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Considering the social media giant's verified history of privacy and data, the compulsory connection to Facebook has many customers worried. Perhaps the most data-extractive digital sensors that we're likely to welcome into our homes in the next decade are VR and its cousin, augmented reality (AR).
Why does Facebook render headsets for virtual reality?
For an estimated US$2.3 billion, Facebook purchased VR company Oculus in 2014. But Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg wants social media VR, where Oculus initially targeted gamers.
"Last year, at the same gathering, Zuckerberg said Facebook sees VR as a road to a different kind of "social computing network" using the increased "presence" feeling that VR offers. For Facebook, the implementation of VR-based computing would be like the jump to the graphical user interfaces we use today from text-based command line interfaces.
This may well be right. VR provides a clear sense of embodied presence that provides new opportunities at a distance for entertainment, training, learning, and communicating with others.
But if Facebook is "working in the laboratory" on the future of VR, it will run via the company's current social computing network and business model to extract data to produce targeted advertising.
Virtual reality gathers true data
A headset for VR gathers knowledge about the user, but also about the outside world. This is one of the main ethical challenges of "mixed reality" technologies that are evolving.
As Jeremy Bailenson, the American VR researcher, has written:
Commercial VR systems usually monitor body movements 90 times per second to accurately view the scene, and high-end systems record 18 styles of head and hand movements. Spending 20 minutes in a VR simulation therefore leaves just under 2 million unique body language recordings.
You can use the way you move your body, like a fingerprint, to mark you, so anything you do in VR can be tracked back to your individual identity.
Oculus Quest headsets from Facebook often use outward-facing cameras to track their surroundings and map them.
Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) is used by Facebook VR headsets to monitor the headset's movements in 3D space. This is yet another way to gather world data.
Facebook said at the end of 2019 that they "do not collect and store today on our servers images or 3D maps of your environment." Note the word today, which tech journalist Ben Lang notes makes it clear that in the future the company is not rule out anything.
Digital truth applies to augmented reality
To promote its plans for augmented reality, Facebook wants to collect this data (AR).
Where VR brings a user to a completely immersive world, AR blends our real environment with virtual elements.
The Live Maps application, a vision of an expansive surveillance apparatus presumably operated by AR glasses and Oculus Insight data, was unveiled by Facebook last year. For Facebook users, Live Maps can have several minor conveniences, such as letting you know you have left your keys on the coffee table.
In the video above, the Live Maps application from Facebook is a vision of an AR network owned by Facebook.
Now, Facebook has revealed its first steps: Project Aria, to make this a reality. In order to collect the data to create what Wired co-founder Kevin Kelly calls "the mirrorworld," the next major tech network, individuals wearing glass-like sensors across Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area will be involved.
People are understandably worried about the ethical consequences of data extraction of this sort. Facebook released its Responsible Engineering Values page alongside Project Aria, and they are already swift to stress that in this data collection, faces and license plates will be blurred.
As we have argued elsewhere, framing VR and AR surveillance issues in terms of individual privacy serves businesses like Facebook very well. That's because the (un)ethical use of data (as in the case of Cambridge Analytica) and their asymmetric network control are basically their past failures.
We need more than just technical ethics.
Groups such as the XR Safety Initiative identify these emerging challenges and are starting to work on specifications, guidelines, and privacy mechanisms to influence the development of VR and AR.
What is known as the Collingridge dilemma is faced by many new technologies: it is difficult to anticipate the different impacts of a technology until it is extensively implemented and widely used, but it is almost impossible to monitor or alter by then.
We see this happening right now, in an attempt to control the dominance of Google and Facebook over the news media.
As David Watts suggests, to escape oversight and transparency, big tech designs its own ethical rules:
Feelgood, the ideals of high-level data ethics are not fit for the purpose of governing big tech... Only proper regulation can fix the harms linked to big tech.
What would Facebook's VR regulations look like? One such reaction is offered by Germany, with its antitrust laws contributing to Facebook removing the headset from sale. We can only hope that technology will not become too entrenched to modify or question itself.
In the past, however, rules have not always hindered Facebook, which paid US$550 million to settle a lawsuit for violating biometric privacy laws. It's just the cost of doing business in the multi-billion dollar big-tech world.
Another question we might ask ourselves is whether there really needs to be a virtual-reality future for Facebook and others like it. Perhaps there are other ways to stop losing your keys. The Talk
But do you like TNW? You don't want to miss out on our upcoming online event, TNW2020.
Marcus Carter, Senior Lecturer in Emerging Cultures, SOAR Fellow, University of Sydney, and Ben Egliston, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Digital Media Research Centre, University of Technology of Queensland, under a Creative Commons license, republished this article from The Discussion. Read the article from the original.
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Sep 09 | 2019
The UAE has become a rising star on the Russian outbound travel industry over the past couple of years.
In 2018, 941,000 Russian tourists visited the UAE, 23% more than in 2017.
This reflects the overall trend over the past few years, with 206,000 Russian tourists travelling to the UAE in 2015 to 941,000 in 2018. That’s a staggering 356% growth in three years.
The abolition of visas for Russian tourists that came into effect in July 2018, is sure to have an affect on future prospects for attracting more Russian tourists.
With its bright lights, high-end shopping opportunities, and impressive architecture, Dubai is the definitive hotspot for Russian tourists.
Russia become the fastest growing source market for Dubai in 2018, showing a 49% increase, according to the Dubai Tourism Department. It rose from tenth to seventh place in the list of key source markets.
More flight routes set to open, Pobeda’s new Moscow-Dubai route for example, there’s plenty of scope for even more growth.
Other Emirates are also experiencing high demand from Russian tourists, with Abu-Dhabi seeing a 98% rise in 2017, and that’s expected to rise a further 38% by 2020, according to the organisers of the Arabian Travel Market.
In 2019, Russian tourists have not been put off by the summer heat, showing a 60% rise in visitor numbers compared to the previous summer.
It’s clear Russian tourists’ demand for travelling to the UAE is not slowing down; we could well be seeing even stronger numbers over the next few years.
Ensure Russian tourists use your travel serviceWant to increase brand awareness and attract Russian tourists to you?
The Moscow International Travel and Tourism exhibition (MITT), Russia’s leading industry event, attracts over 22,200 travel industry professionals each year looking for new destinations and travel service companies to offer their clients.
It’s the very best place to promote your brand to the growing Russian outbound market and gain new partners and clients.
“We’ve been participating in MITT for 19 years in a row. It’s a very important platform for us to discuss future opportunities and deals,” said Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Offices of Trade and Tourism Development of the Emirate of Sharjah.
Register your interest today to learn more about your participation options.

domain: news


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A Twitter app for Google Glass could be in the works, as indicated by a recently twitted image.
When the company can afford to have multiple multi-million dollar ad spots during this Sunday’s football game, you know that they’re doing pretty well for themselves. Aside from the game itself, a big focus during the Super Bowl is on the commercials and we’re getting an advanced peek at Hyundai’s lineup. There are at least […]
Sony is recalling 3.5 million PlayStation 2 power adaptors because they can overheat and cause consumers harm. The recall affects the slimline PlayStation 2, which comes with a free-standing power adaptor to save space. The adaptors were manufactured from August to December of 2004. Approximately 2.3 million units were sold in Europe, with the rest […]


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IRVINE, Calif. — Kia Motors America’s (KMA) unprecedented momentum and growth reached new heights last month with best-ever June sales of 51,326 units, a 13.9-percent increase over the same period last year, contributing to the brand’s best quarter ever of 150,647 units – topping more than 150,000 units in a three month period for the first time. Kia’s streak of consecutive monthly sales records extended to 22 months, and the brand’s historic second quarter performance capped off the best first half in company history with year-to-date sales up 17.8 percent.
The record-setting June sales were highlighted by continued healthy demand for the brand’s two U.S.-built* products – the Optima midsize sedan and Sorento CUV built at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) – with Optima surpassing the 70,000 unit mark. Consumers also continued to turn to Kia for fuel efficient vehicle choices such as the Soul urban passenger vehicle, which was honored as a segment winner in the 2012 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS) in June. In total, Kia vehicles that achieve more than 30 mpg on the highway accounted for 78 percent of June sales.
“Kia has been setting one sales record after another for nearly two years, and the ongoing popularity of our two U.S.-built products as well as the Soul have attracted new customers to our showrooms and dramatically raised awareness, perception and consideration for the brand in a very short period of time,” said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of KMA and KMMG. “Kia offers discerning shoppers a standout combination of world-class design and quality, outstanding fuel efficiency, advanced technologies and tremendous value, and with more new products arriving in the next year, we will continue to draw new customers into our showrooms to look at Kia for the first time.”
Kia’s Unprecedented Growth Kia Motors is one of the world’s fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling. Kia Motors America’s full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand. In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality and the industry’s highest brand loyalty ranking. Kia’s U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – KMMG – is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds two of the company’s best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan*. Kia’s value and technology-laden lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and Sedona minivan.
About Kia Motors America Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 755 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and LPGA. In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.
Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its website – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.
|MONTH OF JUNE||YEAR-TO-DATE|
* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX Trims and certain LX Trims only) and GDI Turbo are built in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.  Based on 5-year cumulative growth between 12-month retail sales for periods ending April 2007 and April 2012 of all U.S. automotive brands.  EPA Estimated. Actual mileage will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits, and your vehicle’s condition  Source: Automotive Lease Guide Spring 2011 Perceived Quality Study.  Source: Experian Automotive Q2 2011 market analysis.
SOURCE Kia Motors America


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Former BBC news reader Anna Ford has joined Sainsbury as a non-executive director. Sainsbury said that Ford would take particular interest in its corporate responsibility issues. The retailer has also appointed Rob Walker as chief executive of Sainsbury's Bank. He joins following a 31-year career at HSBC.
Household and personal care manufacturer McBride has appointed Robert Beveridge as group finance director and company secretary. Beveridge, who takes up his new role on Wednesday (May 10), has previously worked at Marlborough Stirling, Cable and Wireless Communications, United Biscuits and Mars.
The Confectioners Benevolent Fund has appointed Kate Harding as chairman of the London Area Committee. Harding is currently customer relations manager for Cadbury Trebor Bassett.


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Yesterday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 140 points. At any moment during the session, anyone watching or reading financial media would have thought the market was on the precipice of collapse.
Ironically, the most intriguing aspect of yesterday’s session was the strong close that saw a rush to buy stocks ahead of today’s economic data, including the employment report and the latest on national manufacturing. I’m not sure what prompted equity accumulation ahead of the closing bell, but several narratives evolved during the session.
One American outlet reported China is getting cold feet about doing any trade deals, including the so-called Phase One, reflecting frustration over our mercurial President. However, another report from the Chinese media is saying the process is moving along and both sides are ready to sign.
As for the data yesterday, it was mostly great news from the most important companies reporting earnings and the economic data. The data reflected consumer earnings is still growing at a healthy pace ($1.9 billion was lost to the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike), and spending moderated by folks are scared by the Great Recession.
The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge dipped again, which gets back to the lack of inflation mentioned by Jay Powell but ignored by most. American consumers have businesses over a barrel, and they are demanding even more.
Consider the following key trends announced in the past week:
- Brokerage firms going to 0% commissions
- Amazon (AMZN) is going to same-day grocery deliveries and making them free for prime members
For all the bluster of retailers and threats of future higher tariff-related prices, the fact is price increases are a luxury and must be handled with stealth, and even then, they are almost impossible.
I think it’s going to be a moot point with respect to the potential December 15 tariffs on more consumer goods.
Fed and the Problem of This Era
Back in early September, the market was shaken, and the world of the Federal Reserve was turned upside down by a speech from New York Federal Reserve President John Williams who proclaimed: “Low inflation is indeed the problem of this era.”
He went on to add: “The current outlook of moderate growth, low unemployment, but stubbornly low inflation is a reflection of the broader economic picture and I am carefully monitoring this nuanced picture and remain vigilant to act as appropriate to support continuing growth, a strong labor market and a sustained return to two percent inflation.”
Williams was forced to say his comments were more academic and not a call on current circumstances of policy. The bottom line is fighting disinflation and preventing a deflationary death spiral is easier now than waiting before it’s too late.
Yesterday, we learned the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index has begun to decline again.
I think the country is near full employment, so lower monthly jobs numbers are to be expected, which puts a lot of pressure on higher wages. On that note, wages growth for all workers has been trending above the rate of inflation, and non-supervisory wages have been on fire like no time in a dozen years.
On manufacturing, the Chicago manufacturing area includes almost 50 GM plants and distribution centers that shut down during the UAW strike (union brothers and sisters showed UAW love by slowing the economy in their own ways).
We’ll get the read on national manufacturing later this morning.
Note: my thesis on Fed manufacturing surveys is pointing to a deal within six months -perhaps it’s not the grand bargain, but it’s a substantial reversal on tariffs and other gestures – which will get stronger with weaker numbers now.
Buckle up – it’s going to be an eventful session.


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MC Galaxy Packs Wads Of Cash After Losing 25m Naira To MMM
Weeks after losing N25m to MMM, MC Galaxy shows off bundles of cash.
Singer MC Galaxy only weeks ago announced that he invested 25 million naira in pyramid scheme MMM before the owners froze participants’ accounts.
Now, the “Sekem” crooner is showing wads of cash in a video he uploaded on social media, telling his friend to “leave” the money alone. “It’s my money” MC Galaxy was heard saying as he packed the bundles of cash into a bag.
Watch the video:


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‘The District’ is scheduled to open by 2017, developer says
Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) has announced that it will develop ‘The District,’ a retail destination on Saadiyat Island.
“This new retail destination — ideally sits among Saadiyat’s inspiring museums, beautiful landscape and coastal environment — will be a regional attraction and a highly prized sought-after location for Abu Dhabi’s communities and visitors when it opens by 2017,” said Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of TDIC.
The retail complex which is scheduled to be completed by 2017 will have more than 550 units allocated for high-class fashion brands, dining outlets, family entertainment venues and various other stores.
TDIC said that the development will be one of the largest retail complexes in the emirate and “the first-of-its-kind” in the region. It will be divided into four distinctive zones: Luxury Street, Canal, Main Street and the Crescent Arcade.
TDIC has partnered with L Real Estate (LRE), a global real estate development and investment fund: “The project – with a gross floor area totalling 258,000 square metres and a total built up area of 370,000 square metres — will start a detailed design of the destination in 2013, while construction will commence in 2014 and be completed in 2017 around the time of the Guggenheim museum opening,” TDIC said in its statement.


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No bride wants to have to cancel her wedding for any reason, let alone because her beach venue was wrecked by a devastating hurricane. Unfortunately, countless couples have been forced to alter their wedding plans in the wake of recent natural disasters in the Caribbean, Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma. Though islands like Puerto Rico, Dominica, Anguilla, St. Maarten, and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix were hard-hit, thankfully resorts are stepping up to quickly asses the damage and assist couples with either rebooking their wedding at a later date or relocating it to an unaffected destination. Most travelers assume the entire Caribbean was affected by Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma, but fortunately nearly 70 percent of the Caribbean remains untouched; places like Grenada, Aruba, the Bahamas, and more are open for business and offer great alternatives for weddings.
We spoke to brides-to-be in our "Brides to Brides" Facebook group to see what struggles they're having in the wake of Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma, and interviewed a number of hotels to find solutions for what to do when your wedding is canceled because of a hurricane. Read on for more.
When Salt Lake City–based bride-to-be Jennifer Harding and her fiancé, Bryce, got engaged at his parents' house on St. Croix, the island quickly became a special destination for the couple—so much so that they planned to return for their wedding on November 4. Hurricane Irma didn't hit St. Croix too hard, but after Hurricane Maria blew threw the island, Harding was forced to change her plans. "The resort we were set to be married at was damaged, as was my in-laws' house. We also weren't able to contact any of our vendors down there," Harding told Brides. "We have 40 guests planning to travel to St. Croix to celebrate this happy time with us, but it's looking more and more like it's not going to happen." Fortunately, Harding has an up-beat attitude about her change in plans: "Our back-up is to just do a low-key court-house wedding here in Salt Lake. The wedding won't be how we originally planned and envisioned, but it will go on."
USVI resorts have struggled to rebound after Hurricane Maria. St. John's Caneel Bay, for example, received extensive and devastating damage, according to a hotel representative. The property has been forced to cancel all weddings that were booked this year but is refunding each couple's deposit, as well as room deposits for their guests. All brides need to do is reach out to request a postponement or refund.
Brides thankfully have the option to relocate their event to a non-affected resort, many of which have sprung to action in assisting couples who have been forced to cancel their wedding because of a hurricane. A representative from the Westin St. Maarten, which was forced to close due to damage from Hurricane Irma, told Brides, "The resort will be reaching out to all booked weddings and offering refunds of their deposits. We are also putting them in contact with the Marriott Global Sales Team to identify other available resorts where they may be interested in hosting their wedding."
Couples who planned to wed at a resort that is part of a reputable hotel chain are fortunate to have such a network of alternative options. As Marc Langevin, general manager of the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, tells Brides, "We have already had several wedding parties from affected Ritz-Carlton hotels move their reservations to Grand Cayman, and our team is looking forward to providing these couples with an incredible, memorable wedding. We are committed to accommodating guests who have had to move to a new destination and are doing our best to honor as many of the details as we can, even, in some cases, replicating the menu they originally chose for their event.”
The Four Seasons Resort Anguilla is similarly working to rearrange reservations wherever possible. Though the resort will be closed for the remainder of 2017, director of communications Suzanne Willis tells Brides that the property is taking every measure to assist couples in rebooking their events. "There have even been occasions when Four Seasons has sent a wedding planner from the original hotel to the new resort where the couple has booked so there was no continuity lost for the couple. We want to do everything we can to ensure it's the best day imaginable and often find this is comforting to the bride."
Unfortunately, some brides who booked non-hotel venues have struggled to bounce back so quickly. Vermont-based bride-to-be Shelly Lapierre was planning a destination wedding on St. Thomas before the hurricanes struck. Forced to cancel her wedding because of the hurricanes, Lapierre is trying to book a new reservation in Hawaii. "We don't have a personal connection to Hawaii, but we want to get married in a place that doesn't have a waiting period for a marriage license and has beautiful beaches!" she told Brides. Although Lapierre is excited at the prospect of Hawaiian nuptials, booking it is proving difficult, since she is still working to tie up loose ends in St. Thomas. "The villa we were renting for the wedding cost thousands of dollars, and the rental agency is refusing to give us a refund, so we can't afford to book anything new in Hawaii just yet," Lapierre explained.
Couples who booked such venues do have the option to file a complaint through their villa rental service, especially ones like VRBO and Airbnb, which have departments meant to deal with these occurrences. Couples who booked their villa with a credit card can also seek recompense directly through the credit card company. In all cases, it's important to read the fine print in advance of booking and make sure your event is covered by insurance; if not, always purchase an umbrella policy that offers cancellation and postponement protection.


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Craftspeople from across the country come to the capital Amman to showcase work developed uniquely for Amman Design Week’s Crafts District.
This year’s showcase, taking place at the Kabariti Village, brings back the craftsperson-to-street relationship, opening up five side-street shops and allowing visitors to engage with craftspeople willing to share their traditional techniques and skills with the public.
Beginning with the south of Jordan, Petra National Trust works with communities in Petra on clay products. While their products can be found on display at their space in Jabal Al Lweibdeh (Beit Yaish), at the Crafts District, they have collaborated with Arini on a unique installation reminiscent of the siq of Petra, with clay work done by Cambridge School.
Moving Northwards, we encounter the women of Ghor Al Safi, who have made a name for themselves for the natural dyes they use in their textile products. ‘Safi Crafts’ have also collaborated with Arini this year on a large scale installation titled ‘Nila Canopy’ at the entrance of the Kabariti Village, showcasing the pure unique color of the indigo plant from which they extract their dyes.
Closer to Amman are the ladies of Iraq al Amir, who are back for the third year showcasing their work in paper and ceramics, also with the use of natural dyes from plants found in their region.
Furthermore, coming from six women’s associations and several cities in the North and East of Jordan, including Zarqa, Azraq, Ajloun, Wadi Rayyan, and Umm El Jimal, and Amman, are the products produced by Irth Collective. On display are several non-food, agro-traditional handicrafts (soapmaking, carving in basalt stone, and pottery) developed by local and international designers and artisans of the collective. The work was done through a project financed by the Austrian government and implemented by UNIDO.
Finally, in an interactive showcase organized by Turquoise Mountain, which will be built over the course of the nine days. The piece illustrates the possibilities of crafts, patterns and materials intersecting, while also creating a space for conversation between artisans, designers and the general public.


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We’re gearing up to cover HTC’s press event this coming Wednesday, where the company is expected to unveil their third Android-powered device, the HTC Hero. That’s now looking even more likely, after the Global Certification Forum (GCF) reportedly approved the smartphone as the HERO100.
Going by the GCF, the Hero will be a quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE handset as well as supporting dualband UMTS/HSPA (1800/2100MHz). Since they don’t concern themselves with any other specifications we’re still in the dark, but we’re expecting the usual bevy of WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and a capacitive touchscreen.
The Hero differentiates itself from the HTC Dream (aka the T-Mobile G1) and the HTC Magic (aka the T-Mobile myTouch 3G) by virtue of its new UI, which borrows some of the concepts from TouchFLO 3D and introduces them to Android for the first time. Right now, though, this is all speculation (albeit speculation based on leaks).


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CRE on acquisition trail after 34.4pc profit leap
Consumer giant China Resources Enterprise said yesterday it will pursue growth through acquisitions after reporting a 34.4 per cent jump in underlying profit to HK$660 million in the first three months of this year.
Including a post-tax profit from asset revaluations and disposals, the net profit rose 15.4 per cent to HK$826 million on turnover of HK$26.67 billion, 26.4 per cent higher than a year ago.
Chairman Qiao Shibo said promising growth in the consumer market continued in the second quarter despite rising labour and raw materials costs and a nationwide policy to keep prices of daily necessities flat to curb consumer price inflation.
'We will actively pursue both acquisition opportunities and organic growth to strengthen our core businesses,' Qiao said.
Leading the growth was the retail division, which runs 3,300 stores, such as Vanguard and Ole supermarkets and CR Care pharmaceutical stores around the mainland and in Hong Kong.
Underlying profit at the retail division rose 33.7 per cent to HK$694 million while turnover grew 27.7 per cent to HK$19.02 billion as a result of strong consumption during the Lunar New Year holidays in February.
China Resources said it had taken some measures, such as sourcing food and produce directly from farmers, to offset higher operating costs and wages.
The food distribution division, Ng Fung Hong, saw profits climb 1.7 per cent to HK$118 million and turnover grow 24.1 per cent to HK$2.26 billion.
The beer division recorded a 5.3 per cent rise in profit to HK$20 million and 20.1 per cent growth in turnover to HK$4.9 billion.
China Resources shares gained 18 HK cents to HK$30.45 yesterday.


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“I’m sure this comes from a place that is well-intended, but it does not honor us by having our name plastered on the side of a car,” Chief Chuck Hoskin said.
After a Texas resident posted a photo of his F-150 helping him charge appliances and keeping his home warm, Ford asked dealers in the state to loan out the trucks to others struggling to stay warm.
A couple of sports car enthusiasts in Lithuania decided if you can’t buy a multi-million dollar vehicle, build one in the snow.
Honda is recalling over 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S. to repair drive shafts that can break, window switches that can overheat and a software flaw.
Kia is recalling nearly 295,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the engines can stall or catch fire.
A 2007 Ferrari and 2010 Rolls-Royce that previously belonged to President Trump will be going up for auction in January in Kissimmee.
More than 375,000 Explorer SUVS across the U.S. and Canada are being recalled by Ford.
If you’ve been thinking about getting into a new car, now maybe the time to take a serious look at selling or trading in your current vehicle. Used car values are way up, and it’s due in part to the pandemic.
A North Carolina doctor’s Tesla operating on Autopilot crashed into a police car early Wednesday morning as he was watching a movie on his cellphone.
The Bronco was originally started in 1966 and went through six different designs before it was ended in 1996.
Volvo Cars says it is recalling nearly 2.1 million vehicles worldwide as a preventive measure after the company discovered that a steel wire connected to the front seat belts can be weakened.
A Ford spokesperson said the date is "purely coincidental."
The Mustang Mach E will go 230 miles to more 300 miles per charge depending on how it’s equipped. The base model will start just under $44,000.
There are a lot of new innovations making us safer and more connected when it comes to new cars and there are ways determine how to pick the technology that's right for you -- and your budget.
Danny Camacho said he will press the 'lock' button on his car's key fob several times, just to be sure, but recently his stopped working.
A push-button ignition in a vehicle baffled two suspects during an armed robbery at a home in Colorado.


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Business-to-business marketers are taking advantage of the buzz around the South by Southwest Interactive event by mixing social media marketing with typical trade-show tactics, writes Christopher Heine. Companies such as Buddy Media and Eloqua are using Twitter campaigns and street tactics to gain attention alongside business-to-consumer brands. "Unlike other conferences, it's where you can get in front of both up-and-coming and established players. You want to be in that," said Eloqua's Jesse Noyes.
Published in Brief:


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Nokia has posted its annual financial report for 2011, detailing a year which saw the company embrace Windows Phone at one end of the market, while commit to connect a billion developing world users at the other.
The Finnish company ended the year with an operating loss of $1.4bn, compared with a $2.74bn profit in 2010. As expected with such a loss, sales also took a heavy hit, with smartphone shipments down 25 percent from last year to 77.3 million.
Feature phone shipments fell just 3 percent, to a still-impressive 339.8 million units worldwide, while the average selling price dropped from $85 to $75.
In 2012 the average price is expected to fall further still thanks to the budget Asha range, which was expanded at Mobile World Congress in February and is aimed at connecting the developing world.
Nokia's message with the Asha range - which starts at around £60 - is to get internet-connected mobile phones into the hands of the next billion people.
The tactic to try and cover both ends of the mobile market is an interesting one; the recent alliance with Microsoft and its Windows Phone operating system has taken Nokia - some time after its rivals - into the smartphone arena with the Lumia range.
But by adopting such a new operating system, Nokia's Lumia 800 and 900 are starting from a standing start, with very few applications in comparison to the behemoth app store of Android and iOS.
You can read our hands-on preview of the Nokia Lumia 900 here.
When launched in November 2011, the Lumia 800 failed to make much impact on the smartphone market - scooping just 0.17 percent in its opening month, some way behind the Samsung Galaxy S2 which claimed the top spot with 16.13 percent.
By December the 800's share had doubled, but - despite a huge advertising campaign - still remained at less than one percent of the market, and by February it was estimated that Nokia has sold between 800,000 and two million Lumia handsets.
Officially, Nokia are keeping quiet about sales figures, and CEO Stephan Elop is keen to focus on the long term and Nokia's ambition to build an ecosystem of applications and developers.
Launched at Nokia World London in November 2011 and expanding at Mobile World Congress in February, Nokia's Asha range hopes to connect the next billion people to the internet by offering cheap and cheerful phones to the developing world.
The Lumia and Asha ranges represent two very different strategies for Nokia - on one hand entering the smartphone market from scratch, and on the other aiming to sell a billion budget phones to the developing world.
Given that both ranges only entered their respective markets at the end of 2011, it will take at least a quarter before we can say with authority if either is a genuine success.
What we do know is that Nokia is playing a game of catchup in the smartphone market when, perhaps, it would be better off sticking to what it does best and taking advantage of the feature phone sector.
With Nokia smartphone sales for the year down 25 percent to 77.3 million, and feature phone sales at 339.8 million down just three percent, it would seem that the company's future lays with Asha rather than Lumia.


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The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined six airlines a total of $7.25 million dollars and forced them to refund more than $600 million to customers whose flights were disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“When a flight gets cancelled, passengers seeking refunds should be paid back promptly,” says transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Whenever that doesn’t happen, we will act to hold airlines accountable on behalf of American travellers and get passengers their money back. A flight cancellation is frustrating enough, and you shouldn’t also have to haggle or wait months to get your refund.”
“The Department’s efforts have helped lead to hundreds of thousands of passengers being provided with more than half a billion dollars in required refunds,” DOT says. It adds that it will ”issue additional orders assessing civil penalties for consumer protection violations this calendar year”.
Denver-based Frontier alone was forced to pay $222 million in refunds to customers, and was levied a $2.2 million fine.
Earlier this year DOT proposed numerous measures designed to strengthen consumer protections in air travel after the number of customer complaints against both domestic and international carriers exploded.
Air travel has been highly chaotic in airports across the country since the global pandemic ebbed and customers returned to air travel. In the past year, airlines had been forced to cancel thousands of flights and airport staff struggled to meet surging demand – frustrating millions of passengers, especially over busy holiday weekends.
In August 2022, DOT received 7,243 consumer complaints about air travel, up 6% from the 6,831 complaints it received in July. That figure was also more than four times the number received in the same month in pre-pandemic 2019. 56% of the complaints were against domestic carriers, 37% were against foreign carriers, and the remaining 7% were against travel companies.
In response to the chaos, DOT proposed strong new consumer protections - similar to those already in place in Europe - that significantly enhance customer rights and limit travellers’ financial losses in the case of delays or cancellations by airlines no matter what the reason.
In September, DOT also rolled out a new online dashboard to give air travellers clear information about their options upon experiencing travel disruptions. It requires airlines to refund passengers for cancelled flights or promptly rebook them, but customers are often confused about how to redeem refunds – and compensatory services such as meal vouchers and hotel stays are not guaranteed.
Earlier this year, DOT imposed a $25.5 million civil penalty on Air Canada after the carrier dragged its feet on refunding tickets held by US passengers.


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China’s factory and retail sector activity surged in the first two months of the year, beating expectations, as the economy consolidated its brisk recovery from the coronavirus paralysis of early 2020.
Factory activity was ravaged across the world in April, business surveys showed, and the outlook looked bleak as government lockdowns to contain the new coronavirus pandemic froze global production and slashed demand.
British industrial output recorded its biggest quarterly fall on record during the three months to June as COVID-19 heavily disrupted operations, and a further decline is likely in the months to come, a survey showed on Monday.
More than 500 garment factories in Bangladesh that supply to global brands reopened after a month-long shutdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, while India considered ways to scale back its vast lockdown to reduce economic pain.
Factories across the world continued to shake off the coronavirus gloom in August as the global economy gradually emerges from a downturn triggered by the health crisis, thanks in part to massive fiscal and monetary stimulus programmes.


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A multitude of baked goods shipped across the country are recalled over concerns they have undeclared allergens, according to federal health officials.
According to the recall notice posted on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.
RELATED: Hobby Lobby recalls stools due to fall hazard
The recall notice includes more than two dozen of the company’s bakery products that may pose a serious or fatal risk to consumers who are allergic or very sensitive to wheat, milk, soy and tree nuts, according to the recall.
Product photo Chocolate and the Chip
The recall was launched after the company discovered that bakery products containing the known allergens were “distributed in packages which did not reveal the presence of said allergens,” the advisory reads.
According to the notice, the owner made a mistake and did not have “the proper protocol for the distribution and labeling of baked goods under the proper regulations”.
RELATED: Dog food recalled due to high vitamin D levels
However, no disease has been reported for the affected products to date.
Still, the treats have been distributed locally in the Los Angeles area as well as throughout California and 18 other states across the country.
The affected products “have also reached consumers through e-commerce and pop-up retail stores,” the opinion continues.
Consumers are urged to discard any recalled items.
Get more updates on this story at FOXBusiness.com.


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Last week, Google rolled out a new update for the Google Home app that included dark mode and improved smart controls. Now, the company seems to have flipped a server-side switch for bringing the controls of Nest x Yale locks to the Google Home app.
According to Android Police, the Google Home app users with version 2.27 can finally control their Nest smart locks without needing a separate app. Prior to this, the Nest smart locks were shown up in the Google Home app, but the Nest app was required for controlling them.
Nest x Yale smart locks can now be controlled with Google Home app
The features like scheduling guest access and history are only limited to the Nest app. Just like on the Nest app, the user has to tap and hold to unlock using the Google Home app. Moreover, there is no way to unlock these smart locks with voice commands.
Google says it is restricting this feature because of security reasons. For example, no one can just shout from outside the window to unlock the door. The Nest smart locks already work with Google Assistant-enabled devices, including the Google Nest Mini and other smart speakers.
The app also shows the status of the lock on its home screen
There are also a few options to customize like the lock tone volume and enabling/disabling one-touch locking. But the Nest app is needed for changing anything else. From now on, the lock status will be displayed on the app's main screen which Google calls Home view.
The app also shows the unlock button when the smart lock is locked, and vice versa. With this update, this new UI change applies to the other linked gadgets as well. Before this, the app used to show both on and off buttons all the time.
Also, the Google Home app shows whether the previously added lights and switches are on or off right on the home screen. When they are turned on, the lights with the gray icon will turn into a yellow color. On the other hand, the switches will turn green when powered on.
A similar UI change was first introduced in the Google smart displays in May this year. Both iOS and Android users can access these new features by updating their Google Home app to v2.27. Since it's a server-side update, these changes will take a few days to show up on all the devices.


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Americans spent $53 billion on pets last year
The Associated Press
By The Associated Press
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That's up 5 percent from 2011, when spending first broke the $50 billion barrier, says the American Pet Products Association, a trade group.
APPA President and CEO Bob Vetere predicts another 4 percent gain this year.
At about $34.3 billion, food and vet care represented about two-thirds of total spending, with money spent on supplies and over-the-counter medications rising by more than 7 percent.
Spending on the growing market of alternative vet care, such as acupuncture, totaled about $12.5 billion.
Vetere says spending on services like grooming, boarding, hotels and pet-sitting grew nearly 10 percent during 2012 to almost $4.4 billion.
Last modified: February 24. 2013 10:50AM


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Source: Octane Fitness
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. – June 16, 2015 – For the second consecutive year, Octane Fitness, LLC, the leading brand of zero-impact cardiovascular equipment, was named by the Star Tribune newspaper as one of the Top 150 Workplaces in Minnesota. Top Workplaces recognizes the most progressive companies in the state, and this year, more than 2,100 companies were invited to participate, with responses to an employee survey from more than 69,100 employees at public, private and nonprofit organizations.
“Input from our team is what has earned us this award once again, and we are very proud of our unique environment at Octane Fitness that is comprised of a tight-knit, dedicated and high-achieving group of individuals,” said Dennis Lee, president and CEO of Octane Fitness.
Among small, midsized and large business, Octane was ranked 42nd on the small company list. Rankings were composite scores calculated purely on the basis of employee responses. WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a research firm on organizational health and employee engagement, administered the survey.
“The companies in the Star Tribune Top 150 Workplaces deserve high praise for creating the best work environments in Minnesota,” said Michael J. Klingensmith, the publisher of the Star Tribune.“My congratulations to these exceptional companies.”
Published on Sunday, June 14 in a special section of the Star Tribune, the Top Workplaces report can be found at http://www.startribune.com/listing-of-top-150-workplaces-in-minnesota-for-2015/307292801/.
With 70 employees, Octane Fitness is headquartered in Brooklyn Park, and has international offices in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Lee and Tim Porth founded the company 2001, and have since revolutionized zero-impact exercise at home and in health clubs worldwide, with multiple standing elliptical breakthroughs; a new exercise category with the xRide recumbent elliptical; combined cardio and strength workouts with CROSS CiRCUIT®; novel lateral workouts with the LateralX®; zero-impact running with the Zero Runner®; all-in-one cross training with the XT-One; and progressive, customized training with its SmartLink™ app. Products are sold through direct sales, at authorized specialty fitness retail stores in North America and through a global distributor network.
Since 2003, Octane has earned more than 70 Best Buy awards from leading consumer and trade publications, and Lee and Porth won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 Award in the consumer products category in the Minnesota/Dakotas region.
Octane Fitness Background
Relentlessly fueled to reinvent zero-impact cardiovascular exercise, Octane Fitness has perfected the elliptical machine, introduced a new category with the xRide® recumbent elliptical, designed strength-infused cardio with the unique CROSS CiRCUIT®, created exercise in a new direction with the LateralX®, reinvented running with the Zero Runner®, optimized cross training with the XT-One™ that does it all and is leading smarter training with SmartLink™. Defined by standout innovations, and driven to deliver more effective, efficient and rewarding workouts, Octane is engineering elliptical domination.


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Sony has had its hands full lately. The April hack, which resulted in the loss of millions (77 million by one account) of people's personal information, is expected to cost the Japanese company the equivalent of $170 million (US). Couple that with the earthquake that hit Japan and low consumer confidence, and Sony is doing the proverbial shitting of bricks. Not in public, though.
Sony has been, by all appearances, fairly open about the hack. Anyone who has studied business, however, knows that the problems Sony has discussed are nothing compared to the problems the company is actually experiencing. That's Business 101. Put on a happy face.
Denying new hacks, meekly apologizing about overtaxed servers, stating there is no evidence of any of the credit card information that was stolen being used, and so on is there to put consumers and investors at ease. Whether or not works remains to be seen, but either way Sony has problems.
Sony has made plenty of mistakes as of late. The PSP Go and the overpriced PS3 are two of the notable ones. These are not minor mistakes. These are company altering mistakes, and while it appeared the company was trying to correct them and ride them out, setbacks like this exemplify just how weak the company has become. In the years past, people would have forgiven Sony for a hack like this. They would've stuck by it. Now? That future is uncertain. Plenty of people have lost confidence in the Japanese giant. The hack pushed them to the edge. Things are not back to normal yet, and when operations do resume I expect the amount of users on the PlayStation Network may be far less than Sony expects.


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Email domains from popular delivery companies in the UK are insufficiently protected from phishing, spoofing and other forms of fraud, making them a perfect attack vector this Black Friday and the rest of the holiday season.
This is according to a new report by Tessian, which claims that things could be a lot worse than last year due to various supply chain issues and poor security protocols.
According to the company, fraudsters can easily impersonate two-thirds (64%) of top couriers’ email domains. Of all the best global couriers, only a fifth (20%) have domain-based authentication, reporting and conformance (DMARC) configured in its strictest setting, allowing malicious actors to “directly impersonate” a courier’s domain. permission is granted.
It is nothing new for delivery companies to trick people into giving out valuable personal information like passwords. This year, a third (33%) of UK consumers have already received such a phishing email, but Tessian believes these figures will “continue to rise” during Black Friday and Christmas.
This time last year, the company detected 90,000 phishing attacks, more than three times the amount reported in the weeks before Black Friday.
How to Identify Phishing Emails
Tessian CEO Tim Sadler commented, “Identifying the signs (of phishing emails) may not be as easy as you think if attackers are impersonating the delivery firm in their messages.” “Therefore, it is very important to question every message you receive and always think before clicking.”
According to experts, recipients should always be wary of typos and other spelling errors, as they are, first and foremost, a red flag. Then, they must verify the identity of the sender by making sure their name and email address match, especially for consumers reading email on a mobile device. Malicious actors often spoof a brand name, hoping readers won’t take the time to inspect the email domain.
At the end of the day, most distribution companies and retailers have multiple communication channels open at all times. Consumers may do their due diligence by contacting the Company directly to verify the authenticity of the message received.
You should also check out our list best security key out there today


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With the frost on the pumpkin and the dead getting ready to rise for an evening of trick-or-treating, it must be time for the annual SEMA convention, in Las Vegas.
And this year, Chrysler is hoping to scare the competition – and win some fans – with an assortment of concepts and production models that run the gamut of the maker’s updated line-up. That covers everything from the 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Inaugural Edition to Mopar’s take on what a high-performance Fiat 500 might look like.
The idea of a bulked-up Cinquecento might seem surprising to Americans, though Fiat’s affiliate, Abarth, has long shown what you can do with the little 4-seater. And now, Mopar is taking a crack at it. The Fiat 500 going on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center will feature flared fenders, a front air dam, a lower sill, modified rear exhaust and 18-inch Alcoa alloy wheels.


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Screen-door-latches-at-lowes, luckily screens on windows or patio doors are easy to replace "you got to have a nice flat surface but it's not hard to do " says david rerich who does many of the replacement screen orders at. Pella iowa: designed to meet the unique needs and wants of homeowners pella windows and doors today introduced pella lifestyle available now at more than 200 pella showrooms across the country, next secure your doors and windows a metal security door in place of your screen door as little as $79 at home depot you can also use a product such as the master lock security bar $17 at.
According to lowes com a unit rated at 1 0 gpd is sufficient in 2008 and is in the process of working towards an architectural hardware consultant certification from the door and hardware, it resembled a giant ipad and even had a touch screen that allowed shoppers big box stores such as home depot and. At ace hardware in waverly light switches or batteries or get a screen repaired elliott said thursday he expects to hang onto those customers despite the price competition that's sure to come if, it was where your grandfather went when he needed hinges to fix a banging door or where he the humble independent hardware store still exists despite the best efforts of big box stores like.
That is if you're the kind of person with a lot of home improvement projects on your plate just check out these new robot helpers coming to lowe's orchard hardware stores meet you at the door, ernst home centers was one of the first home improvement chains in the us opening its doors in seattle in 1893 the company and later resold it to lowe's in 2013 lowe's closed all the remaining.
Already a well known retail hardware company in oregon and california where employees can re screen windows and doors cut glass sharpen knives and help customers complete projects they also, pella iowa may 16 2019 prnewswire designed to meet the unique needs and wants of homeowners pella windows and doors today introduced pella 200 pella showrooms across the country and at. Experience the interactive multichannel news release here: https: www multivu com players english 8523351 pella lifestyle series wood windows patio doors "homeowners' needs showrooms across the


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- Social media users have been going wild with reactions over a trending photo of a model on fashion brand Shein's website
- Twitter user, @karmaxkarmm, shared a photo of a lady modelling a pair of tights with the aid of a dispenser bottle
- The method of showing the stretchiness of the tights seems to have amused quite a lot of people
While most clothing brands often work with models of different sizes for accurate representation, there are those who like to get creative with the adverts.
Shein, a Chinese online fast fashion retailer, recently got the internet buzzing with reactions over how they modelled a pair of skin tights in a plus-size version.
Twitter user, @karmaxkarmm, got people cracking up - and some stunned - when she posted a screenshot of the model in the tights.
Perhaps, in a bid to show the elasticity of the product, they had the model share the tights with a water dispenser bottle.
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Check it out below:
@LSosavelii revealed that the photo was taken down and replaced with one of a model wearing black tights with both hands inside them and stretched.
Check it out below:
Social media users react to Shein's plus size tights advert
"They are trying to say it can stretches v.v.v well."
" I’ve got to give it to them, a point has been made "
"I’ll buy it though."
"That’s a plus size model though."
"If we’re being fr, that IS a plus size model and clearly they’re trying to show the stretch capacity (in a strange way, but still lol)."
"Marketing being as cheap as the products."
Fans come to Destiny Etiko's defence as blogger suggests she bought dress from Aba vendor: "No be cloth?"
" I think it’s the stretch they re selling?"
"Some people are that size and their stomachs are that wide believe it or not."
"They’re letting you know it stretches and it’s durable .
"Like jeees, Thanks cuz I was worried about where to put my large industrial water cooler dispenser. me and the dehydrated babes are forever greatful."
Kanye West rejected by Skechers, kicked out of office after he randomly stormed in
Kanye West may have put the final nail in the coffin of his career. Adidas dropped the rapper after he made hate speech directed at Jewish people.
Ye has not recovered since other major brands, such as Balenciaga, followed suit. Netizens have been revelling in Kanye's downfall following his hateful comments.
Kanye West reportedly had to be chased away by Skechers after he came to their offices without an appointment. Following their blatant rejection of Kanye, the company told Reuters that they "condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech."


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The Toronto stock market was higher Tuesday amid a stream of earnings reports and a major real estate deal involving Sears Canada (TSX:SCC).
The retailer will get $400 million from its landlords for vacating five department stores by the end of February, including its flagship location in Toronto’s Eaton Centre. Sears shares gained 87 cents or 6.43 per cent to $14.41.
The S&P/TSX composite index gained 53.17 points to 13,425.01.
The Canadian dollar was unchanged at 95.74 cents US.
U.S. indexes were higher as traders also looked to the start of a scheduled, two-day interest rate meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve. They are particularly interested in the Fed’s wrap-up announcement for any hints as to when the U.S. central bank might start to move on cutting back on its monthly purchase of US$85 billion of bonds.
The Dow Jones industrials gained 45.02 points to 15,613.95, the Nasdaq was up 2.26 points to 3,942.39 and the S&P 500 index rose 4.49 points to 1,766.6.
Markets had previously expected the Fed to begin withdrawing stimulus this year but expectations have shifted to next year as the pace of improvement in the U.S. economy faded. Also, economists are still trying to gauge the cost of the political wrangling earlier this month that resulted in a partial shutdown of the U.S. government.
Traders also took in a soft reading on retail sales for September.
Overall, retail sales dipped 0.1 per cent in the weakest showing since March. That was largely due to the sales calendar pulling Labour Day weekend activity into August. Excluding autos, sales rose 0.5 per cent in September, up from 0.2 per cent in August.
On the earnings front, Apple shares were down a slight $1.42 to US$528.46 after reporting after the close Monday that quarterly earnings came in at US$7.5 billion, or $8.26 per share, during the quarter, down from $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per share, last year. That beat expectations of $7.92 per share while revenue rose four per cent to $37.5 billion, again topping expectations.
But Apple’s earnings have now fallen from the previous year in three consecutive quarters after a decade of steady growth.
Drugmaker Pfizer’s quarterly profit dropped 19 per cent to $2.59 billion, or 39 cents per share. Excluding one-time items, Pfizer says net income would have been $3.86 billion, or 58 cents per share, two cents better than expected. Its stock drifted 41 cents higher to $31.15.
Nokia reported a third-quarter net loss of 91 million euros as revenue plunged more than 20 per cent to 5.6 billion euros. The struggling company said that it sold 8.8 million Lumia smartphones, up from 3 million a year earlier, but gave a negative outlook for its devices and services operations it is selling to Microsoft Corp. Its stock ran ahead 67 cents or 9.93 per cent to $7.42.
The consumer discretionary segment led the TSX, up 0.7 per cent as information giant Thomson Reuters Inc. (TSX:TRI) says it will record US$350 million of accounting items related to a restructuring of its Financial & Risk business unit. The restructuring charge was announced along with the Thomson’s third-quarter results, which showed revenue from the Finance & Risk unit was down compared with a year ago while other units showed increases. Thomson’s adjusted earnings for the three months ended Sept. 30 was 48 cents per share and its shares advanced 92 cents to $38.24.
Financials also helped take the TSX higher as TD Bank (TSX:TD) climbed 74 cents to $94.93.
Commodities were mixed with the December crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange down 35 cents to US$98.33 a barrel. The energy sector gained 0.43 per cent while Talisman Energy (TSX:TLM) improved by 34 cents to C$13.25.
The base metals segment was ahead 0.3 per cent while December copper rose one cent to US$3.28 a pound. Capstone Mining (TSX:CS) climbed eight cents to C$2.86.
The gold sector led declines, down one per cent while December bullion shed $1.60 to US$1,350.60 an ounce. Goldcorp (TSX:G) faded 33 cents to C$27.98.
The TSX registered a slight, 28-point decline Monday as investors nibbled at profits racked up during a positive October that has left the Toronto market up about seven per cent year to date. The TSX has risen for the past four, straight weeks amid positive earnings news and growing confidence about steady economic growth in Europe and China.
European bourses advanced with London’s FTSE 100 index up 0.5 per cent, Frankfurt’s DAX was up 0.1 per cent while the Paris CAC 40 advanced 0.5 per cent.


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BMW has just announced that Harald Krüger will become BMW’s new CEO in May of 2015, with Klaus Fröhlich now responsible for Development at the company.
And while these "generational changes" as BMW calls them, were not unexpected, any significant changes at the top can mean serious changes in the way a company does business.
A CEO change at BMW is of particular of interest for the plug-in industry as a whole, as outside of Nissan no other major automobile manufacturer has shown a level of commitment to EVs as BMW has.
Other than the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S, the BMW i3 is the only other purpose-built EV that is available worldwide.
Only time will tell, but we can look at Mr. Krüger's track record at the company to get a feel for his acceptance of the new technology, and if he will ultimately lead BMW into a plugged in future.
Video (below): Mr. Krüger celebrating the start of production for the i3 last year - a facility that allows BMW to build the i3 50% faster than a conventional car.
Thankfully, Harald has all the markings of being very pro-EV, even moreso than outgoing boss Dr. Norbert Reithofer, who was no slouch himself ushering in the i-Brand under his watch.
BMW Had The Most Prominent Display Of EVs At The LA Autoshow This November - Including The X5 eDrive
Mr. Krüger despite only being 49 years old (supplanting GM's Mary Berra for youngest CEO in the industry) has been with BMW since 1992 and since 2008 has been in charge of all new production products - including the existing i3, i8.
On bringing the BMW i3 to market:
"First of all we are proud. We had the idea in 2006/2007, then we said we want to be at the forefront of e-mobility and that we are going to build a purpose-built electric vehicle. And today we are proud because we made it!"
Recently, Mr Krüger said on the decision to build all of the eDrive technologies and components in-house at the BMW plant in Dingolfing:
“Our accumulated expertise guarantees us a competitive edge. This can be seen not only in the performance data of the BMW electric motors but also in our highly efficient production process.”
So, when in comes to plug-in technology, Mr. Krüger was the best choice for BMW CEO.


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Rumour: New cameras from Fujifilm heading our way
Not one, but three new cameras are heading our way from Fujifilm, with one each for the affordable range, mid-range and compact range. The X-A10 will be the camera for the affordable range, while the X-T20 and X100T will be for the other two categories.
Expected to be launching within the next month or so, the Fujifilm X-A10 is set to be even cheaper than the recently launched X-A3 camera. The camera is said to have a 16.3-megapixel Bayer sensor (the same type of sensor as most cameras in the market today), built-in WiFi, a 3-inch tilt LCD monitor, 1080p video recording, up to 6fps continuous shot mode, and accepts SD cards for storage.
The X-T20 and the X100F meanwhile is set to be a logical upgrade to the current models X-T10 and X100t, with the former possibly getting a larger sensor courtesy of the bigger brother X-T2, and the latter featuring the same lens as the outgoing model, at 23mm.
As the Fujifilm X-A3 is selling in Malaysia for around RM 2400, we do not know how cheap this camera will be like when it is launched later in the year, or early 2017. Stay tuned to TechNave as we bring new information on the Fujifilm X-A10.


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- Legal States
Yasmin Moore February 1, 2022 3 min read
FanDuel Plans Land-Based Sportsbook at the United Center Stadium
The American gambling operator FanDuel is seeking to expand its business with a new land-based sportsbook in Chicago. The company envisions opening the new venue at the United Center stadium.
FanDuel’s Plans for the Sportsbook
The United Center is owned by two notable sports franchises – the Chicago Bulls team from the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks from the National Hockey League. Picking such an appealing location is FanDuel’s key strategy for success.
According to the operator’s plans, the sports betting venue will have two floors and will be equipped with all the necessary tech to provide for a great wagering experience. Visitors will be able to watch games on numerous screens and pick among various sports and tournaments.
The retail sportsbook is yet to be approved by the Illinois Gaming Board. In the meantime, FanDuel and United Center will collaborate on creating a non-wagering space in the main atrium. It will be a place where fans can go to watch live sports events and will also serve to promote FanDuel’s upcoming sportsbook.
FanDuel’s Wants to Provide Fans With Top Betting Experience
Amy Howe, the chief executive of FanDuel, praised the Chicago sports fans as some of the most loyal and passionate in the world. Because of this, she is delighted to announce the operator’s plans for a retail sportsbook and is looking forward to delivering something that surpasses fans’ expectations. Howe added that FanDuel wants to make the new sportsbook the to-go venue for sports betting in Chicago:
“Our team has a track record of delivering incredible retail locations for fans, and we can’t wait to make this sportsbook lounge the premier destination for Chicago sports fans and a place where they can fully experience the FanDuel brand.”FanDuel chief executive Amy Howe
Howard Pizer, the chief executive officer and executive vice president of the United Center, trusts in FanDuel’s experience and believes it will be a great partner of the Chicago stadium. He pointed to the operator’s proven track record of innovation and excellence and said he is excited to see them make an immersive sportsbook lounge that offers unparalleled sports betting experiences.
If FanDuel gets approved for building the sportsbook, this will signify an expansion with its pre-existing relationship with the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks. The operator is already partnering with the two franchises on various media and advertisement activations.
FanDuel’s announcement comes a day after BetMGM announced it will also be opening a new retail location. The latter operator has picked the Nationals Park stadium in Washington DC as the home of its new lounge.


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Popular game developer Nintendo has reportedly decided to discontinue the NES Classic Edition console game. This comes across as a surprise as the plug-and-play console hit instant popularity as soon as it hit the markets that launched sometime last fall.
According to a recent report, a Nintendo representative confirmed the last shipments of the NES Classic Editions will not be available again and that they have decided to discontinue the console game this month. In other words, once the NES Classic Edition stock gets over, fans will no longer be able to buy any new or nor should they expect the same.
At the moment, only the retail stores in the NOA territories currently contain the much-sought-after Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for now. No other store at the moment consists of the NES Classic Edition system. Therefore, if buyers are interested in buying the system, it is advisable that they check with stores before heading out to buy it as there is a high possibility that the game may just run out of stock. Lately, it has been quite difficult for many consumers to find system due to this issue.
“NES Classic Edition wasn’t intended to be an ongoing, long-term product. However, due to high demand, we did add extra shipments to our original plans,” Nintendo said in a statement to IGN.
This has added to the disappointment of the fans as it was already difficult to obtain the NES Classic Edition, given the complicated shipment procedure.
Moreover, Nintendo has also decided to discontinue the NES Classic Controller, a peripheral that is sold separately and is compatible with both Wii and Wii U as well.
Separately, Nintendo has also reportedly announced the launch date for its Minecraft game for its Nintendo Switch console. The game is expected to arrive on May 11 digitally, with a physical version that will be hitting the stores on a later date, which is still unconfirmed.
The upcoming game is expected to come equipped with multi-player abilities wherein around four to eight players can game on the Switch through the split-screen facility and the support for the Switch Pro Controller.
Moreover, the Switch version is also expected to pack the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack. The latter was only available on Wii U at first. However, Nintendo has decided to extend the support on Switch as well. The Wii U version offered exciting Mario-themed skins, textures, music and much more.
Previously, Minecraft was confirmed for Nintendo Switch to be available in January. However, the date naturally got postponed and it appears like the game will finally be available in May.
Sometime earlier this week, tech giant Microsoft made an announcement, stating that a new marketplace is set to arrive on its much-hyped about Windows 10 along with the mobile versions of Minecraft later this year. However, what remains unclear is exactly how many PC features will be made available on the Switch version.


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How then to explain the current popularity of greens that have first been grilled? There’s no clear origin story; the practice didn’t go viral on TikTok. And yet charred salads are turning up on menus across the country. Most versions plate the salad wedge-style to be cut with a knife, rather than use a bowl, but the dishes can take many forms...The key to a successful grilled salad, says Feges chef, owner, and general partner Erin Smith, is to find the right lettuce. “The greens that have been successful are the ones that hold their shape,” she says. “Like romaine, even radicchio. You wouldn’t want to grill a spinach salad.”The other cardinal rule, Smith says, is to let the greens cool: “People might want a grilled salad, but they don’t want hot lettuce.”
Details, variations, and pix at Bloomberg.


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This reeks of corporate misbehavior. I’m not a lawyer, but it seems to me that Apple’s only legitimate legal beef is with its employees or contractors who are leaking the information to Think Secret and other rumor sites.
I’m fairly sure of this: If the party leaking information to Think Secret had sent it, say, to the San Jose Mercury News or New York Times, and had those publications run the news, Apple wouldn’t be suing them. Both have deep enough pockets to defend themselves.
Apple is being a bully Dan sees that, the EFF sees that, and Apple seems to be the only person who doesn’t see that.
Now, again, if Think Secret was paying people to steal information or breaking into Apple HQ then they should face the music, but Apple needs to leave the journalists and bloggers out of this and fight the folks who are doing the very illegal leaking not the folks who are doing the very legal reporting!


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Exports of agro-industrial complex (AIC) in Novosibirsk region in 2019 exceeded 179 million dollars.
The issues of agricultural insurance in the Novosibirsk region will be discussed at the round table at the IV Novosibirsk agrarian forum
The Ministry of agriculture of the Novosibirsk region and the national Union of agricultural insurers, will hold a round table on agricultural insurance, which will be held on 28 November 2019 in Novosibirsk at the IV Novosibirsk agri-food forum and the international agro-industrial exhibition "Siberian agricultural week".
Since the beginning of 2019 Novosibirsk farmers purchased nearly 1.5 thousand new agricultural machinery. From the budget of the Novosibirsk region they are already compensated 897 million.
The government of the Russian Federation in November may make changes to the decree on subsidized shipments of grain from several remote areas, including Eastern direction, said Deputy Minister of agriculture of the Russian Federation Oksana LUT.
The factory "Baltika" in Novosibirsk has commissioned a significant environmental facility — biological sewage treatment plant. The opening ceremony with the participation of the Governor of the Novosibirsk region Andrei Travnikova was held on 17 September.
Farmers suzunsk district – JSC "Flame" and Kolyvan – Sokolovo, OOO first in the Novosibirsk region have completed harvesting grain and leguminous crops, according to "Agrovestnik" with reference to the press service of the regional Ministry of agriculture.
In the Novosibirsk region has cheaper tomatoes and cucumbers, but has risen rye. It follows from the data published on the website Novosibirskstat, the correspondent of IA REGNUM.
For the first half of 2019, the volume transported from the Novosibirsk region of grain and products of its processing amounted to 114,38 thousand tons, which is 15% higher compared to the same period 2018 – 99.35 million tons, reported the press service of Rosselkhoznadzor for the Novosibirsk region.
Modern methods and approaches in the study of plants discussed in Novosibirsk
On the territory of the Novosibirsk region is the construction of two integrated poultry farms — "Ulybino" and "IND-Siberia". The products of these enterprises should fully cover the internal needs of the region.
The international environmental organization Greenpeace released an interactive map of unused agricultural areas of Russia. Just empty the country of about 80 million hectares of such lands.
Grain for discounted fares from the remoter regions will be purchased at prices not below the prices of the state purchasing interventions. About TASS reported the press service of the Ministry of agriculture.
The forthcoming sowing campaign will cost the agricultural producers of Novosibirsk is 13% more expensive spring-field works of 2018. Thus the cultivation area will increase by only 1.6%.
The Minister of agriculture of the Novosibirsk region Evgeny Leshchenko reported that in November this year, the shelves of local stores will be duck products produced at the poultry farm "Ulybino".
Total investment in two new agricultural complex will amount to 9 billion rubles.
Novosibirsk oblast in the coming years will continue to increase export potential of agriculture.
Rosselkhozbank has sent 3.8 billion rubles for the development of the pig farm in the Siberian Federal district
JSC "Russian agricultural Bank" opened two credit lines for a total amount of 3.8 billion rubles, the largest pork producer in the Novosibirsk region.
THE FGBI "VGNKI" TOOK PART IN THE CONFERENCE IN THE FIELD OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AND VIROLOGY "PLATFORM OPEN COMMUNICATION OPENBIO-2018"
In the period from 23 to 25 October 2018 in the science town of Koltsovo (Novosibirsk region) was held a scientific conference and forum on "the Platform of open communication OpenBio-2018". The conference is organized as a platform for communication of young scientists in the fields of Virology, molecular biology, and biotechnology.
Agroholding "Tomsk", which is engaged in production of marble beef, started to supply products "Marble farm" in restaurants and Burger Tomsk and Novosibirsk.
Tolmachevskoe, OOO, which is located in the Novosibirsk region NSO, going next year to invest 600 million rubles in the construction of a dairy farm, milk processing plant and meat processing plant.


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Sephora’s selling a new, inappropriately-named lipstick and it’s all sorts of creepy
I’ll come clean: I’m a Sephora junkie. I love the bright lights, the beautiful rainbows of eyeshadows and nail polishes, and the always-surprising amounts of glitter-eyeliner options (because you need those in silver, green, and turquoise. . .OK, maybe that’s just me)—and heaven help me, I can get lost in the free samples. So it’s more than disappointing when news strikes again that Sephora is displaying poor judgement and selling yet another creepily-named product.
The product in question is one of Von D’s new Studded Kiss Lipsticks titled “Underage Red,” which has everyone on social media raising eyebrows. Is the lipstick shade targeting underage girls so they might appear older, or for older women to appear like modern Lolitas? Either way, we’re not amused. And BTW, there’s also a shade called “Lolita,” as one Twitter user commented after the initial tweet calling out “Underage Red”:
This isn’t the first time the L.A. Ink star has offended folks with her lipstick shades. Back in 2013 Sephora publicly apologized and pulled one of Von D’s lipsticks for being offensively named “Celebutard.” Despite the backlash this caused, Von D responded a bit flippantly with a tweet along the lines of “at the end of the day it’s just a f*’n lipstick,” before reportedly deleting the comment. Sigh.
Von D stand in a long line of brands who have used offensive lingo (or should we call them bizarre—and gross—marketing tactics?) to push products, like Love’s Baby Soft, which told us in the 70s that “innocence is sexier than you think.” And Business Insider points out that MAC cosmetics also has shades of lipgloss called “Underage” and “Kinky.”
Are stores like Sephora simply ignoring the names of the brands they sell, or are brands trying to convince us (in a modern society where we can, you know—vote, shave or not shave our armpits, and generally rule the world?) that women need to look like underage girls to feel attractive? We think not! And we genuinely hope Ms. Von D considers more appropriate names for her products in the future, because we love those shades, and all those eyeliners, and, and. . .


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Beauty Inside Out rounds up Hollywood beauty, fitness and wellness news, from products, pop-ups and trends to spa, salon and fitness studio openings.
Revlon and Amazon Collaborate on a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Lipstick Collection
Fans of Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will no doubt recall when the feisty housewife turned stand-up comedian landed a part-time job as a Revlon make-up counter girl after recommending Cherries in the Snow and Raven Red to a fellow shopper. Now Revlon is launching The Marvelous Super Lustrous Collection, a limited-edition lipstick collection inspired by the flawless ’50s inspired makeup looks worn by Rachel Brosnahan, in collaboration with the award-winning Amazon Original series, exclusively on Amazon.com. The collection consists of two curated sets of high-impact, super-moisturizing Super Lustrous Lipsticks: Take the Stage Reds features Fire & Ice, Certainly Red and Cherries in the Snow (named after the scene in season one), while Stand-Up Nudes includes Pink Truffle, Blushing Mauve and Rum Raisin.
Star Trainer Lauren Kleban’s Summer Lefkit Pop-Up Studio
Snagging a spot in one of star trainer Lauren Kleban’s mini trampoline Bounce classes at her private studio in Hancock Park can be a workout in itself (devotees of the high-intensity, fat-blasting cardio sessions include Busy Philipps, Michelle Williams, Emmy Rossum and Katharine McPhee). Now, while she completes the buildout of her new 6,000-square-foot space on La Brea Avenue, Kleban has opened a summer pop-up studio at 620 S. La Brea Ave. with a full schedule of classes, new trainers and a much larger capacity. “We outgrew the garage a long time ago and summer felt like the perfect time to get started with a pop-up right down the street from the flagship,” says Kleban. “Lefkit has been a buzzy underground spot for a while now, but it was time to open up the experience to everyone.” First-timers can expect a serious sweat session set to a meticulously curated playlist.
Hollywood’s Favorite Demi-Fine Jewelry Brand Launches Hair Accessories
Multilayered necklaces have been the biggest jewelry trend of the past year, thanks in no small part to British demi-fine jewelry brand Missoma, whose die-hard fans include Julia Roberts, Meghan Markle, Kaia Gerber and her mom Cindy Crawford, Margot Robbie and Gigi Hadid. Now the trend is working its way up the body in the form of barrette stacking (multiple hair clips in a row), and Missoma founder Marisa Hordern has wasted no time in adding a range of gold vermeil hair accessories to complement the brand’s best-selling collections. “It’s all about self expression,” says Hordern of the spike- and claw-shaped pins and molten gold barrettes. “We’ve seen that in layering and piercing and now it’s moving to hair clips and having fun with jeweled accessories.”
DL.MD: The Final Word in Vitamins
The Dubai-based doctor and founder of luxury clean skin care line Shiffa, Dr. Lamees Hamdan already has a cult following in Hollywood (think Kim Kardashian, Drew Barrymore, Lea Michele, Kelly Rowland and Katherine Schwarzenegger). Now she has created DL.MD Multivitamin, a liquid daily supplement that is a proprietary blend of 13 essential vitamins, five minerals and one bioflavonoid complex to increase the bioavailability of the ingredients. “I found myself taking 15 supplements a day and I thought, ‘This can’t be right,'” says Lamees of the current pill-popping and powder craze.
A medical doctor with a life-long passion for healing from within, Lamees drew on her years of naturopathic and allopathic training and sourced the most highly absorbable forms of each essential daily vitamin and mineral. “Our bodies only absorb around 20 percent of the nutrients in vitamin pills and gummies compared to 98 percent from liquid multivitamins. Just one teaspoon a day is all you need, and the product comes packaged in UV Miron glass to prevent vitamin deterioration.” For every product purchased, DL.MD will also provide one month of nutritional supplementation for an at-risk child or pregnant women in need. “I’m not reinventing the wheel,” she says. “Just improving it.”
Nobu Ryokan Malibu Introduces Ultimate Detox Retreats
This under-the-radar, Japanese-inspired inn on Carbon Beach is already the retreat of choice for high-powered Hollywood industry execs and Silicon Valley esthetes looking to wind down. And now the Nobu Ryokan is also offering bespoke 2-Day Jumpstarts, 4-Day Detoxes and 6- Day Luxury Escapes with Malibu Fit Concierge (led by Peter Deacy, who has also worked with A-list go-to bootcamp The Ranch). Guests can spend the day doing yoga, sound baths, TRX workouts, surf and SUP lessons, and guided hikes in the nearby Malibu Creek State Park; order customized meals (vegan, keto and paleo options are available) from the neighboring Nobu and Malibu Farm; and pick from a menu of spa services that includes in-room IV vitamin drips, massages and vibrational tuning sessions. Rooms at Nobu Ryokan Malibu start at $2,000 a night with a two-night minimum. Customized Detox Retreat packages start at $1,200.
Hourglass Cosmetics Pops Up at The Grove
For the month of July, pro makeup artists’ go-to luxury cosmetic brand Hourglass has popped up at The Grove, offering shoppers early access to fall launches and a chance to learn about their best-selling and award-winning products with beauty experts such as Hollywood brow guru Kristie Streicher, who will kick off the schedule Thursday, July 11. Streicher (whose trademark feathered look has won her a star-studded clientele including Gwyneth Paltrow, Emily Blunt, Adele, Mila Kunis and Mandy Moore) will be demonstrating how to use the brand’s new Arch Brow Micro Sculpting Pencil. “It’s not about changing your brow, but enhancing what you were born with,” says Streicher. “We’re giving you freedom to create an arch that never looks forced. Be naturally you and define your brow the way you want, thick or thin, untamed or filled in — this is the unrestricted brow.”
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With Season 3 set to hit Netflix in July, the Stranger Things hype-wagon is about to reach fever pitch. Not only is there some new LEGO, a Polaroid camera, and an H&M collection, it’s just been announced that Nike is joining the collaborative party with its very own Hawkins collection.
Yes, after relentless teasing, Nike’s “Missing Shipment” has finally been located and the Swoosh has unveiled their highly-anticipated Stranger Things collection. It features three 80’s-influenced silhouettes – the Cortez, Blazer and Tailwind – each donning the green and orange colour scheme of Hawkins High school.
The Tailwind comes in a green upper, which is offset with a bright orange Swoosh and a white midsole unit. For the other two silhouettes — the Cortez and Blazer — the orange and green detailing appears across the white upper. All three pairs feature the Hawkins High tiger emblem and a Stranger Things logo on the tongue.
The first drop of the Nike x Stranger Things capsule also incorporates Hawkins High’s green and orange colour scheme and Tiger mascot into a mix of apparel, with sweat suits and complementary T-shirts channelling the 80s athletic aesthetic.
The first drop from Nike and Stranger Things collection is set to release on the Nike Website on Thursday 27th June, while a second release set for 1st July — dubbed the “OG Pack” —will see the same silhouettes wrapped in a red, white and blue colourways to mark the 1985 Independence Day. The whole collection will be priced between £25-£95.
In other Stranger Things news, IKEA have just revealed a photoseries which recreates three of TV’s most iconic living rooms with some of IKEA’s own furniture pieces, including Friends and The Simpsons, as well as Stranger Things.


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From an Apple sitemap leak noticed by AllThingsHow: iPhone names are confirmed — iPhone Xs (or XS), iPhone Xs Max (or XS Max) iPhone Xr (or XR)
iPhone XS will be available with three storage options: 64GB, 256GB and 512GB
6.1-inch iPhone ‘iPhone Xr’ — will be available in black, white, red, yellow, coral and blue colors
The new Watches will come in new sizes: 40 mm and 44 mm (up from 38 and 42)
NO new iPad Pro will be introduced today.
Apple’s event starts at 10AM this morning.
2 New Google Pixelbooks Coming; Audi Integrated Toll Module; Apple Pay and Google Pay Live at 7-11 StoresPosted: September 11, 2018
Google has already let us know the rollout date for the new Pixel Phones, and we’ve had rumors of a fresh Pixelbook, too. Now, thenextweb.com says there may be two new Pixelbooks coming. In a leaked video, one looks much like the one Google put out last year, but the other has a hinge similar to Microsoft’s Surface. So far, there aren’t any other rumors confirming this, but we may just see not only a couple of updated Pixel phones but also a couple new Pixelbooks next month…maybe a freshened Daydream View and additional or updated Google Home smart speakers, too!
Here’s the kind of tech innovation I like to see…Audi is going to make paying tolls simpler with an Integrated Toll Module. According to cnet.com, it’s built into the mirror, and will debut on the upcoming Tron e-SUV. It’s more than just a transponder. You can reconfigure it with the car’s infotainment module…for example, re-setting the vehicle occupancy for HOV lanes, or to use a different toll network if you are traveling out of your area. Audi will show off the e-Tron next week in San Francisco…and by the way, it has already gone into production!
7-11 says they now have Apple Pay and Google Pay available at nearly all their 10,000 US locations. Macrumors.com reports that they also have a 7-11 NOW app for on-demand orders, and a loyalty program. For Apple Pay, you need an iPhone 6 or better, and can use a compatible Apple Watch model if you want. In addition to 7-11, long time holdout CVS Pharmacy will start taking Apple Pay this fall.
**We will have a full recap of the Apple event tomorrow morning after the presentation from the Steve Jobs Theater that starts at 10am.
Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, known for pretty reliable Apple rumors, has dropped a few today, ahead of the Apple rollout Wednesday. According to macrumors.com, Kuo says Cupertino will replace Lightning with a USB-C port on the upcoming iPad Pro. The new iPhones will have 5W power adapters…not the rumored higher wattage ones. The new, cheaper MacBook will have TouchID but won’t have a Touch Bar, and the Watch 4 will all have a ceramic back and support EKG in addition to a thinner bezel and bigger face. As for the iPhones, Kuo thinks the new 6.1” one (which will ship late September or early October) will account for 65-70% of the new iPhone models shipped.
We’ve been hearing that Ford is aiming to drop all sedans save the Mustang, and focus primarily on SUVs and pickups as they move to electric vehicles. Now, that automaker has teased an electric performance crossover SUV codenamed the ‘Mach 1.’ Theverge.com reports that Ford has increased its investment in EV tech to $11 billion. Note that in the teaser image, the tail lights mimic those on the original Mustang.
AT&T has announced they are adding 5 more cities to their 5G network by the end of the year. Houston, Jacksonville, Louisville, New Orleans, and San Antonio will join the 7 cities already announced: Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, Raleigh and Waco. Waiting to get the faster service until early 2019: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose. The carrier is also working on its Project AirGig, which is designed to cover rural populations that don’t have access to high speed internet. They will apparently roll out cheaper plastic antennas that can be mounted on existing poles, buildings, etc to increase coverage.
Samsung Foldable Smartphone 2018; Xiaomi May Drop 1st 5G Phone; Mercedes Shows e-SUV; New Snap Spectacles 2 FramesPosted: September 5, 2018
Long rumored…really long rumored, the folding smartphone will finally roll out in 2018…at least that’s what DJ Koh, CEO of Samsung Mobile is saying. Macrumors.com reports that Samsung plans to drop a model of Galaxy Note that folds by the end of the year. It will have a giant screen made of the two sides inside, and a third screen when folded on the outside. The phablet is rumored to be 7 inches diagonally, but can be folded in half much like a wallet. Samsung may show it off at their developer conference in November.
Xiaomi plans to beat every other smartphone maker to the punch, releasing the first 5G smartphone in the Mi Mix 3 later this year. 5G is going to be stunning…with download speeds 10 times that of 4G. Mashable.com notes that right now, only Verizon has any 5G, and that’s just in 3 cities and only at fixed locations…so not really mobile. 5G is expected to be more widely available in 2019 and 2020, and look for many handset makers to debut 5G phones by then. For this year, though, if you want to be first on your block with 5G capability, it’s going to be Xiaomi!
Mercedes has finally given a real look at their EQC e-SUV, which was first teased as a concept car at the Paris Auto Show two years ago. According to arstechnica.com, it goes into production in 2019, and will be on sale in 2020. Mercedes is touting 402 horsepower and up to 200 miles of range on a charge. The e-SUV will roll on the same wheelbase as the hybrid or fueled GLC, but is a little tighter…a bit shorter, thinner, and sporting a bit lower profile. It will run a pair of motors…one for each axle. Mercedes says it will charge from 10% up to 80% in 40 minutes.
Snap is showing off a couple new styles of frames for its Spectacles 2 video glasses. Thee frames are still oversized, but aren’t the total round, uber-nerd shape of the originals. Engadget.com says they are on sale at Snap’s website for $199. The frames are dubbed ‘Nico’ and Veronica,’ although Snap showed both on female models!
Always On Apple Watch; Twitter Boss Kept White Supremicists; Audi Starts Building 1st e-SUV; Nanobots Swarm For Medical ProceduresPosted: September 4, 2018
It may not be out by the models next week, but Apple is working on an always-on Apple watch display. Bgr.com says the trick is to minimize burn on OLED screens, which an always-on condition causes. Apple is toiling on a method of artificially adjusting the brightness and colors of particular areas of the screen, which would minimize burn. People have been clamoring for an always on time display at the least (raising hand here), so lets hope this happens. The Apple Watch 3 can make it (barely) 3 days on a charge, and it may be that the new model coming out on the 12th can even improve on that.
Lots of sets of eyeballs, not to mention bots and trolls, must be pretty critical to Twitter. Gizmodo.com reports that Jack Dorsey overruled staff to keep Alex Jones and White Supremacist Richard Spencer on the platform. The Twitter CEO is apparently terrified of infuriating a loud, angry extreme conservative movement, so he caved on banning high profile accounts like conspiracy master Alex Jones. The Wall Street Journal reported extensively on this, but Twitter is officially denying it.
Audi ramped up production on its first all-electric SUV last week, according to techcrunch.com. The company plans to show the e-tron SUV September 17th in San Francisco. Audi had been working on an e-tron quattro for several years. The electric SUV is being built in Brussels, Belgium where the company also has its own battery production line. the e-SUV is supposed to have fast charging capability and a range of about 250 miles. It should go on sale by the end of the year.
New research from Chinese University/Hong Kong indicates that a magnetic field can be used to control movement of swarms of nanobots, and implement swarm behaviors. Cnet.com says this could be used by surgeons to perform complex medical tasks. By using swarms of nanobots, surgeons may be able to target drug delivery, cancer therapies, and do eye surgeries. A university team has already begun animal tests on the nano-swarms.
Apple has acquired a Colorado start up that specializes in making ‘vibrant’ lenses for Augmented Reality glasses. According to 9to5mac.com, Akonia Holographics was started in 2012, and initially was working on ‘holographic data storage.’ They soon focused on creating displays for AR glasses, and have over 200 patents for that kind of tech. Apple has been thought to be working on AR glasses, and may release some type of AR headset or glasses next year or in 2020.
Dyson, which disrupted the vacuum business a few years ago, and has made further forays into fans, heaters, and even a hair dryer using improved tech, is pressing ahead on an electric vehicle. Emgadget.com reports that they have proposed a development facility at Hullavington Airfield that includes 10 miles of test tracks…you don’t need that to test out vacuums! The already have $110 million invested, and look to more than double that amount towards the project. if things go to plan, Dyson would like to roll out an electric vehicle by 2020-2021.
If you are on Twitter at all, you know you get their suggestions on who to follow. Now, mashable.com says the social network is testing out suggestions for people to unfollow…mainly ones you do’t engage with on a regular basis. Twitter says the feature would give users a more relevant Twitter timeline. Considering the firehose that Twitter is, a lot of us barely notice the accounts we don’t engage with anyway. Twitter may or may not make the feature permanent, depending on how the testing works out.