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- Square Inc. launched in the United Kingdom, its fourth national market outside the United States and its first in Europe (it already operates in Canada, Japan, and Australia). While the U.K. foothold gives the firm a base from which to expand within the European market, it did not indicate specific expansion plans. It faces competition in Europe with rival mobile point-of-sale provider iZettle, which has been active there for five years.
- MoneyGram International Inc. and Ant Financial Services Group announced the expiration of the waiting period prescribed by the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976. The expiration satisfies a condition necessary to consummate the merger of the two companies. Rival money-transfer firm Euronet Worldwide has also made an offer for MoneyGram.
- Processor Vantiv Inc. announced its e-commerce services achieved the Oracle Validated Integration designation with Oracle Corp.’s E-Business Suite 12.2 service.
- Visa Inc. said it and Viewpost IP Holdings LLC, a business-to-business payments provider, formed a partnership to bring electronic business payments to Viewpost’s small and mid-size business clients, which includes the use of one-time Visa virtual account numbers.
- Merchant processor JetPay Corp. reported its 2016 revenue grew 30%, to $56.3 million, with fourth-quarter revenue rising 48.8%, to $17.3 million.
- BBVA has joined Hyperledger, an open-source collaboration across business sectors to advance the use of blockchain technology, which underpins various cryptocurrencies.
- Mobile app developer Snappii announced an integration with payments provider Stripe.
- Vending-payments specialist USA Technologies Inc. named Priyanka Singh as its chief financial officer, replacing interim CFO Leland P. Maxwell, who continues on with the company in a senior finance role. Singh previously worked at Global Payments Inc. and Heartland Payment Systems, which Global purchased in 2016.
- Payments provider Payscout Inc. named Jesse Gould as director of sales and business development. Gould comes to Payscout having worked in new business development at Pay.On, which ACI Worldwide Inc. purchased in 2015.
With the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating restaurants’ transition to digital payment technology, processors Shift4 Payments Inc. …


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Design and build, or significantly repurpose, a product that will solve a problem, need or want.
Orange, CA (PRWEB)
May 01, 2017
Ever see a five-pronged fork that makes eating spaghetti easier or a purse with a built-in light? How about an alarm clock that knows if you are still laying in bed and keeps going off until you get up? These are just a few of the award-winning entries from last year’s ocMaker Challenge. One can only imagine what this year’s competitors have in store.
ocMaker Challenge 2017 is the largest student maker challenge in California. The free, family-friendly event is open to the public and will be held May 12-13 at the Hutton Sports Center at Chapman University. No ordinary science fair, the ocMaker Challenge is an integrated STEM project that incorporates elements of art and design by challenging middle school, high school, and college students to design and manufacture an innovative invention with the use of a 3D printer. The prompt presented to students is, “Design and build, or significantly repurpose, a product that will solve a problem, need or want.”
Organized and supported by the Orange County Department of Education’s Career Technical Education Partnership (CTEp), Vital Link and Career Technical Education of Orange County, the ocMaker Challenge is a unique, county-wide STEM competition that is unlike any other in the world.
“Unlike us, these students are not yet jaded by everyday limitations, such as manufacturing constraints or even the idea of gravity,” pointed out CEO Eva Wolf of Airwolf 3D, a local 3D printer manufacturer that has partnered closely with the ocMaker Challenge since its beginning in 2013. “[Students] simply…

domain: news


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Frugal New Year: Ideas to help offset rising housing and food costs
Sarah Hysjulien, a Tri-Cities resident who teaches budgeting classes, knows the recent spike in grocery prices can weigh on household spending.
About a week ago, Hysjulien went to a store to buy a free-range chicken and found only two, for $16 and $17 each.
“I just left,” said Hysjulien, an STCU community development worker. “I thought, ‘I can’t spend that on a chicken.’ They were free-range chickens, okay, but still, there were only two in the crate, and that’s what they cost.
Hysjulien says there are still strategies for spending less despite inflation, and even saving a little. Grocery prices rose 6.4% in the past 12 months ending in December, the biggest increase since 2008, according to a price index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sticking to a budget may seem grim, but Hysjulien says running out of money causes real stress. If food prices, rent hikes, and other costs are stretched, track spending for a month to find “leaks,” such as streaming apps you wanted to cancel or the daily purchase of coffee, she said.
Many banks and credit unions offer online budgeting aids. You don’t need to be a member of the STCU to use its free online budget tool. You can find several free budget apps for your smartphone, Hysjulien said.
NerdWallet recently listed the best budget apps, including Mint, Goodbudget, and Fudget.
“When I was much younger, I thought budgeting drained all the sunshine from the sky when in fact it’s quite the opposite,” Hysjulien said. “It makes you more free because you’re not under that weight of financial constraint all the time.”
Think of a budget as a roadmap across the country to get home — get to the end of the month with money — then keep a spending diary for several months. Reduce purchases of small “wants, not needs” such as lunches to save up to $100. Slowly build an emergency fund.
“Stats show that 47% of Americans couldn’t afford an emergency $400 without putting it on a credit card, borrowing from family, or selling something,” Hysjulien said. “That’s nearly 50% of Americans living on the brink of disaster because they don’t have an emergency fund.”
• Rely on Washington State University extension programs as well as libraries for a wide range of resources, including topics on how best to store and freeze food, prepare frugal meals at home and other budget stretching ideas.
• Use free trade groups such as Buy Nothing on Facebook that are set up by neighborhoods for porch pickups. Often people offer to donate extra clothing, household items, pantry items, or even fresh produce they have grown.
• Make it a family game to see how many days you can use food in your pantry and freezer before shopping. “Every time you walk into the store, you’re going to spend money,” Hysjulien said. She won’t go to Costco without a list and a mindset to avoid impulse buying.
• Try strategies such as meatless Mondays and make extra portions for dinner and eat leftovers for lunches.
Storing and growing food
You can find methods for growing food as well as tips for making errands last longer through WSU Extension, said Anna Kestell, education coordinator at Spokane.
Lately, “Mostly what I hear is how do I take care of what I buy at the grocery store?” Kestell said. “They bring products home and ask, ‘What’s the best way to store them so they don’t have to throw them away?’ We have all kinds of background material.
An example covers the best tips for freezing fruits and vegetables.
Kestell is now hearing requests for gardening lessons.
There are tricks to growing food indoors if you’re short on yard space, such as year-round microgreens that use potting soil, seeds, and a small pot or plastic container. deep with drainage holes. After sprouts appear, it can be kept indoors near a window.
“A family in an apartment with a balcony isn’t going to grow all of their food, but they can certainly grow a tomato plant and a bowl of lettuce in their kitchen.”
The office, at 222. N. Havana, plans to have in-person support and classes this spring and summer, including sessions on how to preserve what you grow or buy. Among the courses, “Beginning Gardening” starts at the beginning of March. Each three-hour lesson costs $15.
Vegetable seeds start and classes start later in March. You can also look for seed sharing at libraries or between neighbors, Kestell added. “If you buy a packet of zucchini seeds, that’s enough for your whole neighborhood.”
Some families buy or borrow a FoodSaver to seal bags for freezing food. It helps if you find meat on sale and have freezer space, Kestell said. For produce, consider canning or dehydrating.
Plus, master gardeners teach for free at libraries, so check library calendars. For general plant questions, you can call the Master Gardeners at (509) 477-2181, Kestell said. The group’s plant clinic is currently closed but is expected to open from March to October for walk-in visits.
For food safety or food preservation questions, see the website, call Kestell at (509) 477-2195 or email her at [email protected]
Free at the library
The sometimes-forgotten library card means free access to bestsellers, cookbooks, journals, and guides for home repair and DIY projects. Search the Spokane County Library District Catalog for “frugal” to find multiple pages, spokeswoman Jane Baker said. To make cost and quality comparisons, you can tap Consumer Reports, she said.
A service for borrowing items from its “Object Library” was temporarily taken offline during the pandemic and then for an update to the reservation system, but will come back online early this year, it said. Baker. You can borrow items such as sewing machines, Instant Pots, telescopes, and stuffing kits.
• Hoopla to stream movies, music, audiobooks, e-books, comics, and TV shows.
• Flipster for popular magazines.
• Digital versions of automotive repair manuals and small engine repair manuals. The Home Renovation Reference Center does the same for homeowners.
• Help Now is a free program with live tutoring for elementary through middle school students. Job Now offers online job coaches and resume help.
• A seed library allows people to check vegetable and flower seeds.
• Internet access; mobile hotspots.
• Workshops on health insurance and small business, as well as classes on hobbies and personal interests.
Hysjulien said she sees more people seeking frugality and budgeting.
“A lot of people have been out of work for the past two years, so they’re aware of how quickly life can change, and I think they want to be more proactive,” she said.
“Look at house prices now. Young people are going to have to start putting money aside each month. They must start thinking about it quite young.


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SaaS-based DIY e-commerce platform PowerStores launches its 2.0 version
Goa-based PowerStores, a SaaS-based DIY ( Do-It-Yourself) e-commerce and website platform has launched its new version which enables merchants to customize stores’ theme completely using its theme language called FLUID. With this, merchants can get rid of cookie cutter themes offered by most of the SaaS-based platforms.
“PowerStores 2 is all about an easier, friendly experience building your store. We redesigned every aspect of the platform and experience of how a merchant sets up, scales and manages a store on daily basis,” says Cory York, co-founder, Powerstores. The revamped version is about flexibility for merchants who want to create a unique experience for their customers and mobile shopping enablement for shoppers who prefer to shop on the go.
Besides web-based themes, the company has also launched nine mobile-responsive free themes with complete access to the HTML and CSS through its Fluid markup language. Merchants can create stores even from their mobile phone as the signup is completely responsive and fits all screen sizes.“With existing SaaS-based DIY platforms merchants have to stick to their layouts or themes and if they want to customize merchants need to wait in line for their own services team to do it for them. However, with PowerStores merchants can grab a local html designer and get started,” adds Cory.
Founded in late 2011 by Cory York and Indrajit Chowdhury, PowerStores was started from the revenue generated by SociaLinked (complete story). So far the company had enabled over $6 million of sales through the platform via 500 active merchants across India, USA and Canada.
The company had raised $2 million from unnamed international investors in July last year. “The raised fund really allowed us to grow the team and up our game entirely,” reveals Cory.
With multiple players like Infibeam’s Build a bazaar, Zepo, Shopify and Martjack among others operating in the e-commerce enabling space, it seems the space is getting crowded. But Cory disagrees, he points out, “We are getting more signups than we can handle and are surely not feeling the pinch of competition. There is no comparison when it comes to what you can do with PowerStores vs Zepo and Buildabazaar.”


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US-based Nikola Motor Company is set to launch a 520 horsepower, 4x4 electric UTV (Utility Task Vehicle).
Named after the famous electrical engineer Nikola Tesla, and pronounced ‘Neek-oh-la’, the company was formed by Founder and CEO Trevor Milton some years ago to design and manufacture electric vehicles, energy storage systems and electric vehicle drivetrain components.
Reservations have just begun and the first working prototypes are set to be shown to the public later this year.
The fully-electric 4x4 UTV (dubbed ‘Nikola Zero’) will have a range of 100-150 miles on a full charge of its 50 kWh, 400 Volt battery. Delivering the equivalent of 520 hp and 476 ft.lbs of torque, the electric motor will propel the Zero from 0-60 mph in just 3 seconds.
With 20-inch suspension clearance, 14.5 inches of ground clearance, huge 32-inch tyres and a waterproof electric motor and gearbox, the Zero is ready for the toughest terrain and can even drive under water!
It comes with a 2-year warranty and retails for $42,000 (around £29,000).
"By working together with some of the top engineering firms in America, we were able to design vehicles that have previously been thought impossible to design," said Milton.
A 2,000 hp electric semi-truck is also on the way. For complete product details on both vehicles, visit www.nikolamotor.com


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Turkcell, Turkey’s dominant telecom carrier, has partnered with DOCOMO Digital, the preeminent mobile commerce enabler to bring the power of artificial intelligence to further fuel the growth of its digital services business.
Turkcell and DOCOMO Digital have been working closely for the past five years to ensure that nearly 34 million mobile subscribers, both pre and post-paid, can pay for popular apps and digital content in a secure and convenient way through their monthly phone bills or top-ups.
Now with DOCOMO Digital’s AI-powered “Billing Risk Manager”, Turkcell can dynamically forecast, manage and mitigate direct carrier billing-related bad debt. The tool enables Turkcell to adjust user spending and subscriptions based on real-time monitoring of user behaviour.
The tool’s simulator model continually learns and adjusts bad debt thresholds based on transactions data and Turkcell policies, thereby helping Turkcell plug revenue leakage from its OTT business.
“Turkcell has always been a frontrunner in the adoption of leading-edge technology, and our latest partnership with DOCOMO Digital once again demonstrates our ability to bring the best of digital services to our subscribers, underpinned by robust risk management. This will further accelerate the uptake of apps and digital content,” says Onur Güven, Director of Customer & Product Management at Turkcell Payment Services or Paycell.
“DOCOMO Digital is committed to removing friction from mobile commerce for our partners like Turkcell and we believe Billing Risk Manager will help bolster Turkcell’s digital business with more robust risk management in the direct carrier billing area,” says Dheeraj Soni, President of DOCOMO Digital’s Payments business.
The deal comes hot on the heels of VTC Pay, Vietnam’s largest mobile wallet and payment gateway and DOCOMO Digitalentering a partnership to scale the mobile commerce ecosystem in Vietnam.
VTC Pay’s e-wallet is used by more than three million consumers, a majority in the 18-34 years-demographic, with more than a million transactions recorded daily. An increasingly vibrant economy, Vietnam has been rapidly digitizing and is slated to grow at 6.7%, the fastest rate forecast this year in Southeast Asia or the ASEAN block. Leveraging DOCOMO Digital’s platform which seamlessly connects international merchants and payment providers with a state-of-the-art single-API framework, VTC Pay will further build on its popularity by offering DOCOMO Digital’s partner international merchants to its users in Vietnam.


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See “The Sound of Music” or “Legally Blonde the Musical” for at least 50% off! Both shows are coming to Wolf Trap this summer, and Groupon currently has an offer for $10 lawn seats. Regular priced tickets for both shows are $20 – $80.
“Legally Blonde” will be on the Filene Center stage from Thursday, August 12 – Sunday, August 15.
“The Sound of Music” runs from Tuesday, August 31 – Sunday, September 5 also at the Filene Center.
Various times are dates are available through the deal. Visit the Groupon website to get your tickets!


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Former President Bill Clinton has ended his high-profile business connection to his friend Ronald Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. by walking away from a final payment that was once estimated at up to $20 million.
While the former president could have claimed additional money from Yucaipa, he decided not to, said a person familiar with the matter. He apparently made the decision early this year. Early last year, people familiar with the Clinton-Yucaipa relationship had estimated that such a payment could have been as much as $20 million. However, the meltdown in world financial markets might have affected any such payout.
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Save 15% or more on the Best Buy deal of the Day
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Exclusive Expedia coupon code: 5% off


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Indonesia is getting ready to concern new guidelines to tighten the regulation of crypto exchanges. Below revised regulatory framework, two-thirds of crypto change administrators have to be Indonesian residents residing within the nation.
Indonesia Plans to Tighten Crypto Regulation
Indonesia is getting ready to concern new guidelines to tighten the regulation of crypto exchanges, officers from the nation’s Minister of Commerce and the Commodity Futures Buying and selling Regulatory Company (Bappebti) stated Tuesday at a parliamentary listening to in Jakarta.
One of many new guidelines requires two-thirds of administrators of crypto exchanges to be Indonesian residents residing within the nation. Didid Noordiatmoko, performing head of Bappebti, informed parliament:
That method, no less than we are able to forestall the highest administration from fleeing the nation if any drawback arises.
The brand new measure adopted the monetary bother confronted by Southeast Asia-focused crypto change Zipmex, which needed to halt withdrawals.
Crypto exchanges may even be required to make use of a 3rd social gathering to retailer consumer funds. They are going to moreover be prohibited from re-investing saved crypto belongings.
Deputy Minister of Commerce Jerry Sambuaga informed reporters after the parliamentary listening to:
We don’t need to give permits (to exchanges) carelessly, so just for those who meet the necessities and are credible.
He famous with out giving a selected timeframe that Bappebti will concern the brand new guidelines quickly.
Sambuaga additionally confirmed that the Indonesian authorities remains to be planning to launch a crypto asset bourse this 12 months. The bourse launch has been delayed a number of occasions.
Indonesia permits the buying and selling of crypto belongings as commodities however doesn’t acknowledge crypto as a cost instrument. In April, the Indonesian Directorate Normal of Taxes stated it had set each revenue tax (PPh) on capital positive factors from crypto investments and value-added tax (VAT) on crypto purchases at 0.1%.
Crypto transactions in Indonesia elevated 1,224% to 859.4 trillion rupiahs ($57.5 billion) in 2021 from 64.9 trillion rupiahs in 2020, in response to Bappebti. Within the first six months of this 12 months, there have been 15.1 million crypto customers in Indonesia, transacting cryptocurrencies price 212 trillion rupiahs.
What do you consider Indonesia’s new necessities for crypto exchanges? Tell us within the feedback part under.
Picture Credit: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
Disclaimer: This text is for informational functions solely. It’s not a direct supply or solicitation of a proposal to purchase or promote, or a advice or endorsement of any merchandise, providers, or corporations. Bitcoin.com doesn’t present funding, tax, authorized, or accounting recommendation. Neither the corporate nor the creator is accountable, immediately or not directly, for any harm or loss precipitated or alleged to be brought on by or in reference to using or reliance on any content material, items or providers talked about on this article.


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|By PR Newswire||
|February 11, 2013 11:15 AM EST||
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading multichannel retailer HSN, announced today that as part of its multi-year marketing partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, HSN Cares – the philanthropic arm of HSN - has joined Diet Coke for a month of multiplatform promotions to raise awareness for The Heart Truth® campaign. Promotions include a special curated 'Red Store', donation points across all of the retailer's platforms and an in-store partnership with Walgreens in more than 7,000 stores across the country.
"We are very proud to be partnering with Diet Coke, The Heart Truth® and Walgreens, to help promote an extremely important cause, create engaging, informative conversations on multiple platforms and raise funds for critical women's heart health education and research programs, " said Bill Brand, Executive Vice President of Programming, Marketing and Business Development for HSN. "HSN Cares is committed to supporting women and families in need through raising funds for trusted global causes, and The Heart Truth® campaign aligns wonderfully with HSN's corporate responsibility campaign."
HSN's 'Red Store' is a curated boutique on HSN.com that features red products from brands including Liz Lange, Badgley Mischka, Vicky Tiel, Joy Mangano, Coca-Cola, Deborah Lippman, Korres, Lulu Guinness, Diane Gilman and many more. During the entire month of February, HSN will donate a portion of the purchase price for items found in HSN's 'Red Store' to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) to support The Heart Truth® and women's heart health education and research programs.
Additionally, HSN jewelry designer Heidi Daus has designed her own version of the iconic Red DressSM pin, exclusively for HSN. The Red DressSM is the centerpiece of The Heart Truth® campaign, which was created and introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The Red Dress® reminds women that heart disease is their #1 killer and inspires them to take steps to lower their risk for the disease. HSN's annual 24 Hour Dress event on February 27 will also support The Heart Truth® campaign, offering HSN customers the opportunity to donate to the cause by purchasing the perfect red dress.
The Heart Truth® is a national campaign that raises awareness and funds in support of women's heart health education and research. It was developed by the NHLBI, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Through the campaign, the NHLBI leads the nation in a landmark heart health movement embraced by millions who share the common goal of better heart health for all women.
Through a point of purchase offer at more than 7,000 Walgreens stores, customers can visit the Diet Coke display and register to win $10,000 HSN gift card during the month of February. With more than 6.3 million customers visiting these retail stores a week, Walgreen's partnership with HSN and Diet Coke is an extremely impactful way to reach the millions of women affected by heart disease. In addition, new HSN customers may receive a HSN coupon valid for $10 off a purchase of $20 or more when they purchase a 12-pack of Diet Coke during the month. Visit the Diet Coke display at your local Walgreens for details.
HSN customers can donate in support of the campaign via all of HSN's platforms – TV, HSN.com, HSN Mobile and by calling 1-800-284-3100. One hundred percent of the donations will go to support women's heart health programs to educate women about heart health and provide information on the risk factors of heart disease as well as tips for prevention.
To learn more about women's heart health, make a donation or to support the cause by shopping HSN's Red Store, visit HSN.com keyword: Heart Truth and follow @HSN on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
HSN is a leading interactive multi-channel retailer, offering a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names to its customers. HSN incorporates entertainment, inspiration, personalities and industry experts to provide an entirely unique shopping experience. At HSN, customers find exceptional selections in Health & Beauty, Jewelry, Home/Lifestyle, Fashion/Accessories, and Electronics. HSN broadcasts live to 96 million households in the US in HD 24/7 and its website – HSN.com - is a top 10 most trafficked e-commerce site, featuring more than 16,000 product videos. Mobile applications include HSN apps for iPad, iPhone and Android. HSN, founded 35 years ago as the first shopping network, is an operating segment of HSN, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSNI). For more information, please visit HSN.com, or follow @HSN on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
The Heart Truth and The Red Dress are registered trademarks of HHS. Red Dress is a service mark of HHS. National Wear Red Day is a registered trademark of HHS and AHA.
Participation by HSN and its partners does not imply endorsement by HHS/NIH/NHLBI.
©2013 The Coca-Cola Company. The Heart Truth and its logo are trademarks of HHS. Red DressSM is a service mark of HHS. Participation by HSN and Coca-Cola does not imply endorsement by HHS/NIH/NHLBI.
The Internet of Things is tied together with a thin strand that is known as time. Coincidentally, at the core of nearly all data analytics is a timestamp. When working with time series data there are a few core principles that everyone should consider, especially across datasets where time is the common boundary. In his session at Internet of @ThingsExpo, Jim Scott, Director of Enterprise Strategy & Architecture at MapR Technologies, discussed single-value, geo-spatial, and log time series data. By focusing on enterprise applications and the data center, he will use OpenTSDB as an example t...
May. 29, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 6,423
We’re entering a new era of computing technology that many are calling the Internet of Things (IoT). Machine to machine, machine to infrastructure, machine to environment, the Internet of Everything, the Internet of Intelligent Things, intelligent systems – call it what you want, but it’s happening, and its potential is huge. IoT is comprised of smart machines interacting and communicating with other machines, objects, environments and infrastructures. As a result, huge volumes of data are being generated, and that data is being processed into useful actions that can “command and control” thi...
May. 29, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 700
All major researchers estimate there will be tens of billions devices - computers, smartphones, tablets, and sensors - connected to the Internet by 2020. This number will continue to grow at a rapid pace for the next several decades. With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo, June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be
May. 29, 2015 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,115
Scott Jenson leads a project called The Physical Web within the Chrome team at Google. Project members are working to take the scalability and openness of the web and use it to talk to the exponentially exploding range of smart devices. Nearly every company today working on the IoT comes up with the same basic solution: use my server and you'll be fine. But if we really believe there will be trillions of these devices, that just can't scale. We need a system that is open a scalable and by using the URL as a basic building block, we open this up and get the same resilience that the web enjoys.
May. 29, 2015 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 6,925
We are reaching the end of the beginning with WebRTC, and real systems using this technology have begun to appear. One challenge that faces every WebRTC deployment (in some form or another) is identity management. For example, if you have an existing service – possibly built on a variety of different PaaS/SaaS offerings – and you want to add real-time communications you are faced with a challenge relating to user management, authentication, authorization, and validation. Service providers will want to use their existing identities, but these will have credentials already that are (hopefully) i...
May. 29, 2015 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 4,266
SYS-CON Events announced today that MetraTech, now part of Ericsson, has been named “Silver Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY. Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society- a world leader in communications infrastructure, software and services. Some 40% of the world’s mobile traffic runs through networks Ericsson has supplied, serving more than 2.5 billion subscribers.
May. 29, 2015 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,458
Thanks to widespread Internet adoption and more than 10 billion connected devices around the world, companies became more excited than ever about the Internet of Things in 2014. Add in the hype around Google Glass and the Nest Thermostat, and nearly every business, including those from traditionally low-tech industries, wanted in. But despite the buzz, some very real business questions emerged – mainly, not if a device can be connected, or even when, but why? Why does connecting to the cloud create greater value for the user? Why do connected features improve the overall experience? And why do...
May. 29, 2015 12:42 PM EDT Reads: 311
SYS-CON Events announced today that O'Reilly Media has been named “Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participa...
May. 29, 2015 12:30 PM EDT Reads: 761
SYS-CON Events announced today that BMC will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. BMC delivers software solutions that help IT transform digital enterprises for the ultimate competitive business advantage. BMC has worked with thousands of leading companies to create and deliver powerful IT management services. From mainframe to cloud to mobile, BMC pairs high-speed digital innovation with robust IT industrialization – allowing customers to provide amazing user experiences with optimized IT per...
May. 29, 2015 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 921
Imagine a world where targeting, attribution, and analytics are just as intrinsic to the physical world as they currently are to display advertising. Advances in technologies and changes in consumer behavior have opened the door to a whole new category of personalized marketing experience based on direct interactions with products. The products themselves now have a voice. What will they say? Who will control it? And what does it take for brands to win in this new world? In his session at @ThingsExpo, Zack Bennett, Vice President of Customer Success at EVRYTHNG, will answer these questions a...
May. 29, 2015 12:13 PM EDT Reads: 340
The 4th International Internet of @ThingsExpo, co-located with the 17th International Cloud Expo - to be held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA - announces that its Call for Papers is open. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the biggest idea since the creation of the Worldwide Web more than 20 years ago.
May. 29, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,760
The Internet of Things is a misnomer. That implies that everything is on the Internet, and that simply should not be - especially for things that are blurring the line between medical devices that stimulate like a pacemaker and quantified self-sensors like a pedometer or pulse tracker. The mesh of things that we manage must be segmented into zones of trust for sensing data, transmitting data, receiving command and control administrative changes, and peer-to-peer mesh messaging. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Ryan Bagnulo, Solution Architect / Software Engineer at SOA Software, focused on desi...
May. 29, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,025
An entirely new security model is needed for the Internet of Things, or is it? Can we save some old and tested controls for this new and different environment? In his session at @ThingsExpo, New York's at the Javits Center, Davi Ottenheimer, EMC Senior Director of Trust, reviewed hands-on lessons with IoT devices and reveal a new risk balance you might not expect. Davi Ottenheimer, EMC Senior Director of Trust, has more than nineteen years' experience managing global security operations and assessments, including a decade of leading incident response and digital forensics. He is co-author of t...
May. 29, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,706
The multi-trillion economic opportunity around the "Internet of Things" (IoT) is emerging as the hottest topic for investors in 2015. As we connect the physical world with information technology, data from actions, processes and the environment can increase sales, improve efficiencies, automate daily activities and minimize risk. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Ed Maguire, Senior Analyst at CLSA Americas, will describe what is new and different about IoT, explore financial, technological and real-world impact across consumer and business use cases. Why now? Significant corporate and venture...
May. 29, 2015 10:50 AM EDT Reads: 377
While great strides have been made relative to the video aspects of remote collaboration, audio technology has basically stagnated. Typically all audio is mixed to a single monaural stream and emanates from a single point, such as a speakerphone or a speaker associated with a video monitor. This leads to confusion and lack of understanding among participants especially regarding who is actually speaking. Spatial teleconferencing introduces the concept of acoustic spatial separation between conference participants in three dimensional space. This has been shown to significantly improve comprehe...
May. 29, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,191
Today’s enterprise is being driven by disruptive competitive and human capital requirements to provide enterprise application access through not only desktops, but also mobile devices. To retrofit existing programs across all these devices using traditional programming methods is very costly and time consuming – often prohibitively so. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Jesse Shiah, CEO, President, and Co-Founder of AgilePoint Inc., discussed how you can create applications that run on all mobile devices as well as laptops and desktops using a visual drag-and-drop application – and eForms-buildi...
May. 29, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,465
There will be 150 billion connected devices by 2020. New digital businesses have already disrupted value chains across every industry. APIs are at the center of the digital business. You need to understand what assets you have that can be exposed digitally, what their digital value chain is, and how to create an effective business model around that value chain to compete in this economy. No enterprise can be complacent and not engage in the digital economy. Learn how to be the disruptor and not the disruptee.
May. 29, 2015 09:45 AM EDT Reads: 663
The enterprise market will drive IoT device adoption over the next five years. In his session at @ThingsExpo, John Greenough, an analyst at BI Intelligence, division of Business Insider, will analyze how companies will adopt IoT products and the associated cost of adopting those products. John Greenough is the lead analyst covering the Internet of Things for BI Intelligence- Business Insider’s paid research service. Numerous IoT companies have cited his analysis of the IoT. Prior to joining BI Intelligence, he worked analyzing bank technology for Corporate Insight and The Clearing House Pay...
May. 29, 2015 09:36 AM EDT Reads: 414
The Domain Name Service (DNS) is one of the most important components in networking infrastructure, enabling users and services to access applications by translating URLs (names) into IP addresses (numbers). Because every icon and URL and all embedded content on a website requires a DNS lookup loading complex sites necessitates hundreds of DNS queries. In addition, as more internet-enabled ‘Things' get connected, people will rely on DNS to name and find their fridges, toasters and toilets. According to a recent IDG Research Services Survey this rate of traffic will only grow. What's driving t...
May. 29, 2015 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,213
With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing IoT strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @ThingsExpo in Silicon Valley. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is as "IoT-Ready" as it can be! Internet of @ThingsExpo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with 17th Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the most profound change in personal an...
May. 29, 2015 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,503


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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
‘What Happens in Vegas’
Source: CSP Daily NewsBy Angel Abcede, Greg Lindenberg
Entrepreneur exits c-store business with sale of 11 City Stop stores to S&S Fuels
LAS VEGAS -- "As I exit the c-store business to devote more of my energies into other development opportunities, I'm pleased to place my company in such capable hands," City Stop president Bruce Familian--an entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience developing real estate in Nevada and California--said upon the announcement of the sale of City Stop's 11 convenience stores to S&S Fuels LLC of Littleton, Colo.
Preet S. Puri, managing member and principal owner of S&S Fuels, said he believes the acquisition will be a great addition to his business. "City Stop is a first-class operation in all respects--prime real estate, fantastic stores, solid financials and a skilled and devoted management team and employees from the store level on up, all of whom we hope to retain. We're delighted to be entering the Las Vegas market with such a strategically placed and strong portfolio," Puri said.
"S&S will be able to take [the stores] to the next level; something we weren't able to do," Familian told CSP Daily News. "That's what they bring to the table."
He and Athey will stay on in a couple of capacities. Familian said he will be the point person for S&S in Las Vegas, helping the company grow in that market. Then he and Athey will continue supplying the gaming portion of the chain's business. Familian said he and Athey developed a gaming-supply company to which they intend to devote more of their energies going forward.
The City Stop deal was "exceptional" because of Familian and his background as a real-estate developer, Dennis Ruben, executive managing director of NRC Realty & Capital Advisors LLC, told CSP Daily News. "These were high-end, dynamic properties in prime locations in [growing] residential areas," Ruben said. "There was strong interest, and if [S&S] didn't do the deal, there were others in the ring."
NRC served as the exclusive financial advisor to City Stop during the private placement sale.
Pointing to Familian's instincts as a developer, Ruben said Familian understood the value of land. Familian said he knew "where you needed to be to grow in the Las Vegas market."
Familian said he would lock up five-to-10-acre lots and develop the property, using the c-store as the center.
Moving forward, Familian said that despite the economy in
To see a list of convenience stores for sale and gas stations for sale, click here.


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At a time when the ranks of quad-core Android devices are swelling rapidly, Intel is trying to find its feet in this highly competitive market with its single-core “Medfield” Atom chip. But Mike Bell, GM of Intel's Mobile and Communications Group, does not view Medfield’s current lack of multiple CPU cores as a cause for concern.
If you’re a PC hipster who loves his quad core CPU we have bad news for you, Intel has officially declared that multi-core processors have gone mainstream. The announcement was made by Intel’s chief technology officer Justin Rattner, to a captive audience at their annual Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco last week.
Think of all the things you could do with a 100-core processor, or even a 1,000-core processor. Climb the ranks of Maximum PC's Folding@Home team! Encode videos like a boss! Run Crysis! Ah, if only it was as easy as piling on more cores for exponential performance gains. There's more to it than that, and a couple of researchers from North Carolina University say they've developed a pair of techniques that will help maximize the performance of multi-core processors by allowing them to retrieve data more efficiently.
On the surface, asking Intel to manufacture a 16-core Atom processor sounds like an odd request. But that's exactly what Microsoft has done. Not for Windows on the home desktop front, mind you, but for use in servers, ComputerWorld reports.
According to one Microsoft executive, low-power processors like Intel's Atom chip and AMD's Bobcat present a "huge opportunity" to tackle energy consumption woes. Even though these chips weren't really developed with server tasks in mind, they're more energy efficient at some server workloads than Xeon processors, says Dileep Bhandarkar, an engineer with Microsoft's Global Foundation Services
"I think Intel is going to have to do it at some point. We're seeing more of the ARM guys going after the server market and just to compete on power performance per watt, Intel is going to have to rely on the Atom CPU," said Linley Gwennap, founder and principal analyst at The Linley Group.
While that's true for ARM, Microsoft is hesitant to move away from x86. Bhandarkar said Microsoft would consider using ARM-based servers "if ARM can show [Microsoft] enough value over an x86 solution...but there has to be a clear performance benefit."
Let's get a few things straight -- there aren't any 1,000 processors on the horizon, there's no such chip on Intel's processor roadmap, and we've yet to really tap into the computing power of today's multi-core architectures. Got it? Great, let's move on.
Despite the above disclaimers, Intel engineer Timothy Mattson was more than willing to sit and talk with ZDNet about what it would take to build such a monstrous CPU. Here's some of what he had to say:
"The challenge this presents to those of us in parallel computing at Intel is, if our fabs could build a 1,000-core chip, do we have an architecture in hand that could scale that far? And if built, could that chip be effectively programmed?
"The architecture used on the 48-core chip could indeed fit that bill. I say that since we don't have cache coherency overhead. Message-passing applications tend to scale at worst as the diameter of the network, which runs roughly as the square root of the number of nodes on the network. So I can say with confidence we could scale the architecture used on the SCC to 1,000 cores."
Mattson went on to say that as far as programming goes, that too is feasible "as a cluster on a chip using a message-passing API."
AMD has had a tough time keeping up with Intel in terms of performance per core, but if all you’re looking at is price per core they have a definitive advantage over the competition. Instead of focusing their efforts on driving up clock speeds they are now putting more emphasis on increasing the number of cores they can fit on a single die.
In a blog posting titled, “Cores – More is Better”, AMD’s John Fruehe, Director of Product Marketing for Server/Workstation revealed classified shipment data, and according to Fruehe people are obsessed with cores. "In looking through sales data for the first half of 2010, 12-core processors clearly outsold their 8-core counterparts – by a wide margin. I was expecting that there would be a slight bias towards the 12-core, but I figured there were plenty of applications where the extra clock speed of an 8-core might be popular," Fruehe wrote. "Apparently I was wrong, customers are voting with their budgets, and cores matter."
Software developers are starting to catch on to the trend by offering more and more multi-threaded applications, an approach that would clearly favor AMD’s strategy of increasing the core count above all else. The upcoming AMD Bulldozer architecture will feature chips with up to 16 cores, a product that will likely fill a valuable niche in the virtual server market.
What do you think will ultimately be more valuable, more speed per core or more cores per die?
Intel recently scrapped plans to launch Larrabee-based discrete graphics products while hinting that the multi-core GPU technology still holds promise as far as high-performance computing goes. It today unveiled plans to launch a new line of products, based on its Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture, to cater to the needs of various HPC segments.
The announcement implies that all the time and effort spent on Larrabee hasn't gone down the drain since the MIC architecture is itself based on a bunch of Intel projects, including Larrabee and the Single-chip Cloud Computer.
It should be very clear to anyone familiar with the Single-chip Cloud Computer (SCC) – a research microprocessor containing 48 Intel Architecture cores, that a commercial product derived from it is almost bound to feature a ridiculous number of cores. Indeed, the first offering in the new line will feature 50 cores on a single chip. Knights Core, as the chip is codenamed. will be made on a 22nm process.
"Intel's Xeon processors, and now our new Intel® Many Integrated Core architecture products, will further push the boundaries of science and discovery as Intel accelerates solutions to some of humanity's most challenging problems," said Kirk Skaugen, vice president and general manager of Intel's Data Center Group.
It’s a pretty good question, and we really don’t have a ton of ideas. There might not be a lot of real world use cases for a 48-core setup, but maybe you could come up with a few if the price was right. Like for instance, if AMD would give you those 48 cores if you came up with a good one. Well, that’s just what they’re doing.
AMD wants people to submit essays, videos, or blog posts explaining how they’d use a monster 48 core server to “make the world a better, more interesting place”. The contest is seemingly meant to promote the upcoming Magny-Cours based Opteron CPUs AMD will be releasing this quarter. If you can come up with the best idea, AMD will provide you with four new AMD Opteron 6174 12-core CPUs, a TYAN S8812 motherboard, and a copy of Windows Server 2008.
So what'll it be? Super powered Folding@home box to cure cancer? Rendering farm for underprivileged, inner-city video producers? Check out the full rules here before you formulate any plans. Anyone planning on submitting an entry? Drop us a line if you win…
Intel’s graphics offerings have traditionally been a little lackluster, but that could be about to change. Intel has reportedly informed its corporate partners that the new Sandy Bridge CPUs will be available by year’s end, and will pack a significant graphics performance increase. Intel is claiming as much as a doubling of performance. A “doubling” compared to what is currently unclear, but one could assume Intel is referring to the current Nehalem architecture.
The Sandy Bridge parts will be based on a 32nm manufacturing process and will have an on die graphics processor. The CPU core will be capable of clocks up to 4GHz and some models will have eight cores. ATI and Nvidia plan to move to 28nm graphics cores, which would leave Intel the only purveyor of 32nm cores.
We’d all love to see a doubling of performance over the poor Intel HD graphics found in the current Nehalem line. Only time will tell if this is just more wild speculation.
Tilera today announced its new TILE-GX line of processors, including the TILE-Gx100, the world's first 100-core CPU. According to Tilera, the 100-core part offers the highest performance of any processor on the planet by at least a factor of four.
"The launch of the TILE-Gx family, including the world's first 100-core microprocessor, ushers in a new era of many-core processing. We believe this next generation of high-core count, ultra high-performance chips will open completely new computing possibilities," said Omid Tahernia, Tilera's CEO.
While the 100-core part is not meant to run Crysis (so please don't ask) or any other desktop application, it does offer 10 times the performance per watt as Intel's fastest Nehalem-based server chips. Assuming Tilera can convince customers to switch from Intel and Texas Instruments, The TILE-Gx100 will likely end up in data centers powering cell phone network equipment and cloud computing ventures.
Tilera says its 100-core chip will start shipping in Q4 of this year.


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|Pakistan imports from India||Value||Year|
|Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers||$6.87M||2020|
|Inorganic chemicals, precious metal compound, isotope||$3.35M||2020|
What does Pakistan import from India?
Other major Pakistani imports from India that year included plastic ($131.19 million), tanning/dyeing extracts ($114.48 million), and nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery, and mechanical appliances ($94.88 million).
What products does India export to Pakistan?
In 2018-19, cotton and organic chemicals accounted for around half of Indian export to Pakistan. Other major items included plastic, tanning/dyeing extracts, and nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery, and mechanical appliances.
Are Indian products sold in Pakistan?
Federal board of revenue Chairman Shabbar Zaidi confirmed that Indian products are being imported to Pakistan through the ports of other countries. Several such cases have been registered and strict action will be taken against those involved in illegal imports of Indian products, Zaidi said.
Does India import salt from Pakistan?
Pardeep Sehgal, a trader who used to import rock salt, said Indian traders were procuring rock salt at Rs 2 per kg from Pakistan. … The Indian government has raised the customs duty on the import of goods from Pakistan by 200 per cent following the attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama on February 14.
Does India import rice from Pakistan?
India is the world’s biggest exporter of rice and China is the biggest importer. … China’s traditional suppliers, such as Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Pakistan, have limited surplus supplies for export and were quoting at least $30 per tonne more compared with Indian prices, according to Indian rice trade officials.
Is India cheaper than Pakistan?
Pakistan is 7.1% cheaper than India.
Can we export from India to Pakistan?
Yes, India allows all goods to be exported to Pakistan, except for a list of items that India has banned from being exported to all countries (http://220.127.116.11/exim/2000/NOT/itc(hs)/Eschedule2.pdf).
Does India export cars to Pakistan?
At 5.74 lakh passenger vehicle units exported by India in 2014-2015, the number is 4 times that of total vehicles produced and sold in Pakistan. … No comparison with India,” said a member of the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA), who wished to remain unnamed in this report.
Which products India imports most?
India main imports are: mineral fuels, oils and waxes and bituminous substances (27 percent of total imports); pearls, precious and semi-precious stones and jewelry (14 percent); electrical machinery and equipment (10 percent); nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances (8 percent); and organic …
Which product is highly demanded in India?
Other items that are in high demand of online buyers are mobile phones, consumer electronics, footwear, food and health supplements, beauty products, kitchen and home furnishings, fashion accessories, jewelry, books, toys and video games, handmade goods, and online subscriptions.
Which product is highly imported in India?
Top 10 imports of India
Gold (5.9%) Petroleum products (5.8%) Coal, coke and briquettes (4.7%) Pearl, precious and semi-precious stones (4.7%)
Which Indian product is famous in Pakistan?
Petroleum, crude & products are imported by India and it costs 48.87 Million (US Dollars). Cement is also imported by India because Pakistan produces one of the best quality cement. companies like Cherat, Fecto and others are well-known industries of cement in Pakistan.
Does India export tomato to Pakistan?
This has seen India’s tomato exports to Pakistan fall from Rs 368 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 10,000 until January in 2018-19, according to the Indian Ministry of Commerce website.


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ELMIRA HEIGHTS, N.Y. (WETM) – “We have the best selling glass on the planet Mars!” Community Glass Inc. Co-Owner Patrick Crouse said.
When you drive through Elmira Heights on W. 17th St., you may find a hidden gem that makes glass products found at the bottom of the ocean and all the way to Mars.
Community Glass Inc. is a family owned glass manufacturer in Chemung County. Founded in 1985, the company produces various products, including glass connectors, which are found in everything from ventilators to the Mars Rover Perseverance.
“Instead of trying to break our way into the industry, the industry is coming to us,” Co-Owner Mike Crouse said.
The company created new types of glass that can withstand harsh environments, such as extreme heat, cold, and pressure. They serve a variety of industries such as petrochemical, medical, aerospace, defense, and military.
“Wherever a technical signal is sent, received or data power transmission is taking place, we manufacture the glass that goes into it. It’s controlling electronic signals and the glass has to be able to withstand extreme pressures, extreme temperatures, thermal shock, and electricity,” Co-Owner Patrick Crouse added.
Patrick and his father Mike have been working in this industry for decades. Their company is small but mighty. Employing fewer than 12 people, they create and build millions of parts every year.
Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the company was busy filling orders for ventilators to be used in hospitals.
“We were hit with a request for a ventilator application and I think we turned it around in less than a week. We had to build a tool, manufacture the products and ship it out the door,” Patrick Crouse said.
Community Glass is an industry leader, innovating new technologies to create a stronger and more efficient product. Major companies and other manufacturers are noticing the hard work they are putting into their glass, including defense contractors and aerospace giant Raytheon Technologies.
For the father and son team, family values and community are at the core of their business. They are proud to call Elmira Heights home.
“We empower our people, growing and sharing and learning how to work together,” Mike Crouse added.
“Chemung County is where we want to grow the business and where we’re looking to expand. We’re trying to grow all the different parts of our business,” Patrick Crouse continued.
For Mike Crouse who founded the company decades ago, he is proud to have watched it evolve, but even more proud the business will stay in his family.
“It draws tears to my eyes. To know they have accomplished this and are part of this, what a feeling. I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of Patrick that he feels the same way that I do,” Mike Crouse concluded.
To view an extended version of our story, click the video below.


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Gaming Corps has today signed an agreement with Rootz Ltd for the distribution of casino slots via aggregator. Primary markets for Rootz Ltd are Germany, Norway, Finland and Canada.
Gaming Corps hereby announces a new partnership with Rootz Ltd, signed today. Gaming Corps will provide iGaming products which will be made available to the market via online casino Wildz. Additional online casinos may be added at a later time within the framework of this agreement. Gaming Corps’ casino slots will be distributed to Roots Ltd via aggregator.
When the integration with Rootz Ltd has been completed and Gaming Corps’ games are available on Wildz, the Wildz logo will be added to the Partnership page.
For more information on Wildz, please visit: www.wildz.com


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Mercedes-Benz is due to launch the next-generation E-Class soon, though it isn’t happening this year (if you’re reading this in 2022). In fact, the automaker isn’t just done yet with the E-Class’ development as another prototype has been spotted on public German roads, courtesy of walkoARTvideos on YouTube.
Wearing less camouflage wrapping than before and light body color, the spy video shows clear changes to the E-Class’ side profile. Apart from the slight deviation from the current silhouette, the character lines are also different. The continuous line that connects the headlight and the taillamps is now broken by the middle section, somehow giving emphasis to the fenders.
Another design change to expect is the door handles, which are now recessed a la the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Unlike the previous sighting (see gallery above) that wore a set of 15-inch wheels on high-profile tires, the recent spy video shows an E-Class equipped with a generic set of black rims.
The front and rear fascias of the prototype are still heavily camouflaged at this point, so we’re expecting a lot of changes in these sections at launch. It won’t be wrong to say that there will be styling cues coming from the S-Class flag bearer.
Needless to say, the cabin of next-gen E-Class will also get a heavy revamp. Our spies have seen a production prototype’s interior before, showing an all-new layout for the dashboard. While some parts were still covered, the massive big center screen was caught out in the open, resembling what you’ll see in the Mercedes EQE. The entire dashboard is expected to be covered by glass to match the other new Mercs in the lineup. Sources say the 11.9-inch screen from the C-Class will be standard in the new E-Class, with the 12.9-inch OLED screen from the S-Class available as an option.
The next-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class is expected to be revealed during the first half of 2023, likely arriving later in showrooms as a 2024 model.


text: The move, announced Thursday, would essentially split the business in half in terms of profits, with top brands like Dairy Milk chocolate and Halls on one side and Dr Pepper and 7 UP staring across from the other. News of the split comes in the same week as notorious investor Nelson Peltz took almost three per cent of Cadbury Schweppes' shares, a double-whammy that has prompted a furore of speculation about the UK-based firm's future. Todd Stitzer, Cadbury chief executive, said the separation would help each division focus on "further revenue growth, increasing margin and enhancing returns for their respective shareowners". Analysts in the UK have questioned Cadbury repeatedly in recent years over its plans for its US soft drinks arm, Americas Beverages. Rumours of a possible sale grew more intense after the group sold off its European soft drinks division, including the Orangina brand, for £1.4bn at the start of 2006. Cadbury has privately described the US business as a "cash cow", generating high revenue that can be farmed into investment for the confectionery and chewing gum divisions. One analyst said the firm may have made the final decision on a split after a series of shareholder meetings. The company spoke to shareholders representing around 40 per cent of its shares, following its preliminary results announcement on 20 February. Cadbury's Stitzer said the group had reviewed the US beverages division throughout 2006. It has increased its ability to stand independently, he said, after acquiring several third party bottlers for 7UP and Dr Pepper last year. Americas Beverages now controls production and distribution for around 40 per cent of its volumes. At the same time, the firm found significant opportunities for higher margins and sales in global confectionery, it said. Confectionery sales have grown five per cent annually for the last three years, and gum sales have increased 10 per cent in that time. So what happens now? Julian Lakin, analyst at Mirabaud Securities, questioned how much extra value could be gained by the split. "I don't think it's a case of two plus two equals five, probably more something like two plus two equals 4.2." Lakin added it was possible one, or perhaps even both, of the businesses could be subject to a takeover offer. "Some people in private equity might be invited by the cash flow of the beverage business." The future role of Nelson Peltz may also be a factor in Cadbury's development. Peltz, who heads Trian, a US-based hedge fund, is renowned in finance as an activist shareholder and has previously attempted to make changes at another multinational food group, Heinz.


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Instead of the ?up to? phrase, Sen. Paolo Benigno ?Bam? Aquino wants telecommunication companies to put average minimum Internet speed on all forms of advertisements so as not to mislead subscribers.
“We are pushing changes in advertising. It would be good for our consumers if what is communicated is clearer,” said Aquino, after the hearing of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship on the slow and expensive Internet connection in the country.
During the hearing, Aquino said part of the consumers’ dissatisfaction is that flyers and other advertisements claim speeds of up to between 5 to 10 Mbps but experience just the average when they subscribed.
“Why can’t we just advertise the average speed? The one that I will get for 24 hours of the day rather than the one that I will get three or four hours of the day,” Aquino asked.
“In the same way, we ask people selling products to just share the common experience rather than the special experience,” he added.
The senator also wants the average minimum speed to be printed in large fonts instead of fine print so consumers will be properly informed of what they are getting from Internet providers.
Department of Justice (DOJ) assistant secretary Geronimo Sy supported Aquino’s call, saying the agency did the same with the budget promo fares by airlines years ago.
“It’s a no-brainer for telcos to actually adjust their advertising,” said Sy, head of the DOJ’s Office of Competition.
Sy also promised the committee to issue an advisory to telcos to put average Internet speeds on their advertisements.
In addition, Aquino will push for the amendment of a 78-year-old law making Internet a basic service, giving government greater control over pricing and quality.
“We’ll push for the amendment of Public Service Act which is a 1936 law. We’re talking about the high-tech information age and we’re still using a 1936 law,” said Aquino.
Aquino also called on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to check if indeed congestion is the main cause of slow Internet.
Aquino would also push for added budget for NTC for purchase of added equipment to monitor the Internet service in the country.


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Rolex has reopened its headquarters and production sites in Switzerland, the company confirmed to WatchPro today, after all security measures recommended by the Swiss government had been put in place to ensure the safety of employees.
Manufacturing stopped on March 16, and Rolex has been preparing its sites for reopening since April 29 when the company said it was working towards “a gradual opening in the near future”.
Returning today means 60 days of production have been lost, and it looks like that manufacturing will not return to full capacity immediately as social distancing advice remains in place in Switzerland.
The country has been comparatively successful at limiting the spread and number of deaths to Coronavirus, which has allowed many watchmakers to return to production including Patek Philippe, Breitling, Swatch Group brands and LVMH brands. Production for most Richemont maisons remains highly restricted, according to the managing director of Montblanc Watches.
Rolex’s forced closure for 60 days represents 16.4% of its year and likely to rob the market of over 160,000 watches this year.
Rolex has released no additional details about when or if it will launch new models in 2020 and when distribution to its retail partners will return to normal.
Switzerland is well into a phased reopening of its economy.
On April 27, salons, florists and DIY shops were allowed to re-open with precautionary measures in place, such as the use of face masks.
Phase two began on Monday this week, with compulsory schools re-opened, as well as all shops and several leisure facilities. Restaurants and bars have opened with restrictions on numbers. Public transport is back to its full timetable.
Borders with neighbouring Germany, Austria and France are expected to fully reopen on June 15 and events, around the same time that larger gatherings will be permitted.
Events with more than 1,000 people will not be allowed until the end of August at the earliest.


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Samsung has announced the launch of a private blockchain system in a bid to increase the security for its smart devices. The name of this system is Knox Matrix and it is being presented as Samsung's revamp of its current security settings. The Knox Matrix solution will organise login tasks for all Samsung home devices while connecting them to the network. Meanwhile, the security system will also provide protection to the sensitive information that are circulating through other smart devices.
The Samsung Knox Matrix will share login credentials among all the devices connected to the same network and safeguard the devices against unauthorised access.
“Samsung Knox Matrix will function as a user's own private blockchain system, wherein your connected devices enhance security through multi-layered mutual monitoring. Whether your Samsung devices are based on Android, Tizen, or other OS, Samsung Knox Matrix will be able to provide a unified security SDK,” the South Korean giant said in an official statement.
With the launch of this blockchain security system, Samsung will make the security systems across all its devices uniform.
“With Samsung Knox Matrix, we envision that users need not compromise on their connectivity in order to stay protected. Samsung Knox Matrix is set to provide the devices within a user's ecosystem with fewer vulnerabilities through strong, diverse security practices,” the company's statement added.
For now, the company has not revealed detailed information on the working and blockchain dependency of this security system.
Samsung, in recent times, has been testing the Web3 waters with multiple initiatives linked to the sector.
Since Samsung launched the Galaxy S10, it added support for Bitcoin, Ethereum, ERC tokens, Tron (TRX), and TRC tokens to be held in its Blockchain Wallet.
The tech giant also allows Galaxy users to explore Decentralised Apps (dApps) that use blockchain technology to authenticate the exchange of digital assets.
Samsung is also moving briskly towards completing the development of its 3nm foundry processing chip, that would be able to facilitate the mining of Bitcoin.
As per August reports, Samsung is also exploring the idea of launching a full-fledged crypto exchange in South Korea next year.
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Birdman Didn’t Cop $8 Million Maybach Exelero
Back in May Cash Money records CEO Bryan “Birdman” Williams hinted via Twitter that he had purchased an $8 million Maybach Exelero, but according to the luxury car’s owner the vehicle remains for sale.
As previously reported, Birdman took to Twitter to boast of a new car purchase and after posting a picture of the $8 million 2005 concept car, posted the tweet,
“8million 0n a whip all red.blievetht.custom made.ymcmb.”
However, reps for the cars owner, Arnaud Massartic, recently deaded Birdman’s implied purchase telling MotorAuthority magazine that Baby’s cash money hasn’t made its way into his hands.
The car remains on sale.
The Maybach Exelero is a very rare concept car built in 2005.
The model is based on the Maybach 57 limo containing a twin turbo V12 and able to reach speeds of 0-60 in just over 4 seconds.


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NetherRealm just released a brand new Story-Based trailer for their upcoming game, Injustice 2 and this is Part 2 of their Shattered Alliances series where the focus is now on Batman and the team he’s recruiting to go against Superman.
There are some new characters involved in the trailer who will be added to the roster such as Green Lantern, Captain Cold and Green Arrow.
Players already confirmed for Injustice 2 are Swamp Thing, Doctor Fate, Cyborg, Blue Beetle, Batman, The Flash, Superman, Harley Quinn, Supergirl, Poison Ivy, Black Canary, Bane, Catwoman, Wonder Woman, Deadshot, Brainiac, Gorilla Grodd, Atrocitus, Cheeetah, Robin and Aquaman.
The target launch date for the game is May 16 of this year and will be available for PS4 and Xbox One, there’s also a mobile version of the game coming as well.
Here’s a look at the trailer below.
Hip-Hop Snob, Gamer and Sports Guru and the Big Cousin of the Gaming Illuminaughty.


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Cybersecurity has emerged as a top priority for every enterprise and government with the proliferation of digital technologies in recent times. The increasing scale, complexity and repercussions of cyberattacks of late have escalated the discourse around the issue.
The Data Security Council of India predicts that the Indian cybersecurity services industry will witness a compound annual growth rate of 21 per cent to reach $13.6 billion by 2025. The industry generated cumulative revenue of about $4.3 billion in 2019, and this is expected to reach $7.6 billion in 2022. According to McAfee, more than 58 per cent of Indian enterprises are going to be impacted by cybersecurity incidents in their businesses compared to Singapore at 42 per cent, Australia at 16 per cent and 75 per cent in New Zealand.
Besides, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, cybersecurity is gaining even greater attention from enterprises and governments. In a recent advisory, the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) highlighted that cybercriminals were taking advantage of the “new normal” brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic to lure internet users and steal sensitive data and information.
While companies are thwarting attacks from every sphere, they are also focusing on new measures to align IT and new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) with businesses.
A look at some of the initiatives taken by companies to address cybersecurity issues…
As a non-banking fintech company, DMI Finance relies on technology and innovation to revolutionise credit transmission in India. For better control and security, the company has adopted AI for the approval mechanism. Every approval is based on a historic event or a previous year’s request. The AI-based mechanism has improved cashflow visibility and helped keep a check on the compliance to be followed. This has helped the organisation to governance significantly improve. Remote work has been a challenge for the company amidst Covid-19 as there was no visibility of the data going out of the system. To this end, DMI did phishing simulation to help recognise threat actors masquerading as customers and to recognise frauds. Over the past one year, the company has been investing in restructuring the entire infrastructure to become a cloud-friendly organisation. Towards this end, DMI is looking at securing buckets, and managing internal end points and logging systems.
HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance
In a bid to fight malware, HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance uses AI and ML capabilities for document and ICR extraction, bots and risk analysis. In addition, the company has increased its reliance on intelligent analytics. It is offering a range of products, processes and services to reach out to customers. Further, the bank plans to use these capabilities for face match, signature match, voice match and voice-enabled capabilities. It is currently working on these initiatives and will be able to launch them soon. With rapid digitalisation on the charts, the bank relies on a simple yet robust architecture based on micro services to fuel innovation. As a company, it started the adoption of micro-ervice architecture in 2019. Micro-service architecture supports the ability to integrate and break down the functionality into manageable pieces of code. According to the bank, in terms of digital services, it has seen a higher adoption compared to the pre-Covid world. There has been an increase of around two times in payments through the online mode, close to 11 per cent increase in self-servicing through IVR (interactive voice response), and a multifold increase in the uptake on WhatsApp registration for servicing.
Having established a strong online presence, HDFC Life had a grave concern over the security posture. One of the major challenges that HDFC Life Insurance faced was to gain expertise to patch open vulnerabilities in legacy systems in a timely manner. The concern was not only about the possibility of application DDoS attacks leaving portals unavailable, thereby seriously impacting revenue, but also the constant exposure to DDoS attacks and new vulnerabilities. The company found a solution to its various challenges through Indusface app, Trana. This web application scanning solution can give accurate protection of known vulnerabilities using Indusface WAF, including custom rules to patch legacy systems. In addition, it is equipped with expert monitoring of web apps to detect and mitigate application DDoS attacks. This provides proof of vulnerability and extends support for the team to facilitate timely corrective action. The hybrid model ensures the best automated scanning, combined with manual testing, covering internal and external assessment of vulnerabilities.
To ensure security, the Indiabulls Group is rigorously scrutinising communication traffic at various levels. The company’s security operation centre is keeping a vigil on every potential threat to counter it appropriately. Besides the technology, human assets are being sensitised at regular intervals through Cybersecurity advisories. Further, the company adopted a seamless zero-trust network, virtual desktop infrastructure, thin clients, remote desktop gateway services and virtual private networks. While strategising the work-from-home (WFH) framework, Indiabulls scrutinised each and every aspect of cyber vulnerabilities, along with implementing security control mechanisms.
In a bid to secure the virtual WFH space, Info Edge is focusing more on software-based rather than appliance-based security to ensure uniform security across all end points without depending on the physical locations or IP addresses. According to the company, BYOD (bring your own device) can be widely adopted in the long run. However, this depends on the maturity of the company.
Airlines and airports are looking at new technologies and embracing AI to deliver contactless experience to customers. The aviation sector is shifting towards automation, with visible interactions of getting boarding passes and checking in bags. This has enabled customers to get the boarding pass through kiosks and web or apps. There are certain risks associated with the adoption of automation; for instance, if the app for issuing the boarding pass is not tested completely on all business logic aspects that are developed, it might turn into a vulnerability. This vulnerability could lead to data breach, thereby harming the digital brand. Going forward, the airline company believes that mobile interfaces can be secured with fingerprints, thus reducing vulnerability. That apart, the industry is trying to analyse behavioural biometrics to understand if the user is a genuine customer or a bot.
In January 2020, Paytm Payments Bank announced AI-driven security measures to safeguard users from fraudsters and protect their transactions. One of the new features analyses rogue apps on user devices, which might trigger fraudulent transactions and advises users to uninstall them. In addition, the bank is also leveraging AI to instantly detect suspicious transactions. Depending on the identified threat level of a transaction, AI either slows the transaction down or completely blocks the payment. The security feature will scan the apps installed on the user device and will pop up a security alert whenever a dangerous app is found that may put users’ accounts at risk.
The Indian cybersecurity services industry is growing twice as fast as the global market. However, while digitalisation has opened up cyberspace to manifold threats, it must also be seen as an untapped opportunity. A NASSCOM report identifies cybersecurity as one of the key growth levers for the Indian IT industry.
According to McAfee, cyber resiliency functions such as data protection, response and recovery planning, and response and recovery communications are the areas that the IT sector expects to be improve by 2021 in relation to their cybersecurity maturity levels.
In March 2020, the National Cyber Security Coordinator announced that the government is working on a new cybersecurity policy that would address all the issues related to the cyber ecosystem such as standardisation, testing, auditing and capacity building. While corporate India and citizens keenly await the new cybersecurity policy, it is hoped that it will provide robust protection for businesses and consumers and give them legal teeth to fight attackers.


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© 2017-2019 Coindoo by Brantell Media.
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Most Southeast Asian stock markets traded in a flat-to-lower range on Tuesday as hopes of a Sino-US trade deal subsided after Beijing indicated further talks were needed, while figures from China underlined the damage felt due to trade pressures.
Bloomberg on Monday reported that China wants more talks to hammer out details of the “phase one” trade deal outlined by US President Donald Trump, adding that Beijing may send a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to finalize a written deal.
Traders cautioned that sentiment is fragile as the US-China trade war remains a risk to global growth.
“The interpretations of what constitutes the trade deal … is different from both sides. China still wants to talk and the US thinks they had a deal on Friday,” Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst, Asia Pacific at OANDA said.
“There has not been a single detail published on the deal.”
Meanwhile, denting market sentiment further was data, which showed that factory gate prices in China, the biggest trading partner of Southeast Asia, contracted for the third straight month in September, weighed by slowing demand and a long drawn-out trade war with the United States.
Indonesian stocks edged higher after data showed that exports from Southeast Asia’s largest economy declined 5.74 percent on a yearly basis in September, but the figures came in better than Reuters’ expectations of 5.84 percent decline.
Financials accounted for majority of the losses in the index, with PT Central Bank Asia and PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk declining 0.7 percent and 1.1 percent each.
Vietnam stocks dipped 0.2 percent, dragged by real estate and utilities sectors.
Vietnam Dairy Products JSC and Vinhomes JSC declined 0.5 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. – Reuters


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While no business likes to lose 800,000 customers in the span of a few months, such a drop could pass for good news in the Netflix halls in these post price-hike days.
The company reported its U.S. subscriber ranks dropped to 23.79 million from 24.59 million the previous quarter. The losses weren’t quite as bad as Netflix’s earlier projections that it would lose 1 million customers.
Engadget reports 21.45 million of those customers subscribe to the streaming plan, while 13.93 million subscribers continue to get DVDs. Netflix also reported it lost more long-term customers than it expected.


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Epson has completed construction on a new inkjet printhead factory at its Hirooka Office in Shiojiri, Japan.
The factory will be used to produce PrecisionCore print chips and will begin operations in the 2018 fiscal year (ending 31 March, 2019), and will triple current PrecisionCore print chip production capacity.
Under its Epson 25 Corporate Vision, Epson is targeting the office, commercial, and industrial printing markets. In FY2017, the company released high-speed linehead inkjet multifunction office printers as a major part of its strategy to drive future growth. Epson will expand sales of high-capacity ink tank printers, which have been driving near-term growth, in both advanced and emerging economies. In FY2018, Epson plans to sell 9.5 million units—a 1.7-million-unit increase over FY2017.
In the commercial and industrial sectors, an accelerating shift from analog to digital solutions is expected to generate significant market growth for printers used for printing signage, textiles and product labels. Epson will continue to strengthen its lineup of commercial and industrial large-format printers, and will boost both its R&D and manufacturing capability.
The new factory will enable Epson to expand its presence in these markets in addition to bolstering its ability to handle an expected medium-range increase in demand for printheads.
By leveraging its production capacity, Epson also plans to rollout sales of its PrecisionCore printheads for large-format printers worldwide, and work with its partners to accelerate the shift to digital in commercial and industrial printing.


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A destination guide to Cuba
Havana’s 500th birthday sets the tone for a year of celebration
After decades of poverty, shortages and oppression, things are looking better for Cuba — both for the locals and for those of us lucky enough to visit this fascinating island. Here’s why.
When Obama initiated the Cuban thaw in 2014, US tourists flooded in, creating such unprecedented demand that you had to book accommodation six months in advance. Trump’s reversal of that detente has stemmed the flood, as have Hurricane Irma and those weird sonic attacks on American diplomats. That means lower prices, smaller crowds (especially outside Havana) and less of a scramble for rooms.
More boutique homestays
Cuba’s state-owned hotels used to set the world standard for mediocrity, and while things are improving — the new Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, in Havana,


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Need to escape to a local resort for the day but don’t want to stay overnight? Dallas-based Omni Hotels and Resorts is betting you do.
The hotel and resort company struck a partnership with ResortPass, a platform that allows hotels to rent out their amenities to guests on a daily basis the same way they rent rooms.
The companies are billing the partnership as opening up a “significant new revenue” channel for Omni Hotels. ResortPass boasts that listing on its service allows companies to maximize revenue from underutilized amenities like food and beverage offerings and pools.
ResortPass is also used by other hotel companies including Westin, Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott. Prices and available amenities vary across properties on the ResortPass website. At the Westin in downtown Austin, guests can reserve a chair at the pool for $100.
At the Omni in Las Colinas, guests can book a day pass for $40 per person and can reserve a cabana for up to seven people for $400 per day, according to ResortPass. In Frisco, guests can book a day pass at the Omni rooftop pool that overlooks The Star in Frisco and Cowboys headquarters for $25 per person.
“ResortPass gives us an opportunity to optimize our cabanas and pool-side amenities revenue in all channels and maximize revenue potential,” Omni senior director of revenue Chanaka Gamaethige said in a statement.
The partnership comes as the leisure and hospitality sector nationwide faces the reality of a long, bumpy recovery. Dallas-area hotels were still experiencing recession conditions at the start of the summer, according to a recent report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
Dallas-based Remington Hotels CEO Sloan Dean and other executives expressed tempered optimism at the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles, with Dean saying he expected a full recovery to take another year or two, according to Travel Weekly.
Omni Hotels and Resorts owns 50 hotels, 21 golf courses and 24 spas across North America, including four properties in Dallas-Fort Worth. The ResortPass platform currently includes around 600 hotels in 30 states.


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A lawmaker in the U.S. state of Oklahoma has proposed creating a state-chartered financial institution that, if approved, would serve as "the central depository for virtual currency used by governmental agencies in this state."
The measure, sponsored by state senator Nathan Dahm, seeks to provide a level of state-backed infrastructure for work done related to cryptocurrencies and blockchain. According to public records published via LegiScan, the proposed bill's introduction date is Feb. 3rd, indicating that the bill is at its earliest stages in development.
"This new financial institution shall be fully supported by blockchain technology and innovations. The new financial institution shall have the highest level of expertise with customer identification, anti-money laundering and beneficial ownership components," the bill notes, going on to further state:
"The new financial institution shall be designed to seamlessly integrate into existing banking and financial institution regulations that protect consumers while limiting regulations that restrict innovation and technological advances for new financial products, data transmissions and recordkeeping."
Even if passed, Dahm's bill wouldn't lead to the depository's creation overnight. Rather, it would empower Oklahoma's State Banking Department and the Department of Commerce to "coordinate and develop plans, make recommendations to the Legislature and establish requirements and a strategy" fo its launch. A report on the initiative would be due by July 1, 2021.
Even still, the bill strikes a lofty tone, seeking to establish the state as a welcoming place for businesses that work with the technology.
"Oklahoma is committing to partner with innovative technology, help develop next generation financial products, and safely grow unique technical and financial sectors in this state," it states.
Dahm filed a bill last February that seek to establish when a digital token constitutes a type of security. He was also a sponsor of a separate piece of legislation, ultimately approved and passed into law last April, establishing that "a record or contract that is secured through blockchain technology is considered to be in an electronic form and to be an electronic record."


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COVID-19 has affected international trade all over the world. We still do the regular daily job, lanch zoom meeting with customers.
How is life in China after COVID-19?
January 17, 2022
China was the first country impacted by COVID-19 and one of the most hit with a drop in business. Yet companies continued their work, and factories continued as much as possible.
While the outbreak of the pandemic affected business activities, we strive to keep business as usual while taking the required precautions. Trade shows are back again and at Tiroflx we are attending them all over China with the goal of finding the latest trends and products.


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Pitch “N” Pontiac Awards $15K Next WeekBy Amanda Lewan on August 25th, 2016 /
Next Wednesday, CEED Lending, an initiative of The Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, will be hosting Pontiac’s first live pitch competition on Wednesday, August 31st , 5:00 – 8:00PM, at the Pontiac Creative Arts Center, 47 Williams St., Pontiac, MI 48341.
Five Pontiac businesses will be pitching, presenting their businesses for the opportunity to win $15,000 and business services. For more than 30 years, CEED Lending has provided more than $6 Million in small business loans, counseling and coaching and is excited to offer the funding opportunity for these businesses.
“Pitch “N” Pontiac is a great event for the city of Pontiac. Providing business services to the contest winners will go a long way in helping them build a successful business, which in turn, aids the economic development in the area,” said Lysa Davis, Talmer Bank CRA Officer and Sponsor.
The local businesses pitching are below:
Vanessa Coleman, Pontiac Community Hospice (PCH), support services
James Forbes and April Forbes (H&W), Menagerie Kitchen, pop up restaurant/incubator kitchen
Carrie Hauser, Sprout Fresh Food Store, healthy food store
Evan Monaghan and Ashleigh Altemann, Plain and Fancy Food, food services company
Tanesha Taylor, Quest, Cheer, and Dance, dance and gymnastics studio


text: BUSINESS: Research + Stats Apple Dominates U.S. Smartphone Market By Staff Tuesday, March 28, 2023 1:52 PM Despite a wide range of smartphone options available to consumers, Apple remains the largest market shareholder in the U.S. According to a report from Oberlo, Apple now holds more than 55 percent of the smartphone market in the U.S. This means more than half of smartphones sold in the U.S. are Apple hardware. This is followed by Samsung, which has seen its market share grow to just over 29 percent, but is still well below Apple. Between the two companies, they control more than 85 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, or the equivalent of 8 out of 10 Americans. Samsung has managed to close the gap between itself and Apple. In 2011, Samsung’s market share was 9.12 percent, while Apple held 54 percent. Samsung saw its biggest market share growth between 2011 and 2014, where it grew from 9 percent to 25 percent. Coming in a distant third of the total U.S. market share today is Motorola, which has seen its market share fall to 4.9 percent, followed by Google at 2.17 and LG at 1.82 percent. Cell phone purchases are on the decline in recent years, as users hold onto their devices longer. According to International Data Corp, worldwide smartphone shipments declined 18.3 percent year over year to 300 units in the fourth quarter of 2022. This marks the largest-ever decline in a single quarter."We continue to witness consumer demand dwindle as refresh rates climb past 40 months in most major markets," said Anthony Scarsella, research director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "With 2022 declining more than 11 percent for the year, 2023 is set up to be a year of caution as vendors will rethink their portfolio of devices while channels will think twice before taking on excess inventory. However, on a positive note, consumers may find even more generous trade-in offers and promotions continuing well into 2023 as the market will think of new methods to drive upgrades and sell more devices, specifically high-end models," Scarsella said.


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A ForeSee Results study has revealed the top 25 companies for smartphone shopping satisfaction.
The results of a study that was performed throughout the entire holiday shopping season last year have just been revealed and have shown the dominant mobile commerce players in terms of customer satisfaction.
Amazon took the lead, but not by a very big distance, as Apple was only slightly behind it.
The ForeSee survey showed that Amazon provided the most customer satisfaction through its mobile commerce experience. In second place was Apple, which wasn’t much of a surprise, but the fact that Victoria’s Secret achieved third place did raise a few eyebrows. This is the first time that the lingerie retail company has been within the top five range in this study.
There were twenty five leading mobile commerce companies ranked by the survey based on satisfaction levels.
Other top performers in this mobile commerce study include QVC and NewEgg. According to Larry Freed, the chief executive of ForeSee, the reason that Amazon excelled over the rest is that “Both in the web and mobile they do a great job of being focused on the customer.” He went on to say that “They offer great selection with competitive — not the best, but competitive — prices.”
The information and insight provided by this mobile commerce research can be seen as an important example for other companies that are seeking to improve their customer satisfaction through smartphone and tablet use. This particular study looked into four key areas in order to assign a score so that the retailers could be ranked. They consisted of content, functionality, merchandise and price.
The report on the study pointed out the importance of making sure that a mobile commerce site seamlessly integrates with all of the other channels. The reason, according to Freed, is that customers don’t simply stick to one channel or another. They don’t think of shopping in such limited terms. Instead, they use them for different purposes. They could be in-store while they compare prices online or check that shop’s inventory, for instance. To provide the best customer satisfaction, all of those different channels must work together.


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Nowadays, being a semiconductor company is quite an ideal situation with skyrocketing demand and high growth potential.
Nevertheless, those companies are facing high challenges: despite their industrial plants operating in full capacity, they are not able to respond to the high demand, talent shortage and supply chain crisis. This shortage has a strong impact, especially on all industries that require chips and electronics. Due to the fact that this shortage delays production, some companies even think about internalizing chip design, because they can’t deal with the long delays.
How to explain this shortage: a lot of companies have deviated from their standard “just in time” way of producing things, deciding to stock up more semiconductors than needed, which naturally led to a gap between supply and demand. Also, a lot of companies have created deals to put more pressure on semiconductors factories by implementing a tax if the chips were not delivered at the right time. In October 2022, Joe Biden’s recent announcement about China, will create additional demand for non-chinese companies in the semiconductor industry. All these led to a crisis in the semiconductor world, making the latest front page news.
Semiconductors actors have to deal with this growing demand and today’s situation will most likely become the new-normal, due to the EU latest regulations regarding electric vehicles. Their market is projected to achieve $1trn by 2030, which means it will double its size (source: McKinsey). The automotive, computer, and wireless industries are expected to be the main drivers of growth over the next few years.
There is no short-term solution to deal with the current crisis, because this sector was already under pressure before the pandemic. Today with the crisis in Ukraine, new regulations regarding commercial relations with Asia, natural disasters and the shifting towards a greener transportation will most likely make the shortage to persist in the following years. Companies need to think about their growth in such a complicated context. One first important aspect to work on : relations with partners. The whole value chain has to be reworked, in order to be sure that the offer will meet the demand.
Agility is key to deal with higher volatility by investing towards projects and factories with more resilient supply chains, investing in new technologies such as IA or machine learning. Overall, to cope with his high demand, semiconductor companies should work on implementing advanced analytics to speed up the yield learning curve, for example, by bypassing the physical testing by combinatorial learning, it’s possible to produce more efficiently and quickly.
To cope with this new-normal high demand, leaders of the semiconductors' industry must work on increasing their production capacities also to meet shareholders’ expectations for high returns. In terms of CAPEX, it means a lot of investments, that, need to be done in an enlightened way in order to maximize value and ROI. Piloting those projects can be made easy by using a tool that leverages data and enables vertical and horizontal collaboration.


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The governor announced that, in addition to $10 million for governments and $5 million for small businesses, the state will be making $7 million available for homeowners to pay for damage not covered by insurance.
05/29/2017 09:52 PM
It's not your typical workout and it's certainly not an easy one. Monday, more than two dozen people took part in the "Murph" workout in DeWitt. But as our Alexa Green explains, it's the message behind it that has people pushing themselves to the limit.
Updated 05/29/2017 08:57 PM