM.
‘Without impacting the taste’
“More importantly, it does this without impacting the taste of the final product, which is key for consumers.
“This is a welcome solution, as dairy companies strive to deliver great-tasting, high-quality nutrition.”


text:
Shipping companies have started to charter air cargo planes for enormous sums for a single flight as the shipping crisis continues to grow more severe.
Trans-Pacific charter company Air Charter Service reported that a Boeing 777 flight is going for at least $2 million. The pre-pandemic peak price was around $750,000.
Some companies have reported rates closer to $3 million for flights out of Vietnam, Insider reported. The Southeast Asian country serves as a major manufacturing base for clothes, shoes and electronics.
Typically around 90% of the world’s traded goods travel via ocean freight due to its significantly cheaper costs, but the delays have forced companies to search for alternatives. Even Amazon is reportedly looking to buy secondhand cargo jets to alleviate its own shipping delays.
“We’re chartering like mad,” Marc Schlossberg, executive director for air cargo at Unique Logistics, told American Shipper.
Shipping delays have been mounting and cargo has been piling up at California ports. Tens of thousands of containers are stuck at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California, which move more than a quarter of all American imports, according to The Wall Street Journal, which noted last month that dozens of ships are lined up to dock with waiting times stretching to three weeks.


text:
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Kraft Foods said Monday it's pursuing a takeover of Cadbury after the U.K. chocolate maker rejected a 10.2 billion pound ($16.7 billion) bid.
Kraft KFT said a combination of the two would create a "global powerhouse in snacks, confectionery and quick meals" with annual sales of more than $50 billion. But analysts suggested the U.S. giant, which is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, may need to significantly raise its offer.
Kraft proposed a bid of 300 pence and 0.2589 of its own shares for every Cadbury CBY, -5.18% (CBRY) share. The offer was valued at 745 pence a share, a 31% premium over Cadbury's closing price on Friday.
Shares in Cadbury soared 38% to 783 pence in London trading, topping the proposed price as investors bet there was more to come.
Kraft shares won't trade on Wall Street Monday because of the Labor Day holiday, but the stock dipped 1.3% in very thin trading in Frankfurt.
Analysts have been expecting a bid for Cadbury ever since closely held Mars Inc. bought Wrigley in a $23 billion deal in 2008, creating a confectionery company with a 15% market share.
"In our view this made a deal for Cadbury inevitable as it fundamentally changed the confectionery economic landscape," said Evolution Securities analyst Warren Ackerman in a note to clients.
Evolution said there's a 30% to 40% chance of a counter bid, with one possibility being for Switzerland's Nestle NSRGY, -0.56% (NESN) to acquire Cadbury's gum business and Hershey Co. HSY, -2.01% taking the chocolate arm. See related story.
"The 31% premium to Friday's close seems attractive, but we think Cadbury can get much more," said Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Andrew Wood.
A price of 15 to 16 times earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization could be reasonable, especially since Mars paid a multiple of 19.5 times Ebitda for Wrigley, Wood said.
That would equate to a price of 855 pence to 920 pence a share for Cadbury, he added.
Standard & Poor's equity analyst Carl Short lifted his rating on Cadbury to buy from hold and his price target to 900 pence from 590 pence after the Kraft announcement, saying the company is a "major acquirable asset" in a consolidating sector.
Cadbury backs stand-alone plans
In a brief statement, Cadbury said the proposal "fundamentally undervalues the group and its prospects," adding that the board is confident in the company's stand-alone strategy.
Kraft Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld said on a conference call that the company can fund the cash component of the deal through its existing cash reserves and debt, without any need to tap the market for new equity.
There are also no plans for disposals, though Kraft is considering a listing on the London Stock Exchange to solve the problem of some U.K. shareholders not being able to hold U.S. paper.
Kraft acquired the baked-goods arm of France's Groupe Danone DANOY, +0.16% (BN) in a 5.3 billion euro deal announced in 2007. Analysts at Evolution Securities said Kraft already has around $15 billion of debt, partly from the Danone deal.
Activist investor Nelson Peltz also holds a stake in Kraft. Peltz sold his Snapple drinks business to Cadbury in 2000, then bought a stake in the chocolate maker in 2007.
He was among the shareholders that pressed the firm to spin off its North American drinks business, which now trades as Dr Pepper Snapple Group DPS, -0.59%
Kraft targeting growth
Kraft said that acquiring Cadbury could generate pretax cost savings of $625 million a year as well as opportunities to further boost revenue through investment in distribution and marketing.
It added that an acquisition at the proposed price would boost its earnings in the second year following completion. Total one-off costs would be $1.2 billion over three years.
"This proposed combination is about growth. We are eager to build upon Cadbury's iconic brands and strong British heritage through increased investment and innovation," said Rosenfeld.
"Cadbury has built wonderful brands by focusing on quality, innovation and marketing, but we believe the next stage in Cadbury's development will be challenging, given the increased importance of scale in the industry," Rosenfeld added.
Kraft also said that the U.K. would benefit from the deal in terms of employment, as it would likely continue to operate Cadbury's Somerdale facility, which is currently earmarked for closure.
If the deal goes ahead, Kraft expects to lift its long-term growth targets to 5% or more for revenue and 9% to 11% for earnings per share. Its current targets are for revenue growth of 4% or more and earnings-per-share growth of 7% to 9%.
Lazard is acting as lead financial adviser to Kraft. Centerview Partners, Citigroup and Deutsche Bank are also acting as financial advisers.
Dow Jones Newswires reported that Cadbury has hired Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and UBS to advise it on the approach.


text:
Asus and Google launching Nexus Tablet in May?
A lot of talk is going on in the Androidosphere about a rumored Google-Asus Android tablet. Word on the street is that Asus will launch the first ever “Nexus” tablet,” which is rumored to be a 7-incher running the latest version of Android (whispers are going around that Google will launch Jellybean on this device.) Now some new information is pointing to a May reveal, and it will cost around $199-249. However, Asus refused to comment on it. DigiTimes leaked this information, and they have reported several leaks in past. They’ve always been reliable, but we’re going to take this with a grain of salt until we get some confirmation.
From a realistic standpoint, there’s a reason Google selected Asus. They tried Motorola with the launch of the Xoom, which was not as successful as they expected. As Google wants to introduce a cheap tablet, selecting HTC would be a bad idea because their hardware quality is superb, and they’re not known for being particularly cheap. So logically, the only remaining manufacturers would be Samsung and Asus. Since Sammy is constantly tied up in legal battles with Apple, Asus is the best because they offer quality, reliability, and a nice price tag all in one package. With the combination of Google and Asus, I am sure the tablet will be an amazing product.
If the rumor is true, then we will see this Nexus tablet in April. So is anyone looking forward to a Google tablet? Anyone think there’s a better manufacturer out there than Asus for this project? Let us know in the comments!
You might also like
Samsung’s custom smartphone UI (or Touchwiz) isn’t usually the Android skin you think of when it comes to the word “beautiful”. With the OEM’s Android skin going almost unchanged for
MocoSpace is announcing today that their first Android application is now available. Similar to their mobile website, the app focuses on social networking and chatting. MocoSpace currently enjoys 11 million
We profiled a beta application back in September called *Spark which is a totally new way to redesign and customize your home screen with real-time data. A few months and more than 100,000 beta testers later, the app has been released in a full version.


text:
Saint Louis, MO, February 24, 2011: BigQuark LLC, a Saint Louis, Missouri company, is pleased to announce that its lead product BeautySleep™ is to be featured on ShopNBC March 7th, 2011. BeautySleep™ is a 2oz. advanced dietary supplement that combines anti-aging compounds and cell-protecting anti-oxidants with sleep enhancers. BeautySleep™ contains ingredients that are clinically proven to fight the signs of aging by maintaining skin elasticity and tone, slow the effects of aging and protect cellular and tissue health while providing a good night’s sleep. BeautySleep™ does not require a prescription, has zero calories, no sugar and a floral mint flavor.…Read the full article» Comment Count
CNBC’s “How I Made My Millions” goes behind the curtain to reveal how everyday people have taken ordinary ideas and turned them in extraordinary businesses. Companies that have surpassed that magic number of a million dollars.
Each of these entrepreneurs took a risk, believed in their dream and, thanks to a lot of hard work and a little luck, became millionaires.
“How I Made My Millions” puts the American Dream on display and shows you that it’s alive and well if you have the heart, the desire and the know-how to make it big.
HINT water – A…Read the full article» Comment Count
PRINCETON, N.J. (Feb. 24, 2011) — Bai Brands (www.drinkbai.com…) announced today that Ken Sadowsky, a beverage industry leader who serves as executive director of the Northeast Independent Distributors Association (NIDA), has agreed to become an investor and advisor.Read the full article» Comment Count
By mutual agreement, Kimball and SLT are ending their year and a half relationship in distributing Sweet Leaf Tea to major north Texas convenience and grocery stores effective at the end of February.
“It’s a great product, and we have enjoyed our relationship with SLT” said Kimball Smith, President of Kimball, “but our business models were beginning to diverge, and we have mutually agreed that we each shall find new business partners to assume each other’s responsibilities.” Kimball will continue to provide full distribution services to its Sweet Leaf Tea customers through the end of February.
“Kimball Distributing continues to…
February 21, 2011 – DynaPep® Energy, creator of the world’s first Supercharged Energy Micro-Shot today announced their sponsorship of professional MMA fighter, Hermes “The Unreal” Franca, who will battle in the Bad Blood 5 Battle in the Midwest this Saturday, February 26. The event will be televised on MTV3 March 5th.
Brazilian born Franca specializes in black belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the lightweight division. He earned his nickname, “The Unreal” from his fans and sports writers because of his aggressive, focused style of fighting. The former WEC (World Extreme Cage Fighting) champion will join other major names including Ray Lopez,…
…(SHREWSBURY, NJ) – February 21, 2011 — RelaxZen, Inc., the leading developer of relaxation products, has announced that RelaxZen DAY and RelaxZen NIGHT products are now available in approximately 200 ShopRite stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.
RelaxZen’s sleek, 2.5oz tapered bottles will be conveniently placed in the functional food aisle near the energy bars and other shots.
RelaxZen distribution in 2010 include Rite Aid (3,000+ stores), Duane Reade, Pilot Travel Centers, as well as a growing roster of regional grocery, C-Store, pharmacy chains, numerous single-store operations and specialty chains. Within a year of
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – Takeya’s healthy “drink making experience” takes center stage at the Natural Products Expo West, March 10-13 in Anaheim, CA when the company launches its all-new line of drink makers and serving containers. The convenient system features Juice Makers, Cocktail Shakers, Fruit Infusion Jugs and hot/cold Tea Makers. Environmentally friendly containers include a variety of airtight, leak-proof pitchers, carafes and pure glass water bottles. Takeya’s fresh, innovative designs allow all Americans to create, serve and take-to-go their own fresh drinks in minutes. More information is available at www.takeyausa.com….
Takeya’s unique approach to hydration features a simple,
LAS VEGAS, NV–(Marketwire – February 23, 2011) – Circle K has sealed an agreement with XYIENCE, elevating its energy drink brand Xenergy… to national status and giving it potential access to all 4,200 locations of the convenience store chain. The agreement comes on the heels of XYIENCE Canada renewing its agreement with Couche-Tard (parent company of Circle K and Mac’s) as a national brand in that country as well.
To gain national U.S. recognition, XYIENCE, maker of Xenergy, the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), built on its existing two-year relationship with Circle K. The new
…ÖLFUS, Iceland (February 22, 2011) — Icelandic Water Holdings ehf announced today that I-D Foods Corporation, Canada’s largest specialty food and beverage distribution company, will be the new master distributor in Canada of their award-winning CarbonNeutral® natural spring water Icelandic Glacial. This distribution deal arrives on the heels of a major increase in consumer demand for their premium water throughout Canada.
Through their advanced specialty distribution channels, I-D Foods Corporation will be able to increase sales of Icelandic Glacial bottled water and fulfill the demands of the rapidly growing consumer base while understanding the proper premium channels for which Icelandic
…With Delray Beach mayor Woodie McDuffie in the umpire chair, the match was light hearted, fun, and filled with humorous banter from McEnroe and Wilander as they played in this unique setting. Celsius Tennis on the Ave kicks off the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships which features the World’s only combined ATP Champions Tour & ATP World Tour Event featuring tennis legends and ATP professionals.
Celsius’ local champions came out to support the Celsius team and enjoy the event. These customers came to life from Celsius’ website where they appear under a section titled “Real People – Real Results. “
Scottsdale, AZ (February 18, 2011) – Dan Schweiker, Co-Chairman of China Mist Brands, Inc. is pleased to announce of the addition of Joseph Jacober as President, and that an Advisory Board has been established to help propel China Mist Brands as they grow both their foodservice and consumer products.
Joe Jacober was President and CEO of Branding Ranch, a brand development and marketing consulting company focused on consumer products industries. In 2006, Jacober founded Innovative Brands where he successfully negotiated and led the acquisition the Pert Plus shampoo and Sure antiperspirant brands from Proctor & Gamble and subsequently sold them…
DynaPep® Energy creator of the world’s first Supercharged Energy Micro-Shot today announced that they have extended their distribution channel through a new agreement with Harris Teeter, Inc. Teeter serves North Carolina by operating grocery, frozen food and perishable distribution centers.
DynaPep® CEO Lisa Krinsky believes the new relationship will improve the distribution of the DynaPep® brand exponentially. “Through Harris Teeter’s network of store outlets, DynaPep® will strengthen its presence in the high end convenience market. Harris Teeter has demonstrated a commitment to customer service and intelligent growth; we are pleased to partner with them. Our customers now have many more…
CONCORD, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE…)–Welch’s, a cooperative of 1,150 family-farmers and the world’s leading marketer of Concord and Niagara grape-based products, today announced the appointment of William G. Barker III, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Federal Signal Corporation, to its Board of Directors. As one of five external directors, Bill will use his extensive beverage industry expertise as well as his strategic financial planning skills to help guide Welch’s to achieve its short and long-term strategies for continued success.
“Bill’s experience is rooted in building a strong financial foundation”
“Bill’s experience is rooted in building a strong financial
…Boulder, CO (PRWEB) February 17, 2011 In light of recent media focus on energy drink health concerns, ZUN Energy Drink has issued a statement on the company’s high quality and innovative Brain Boosting Energy® product line.
ZUN is a powerful, proprietary energy-plus drink that includes natural sugar and caffeine, along with co-enzyme Q10 & choline designed to promote instant and sustainable energy with improved mental focus. The drink also contains 500% DV of B12 and 100% DV of C, B6, and vitamin E. Packed in a one of a kind ‘retro style’ rocket bottle, ZUN is hard to miss and
NEWPORT BEACH, CA–(Marketwire – February 17, 2011) – NutriPure Beverages, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: NBVG…) announced today that the company is continuing its investigation and testing of a new bio-degradable bottle in preparation for the upcoming launch of its Nu2O product line. The company plans to make the announcement as to the outcome of this study as soon as possible. NutriPure’s preference is to have this bottle available prior to its initial launch of the Nu2O product line. The company continues to make strides in its efforts to get this product to market as soon as possible and is very optimisticRead the full article» Comment Count
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL–(Marketwire – February 18, 2011) – Attitude Drinks (OTCBB: ATTD…), an innovative brand development company, announced today that the Company has completed delivery of its first shipment of Phase III® Recovery Drink to Lone Star Distribution (“Lone Star”), pursuant to a previously announced distribution agreement between the two companies. With product in-hand, Lone Star has begun marketing Phase III in both Vanilla and Chocolate flavors to it’s over 5,000 retailers. Lone Star’s warehouses are located in Texas, Florida, Georgia and Connecticut, with a satellite office in New York.
One of the nation’s leading distributors of sports
SAN DIEGO Calif., (February 17, 2011) – San Diego based GBomb LLC., makers of the 10.5 oz grombomb healthy rehydration, is proud to announce its distribution partnership with the San Diego based premium beverage distributor John Lenore & Co. John Lenore & Co. will service the entire San Diego County.
“We are extremely excited to carry grombomb which is a segway into a new category for us. Welcome to the Family”! states John Lenore & Co. VP of Sales Sean Nichols.
“Many new items come around but very few with the passion and energy that grombomb has shown. When the…
Princeton, NJ (February 17, 2011) – Bai Brands (www.drinkbai.com…) has added Bai5 Congo Pear to its award-winning line of low-calorie, antioxidant-rich drinks. Bai natural beverages offer bold fruit flavors infused with one of nature’s most powerful, yet unfamiliar, sources of antioxidants: the fruit of the coffee bean. Bai is the first functional drink brand on the market based solely on the coffee “superfruit.”
Congo Pear is one of four varieties of Bai5, a product line that contains only 5 calories per serving due to the use of the organic sweetener Stevia. Bai5 drinks such as the new Congo
LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwire – February 16, 2011) – Reed’s, Inc. (NASDAQ: REED) (OTCBB: REEDP…), maker of top-selling sodas in natural food stores nationwide, announced today that it has reached a distribution agreement with SPIKE Beverage LLC, a full-service direct store delivery distributor of premium non-alcohol beverages with six offices throughout the state of Arizona. Under the agreement, SPIKE has agreed to begin distributing Reed’s and Virgil’s brands in all retail channels, large and small.
Bill Osteen, Senior VP of Business Operations for SPIKE, stated, “SPIKE Beverage is extremely excited with its new partnership with Reed’s, Inc. We have
KIAMESHA LAKE, NY–(Marketwire – February 16, 2011) – Boreal Water Collection, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: BRWC…) continues to open accounts in the New York area as its in the process of finalizing a “Master Agreement” with a major distributor to the Kosher Community. Recognizing Boreal Water’s commitment to excellence and keeping in mind certain customers confidentiality concerns, Boreal can publicly disclose that it has added to our distinguished roster of clients the following accounts: Jumeirah Essex House (winner of “World Travel Awards 2010″ as North America’s leading Business Hotel), Penguin Publishing (U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group), one ofRead the full article» Comment Count
Selling energy drinks to children has been a hot topic in the media lately (there are stories like this… almost daily), with most of the press being of the opinion that children should not be consuming energy drinks. Grom Bomb takes a proactive approach to this subject, with a caffeine free formulation that’s designed to deliver hydration and energy without the use of caffeine. Grom Bomb is specifically targeting kids that are part of the action sports segment — a place that has been a very popular segment for energy drink offerings.Read the full review»
February 15, 2011— Icelandic Water Holdings ehf, makers of the award-winning, CarbonNeutral…® premium natural spring water Icelandic Glacial, announced today a partnership with Voilà to provide 160 tons of water to aid in Haiti’s Earthquake relief efforts. This marks the fourth major donation from Icelandic Glacial, totaling 440 tons of water and nearly one million dollars of product value that have been provided by the company’s “Water For Life” foundation. The water will be distributed by Voilà to beneficiaries in tent camps operated by Yele Haiti, Partners in Health
and J/P HRO.
“With the outbreak of cholera and
A round up of what’s going on in and around the beverage industry for the first half of the week.…Read the full article» Comment Count
STAMFORD, Conn. (Feb. 14, 2011) — The Coca-Cola Company and Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) today announced the Coca-Cola/KAB Recycling Bin Grant Program, an effort designed to promote and support community recycling.
Grant recipients receive both donated recycling bins and expertise on how to set up recycling programs from Keep America Beautiful. This Bin Grant program is part of KAB’s larger Public Space initiative, an effort among KAB and its sponsors, such as Coca-Cola, to enhance the access to and convenience of recycling away from home. The grant program is also part of a $60 million investment by The Coca-Cola…
Have news? Have a new product? Tell us


text:
Supply chain issues and a record number of feline adoptions during the pandemic are driving a growing cat food shortage.
Reports have emerged in recent weeks from Illinois, North Carolina, Minnesota and Montana that pet stores are running out of cat food. Industry insiders blame global supply chain shortages of turkey, chicken and duck flavors and aluminum cans used in production.
“While cat owners may not be able to find flavors they’re used to buying, there’s no shortage in the quantity of wholesome, nutritious food,” said Louise Calderwood, director of regulatory affairs at the American Feed Industry Association in Arlington, Virginia.
“I know cats are fussy and can vocally disagree with changing flavors or brands, but there are certainly high-quality alternatives available across all price groups,” Ms. Calderwood told The Washington Times.
Industry insiders say the same problems that caused a shortage of canned dog food last year are now impacting cat food.
“For cat stuff, it’s the canned food that we’re having the most trouble with,” said Martasia Brown, merchandise manager at Unleashed pet store in Arlington.
Ms. Brown told The Times that restocking orders of Tiki Cat, Science Diet and Royal Canin canned cat food have gone unfilled in recent weeks.
Sam Kain, a finance professor at Walsh College in Michigan, noted that inflation in production costs has led some stores to discontinue cat food brands because they have become too expensive or rare to keep in stock.
Last month, the Trader Joe’s grocery chain discontinued four canned cat food and two canned dog food brands, citing “inconsistent availability and ongoing sourcing issues.”
“Shortages are always the result of market prices falling below the rate suppliers need to provide the goods at the most profitable quantity,” Mr. Kain said.
Analysts said a spike in adoptions of kittens and rescue cats during COVID-19 lockdowns put additional strain on the market. According to consumer research platform Attest, 19% of Americans adopted a pet during the pandemic.
“This is so clearly an example of the fallout from lockdown disruptions, an unexpected one to be sure,” said Jeffrey Tucker, president of the Brownstone Institute for Social and Economic Research.
“Economies are more fragile than people think. The policies of more than two years have proven to be disastrous for the daily life we once knew,” Mr. Tucker added in an email.
In a survey released Wednesday, Attest found that U.S. pet owners spend an average of $25 to $50 a month on their animals and prefer to shop inside a store rather than online.
Among 400 working-age pet owners surveyed, 75% reported owning a dog and 49% owned a cat. Of those, 51% bought premium pet food. Most owners buy pet food weekly or monthly, Attest reported.
Allison Albert Ward, founder and CEO of cat food maker VitaCat, said 42.7 million Americans own a cat, including a record 11.3 million who purchased or adopted a feline during the pandemic.
She said many of the new cat owners are relying on kibble, cat chews, home-cooked food and a combination of wet and dry food to cope with shortages and higher prices.
“With the national pet food shortage, cat owners are being forced to buy different flavors or brands that might not meet the dietary needs of their pet,” Ms. Ward said.
Economists say the price of aluminum has been the biggest factor in the shortage.
Peter C. Earle, a research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research in Massachusetts, said the market price of aluminum has risen to $2,800 per metric ton from its pre-pandemic average of $1,500 to $2,000.
He attributes the spike to the increased demand for beer and canned food during COVID-19 lockdowns, as well as inflation and a fire at a key Chinese aluminum plant.
Magnesium, a key element in aluminum manufacturing, also is in short supply.
“The cat food shortages are just the latest in a long list of problems arising from pandemic policies,” Mr. Earle said.
Consumers began noticing the cat food shortage last year.
AARP reported in March 2021 that retired seniors were frustrated by national shortages of Fancy Feast, Friskies and 9 Lives cat foods.
That same month, the American Pet Products Association reported that the U.S. pet care industry passed $100 billion in sales for the first time in history. Continued growth is projected for 2022.
Walter Block, an economics professor at Loyola University New Orleans, called on the Biden administration to address the shortage so companies won’t have to raise prices further.
“Why do we have so many shortages? Baby formula and now cat food, of all things? That is a bit of a mystery,” Mr. Block said in an email.


text:
Asher Moses Telstra launches an assault on TiVo and even its own pay TV operator Foxtel with an IPTV set-top box that can pull down a range of internet content and record live TV.
Asher Moses Seven's long-awaited TiVo digital television recorder will go on sale in Australia next month, priced at $700.
Asher Moses The man tasked with modifying TiVo for the Australian market has revealed details about its capabilities.
Louisa Hearn Much like a new puppy it will take time to train TiVo to leave some of its less savoury offerings outside.
Asher Moses TiVo users demand refunds after the company begins charging $199 for a basic upgrade it promised would cost "tens of dollars".
Asher Moses TiVo inks a deal with ISP Internode to allow customers to download movies without chewing up their monthly internet data allowance.
US digital video recording pioneer TiVo and Germany's Nero unveiled a product that allows the popular TiVo capturing of television shows on a personal computer.
Asher Moses Seven has dismissed claims it stole the idea for its TiVo advertisements from Apple, saying "there's no copyright in an idea".
Miriam Steffens The ABC's head of television has weighed in to the commercial networks' war of words with Foxtel, predicting waning demand for pay TV.
Asher Moses Many key features of TiVo, the much anticipated digital television recorder, will be disabled when it is launched at the end of the month.
Adam Turner Australian broadcasters embrace Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV.
Bleeding Edge Video and other files stored 'elsewhere' are now becoming accessible everywhere.
Designing the Apple television may prove easy compared with convincing media and cable companies to loosen their grip on the TV industry.
Adam Turner With the digital switch-over looming, it's time to learn how to upgrade your television viewing to the digital age.
Adam Turner The more dependable personal video recorders rely on custom electronic program guides.
Louisa Hearn A loungeroom revolution is brewing in Australia as an onslaught of technology providers vie for a slice of the home entertainment market once dominated by television networks.
Apple is refining its plans to annex the living room into its entertainment empire.
Foxtel unveils Apple iTunes rival ... but it could raise the cost of your subscription, even if you don't want it
Ben Grubb Foxtel has unveiled a new service to rival Apple's iTunes TV and movie download store, but customers could pay more even if they don't want to use the new service.
An add-on device will transform your old TV
Lucy Battersby Telstra will soon offer Foxtel to BigPond customers through its T-Box console in an agreement that lets Telstra tie more content into its products and increases the number of people who can access...


text:
Sunflower State Radio is excited to announce that an update is available to our radio station apps for users of iPhones and iPads, with Android apps slated to be updated later this month for users of Android phones.
If you have previously downloaded our apps, they will update automatically. If you don't have our apps yet, you can find links...
Cattle Market Corrections Bush Honeysuckle Leaky Ponds 00:01:05 – Cattle Market Corrections: Starting today’s show is Oklahoma State University livestock economist Derrell Peel with a cattle market update. He explains how futures are...
Grain Market Lows Cattle Chat: Important to Meat Consumers Warming up Next Week 00:01:05 – Grain Market Lows: K-State grain economist, Dan O’Brien, begins today’s show with this week’s grain market update. He says what action the...
The Kansas Agriculture Department says it’s investigating the possible first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza this fall.
The affected poultry was a backyard flock in Pottawatomie County. The Kansas Department of Agriculture says flocks should ...
Complete Release Available Here
2023-24 Record Book Available Here
2023-24 TV/Radio Speed Chart Available Here
KANSAS STATE (6-2) vs VILLANOVA (6-3)
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 >> 6 p.m. CT >> Bramlage Coliseum (11,010) >> Manhattan, Kan.
Fourth Annual Big 12/BIG EAST Battle Series
ESPN2 / WatchESPN (link here)
Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play)
King McClure (analyst)
Thomas Morrissey (producer)
K-State Sports Network
Flagships: // KMAN 1350 & WIBW 580
Satellite Radio: Ch. 385
Sunflower State Radio is the digital platform for Dierking Communications, Inc. serving Kansas from our broadcast studios in Marysville, Glen Elder, and Norton, Kansas. KNDY AM & FM Marysville; KDNS-FM & KZDY-FM Glen Elder; KQNK AM & FM Norton.
This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.


text:
A taste of Puerto Rico
Published 6:44 pm Friday, August 13, 2021
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
La Borinqua makes Mower County Fair debut
Visitors to the Mower County Fair this week might have noticed a new food vendor near the grandstand; a small, blue trailer amidst the larger, more colorful fair dining options. Its menu is small, but it is unlike any other you’ll find at the fair, offering hungry fair goers an opportunity to try Puerto Rican food.
Its name is La Borinqua, and to say it’s new is an understatement. According to owner Amanda Velazquez, the Albert Lea-based La Borinqua held its grand opening at the Freeborn County Fair on Aug. 4.
Email newsletter signup
“For right now, we’re just going to do the food truck,” Velazquez said. “We want to get people to know our food and enjoy it. Our menu is a little small right now; there is so much more I could add to it, but I don’t want to overwhelm everyone. Little by little, we’ll add more things depending on how the customer base forms and how they like stuff.”
Velazquez has a background in the business end of the food industry, but opened La Borinqua to follow her real passion: cooking.
“I love to cook,” she said. “I have a big family, my husband has a huge family, and if I’m upset or overwhelmed, I go to the kitchen and come up with new ideas.”
One such idea that stemmed from a bad day was a one-of-a-kind offering you can’t find anywhere else: plantain nachos. While containing nacho staples such as seasoned ground beef, nacho cheese, and sour cream, La Borinqua’s nachos replace the tortilla chips with thinly sliced fried plantain chips, giving a little sweet to the savory.
Since opening, Velazquez said the plantain nachos have drawn the attention of younger crowds.
“I haven’t found (plantain nachos) anywhere else,” she said. “You can google them, but you won’t find them.”
But the star of Velazquez’s menu is the jibarito, a steak sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a little bit of minced garlic. But it’s not your ordinary sandwich; the jibarito is served between two thin pieces of plantains instead of bread.
“(The jibarito) is a poor man’s meal,” Velazquez said, noting that in the poorest parts of Puerto Rico, locals utilize plantains since bread is too expensive.
“You won’t find (jibaritos) in places like San Juan; you have to really go into the island,” Velazquez said.
One of the driving forces behind getting La Borinqua opened was Velazquez’s late father-in-law.
“My father-in-law, may he rest in peace, helped me with a lot of these recipes,” Velazquez said. “When he was alive, we came up with some of these. He’s the one who told me he really wanted to open. After he passed away, I realized that this is what made me happy. I did a few twists of my own and we brought it to life.”
Her father-in-law was also responsible for the name.
“‘Borinqua’ is what you call a Puerto Rican,” Velazquez explained. “My father-in-law spoke about it and it was something he really liked, so I stuck with the name.”
Velazquez hopes to grow the business to a permanent location, but nothing too big.
“We wanted to start small, but hopefully if everything goes well, I would like a hole-in-the-wall restaurant,” she said. “Small and simple is the way I like to go.”
La Borinqua can be booked for events, such as corporate events and weddings. For those looking to try La Borinqua, you can follow them for updates on the La Borinqua Facebook page or on Instagram at La_Borinqua.
“Come try the food; the food speaks for itself,”Velazquez said. “It might be a little teenie-weenie food truck, but it has a lot of spice.”


text:
Some proponents laud it as the future of Pacific Rim trade. Some decry it as a further erosion of American jobs and the environment.
What does it practically mean for the Sacramento region?
The agriculture and food sector is one of our top economic drivers, supporting nearly 40,000 jobs and $3.5 billion a year in economic input. The value of crop production grew to $2.15 billion in 2013; it is the one sector showing strong growth throughout the recession and contributing positively to the nation’s trade balance.
Agriculture was the second biggest export sector for our region in 2014; combined with agriculture-related products and machinery, it provided $1.4 billion in total exports. Because of our region’s location, we are uniquely situated to capitalize on the demand for exports to Asia, and to bolster our North and South American trade opportunities.
In the case of our valley’s iconic crop – rice – the Pacific trade agreement will expand markets for the next generation of farmers. Today our best export market for rice is Japan. The TPP promises to expand that trade and improve the bottom line for family farms battered by the drought.
Expanding the rice market could be good for wildlife, too. The 4 million to 6 million waterfowl that call the Central Valley home in the winter rely heavily on flooded rice fields for food. Upward of 60 percent of the diet of ducks and geese comes from rice fields that farmers flood after harvest.
Family farms and waterfowl both benefit from increased production the following spring. Farmers have taken care of their rice straw and waterfowl return to their northern breeding grounds in great shape due to the plentiful food resources farmers have provided. It’s a win for both.
A legitimate question often raised is the effect of exporting water as a byproduct of trade. Would the TPP simply allow for more export of our region’s water in the form of raw agricultural products?
While it may seem to be the case, increased exports will actually keep more of the water in the Valley. During drought, there is increased movement of water from the Sacramento region to meet the demands of urban users and of farmers in other regions. In the long-term, however, economics will play an ever-increasing role.
Strong demand for rice, wheat, tomatoes and other crops grown in the Sacramento Valley ensures that farmers will continue to grow those crops and that our region and the plethora of wildlife that utilize them, continue to enjoy the water that irrigates those fields.
For our region, the TPP will improve our economic opportunities and continue to build one of our key regional advantages – agriculture – while at the same time supporting our environment.
Mark Biddlecomb is Western region director for Ducks Unlimited. Tim Johnson is president and CEO of the California Rice Commission. Bill Mueller is CEO of Valley Vision.


text:
Get Ready For the new 844 toll-free area code in Feburary 2014
Posted by Tollfreenumber.ORG at July 9th, 2013
The launch of the new 844 area code toll free numbers is scheduled for Feburary 2014. By contacting a service provider like Tollfreenumber.ORG today, you can be prepared to scoop up the perfect custom 844 number for your business. Find out today how to be ready to get that 844! Volume will be high as thousands of consumers each day seek a 844 number.
Tollfreenumber.ORG can help you get a custom 844 number
At Tollfreenumber.ORG we are ready to help you plan for your new custom phone number. Contact us today and learn how to secure your perfect toll free number with an 844 area code. When the new numbers are officially released, we will be ready to work with you to get you your numbers. Don’t wait and allow someone else to own YOUR Number.
Tollfreenumber.ORG has announced the launch of the 844 area code, the newest series of toll free telephone numbers approved for release by the FCC in 2014.
Logan Marshall, founder of TollfreeNumber.ORG said “we are making waves through local communities nationwide as the announcement of the release of the 844 area code is made by TollfreeNumber.ORG for the first time.”
TollfreeNumber.ORG used it’s websites http://www.844-numbers.com and http://www.844number.com to announce that a new area code is hitting the USA market. Logan Marshall wrote on the website “On November 14, 2012, SMS/800, Inc., the company that oversees the 800 Service Management System for the North American Numbering Plan, recommended that the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) open the 844 toll free code on February 15, 2014″
And just like that, a new area code is approved for release. Logan Marshall initially announced the news in 2010 via the Toll-free advisory committee at SMSGOV.com that he was a part to. At the time, Bill Quimby founder of tollfreenumbers.com had confronted Marshall by claiming that the 844 was not to be released for a decade.
The 844 numbers work exactly like an 800 number–the call is free for the caller. The 844 numbers can be used locally for personal and business use or can be used nationally to capture a wider range of customers. Business owners in any community can order and use the 844 toll free phone numbers (for a very small financial investment) through large phone companies like AT&T or through small boutique toll free service providers like Tollfreenumber.ORG.
Local businesses that sign up for avanity 844-phone number can create an instant connection with potential customers and clients. For decades, small companies have been using toll free phone numbers to help increase their business and customer relations.
NEWS FROM THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
On November 14, 2012, SMS/800, Inc., the company that oversees the 800 Service Management System for the North American Numbering Plan, recommended that the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) open the 844 toll free code on February 15, 2014.1 When the Commission opens the 844 code for the first time, subscribers will have access to essentially all the toll free numbers within the 844 Numbering Plan Area, including vanity numbers within the 844 code. We note that Commission rules prohibit warehousing, hoarding, and brokering of toll free numbers.2 In addition, Commission rules provide that a toll free number may only be reserved at the request of a legitimate end user customer and may not be reserved with the intent of selling said number for a fee.3 Nonetheless, we seek comment on adopting a distribution method that would enhance access to 844 toll free numbers on an equitable basis


text:
A Novartis GSK deal has been struck in which they swap assets and combine their consumer health units, the two pharmaceutical giants announced today. Novartis is to buy GSK’s (GlaxoSmithKline’s) cancer drugs section for $16 billion and GSK will by Novartis’ vaccines division (excluding flu) for $7.1 billion.
In the Novartis GSK deal, the two companies will also merge their consumer divisions “to create a world-leading consumer healthcare business,” Novartis wrote today in a press release.
Consumer healthcare refers to non-prescription products, including nutrition, oral care, wellness, skin health, and OTC (over-the-counter) medications.
Novartis has also agreed a deal with Eli Lilly, which is to buy its animal health division for approximately $5.4 billion. Novartis said the deals will allow it to “further focus its portfolio on the leading businesses of innovative pharmaceuticals, eye care and generics.”
“A transformation moment for Novartis.”
Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis, said in a statement:
“The transactions mark a transformational moment for Novartis. They focus the company on leading businesses with innovation power and global scale. They also improve our financial strength, and are expected to add to our growth rates and margins immediately. We have also created a world-leading consumer healthcare business in our joint venture with GSK.”
“We believe the divestment of our smaller Vaccines and Animal Health Divisions will enable us to realize immediate value from these businesses for our shareholders, and those divisions will benefit from being part of large, global businesses that are also leaders in their segments. Patients will benefit from even higher levels of innovation that this focus may afford. Looking ahead, this positions Novartis well for future healthcare industry dynamics.”
Is the Novartis GSK deal (plus Eli Lilly) the beginning of a new industry trend?
GSK oncology to be sold to Novartis
In the Novartis GSK deal, Novartis agrees to buy GSK cancer medications for $14.5 billion and up to $1.5 billion contingent on a development milestone.
Novartis will also have opt-in rights to Glaxo’s current and future cancer drugs under development.
Novartis vaccines to be sold to GSK
GSK has agreed to buy Novartis’ vaccine business, excluding its flu products, for $7.1 billion plus royalties. In the Novartis GSK deal, $5.25 billion is paid upfront and up to $1.8 billion in milestones.
Regarding its flu business, Novartis wrote “As a part of a value-maximization strategy in the context of the portfolio review, Novartis has initiated a separate sales process for its flu business.”
GSK Novartis consumer healthcare joint venture
GSK Consumer Healthcare and Novartis OTC will merge, creating what the two companies describe as a world-leading business. When the merger is complete, Novartis will own 36.5% of the joint venture with eleven seats on its Board.
Novartis says it will also have customary minority rights and exit rights at a pre-defined, market-based pricing mechanism.
GlaxoSmithKline’s CEO, Sir Andrew Witty, said:
“This proposed 3-part transaction accelerates our strategy to generate sustainable, broadly sourced sales growth and improve long-term earnings. Opportunities to build greater scale and combine high quality assets in Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare are scarce. With this transaction we will substantially strengthen two of our core businesses and create significant new options to increase value for shareholders.”
“The Novartis OTC portfolio is highly complementary to GSK’s and has many well-known, widely recommended brands such as Voltaren, Excedrin, Otrivin, and Theraflu. Together, we will create the world’s premier OTC business with clear opportunities to accelerate revenue growth.”
It has been an exciting week in the global pharmaceutical industry. On Monday reports circulated that Pfizer intends to acquire AztraZeneca (AZ). According to merchant bankers, the British multinational (AstraZeneca) resisted a takeover attempt from the world’s largest drugmaker (Pfizer). Most experts expect Pfizer to make another takeover bid for AZ.
Video – Novartis GSK deal, plus Eli Lilly
Written by [google_authorship]


text:
Current policy discussions on ADR/ODR in France: towards greater regulation for the Legaltech?
In April 2018, the French government published a new draft legislation aimed at reforming and modernizing the French Justice system (Projet de loi de programmation 2018-2022 et de réforme pour la Justice). Among other things, the proposal is likely to trigger some significant changes in the French ADR/ODR landscape, and may have important consequences for the future development of the legaltech. The proposal is currently discussed before the French Parliament and Senate. The following elements should be noted:
- A generalisation of compulsory mediation (tentative de médiation obligatoire) for small claims (Article 2 of the draft legislation). It should be noted that France has already launched several pilot projects with the intent to experiment compulsory mediation in several areas, including in family law and for certain administrative matters.
- A new certification scheme for ODR platforms (Article 3 of the draft legislation). As a result of the European Directive 2013/11/EU (the Consumer ADR Directive), France has already established a certification scheme applying to consumer ADR providers. Consumer ADR entities seeking certification must show compliance with several quality criteria listed in the Consumer ADR Directive, and transposed in France by Ordinance 2015-1033 of 20 August 2015 and two additional implementing decrees. A new ad hoc public entity – Commission d’Evaluation et de Contrôle de la Médiation de la Consommation (CECMC) closely linked to the General Directorate for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF, a branch of the Ministry of Economy) is in charge of certifying consumer ADR providers. CECMC must also verify that Consumer ADR providers comply with the quality criteria listed in the Directive and the national legislation on an on-going basis. Under the new draft legislation, the proposed certification scheme will apply to all ODR systems. While noticing the development of ODR services, a previous draft legislation of 25 October 2017 suggested to introduce a certification scheme for private ODR platforms, and, in parallel, also aimed to create a free public ODR system (Service public gratuit en ligne d’aide à la résolution amiable des litiges, see Article 8 of the proposal). However, the development of this public ODR system was finally discarded for budgetary reasons. Interestingly, whereas the initial proposal from the Government made certification non-compulsory and voluntary, amendments adopted by the French Senate have made certification compulsory for all ODR providers. Senate has also designated the Ministry of Justice as competent authority in charge of certifying ODR providers. At the time of writing, it remains unclear whether certification will ultimately be compulsory or not (an amendment from the National Assembly dated 6 November 2018 reintroduced the voluntary/non-compulsory nature of certification). A decree from the State Council (Conseil d’Etat) will specify the details of the certification procedure. As a general rule, to be certified, ODR platforms will have to show that they comply with data protection rules and confidentiality, and prove that they are independent, impartial, and that their procedures are fair and efficient. Importantly, rules also provide that ODR system cannot be based solely on algorithms or automated systems. In other words, human intervention will remain necessary and compulsory. If the ODR platform uses algorithms, it will have to inform parties beforehand, and will have to collect their informed consent. The draft legislation also provides that consumer ADR entities already certified by the CECMC will automatically benefit from the new certification scheme.
The draft proposal has been criticized as a step towards ‘a privatisation of justice’. It remains to be seen how the new proposed certification scheme will be implemented.
More information on this topic? Don’t hesitate to contact us (firstname.lastname@example.org)


text:
Saturday, Nov. 26 is Small Business Saturday® – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities.
There are nearly 28 million small businesses in the U.S., employing 120 million people and generating 65% of all new jobs. In short, they are the fuel that propels our economy, enhancing the communities they serve.
Last year 23 percent of U.S. adults shopped at a locally owned business on Small Business Saturday. Millennials aged 25 to 34 make up the single largest segment of Small Business Saturday shoppers (24.9 percent, to be exact).
Here are a few successful neighborhood small businesses worthy of a visit in San Diego and Scottsdale, Arizona. They all leveraged Small Business Administration (SBA) financing and advisory services from CDC Small Business Finance to grow their companies and create jobs.
Leveraging Drought to Thrive
Water is serious business in Southern California. There’s just not enough to go around. But some entrepreneurs – especially Michelle McLeod – are capitalizing on the scarcity and rising cost of water. With rolling lawns disappearing in most neighborhoods, McLeod decided to expand her landscape rock and stone business as homeowners install yards that need little water. Qualifying for an SBA-504 loan, McLeod bought a building and lot to create her sixth customer-friendly retail location for Southwest Building and Stone in Escondido.
“We believed in ourselves as did our family, employees and Chase Bank,” said McLeod.
Tapping Advice, Brewing Success
For George Thornton, the value of getting an SBA Microloan wasn’t just the money, but the business advising that came with it. On the heels of launching a retail, home-brewing beer-supply business, The Homebrewer, Thornton listened to CDC advisors who told him there were greater profits in focusing more on brewing and selling his own beer. So he did, and now generates good income from the 10 to 15 unique ales, lagers and stouts he offers on tap daily.
“CDC advisors gave me good practical advice and were a great sounding board for my ideas about growing the business,” said Thornton
Growing with Culinary Creativity
When Phoenix restaurateur Larry “Lo-Lo” White first started concocting his own recipes under his grandmothers’ wing, his objective was to make every dish distinctive…memorable! Judging from the lines that now run down the block, White has reached his goal. With people licking their chops for his famous Lo-Lo’s chicken and waffles, it made sense to give them more. So White built his fifth restaurant in Scottsdale using an SBA-504 loan and created 120 new jobs.
“I believe in my food. And once my customers taste it, they believe, too. I’m passionate about everything we do,” said White.


text:
Trade and retail fabricator Bedfordshire Windows has just invested in a new TT405 Double Mitre Saw from machinery experts, Haffner Murat.
Tom Pitts, Director at Bedfordshire Windows, said: “We saw a dramatic uplift in sales following the first lockdown and we needed to upscale our production fast. Automation gives us the ability to do this quickly and easily. The TT405 Double Mitre Saw automates profile cutting and gives us the speed we needed.”
The machine is the second Bedfordshire has purchased from Haffner Murat. Last year, the company invested in a FOM Industrie Adir C CNC Machining Centre to help meet growing demand for its aluminium bifolding doors. Tom said: “We knew from our experiences dealing with them last year that we could trust their ability to meet all our requirements when we needed new machinery this year.”
Bedfordshire Windows is a company going from strength to strength. Production has trebled in 2020 and it has taken on an additional 17 members of staff. It currently supplies trade customers within a 50-mile radius of its Kempston base and has plans to expand further. As well as investment in automation machinery, the company has moved into a new 7,000 sq ft manufacturing plant.
The company’s growth is showing no signs of slowing down and it will be investing in another two new machines from Haffner Murat in the coming months. Tom commented: “Quality matters and when you find a supplier you know and trust, it pays to stick with them.”
With a healthy order book going into the New Year, the future is looking bright for Bedfordshire Windows. And that’s especially true with Haffner Murat as its reliable machinery supplier.


text:
MWC, Barcelona, Spain, February 14 2011: Imagination Technologies, a leading multimedia and communications technologies company, has extended its market leading world digital radio platform IP with support for the digital radio standard for the USA, iBiquity Digital Corporation’s HD Radio™ Technology.
Imagination and iBiquity have reached an agreement for the two companies to work together to implement HD Radio Technology on Imagination’s Ensigma UCCP Series3 and beyond.
HD Radio Technology is fuelling the digital radio revolution in the United States, and elsewhere. The digital technology enables broadcasters to offer: new digital channels through multicasting; crystal-clear sound; and advanced data services on both the AM and FM bands – all free, with no subscription fee.
The low-power characteristics of Imagination’s technology enables highly-efficient mobile global digital radio devices and will extend the market for HD Radio services dramatically by enabling support for the technology on a broader range of mobile, embedded and automotive devices. The addition of HD Radio Technology to Imagination’s global digital and connected radio platform makes it the ideal multi-standard solution for devices targeting Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas.
Says Tony King-Smith, VP marketing, Imagination: “We expect this latest extension of our global radio platform, with support for key standards such as HD Radio Technology, to further our reach into the radio and audio markets and help leading brands in digital radio to reach wider markets more effectively. We are delighted to be working with iBiquity on this ground-breaking new development and to bring HD Radio capabilities to existing UCCP Series3 cores as well as future generation products.”
Says Jeff Jury, COO iBiquity: “Enabling HD Radio Technology on Imagination’s Ensigma UCCP Series3 technology family furthers our push to mass adoption in the United States and international markets. This program will deliver next generation HD Radio mobile and home products. We are excited to work with Imagination to bring HD Radio Technology to its leading digital and connected radio platform.”
The digital radio market continues to be an important focus for Imagination’s multi-standard receiver and processor/DSP technologies. Imagination plays a leading role in providing key technologies for this market and has seen its share of digital radio technology deployment across the European DAB standard reaching 80%.
Imagination’s ENSIGMA UCC Series3 programmable radio processing units (RPU) support worldwide TV and radio reception as well as important connectivity standards such as Wi-Fi - all running on the same silicon engine in software. Over 20 standards are supported on the latest core, UCCP330, which will also be capable of supporting HD Radio Technology.
About iBiquity Digital Corp.
iBiquity Digital Corporation is the developer of HD Radio Technology, which is fuelling the digital radio revolution in the United States and around the world. The digital technology enables broadcasters to offer new HD2/HD3 FM channels through multicasting, crystal-clear sound and advanced data services – all free, with no subscription fee. Leading broadcasters, consumer electronics manufacturers, automakers and retailers are committed to HD Radio Technology. iBiquity Digital is a privately held company with operations in Columbia, MD, Auburn Hills, MI, and Basking Ridge, NJ. For more information, please visit www.hdradio.com and www.ibiquity.com.
About Imagination Technologies
Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG) – a global leader in multimedia and communication technologies – creates and licenses market-leading processor cores for graphics, video, multi-threaded embedded processing/DSP and multi-standard communications applications. These silicon intellectual property (IP) solutions for systems-on-chip (SoC) are complemented by platform level IP and services, a strong array of software tools and drivers and extensive developer and middleware ecosystems. Target markets include mobile phone, handheld multimedia, home consumer entertainment, mobile and low-power computing, and in-car electronics. Its licensees include many of the leading semiconductor and consumer electronics companies. Imagination has corporate headquarters in the United Kingdom, with sales and R&D offices worldwide. See: www.imgtec.com.


text:
Auckland-based SimWorks, developer of security software for mobile phones, has caught the attention of UIQ Technology, which develops the open software platform UIQ, and licenses it to mobile phone manufacturers such as Sony Ericsson, Motorola, BenQ and Arima. Based in Sweden, UIQ Technology is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Ericsson.
UIQ Technology has selected SimWork’s mobile phone anti-virus solution, SimWorks Anti-Virus UIQ3, as the application of the month this November.
Each month UIQ Technology showcases a chosen UIQ application on its website. Other recent showcased applications include dictionary application SlovoEd and travel application WorldMate.
“We are absolutely chuffed,” says SimWorks chief executive Aaron Davidson.
Being showcased on UIQ’s website has already been beneficial to the company. In terms of sales, this month is shaping up to be the biggest in 18 months, says Davidson.
Usually the number of sales goes up when there is a big virus scare and people buy the software to protect their phones, but we are not in the middle of a virus scare at the moment, he says.
Davidson reckons his company is the first Kiwi developer to be showcased by UIQ Technology, and this is the first time an anti-virus application has been selected, he says.
SimWorks, which launched the Anti-Virus UIQ3 in 2004, was the first vendor to release an anti-virus solution for UIQ phones, and the second vendor to release an anti-virus solution for Series 60 phones, says Davidson.
SimWorks develops software for both the Series 60 and UIQ platform, which are both based on the Symbian operating system.
The AV-application monitors all incoming communication and activity, says Davidson.
It will scan what is coming in via, for example, Bluetooth or MMS before it lets it through to the interface, he says. The application can be set to auto-scan and auto-update.
Mobile phones have many different ways of communicating, such as Bluetooth, infrared, SMS, MMS, GPRS, 3G, memory cards and wi-fi. They are “hyper-connected devices” compared to PCs, says Davidson, and therefore more vulnerable to attacks. People get infected by mobile viruses in New Zealand every day, he says.
However, for the average user, the odds of encountering a mobile virus are very slim, he adds.
Unless you are downloading software from the web or via cables, doing lots of Bluetooth chats in crowded places such as on public transport, and leaving Bluetooth on, the risk of being infected is very low, he says.
SimWorks Anti-Virus is available in English, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic versions. The company is part of large online mobile phone application portals, such as Sony Ericsson’s and Nokia’s application shops, and Handango, where buyers can download the application.