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The present crisis provides Russia and India a great opportunity to increase bilateral trade. Source: Sergey Krasnouhov / RIA Novosti
Russia and India have received an unexpected opportunity to increase bilateral trade dramatically. Economic sanctions that the United States and the European Union are preparing against Russia, will force Moscow to reorient its trade to the East.
Over the last few years, Russian policy has been aimed at enhancing cooperation with countries in the Asia- Pacific region. In 2012 Russia held the APEC summit in Vladivostok, which laid the foundation for cooperation with these countries’ economies. The recent past has also witnessed exchanges of high level visits with China and India and. Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries in the region have also become important partners.
Now these initiatives will help preserve Moscow’s economic stability in the wake of potential sanctions by the U.S. and the EU. Moreover, New Delhi could become the main beneficiary as a result of this process, as Russia and India have a large reserve of trade relations that are significantly behind the former’s trade with China, despite the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
India will probably be the tastiest morsel in the world market for Russian companies and in the coming years. Moscow will be interested in a significant intensification of business cooperation with Delhi, says Maxim Pleshkov, a senior analyst at RusRating rating agency.
The first step was the creation of a special research group in order to study the issue of opening a free trade zone between India and the Customs Union in the beginning of March. Its objectives were the definition of the concept of the zone, its scope, the main areas of negotiation and the expected consequences for the participants’ economies. “Working on an FTA with India is a bit slower than it is with other partners for a very simple reason. India’s economy is significantly larger than that of New Zealand or even Vietnam, and in order to form the desired mandate of the joint study group, many issues should be explored,” a source in the Russian Ministry of Economic Development told RIR. “This work is being carried out, and soon the issue will be discussed in the Customs Union, which coordinates such processes.”
Analysts interviewed by RIR doubt that Moscow and New Delhi will be able to rapidly expand their energy trade – Russia's main export commodity. It is still possible for Russia to reorient its oil exports to the East. This requires 2-3 years, says the Rusenergy partner Michael Krutikhin. For this, it is necessary to expand the Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean project pipeline and its approaches. With gas, it is more difficult. “The solution is outrageously expensive,” Krutikhin said. However, it is obvious that if the conditions of supply to Europe become completely unbearable, Moscow can close its eyes to the excessive costs.wha
An expansion of trade in complex products from Russia is more likely. India may be interested in the Russian high-tech products, as well as its advanced technology. This applies primarily to weapons, ships for the Indian Navy, aircrafts, export of missile technology and joint development of missiles, as well as cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
Russian organizations may also participate in the creation and reconstruction of the Indian infrastructure, including the construction of national highways, underground, oil and gas pipelines. “The coal mining field and the engineering industry in India as well as various mutual investments have good potential. For example, India has participated in the reconstruction of the commercial port of Novorossiysk, Indian pharmaceutical companies have invested in the Russian pharmaceutical industry, processing of diamonds, textiles, tea, tobacco, and other agricultural products,” said RusRating’s Pleshkov.
The recent devaluation of the Russian rouble will assist in the expansion of trade. “Against the background of the Russian currency devaluation, a growth of Russia's trade with Asian countries in many segments of consumer products can be expected,” said General Director of Sovtransavtoekspeditsii Leonid Shliapnikov. He says this involves goods such as clothing, shoes, accessories, hardware, electronics and other household items. Moreover, he is confident that the growth will be in both the B2B-segment and B2C segment through e-commerce and catalog sales channels. However, India lags far behind China in the promotion of its own consumer goods in Russia. People in Russian know about them in connection with exotic practices, rather than the usual gadgets or appliances.
Experts believe that the cooling with the West will have some positive impact on the jewellery market in India. Russian companies own a substantial share of the global supplier’s market for nickel, gold, and platinum group metals. “Limiting the supply of platinum in the market may have a negative impact on the European automotive industry, as it will lead to higher prices for parts. There will be a positive impact on the agricultural sector, as Russia may have to also refocus its export of mineral fertilizers.”
All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
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Lacklustre economic growth, global trade wars and Brexit: bosses have had plenty of excuses for caution this year. But nobody told our nominees for Business Person of the Year, who have driven their companies forward despite these uncertainties.
The winner will be chosen from this shortlist — unless a strong alternative emerges from our readers — and revealed on December 30. You can email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Since quitting Goldman Sachs in 2000 to set up an online grocer, Steiner has divided opinion. Could a slick banker make it in retail? This year Steiner, 49, proved the doubters wrong with a blockbuster deal to sell technology to American store giant Kroger, powering Ocado into the FTSE 100.
It was another record-breaking pay…

domain: news


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The U.S. government is thinking about creating an electronic currency backed directly by the dollar, an idea dubbed the “digital dollar” or “Fedcoin.” Such a step could severely damage trust in the dollar and risk Americans’ privacy.
Blockchain technology has allowed countries across the world—most notably China—to create central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), which allow people to exchange money electronically without going through a bank or a secondary service such as PayPal or Venmo.
In a recent video, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced that the Fed intends to issue a discussion paper about the “benefits and risks associated with CBDC in the U.S. context.” While Powell’s statement was generally neutral, stressing the importance of taking time to assess “the broader risks and opportunities,” other oficials have more pointedly favored the idea. Fed Governor Lael Brainard endorsed a digital dollar at a recent conference sponsored by CoinDesk, and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) wrote in March that a CBDC could help create a more “fair and equitable financial system” by allowing unbanked Americans to pay electronically without a bank account, credit card, or internet connection.
CBDC boosters also argue that the currencies are more efficient, since transactions that use them would not have to travel through as many intermediaries. This, they say, could reduce the friction of international payments and make global transactions easier.
It’s not clear how big these benefits really are. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation reported in 2019 that only 5.4 percent of Americans lacked a bank account—a total that has been dropping rapidly. And we already have intermediaries, such as PayPal and Venmo, that can make international payments virtually instantaneous. Are these reasons enough to put Americans’ privacy at risk?
Paul Jossey, an adjunct fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says the potential impact of a CBDC on Americans’ financial privacy is “at best very scary.” At worst, he adds, it’s “nightmareville.”
China’s digital yuan shows how CBDCs could be a tool of government surveillance and control. “Unlike many anonymous and decentralized cryptocurrencies, [it] is monitored and backed by the [People’s Bank of China], affording China’s leadership supreme control over all transactions,” reports Asia Times. This “allows the Chinese government to integrate data collected on other platforms like the social credit system to generate a more detailed picture of individual users’ buying patterns.” In a video released by CGTN, a state-controlled media outlet, a fist with a symbol of the digital yuan punches the ground as a symbol of how the currency will be used to find and crush those who disobey the law.
The European Union has floated plans for a CBDC with “privacy anonymity vouchers,” which consumers could exchange to protect the privacy of their transactions. “But if you run out of vouchers, then that’s it,” says Jossey.
Meanwhile, tech writer Naomi Brockwell is worried that CBDCs could allow the government to “automatically deduct taxes,” “freeze funds more easily,” and “program money that sits in a bank account to become worthless if it sits too long in order to encourage spending.”
And while Powell and Brainard have been careful to say that CBDCs would not replace cash and other payment systems, some supporters of CBDCs have other ideas. Deutsche Banke, the largest banking institution in Germany, stated in a November 2020 report that “in the long term, central bank digital currencies will replace cash.” As Reason has pointed out on many different occasions, cash remains the only truly private form of transaction; a cashless society is a “pay-as-the-powers-at-be-will-let-you” society.
Competitive private sector organizations have at least some incentive to prioritize privacy, as we’ve seen in the cryptocurrency market. The federal government has…


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Weak demand and costs involved in shift to BS-IV engines are set to make matters worse for Hero MotoCorp, India's largest two-wheeler maker
Mumbai: Hero MotoCorp Ltd is set for a bumpy ride as unsold older models, rising raw material prices, and weak demand take their toll on profit in the coming quarters at India’s No.1 maker of motorcycles and scooters.
India switches to stricter Bharat Stage IV (BS-1V) emission norms from 1 April, when sale and registration of the more polluting BS-III vehicles will stop. Hero has a pile of them (as do other two-wheeler makers).
On average, the prices of BS-IV compliant scooters and motorcycles are expected to be Rs1,500 higher than the BS-III versions of the same models. With demand flagging, companies may not be able to pass on all of the additional cost to consumers.
“We expect margins for all two-wheeler companies to be under pressure at least for the next two quarters as a weak market prevents them from passing on the entire cost hike in one shot," said Nitesh Sharma, an analyst at Phillip Capital India Ltd.
Hero MotoCorp, which sells one in every two two-wheelers sold in the country, will be hit hard, he added.
“Our channel checks reveal Hero has an inventory of BS-III models for two months," said Sharma.
A Hero dealer confirmed this. “Inventories are on a higher side definitely and with the financial year coming to an end, I don’t see it correcting any time soon."
The government’s move to invalidate higher-value currency notes on 8 November hit sales of two-wheelers, especially in rural areas where most of the sales are in cash. In the three months ended December, Hero MotoCorp sold 12% fewer vehicles than in the year-ago period. Its net sales in the quarter fell 11% Rs6,898.64 crore.
The dealer cited above claimed inventories in the channel have risen almost 200% over the past few months.
Sales of two-wheelers in India have been in negative terrain since the note ban. Sales skidded 22% in December—the steepest in eight years, according to the Society of Indian automobile Manufacturers (Siam). Sales fell 7.39% to 1,262,141 units in January compared to a year ago.
A Hero spokesperson side-stepped answering a query on inventories. “Majority of Hero models have already transitioned to BS-IV and we would have fully transitioned to producing only BS-IV vehicles from the first week of March 2017," he said.
BS-IV apart, higher raw material prices are also likely to hurt Hero and its peers. “Two-wheeler firms have received significant benefits from lower commodity prices over the past couple of years. With recent spike in commodity prices, these benefits may reverse," said Joseph George, an analyst at IIFL Ltd, in a 23 February research note based on an IIFL investor conference. The Hero MotoCorp spokesperson admitted this but said the company would take a decision on increasing prices “based on our review of the overall market situation."
Hero’s margins will also be impacted by an adverse mix due to a higher share of scooters in its sales mix (motorcycles are more profitable than scooters), an increase in research and development costs and ad spending and expiry of excise duty benefits for the company’s Haridwar plant from fiscal 2018. The impact of the last two alone would be 1.5%, IIFL’s George wrote. He added that this would be offset to some extent by tax benefits from the company’s newer plants, gains from a cost saving programme, the launch of premium products, and a price hike.
“Overall, management expects margins to settle in the range of 15-17% over next three years," he added. In 2015-16, Hero’s profit margins were 17%. The Hero spokesperson said the company would maintain its margins at the same level, powered by gains of Rs600-crore-odd from the cost savings programme.
On Thursday, Hero MotoCorp shares rose 1.37% to close at Rs3,227.55 each, the Sensex closed at 28,839.79 points, down 0.50%.
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One result of the United States' consumer culture is that there are large numbers of goods that must be transported from place to place in a huge country. Whether carrying widgets manufactured in Wyoming to Florida, or trinkets imported through Texas ports to California, large trucks tend to be the most efficient and cost-effective way for companies to get their products to market. During the December holidays, consumer demand tends to rise, meaning even more tractor-trailers on the roads.
A few weeks ago, we discussed the concept of strict liability of manufacturers of defective products. That is, we talked about a part of civil law that allows consumers to hold makers of defective items placed into the stream of commerce liable even if they weren't negligent about doing so. We've also previously mentioned that sometimes the seller of a product may be liable if someone is injured by a defect. This liability is somewhat different from that which attaches to the manufacturer, as we shall see.
Today, many people are turning to using e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking. The belief-however false-is that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative. As I discussed in a previous blog, this belief is not based in reality. E-cigarettes can cause an array of health ailments, including popcorn lung. In addition to harming your health because of chemicals, e-cigarettes can also harm you by exploding. News stories have been popping up all across the globe about exploding e-cigarettes.
Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug that can cause the devastating side effect of permanent hair loss. As part of an effort to try the cases in a systematic and cost-effective manner, multidistrict litigation (MDL) has been ordered, with the pretrial proceedings being consolidated in the Western District of Louisiana. In addition, as part of this streamlining process, a panel of lawyers on both the plaintiffs' and defendants' side have been appointed to the Taxotere Settlement Negotiating Team. One of these lawyers includes Reich & Binstock partner Dennis Reich, a founder of our law firm.
Everyday, there are those residing in Texas and elsewhere who are exposed to toxic substances while at work -- knowingly and unknowingly. At first, the exposure may not seem to cause any harm, but overtime, the resulting damage can be serious -- if not fatal. Lead is a substance that is used in many things in the workplace, making lead poisoning a fairly common issue.
The federal Food and Drug Administration periodically publishes warnings when it finds that empirical studies have suggested potential harmful effects from the use of medications. They also require the manufacturers of these pharmaceuticals to update their labels to reflect the information the administration has gleaned from these scientific studies. Drug companies generally must adhere to these labelling standards in order to allow doctors to make good decisions in how to prescribe medications as well as letting consumers know what the risks are in taking any individual drug.
Car accidents can be terrifying events, particularly when the other car is an 18-wheeler. Under the Obama Administration, there were strict standards imposed on truck drivers that limited the weight and length of trucks. Ostensibly, these limits, we would think, would lessen the number of accidents on the highways. However, it could be that the opposite was the case. By restricting the weight and length of trucks, the end result was that more trucks were on the road, resulting in an increase rather than a decrease in the number of accidents.
Last March, this blog reported that a Texas jury had found against huge medical manufacturer Johnson and Johnson and one of its corporate entities for marketing a defective hip replacement device, and awarded a large sum to the plaintiffs in damages. That case was one of several bellwether cases that had been consolidated under Texas Multi-District Litigation rules. Recently, in another of these cases, a jury in Dallas returned an even larger award against the company for the same device.
It's that time of year again! With Christmas and Hanukah just around the corner, people are getting their homes ready and are filling the streets looking for gifts, looking at lights or just enjoying the wintery weather. With the increase in activity comes an increase in the risk for accidents.
One of the most basic rules governing physics is that force equals an object's mass times its acceleration. Known as Newton's Second Law of Motion, this simple equation tells us that the heavier something is, the more force it will have upon impact. This description of the world helps explain why accidents involving commercial trucks, such as 18-wheelers, can be so devastating. When a loaded truck travelling at highway speed comes into contact with another vehicle, the amount of force applied is often huge. The result is a high probability of serious injury or death to drivers and passengers in other vehicles.


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Siri Has Been Ported to iPhone 3GS
Developers are hard at work with porting Siri to older Apple devices.
Siri is Apple's new-founded voice dictation software that currently runs on only the iPhone 4S. Many are anticipating the porting to older devices. Developers warn that doing this is piracy and some, including chpwn (Grant Paul) are are somewhat against releasing it because of that. That doesn't mean that it absolutely will not be released, though. Currently, the GUI is the only thing that people can get on their devices. There are numerous guides online that point you through the instructions, but the GUI offers no
functionality, only looks. Developers have successfully managed to get Siri to work on older iDevices but the process to doing so is complicated and redundant. So instead, they are working on a hack to make it work easier for the end user. The release for Siri to older devices has no (if any) ETA and probably won't be released for a long time, if ever. Chances are that if they do choose to release it, they will wait until the untethered jailbreak for iOS 5 is on its way.
Earlier today, Ryan Petrich
tweeted that Siri has been successfully ported to the iPhone 3GS. The developers behind the port are Grant Paul
and Steve Troughton-Smith
. The hackers managed to successfully port Siri to an iPhone 4, an iPod touch 4G, and now the iPhone 3GS. Ryan Petrich attached a video to his tweet of Siri with working functionality from Youtube. It can be viewed below:
So that being said, we are ever so closer to possibly seeing Siri on our older iDevices. It's been proven that Siri can run on older hardware and that it's only been released on the iPhone 4S for Apple's marketing purposes. I wonder how Apple will react if Siri is successfully ported to older devices. Will they release an update to their servers, or iOS software that blocks it? Or will they sue for copyright infringement? Who knows. Only time will tell.
Are you excited for the Siri port? Share in the comments below!
Sources: Ryan Petrich


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Icelandic District Court Acquits Ex-Baugur, Glitnir BossesOmar R. Valdimarsson
The District Court of Reykjavik acquitted the former chief executive officers of Baugur Group hf and Glitnir Bank hf for their roles in approving a 6 billion kronur ($53 million) loan in 2008.
Baugur’s ex-CEO, Jon Asgeir Johannesson, Glitnir’s former chief Larus Welding as well as the two former directors were charged with overstepping their legal mandate when they approved a loan to holding company FS38 ehf., three months prior to Glitnir’s failure in October 2008.
According to the ruling by the court today, the loan didn’t violate the bank’s rules as was charged in the indictment. The two former directors were also acquitted. Johannesson was accused of exerting pressure as one of the largest shareholders in Glitnir to get the loan approved.
None of the witnesses brought before the court “supported that claim in the indictment,” the court said.
“After years of relentless investigations by the Icelandic authorities I’m delighted that a court has finally found me innocent of all the charges brought against me,” Johannesson said in an e-mailed statement provided by FTI Consulting. “I have always maintained my innocence and I now feel completely vindicated. With the case behind me, I now look forward to re-building my career as an investor in great retail businesses.”
A year before Iceland’s economic meltdown in 2008, Johannesson was the country’s third richest man with a fortune amounting to $1.6 billion. He expanded a retail business into the U.K., an expansion that included the acquisition of toy store Hamleys Plc and department store House of Fraser Ltd. Both have since been sold.
The conclusion of the court is “correct,” Ottar Palsson, Welding’s lawyer, said in an interview. He declined to comment further.


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Products and foods banned by the European Union due to poor quality standards and safety concerns will be allowed into the UK as part of the new US-UK trade deal that will dictate that Britain lowers its standards to accommodate products that will be shipped into the UK in massive quantities.
Chlorine washed chicken will be part of the trade deal to accommodate and let in America into the British poultry market. Chlorine washed chickens will be legally sold in the UK supermarkets and wholesalers under the new rules outside of the EU.
The European Union maintains high and rigorous standards and does not allow the importation of chlorine washed chickens, genetically modified foods or other products that fail to meet the EU standards.
Britain will be expected to loosen up standards and fall in line with the US standards which are pretty relaxed.
Britons who are wary of chlorine washed chicken and are very health conscious have been branded “health nuts” by a source close to the Government and it is said a source close to Liam Fox, the trade secretary said that “There’s no need for concern or worries since the Americans have been eating this chlorine washed chicken for so long and are perfectly safe.”
Liam Fox dismissed the question when asked if he himself would eat the chlorine washed chicken.
The UK-US trade deal is expected to create many jobs and bring in immense wealth according to Government sources.
The United States will also signed trade deals with the European Union but the rather than demand the EU to lower standards, American products heading to the European Union will be expected to be meeting the EU standards and specifications.
Trump failed to gain an upper hand while dealing with the EU. Trying to play country by country, he insisted on a trade deal with Germany as a single country only for Angela Merkel to insist that there was no deal with Germany; the deal is with the EU. So Trump will have to deal with the EU as a block and not cherry pick country by country.
And the EU standards will not be compromised or watered down to please Trump. Europe is maintaining an upper hand in deals with the US.


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South Korea's ET News reports (translation) a "premium" version of Samsung's (SSNLF, SSNGY) Galaxy S5 will feature a 5" curved display and a metal case, while a standard model will have a flat display and plastic case. Initial production volumes for the S5 are reportedly set for January, but mass production won't start until February-March.
Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Round, a phone with a curved 5.7" display, in limited volumes. The electronics giant argues curved displays are more durable, offer better viewing angles, and (for large phones) are easier to grip than flat ones.
The S5 is also said to feature an ultra high-res display (previous), a 64-bit ARM CPU (Apple just put one into the iPhone 5S), a 16MP camera, 3GB of RAM, and (take this one with a grain of salt) a massive 4,000 mAh battery.
S4 component suppliers that could benefit from an early S5 launch include Synaptics (SYNA), Universal Display (OLED - would also benefit from a higher-res screen), Anadigics (ANAD), and RF Micro (RFMD).
S4 sales started off strong, but failed to meet lofty expectations due to a demand shift towards cheaper Android phones. The S5 will face competition from a slew of Chinese firms offering Android phones with high-end specs and mid-range pricing.


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Shunal DokeOct 10, 2012 10:03:53 IST
Google has now added over a hundred new virtual keyboards, transliteration tools, and input method editors (IMEs) to its email service, Gmail, according to a post on the Google Blog. With the new additions you can type in the language and keyboard layout of your choice. The languages can be changed with a single click. This update takes the count of input languages supported by Google to 75.
To enable the feature, check the box located next to 'Enable input tools' under Language in Settings. Once you have enabled it, you’ll see the 'input tools' icon next to the Settings button in the toolbar, and you can turn on or off any input tool from there.
Google adds new languages and IMEs to its Gmail service
Recently, Google had released a new major update to its Google Drive app for Android devices. As a part of the update, Android users received some file management tools as well as the ability to arrange folders according to the type of files they hold. Users of Google Drive for Android can now automatically sync pinned content while using 3G. Other features include a richer experience while viewing Google Presentations, basic table support; the option to create, reply to, and resolve comments; the option to view, and change fonts in Documents Editor; pinch-to-zoom in the Documents Editor; the option to print files using Google Cloud Print; the option to resume interrupted uploads, and updates to gesture detection.
Earlier this year, Google has just officially pulled the wraps off Google Drive, its own take on cloud storage solution. Google Drive is available to anyone with a Google account; you get 5GB of storage free of cost at start-up. Google Docs has also been integrated into Google Drive allowing users to share, edit, and access all their Office documents and PDFs in real time.
Last month, Google issued an update for iOS devices. According to a post on its official blog, the search giant stated, “If you’re using the Drive app on your iOS device you can also edit Google documents, just as you can with the Android app. From your iPhone or iPad, you can create a new document, edit an existing one or format text. And, just like on your computer, you’ll be able to see other people’s edits instantly as they’re made. You’ll also notice other new improvements to the iOS Drive app. For example, you can now view Google presentations on your iPhone or iPad, including speaker notes, full-screen mode and the ability to swipe between slides. You can also create new folders, move files into folders and upload stuff (like photos and videos) from your device directly in the Drive app.”
Find our entire collection of stories, in-depth analysis, live updates, videos & more on Chandrayaan 2 Moon Mission on our dedicated #Chandrayaan2TheMoon domain.


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An Aberdeen car retailer is openings its doors for a night of motoring safety, fashion and gifts, designed exclusively for women.
The complimentary ‘Ladies Night Workshop’ will take place at Specialist Cars Volkswagen retailer on Wednesday 10th November.
Ladies are asked to reserve a place at the Craigshaw Crescent event, which will cover essential car maintenance and repairs plus safety advice from Grampian Police.
In addition the Volkswagen retailer will transform its showroom into a shopping haven giving ladies the chance to purchase the latest winter designs from fashion boutique, ZOOMP, get Christmas gift ideas from Nova Gifts plus sample homemade chocolates from Chocolat Passions and Vie at Home’s new skincare range.
Nail technicians from Suzys Nails and Me to You Nails will be offering free file and polish, stylists from Toni & Guy will be providing hair consultations.
The event, is aimed at enhancing women’s motoring skills and providing practical tips on how to keep safe on the road when driving alone as Specialist Cars sales manager, Tony Lanni, explains.
He said: “Our technicians will deliver a range of workshops including how to change a tyre, top up engine oil and replace windscreen wipers. Grampian Police will provide advice on simple safety advice to take in the event of a breakdown or accident.”
“The action packed event has limited places so we are asking ladies to reserve their place by calling 01224 384000 or emailing firstname.lastname@example.org.
The Ladies night Workshop will take place at Specialist Cars Volkswagen retailer on Craigshaw Crescent and will begin at 5.30pm through to 8.30pm.
For more information contact Sue Foster on 01902 714957 or email email@example.com.


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BRUSSELS (MarketWatch) -- European Union negotiators have reached a preliminary deal to cap the tariffs that mobile phone companies charge for using mobile phones abroad, the European Parliament said Tuesday.
Outgoing calls would be capped at EUR0.49 a minute, incoming calls at EUR0.24 a minute
Representatives of the parliament and the 27-member countries forged a non-negotiable "take it or leave it" compromise which will now go back to European lawmakers in the parliament and to the council of governments for a decision.
The parliament said the initial EUR0.49 a minute cap on outgoing calls will fall to EUR0.46 the following year and EUR0.43 the year after and the EUR0.24 incoming call charge will fall to EUR0.22 and EUR0.19 over the same time period.
A cap also will be set on the wholesale prices. It will be EUR0.30 in the first year, falling to EUR0.28 in the second year and EUR0.26 in the third year.
The full European Parliament will vote on the proposal on Wednesday May 23 and E.U. telecom ministers are scheduled to vote on June 7. If both approve, then the caps will go into effect three months later, meaning it would be after the busy summer season.
"We're approaching a breakthrough," German parliamentarian Angelika Niebler said at a press conference.
Cellphone operators will have to offer the new cap to all customers. Old customers will be switched onto the new tariff automatically if they don't opt out of the new scheme. The price ceilings will drop by 2009, the negotiators agreed.
The roaming caps represent one of the most significant pieces of regulation to come out of Brussels in recent years. It will force cellphone operators to slash the prices they charge consumers for making and receiving "roaming" calls outside their home markets. Mobile operators draw between 10%-18% of their revenues from international roaming charges, according to a 2006 study by research firm Evalueserve.
E.U. Telecom Commissioner Viviane Reding argued that operators are gouging consumers. When a consumer pays an extra EUR0.58 per minute for receiving a roaming call, she claims their operator only pays an extra EUR0.10-EUR0.15 a minute for the added cost of roaming. Some 70% of Europeans are behind her push to cut the fees, she added.
The mobile phone companies fought hard against the proposal. They argued that the cost of domestic charges will rise to offset the lost international revenues.
But the roaming regulation proved popular with politicians. It has flown through the long E.U. regulatory procedure, which often lasts several years, in less than a year, "record speed," according Paul Ruebig, an Austrian Conservative deputy charged with steering the regulation through the parliament.
Tuesday's negotiations focused on the exact amount of the cuts. The parliament had suggested caps of EUR0.45 cents to make calls abroad and EUR0.20 cents to receive them. Germany, which holds the E.U.'s rotating presidency, had proposed a little more business-friendly tariffs, EUR0.50 cents and EUR0.30 cents.


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I guess they’re going ahead with this.
Incredibly enough, there will be a brand new Atari console launching in 2018. It’s called the Ataribox, and while it will be at least partially crowd-funded- which sounds like a recipe for disaster, going by how the Ouya went- it also sounds like Atari is proceeding with its plans.
Therefore, the Ataribox will be available to pre-order starting December 14. It will run from $250 to $300, depending on the model you choose, and not be available at retail- not at first, anyway. Instead, you can pick it up only via the IndieGoGo campaign. The console itself is actually a living room Linux PC, albeit with a customized interface, and a sleek design for the hardware reminiscent of the classic Atari 2600.
I’m not sure any of this is a recipe for success- products like the Steam Machine have already tried this and failed, Atari has already mentioned the system is not powerful enough for modern AAA games, and having no retail presence is… not the best idea. Throw in the fact that it’s $300, which is the same price as a PS4, Xbox One, or Switch and- who will buy this?
If you want to, head on over to the IndieGoGo page.


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Aetna, which has about 23 million members in the United States, will also give away the Apple Watch for free to its nearly 50,000 employees, Aetna said in a statement on Tuesday.
The deal could help Apple boost the appeal of its Watch to potential customers as the company looks to target health and fitness conscious users with its new device.
Aetna will discount a significant portion of the cost, and will offer users monthly payment options to pay off the remaining amount.
The discounts on the devices will vary for customers, according to Aetna spokesman Ethan Slavin.
However, reaction to the second edition of the Apple Watch has been muted since its launch earlier this month with the device likely to remain a niche offering, according to some analysts.
Apple shipped 1.6 million units of the original Apple Watch, in the second quarter, down by 56.7 percent from last year, according to research firm IDC.
In comparison, Fitbit Inc shipped 5.7 million units in that period.
Aetna is also developing health applications for Apple’s devices that will remind users to take their medications, order refills for prescriptions and message or call their doctor.
The applications, which will use Apple Wallet to allow customers to pay their bills, will be available early next year.
Samsung Electronics Co announced it has received back more than 60 percent of recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphones sold in South Korea and the United States, suggesting it is making progress in its attempts to recover from the crisis.
In a statement, Samsung said it was focused on replacing all affected devices “as quickly and efficiently” as possible and reiterated its request that customers affected by the current recall should power off their device and turn them in.
The world’s top smartphone maker announced on Sept. 2 a global recall of at least 2.5 million Note 7 smartphones in 10 markets due to faulty batteries causing some phones to catch fire. The company says replacement devices it began issuing in mid-September use safe batteries.
Samsung hopes to take the faulty products off the market as soon as possible in order to limit further damage to its reputation and resume sales of the flagship device ahead of the key holiday shopping season in major markets such as the United States.
But the nearly month-long recall process has provided additional stumbles and embarrassment for the firm. Reports of Note 7 fires and damages have continued after the recall announcement, while aviation authorities around the world issued warnings or outright bans on the use or charging of the Note 7 on aircraft.
Samsung was also forced to push back the start of Note 7 sales in South Korea by three days to Oct. 1 due to relatively slow progress in the recall in its home market.
Some analysts say the cost of the recall and lost sales could wipe off nearly $5 billion in revenues for Samsung this year. Samsung said around 90 percent of customers who turned in their device through the exchange program have opted for a replacement Note 7, but it remains unclear how strong demand from new customers would be when sales resume.
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has announced that it will be delaying the start of new Galaxy Note 7 smartphone sales in South Korea by three days to Oct. 1, a move it says is needed for speedy completion of the ongoing recall in the country.
Samsung announced on Sept. 2 a recall of at least 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in 10 markets, including South Korea, due to a faulty battery causing the phones to catch fire, offering refunds or replacement devices using safe batteries.
The firm hopes to complete the recall quickly and restart sales in the fourth quarter to salvage earnings, but the latest hitch in South Korea underscore continuing challenges in those efforts.
Though product exchanges in South Korea began on Monday, only about 200,000 affected customers have turned in their devices – which Samsung says represents half of affected customers and a recall pace that is much slower than other markets such as Singapore and the United States.
“The recall rate will likely fall sharply should new sales have resumed on Sept. 28,” the company said. Affected customers would no longer be able to exchange their devices through domestic carriers starting on Oct. 1, making the process more difficult.
Samsung hopes to restart new sales in affected markets once it makes enough progress with the recalls, having announced plans to restart sales in Australia and Singapore in October, but the nearly month-long recall process has provided additional stumbles and embarrassment for the firm.
Continued reports of Note 7 fires and damages after the recall announcement, along with warnings or outright bans from aviation authorities on the use or charging of the Note 7 on aircraft, forced Samsung to ask affected customers to immediately turn off their phones to prevent further damage.
Samsung issued an apology for the confusion caused by the delay and said it would do its best to resolve the current Note 7 situation quickly.
When Yahoo confirmed that data from at least 500 million user accounts had been hacked, it wasn’t just admitting to a huge failing in data security — it was admitting to the biggest hack the world has ever seen.
Until last Thursday, the previous largest known hack was the 2008 breach that hit almost 360 million MySpace accounts, according to a ranking by the “Have I been pwned” website. Like the Yahoo breach, the hack was only publicly disclosed this year after data was offered on a hacker forum.
And only three breaches had ranked above the 100 million level:
LinkedIn reported a loss of 167 million email addresses and passwords. They were originally stolen in 2012 but not publicly disclosed until 2016, again after the data was offered on an underground “dark market” site.
A 2013 hack of Adobe saw 153 million account details lost. They included user names, email addresses, and encrypted passwords, but the encryption was poorly implemented and reversed on some accounts.
And there’s been a reported but unverified hack of dating website Badoo. Data including email addresses, names, and passwords for about 112 million members was found online.
The LinkedIn and MySpace data sets, along with 200 million Yahoo records, were put up for sale by the same hacker, peace_of_mind.
Major hacks can turn out to be a headache for users, even if the data is old and the account in question is no longer used. That’s because many people use the same password or a similar password across services, so a successful hack of Yahoo could expose an email address and password that would work on other sites.
Twitter Inc has initiated discussions with several technology companies to explore putting itself up for sale, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, signaling the start of what is likely to be a slow-rolling auction of the high-profile but profit-challenged social media company.
A sale of Twitter has been the subject of on-again, off-again rumors for many months as the company grapples with stagnant user growth, soft advertising sales and losses running at hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
The company’s business struggles have come even as the 10-year-old service has evolved into a potent global source of news, entertainment and social commentary.
CNBC, citing anonymous sources, reported on Friday that Twitter is in talks with companies including Google and may receive a formal bid soon. A source told Reuters that Salesforce.com is also in pursuit.
Twitter and Alphabet Inc, Google’s parent company did not respond to a request for comment. Salesforce declined to comment.
Verizon, another company mentioned in media reports on Friday as a possible suitor, said it did not comment on M&A rumors but that it had not submitted a bid for the company.
Twitter shares jumped more than 19 percent to $22.22 per share on Friday, marking the largest one-day rise since their first day of trading in 2013. The company now has a market value of around $16 billion.
Morningstar analyst Ali Mogharabi said Alphabet would be the best acquirer for Twitter since it has not yet been able to crack social media on its own despite several efforts.
“From a strategic standpoint, we think it would be more beneficial for Alphabet as opposed to Salesforce,” Mogharabi said. Former Google executive Omid Kordestani is executive chairman of Twitter.
Morningstar estimates Twitter could be bought for $22 per share. Twitter is working with investment banks Goldman Sachs and Allen & Co in considering possible transactions, sources familiar with the situation said.
Figures just in for August show that there has been a spike in the sales of notebooks.
Beancounters at Digitimes research have added up some numbers and divided by their shoe size and come to the conclusion that the top-5 notebook vendors and top-3 notebook ODMs saw their shipments rise 27 percent and 31 percent a month in August.
While it could mean that the notebook recession is over, the beancounters think that the spike is due to inventory preparation for the year-end holidays in Europe and North America, Windows 10’s annual upgrade, and mass shipments of Intel’s Kaby Lake processors.
The winner on the notebook front is HP which released some new products in August that successfully widened the vendor’s shipment gap by nearly 700,000 units. The number two was Lenovo. HP stayed firmly as the largest notebook vendor in the month. Dell turned its focus to the consumer sector in August, but its shipments only grew a single-digit percentage on month.
Digitimes Research said that Asustek Computer and Acer both saw boosts of 10 percent on-month growths in August.
With HP’s significant shipment growth in August, the top three ODMs, which are all suppliers of HP, together achieved higher on-month growth than the top five vendors combined, while ODM’s combined on-year shipment growth turned positive for the first time in the past 16 months.
Quanta benefited from HP’s orders the most in the month, growing nearly 40 per cent from July.
“We can confirm that McLaren is not in discussion with Apple in respect of any potential investment,” a McLaren spokesman said.
“As you would expect, the nature of our brand means we regularly have confidential conversations with a wide range of parties, but we keep them confidential.”
The Financial Times newspaper, citing three sources it said had been briefed on negotiations, had reported that Apple had made an approach for a strategic investment or a potential buyout.
It reported that the automotive group could be valued at between 1 billion pounds ($1.3 billion) and 1.5 billion pounds.
Reports have suggested that Apple, which had no immediate response to the Financial Times story, is working on a self-driving car. The iPhone maker has hired dozens of automotive experts over the past year and is exploring making charging stations for electric cars. Apple also invested $1 billion in Chinese ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing earlier this year.
The McLaren Formula One team is partnered by Honda, who provide the power units. The team is the second most successful after Ferrari in terms of race wins and titles but has not won a grand prix since 2012.
U.S. mobile carrier Verizon Communications Inc has resumed taking orders for Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, after having stopped sales of the device earlier due to fire-prone batteries.
Samsung has recalled about 1 million Note 7 smartphones in the United States, offering to replace or refund the flagship phones. Their susceptibility to catching fire – with more than 100 cases reported across the globe – has damaged the image of the South Korean company.
Globally, the world’s top smartphone maker has recalled at least 2.5 million handsets, in a major setback for the company that is looking to claw back market share from rivals, including Apple Inc that recently released its latest iPhones.
Samsung halted new sales ahead of the recall as it prepared replacement Note 7 devices with safe batteries.
The new Note 7 phones have been approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for all purchases and exchanges, Verizon said on its website, adding it has the Samsung device available for sale starting Wednesday.
The largest U.S. wireless carrier warned that initial quantities could be limited.
Samsung said in a statement on Tuesday that it had shipped more than 500,000 new Note 7s to U.S. carriers and retailers and that affected users will be able to exchange their recalled phones starting by Wednesday at the latest. The statement did not specify when new sales would start.
Rival carrier Sprint Corp’s website also showed the Note 7 available for order, providing a list of stores where customers can pick up a new handset by appointment.
Samsung did not immediately comment on the U.S. sales plans.
The firm previously said it will resume new sales in South Korea starting Sept. 28 and that sales in Australia and Singapore would resume sometime in October.
Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co announced that they will acquire French software development company Sylpheo as they compete with global automakers and tech firms to develop new services including ride hailing and car sharing.
The French and Japanese automakers said that the acquisition, under which they would absorb Sylpheo’s 40 engineers and consultants, would boost their software development and cloud engineering expertise.
“The Sylpheo team of software developers and cloud engineers joining the Alliance will have a unique opportunity to work on our next generation of connected cars and other advanced technologies,” said Ogi Redzic, Renault-Nissan’s senior vice president of Connected Vehicles and Mobility Services.
“They will be playing a critical role in this new era of tremendous change for the global auto industry.”
Automakers from Toyota Motor Corp to General Motors have been investing in software firms and mobility start-ups to position themselves for the rise of autonomous driving, ride-sharing and other connected services which threaten the traditional vehicle ownership model that has dominated the past century.
Sylpheo will develop the applications for the alliance’s connected car service platform, a Renault spokeswoman said. She said the acquisition was part of the alliance’s recruitment push to hire 300 technology experts to better compete in the fast-growing mobility services sector.
These services will be integrated with autonomous driving technologies. In July, Nissan launched a suite of semi-autonomous driving functions in one of its Japanese minivan models which enables the vehicle to drive on single lane motorways and navigate congestion.
The two companies plan to launch more than 10 vehicles with autonomous drive technology by 2020. Nissan is aiming to develop autonomous multiple-lane driving functions, including lane changes, by 2018, and functions for full urban driving, including intersection turns, by 2020.
It seems that Apple did not remove the headphone jack to allow it to provide more space after all.
When Apple killed off the speaker jack its CEO Tim Cook said, “that jack takes up a lot of space in the phone, a lot of space. And there’s a lot of more important things we can provide for the consumer than that jack.”
OK fair enough, so what did Apple do with the extra space? Well it turns out that the latest tear down carried out by iFixit found that Apple was doing nothing with the extra space it gained from getting rid of the headphone jack.
It wrote that in place of the headphone jack, is a component that seems to channel sound from outside the phone into the microphone. In other words, Apple has not put anything into the space at all, just some acoustics holes, which lead nowhere and molded plastic.
We somewhat cynically suggested that the reason that Apple got rid of the headphone jack was nothing to do with providing new functions on the iPhone 7. Instead we see it as a way to prop up its wireless headphone business .
It does appear that the tear down confirms this as it is unlikely that the iPhone 7 needed this fake plastic grill and acoustic holes. It appears to be a rather costly feature for the user who will now have to fork out a fortune for new headphones.
Of the iPhone 7 online pre-orders during the initial 48 hours of availability, 55% were for the 5.5-in. iPhone 7 Plus; the remaining 45% were for the 4.7-in. iPhone 7. That was the first-ever flip to the Plus size in the three annual cycles since Apple offered a big-screen iPhone in 2014.
According to Palo Alto, Calif.-based Slice Intelligence, U.S. buyers of the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus two years ago leaned toward the former in a split of 65% to 35%. The gap narrowed last year with the 6S and 6S Plus, when the smaller iPhone 6S accounted for 59% of the total, and the 6S Plus with 41%.
Slice based its data on a sampling of approximately 4 million U.S. consumers. Those people have opted in to Slice’s services or apps — including the same-named shopper’s assistant app for iOS and Android — or those of partners which license the firm’s technology, and so give Slice access to their email inboxes. Slice sniffs through the inboxes, then spots and copies emailed receipts for online orders.
Apple does not disclose the sales splits between iPhone models — or the various versions of its other hardware for that matter — but instead tallies all iPhones into a single number for each quarter.
Slice’s data hinted at a larger gross revenue number for Apple in the U.S. this launch cycle: The iPhone 7 Plus sells for $120 more than the iPhone 7.
Not surprisingly, Slice’s email receipts also showed that the iPhone’s new Black and Jet Black colors were the two most popular for pre-order customers, replacing the now-extinct Space Gray, which had been the top choice for the last two years. Nearly half of all iPhone 7 and 7 Plus orders (46% to be exact) were for the Black, said Slice, with another 23% were for the Jet Black.
Jet Black, a new highly polished finish, has been in short supply, high demand, or both: Apple ran out of that color almost as soon as pre-orders opened on Sept. 9. Currently, a Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus will ship to U.S. buyers sometime in November, according to Apple’s e-mart, while a Jet Black iPhone 7 will ship three to five weeks after ordering.
The chip maker has raised its revenue guidance for the third quarter to $15.6 billion, plus or minus $300 million, an improvement from $14.9 million, plus or minus $500 million.
That’s due to PC makers replenishing laptop and desktop inventory, which means Intel is shipping out more chips. It’s likely in anticipation of the holiday season, when PC shipments rocket.
“The company is also seeing some signs of improving PC demand,” Intel said in a statement.
In the second quarter of the year, PC makers slowed down chip orders and were clearing out existing stock of laptops and desktops. PC shipments declined by 4.5 percent during that period, according to IDC.
Shipments of gaming PCs, 2-in-1s and Chromebooks are driving PC shipments. Microsoft’s free upgrade offer to Windows 10 has also ended, which means users are more likely to buy new PCs to get Windows 10.
Meanwhile, new laptops with Intel’s Kaby Lake chips are now available. All the top PC makers have announced new 2-in-1s and laptops with Intel’s new chips. New Kaby Lake chips for gaming PCs will be announced in January.
Intel also has started shipping Pentium and Celeron chips, both aimed at low-cost laptops, based on the same architecture and code-named Apollo Lake. Many Chromebooks are based on Apollo Lake chips.
However the basis of the story is one written by Digital Music News which interviewed some unnamed sources.
“News of Samsung’s strategic planning was supplied to Digital Music News this week from a pair of sources operating out of South Korea, both of whom are involved in the broader supply chain of Samsung’s smartphones. Both requested total confidentiality and limited identifying information, fearing sharp reprisals from Samsung, whose power within the South Korea technology and broader community is considerable and widely feared.”
The sources feared Samsung’s hit men so much that they declined from offering details on the actual proprietary ports and jacks under consideration.
But what they appear to be talking about is something connected to the development of the USB-C jack, which is already present on Motorola’s Moto Z and Moto Z Force devices. Those devices do not have a 3.5mm jack, and are far thinner. They also don’t have the problem of being wireless.
The cunning plan is that Samsung’s proprietary jack would be designed with all Android manufacturers in mind, with easy and cost-free (or extremely low-cost) licensing to encourage adoption.
This claims Digital Music News will kill off Beats and Apple because both would be too proprietary to be useful. Samsung’s phones would be proprietary but would see a greater adoption.The article does not mention that Samsung is going to go all wireless, in fact it does not appear to imply that it is copying Apple at all.
It hopes the deal, valued at $1.05 billion, will help strengthen its position in the market for photocopiers, which it values at $55 billion annually.
The key to this, HP says, is Samsung’s portfolio of multi-function laser printers, capable of handling A3 paper.
Along with the printers, HP will also acquire a portfolio of 6,500 printing patents and a staff of 6,000, including 1,300 researchers and engineers.
In buying Samsung’s laser printing expertise, HP could be seeking to reduce its reliance on Canon, which today supplies all HP’s laser printer mechanisms and cartridges. Canon and HP said their existing partnership will continue, however.
Samsung is a minnow in the printing business compared to HP: Its printer revenue was less than one-tenth that of HP’s in the last fiscal year.
Printing activities don’t usually get a separate line in Samsung’s annual reports, where they are grouped with its visual display, digital appliances and health and medical equipment businesses as part of its consumer electronics division.
However, on Monday the company said its printer business brought in 2 trillion Korean won (around $1.8 billion) in 2015.
HP reported revenue of $21.2 billion for its printing segment in the year to Oct. 31, 2015, shrinking at 8.5 percent year on year.
Now separated from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP’s revenue continues to decline. For the three months to July 31, it reported printing revenue of $4.4 billion, down 14 percent, out of total revenue of $11.9 billion.
Amazon.com Inc and Pandora Media Inc are gearing up to roll out new versions of their streaming music services in coming weeks, the New York Times has reported, citing several anonymous people with knowledge of the matter.
Pandora could announce its plans this to expand its $5-per-month platform this week, with possible features including skipping more songs or storing several hours of playlists, the newspaper said. The company plans to launch a full-fledged on-demand platform by Christmas. Such a platform, priced at $10 a month, would compete with Spotify and Apple Inc’ Apple Music.
Amazon, meanwhile, is expected to reveal a platform with a large catalog of music for $10 per month or about half that amount for customers using its Echo voice-activated speakers, according to the Times.
Both companies are close to completing months of negotiations for deals with record companies and music publishers that will allow them to offer the new services, the Times reported.
Amazon was preparing to launch a standalone music streaming subscription service at $9.99 per month, in line with major rivals, Reuters reported in June, citing sources.
Amazon so far has not responded to a request for comment. Pandora declined to comment.


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Teeka Tiwari - Legacy Research Group
Posted by Donald on May 28th, 2021
New York City, NY, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)-- Teeka Tiwari recently revealed a webinar for March 31, 2021. Throughout the webinar, Teeka will expose the next cryptocurrency that might reach a trillion-dollar market cap. Bitcoin was the very first cryptocurrency to break the trillion market cap barrier. Which coin will be next? On March 31, Teeka will reveal the coin he believes will reach that mark in the future.
Big T, Teeka Tiwari has actually been an outspoken advocate of Bitcoin given that it was under 0 back in 2016 and even was made fun of back in November 2020 when he stated how Bitcoin would be ,000-$ 70,000 much faster than the majority of people believed. Fast forward a handful of months later on and here we are with Bitcoin growing to record highs and Teeka has his vision set on Crypto's Next Trillion Dollar Coin.
Teeka Tiwari is a former hedge fund supervisor and present investment analyst. He's likewise a huge fan of cryptocurrency. Teeka told his followers to purchase bitcoin long prior to it reached its existing highs of ,000 and above. Teeka has been informing his fans to buy bitcoin for several years. He told his followers to continue purchasing bitcoin throughout the "crypto winter," when bitcoin reached lows listed below ,000, insisting it was a short-lived dip in an upward cycle.
Nevertheless, Teeka believes he has actually recognized the next cryptocurrency to reach that market cap. Throughout the Trillion-Dollar Coin Webinar, Teeka will expose the details about the name and ticker sign of that coin to anybody going to the webinar. You can attend the webinar totally free online by sending your e-mail address into the online kind.
The Trillion-Dollar Coin Webinar is set up to take location on Wednesday, March 31, at 8 pm ET. We can't reveal Teeka's trillion-dollar coin suggestion upfront without ruining the webinar. Nevertheless, Teeka is leaving clues for his fans. In a recent e-mail from Greg Wilson, the Palm Beach Daily expert, we learnt more about a platform that "might be the app store of blockchain." It's possible this d, App store is the trillion-dollar coin Teeka will expose during his upcoming webinar.
By the time he was 17, Nick had actually sold his app (called Summly) for million. Today, we're dealing with the decentralized app ('d, App') transformation. While the internet had apps, blockchain has d, Apps.
Decentralized apps are preparing to disrupt whole markets. Some of the examples mentioned by Greg Wilson include: Uniswap is a decentralized app that allows you to trade cryptocurrencies.
Uniswap makes it simple and smooth to move your holdings from one property to another. Axie Infinity is a decentralized app video game based on the blockchain. It's similar to popular mobile games like Clash of Clans but with all transactions secured by the blockchain. Users can raise, battle, and trade animals called Axies, then make actual crypto for their conquests.
About the AuthorDonald
Joined: February 11th, 2021
Articles Posted: 106
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Las Vegas is indeed showing that it's so much more than gaming.
Nevada casinos generated $18.1 billion, an increase of 3.1 percent over the 2000 figures, according to the state Gaming Control Board.
Gambling revenue of $9.3 billion accounted for 51.4 percent of the casinos total revenue number.
"The newest megaresorts have a wide variety of expensive restaurants, stores and entertainment options and these venues are capturing more of the casino customer's total spending," according to Control Board statistical analyst Frank Streshley.
Nearly half of the revenue collected was from suchh non-gambling operations as hotel rooms, food, beverages and entertainment.


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BitLaunch, an anonymous VPS and Bitcoin VPS provider, has launched three new data center locations – in Los Angeles, US, Amsterdam, NL, and London, UK. The new data center locations feature fast KVM, SSD-enabled Windows and Linux cloud servers that are billed on-demand on an hourly basis.
By accepting cryptocurrency as payment, BitLaunch allows people worldwide to utilize cloud computing, funded via cryptocurrency, eliminating barriers associated with traditional fiat payment systems. As well as the benefit of enhanced privacy, this would facilitate access to best-in-class cloud computing resources to a large number of large developing ecosystems where traditional payment systems do not work.
The new data center locations feature fast KVM, SSD-enabled Windows and Linux cloud servers that are billed on-demand on an hourly basis.
“These new data center locations represent our ongoing commitment to providing our customers with the value, support, quality, privacy and availability we that sets our service apart – no matter where they are in the world,” said Ari Jalava, COO of BitLaunch.
Privacy Focused Applications
BitLaunch has been growing rapidly – with thousands of registered customers globally – by offering on-demand cloud computing in exchange for cryptocurrency.
Alongside these new data center locations, BitLaunch is releasing a number of ‘one-click’ privacy focused applications such as WireGuard: “A fast, modern, secured” VPN tunnel, OpenVPN, Shadowsocks and ShadowsocksR applications for fast, easy and secured self-hosted set up.


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Tesla’s Renewed Push to Make Earth Sustainable
Tesla’s Investor Day event brought with it a new Master Plan from CEO Elon Musk, detailing the company’s strategic focus going forward. While many hoped to see the automaker unveil a more-affordable electric vehicle, the plan focused on something that most EV enthusiasts can still get behind — a mass shift away from fossil fuels.
Above: Tesla vehicles parked in front of a service center (Image: Casey Murphy / EVANNEX).
Musk and Tesla focused on climate change and a global shift toward renewable energy during the recent Investor Day event, unveiling the third Master Plan to surround decarbonizing the global electrical grid, as detailed in a recent report from NPR. Musk argues that the world can and will make a rapid transition to renewables, offering a more optimistic tone than some researchers, analysts and organizations.
"Today is not just for investors of Tesla, but anyone who is an investor in Earth," Musk said. "Earth can and will move to sustainable energy, and it will do so in your lifetime."
To achieve the switch away from fossil fuels, Musk pointed to technologies such as EVs, massive batteries like Tesla’s Megapack systems for storing solar energy, industrial heat pumps, hydrogen and more. Additionally, Musk said that the company estimates a global switch to renewable energy would cost around $10 trillion, which the automaker estimates is lower than what the world would spend on fossil fuels in the next several years.
The big-picture discussion detailed the decarbonization of shipping, air travel, electrical grids and more, in addition to Tesla’s plans for a new assembly process. The process, Musk says, could cut production costs by as much as 50 percent, while eliminating the need for rare earth elements in upcoming vehicles.
To be sure, more than just Tesla will likely be needed to combat climate change, but Tesla seems well-poised to continue making an impact on the industries it has already disrupted. Between its EVs, charging infrastructure and proprietary Powerwall home-charging equipment, the automaker has remained popular amongst buyers and could incentivize continued brand loyalty.
Recent analyses from S&P Global Mobility also show that Tesla drivers tend to remain loyal to the brand when purchasing new vehicles, suggesting that the automaker is in a good position to woo consumers. This detail is crucial, given that the automaker’s Master Plan places so much emphasis on EV adoption.
"Tesla had a very, very strong year," said Vince Palomarez of S&P Global Mobility. "They have produced a product that is attractive to a consumer ... They lowered their price. They're also getting access to the tax credit again."
As Tesla’s ecosystem develops, Palomarez expects that consumers could be as loyal to the brand as some are to Apple’s products, with customers needing to get each piece of equipment that the company offers.
"If you have an iPhone and you have an iPad and you have a MacBook, you know, you're going to get the Apple Watch .... the infrastructure is built there," Palomarez added.


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While the current Suzuki Swift Sport isn’t exactly overweight at 1,045 kg (2,304 lbs), its successor is believed to be even lighter.
Speaking to an insider earlier this month, CarThrottle says that the potent model could drop as much as 175 kg (386 lbs), which means that it could tip the scales as low as 870 kg (1,918 lbs).
Combined with the 1.4-liter petrol engine that powers the Vitara S, producing 138 HP and 220 Nm (162 lb-ft) of torque, this recipe would allow the next Swift Sport to deliver a power-to-weight ratio of 159 hp/ton, thus beating more established vehicles, such as the Toyota 86.
The new Vitara S needs 10.2 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph), but thanks to its extensive diet, the upcoming Swift Sport is expected to do it in less than 9 seconds. Top speed should also increase over the SUV’s 200 km/h (124 mph).
Based on the same underpinnings as the latest Swift that debuted in Geneva last month, the new Swift Sport will look more aggressively, with larger air intakes in the front bumper, flared wheel arches, a small roof-mounted spoiler, and twin exhaust pipes.
While nothing is official yet, it could debut before the end of the year.
Note: New-gen Suzuki Swift pictured


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Sunday, July 17, 2011
RADIATION-CONTAMINATED BEEF IN STORES
On July 7, I reported about high levels of radiation found in some beef cattle from Fukushima prefecture in Japan ("Why Radiation-Contaminated Cattle are Bad News"). These cattle were raised about 20-30km away from the radiation-spewing nuclear power plant. I also noted that testing had caught the problem before the beef reached the market. Not so. The initial reports were wrong. Some of this beef, with 3-6 times allowed levels of the radionuclide, cesium, has been sold - and eaten. At least 2,650 pounds of it. Consumers in Japan are not happy. With reason.
In fact, it turns out that the contaminated meat has not just been sold in Tokyo, but in at least 13 prefectures of Japan (maybe more). Japan's second-biggest retailer, Aeon Co. admitted today to selling the beef. It's not the only one. The cattle had been fed rice straw tainted with radiation, in spite of the farmer's claims that he was very careful about cattle feed.
New bans and better testing are in the works. Consumers are suffering, and so are farmers, distributors, retailers. As far as we know at present, the suspect beef has not been exported to other countries. Japanese food exports are already down as a result of bans on many products in a number of countries. This will make the situation worse.
Unfortunately, with food contamination events, the news invariably gets worse than in the initial reports: more products are found to be contaminated, hazardous food is found to have been distributed more widely than initially thought, more people become ill. And, on occasions, dangerous food has been sold and eaten when we believed that testing had caught it in time. As in this case.
Is more bad news to come? My guess: as testing is expanded, high levels of cesium will soon be found in more cattle and in other food animals and poultry (read the four questions I raise in the July 7th post).
To your good health,


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Berkeley, CA--Meyer Sound will host the company's first live webinars on AVB (audio video bridging), the non-proprietary IEEE AV networking standards built upon the ubiquitous Ethernet protocols.
The newest addition to the Meyer Sound worldwide education program, these webinars will be led by John McMahon, executive director, digital products.
In these online sessions, McMahon will give a beginner's introduction to the AVB standards, show how AVB can drastically simplify AV network design and implementation, and explain the role of the AVnu Alliance certification program. Three one-hour webinars have been scheduled on June 5, and are open for registration free of charge: www.meyersound.com/events/seminars/calendar.php
Meyer Sound is one of more than 40 members in the AVnu Alliance, an industry consortium formed by silicon, automotive, and pro AV manufacturers working together to define AVB and certify AVB devices for interoperability. To date, two AVB-capable products have been announced in the Meyer Sound product line, including the CAL column array loudspeaker and the D-Mitri digital audio platform.
Attendees of InfoComm 2012 in Las Vegas interested in AVB are also invited to participate in the education programs at the AVnu Alliance Pavilion. The presentations will feature an interoperability demo with devices from Meyer Sound and 14 other member manufacturers including Avid, Biamp, Harman, Marvell, Sennheiser, and Yamaha. More details are available here.
The AVNetwork staff are storytellers focused on the professional audiovisual and technology industry. Their mission is to keep readers up-to-date on the latest AV/IT industry and product news, emerging trends, and inspiring installations.


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Retail is being reimagined on the fly to safeguard shoppers during Covid-19 and to keep pace with the convenience of shopping online. One of the most compelling new opportunities enables customers to simply pick up what they want and leave without having to wait in line or deal with the checkout process.
While seemingly the stuff of science fiction, the technology has already been rolled out in several cities. But a key component of enabling shoppers to grab and go is the network. Given the number of IP cameras and sensors and other IP components needed to determine what people leave with, the network needs to be scaled dramatically and the cost can pull the rug out from under the business case even before the idea gets off the drawing board.
Read More from This Article: Retail reimagined: DENT open switch network platform paves the way for better experiences


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Anyone else familiar with the concept “after-dinner snack”?
Our youngest will often leave the dinner table, rummage around in the cupboard, then disappear into his basement lair with a protein bar, banana, bowl of Cheez-Its or other snack in hand.
While it may annoy me to see that my wife’s or my cooking has seemingly gone underappreciated, the offender in question is healthy and growing normally, so I don’t fight it.
And, really, how could I? The snacking revolution continues apace, with no end in sight. The contest between snacking and three-meal-a-day purism is long over, and snacking is the undisputed winner.
In its recently released State of Snacking report, Mondelez International, Inc. reveals that 64% of global consumers said they prefer to eat many small meals throughout the day, as opposed to a few large ones, up five percentage points from 2019.
The survey also found that consumers are seeking out snacks to meet a variety of needs to a greater degree than they were two years ago. Convenience and freshness have risen to the top of the list of attributes that regularly impact snacking choices.
Consumers are looking for well-being boosters throughout their daily lives. Mondelez found that 80% of consumers are seeking snacks to improve physical health, while 75% cited mental health, 80% emotional health and 65% social health.
That’s great news for grocery retailers and the suppliers of their fresh perimeter departments. And it explains why, even with food price inflation, demand for value-added snacking items like sliced apples continues to soar.
Grocers who invest in healthy snacks in their perimeter departments can expect strong consumer interest and, in many cases, healthy margins on the bottom line.
My kid can snack as often as he wants, as long as he’s healthy and most of the snacks he chooses are somewhere on the good-for-you spectrum.
More leftovers for me.


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Jim Johnson, Head of FI Payments & Wealth, FIS
FIS has announced that Pennsylvania-based Sun East Federal Credit Union has selected FIS‘ integrated payments platform- Unified Payments Platform for enhancing its customer service as well as its product portfolio and to be able to provide integration across its payment processing and loyalty operations.
“Sun East needed a technology platform and partner that would take our members into the future,” said Florence David, chief operating officer at Sun East Federal Credit Union. “With FIS, we are working with a technology leader with a clear vision and strong track record of payments innovation. We look forward to leveraging the advanced capabilities of this new platform for the benefit of our members.”
According to the supplier, FIS‘ solution will provide Sun East employees with enhanced workflows, automated notifications and a universal view of customers across product lines, thus reducing the time required on back-office tasks. The agreement with FIS includes debit, credit and ATM payment processing, loyalty programs, advanced fraud protection, card production and participation in FIS’ NYCE network. It will also provide the credit union with a consistent user interface for 50,000 members.
“We are excited to welcome Sun East Federal Credit Union to our growing community of payments clients,” said Jim Johnson, head of FI Payments & Wealth at FIS. “At a time of rapid change in the payments space, Sun East is making a bold move to a new platform that will provide a quantum leap in capabilities. We are confident our new platform will help Sun East enhance its member service, growth objectives and competitiveness.”
Recently, FIS has launched a digital onboarding solution for trust companies and bank trust departments in order to assist them in the creation of new online investor accounts.


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The country’s unemployment rate saw a negative spike of 31.9% in the third quarter of 2023, which marked the first time the unemployment rate…
China may only see Apple’s latest iPhones, the 5C and 5S, a full two months after the rumoured 10 September US launch date. Yicia said that the launch date for China is 28 September. This rumour comes from a financial analyst who says that the reason for the iPhone 5C and 5S’ late launch date in China is due to a verification process which must be completed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. One the phones pass verification, both phones will be legally sound to sell in China.
The report (translated) also lists the prices as 5 599 (US$914) and 3 399 (US$555.23) Yuan for the iPhone 5S and 5C, respectively. There’s more: sources also say that China-bound iPhone 5S and 5Cs will account for 25% and 35% of global shipments. Apple then is hedging its bets in a big way and if it pushes most of its phones to China, it’ll disrupt the mobile market “significantly” said Macrumors.
Macrumors report cites a Morgan Stanley (MS) analyst who said that the 3 399 Yuan price of the iPhone 5C “hits the sweet spot” for the Chinese market. This price though is “significantly higher” than the estimated US$399 iPhone 5C price which was also predicted by MS. Too many fingers, too little pies we say. The iPhone 5C is also rumoured to be 3G only and yet again, MS says that as far as China is concerned, 3G is just fine. The Chinese smartphone market is yet to see a heavy 4G mobile network penetration, but where does this leave the rest of the world who are rocking LTE? Apple will have to reconsider its plans if the 5C takes off (and it will).
With the Apple launch event for the 5C and 5S all but confirmed, we now wait on tenterhooks for 10 September. In the mean time, we can stare at the champagne coloured iPhone 5S, again.
Image via Weekly.ascii.jp


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Tag - Haswell
The refreshed Mac mini may offer a significant dip in performance compared to earlier iterations, a report claims. A blog post from the Geekbench benchmark suite suggests that, though the new Haswell-based systems may have slightly higher single-core performance scores than the Ivy Bridge-based counterparts from late 2012, their multi-core performance will apparently suffer considerably.
Gigabyte brought out the largest number of motherboards for Intel's Haswell Extreme Processors to Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle over the weekend, showing off six X99 boards for consumers. From high-end gaming boards to the affordable Ultra Durable line, Gigabyte wanted to project a leading position for consumers that want to jump into Intel's most recent technology.
Computer manufacturers were in full force at Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, showing off different machines utilizing the new Haswell Extreme Edition processors and X99 chipset that Intel announced at the beginning of the show. One such manufacturer was iBuyPower, bringing one of the machines to the show to power an Oculus Rift demo.
EVGA had a presence at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle over the weekend, showing off some of the products it has released for X99 motherboards, mice and power supplies. With the X99 chipset and Haswell Extreme Edition processors being the talk of the show, EVGA put its first three motherboards on display, including a Micro-ATX version, a mid-level FTW board and a high-end Classified board.
With the announcement from Intel during Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle this week, computer manufacturers have had to quickly adapt to the new hardware that gamers are demanding. Maingear, one of the companies represented on stage during Intel's panel, announced that it was moving into building computers with the X99 chipset and Haswell Extreme Edition processors during the show.
Alienware shocked the computer industry this week, when it announced the latest version of the flagship Area-51 computer. During the Intel panel on the future of PC gaming, General Manager Frank Azor unveiled the new computer on stage as one of the first gaming machines built with Intel's Haswell Extreme Edition processor and X99 chipset.
Intel has discovered a major bug (referred to as "errata") in some models of its new Haswell chipset releases. Problems with the chip's transactional synchronization extension (TSX) instruction set will be disabled by Intel in revisions of motherboard firmware by vendors. Little, if any, software uses the instruction set now, but the feature is expected to be widely implemented in software tailored for the Haswell-EP server chipset.
Intel has goosed the speed in its latest Haswell Core i5 and Core i7 processors, first unveiled yesterday. The new chips are destined for notebooks such as the MacBook Pro, which is expected to get a speed bump sometime this summer. The new clock speeds range from 2.2GHz to 3.0GHz across three new Core i5 models and four new Core i7 offerings. In addition, four budget "Bay Trail" Celeron and Pentium processors were released as well, rated between 1.58GHz and 2.16Hz.
Information and pricing has been leaked for the upcoming unlocked Devil's Canyon and Pentium anniversary processors from Intel. Two quad-core processors will be released as part of the Devil's Canyon series, while the anniversary Pentium will be a low-end dual-core chip. Specifications who CPUs are said to be compatible with 8- and 9-series motherboards, since they are both LGA1150 sockets.
Rarevision developer Thomas Worth has released an OS X command line program that will allow owners of the Panasonic GH4 4K video recordings to output 10-bit 2K HD instead of the specific 8-bit. The app uses pixel summing, taking the extra pixels in a 4K file to fill in absent color information. The app outputs 10-bit DPX files in 2048x1080 resolution.
Now AAPL Stock: The symbol you provided ("AAPL") doesn't appear to be registered
Cirrus creates Lightning-headphone dev kit
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has introduced a MFi-compliant new development kit for companies interested in using Cirrus' chips to create Lightning-based headphones, which -- regardless of whether rumors about Apple dropping the analog headphone jack in its iPhone this fall -- can offer advantages to music-loving iOS device users. The kit mentions some of the advantages of an all-digital headset or headphone connector, including higher-bitrate support, a more customizable experience, and support for power and data transfer into headphone hardware. Several companies already make Lightning headphones, and Apple has supported the concept since June 2014. http://bit.ly/29giiZj
Apple Store app offers Procreate Pocket
The Apple Store app for iPhone, which periodically rewards users with free app gifts, is now offering the iPhone "Pocket" version of drawing app Procreate for those who have the free Apple Store app until July 28. Users who have redeemed the offer by navigating to the "Stores" tab of the app and swiping past the "iPhone Upgrade Program" banner to the "Procreate" banner have noted that only the limited Pocket (iPhone) version of the app is available free, even if the Apple Store app is installed and the offer redeemed on an iPad. The Pocket version currently sells for $3 on the iOS App Store. [32.4MB]
Porsche adds CarPlay to 2017 Panamera
Porsche has added a fifth model of vehicle to its CarPlay-supported lineup, announcing that the 2017 Panamera -- which will arrive in the US in January -- will include Apple's infotainment technology, and be seen on a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen as part of an all-new Porsche Communication Management system. The luxury sedan starts at $99,900 for the 4S model, and scales up to the Panamera Turbo, which sells for $146,900. Other vehicles that currently support CarPlay include the 2016 911 and the 2017 models of Macan, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman. The company did not mention support for Google's corresponding Android Auto in its announcement. http://bit.ly/295ZQ94
Apple employees testing wheelchair features
New features included in the forthcoming watchOS 3 are being tested by Apple retail store employees, including a new activity-tracking feature that has been designed with wheelchair users in mind. The move is slightly unusual in that, while retail employees have previously been used to test pre-release versions of OS X and iOS, this marks the first time they've been included in the otherwise developer-only watchOS betas. The company is said to have gone to great lengths to modify the activity tracker for wheelchair users, including changing the "time to stand" notification to "time to roll" and including two wheelchair-centric workout apps. http://bit.ly/2955JDa
SanDisk reveals two 256GB microSDXC cards
SanDisk has introduced two 256GB microSDXC cards. Arriving in August for $150, the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card offers transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s for reading data. The Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card can read at a fast 100MB/s and write at up to 90MB/s, and will be shipping sometime in the fourth quarter for $200. http://bit.ly/294Q1If
Apple's third-quarter results due July 26
Apple has advised it will be issuing its third-quarter results on July 26, with a conference call to answer investor and analyst queries about the earnings set to take place later that day. The stream of the call will go live at 2pm PT (5pm ET) via Apple's investor site, with the results themselves expected to be released roughly 30 minutes before the call commences. Apple's guidance for the quarter put revenue at between $41 billion and $43 billion. http://apple.co/1oi1Pbm
Twitter stickers slowly roll out to users
Twitter has introduced "stickers," allowing users to add extra graphical elements to their photos before uploading them to the micro-blogging service. A library of hundreds of accessories, props, and emoji will be available to use as stickers, which can be resized, rotated, and placed anywhere on the photograph. Images with stickers will also become searchable with viewers able to select a sticker to see how others use the same graphic in their own posts. Twitter advises stickers will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks, and will work on both the mobile apps and through the browser. http://bit.ly/29bbwUE


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Retro Inspiration for the all-new 2023 Acura Integra
ENEOS ambassador Dai Yoshihara recently partnered with Acura to help celebrate the return of the Integra to its vehicle lineup. He was tasked with showcasing the potential of the next-generation Integra by creating his ideal interpretation of the ultimate 2023 Integra.
No stranger to Hondas — Dai drives competitively for Evasive Motorsports and Spoon Sports USA on a regular basis — his motorsports roots are reflected in the project, which was brought to life with the help of Evasive. The resulting Turn 14 Distribution / Stoptech Integra is a nod to the classic era of JGTC (Japanese Grand Touring Championship), the car dressed in a ’90s-inspired livery, ultra-low stance utilizing KW suspension, Stoptech brake package and BBS wheels. Inside, a full rollcage and Sparco racing seats provide additional safety for racing activities.
The Integra debuted publicly at the Pit+Paddock “Drive In” at the Petersen Museum in October before appearing at the 2022 SEMA Show. There are also more appearances scheduled on behalf of Acura, including the Grand Prix of Long Beach in April.
“I always liked the Integras from the ’80s and ’90s, so it’s an honor to build a brand new 2023 Integra for Acura,” Dai said. “I took the sporty theme from the DB8 Integra and fused its styling into my build.”
Read the full release from Acura here!


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A unique innovations Sony has rolled out a few days ago, to help those who need their cell phone rechargeable batteries in remote places. A portable USB charger has been introduced that rely on hand round to generate electricity, as well as the principle of a simple electrical generator.
Sony CP-A2LAS Charger has a pretty good performance. By rotating the ankle for three minutes then the phone will be charged electric battery that can last 1 minute of talk time. Meanwhile, to surf the internet for a minute, someone needs to rotate the ankle charger for about five minutes.
In addition to emergencies, this charger can remain plugged into an ordinary electrical outlet. If fully charged, the battery will be charged 4000 mAh, enough to fill two modern smartphone battery.
USB Charger Sony CP-A2LAKS is marketed only in Japan starting June 20 at a price of 8000 yen, or about 100 dollars.


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Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.
- Miranda Kerr's manager has denied a rumor that she and Orlando Bloom are headed for divorce. [The Sun]
- Karlie Kloss wears a chain-mail dress from Yves Saint Laurent's Stefano Pilati era on the cover of Vogue Japan's September 2012 issue. [Design Scene]
- Pierre Bergé, formerly Yves Saint Laurent's business partner, has just signed on to lead the steering committee of the newly formed Maison du Prêt à Porter Féminin et des Accessoires. The body will "foster dialogue between all fashion and accessories professionals." [WWD]
- Anna Wintour is said to be hosting another fundraising dinner for President Obama's reelection campaign. Wintour will reportedly host the party with Harvey Weinstein in Greenwich, CT, on Aug. 6, and guests will have to donate $35,800 apiece to the campaign. [Page Six]
- Rachel Roy could never find long-enough jeans to wear when she was younger, so she covered her ankles with "white scrunchy socks. I really hope there's no pictures of those anywhere," she says. [Racked]
- Nicole Richie's upcoming collaboration with Macy's INC doesn't shy away from prints or from mixing masculine and feminine elements. [Catwalk Queen]
- Crimes of fashion do not pay. A judge fined Linda and Courtney Allen — a mother and daughter who live in Syosset, NY — $44 million for advertising and selling fake Coach products online. [Refinery29]


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Mercadona is the most popular supermarket chain in Spain, but its website was so awful that Juan Roig himself said last year that it was “shitty” and that it was going to be improved in 2018. After a €20 million investment, Mercadona’s new online store is finally up and running.
Mercadona launches its new online store but only in 14 municipalities of Valencia for the moment
This was one of the most expected launches of the last few years in terms of online shopping. In this sense, Mercadona lagged behind its competitors, one of them being Amazon, which has supermarket solutions like Amazon Fresh and Prime Now that sell food, beverages, medicines, toys, home supplies and fresh produce.
Prime Now currently works only in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, and it is in Valencia where Mercadona launched its online store as a pilot test called “Lab.” A lot of money has been invested in this new website, which has been months in the making. Continue reading Mercadona launches apps and its new online store for iOS and Android
During the last Google I/O, the company revealed that it would launch the Google Home and Google Home Mini smart speakers in more European countries, Spain being one of them. This makes sense given that Google Assistant has been available in Spanish for half a year, and it has the same software as the speakers. Now we know that Google Home will arrive in Spain next month.
Google Home will be sold in Spain in June for €149
La Vanguardia has confirmed this today: Google Home and Google Home Mini will be available in Spain in June, much sooner than expected. We thought that both speakers could be available during the fall given that Google stated that it expected to launch the speakers throughout the year.
Google Home, Google’s first smart speaker, will be sold for €149 whereas Google Home Mini will be sold for €59. These are the same price points seen in Germany, where a few weeks ago there was a sale that put them at €129 and €44, respectively. We still do not know much about Google Home Max other than it will take longer to arrive. It is currently being sold only in the U.S. and, since a few days ago, in Canada. Continue reading Google Home has a price and a launch date in Spain
Windows’ safe mode, also called “troubleshoot mode” or “advanced startup,” is a boot mode that only runs the most basic controllers and services, which is useful to find and solve any OS problems that are not solvable during a normal startup.
This is very useful (and sometimes essential) when there are problems loading the OS’ full version, blue screens of death, virus, problems with apps, undeletable files and so on.
Up until Windows 7, running Windows’ Safe Mode was as easy as pressing “F8” before the system’s startup. From Windows 8 onward, doing that got more difficult. Now there is no time to interrupt the boot process given that SSDs are used as storage units and that newer UEFI are faster. Continue reading How to add Safe Mode to boot menu in Windows 10
NVIDIA is working on a new generation of graphics cards that will take over the GeForce GTX 10 series. We have already talked to you about the GTX 10 series on articles like these where we reviewed it with all the information that was available at the time. Today, we will focus on the GeForce GTX 2080 and the GeForce GTX 2070, two high-end graphics cards that will take over the GeForce GTX 1080 and the GeForce GTX 2070.
Before actually reviewing both graphics cards, we want to point out something about the name that the new NVIDIA lineup could have. Nothing is set in stone just yet, but there are two possible names: GeForce GTX 11 and GeForce GTX 20. The former sounds more likely but suggests a minor evolution compared to the latter name, so I personally think that the brand will go for GeForce GTX 20.
Having said this, let’s begin. We hope you like this article and, as usual, we invite you to leave your questions in the comments section. Continue reading GeForce GTX 2080 and GeForce GTX 2070: everything you need to know
A few days ago, we found out that users who had some SSD models could not install the Windows 10 April 2018 Update and that Microsoft was working on a fix to release a patch for the April update. The two affected brands are Intel and Toshiba, but it seems that the bug is finally being solved.
Intel and Toshiba SSDs were incompatible with Windows 10 April 2018 Update until now
The safest way to get the Windows’ biannual updates is to wait for them to roll out via Windows Update. The company knows which PCs are compatible with the update and which ones are trouble-free. However, Microsoft missed a few troublesome SSD models that would cause the PC to get stuck on the UEFI screen after restarting the system, go into a boot loop or show a black screen.
Among the affected Intel SSDs we have the Intel SSD 600p Series and Intel SSD Pro 6000p. A few days later, we found out that some Toshiba SSDs also had the same bug. The affected SSDs were the Toshiba XG4 Series, Toshiba XG5 Series and Toshiba BG3. At first, the bug was expected to be fixed on June 12, but it seems that the problem is now solved.
There are reports on Reddit from users stating that Microsoft has solved the problem and is now releasing the update to every user almost a month after it rolled out to the market via Windows Update. A lot of users are now seeing Windows 10 version 1803 on Windows Update, which did not display any available updates because Microsoft was blocking them.
If you have been using Chrome’s password saving feature, you will end up with dozens of them. What happens when you want to export them to another PC or browser? Chrome does not let you export passwords by default, but there is a hidden option that lets you do it. Let’s see how we can use it.
1: Do you save passwords on Chrome?
Nowadays, every Internet service (there are millions of them) asks for a username and a password. Using the same information on several services is a bad idea. If a webpage is hacked or your data is stolen, every site on which you have used the stolen username and password will be left unprotected.
So, we end up using dozens or hundreds of different passwords that are impossible to remember if they are well created.
When you use a lot of Internet services, the best option is to use a password manager. These apps save your encrypted passwords. When a service needs them, it automatically uses them to log in, preventing you from having to retype them. Continue reading How to export passwords from Google Chrome