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On January 2nd, antutu released the Android mobile phone performance list in December 2018. The situation of the Kirin 980 monopoly performance list was finally broken this month. The Red Devils Mars esports mobile phone from Nubia reached the top. From the specific results, the Red Devils Mars esports mobile phone won the first with… Continue reading Antutu mobile Performance ranking December 2018
As early as the beginning of September this year, the Internet has exposed a new Nokia machine with five Zeiss-certified rear camera. Now the model of this phone can be basically determined as Nokia 9 PureView, and detailed configuration parameters are also exposed According to foreign media reports, Nokia 9 PureView has a 5.9-inch 2K… Continue reading Nokia 9 PureView details,2019 flagships
2018 is coming to an end, Phone Arena has taken stock of this year’s “undervalued” smartphone. Phone Arena said that these smartphones are also very competitive. These “undervalued” smartphones include LG V40 ThinQ, Nokia 7 Plus, ASUS ZenFone 5Q, Sony Xperia XZ3, HTC U12+, honor 8X, iPhone XR, Motorola Z3, BlackBerry KEY2 LE, Huawei Mate… Continue reading 10 mobile phones underestimated in 2018
2018 is coming to an end, it is time to review the entire year of Apple News. On Friday, we reviewed Apple’s main products released in 2018. Today, let’s take a look at the various rumors before Apple released its new 2018 product. This year, Apple released new products such as the new iPhone XS/XS… Continue reading Summary of Apple Products in 2018
A few weeks ago, ASUS Zenfone 5’s Android 9 Pie update package has flowed out, and now it is the turn of 5Z to taste Pie. According to ASUS official community news, this update is currently available to users in Taiwan. It is understood that this updated software version is 126.96.36.199, the size is 1GB.… Continue reading ASUS Zenfone 5Z Android 9 Pie upgrade starts pushing
Today, OPPO officially announced that the colorOS 6 public beta version has been released, R15 dream mirror version of the beta users can check the upgrade in the “Setup – Software Update”, the version is being pushed in batches. ColorOS 6 was released at the ColorOS 5th Anniversary Celebration on November 22nd this year. It… Continue reading OPPO officially launched ColorOS 6 public beta: R15 dream mirror version will be the first
On Christmas Day, one plus official announced the release of oxygen OS 9.0.0 version OTA update for one plus mobile phone 5, 5T, bringing a new Android 9.0 experience . In this update, in addition to upgrading the system to Android 9.0, bringing a new Android Pie new UI, it also brought a new navigation… Continue reading One plus 5/5T Android 9.0 official update rolling out
Android Police reported that TWRP official has now officially announced the support of Xiaomi’s Pocophone F1, although before this, there have been many unofficial TWRP adapted to the phone, and there are many Custom ROM is available for Pocophone F1 mobile phone users. TWRP is a Recovery that supports a variety of convenient functions such… Continue reading Xiaomi Pocophone F1 now support TWRP officially
One plus mobile phone is a brand favored by foreign developers, brush enthusiasts. According to XDA news, the TWRP REC for a new 6T mobile phone has been released. TWRP is a Recovery that supports a variety of convenient functions such as touch operation, and integrates many functions. After unlocking the mobile phone bootloader, the… Continue reading one plus 6T get TWRP recovery support
According to Japanese media reports yesterday, Huawei will become the world’s second largest smartphone manufacturer, shipped more than 200 million in 2018, the first year to beat Apple. According to IDC data, Huawei’s market share in the third quarter of 2018 was 14.6%, surpassing Apple’s 13.2%, ranking second in the world Huawei spends 10% of… Continue reading Huawei becomes the world’s second largest mobile phone manufacturer to ship more than 200 million units in 2018
The well-known Onleaks shared the CAD rendering of the Moto new mobile P40 as a Christmas present. It can be clearly seen that the P40 has a perforated screen on the front (the blind hole or the through hole is still unclear), the chin position is engraved with motorola LOGO, the back curved glass shape,… Continue reading Moto P40 mobile images leaked: 6.2 inch screen with 48MP Camera
I believe everyone wants to know, what is 5G? How fast is 5G technology? Why do you have the experience of the future “super-interconnected” era? Today, we will take you to 5G common sense, and learn to steal it! 1. What is 5G? First of all, what is 5G? Simply put, 5G is the fifth… Continue reading All about “5G” the future of 2019 ?
Just honor released the new flagship honor V20, the mobile uses a perforated screen, or the charm eye full screen. Although the Samsung Galaxy S10 also uses a perforated screen, the front camera will glow around. When performing face recognition or self-timer, this effect will be triggered. The developers of the XDA Forum also produced… Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S10 first look
According to foreign media reports, in early November this year, the Oxford Dictionary selected “Toxic (toxic)” as the 2018 vocabulary. According to the online Oxford Dictionary, the word toxic means “toxic,” which first appeared in medieval Latin in the mid-17th century, meaning “poisoned” or “poisonous”. But the word actually comes from the Greek word “toxikon… Continue reading Oxford Dictionary word of year 2018 is “Toxic”
FydeOS for PC v5.2 Dev has been released recently, and this release of FydeOS is still an early version, which adds some new features and fixes for previous versions. It is worth mentioning that if you upgrade to this version through OTA, the virtual machine image required by Linux (beta) will not be upgraded. To… Continue reading FydeOS for PC v5.2 Dev Releases
Compared with the discontinuation of digital products, sometimes the downline of software products is more memorable, its disappearance is forever, it is difficult to re-enact. In the last month of 2018, the major sites opened the inventory model: Google’s annual search was full of positive energy, Instagram’s annual review showed trends, and YouTube’s annual review… Continue reading 2018, this application will be no more.
Today, foreign media exposed a number of OPPO multi-zoom technology related patent maps, sparking speculation. In response, the person in charge of the OPPO imaging laboratory said in an interview with Sina Technology that OPPO is indeed exploring multiple or even 10 times of hybrid optical zoom technology. Currently, the technology is basically mature and… Continue reading OPPO: will release 10 times hybrid optical zoom mobile
At the end of the year, there are always times when various types of selections are released. Today, GSMarena lists the results of the best smartphones in 2018, and the results are somewhat surprising. The selection is divided into three levels, which are drawn by editors and netizens. Among the flagship camps, the Galaxy Note9… Continue reading GSMarena best smartphone of 2018.
Recently, the European Commission released the “2018 EU Industrial R&D Investment Ranking”, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Corporation reached its top for the first time, Huawei ranked fifth, apple ranked seventh. In fiscal 2017, Samsung Electronics invested a total of 13.437 billion euros in research and development funding, ranking first among 2,500 major companies in 46… Continue reading Samaung tops 2018 global industrial R & D investment rankings
Recently, Oracle (Oracle) announced that “after January 2019”, without the commercial license of Oracel, Java SE 8 will no longer receive public updates, and will not be used for “commercial or production.” use”. Java that has been in use for 23 years will no longer be free. What is going on? Nowadays, the Java language… Continue reading Java is starting to charge from 2019, no longer free?
Recently, according to XDA Forum news, Samsung’s latest Android Pie test code found that Samsung is developing a new camera function that can improve the ability of the phone to shoot at night. According to the XDA Forum, the specific implementation method of this function is that when the user activates the mode, it is… Continue reading Samsung S10 camera new feature will add night scene enhancement mode
This morning (December 20th), Microsoft promised to push the Windows 10 19H1 new preview version of Build 18305 for Fast Channel’s Insider members. The content of this update is very rich, and due to the addition of the “Sandbox” parallel sandbox system, it is also very order of magnitude. First, Windows Sandbox (sandbox) online “Sandbox”… Continue reading Windows 10 sandbox offically launched
On December 19th, according to Forbes magazine, some well-known CEOs of some large companies have resigned this year. Some of them were forced to leave, and some left after leading their company to a relatively safe “port”, and one person unexpectedly passed away. Here are the top 10 CEOs (CEOs) who are notable to leave… Continue reading Forbes magazine top ten CEOs in 2018?
Samsung has already reveals the new One UI to the testers and has received consistent praise. At the same time, it also hinted at the design of the next generation flagship (Galaxy S10). The screenshots shared by XDA-Developers show that part of the interface of the Samsung One UI beta feedback survey – the position… Continue reading Samsung One UI screenshot confirms S10’s Design
After iOS 12.1.2 the official version released two days later, Apple began this morning to push iOS beta version 12.1.3 update to developers. In fact, iOS 12.1.3 beta content contained in this should be brought by the iOS 12.1.2 beta, and is marked is the second edition rather than the first edition. When the 12.1.2… Continue reading Apple released iOS 12.1.3Dev beta update
According to foreign media reports, Hyundai Motor has announced that it has developed a fingerprint authentication car , which will be first applied to the modern Santa Fe model, which is the new innovation ( price 22.48-28.98 million), the new car is expected to launch next year some country in the first quarter. It is… Continue reading Hyundai Motor conform: will launch first fingerprint authentication car next year
The October 10 update of Windows 10 v1809 is the most sad reminder of the various versions of the system. After the official push in early October, major bugs were discovered and had to be withdrawn urgently. Since then, a series of large and small problems have been discovered. Although the revised version began to… Continue reading Windows 10 v1809 rolling out : anyone can upgrade
On the afternoon of December 17, Qualcomm officially explained the world’s first 7nm PC platform: the Snapdragon 8cx computing platform. According to the official introduction, Snapdragon 8cx is the most extreme Snapdragon processor built by Qualcomm. It is designed for PCs and has three core selling points: the perfect balance of performance and battery life,… Continue reading Snapdragon 8cx world’s first 7nm PC process explained
Upgrading iTunes 12.81.1 will cause Safari 10.1.2 to fail to open
Trump appeared idiot according to Google search results :Google CEO responded
Tumblr is back in Apple’s App Store: Banned for adult content
The end of the era: iOS jailbreak is dead!
The worst password list in 2018: the top three are still so speechless
In recent years, short video has developed rapidly, and mobile phones have become the main tool for short video shooting. In the past, the mainstream mobile phone evaluation was mainly aimed at taking pictures, but there was not much ink on the video performance, and users could not intuitively know which mobile phones had better… Continue reading China Mobile Released 2018 best video shooting mobile: iPhone XS Max wins
Win10 is more user-friendly! Task Manager tabs, Action Center shortcuts are customizable
MediaTek officially released the Helio P90 chip today
Samsung may also launch it’s first blockchain mobile phone in 2019
Google+ face another privacy issue and will close the service early April 2019
One plus 6T McLaren version released: 10GB memory / 30W fast charge
Forbes named the best American company: Microsoft’s first Apple ranked 16
Apple pushed developers to the first developer beta of iOS 12.1.2 early this morning.
This year, Apple launched three new iPhones in one breath. Before the release, these three new iPhones were favored by many people, and they believed that they would create another peak in sales and drive Apple’s stock price to rise again. After the release, this argument is still the mainstream. But as time went on,… Continue reading Apple sends a pop-up window to users: choose a new iPhone today!
In July this year, Sony released a new generation of stacked CMOS-IMX586 for smart phone platform, owned as many as 48 megapixel effective pixel resolution of 8000×6000, the highest for the industry. In addition, the sensor is 1/2 inch and the unit pixel is 0.8μm, which is also the world’s first. One of the highlights… Continue reading Honor View 20 world’s first 48 megapixel AI ultra clear photography and IMX586 with Kirin 980 mobile to launch on 26th december
After the official version of iOS 12.1.1 was pushed, many users said that after upgrading their iPhone XS series to the latest system, the signal strength is much better. In addition, in this new system, the new iPhone dual card version also supports. Move the double Volte. According to foreign media reports, there are a… Continue reading Problem with iOS 12.1.1: Display 4G network 12.1.1 may cause problems to users
Apple acquires startup Platoon: helping more artists/artists become famous
Lenovo showcases the world’s first 5G mobile phone Moto Z3
This week, Apple released the official version of iOS 12.1.1. For this new version, although the changes are not very big, but it is still very interesting, first brought out the home version of the smart speaker HomePod, followed by the boost signal. Now, many users have reported that their iPhone XS series has been… Continue reading Apple released the official version of iOS 12.1.1,Users say the iPhone XS signal is getting better, and there are dual 4G.
TIOBE released the December 2018 programming language rankings. The most interesting part of this list is that Visual Basic .Net has reached the highest ranking in history (since the statistics since 2001) and has successfully squeezed into TOP5. At this time last year, VB.net also ranked seventh, and in February this year, its ranking was… Continue reading December programming language rankings released: Visual Basic .Net first among the top five
With the continuous breakthrough of technical barriers in the smart phone industry, today’s smart phones have used high-end technologies such as implicit form fingerprint recognition, 3D face recognition, and TOF 3D. The collapsible flexible screen phone that used to exist only in movies will also become a member of the mass production smartphone in 2019.… Continue reading Vivo’s first folding screen mobile will be NEX Flex
Qualcomm activity in Hawaii is expected to explain the new high-end processors news website TechCrunch earlier and seemed to “accidentally” pre-scheduled content on line, immediately followed by the shelf though, still was sharp-eyed WinFuture site captures Take the relevant content and confirm that the new high-end processor name that is expected to be announced is… Continue reading Qualcomm’s new high-end processor name “confirm” is Snapdragon 855, will be the first NPU based process
According to foreign media CNET news, Microsoft’s folding mobile phone project codenamed Andromeda, there is a high probability that it will be released at the end of 2019, the product design will use a larger screen, and the screen size of this folding phone after expansion Will be around 8 inches. (Microsoft Surface Phone folding… Continue reading Microsoft Surface Phone is preparing for release at the end of next year.
According to reports, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said in public activities that Xiaomi’s overseas revenue in the third quarter of this year surged 112.7% year-on-year, accounting for 43.9% of total revenue. It can be seen that Xiaomi is very strong in overseas markets, and the Indian market is particularly outstanding. According to Indian media reports,… Continue reading Xiaomi becomes the fastest growing electronics company in India but will be strongly competitive by Huawei .
I’m talking about a particularly interesting thing about Apple’s decision in India. India’s population is second only to China, so there is huge potential in the Indian market, and although per capita income is not high, it is also profitable. For Apple, although Apple’s iPhone X and XS series are not selling well in India,… Continue reading TRAI DND app now listed in Indian App Store for ios devices
Sony’s own camera sensor has always been in the dominance of high-end mobile phone field, but this does not prevent Sony’s mobile department from continuing to play a calm and calm attitude: Recently DxOMark brought Xperia L2 camera specifications, the mobile launched this year scored a total score of 57 points and squeezed into the… Continue reading Sony Xperia L2 DxOMark score released: 57 points, the fourth last
Photographing is a relatively weak part of the ASUS monster ZenFone Max Pro. In the upcoming M2, ASUS uses a new generation sony IMX486 photosensitive lens , with f/1.8 large aperture and three-axis EIS to enhance this camera performance Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 is expected to be officially released in India on December 11th.… Continue reading ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2 will use Sony IMX486 sensor.
According to the CNBC website, Microsoft is now the world’s largest listed company by market value, replacing Apple. When US stocks closed on Friday, Microsoft’s market capitalization exceeded Apple’s. Earlier, in the intraday trading of US stocks this week, Microsoft’s market value has repeatedly surpassed Apple, but at the close, Apple’s market value eventually surpassed… Continue reading Microsoft replaces Apple: becoming the world’s largest listed company by market capitalization
OPPO Guangdong Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. announced today that it successfully opened the world’s first 5G mobile phone WeChat video call at 0:57 am. Engineers from OPPO’s six global research institutes witnessed and shouted “Hello OPPO, Hello 5G” . As can be seen from the video released by OPPO, this 5G WeChat video call is… Continue reading Hello 5G! OPPO dials the world’s first 5G mobile phone WeChat video call
According to media reports, the world’s first 3D printed resin landscape bridge was unveiled in Shanghai. The bridge is about 15 meters long and is the longest 3D printing bridge in the world. It is reported that the printing material for this 3D printing bridge is a factory in Changshu, Suzhou. This 3D printed landscape… Continue reading The world’s longest 3D printing bridge debut in Shanghai: 30 years of service life
A few days ago, foreign media PhoneArena released the 2018 flagship battery life test ranking. Test results show that Huawei Mate 20 won the first place with absolute advantage, iPhone XR performed well, surpassing iPhone XS Max became the best iPhone of this year. The test results show that the Huawei Mate 20 has a… Continue reading Best flagship Mobile in 2018: Huawei Mate 20 wins, XR the best iPhone
Although the iPhone XS/XR is mixed, the performance of the iOS 12 system has been affirmed, after all, the update rate is there. According to the 9to5mac report, data from Mixpanel shows that as of November 28, the installation rate of iOS 12 reached 75.05%. How exaggerated is this speed? Last year’s iOS 11 was… Continue reading Have you upgraded? iOS 12 update rate has exceeded 75%.
In the early years, compared with iOS, the big disadvantage of Android is security. Due to the open nature, many third-party applications on the early Android system will abuse all kinds of permissions unscrupulously, stealing user privacy and degrading the experience of mobile phones. However, in recent years, Google has intensified its rectification efforts, and… Continue reading This Android OS vulnerability will harm all major mobile phone manufacturers.
After the current Android phone has appeared with 10GB memory specifications, it is clear that Samsung plans to further increase the memory capacity to 12GB, while the built-in storage capacity will be upgraded to 1TB. According to the Hong Kong GF Securities Analysis Report, Samsung will be able to launch a mobile phone with a… Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S10 may be equipped with 12GB RAM, 1TB ROM
The release time of Samsung’s first folding mobile phone is just around the corner. According to information previously disclosed by the official, it is the earliest to appear in March next year. Of course, for such a new form of mobile phone with the folding technology “black technology”, in addition to the release time, everyone… Continue reading Samsung folding phone will be more expensive than the iPhone X
The rumors of the upcoming mid-range Samsung Galaxy A8 is coming out recently, which means that it seems that the punch screen will appear earlier than the folding screen after being considered as a full screen. The rumors shows that the A8s makes a small hole in the corner near the screen, which is an… Continue reading Samsung Galaxy A8s the world’s first Samsung Infinity-O display spotted online
Recently, the authoritative foreign media phoneArena released a report on the battery life evaluation. Among the many flagship models, Huawei Mate 20 stands out, and its battery life far exceeds its competitors, winning the honor of the flagship of the year. Huawei Mate 20 has such outstanding results, in fact, it is also expected. After… Continue reading Huawei Mate 20 have the best battery life in phoneArena Test till date, Apple Iphone XS Max in Second Position.
According to quoted sources in the Wall Street Journal , Apple has recently re-produced the old iPhone X through the foundry, which is expected to increase the sales of iPhone models equipped with OLED display panels. According to relevant sources, since Apple had previously signed a contract with Samsung’s Samsung Display, it must purchase a… Continue reading Apple reproduce IPhone X because of Samsung.
The iOS platform restricts third-party apps, Google Assistant for iOS thats why can only wake up by manually tapping the app, but can’t wake up directly through voice commands like Siri. In an earlier update, Google was unable to create a shortcut of Google Assistant for iOS devices, but in version 1.4.6108 support Apple Siri… Continue reading Google Assistant for iOS version 1.4.6108 support Apple Siri shortcuts
I don’t know if you still remember the Pepper robot developed by Softbank. It was very sensational when it went on the market. It is said that this robot has been used by Pizza Hut for customers to order food and order pizza they like.After a lapse of three years, the Softbank Group has released… Continue reading Softbank released a new robot “Whiz” that excels in sweeping the floor.
On November 22, OPPO held the fifth anniversary of ColorOS in Shenzhen. OPPO ColorOS has reached its fifth year. After several versions of iteration, ColorOS has become a vital part of OPPO mobile phones, and it has made an indelible contribution to building brand image and building mass foundation. At the event, OPPO revealed a… Continue reading ColorOS 6 will not be officially debut until next year,will have more features.
ZenFone 5Z will be upgraded to Android 9 Pie as early as possible, but will wait until 2019. When any flagship Android mobile is in your hand you will be excited to upgrade to the latest Android 9 Pie system and it should be the focus of many consumers’ recent concerns. ASUS, which has not… Continue reading ZenFone 5Z will be upgraded to Android 9 Pie as early as possible, but will wait until 2019.
Xiaomi opened 500 Mi homes at the same time, breaking the Guinness World record. Xiaomi’s amazing move to open 500 Mi homes has become the latest Guinness world record. India is an emerging market of new technology adoption . On October 29, Xiaomi opened the Mi Home retail store in India, with a total of… Continue reading Xiaomi opened 500 Mi homes at the same time, breaking the Guinness World record.
Google is allowed to purchase land to build a super park According to foreign media reports, a new city document shows that Google can invest up to 110 million US dollars in a large piece of land in San Jose without subsidies to build a super park in Google. The plan shows that the park… Continue reading Google is allowed to purchase land to build a super park
Just in time with ASUS’s upcoming ZenFone Max Pro (M2), it was revealed that Realme opportunity sub brand will launch a new new mobile using MediaTek Helio P70 processor, which will be launched at 12:30 on November 28th. Realme U1, and exclusive sales with India Amazon. As Realme CEO Madhav Sheth has previously revealed ,… Continue reading World’s first Helio P70 powered REALME U1, will be amazone exclusive, Revealing on 28th November
As a super popular open source 3D authoring application, Blender is now available on the Microsoft Store, and interested friends can experience it on the Windows 10 platform. Previously, Blender had been successful on almost every available platform. Users of the Windows 10 Fall creator update (and subsequent versions) can download the 319.2MB installation package… Continue reading Blender is now available on the Microsoft Store.
Recently, according to news from a number of technology media, Nokia 9 PureView contains two versions, the models are CP-281 and CC-190, they are all ready, will not be postponed until next year. Today, Nokia mobile phones are maintaining the “king of the king” trend. In the low-end mobile phone market, Nokia has maintained a… Continue reading Nokia 9 pureview will have 5 camera on back
On October 31, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that the Kepler Space Telescope had officially retired due to fuel exhaustion. Recently, as Kepler approached the last moment, NASA also sent the last instruction “Good night” that Earth gave it. Specifically, since the Kepler telescope is currently spinning in orbit, NASA sent a… Continue reading NASA Kepler Space Telescope had officially retired
Google parent company Alphabet plans to close humanoid robot development company Schaft. On November 16th, according to foreign media reports, Google’s parent company Alphabet confirmed that it intends to close its humanoid robot development company Schaft. As Japan’s Nikkei News first reported, Schaft is about to be dissolved, and the process is expected to be… Continue reading Google parent company Alphabet plans to close humanoid robot development company Schaft.
According to reports, in a mobile phone competition mainly looking for Android and iOS system vulnerabilities, two hackers named RichardZhu and AmatCama discovered a vulnerability in iPhoneX and received a bonus of $50,000, the vulnerabilities discovered by the two hackers can restore recently deleted photos or files on the iPhoneX and show relevant demos in… Continue reading iPhone X was hacked by Two hackers
Asus a Taiwanese smartphone maker company launched it’s midrange smartphone Max Pro M1 this year, Asus now working on Max M2 and Max Pro M2. Some specifications of this smartphone leacked by Roland on tweeter he mentioned model number,screen size,camera, storage, ram and processor of Max M2 and Max Pro M2 before offical launching. Roland… Continue reading Asus may launch Max M2 with SD 636 and Max Pro M2 with SD 660.


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Microsoft's offer to buy the American activities of TikTok was rejected by ByteDance, the Chinese owner of the platform
Donald Trump has imposed the date of September 20 to find an agreement to buy the Chinese platform. Beyond that date, it will have to close in the United States
It is an announcement that will not fail to make the tenant of the White House react so much he invested in the file. Microsoft's offer to buy the American activities of TikTok was rejected by ByteDance, the Chinese owner of the platform, announced Sunday evening the American computer giant.
"We are convinced that our proposal would have been good for TikTok users while protecting national security interests," Microsoft said.
Decrees against complaint
The Redmond group had indicated in early August its interest in TikTok, under threat of a ban in the United States. President Donald Trump, who for months has been accusing the popular social network of spying for China without proof, has signed decrees to force ByteDance to quickly sell TikTok's activities on American soil. If a buyout agreement is not reached before September 20, the platform will have to close in the United States. For its part, the application has filed a lawsuit against the US government to challenge this measure.
"We would have made significant changes to ensure that the service meets the highest standards for security, privacy, safety and anti-misinformation," said Microsoft.
By the end of August, the Walmart supermarket group had confirmed that it had partnered with Microsoft in negotiations to acquire the platform for sharing short videos, usually comedy or music. However, this partnership of the two American giants was not enough.
According to several American media, the IT group Oracle, whose name has circulated as one of the possible acquirers, now has the way clear for the purchase of TikTok's American activities. Oracle and TikTok have not confirmed in the immediate future.

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Earnings season is in full swing now and while the numbers are a little better than I was steeled to see, many of the reports still leave a lot to be desired. Let’s start with Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA).
People on Wall Street are cheering the fact that Elon Musk once again managed to swing the company to a profit after burning $500 million over the previous two quarters. At this rate, he might end the year roughly where he started.
That’s not the kind of business that usually earns a 1.8X sales valuation on the stock. And while Musk’s production mix has finally pivoted from luxury electric sedans to the mass-market Model 3, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Tesla’s revenue actually went down $500 million from last year.
Tesla isn’t even growing the top line quarter to quarter. If you’re evaluating this company according to sales, the stock should be pointed down.
Giant Stock, Tiny Company
I say more about this in my radio show, but I want to give you a preview here. I love Tesla cars; I just don’t see the appeal of the company or the stock.
Musk fans often say Tesla is one of the biggest disruptors on the planet and that it is eating the lunch of every established car company within charging range. I admit, it takes a brilliant imagination to engineer these vehicles and build a $25 billion market around them.
But even though General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) is having a tough year, demand for GM cars is actually holding up better than what we’re seeing from Tesla. Weighing the two product lines, Tesla revenue is down 7 percent while GM is 6 percent below last year’s level.
And GM is still a behemoth with a commercial footprint six times bigger than its all-electric rival. While that top line isn’t rising, we can make the exact same case against Tesla.
Both companies had a rough quarter. The trade war has stung and with GM, labor tensions have boiled over. Neither stock is a prize right now.
Compared to Tesla, GM looks grossly undervalued. With nearly identical sales growth curves, is there any reason Tesla deserves a premium price?
Remember, GM is a profit machine that pays a 4 percent yield. Tesla has only made money so far when Musk cuts his way to positive margins. If sales are shrinking, you need to keep cutting to sustain profitability.
If you stripped the Tesla brand and Musk’s cult of personality from the stock and scrubbed all long-term hopes and fantasies from the revenue models, TSLA and GM should support a similar valuation right now.
They both make cars. They sell as many as they can as profitably as management can engineer. One car may be fancy and the other is an American classic, but cash flow has no taste. It’s all about the dollars.
On that basis, either TSLA should trade around $50 or GM should be a $180 stock. Is one too cheap or is the other too expensive relative to its peers?
I’m biased. GM occasionally shows up in my Value Authority universe. Tesla is not part of the GameChangers portfolio for a good reason.
But it’s a trader’s market. Click here now to watch my presentation about how you can profit when Wall Street turns choppy.


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Apple May Launch A Video Streaming Service On March 25, But Will You Actually Pay For It?
Apple has a launch event coming up on March 25, but it may not be for hardware at all. Instead the company is expected to release a new video subscription service.
According to Reuters, this could be the start of a bold new foray into content for Apple.
Apple has reportedly invited big Hollywood names like Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner and JJ Abrams to the event. That list gives a pretty clear idea of Apple's intentions. This streaming service will be home to the company's original movies and shows as it moves to take on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Though the service itself is expected in a couple of months, we might get our first look at it soon. What seems to be the consensus though is that it'll be more like DTH services than a platform like Netflix. Users will reportedly be able to subscribe to add-on "channels" from certain networks.
Some publishing studios and platforms like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and CNBC will likely be left out however, as they're unhappy with the revenue percentage Apple is demanding. Just like with the news service it's been teasing, Apple wants to keep 50 percent of each paid subscription, which cuts deep into the profit margins of the providers.
According to reports, this television service will be accessible on the Apple TV, and in the TV app preinstalled on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.


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Google’s YouTube might still be the king of online video sharing, but it hasn’t been a hit with everyone: after all, Viacom is suing YouTube for $1 billion in copyright violations, and Japanese publishers have repeatedly expressed dismay with the number of YouTube-hosted videos which infringe on their copyrights.
Sensing opportunity, Sony is throwing its hat into the video sharing arena—at least in Japan—with a new service called eyeVio. The new service enables users to upload and distribute their own videos; Sony eventually plans to earn money on the service through advertising and media partnerships, and hopes the service will be particularly attractive to advertisers and content partners because Sony plans to keep a pro-active, sharp eye on the service for copyright violations. Companies won’t have to monitor the service for copyright violations, then report them to Sony: instead, Sony will actively monitor uploaded content. by default, all content available on eyeVio will be offered under a Creative Commons license.
Although Sony is mulling launching eyeVio outside Japan, for now the company is focusing on the Japanese market and plans to gauge customer reaction. Aside from the United States, Japan represents YouTube’s largest user base: Sony may be able to make inroads there by offering a Japanese user interface. The service also makes it easy to download videos into Sony electronics devices, like a Walkman or PSP. Users will also be able to specify who can view their content, and how long video will remain available on the service.


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Apple Inc. removed all Iranian mobile apps its App Store, citing US sanctions regulations that prohibits hosting or conducting businesses with developers connected to embargoed states.
The multinational technology company removed Snapp, a popular Tehran-based ride-hauling company similar to Uber on Thursday.
The move comes after other Iran-based services apps were removed in recent weeks, including apps used for food delivery and shopping.
- US Slaps Iran Firms With Sanctions After Rocket Launch
- Iran: Preservation of Nuclear Deal Now No. 1 Foreign Policy Priority
"Under the US sanctions regulations, the App Store cannot host, distribute or do business with apps or developers connected to certain US embargoed countries," Apple told Iranian developers affected by the move.
Apple, based in Cupertino, California, confirmed the message's authenticity but did not make any further comments.
In reaction to its decision, Telecommunication Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said Apple should respect its Iranian consumers.
"11% of Iran’s mobile phone market share is owned by Apple. Giving respect to consumer rights is a principle today which Apple has not followed. We will follow up the cutting of the apps legally," Jahromi tweeted.
Apple does not have any official stores in Iran, but many Iranians purchase its products from stores inside the country.
"We work so hard," Mahdi Taghizadeh, a founder of the online food delivery service Delion Foods, told the New York Times.
"No one with an iPhone can download any of the popular apps any more. Imagine if in the US you wouldn't be able to get Uber on your phone," he said.
"The full removal of Iranian apps by Apple means our work will be much more complicated."
Copyright @ 2022 The New Arab.


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Affiliate of Visual China Group Acquires Assets of Corbis Images
Corbis and Visual China Group (“VCG”; Shenzhen Stock Exchange:000681.SZ) today jointly announced that Unity Glory International Ltd. (“Unity Glory”), an affiliate of VCG owned by VCG’s major shareholders, has acquired the assets and brands of Corbis’ Images division, one of the world’s leading image archives and content licensing businesses. VCG is China’s leading visual communications and new media company and among the largest businesses in the image industry worldwide. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Under the terms of the agreement, Unity Glory will own and manage the images and motion archives, names and trademarks associated with the Corbis Images, Corbis Motion and Veer licensing brands.
Amy Jun Liang, Chief Executive Officer of VCG, said, “Corbis is a world-leading and widely esteemed brand in the image industry, and we are thrilled to add this treasure-house of valuable image assets to our premium brand portfolios. The transaction strengthens our dominant position in China’s image industry, enhances our core competence in the global high-end image market, and marks a significant milestone on our journey of globalization. As one of the most well-established companies in the industry, we work to capture the evolving demand for visual communications around the world with first-class visual content, unparalleled customer experience, and in collaboration with our extensive network of partners.”
For Corbis, the sale of Corbis Images accelerates the company’s transformation into an entertainment advertising business with a particular focus on product integration, providing global brands and media agencies with end-to-end access to film, TV, OTT, digital and celebrity product placement opportunities. Through its Corbis Entertainment division, it launched the Branded Entertainment Network (BEN) two years ago, bringing technology, search, planning and analytics to product integration, making product placement opportunities seamless, efficient and effective as well as driving unprecedented scale on a global basis.
Following the sale of its image assets to Unity Glory, Corbis Entertainment will be rebranded in the coming months, and BEN and the other businesses within the division will operate under the new brand name, reflecting the company’s focus on entertainment advertising.
“Corbis is thriving and growing rapidly as we pursue our strategy in entertainment advertising through our Branded Entertainment Network (BEN),” said Gary Shenk, Chief Executive Officer of Corbis. “We are pleased to have completed the sale of Corbis Images to Unity Glory. We are confident that Unity Glory and VCG will further develop that business in China and other parts of the world and wish them well going forward. It is clear that the advertising landscape is changing rapidly and we have tremendous opportunities for even more rapid growth as we advance product integration through our Branded Entertainment Network (BEN) platform and other entertainment advertising businesses.”
In addition to BEN, the rebranded Corbis Entertainment will continue to provide rights representation for celebrities and iconic personalities, as well as operate its market-leading celebrity content business. Corbis Entertainment’s roster of represented iconic personalities includes: Albert Einstein, Steve McQueen, Marvin Gaye, Bruce Lee, Thomas Edison, Muhammad Ali, Sophia Loren and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. among others.
VCG’s Ms. Liang added, “We wish Corbis Entertainment well on their future development, and look forward to exploring future partnership opportunities with them in China as they grow their BEN and celebrity content businesses.”
Corbis was represented by Allen & Company LLC in the sale of Corbis Images.
About Visual China Group Ltd.
Visual China Group (“VCG” or “the Group”) is a leading visual communications and new media business in China, and among the largest image licensing companies in the world. VCG owns and manages China’s largest premium digital visual content platform, and is the first destination of choice for creative and media professionals to purchase and manage such content in China. Through its online licensing and copyright distribution platform VCG.com, the Group offers products including still imagery, videos, music, multimedia and other digital content to approximately 15,000 advertisers, media outlets, businesses and other organizations in China. It also operates China’s largest and most popular branded online communities for designers and photographers. The Group further connects consumers and businesses with its capabilities in licensing and advertising across multiple sectors. Through Tungstar.com, the Group provides premium entertainment content and integrated marketing solutions to media agencies, advertisers, film-makers, producers and celebrities. Through a strategic entry into tourism, education and other sectors of high relevance to visual communications, the Group also leverages its core competence to capture the strong consumer demand for visual content.
Founded in 2000, VCG was the first company in China to license image and distribute copyrights through propriety online platforms, and has grown into a well-recognized player in the industry. In 2014, VCG was listed on the main board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (000681.SZ) and commands one of the industry’s largest market capitalizations. The Group has over 600 employees, with subsidiaries in major cities in Greater China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
About Corbis Entertainment
Corbis Entertainment connects global brands to consumers through the power of entertainment. Our core competencies include product integration, entertainment public relations, music licensing and partnerships, rights clearances and representation, talent seeding and negotiation.
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Alipay and Singapore Tourism Board join hands to boost Chinese tourist spending16.7.2018 02:00 | Pressemelding
Alipay, the world’s leading mobile and online payment and lifestyle platform operated by Ant Financial Services Group, together with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), have launched a series of joint marketing initiatives aimed at raising destination awareness of Singapore and driving tourist spending among Chinese visitors. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180715005021/en/ Alipay and STB signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in September 2017 to enhance Chinese tourists’ overall experience in Singapore. Under the MOU, both parties agreed, among other things, to explore co-investing in joint-marketing initiatives to encourage Chinese tourists to spend with Alipay while in Singapore. Since signing the MOU, Alipay has experienced double-digit growth in user spending. China has also become Singapore’s top market in 2017 for both tourism receipts and visitor arrivals, contributing S$4.2 billion in tourism rece
Koza Altin Welcomes Court’s Rejection of Akin Ipek’s Share Purchase Agreement13.7.2018 15:58 | Pressemelding
A Turkish Court has found against businessman Akin Ipek this week – ruling that a share purchase agreement, which he had submitted as vital evidence in support of his case against the Turkish state, is null and void. The matter was brought to the Ankara Commercial Court in March 2017 by Koza Holding (parent company of Koza Altin) which, according to Mr Ipek’s share purchase agreement, purportedly transferred all of its shares to Ipek Investment Limited. Koza Holding filed the lawsuit for legal recognition that the share purchase agreement is void. The ruling in Turkey follows on from an earlier judgment set down by the English High Court, which rejected Mr Ipek’s attempt to use up to £3m of UK subsidiary Koza Ltd’s money to fund a claim against the Turkish State at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). In the English ruling, Deputy Judge Richard Spearman QC declared the “authenticity” of the share purchase agreement as “open to very serious doubt”. The
Mindbreeze Positioned in the Leaders Quadrant of the Gartner’s 2018 Magic Quadrant for Insight Engines13.7.2018 15:27 | Pressemelding
Mindbreeze, a leading global provider of appliances and cloud services for information insight and applied artificial intelligence with a focus on knowledge management for leading international companies, announced today that Gartner, Inc. has positioned Mindbreeze in the Leaders quadrant of the 2018 Magic Quadrant for Insight Engines. Mindbreeze is positioned highest on the ability to execute axis. The research and advisory firm Gartner, Inc. evaluated 13 different providers from all over the world. “Understanding the meaning of information is a key priority for today’s customers. Mindbreeze InSpire leverages the full power of our sophisticated AI engine to provide actionable insights and answers ̶ not just more data. Seeing our position in the Magic Quadrant, my first reaction was ‘AWESOME’. Insight Engine was positioned the highest on the ability to execute axis and we believe that's exactly what sets us apart from our competitors. We made the bold move to focus on product innovatio
H.I.G. Capital Announces the Sale of Kondor13.7.2018 14:06 | Pressemelding
H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”), a leading global private equity investment firm with more than €20 billion of equity capital under management, announced today that one of its affiliates has sold Kondor Limited, a specialist provider of category management solutions for audio and mobile accessory products into the retail and mobile network channels in the UK and Europe, to DCC Technology (which principally trades under the Exertis brand), part of DCC plc, the leading international sales, marketing and support services group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Dorset, England, Kondor distributes audio and mobile accessory products to a broad range of e-tail, retail and mobile operator customers. H.I.G. invested in Kondor in 2014, and has since overseen a full reorganisation of the business. H.I.G. worked in partnership with Kondor to professionalise back office systems, develop Kondor’s access to market data, optimise the company’s product range, improve stock manag
Contactless Technology Powers Fifty Percent of Purchases at 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™13.7.2018 09:00 | Pressemelding
Visa (NYSE: V), the Official Payment Services Partner of FIFA, today released an analysis of spending inside the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ stadiums from the opening match on June 14 through the semi-finals on July 11. The data highlights the increased consumer adoption of innovative payment technology, as fifty percent of purchases with Visa in tournament venues utilized contactless transactions, including cards, mobile devices and wearables. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180713005025/en/ For the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, Visa is the exclusive payment service in all stadiums where payment cards are accepted. In-stadium, fans can pay with contactless Visa credit and debit cards and mobile payment services at the more than 3,500 point-of-sale terminals and 1,000 mobile concessionaires that have been equipped with the latest in payment innovation. (Photo: Business Wire) Visa cardholders on average spent 1,
Brazil Approves AerSafe for Airbus 321 Aircraft to Comply with Fuel Tank Flammability Reduction Rule12.7.2018 19:18 | Pressemelding
AerSale ® announced today that the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) has approved the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the company’s AerSafe™ system on Airbus 321 aircraft (ST04010NY), that complies with the Fuel Tank Flammability Reduction (FTFR) rule. This is the second ANAC STC approval for AerSafe, following approval on Boeing 737 CL aircraft in 2017. In the coming months, AerSafe will be expanded to cover additional aircraft types, to meet the September 2019 deadline of the ANAC regulation, Regulamento Brasileiro da Avaiação Civil (RBAC) nº 121.1117, that applies specifically to passenger aircraft that fly within or into Brazil. AerSale’s STCs for the Boeing 737 CL and NG series (ST02980NY) and Boeing 767 series (ST03599NY) have already been approved by the FAA. “We are pleased that our Latin American customers operating A320 family aircraft are now able to immediately benefit from AerSafe’s numerous advantages,” said


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Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) has committed to offsetting increased workers’ wages in Bangladesh by adjusting the prices it pays clothing suppliers in the country, as outlined in a letter seen by Bloomberg News. Following the Bangladesh government’s approval of a 56% hike in the minimum monthly wage to 12,500 taka ($113) starting December, H&M informed its garment providers that it will “absorb the increase of the wages in our product prices.” The company expressed its support for fair and competitive wages within its supply chain and emphasized its dedication to enhancing working conditions.
The decision by H&M follows weeks of protests by garment workers seeking a higher wage increase than initially proposed by the industry group. The fear among manufacturers was that the mandated salary hike could impact profit margins, given that fashion retailers were maintaining the same prices for orders.
Mostafiz Uddin, Managing Director at Denim Expert Ltd., expressed relief and stated that the move by H&M would help ensure fair wages for workers. He anticipated that other brands might adopt similar measures. A spokesperson for H&M confirmed the communication of changes in purchasing practices to suppliers through a letter.
Bangladesh, the world’s second-largest ready-made garment exporter after China, has attracted the textile industry with low wages. With approximately 4 million employees, the industry contributed a significant portion to the country’s gross domestic product in 2022.


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Are you requiring a safe handling course?
August 20, 2019 – About two weeks ago, a fire at a Tyson meat packing plant destroyed about 5 to 6% of the nation’s beef processing capacity. The fire caused a significant drop in the price of cattle and a significant rise in the price of wholesale beef, increasing the packing margin (the difference between cattle prices and beef prices). This has caused a lot […]
September 10, 2019 – Protein has been a hot topic on the dinner plate of Canadians. Plant-based proteins have received a lot of attention lately. But what do we know of the actual demand and preference for animal proteins? We introduce a quarterly demand index to measure consumption preferences for beef and other meats. The barometer reveals the preference for beef remains strong. Click here […]
Join regional Department of Agriculture staff and Perennia Specialists on a series of pasture tours across the province led by farmers who are considered experts at on-farm grazing management. Whether you’re interested in intensive rotational grazing or just looking to improve on your current grazing system, attending one of those tours is a must. No RSVP required.


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The LG Quantum has achieved a rather unique distinction. The Windows Phone tops the list of safest cell phones with respect to radiation emissions.
Agree or not, studies have identified some health issues related to prolonged use (i.e. ten years or so) of cell phones. Heck, the FCC even requires SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) for wireless phones and devices to be under 1.6 watts per kilogram.
The good news for Quantum owners is that the LG Windows Phone comes in at .35 w/kg. In comparison, the Samsung Focus is rated at .97 w/kg, the HTC HD7 was rated at 1.15 w/kg and the HTC Surround came in at 1.03 w/kg. The Motorola Bravo (Android) topped the list of reporting phones at 1.59 w/kg.
Considering a portable x-ray machine cranks out about 175 watts per kilogram it may take some time for health issues to develop (if at all). By no means are we suggesting you stop using your Windows Phone but a) it's nice to see a Windows Phone be rated amongst the safest and b) it never hurts to be informed.
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George is the Reviews Editor at Windows Central, concentrating on Windows 10 PC and Mobile apps. He's been a supporter of the platform since the days of Windows CE and uses his current Windows 10 Mobile phone daily to keep up with life and enjoy a game during down time.


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The Co-op has beefed up its British farming investment programme with a blue-print to give young farmers the business skills they need to accelerate their agricultural careers.
The extension of the retailer’s “Farming Pioneers” programme, which launched in 2016 and was initially intended to run for two years, will mean that by 2019 over 100 young farmers will have embarked upon the course.
The announcement was made at last week’s second annual Co-op Agricultural Conference in Manchester and comes off the back of the retailer’s £2.5bn boost to British farming which back in May, saw it become the only supermarket to source 100% British own-brand meat.
Farming Pioneers aims to develop the industry’s future leaders, with delegates aged between 18 and 34 benefitting from modules including succession planning and supply chain relationships.
Ciara Gorst, the Co-op’s Head of Agriculture, said: “We’ve always been vocal about the need to promote and support Britain’s farming industry. As with anything, actions speak louder than words, which is why we’re delighted to confirm our plans to extend our Farming Pioneers programme. Investment in farming means investment in farmers themselves and we want to help promote those people who may be just staring out in their careers but who could be the next leaders of British agriculture. “It’s fantastic to see so many of our farming partners and suppliers here with us today in Manchester as we look to a diverse and challenging year ahead.”
Jim Moseley, Red Tractor’s Chief Executive, who addressed the 200 guests on the merits of greater industry collaboration, said: “If UK consumers are to continue to buy and be proud of British food in our rapidly changing world, it is essential that we work together to maintain and uphold standards right along our supply chain. We applaud the Co-op for continuing to make substantial investment in agriculture. Today’s announcements should give consumers further assurance that retailers are doing the right thing and that they can buy with confidence.”
As well as speeches from Charlie Cleaver of fruit giant Minor Weir and Willis, conference-goers also heard from keynote speaker, British athlete, rowing champion and double Olympic gold medallist, James Cracknell OBE, on how to succeed under pressure. The 45 year old sportsman was also on hand to hand out trophies to the winners of the Co-op Farming Awards 2017.


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Retailers, middlemen join forces to squeeze farmersRetailers have made a pact with middlemen not to buy farm produce directly from farmers, leaving them at a disadvantage as they are not adequately compensated for their crops.
Retailers have made a pact with middlemen not to buy farm produce directly from farmers, leaving them at a disadvantage as they are not adequately compensated for their crops.
The middlemen provide services like helping with transportation and sourcing vegetables from various producers during times of shortages, and retailers are happy to do business with them. The farmers are the losers.
Farmer Dilprasad Timalsina of Karkitar found he could not sell his produce in the market despite the low prices due to the arrangement between middlemen and retailers. But he found that he could sell them easily by enlisting the services of an intermediary.
“At the end of the day, all our sweat and hard work go unrewarded,” said Timalsina. “We are compelled to sell at lower prices and all the profits go to them.”
The intermediaries buy from the farmers directly from their farms and sell at high prices to the same retailers who refuse to buy from farmers directly.
“Consumers pay around Rs135 for cauliflower which we sell for Rs60,” said Nilprasad Dhungana, a farmer in Chautara, “This way, both farmers and consumers are being cheated.”
Farmers complained that they get paid very little for their harvests while consumers are being overcharged.
“Retailers don’t buy from us even though we charge very low prices,” said Jhamka Mahat, president of the Kalidevi Vegetable Farmers Group, “They stick to their agreement with middlemen. The extra layers in the supply chain pocket most of the money.”
Mahat claimed that prices have been marked up by up to 120 percent when the products reach consumers.
Such market anomalies are seen especially in villages near Chautara in Sindhupalchok like Syaule, Karkitar, Barhabise, Lamosanghu and Dolalghat.
Karkitar village contains 70 households engaged in agriculture and their annual turnover amounts to Rs30 million. Vegetables are grown on 75 percent of the cultivable land in Karkitar.
These villages do not have direct access to markets, and middlemen take advantage of the situation by offering overpriced transport facilities to retailers.
Furthermore, since retailers refuse to buy from farmers, they have no option but to sell their harvests to middlemen at prices dictated by them.
Farmers in these villages believe that they should form a union and eliminate the middlemen. Mahat of Farmers Group said that the establishment of a collection centre nearby would solve these problem for farmers.
“However, we have to start planting immediately during each season, and we have no free time to open a collection centre,” said Mahat, “We farmers are busy throughout the year, and intermediaries have been taking advantage of this.”
Farmers also say that they do not have sufficient equipment. “We need digital weighing machines, warehouses and motor vehicles to open such a centre,” said Mahat.


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A new trailer has been released this week for the next game in the dictator simulation series Tropico, together with the announcement that Tropico 6 will be launching during January 2019 on PC, Mac and Linux. Unfortunately, console players will have to wait until the summer months of 2019 to be able to enjoy the game on PlayStation 4 and Xbox platforms.
The new trailer has been released ahead of this months Gamescon 2018 games conference that will be taking place from August 21st-25th, 2018. Bringing you all the latest news about upcoming releases and game development for future releases. “El Presidente returns with Tropico 6! Prove yourself once again as a feared dictator or peace-loving statesman on the island state of Tropico and shape the fate of your nation through four distinctive eras. Face new challenges on the international stage and always keep the needs of your people in mind. “
“In Tropico 6 you manage extensive archipelagos, build bridges to connect your islands and use new means of transportation and infrastructure for the first time in the series. Send your Tropicans on raids to steal the wonders of the world, including the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Customize your palace at will and give election speeches from your balcony, to win the favour of your subjects. “
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New Home Sales Rise 6.4 Percent in April
Since the new Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen cited the nation’s housing market as a potential risk to the economy, the news of better home sales for April was certainly greeted with relief. The information comes on the heels of an especially brutal winter that saw sluggish sales for Big Box hardware stores and fewer than hoped for construction starts.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) welcomed the upbeat spring findings from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. For the record, 433,000 newly built single-family homes were sold all over the U.S. in April. In terms of a seasonally adjusted rate, that brought new home sales up by 6.4 percent – no small feat. Even with the better than expected data, many felt it should have been better. Those in the home construction business still feel hampered by the way business is done following the aftermath of the housing crisis that began in 2008.
The organization’s Chief Economist, David Crowe further pointed out that, “In a positive development, builders are adding inventory in anticipation of a further release of pent-up demand.”
He went on to say that the nation’s home builders have only reached the half-way point on the road to normal market conditions. On a positive note, Crowe reflected that continuing low mortgage rates and still reasonably priced homes are two factors that should result in a slow but steady rise in home sales and construction starts through the end of 2014.
According to the report, the nation’s regions fared this way: New home sales rose 47.4 percent in the Midwest, 3.1 percent in the South, remained the same in the West, and new home sales in the Northeast dipped by 26.7 percent.
For the uninitiated, sometimes understanding why this is such good news needs to be explained. When home prices climb, more homeowners who faced possible foreclosure are put in a better situation. They can hopefully sell and at least break even rather than lose thousands on an underwater mortgage, or home that they owe more for than it is worth.
See related blog post, “Negative Equity Rate Falls Below 20 Percent.”
Price gains in new home sales also allow hopeful sellers who’d been playing a waiting game to finally move forward and list their properties. The next big plus associated with this scenario is that homeowners will not have such a huge need to refinance their homes. Instead, new buyers will come on the scene and initiate mortgage activity. Folks buying new homes pump up the economy across the board, purchasing everything imaginable for their homes and gardens, plus contracting a variety of construction-specific goods and services, such as landscaping, roofing, painting, plumbing, etc. The trickle-down effect all of this activity has on the economy is why home sales is always such a hot topic.
A Bloomberg story in late May revealed that existing home sales were also up in April. In March, that category saw a 3.4 increase, especially significant since it was the first such gain in nine months. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that in April, the sale of existing properties inched up by another 0.4 percent.
Market watchers are wondering if spring’s better mortgage rates, a rosier job outlook and perhaps easier to get credit are the explanations for this change.
HIS Global Insight economist, Patrick Newport of Lexington, MA, greeted the development with this comment:
“The housing market is getting better-going forward, we don’t think it’s going to be a drag, it’s going to be positive for growth.”
According to the NAR’s findings, existing homes sales rose 5 percent in the Midwest and 0.6 percent in the Northeast. However, it should be noted that, contract signings declined 2.9 percent in the West and 0.6 percent in the South.
Summer 2014 promises to be strong for both new construction and existing home sales. Consider this prediction from the firm Boston Logic:
“Approximately 60 percent of homes bought or sold this year will occur between May and August.”
Sounds like all of those hopeful buyers and prospective sellers better get busy!
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According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 14,000 children are treated for backpack-related injuries every year.
We’re just now realizing those strange things we thought about dinosaurs were probably false.
Tourist attractions attract people from all over the world, but they also attract loads of germs! So, if you’ve always fancied having coffee and biscuits with a rat, wanted to visit a museum coveredentirely in hair or just always dreamt of seeing cockroaches dressed up as Elvis, then this infographic is for you!
Researchers are working on creating an app for the wearable electronic device that allows users to identify a person(s)’s level of emotion. Good news is that this technology could potentially be useful for some individuals on the autism spectrum who often struggle with reading emotions, which can lead to social isolation.
Have you ever wanted to disappear online? Read on to discover how to remove your private info from Internet.
We all know that reality TV isn’t always real. When the cameras stop rolling, there are shocking secrets to be discovered.


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Geely has clearly taken inspiration from other established coupe SUVs on the market.
Earlier this month, Chinese automaker Geely released some teaser photos of its first-ever coupe SUV codenamed the FY11. Ahead of the vehicle's official reveal, new images have leaked on China's Autohome giving us a much clearer look at the upcoming coupe SUV, and it looks eerily familiar. Clearly, Geely has taken inspiration from other established coupe SUVs on the market such as the BMW X4.
The front bumper, for example, looks very similar to the X4, as does the silhouette with its sloping roofline that echoes the fastback designs of high-performance sports cars. The headlights and taillights also appear to be inspired by Audi models.
Elsewhere, the crossover adopts Geely's signature "expanding universe" grille and muscular shoulder lines. Inside, the similarities continue as the shape of the dashboard and center console look similar to the X4's. Even the infotainment system's rotary controller looks like BMW's iDrive system. There's also a large center screen and an all-digital panel.
Geely says the new coupe SUV will have "true sporting credentials" and will be its "most driver-focused car to date." It will be the Chinese brand's first model based on the global Compact Modular Architecture also used by the Volvo XC40 and Lynk & Co's model family.
Under the hood, the range-topping FY11 will feature a Volvo-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that sends 235 hp to an AWD system. Geely's first coupe SUV is expected to debut in China in the first quarter of this year. The Chinese automaker is also working on a new global electric sedan that will take on the Tesla Model 3.


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The campaign featured children styled in BDSM-style accessories.
Caroline Jones | London Ont. | March 22, 2023
Paris-based luxury fashion brand, Balenciaga, came under fire for its 2022 Holiday Gifts campaign.
The campaign featured images of children clutching teddy bears dressed in harnesses, chokers and other BDSM-style accessories.
Customers and critics have accused the company of intentionally alluding to child sexual abuse in their campaign.
At a press conference Wednesday, Balenciaga spokesperson Sam Chipera said that what was intended to be a social commentary fell flat.
“We value and prioritize the safety and well-being of children, and we deeply regret and apologize for our campaign,” said Chipera.
The Holiday Gifts campaign was an attempt to represent a loss of innocence on the internet, and raise awareness for child exploitation.
The brand plans to work closely as a team to ensure that future campaigns reflect their core values of authenticity, inclusivity, sustainability and responsibility.
Future campaigns will attempt to engage in a meaningful dialogue addressing important social issues.
Balenciaga will be partnering with charitable organizations such as Protect Us Kids, to make a tangible impact in protecting children and preventing child exploitation.


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Hotel booking sites will be forced to make major changes after Britain’s competition watchdog found they routinely engaged in pressure selling, misled consumers over prices and gave more prominence to hotels that paid the most commission.
The Competition and Markets Authority is clamping down on websites including Expedia, Booking.com and Hotels.com over practices that give a false impression of a hotel’s popularity, with claims such as “one room left at this price” and “booked four times in the last 24 hours”.
The CMA said the pressure tactics used by six firms – which also include Trivago, ebookers and Agoda – could prevent customers finding the best deals in practices that could amount to breaches of consumer law.
Andrew Tyrie, the chairman of the regulator, said: “The CMA has taken enforcement action to bring to an end misleading sales tactics, hidden charges and other practices in the online hotel booking market. These have been wholly unacceptable.
“Six websites have already given firm undertakings not to engage in these practices. They are some of the largest hotel booking sites. The CMA will now do whatever it can to ensure that the rest of the sector meets the same standards.”
The websites have a deadline of 1 September to make the changes or face further action. Not all firms engaged in all of the dubious practices but all have agreed to abide by all the principles set out by the CMA.
The CMA launched its investigation in October 2017, saying that with 70% of people researching hotels using booking sites, consumers needed to be confident they were getting the best deal.
Rory Boland, the travel editor at the consumer group Which?, said: “We have repeatedly exposed sites like these for using dodgy tactics like pressure selling, sneaky charges, dodgy deals and discount claims, so it’s absolutely right that the CMA is taking strong action.
“These changes must now be swiftly implemented to stop these misleading practices, so customers can trust the deals they’re presented with are really deals and are told the total cost of their room upfront when booking a hotel online.”
In future, booking sites will be required to make it clear how hotels are ranked – for example when ranking is influenced by how much commission the website receives – and include the total amount due in the headline cost, rather than hiding extra costs until the end of the booking process.
Pressure-selling tactics that give a false impression of the availability of a room will also be banned. For example, sites may flash a message to say other customers are looking at the same hotel, even though they may be looking at a different date.
The CMA is also clamping down on misleading discount claims, for example, displaying a weekday rate as if it is discounted, when in reality it is being compared with a higher weekend room rate.
Research carried out by Which? before the official CMA investigation was launched discovered examples where booking sites appeared to be misleading the public, including:
A room at a New York hotel, the Row NYC, was advertised at £166. However, on clicking through to book, once taxes and other fees were added, the price came to £211 – 27% more than the rate advertised in the headline.
Expedia offered a rate of £37.29 for a night at the Alsisar Hotel in Jaipur, India. The price was supposedly reduced from £109, sounding like a great deal, until the hotel’s own website showed the price for the same night was actually £34.35.
In a promotional email, Hotels.com advertised a deal for a one-night stay at the luxury London hotel 45 Park Lane for £388. However, the lowest available price for any date that could be found on the booking site was £488.
There was no way of verifying pressure prompts that claim a specific number of people are looking at the same hotel or whether they are looking at the same dates.


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St. Louis’ Newest Event Venue: The Reverie
Butler’s Pantry acquires 23 City Blocks Hospitality Group and announces The Reverie, a new events venue Part of The District of St. Louis, The Reverie can accommodate 400 people for a seated dinner. This year is already shaping up to be a good one for St. Louis catering company Butler’s Pantry. Two of its new venues […]
Charcuterie: Custom, Local & Delicious!
Mouse in the House sells charcuterie boards of all sizes in Chesterfield “There is really nothing better than sharing some delicious food with the people you care most about.” Charcuterie fans have a new place to get their fix: Mouse in the House opened late last year in West County. The business creates and distributes charcuterie […]
Main Event: Billiards, Virtual Reality Experiences and More!
Family entertainment center Main Event prepares for grand opening at The District in Chesterfield The 50,000-square-foot entertainment venue and arcade, Main Event, features billiards, virtual reality experiences and a number of different games. Family entertainment center Main Event will open next week in a 50,000-square-foot space at The District in Chesterfield, giving the development that already […]
Inside Staenberg’s $2B vision for Chesterfield
Inside Staenberg’s $2B vision for Chesterfield The Staenberg Group is pressing on with its projects in Chesterfield despite pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic The Staenberg Group is pressing on with its focus on retail development despite pressures from the pandemic. If anything, company officials said, the COVID-19 pandemic has solidified the development company’s strategy, […]


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AAA predicts travel will be lowest in more than decade due to pandemic
The travel agency says that less people are traveling during the coronavirus pandemic
Columbia, SC (WOLO) — AAA forecasts that the way Americans will take 700 million trips simply by looking gauging economic factors in addition to the reopening of many states around the country. AAA says the number of people deciding to take a trip regardless of how they get there, is down nearly 15% when compared to those who traveled between July and September in 2019.
The agency says the number of people traveling is the biggest decrease they have seen for summer travel since 2009. Tiffany Wright, a spokesperson for AAA – The Auto Club Group says,
“Though cautiously and more spontaneous, AAA booking trends show that Americans are in fact still making travel plans for this summer,…When they do start to get out and explore, travelers will hit the roads to take on 683 million road trips.”
According to the travel agency a majority of people who choose to travel will do so by car. In fact, 97% of people appear to prefer this mode of transportation. Air travel is just behind with about 74%, while AAA says that travel by train and bus trips may account for about 86 % of travel.
According to AAA, Myrtle Beach is the number one travel destination for drivers. Here is a copy of the list of the top five driving destinations:
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Denver, Colorado
- Dallas, Texas
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Williamsburg, Virginia
AAA says prepandemic trips were projected to increase from last year to about 857 million trips during the summer season, but in contrast, AAA says the ongoing pandemic has changed that. The travel agency saying the pandemic has lead 150 million person trips to be parked.
Travel experts with AAA say they are seeing some positive shift in travel including the slight increase of hotel and rental car rentals monitored since April. Experts say bookings for air travel has not increased as quickly
For more information on planning a trip you can click on this link provided by AAA here


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While Denver, Colorado is hosting the first presidential election debate, the hot topic of jobs will likely focus on states like Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, the center of the domestic auto industry. The recovery of auto manufacturing jobs is a highlight in the economy. The cars being made are also more fuel-efficient, which is crucial to addressing other hot topics including cutting our oil dependence and reducing carbon pollution that fuels climate change.
As you watch the debate, keep in mind these facts about more fuel-efficient cars and auto industry jobs:1. Fuel efficiency standards are driving job growth.
New clean car and fuel economy standards provide long-term certainty and stability that the auto companies and their suppliers need to invest in innovation and manufacturing, spurring more American jobs. Today, over 300 companies across 43 states are building components that make cars and trucks go farther on a gallon of fuel.
After decades of inaction, the U.S. recently adopted standards that reach the equivalent of 54.5 mpg by model year 2025. As the standards ramp up, the auto industry is developing new fuel-saving technologies and adding jobs to build them.
Since the sector’s employment trough in June of 2009, the automotive industry has added over 230,000 jobs nationally. Many of those jobs are centered in the three states of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, which hold 36 percent of the national auto manufacturing employment. According to August data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the three states saw an increase of 62,800 jobs, for a gain of 29% from June 2009. Michigan has seen the largest increase, adding 33,400 jobs. Indiana's auto manufacturing grew by 19,800 jobs and Ohio's auto sector added 9,600 jobs.
Here are some recently announced plans to expand auto jobs in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana:
- The Dayton Daily News in Ohio recently reported that the production of the new, more fuel-efficient 2013 Honda Accord is driving a “new wave of hiring.” Marysville-area production plants are gearing up to add a second shift. The 2013 Accord also boosts fuel efficiency by as much as 3 mpg over last year’s model.
- In Flat Rock, Michigan, Ford plans to hire 1,200 workers to build the 2013 Ford Fusion. The new Fusion comes in a range of gasoline engine models and a hybrid. Manufacturing at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant will include Fusions equipped with EcoBoost engines that can increase fuel economy by 3 mpg over the 2012 four-cylinder model, saving drivers $250 a year in fuel costs.
- The Indianapolis Star recently reported that in Indiana, auto jobs are growing across multiple manufacturers. At its Greensburg facility, Honda is expanding production of the Civic and planning to add the Civic Hybrid, which is manufactured overseas today. This summer Chrysler announced that it would start making fuel-efficient eight- and nine-speed transmissions in Kokomo.
Relief from the pain at the pump comes only from cutting our demand for oil. Conversely, expanding U.S. supplies of oil will do little if anything to reduce the volatile and high prices for oil set on the world market.
The 54.5-mpg standards are a good deal for consumers because new cars in 2025 will consume half as much fuel as the average car on the road today. Those fuel savings at the pump are money in consumers’ pockets – an average of over $8,000 over the life of a car even when including the cost of the fuel-saving technologies.
Purchasers of used cars also benefit from the standards because they reap the fuel savings inherent in more efficient cars penetrating the market while paying for only a fraction of the technology cost.
But consumers don’t have to wait until 2025. Clean car and fuel economy standards started improving with model year 2012 and the new vehicle fleet has hit record fuel efficiency levels. Also, in just the last three years, the number of popular fuel-efficient models has more than doubled, from 28 to 60.3. Fuel efficiency standards are good for the environment and our energy security.
The increase in fuel efficiency standards from 2012 to 2025 comprise the largest action every taken by the U.S. to slash our oil dependence and reduce carbon pollution.
The 2012-2025 standards could cut imports by one-third in 2030 because the program avoids consumption of 3.1 million barrels of oil per day. Annual carbon pollution in 2030 will be reduced by about 570 million metric tons of CO2, which is equivalent to the pollution from 85 million of today’s cars or 140 coal-fired power plants.
As the inaugural presidential debate kicks off, it’s important to understand that the U.S. has recently made some important progress. New fuel efficiency standards are saving consumers’ money, which in turn can create jobs as the money is spent in the U.S. economy instead of for oil from overseas. Job growth is already robust in the large and important auto sector, in large part due to new efficiency standards. Guided by the investment certainty provided by clean car and fuel economy standards, automakers are buiding the efficient vehicles that consumers want and building them here in America.
The result is good for jobs, good for consumers, good for the environment and good for our energy security. New auto standards are a strong step in the right direction.


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Toys R Us bankruptcy results in 26 UK outlets being shut
By Luca Casiraghi - Dec 4th 2017, 17:30
Toys R Us plans to shut at least 26 UK stores, as the retailer goes through bankruptcy proceedings in the US.
The closures, starting in the UK’s spring, will pare rents on warehouse-size stores and let the company focus on better-performing small shops and online operations, according to an e-mailed statement on Monday. The UK arm will pursue a Company Voluntary Arrangement, a type of court-led insolvency proceeding.
Warehouse stores "are too big and expensive to run in the current retail environment", UK MD Steve Knights said in the statement. "The business has been loss-making in recent years and so we need to take strong and decisive action to accelerate the transformation."
Toys R Us filed for Chapter 11 (bankruptcy) in a US court a few months ago after buckling under debt from a $7.5bn leveraged buyout in 2005 led by Bain Capital, KKR and Vornado Realty Trust. The New Jersey-based retailer, which operates in 38 countries, is also facing competition from online vendors.
The UK arm’s CVA restructuring plan must be approved by creditors in a vote scheduled for December 21. The statement did not say which stores would close or how many job losses there would be among the company’s 3,200-strong UK workforce.© BusinessLIVE MMXVII
Consumers continue their festive-season spend trend in January
16/03/2018 - 13:55
For the first time in five years, consumer spending in January grew at the same pace as during the festive season, signifying economic recovery.
Pharmacy ATM launches in SA
16/03/2018 - 09:18
For residents of Alexandra township in Johannesburg, the days of waiting for hours to obtain medication at local clinics are over.
Shoprite launches discount buying card for NPOs
16/03/2018 - 08:16
The Shoprite Group has launched a discount buying card to assist welfare organisations in their bid to stay afloat amidst trying economic times.
Retail sales volumes highest in six years
15/03/2018 - 10:42
The discretionary spending power of consumers is slowly returning as inflation slows and the rand strengthens.
AI set to revolutionise consumer and retail sectors
15/03/2018 - 10:16
Almost a third (32%) of consumers surveyed globally by PwC plan to buy an AI device including robots or automated assistants, with retailers watching closely as ‘voice commerce’ develops in the home.


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When Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) announced its $2 billion acquisition of virtual reality headset manufacturer Oculus in March, the deal was a bit of a head-scratcher. Sure, the $19 billion buyout of WhatsApp got many of the headlines, and rightfully so. WhatsApp's over 600 million active users are more than twice the size of Twitter's (NYSE:TWTR)active user base, and could put even more pressure on the wannabe tweet master, making it easier to see the logic behind the transaction.
Facebook's first foray into hardware via the deal for Oculus and its Rift VR headset may have caught some by surprise, however, it has a clear path to monetization: gaming. But the Rift is still in development mode, so who knows when Facebook will actually get it out to the masses. But based on some new developments and efforts on Facebook's part, it appears Rift might hit virtual store shelves a bit sooner than some industry pundits may have thought.
What's a Rift?
As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg put it, Rift gives users an "immersive gaming" experience, an area of focus for Facebook over the last several months.
If you've ever witnessed a gamer who was in the midst of taking over the universe, you know just how addictive gaming can be. Now imagine those same folks utterly immersed "inside" their game of choice. There's a reason Oculus has already sold over 100,000 Rift development kits. But dominating the VR gaming market -- and the numerous revenue opportunities it presents -- is only part of the Rift equation.
The latest on Rift
Facebook has what it calls a "bounty program," in which developers are monetarily rewarded for finding potential security threats or programmatic concerns. The idea is to use developer resources from the entire technology community, rather than relying solely on in-house talent. In fact, Facebook paid about $1.5 million in bounties last year alone. And as of a few days ago, Facebook's bounty program expanded to include Rift.
Getting the kinks out of Rift is quite naturally the first step in readying it for mainstream use, and now Facebook has a horde of gaming development gurus on the job. Does that mean Rift will be available by the holidays? Not likely, but it's a sign that Facebook is getting the ball rolling.
As for Twitter, its attempts to address user growth and engagement issues took a hit recently when it began force-feeding users with posts from people they were not following. While Facebook explores additional revenue opportunities, Twitter is in full-on damage control mode. Of course, that's what market leaders like Facebook do: take charge, not follow, as Twitter has so often, including the late introduction of mobile in app ads, and testing video advertisements.
More positive Rift VR news came recently from none other than Markus Persson, creator and driving force behind the ridiculously popular game Minecraft. With over 100 million registered users, and nearly 16.5 million paid subscribers, Minecraft offers Rift a huge opportunity. The only problem was that Persson nearly went ballistic in March when Facebook announced it was buying Oculus, which ended with him ditching plans to make a VR version of Minecraft.
Ah, but time may indeed heal all wounds. Persson went on Twitter earlier this week to say he's "officially over being upset" about the Facebook acquisition of Oculus. A "sure-fire" gaming winner may not exist, but a VR Minecraft experience would be as close to one as possible. Persson's tweet isn't confirmation he'll get to work on an updated Minecraft, but like Facebook's bounty program, it certainly bodes well going forward.
Not just gaming
Zuckerberg was adamant when announcing the Oculus purchase that a gaming solution was just the beginning of what Rift can, and will, become. Some developers at a recent Netflix "Hack Day" provided a glimpse of Rift's possibilities. One developer constructed a VR "room," complete with a Netflix directory of shows that could be scrolled through using nothing but hand gestures. Once a show is selected inside what was dubbed "Oculix," the viewer can sit back and enjoy the content from "inside" the show. Can you imagine the possibilities a Facebook-Netflix partnership would present?
Final Foolish thoughts
Like a VR Minecraft, there's no way to know if a VR Netflix will come to pass, but Oculus demonstrates one of the innumerable possibilities Rift presents to Facebook. Like anything else, it takes time to assimilate acquisitions and grow new revenue sources, so don't expect immediate profitability when Rift hits the street. But Facebook has to start somewhere to get VR ready for prime time, and it appears Zuckerberg many have just hit the "go" button.


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ROBBINSVILLE, NJ – When New Jersey’s car showrooms reopened on May 19 following a two-month hiatus, auto vendors began innovating new ways to maximize profits and hygiene during the coronavirus pandemic.
By that point, dealerships in state had already slogged through a brutal April that saw sales move strictly online and plummet more than 70 percent according to the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers. While the return of in-person vehicle hunting could help relieve that burden, the industry must still negotiate mass concern over another outbreak and a tanking economy that has hindered revenues even further.
“We understand not everyone’s going to feel comfortable just yet,” Mike DeJesus, a sales representative at Route 130 Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Robbinsville, said. “It’s still new, still unknown territory, so we want to give everyone the right options.”
DeJesus explained that the facility launched this January and saw business slow in early March before layoffs sidelined him and his fellow eight consultants just weeks later.
His colleagues are gradually returning to a very different workplace from the one they left when the lockdown started. Nobody can enter without a mask, management and clients interact in a lounge area, and transparent plastic barriers sit on desks to limit the spread of contagious droplets.
“Our test drives are also great because we sanitize the cars beforehand and afterwards, and [customers] go on by themselves,” DeJesus said. The fewer people involved and repeated rounds of cleaning lower the risk of transmitting germs between rides.
Despite digital car shopping gaining popularity in recent weeks, DeJesus said he thinks the showroom experience is still sustainable but added that Route 130 Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram will continue providing online alternatives after the pandemic subsides.
The increasing health precautions DeJesus outlined are also impacting the secondary auto market. John Hooks, general manager of Robbinsville-based Central Group, has adapted to COVID-19 without the infrastructure or personnel of major dealerships.
“I do everything from taking pictures, selling the vehicle, financing the car, and cleaning the toilet,” Hooks said. He explained that his staff of three relied on phone calls, emails, and photographs and videos of inventory to engage customers, delivering long-distance as far away as West Virginia.
Hooks described that his sales received a boost throughout the lockdown from more unique models and the desperation of drivers who suddenly lost their transportation and required immediate replacements. He emphasized the availability of disinfectant products at Central Group and the necessity of wearing facial coverings.
And to reduce overcrowding, Hooks has revamped his financing process as well.
“I won’t show the car until I know the person is qualified for it because it would just be a waste of having to risk that person and my [team’s] livelihood,” Hooks said. Now, he makes prospective buyers complete an application for credit pre-approval before they can examine his stock.
While Hooks was uncertain about whether electronic exchanges could be the future of used vehicles, he expressed confidence in his local clientele continuing to shop face-to-face. Like DeJesus, he believes people value the opportunity to build a relationship with their auto retailers.
“I don’t think that every dealer is going to…pump out cars with just online, remote sales,” Hooks said. “We’re not selling shoes here—we’re selling something that is usually the second or third largest purchase any person’s ever going to make, and people like to sit in it before they buy it.”
Know a story we should share with readers? Email editor Elizabeth Meyers and tell her about it.


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Prices of top-end mobile phones have risen 490% since 2000 and now cost more than half the average monthly wage, according to price comparison website Uswitch.com.
The data is revealed as Samsung prepares to launch its Galaxy Note 20 Ultra on 5th August at the predicted cost of £1,300. The phone is set to join the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max – pictured above – as one of the most expensive handsets ever.
Analysis of price rises, corrected for inflation, suggests that top-of-the-line smartphones could hit £1,800 within five years, with costs currently doubling every ten years, according to the Uswitch.com analysis.
The average mobile phone in 2000 cost £72.50 — £123.80 in today’s money — and could do little more than make and receive calls, send texts, and play games like Snake.
Modern smartphones can browse the internet, take photographs and videos, stream films and television, and download thousands of apps – but prices have risen with the extra functions. The average handset now costs £355, 14% of the average UK monthly salary.
There is huge variety across the market, with budget ‘dumbphones’ like the Alcatel 10.66 on sale for £5. The Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max cost £1,149 at launch, but manufacturers also offer stripped-down versions of their top-end devices for reduced prices. The 2020 iPhone SE costs £419.
Handset prices in the early 1990s, when mobiles phones were an expensive luxury, were higher than they are now. The Motorola 3200 — the company’s first portable phone launched in 1992 — cost £762, equal to £1,651 when adjusted for inflation.
Prices came down as mobile phones spread to the mass market, with costs falling as devices got smaller. After 2000, prices started rising again as screens grew to let users browse the web more comfortably on internet-enabled devices.
At the same time, consumers are also keeping their handsets longer, using them for two years and 3.7 months on average at present, up from one year 11.4 months in 2016.
Graph: Cost of mobile phones from 1992 to 2020
Source: Uswitch.com. All prices corrected for inflation.
Ru Bhikha, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, comments:
“Mobile phones these days do the job of a camera, music player, television and computer, but you certainly pay the price for having all that tech in your pocket.
“Premium smartphones broke through the £1,000 barrier a while ago, and there’s no sign of the prices coming back down.
“We pay for our smartphones in manageable monthly payments, so it’s easy to forget how much we’re spending on these technological works of art.
“Although top-end handsets are soaring in price, there are models on the market to suit every budget, with the Samsung Galaxy A10 costing just £139, and the iPhone SE offering great value at £419.
“When you’re looking for a new handset, take the time to compare the features of the phones on offer, find what’s right for you, and make sure that you can afford the monthly payments.”


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Adelaide Hills Wine Region has announced an online auction of over 350 bottles of wine to raise money for wineries and growers affected by the 2019 Cudlee Creek bushfires.
With floods dominating recent news, bushfire couldn’t be further from the public mind’s eye.
However, many Adelaide Hills wineries are still suffering from the devastation of the 2019 fires.
“The fire wrecked 30 years of work in a day. We had to start again, and it’s not easy to do that. It’s not just the physical hard work but the huge emotional cost of starting over,” said Darren Golding of Golding Wines who saw 90 per cent of their vineyard burnt.
“We are part way, probably about 50% through replanting our vineyards.
“It will take another 5 years to get back to full production.”
After the fires, Dave Bowley feared the end for Vinterloper.
“With no grapes to make wine, and no discernible vineyard left standing on our property we had to buy grapes for the 2020 vintage and continue to buy grapes for many more seasons,” he said.
“Getting some funds from the Fire Appeal has enabled us to rebuild trellis and infrastructure and just keep the business going.”
Despite the hardships of the past few years, Adelaide Hills grape growers are resilient and continue work rebuilding their vineyards with support from the Fire Appeal.
The Adelaide Hills Wine Region, which is the body representing winemakers and grapegrowers in the Adelaide Hills, established the Fire Appeal to support local growers and producers and fund recovery efforts.
Amongst the initiatives to raise funds was a call for wineries across Australia to donate wine to be auctioned to the public.
35 wineries responded, ranging from renowned brands such as Vasse Felix, Yalumba and Rockford through to local Hills wineries such as K1 and La Prova contributing to support their friends.
“A big thanks and huge gratitude to all those who donated money or wine for the auction and supported us in some way,” said Mark Kozned from Nova Vita.
In total 357 bottles of wine were generously donated by wineries from South Australian regions including Adelaide Hills, Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley as well as further afield such as Western Australia and even a Rhone Hermitage from France.
COVID prevented the original plan to sell the wines at a charity dinner in 2020/21 so the online auction was created.
“When you are bidding for wines at the auction, please think of it as a donation rather than a purchase and be generous,” said Tim Bartsch of Bartsch Vignerons.
“If you can afford to purchase a small amount of wine, it will go a long way to help growers that are still recovering from the huge costs of the fire,” said Simon Tolley of Simon Tolley Wines.
The fundraising auction will be held from 18 to 25 April by Wickmans Fine Wine Auctions. Anyone can join but must register online here.
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