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The company will focus on selling experiences rather than products, after concluding it was “not well-positioned in a saturated retail market.”
In a statement accompanying its financial results for Q4 and full year to December 31, 2019, Groupon provided details of its plan to exit its Goods category, which includes toys, to focus on the local experiences market opportunity from the end of this year.
Groupon CEO Rich Williams commented: “We did not deliver the financial performance we expected during the fourth quarter and we recognize we must move swiftly to put Groupon back on a growth trajectory. Groupon is a leader and trusted brand in the highly fragmented, $1 trillion local experiences market. We believe our plan to exit Goods will allow us to dedicate the focus and resources necessary to build a winning position as the purchase of experiences continues to migrate online. Throughout 2020 you’ll see a stronger Groupon emerge, with broader inventory, modernized products, a refreshed brand, new ways for merchants to partner with us to grow and a leaner organization. Success in these areas will be key to achieving our goal of reigniting billings growth.”
In a letter to shareholders, Rich Williams offered further insight into the decision: “ After a comprehensive review of opportunities and strategic alternatives, we determined that a plan to exit the Goods category and focus on our local experiences marketplace best positions us for long-term and sustained growth. We believe this plan will allow us to devote the focused execution necessary to take share in the growing local experiences market. This market, which we estimate to be north of $1 trillion, is highly fragmented, growing, and migrating quickly from offline to online. Currently, we are a market leader, yet we have less than 1% market share. In addition, our 2019 Goods category performance, particularly in the fourth quarter, has made it increasingly clear that we are not well-positioned in a saturated retail market.”
It is not yet known how long existing Groupon buyers will remain in their current roles.
The moves will help position Spin Master for the next phase of growth.
Spin Master has announced a series of global senior leadership changes, which the company says are designed to optimize Spin Master for growth, with a renewed commitment to operational excellence as it continues to execute against its long-term strategy.
Ben Gadbois, who served as global president, COO and board director, is to step down, as is Bill Hess, executive vice president, Global Operations and chief information officer. During their tenure, both Ben and Bill were instrumental in establishing Spin Master as a diversified global business.
Paul Blom has been appointed as the interim executive vice president, Global Operations and Technology, and will be responsible for leading Spin Master’s operations and IT teams across Asia, Canada, the US, Europe and Mexico. Tara Deakin, SVP Talent Management, will become executive vice president, Human Resources and chief people officer.
Ronnen Harary, Spin Master’s co-founder and co-CEO said: “We would like to thank both Ben and Bill for their significant contributions to Spin Master’s growth over the past seven years. We welcome Paul to the Spin Master leadership team and congratulate Tara on her appointment. Both have deep management experience and a proven track record of leadership. Paul is an agile and collaborative leader who brings strong operational expertise. His passion for excellence, paired with his extensive experience working with global teams makes him a strong addition to our leadership team.”
Anton Rabie, co-founder and co-CEO added: “Both Ronnen and I want to take this opportunity to thank our employees globally for their continued hard work and dedication. We are thrilled to announce Tara’s promotion to Chief People Officer. Tara is a transformational leader who will help position us for the next phase of our growth. Her appointment marks a critical moment in Spin Master’s evolution and our recognition of the need to raise the bar in leading, managing and developing our key asset – people.”
The final 11 department stores are set to shut, and a further 20 staff made redundant at Beales head office.
After going into administration last month, the retailer announced plans to close 12 of its 23 shops. Now, the remaining 11 stores have been earmarked for closure, with the loss of many more jobs.
Administrators at KPMG are continuing discussions with “a number of interested parties” over a sale, but are preparing to close the remaining stores after failing to receive any “deliverable offers”. The stores are expected to continue trading for around two months while closing down sales take place, with staff being retained during this period. KPMG added that, if a sale is not achieved, the closure date of each store will vary, depending on trading performance.
A further 20 staff have also been made redundant at Beales head office.
Will Wright, joint administrator for the company, said: “We’d like to thank all Beales employees for their wholehearted support and assistance during the administration process. We understand that the failure to achieve a sale so far will come as disappointing news, but can assure them that we will continue in our efforts to secure some form of positive outcome.”
The collection features the stars of all 20 directly qualified teams.
It’s almost time for the Euros, and Panini is gearing up for the much anticipated tournament with its brand new Official Adrenalyn XL Trading Card Collection – the only official trading card collection of the UEFA Euro 2020. The stars of all 20 directly qualified teams, and the UK and Eire play off contenders, all feature in this collection which contains 468 high quality trading cards.
The collection includes new features that make it even more exciting to for fans to collect and play: Captains cards dedicated to the 20 team leaders, European football’s emerging talents (Wonder Kids), the tireless All-Round Players, Line-Ups of each nation and the Magic Moments on the road to qualification. There are five categories in the collection: Base, Fans, Power-Up, Multiple and Rare, each printed on a different material.
Collectors can kick-start their collection with a starter pack which includes 24 trading cards, two limited edition cards, a collector’s album, game board and game guide, including a checklist. There are also free online game codes on every card for collectors to redeem.
The collection will be supported by a multi-faceted marketing campaign including a heavyweight TV and digital campaign, a national newspaper promotion, nationwide sampling initiatives, print advertising as well as a dynamic social media campaign. There will be investment at retail across key listings.
News of the exclusive tournament Sticker Album collection will be announced shortly.
Asda has said customers were “cautious” over the Christmas period as it revealed that sales fell in the final three months of last year.
The supermarket chain’s like-for-like sales, which excludes takings at new stores, were 1.3% lower than the year before.
“Whilst customers were enthusiastic for Christmas, they were more mindful in their spending,” said CEO of Asda, Roger Burnley. However, on a positive note for the toy industry, he said that many Christmas shoppers choosing to pare back their gift lists did so with a focus on buying presents for children, rather than adults and extended family.
Roger added: “We continued to improve our price position versus the previous quarter, and year on year, whilst our trusted combination of great value and quality ranges with a touch of Asda personality resonated strongly with customers.We’re ambitious to deliver even more for customers in 2020 and have entered the year with an even sharper focus on driving forward our strategy, which is anchored in saving our customers time as well as money.”
Playtime PR has a core team of 15 consultants, working with global toy companies including Bandai, Moose Toys and Asmodee.
The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has welcomed award-winning virtual agency Playtime PR as its latest Corporate Member.
Playtime PR specialises in working with toys and games brands, and prides itself on offering genuine flexible work solutions for experienced and talented PR professionals. With a core team of 15 consultants currently working across major global companies including Asmodee, Bandai, Moose Toys and Zuru, the company boasts a wealth of industry understanding.
Founder and managing director of Playtime, Lesley Singleton, said: “It feels to me that the PRCA is really evolving and much more relevant to our business now than ever before. Virtual Agencies like ours are proving to be key players in the PR industry and I want to ensure our team has access to the wealth of resources, training and events offered by the PRCA so that we can continue attracting great brands and delivering brilliant campaigns.”
She added: “After six years of continual growth, I’m confident our membership is going to help take the agency to the next level and further cement our reputation as the best agency for toys and games brands.”
Francis Ingham, PRCA director general, said: “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Playtime, our latest corporate member. Lesley and her team’s decision to come on board with us demonstrates the great value our membership provides to agencies with hybrid location and flexible working models. I look forward to seeing the agency take full advantage of the training and networking opportunities.”
Before joining SFG, Toby spent three years at Games Workshop and seven years at Trunki.
Toby Davies, previously head of sales (Global Distribution and Partners) at Games Workshop, has taken up his post as commercial director at tabletop games developer and retailer, Steamforged Games (SFG).
Before joining SFG, Toby spent three years at Games Workshop and seven years at Trunki. In both roles, Toby forged new distribution channels and handled distributor and retailer relations on a global scale.
In his role as commercial director for SFG, Toby will join the board alongside Ian Livingstone CBE, co-founder of Games Workshop.
“I’m thrilled to be joining at such an exciting time for the business” said Toby. “We’ve got an excellent pipeline of products planned over the next few years with a great mix of IP, price points and channels of distribution to go after.”
Toby’s new post at SFG comes following the company’s success developing tabletop versions of popular video games such as Horizon Zero DawnTM, Resident Evil II and Ni no Kuni II, in addition to original tabletop miniature games such as Godtear and Guild Ball.
SFG co-founder and CEO, Rich Loxam, said: “It’s fantastic to have such an experienced person joining the team. Toby is a key part of our growth strategy and product lines going forward.”
One such product line includes the recently-announced Animal Adventures Kickstarter campaign, Secrets of Gullet Cove, which reached its funding goal within twenty minutes of its launch on January 28th 2020.
The new series will focus on the unresolved storylines of the iconic characters, picking up where they left off decades ago.
Netflix and Mattel Television have announced the cast of the upcoming Netflix anime series, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, a series based on He-Man, Skeletor, Teela and the other classic characters of the Masters of the Universe franchise.
A number of well-known actors have signed on to the project, including Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series) as Skeletor; Lena Headey (Game of Thrones, 300) as Evil Lyn; Chris Wood (Supergirl, The Vampire Diaries) as Prince Adam / He-Man; Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Batman & Robin) as Queen Marlena and Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cruel Intentions) as Teela.
Executive producer Rob David commented: “Masters of the Universe: Revelation is for the fans. Showrunner Kevin Smith, as well as the rest of the all-star cast, share our love and passion for the iconic franchise and the deeper meaning of the property. At its core, Masters of the Universe is all about wanting the power to be the best version of yourself, and the series will bring this message to life in an entirely new way.”
Kevin Smith added: “I cannot believe the line-up of talent I get to play with. The incredible, star-studded cast will let any lifelong He-Man fan know that we’re treating this cartoon seriously and honouring the legendary world of Eternia with A-list talent. With these fantastic performers behind our characters, it’ll be easy to immerse yourself in the swords and sorcery of our epic sci-fi soap opera.”
Running until March 13th, Pokémon has taken over the pop-up space in the store’s fourth-floor toy department.
The Pokémon Company International has launched a month long pop-up in the store in Knightsbridge, London and is including a host of Pokémon activity to keep fans entertained over half term and beyond.
The pop-up opened on Friday 14th February, with a special area themed on the Galar region, which is a UK-inspired new region from the recent Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield video games. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are the fastest-selling Nintendo Switch titles, with more than 6m units sold worldwide during last November’s launch weekend, with global sales now totalling over 16m units.
The pop-up features a wide range of Pokémon products, including toys, the Trading Card Game, stationery and accessories. Activities planned for the month include giveaways and character appearances from Pikachu and friends providing photo opportunities for fans and families, a screen showcasing the TCG and toys and additional surprises planned to mark Pokémon Day on 27th February.
Mathieu Galante, licensing director EMEA at The Pokémon Company International, said: “We are delighted to be returning to this iconic store for another Pokémon pop-up. We were thrilled with the response to our previous pop-up at Harrods in May and are looking forward to providing another great experience for Pokémon fans old and new over the coming month.”
The pop-up follows a successful month at Harrods last May when Pokémon took over the pop-up space in the newly launched fourth-floor toy department with a range of products and activity to promote the launch of the live action movie Pokémon Detective Pikachu.
Here is everything you need to know about our April issue, including this months new special feature.
The April issue of Toy World will include category features on pre-school, games and puzzles, pocket money toys and collectibles, as well as a special dedicated Minions feature.
This issue will also include the second edition of our newest feature, Sustainability Spotlight, plus regular features like Talking Shop, Viewpoint and Allegedly.
The deadline for editorial will be the 2nd March, and the deadline for adverts will be the 13th March.
For further information regarding editorial opportunities contact Lisa Currie, assistant editor, email@example.com.
To find out more about advertising opportunities, contact Mark Austin, firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Reply The Pink Whisk says: March 15, 2013 at 10:36 am Yes, a quick grease and then the paper will stay in place x Reply Tara says: March 8, 2013 at 10:51 am Hi lovely cake but not sure what size tins you used for recipe given. The pipeline will be used to transport natural gas from fracking wells in Susquehanna County to New York and New Hampshire. October 27, 2014 Humor for Wednesday August 20, 2014 Humor for Wednesday August 6, 2014 Humor for Wednesday July 30, 2014 Dull.
Shelley SclaterI am honoured to have feedback from Jacob Ross, a writer I have respected for years. They usually have the main anchor shops like a 2 story Banana Republic shop that offers everything for women, men and teens. News News home Press releases Media contacts Unilever rolls out 250 calorie cap commitment for ice cream Unilever UK & Ireland has confirmed that from spring 2016 its entire adult single serve ice cream range will contain 250 calories or fewer.
Diabetics should ensure they eat a variety of vegetables during the day and that includes carrots, cabbage, peas and lettuce. 00 Inches uuid:AE52B09FC49DDD11AA6EAD2DC0E89CDD uuid:291228C59D90DD11A87BB95174B8317C ReferenceStream 300. ??Wigan Athletic have the opportunity to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games on Matchday 35 as they look to close the gap at the top of Sky Bet League 1.

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There is a three to four week wait for Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display machines, according to Apple’s web store
The key issue is most likely sourcing the Retina display parts. There were also supply issues at launch for the 9.7-inch Retina display on the new iPad when it was launched in March.
The machine unveiled on Monday retails at €2,349.00 for the 2.3GHz Intel Core i7 processor version and €2,979.00 for the 2.6GHz version.
“The MacBook Pro with Retina display pushes the limits of performance and portability like no other notebook,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO on Monday.
“With a gorgeous Retina display, all flash architecture and a radically thin and light design, the new MacBook Pro is the most advanced Mac we have ever built.”
At 220 pixels per inch, the Retina display’s pixel density is so high the human eye cannot distinguish individual pixels from a normal viewing distance, so text and graphics look incredibly sharp.
The Retina display uses IPS technology for a 178-degree wide viewing angle, and has 75pc less reflection and 29pc higher contrast than the previous generation.


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Hero MotoCorp has announced that the company has set up a new vertical for Harley-Davidson India. The new vertical set up by Hero MotoCorp will, going forward, drive the business of Harley-Davidson product and merchandise distribution in the country.
Hero MotoCorp has also announced Ravi Avalur as the Business Unit Head of the new vertical. Mr Avalur will be reporting directly to Dr Pawan Munjal, Chairman & CEO, Hero MotoCorp. Ravi was previously the Head of Strategy & International Business & Cooper (Engine & Engine Components Manufacturer); prior to which he was the Managing Director at Ducati India.
Alongside Ravi Avalur, the team in the Business unit of the new vertical also consists of four executives from the erstwhile Harley-Davidson India operations. These four executives will bring in years of competencies in areas such as sales, marketing, customer experiences, service and logistics.
Apart from the announcement of the new vertical, Hero MotoCorp also announced that the company has on-boarded 11 existing Harley-Davidson dealers at 11 cities across the country. These include Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore (Lavelle Road), Chennai, Kochi, Bhubaneswar, Delhi (Mathura Road), Hyderabad and Dehradun.
The company also stated that they have already commenced wholesale dispatches of Harley-Davidson products to dealers, from 18 January 2021.
Hero MotoCorp also announced that they will be expanding Harley-Davidson's service, parts & accessories business beyond the 11 cities mentioned above, to a pan-India level in the near future. This will ensure a smooth and hassle-free ownership experience for both existing and new Harley-Davidson customers in the Indian market.
The company also has a number of new product launches planned for the Indian market. Hero MotoCorp has stated that more details of these products will be announced closer to their launch dates.
The new vertical is a result of the agreement between the two brands for the Indian market. Harley-Davidson last year announced that it will be exiting the Indian market, however, they made a quick comeback after partnering with Hero MotoCorp.
As part of the agreement between the two brands, Hero MotoCorp will be completely responsible for the sales and distribution of Harley-Davidson products in India. The two companies will also work together on developing new products for emerging markets, as part of their licensing agreement.
Thoughts On Hero MotoCorp Setting Up A New Vertical For Harley-Davidson India
Harley-Davidson India is all set to make a comeback with a number of new products, under the purview of Hero MotoCorp. The new vertical set up by Hero, along with their wide range of sales and service network pan-India, should help the American two-wheeler giant, start its second innings on a positive note.


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- McDonald's executives predict the pandemic will permanently change certain things in the restaurant industry.
- "The needs of our customers coming through this pandemic are going to be different than they were going in," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an event with investors on Monday.
- Permanent shifts include customers craving control, familiarity, and contactless options.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
McDonald's is betting on the restaurant industry changing forever due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The needs of our customers coming through this pandemic are going to be different than they were going in," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an event with investors on Monday.
Some of these changes will reverse as COVID-19 cases fall and more people go back to work in-person, such as the decline in the traditional fast-food breakfast business. However, Kempczinski and other McDonald's executives said that the company expects the pandemic to create some permanent changes.
Read more: McDonald's hires ex-Obama advisor to lead a new team focused on 'positive change,' as the company doubles down on values in the midst of scandals
Gordon Haskett analyst Jeff Farmer highlighted habits McDonald's executives said were "forever altered" by the coronavirus pandemic. These are:
1. Customers don't want contact.
Contactless experiences are the future. McDonald's is doubling down on what it calls the "three Ds," or digital, delivery, and drive-thru. That includes new designs that will use a third drive-thru lane, speeding up the process even further.
Read more: McDonald's unveils the future of its business, from minimalist packaging to high-tech, triple-drive thru stores
2. Americans crave what they know and trust.
Throughout the pandemic, massive brands have cashed in on people seeking familiarity. McDonald's executives expect the trend to continue. And, with 75% of people in the US living within three miles of a McDonald's, Famer says the company is well-positioned for the shift.
3. Anything new can be a turnoff.
The flip side of people seeking out what they know is that customers are becoming less experimental. McDonald's is responding by doubling down on core menu items — burgers, chicken, and coffee. Instead of experimenting, McDonald's wants to improve the quality of existing menu items, with new burger buns and the 2021 launch of a revamped chicken sandwich.
"We expect a '21 enhanced chicken sandwich, coffee improvements, and MCD's plant-based platform (McPlant) will provide buzz and help drive guest count," UBS said in a note this week.
Read more: McDonald's plans to roll out a new fried-chicken sandwich as the fast-food giant gears up against Popeyes and Chick-fil-A
4. Customers want control.
Presented with more options during the pandemic, people are not going to give up the array of channels to order food, whether that be drive-thru, delivery, or mobile ordering. Today, Farmer writes, McDonalds has "an offering that can be tailored to fit the needs of most consumers."
"We felt the plan addressed two customer factors that we believe are critical to McDonald's sustaining sales momentum — convenience and affordable value; therefore, we are comfortable projecting mid-single-digit sales growth for the foreseeable future," Stifel said in a report on Monday.
- Read more:
- Black McDonald's workers say they were called 'ghetto,' had their hours cut, and were unjustly fired in a new lawsuit
- McDonald's hires ex-Obama advisor to lead a new team focused on 'positive change,' as the company doubles down on values in the midst of scandals
- Insiders reveal how former McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook went from the chain's savior to its worst nightmare as sex-scandal accusations threaten to envelop the fast-food giant
- Inside McDonald's Black franchisees' decades-long quest for equality that led to a $1 billion racial-discrimination lawsuit


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State-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) has posted an 86 per cent rise in net profit for the first quarter of the current financial year to Rs 17.19 billion backed by higher refining margins.
This is compared to a net profit of Rs 9.25 billion during the April to June quarter of 2017-18. The company's revenue also increased to Rs 729.23 billion as compared Rs 598.91 billion last year. The combined gross refinery margin during the quarter was $7.15 a barrel versus $5.86 a barrel during the corresponding quarter last year.
"The increase in profit is primarily due to higher refining margins due to inventory gains and also due to increased refining throughput and sales volume compared to last year," HPCL Chairman and Managing Director M K Surana told the media. During the quarter under review, the company had inventory gains to the tune of Rs 19 billion in refining and marketing.
During the quarter, crude prices have increased to $73 a barrel as against $49.8 a barrel during the first quarter of 2017-18. However, the impact of lower cracks was to the extent of $3.3 a barrel.
The company's refineries at Mumbai and Visakh processed 4.52 million tonne (MT) from April to June this year, compared to 4.49 MT last year. During the quarter, HPCL also achieved its highest quarterly sales volume of 9.63 MT, posting a growth of 5 per cent over last year. The sales of petrol during the quarter increased by 6.9 per cent, diesel by 2. 7 per cent, cooking gas by 11. 3 per cent, jet fuel by 9.9 per cent and lubes by 22.9 per cent during the quarter under review compared to last year.
HPCL's pipeline throughput increased to 5.45 MT posting a growth of 17 per cent over last year. Meanwhile, the company said that it is yet to get any instruction from the government in terms of stopping Iran crude imports, on the back of the US sanctions. "We do not import much Iran crude. Our contract for the current financial year was around 1 MT, out of which we have already imported 0.4 MT," Surana added.
The company is set to automate all its 15,127 retail outlets by the end of 2018. For the current financial year, the company has planned a capital expenditure to the tune of Rs 84 billion in various projects across refineries and petrochemicals, marketing, pipelines and natural gas. The company has also got authorisation from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to set up city gas distribution networks in Kolhapur (Maharashtra) and Ambala-Kurukshetra (Haryana) in joint venture with Oil India.


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Through the cooperation and collaboration of the GFSP, our shared vision of a world where people in all countries have access to safe, high quality food can become a reality. - Dr. Julia Bradsher
SINGAPORE (PRWEB) December 12, 2013
Dr. Julia Bradsher, President and CEO of the Global Food Protection Institute, will join stakeholders from more than 70 countries at the Global Food Safety Partnership (GFSP) 2nd Annual Conference in Singapore. These stakeholders will be representing private companies, international organizations, trade associations, academic institutions, and NGOs from around the world.
The participants of the two-day conference will evaluate the first-year achievements of GFSP, which include building an alliance of over 30 organizations, raising $2 million for the Partnership’s multi-donor trust fund, and delivering six initial capacity-building programs. The conference attendees will also discuss the GFSP’s 2014 and longer-term work plan.
The GFSP’s mission is to create a new paradigm of public-private collaboration for food safety capacity-building. The Partnership aims to reduce risks to consumers and businesses and increase the benefits to both public health and the economy by strengthening food safety protections and supporting effective and efficient global supply chains.
“The Global Food Protection Institute is pleased to be a partner and bring our expertise in training systems to the GFSP. Our missions are very much aligned,” said Dr. Bradsher. “Through the cooperation and collaboration of the GFSP, our shared vision of a world where people in all countries have access to safe, high quality food can become a reality.”
About The Global Food Protection Institute
The Global Food Protection Institute (GFPI) is a leading food protection organization dedicated to protecting the world’s food supply. Established in 2009, GFPI actively engages key public and private stakeholders across the food system. The GFPI mission is achieved through regulation-and standards-based training, advancing new food protection technologies, and convening forums for the transformative exchange of ideas about food protection. For more information, visit gfpi.org.


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The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of South Korea (APQA) announced, last Wednesday, the authorisation of nine new Brazilian plants to export meat to its market. These new authorised plants had already fulfilled the previous authorisation stage before the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea. Therefore, they are ready to start meat exports to South Korea.
These authorised plants join the four plants that already had the authorisation to export to South Korea. Of the nine plants just authorised, nine produce pork and four fowl.
South Korea imports almost USD1,500 million/year worth of pork. Bearing in mind the 9% share of Brazilian pork in the global market, it is estimated that the potential of the South Korean market with the new authorised plants is USD198 million.
Thursday, February 28th, 2019/ MAPA/ Brazil.


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AMD has officially lifted the lid on its latest entry-level chipset designed for its Zen 2-based Ryzen 3000 and 4000 processors, the A520 chipset. Following AMD's mid-tier B550 chipset launch a few months back, A520 brings up the bottom of AMD's now fully-modernized chipset stack, dialing down on things like PCIe speeds to allow its board partners to build more budget-friendly Ryzen 3000/4000 motherboards. Overall, A520 offers up to twenty-six available PCIe 3.0 lanes available when paired with a Ryzen 3000 processor, with twenty of these coming directly from the CPU. And, wasting no time, numerous vendors, including ASUS, ASRock, GIGABYTE, MSI, and Biostar have already unveiled some of their entry-level A520 boards.
One of the more frequent rumors in recent weeks has been that AMD would have some new Ryzen 3000 processors to launch. Today AMD is announcing three new processors...80 by Dr. Ian Cutress on 6/16/2020


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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran and Austria, on Wednesday and in the tenth meeting of the Iran-Austria Joint Committee which was held online, exchanged views on boosting bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and both sides announced readiness to boost the cooperation.
Head of Iran Trade Promotion Organization Hamid Zadboum in the meeting pointed to old and historic relations as well as the positive trade approach of Iran and Austria and announced Iran’s all-out readiness for developing cooperation with different European countries, especially with Austria.
He then pointed to the foreign trade volume of Iran with different countries, and reviewed shares of European countries from Iran’s foreign trade with its 20 target export and import countries, and expressed hope Austria’s share would increase in the upcoming years after the removal of the coronavirus restrictions.
Zadboum then pointed to the achievements of Iran regarding the COVID-19 and effects of the pandemic on its economy, saying that despite problems of the pandemic on the world and Iran’s economy, these problems were intensified in Iran for providing the needs of the country in the field of health due to the sanctions and restrictions for the sake of the pandemic.
He then referred to the achievements of the country regarding the COVID-19 and the success of Iranian researchers in producing domestic COVID-19 vaccines.
Then Austrian Deputy Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs Florian Frauscher, for his part, pointed to the problems because of the pandemic, adding that economic pressure because of the virus caused economic regress in the GDP of Austria and it hit the hardest blow to Austria’s tourism industry.
Then he expressed interest in enhancing the level of trade relation with Iran, noting that the Austrian government has earmarked a 500-billion-euro stimulus package for helping the companies and labor market, expressing hope that Iran can have a considerable share of this basket.
Then Austrian Ambassador to Tehran Stefan Scholtz, for his part, expressed his interest in developing trade relation between Iran and Austria, noting that the embassy is trying to prepare a ground for the involvement of the interested Austrian companies in a business in Iran in order that it can help the trade between Iran and Austria grow more than ever after containing the pandemic.
Iran’s ambassador to Vienna Mr. Abbas Baqerpoor in the meeting expressed his satisfaction over the agreement of both countries for drawing up the Iran-Austria roadmap. He added that the agreement indicates the strong will of both countries for enhancing trade relation and expressed hope that the creation of the joint committee and six workgroups of it can be a base for developing bilateral trade,
He admitted that the unilateral U.S. cruel sanctions and restrictions because have affected Iran-Austria’s trade ties.
- source : IRAN NEWS


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Check out the companies making headlines after the bell:
Shares of Gamestop sank 8 percent in extended trading Tuesday after the company reported that same-store sales decreased 5 to 10 percent, compared to decrease of 0.2 percent estimated by analysts.
The company also reported mixed fourth-quarter earnings. Gamestop posted earnings per share of $1.60 on revenue of $3.06 billion. Wall Street estimated earnings per share of $1.58 on revenue of $3.28 billion, according to Refinitiv.
Gamestop recently named George Sherman as the company’s chief executive officer starting on April 15. Most recently, Sherman served as the CEO of Victra, the largest exclusive authorized retailer for Verizon Wireless products and services. The stock is down more than 20 percent year to date.
Dave & Buster’s shares jumped more than 6 percent after hours Tuesday following better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and full-year revenue guidance mostly above estimates. The restaurant and gaming company reported revenue of $332 million, topping estimated of $324 million. It also reported earnings per share of 75 cents, beating the 63 cents forecast by analysts.
Same-store sales increased 2.9 percent, compared to the estimated increase of 2.1 percent. Dave & Buster’s also announced a $200 million share buyback program.
Shares of PG&E rose almost 2 percent after the bell Tuesday following reports that the utility provider is nearing a deal to overhaul its executive board and replace the chief executive officer. PG&E is expected to hire outgoing CEO of Tennessee Valley Authority, Bill Johnson, as its new chief executive, according to media reports.
Blue Apron shares surged more than 12 percent in extended trading Tuesday on news that the meal-kit service company appointed Linda Findley Kozlowski as president and chief executive officer, starting April 8. Blue Apron shares ended Tuesday’s normal session with a market value of about $189.6 million, with shares closing at less than one-tenth of their IPO price of $10 a share. The company debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in June of 2017, but has fallen more than 85 percent since then.


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Facebook's chief technical officer Bret Taylor on Friday said that he is leaving the world's leading social network to start a new company with a friend.
“I wanted to let you all know that I'll be leaving Facebook later this summer. I'm sad to be leaving, but I'm excited to be starting a company with my friend Kevin Gibb” he said in a statement.
“While a transition like this is never easy, I'm extremely confident in the teams and leadership we have in place. I'm very proud of our recent accomplishments in our platform and mobile products, from Open Graph and App Center to Facebook Camera and our iOS integration. I'm even more excited for the world to see all the amazing things these teams have coming”, he said.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the development said, "I've really enjoyed working with Bret and getting to know him as a friend and teammate. I'm grateful for all he has done for Facebook and I'm proud of what he and his teams have built. I'm also proud that we have a culture where great entrepreneurs like Bret join us and have such a big impact."
According to CNET, Taylor came to Facebook though an acquisition. He was the co-founder and CEO of FriendFeed, which aggregated social network feeds. Facebook bought the company in 2009 for about $50 million. FriendFeed grew out of work he did while an Entrepreneur in Residence at Benchmark Capital. Before joining Benchmark, Taylor was a product manager at Google, where he co-created Google Maps and Google Local.
According to San Francisco Chronicle, the news of Taylor's departure came the same day that more information about Facebook's IPO came to light in newly released correspondence with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Facebook, which has lost $22.5 billion in market value since its initial public offering, told regulators before its debut that the proposed price range reflected the fair value estimated earlier this year.
It set a proposed IPO price range of $28 to $35 a share on April 25, based on a projected fair value of $30.89, according to the SEC correspondence.


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This Is the Skirt Style Every Fashion Girl Will Be Wearing Next Season
Couture Fashion Week is underway in Paris, and this season, there are some new additions to the calendar: Proenza Schouler and Rodarte showed their Spring 2018 collections in the city today, experimenting with a new seasonal schedule that will allow their wares to get in front of a more international audience and spend more time on retailers' shelves. For the rest of us, that means we get a sneak peek at a few of the trends that will dominate next season long before Fashion Month begins.
Among the feathers, florals, and ruffles that the New York brand sent down the runway today, one skirt silhouette stood out: slung low on the hips and slit high up the front and back, the calf-grazing style was rendered in stretchy knits and fluid silk, and offered a fresh alternative to the high-waisted midi skirts currently dominating the shelves.
Per Business of Fashion, the collection will start delivering in November and roll out gradually through the spring, and will no doubt spawn plenty of copycats along the way, so


text: News Turns Out Gigi Hadid Was Definitely Pregnant During Fashion Month The math works out. By Christopher Luu Christopher Luu Instagram Twitter Christopher is a Southern California-based editor and has been with InStyle since 2018. He covers all things entertainment, celebrity, and culture. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on May 20, 2020 @ 08:00PM Pin Share Tweet Email Even though Gigi Hadid's pregnancy news came during quarantine, she let fans know that she was stomping down the Fashion Week catwalks while she was pregnant. She dropped the news during an Instagram Live with Maybelline today, Harper's Bazaar reports, and explained that the rumors that she'd gotten fillers in her face were actually just her being pregnant. During Fashion Month this past February, Hadid walked in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Hadid said that there were always rumors about her full cheeks and that during her runway appearances, those accusations only got louder. Well, she was just "a few months preggo," she said, and that fuller face wasn't the result of heading to a plastic surgeon. Hadid's mother, Yolanda, said that Gigi was 20 weeks pregnant following Gigi's announcement, confirming Gigi's big reveal. Mark Sagliocco/WireImage Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik Debuted Matching Jewelry with a Message Hadid officially announced her pregnancy back in April with an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. That confirmation came after TMZ reported the news and she acknowledged that those weren't the ideal conditions to let everyone know that she and her boyfriend, Zayn Malik, were expecting. "Obviously, you know, we wish we could've announced it on our own terms, but we're very excited and happy and grateful for everyone's well wishes and support, so thank you," she told Fallon.


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- Interactive Brokers will start trading cryptocurrencies on its platform by the end of the summer, said Chairman and CEO Thomas Peterffy.
- "Customers certainly are asking for [crypto trading] and we expect to be ready to offer it to them by the end of the summer," Peterffy said Wednesday at the Piper Sandler Global Exchange & FinTech Conference.
- Rival brokers Fidelity and Charles Schwab currently don't offer direct crypto trading on their platforms. However, stock trading app Robinhood does offer crypto trades.
Interactive Brokers — seen as the e-broker with some of the most sophisticated clientele — is slated to start trading cryptocurrencies on its platform in the coming months.
"Customers certainly are asking for [crypto trading] and we expect to be ready to offer it to them by the end of the summer," Interactive Brokers Chairman and CEO Thomas Peterffy said Wednesday at the Piper Sandler Global Exchange & FinTech Conference.
Investors, both retail and institutional, have poured into bitcoin and other digital assets in 2021. Bitcoin's price has soared to above $34,000 from the $9,000 in June of 2020. The price of bitcoin has experienced wild volatility recently due to headlines on a China crackdown, Elon Musk and investors taking excessive risk.
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The price of bitcoin rose 6% to the $34,890 level on Wednesday, after falling on Tuesday which may be related to concerns over security of the cryptocurrency after U.S. officials managed to recover most of the ransom paid to hackers that targeted Colonial Pipeline.
Currently, Interactive Brokers offers the trading of bitcoin futures on its platform.
Rival brokers Fidelity and Charles Schwab don't offer direct crypto trading on their platforms, but do offer some access to some related funds. However, stock trading app Robinhood does offer crypto trades.
Coinbase Global — the world's largest crypto exchange — is how many investors access the digital assets. Trading volumes totaled about $30 billion in the first quarter of 2020. The newly public company got its first sell rating on Wall Street from Raymond James on Wednesday on concerns about competition from the traditional brokerage firms.
"The vast majority of its revenues currently come from trading commissions and over and over again history has shown that brokerage and exchanges see excess profits competed away unless there is a structural barrier to entry," the note said.
Interactive Brokers offering bitcoin trading will further lower the barrier to entry for individual investors to access the digital assets. However, the unregulated coins could pose safety risks to the established online brokers.
"As for hurdles, the greatest hurdle is how do you keep you customers 100% safe," added Peterffy. "How do you make it 100% sure that no one will steal their coins in spite of the fact that they are untraceable. We will find out more about this when we open for business at the end of the summer."
As of the first quarter of 2021, Interactive Brokers had 1.33 million customer accounts and $330.6 billion in customer equity.
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Free games are a weekly occurrence in the Epic Games Store on PC. Interestingly, one of the free games this week is Kingdom Come Deliverance. Its a higher profile RPG title which has gotten plenty of praise. It’s also a fairly demanding game on PC, definitely check it out while its free!
Stay tuned at Final Weapon for the latest gaming news and updates!


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Today, Precilens is a fast-growing company. Having generated a turnover of over 4 million euro in 2009, it now expects to double it by the end of the year, and has seen its benefits increase in spite of a shrinking global market. A few years ago, the same company was seeing its market-share steeply declining. Precilens’ CEO, Pierre Pitance, a former investor drawn by the thrill of entrepreneurship, sees only one explanation for this positive trajectory: innovation.
A small operation, his company counts less than 50 staffs, mainly based in the newly-built facilities in Créteil, an industrial hub in Paris’ suburbs. The staff, a joyful mix of young engineers and more senior technicians, moved in recently. ‘Our former location did not allow us to stock the high quantities of the new product we are now handling,’ explains Pitance. Yet the new product in question is no bigger than the pupil of an eye.
The Monthly C2 contact lens was developed as part of a publicly-funded project, supported by a European programme helping innovators called Eurostars. Using a revolutionary new material, soft silicone hydrogel, designed by computer with a nanometer-precision, the new lens was launched earlier this year and it is already Precilens’ number one sale. With the Monthly C2, the company opened its products to a much broader market, multiplying its client base more than tenfold.
LENSES FOR THE MASSES
This premium contact lens has the particularity to correct the vision of people with complex cases of presbyopia, a condition in which the eye loses its ability to see objects up close. Statistically, past 45 years old, 90% of the population is to one degree or another subject to presbyopia. The Monthly C2 is cheaper than the competition, and a recent study published by a German University demonstrated not only its medical value but also its superiority in terms of comfort, a key criteria for people with vision problems.
'‘THE IDEA DEVELOPED DURING THE EUROSTARS PROJECT WAS TO TRANSFER OUR TECHNIQUE TO MASS PRODUCTION.’
Treating complex presbyopia cases has been Precilens’ specialisation for the last thirty years. Still today, it uses high-precision technics for the realisation of specific models. Such contact lenses are designed on an individual basis, tailored on a special lathe-machine, and made for people with very specific vision deficiencies. The purchase price however is prohibitive. The idea developed during the Eurostars project was to transfer this technique to mass production.
‘When I took on the position of CEO of Precilens in 2004,’ Pitance tells us, ‘I was handed a company using rather old technology and positioning itself in a niche market.’ During the first few years, Precilens’ new man-in-charge focused on modernising the company and introducing computer-based design and new findings of nanotechnology to its processes. Ultimately, his main objective was to take his company to a larger market.
By 2010, Precilens had turned itself into a real high-tech company; an essential condition to take part in Eurostars, which is a transnational fund using public financing to support small companies performing research and innovation. Eurostars helped Pitance to launch the Monthly C2 contact lens, and to develop a process to apply the company’s technological know-how to mass-production for the first-time. Together with two other partners, Precilens developed a new manufacturing technique allowing for a higher output and based on moulding rather than lathe technology.
The maths are simple. ‘Custom-made lenses such as the ones in which we originally specialised represent no more than 7% of a market worth 4.5 billion euro. By stepping into moulded lenses, Precilens opens itself up to a client base just about twelve times larger – nearly 90% of the market!’ explains the businessman.
'THE FACT THAT WE WERE SELECTED FOR EUROSTARS FUNDING AS ONE OF A SMALL NUMBER OF PROJECTS EACH YEAR HELPED US GAIN RECOGNITION AS A RELIABLE PLAYER.’
A TEAM EFFORT
In the frame of its Eurostars project, Precilens teamed up together with UK-based contact lens manufacturer Sauflon. ‘We do not have the means to produce ourselves – building a factory to make lenses is an investment of some five million euro-, but, like other companies, Apple for instance, we control every other stage of our business: from conception to distribution,’ says Pitance.
The funding received from Eurostars was also used to finance a clinical study conducted by the University of Applied Sciences in Jena, Germany, which enhanced the credibility of the Monthly C2 lens in the medical community. The study, realised with the participation of eminent specialists from France , Germany and Netherlands, demonstrates the lens’ superiority when compared to those manufactured by Precilens’ most advanced competitors, mostly based in the United States.
To protect its products from competition and prepare itself to face the industrial giants, Precilens has for the first time applied for a worldwide patent. After launching sales of the Monthly C2 in Europe, it now plans to conquer the US market.
Pitance is whole-hearted about Eurostars: ‘The fact that we were selected as one of a small number of projects each year for Eurostars funding helped us gain recognition as a reliable player; this is important for our relations with bigger companies and private investors. We have demonstrated that we are able to scale up and manage large international projects.’


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Anthony Bourdain Forms ‘Unique Partnership’ with The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Scottish whisky distillery Balvenie has teamed up with Anthony Bourdain for a “multifaceted collaboration that will bring attention to some of America’s finest craftspeople,” Balvenie announced in a press release.
The partnership will include Raw Craft, a series of short films hosted by Bourdain, featuring makers around the country; the selection of two Fellows for the American Craft Council Rare Craft Fellowship Awards, with Bourdain as lead juror; and curating The Balvenie 2015 Rare Craft collection.
As part of the partnership, The Balvenie will begin a multi-city tour beginning in the fall, featuring live demonstrations, tutorials, and whisky tastings.
“For me, there is deep satisfaction in seeing people, with a particular skill set and a real passion, produce a beautiful thing, which is why I’m excited to be a part of these programs in partnership with The Balvenie,” announced Bourdain. “There is no doubt for me, that if you can have it, you want the stuff where people have taken their time, paid attention to and personally care about how it was created. It is very important to me that these kinds of crafts continue into the future and we value artisans who make the decision to choose quality over quantity.”


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The world is going through a critical time with regard to the economy and social welfare. Nobody expected that in just a few months countries would close their doors and as a result there would be no movement of people and goods that generate revenue. In Portugal, the government is developing initiatives to minimise the economic and social impacts of the new coronavirus pandemic, while trying to keep companies and jobs going. Pedro Siza Viera, Minister of Economy and Digital Transition, and number two in the government, given this unexpected scenario, revealed to Villas&Golfe that the country, and all of us, faces hard times ahead. Now that the most critical phase has passed, the focus is now on getting the economy back on its feet.
We are going through a moment that no one expected. Can you make any assessment of it, even if it is premature?
The government’s projections for GDP, unemployment, deficit and government debt in 2020 are not yet known. But according to the latest data from INE (Instituto Nacional de Estatística | National Institute of Statistics), the economy has shrunk 2.4% year-on-year in the first quarter, when the effects of the lockdown and the significant reduction in exports were felt through the closing of external markets. And, although data for May is still in short supply, we can assume that the economy has started a gradual process of recovery. The strong and quick response by companies to the support launched by the government reveals the spirit of resilience and desire to survive on the part of entrepreneurs. We are therefore focusing on the coming months, which will depend on the progress of the pandemic and the success of the gradual lifting of restrictive measures, both in Portugal and in the European Union.
Hotels, restaurants and the like are among the sectors most affected. Will there be extraordinary compensation if the reopening in the planned model does not work?
The government has been working as actively as possible with the sector to create conditions for recovery. The creation of the Clean and Safe label has been a powerful international communication tool for Portugal as a safe destination. We have launched the «Programa Adaptar | Adapt Programme», which provides non-repayable support for the expenses that companies have incurred. The aim of reopening the economy must not put controlling the pandemic at stake. We must be prepared to monitor the impact of ending lockdown and, if there is a worsening of the health situation, we can take a step back and the support can be reviewed.
«The strong and quick response by companies to the support launched by the government reveals the spirit of resilience and desire to survive»
The car industry also has a major impact on the economy. Have changes been planned here to the European Union’s Recovery Plan?
Yes, it does indeed have a very significant importance in Portugal, as the main goods export sector. The EU Recovery Plan will, from what we can tell, enable the different countries to accommodate the needs of their business fabric, which, in the case of Portugal, corresponds to a special attention to sectors that employ a lot of people, have added value and export capacity, such as the automotive industry.
Are there plans to extend ‘simplified lay-off’ for companies that depend on tourism and others?
The ‘simplified lay-off’ measure was essential in the lockdown phase of the economy, to preserve the productive capacity of companies and to protect employment. In the phase we are entering now, it should be replaced by a mechanism to support business activity, rather than financing the suspension of employment contracts. This does not prevent ‘simplified lay-off’ from being maintained in those sectors or activities where closure continues or which are most exposed to external demand.
It would appear that support for business liquidity may reach 13% of GDP. To what extent might this affect us if the recovery of activities isn’t as expected?
Liquidity support measures for companies are indispensable if they are to preserve their productive potential and be able to respond to demand when it is restored. If we had not made them available, we would probably not have the recovery we could have.
«European prosperity is key to the Portuguese economy»
The number of unemployed is increasing every day. Will there be any exceptional measures, such as a new model for minimum income?
Now that we are entering the phase of stabilising our economic and social situation, unemployment and other situations of loss in income will persist for a few more months and we have therefore approved a stabilisation plan which responds more comprehensively to these problems.
Could this be the ideal time to promote more incisive policies for Portugal’s interior regions to combat depopulation?Territorial cohesion is a strategic goal and has given rise to the creation of a new ministry. Over the last few years, incentives have been created for the establishment of companies and keeping people in inland areas, and there are also various financial supports for job creation and investment, but these have not been used to a great extent. However, the teleworking experience has shown that it is possible to have a professional career without being in the company. Lockdown has led to an appreciation of large spaces and larger residences and these factors may lead more people to place more value on the chance to work in inland areas, where there is a higher quality of life, lower setup costs and quality social welfare facilities.
«When faced with collapse in demand, the answer is not austerity, but rather a new momentum in demand»
If the EU’s response were to be austerity, you said: «we will lose a decade». What can be done to counter that? Cut spending? And might tax increases happen?
The EU’s response is clearly not austerity. At a time when all European countries are affected in the same way and the free movement of people and goods has been affected, it is the single market itself that is collapsing. European prosperity is the key to the Portuguese economy; we sell 75% of our exports to the EU. The richest countries, Germany and the Netherlands, also send most of their exports to the Union. The economic reconstruction of Europe is therefore in the self-interest of all Member States. And when faced with collapse in demand, the answer is not austerity, but rather a new momentum in demand.
Can supporting start-ups create a different status with relation to other companies that create many jobs?
Portugal has been strengthening its position as a name in the areas of Innovation and Technology. So, in exceptional times, the government couldn’t help but support this eco-system of entrepreneurship. Indeed at the end of April it announced a series of five measures worth more than 25 million Euros. In this context of a pandemic, start-ups can also apply for two supports, already in place, which have been adapted for more effective responses.
With regard to TAP, can the government take a step back and take hold of the reins of the company, going against European trends in private management? Can it finance the carrier without nationalising it?
At the time I give my answers in this interview [May 28], the government and TAP are in discussions about the future of the airline and I shouldn’t anticipate scenarios at this moment. TAP is a strategic company for Portugal and the country should seek to create conditions to preserve it.
«There have been sectors and companies that, due to their specific characteristics, have managed to take advantage of the change caused by the pandemic to reinvent themselves»
How long will it take for the economic recovery if the number of cases of the new coronavirus remains in acceptable numbers?
National and international scenarios indicate that, by the end of 2021, the country’s economy will be close to the situation in which it found itself in 2019.
To boost the economy, would it be possible to review the Golden Visa regime for the better, now that we need more people working, spending and investing in Portugal?
The residence permits for investments remain in force. The possibility of being granted so-called Golden Visas for the acquisition of property in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Oporto has, of course, been restricted. But, already in previous years, these applications were low in number, with less than a thousand applications. Portugal has the capacity to attract residents and investors independently of this instrument.
What is your main concern as a minister, with regard to the population?
We know that we will not be the same in the post-Covid-19 era. Neither will the economy. There are companies that will stay on their path and jobs that will disappear irretrievably. We hope, and we will continue to make efforts to this end, by creating mechanisms aimed at the capitalisation and recovery of our viable businesses, which, because of an extraordinary and extemporaneous situation, are under threat. These companies will provide the foundation of the economy that will enable us to respond to the revival of world demand and create new jobs in Portugal. I would like to point out that there have been sectors and companies that, due to their specific characteristics, have managed to take advantage of the change caused by the pandemic to reinvent themselves, continue to export, retain and train new talent, support their employees and, in a short space of time, overcome the challenge of digital transformation.


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Added: Chrissie Whistler - Date: 23.03.2022 02:15 - Views: 11604 - Clicks: 6769
Machine Learning and Deep Learning concepts have become one of the sought-after skills required by a student in the industry. The role has seen an increased demand and recently even ISRO had introduced a free programme for students and professionals to enroll in the programme. Amazon India has announced that it would launch a Machine Learning programme which will be a summer school.
The programme aims to focus on making students ready according to the industry requirements. The company has conveyed that the programme will be conducted free India summer machine cost and the applications for the summer school programme were announced to begin on 14 June The free Machine Learning programme conducted by Amazon India will be a virtual programme and the virtual programme will be conducted from 9 India summer machine to 11 July The course would begin at 9.
The programme will also have an interactive Question and answer session where the doubts of the candidates will be answered and clarified. Amazon India has conveyed that their Machine Learning Summer School is deed in order to impact the core machine learning skills which help the students by making them ready according to the industry requirements.
The participants of the programme will also have the opportunity in being able to explore the machine learning skills with the expert scientists of Amazon. Rajeev Rastogi who is the VP of India Machine Learning at Amazon conveyed that the aim of the course is to prepare the students for science course which will help them in reducing the gap between the growing demand for the machine learning roles across the companies and the talent pool with the required amount of machine learning skills.
The company also conveyed that the Machine Learning Summer School which was launched on 13 June will be launched every year. The programme will concentrate on students from these Universities in India:. The interested students will have to check the eligibility criteria and those who are eligible will have to apply through the official website before 25 June There will be a selection test for the duration of 45 minutes and based on the performance of the test the eligible students will be admitted into the Virtual Machine Learning Summer School.
The part A will consist of 25 multiple choice questions which will cover the basic machine learning concepts and fundamentals on math topics such as statistics, probability and linear algebra. Part B will cover two programming-based questions. The curriculum of machine learning summer school will cover the fundamentals of machine learning which will link them to the practical applications in the industry through a course duration of three days.
The students will also get to learn about Deep learning and the course will also cover concepts about Probabilistic Graphical models which will help in solving e-commerce industry specific business problems. The problems include demand forecasting, catalogue quality, product recommendations, search ranking and online advertising. Amazon India will shortlist the students from their partnered universities with the based on online assessments. The candidates will be able to get access to virtual tutorials and Amazon research conferences. The curriculum of Amazon machine learning summer school will cover the fundamentals of machine learning which will link them to the practical applications in the industry through a course duration of three days.
About the Machine Learning Summer School programme The free Machine Learning programme conducted by Amazon India will be a virtual programme and the virtual programme will be conducted from 9 July to 11 July It wasfounded in the year The company is located in Washington. It focuses one-commerce, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and digital streaming. Itis one of the big five companies in the U. S IT industry.
StartupTalky Alan Joseph. Amazon had recently made an announcement of open sourcing one of its devicesoftware DeepRacer which means that the software DeepRacer is freely availablefor anyone to modify or redistribute according to their requirements or plans. Subscribe to StartupTalky Get the latest insights delivered to you right in your inbox Subscribe. Check your inbox and click the link. Sorry, something went wrong. Please try again. Published by. Alan Joseph. You might also like. Oct 9, Anik Banerjee. Startup funding.
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Samsung India is aiming to increase its market share in the TV segment to 34 percent in the upcoming festive season (October-November), a company official said.
The company expects to increase its market share in the large-screen TVs by selling three times more QLED TV this year as it witnesses a strong momentum in sales.
Besides, to consolidate its position further in the large screen and premium segment of TV, Samsung has introduced a range of three QLED 8K TVs priced at Rs 10.99 lakh (75 inch) and Rs 16.99 lakh (82 inch).
While 98-inch screen size QLED 8K TV, priced at Rs 59.99 lakh, will be made on prior orders.
Besides, the price of the 65-inch TV will be announced shortly.
Samsung has also recently launched 12 QLED 4K TVs in the market.
“Our overall market share in the TV segment is about 30 percent, which we intent to take to 34 per cent by festive season which is October-November,” Samsung India Consumer Electronics Senior Vice-President Raju Pullan told PTI.
“With the launch of these 4 models, QLED 8K and 12 model of QLED 4K, our intent is to take market share from the current 47 percent in 55 inch and above to 55 percent,” he said.
Samsung eyes 70 percent market share in 75-inch and above QLED TV by October-November, he added.
India is one of the fastest-growing TV markets as the TV penetration is 66 percent, he said.
“Moreover, now, the consumers are upscaling and upgrading their LED TVs with big size TV screens,” he said adding that Samsung grew by 70 percent in 55 inch and above segment.
According to Pullan, if the right proposition is created then one can upsize consumers preference.
Currently, Samsung has a market share of 47 percent in 55-inch and above screen size QLED TV and 53 percent in 75-inch and above screen size QLED TV.
Commenting on QLED 8K, Pullan said this is a style statement and the most expensive premium TV in India.
Samsung QLED 8K TV comes with 8K Resolution, 8K AI Upscaling, Quantum Processor 8K and Quantum HDR.
It comes with 33 million pixels, four times the resolution of 4K UHD TVs and 16 times that of a Full HD TV, allowing consumers to immerse themselves into the display.―Money Control


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Could we soon be carrying all of our medical and financial information on a tattoo?
Software company Chaotic Moon has developed a “tech tattoo” that gets embedded into a person’s arm and can track a person’s financial and medical information.
Eric Schneider, the company’s hardware creative technologist, explained the tattoo can monitor if a person is about to get sick.
“Rather than going to the doctor once a year for your physical, this tech tattoo can be something you put on your body once a year and it monitors everything that they would do in a physical and it sends that to your doctor, and if there’s an issue they can call you,” Schneider said. “So the tech tattoos can really tie in everything into one package. It can look at early signs of fever, your vital signs, heart rate, everything it needs to look at to notify you that you’re getting sick or your child is getting sick.”
The tattoo will transmit this information wirelessly to a mobile app or computer being monitored by their health professionals.
Schneider also said that people would be able to carry their financial information through this tattoo.
“We carry wallets around and they are so vulnerable. With the tech tattoo you can carry all your information on your skin and when you want your credit card information or your ID, you can pull that up automatically through the system,” he said.
The tattoos are made with “electro conductive ink” that contain various sensors, and in some cases tiny microchips. The makers say they will last for up to a year.
Tim Moynihan of Wired Magazine thinks there could be a future with these tech tattoos.
“Twenty percent of Americans, I think, have tattoos so there is a potential market there.” Moynihan told CBS2.
Lance Ulanoff of Mashable called it a “fascinating idea” that could potentially be used to help track missing children or checking up on soldiers in combat.
“Right now they wear suits to try and keep track of all their vitals, and if something goes wrong with the suit then maybe there’s a problem, but if it’s on your skin, they know all the time,” Ulanoff told CBS2.
Cosmetic company L’Oreal is also getting in on the action with a temporary tattoo that can track UV exposure and alert people if they’re in danger of burning.


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Diet Pepsi has released a series of ads proclaiming that '56% of those polled say Diet Pepsi has more cola taste than Diet Coke'
Not it tastes better, but more cola taste.
56% is not a ringing endorsement when it comes to cola. What they are basically saying is that roughly half of the cola drinkers think Coke has more cola taste.
44% of Coca-Cola drinkers think Pepsi drinkers are girls.
And 62% of all cola drinkers of age, in the USA, won't vote for Hillary Clinton. Or Joe 'I'm out of my freakin' mind' Biden.


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Spotify’s latest Android update has riled some of its loyal users. The update removes the homescreen widget from Spotify’s Android app. Now, to control functions like play, pause and skip, users must drag down the notification shade. While this may seem like a minor change to some, widgets are a prized Android feature, and nearly 2,000 users have petitioned the widget removal.
It’s unclear exactly why Spotify removed the widget, but the company seems to have felt its functions were redundant. In a statement, Spotify said, “We always take retiring features in Spotify very seriously. We’re pouring our energy into new ways of creating the best experience for our users.” In response to users asking Spotify to bring the widget back, the company wrote, “We’re setting this idea to ‘Not Right Now,’ as this isn’t something we have any immediate plans to reintroduce.”
Spotify’s competitors — including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Google Play Music, Pandora and others — still offer homescreen widgets. Some fear this could start a trend and encourage other streaming services to remove their Android homescreen widgets, but given the backlash Spotify has faced, that probably won’t happen any time soon.
Author: Christine Fisher
Source: GSMArena android, av, entertainment, feature, gear, homescreen, mobile, music player, petition, retiring, spotify, streaming music, update, widget


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Key example of this in the telecoms sector.
It is becoming evident that addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues is not only beneficial to the planet and society, but also makes commercial sense.
Robert Pritchard, Senior Technology Analyst at GlobalData, highlights a key example of this in the telecoms sector.
Pritchard comments: “Every telecoms company is looking for ways to embrace and demonstrate their ESG credentials. As an example, Colt analysis demonstrates that focusing on ESG makes commercial sense. Going beyond ‘greenwashing’ and ‘rainbowwashing’, the service provider has identified a correlation between sustainable relationships and business success. This is clearly showcased by the company’s growth in revenues and EBITDA, as well as its net promoter score (NPS) – a measure of enterprise customer satisfaction.”
Colt has also highlighted that its target enterprise customers require a focus on sustainability – increasingly along the entire value and supply chain – as a condition of doing business. On top of the customer demand, Colt also pointed out that its transition to a more sustainable business model has seen decommissioning of legacy networks save 90% in power usage and a 95% reduction of space required for equipment.
Pritchard continues: “This trend is in evidence across ICT enterprise services market, with recent BT/Accenture research finding that the tech sector is set to reduce carbon emissions by as much as 40% over the next decade.”
In addition, the announcement of the planned 4,200km Leif Erikson cable project linking Norway and Canada has been promoted by claiming to be the first of its type powered 100% by renewable energy.
Pritchard observes: “These examples prove that the tech industry is taking sustainability seriously. Not only are these initiatives good for the planet, they are also good for the bottom line.”


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Outgoing T. Rowe portfolio manager sees future in 3-D
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After more than two decades at T. Rowe Price, it wasn’t an easy decision for Hugh Evans III to leave the Baltimore asset manager, even if he is going to a company in one of the hottest industries around.
Since March, Evans, a veteran small-cap portfolio manager at T. Rowe, has been splitting his time between the Baltimore asset manager and 3D Systems Corp., a Rock Hill, S.C.-based company at the forefront of the super-charged 3D printing industry. Come Dec. 31, he’ll wrap up at T. Rowe to focus full time on helping 3D Systems find promising startups in which to invest.
3-D printers are essentially high-tech copy machines that can duplicate everything from a pair of shoes to an unmanned drone aircraft. It is a $3 billion industry that proponents say will revolutionize manufacturing on a worldwide scale and will eventually be found in many people’s homes. Evans thinks the industry could grow tenfold in the next decade.
3D Systems, which on Nov. 8 introduced a $399 3-D printer geared to consumers, is one of a handful of publicly traded 3-D printing companies. The others include ExOne Co., based in North Huntingdon, Pa; and Voxeljet AG, a German company that went public on Oct. 18.
Count Evans, 47, as one of 3-D printing’s believers— in part because T. Rowe invested in 3D Systems back in 2003 and is its largest shareholder. It owns 9.8 percent of the company.
Evans is so convinced of the industry’s potential that he’s willing to give up a long career at T. Rowe and what he calls its “very nurturing culture.”
Lots of people happily spend their entire career at T. Rowe, said Evans, who joined the company in 1992 as an analyst covering the specialty chemicals industry. But “very few people have the chance to be part of an industry that is going to change the world,” he told me in an interview this week.
Gary Haber covers Banking, Finance, Insurance, Law
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One of four Mate 20 models announced by Huawei at its special event last month is the Mate 20 RS Porsche Design, and this has the honor of being by far the most expensive of the bunch. We’ve already seen it go up for pre-order in the UK with an expected shipping date of November 16.
Today the company itself has unveiled the official release date for the smartphone in its home market of China. If you’ve saved up the cash, know that you’ll find the Mate 20 RS Porsche Design in stock in its online store on November 17 at 10:08 AM.
It’s priced at CNY 12,999, which roughly translates…
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AURORA, Ont. — Magna International Inc. said a strong recovery in the global auto sector and massive growth in the Chinese market led to a first-quarter profit of US$615 million, up from US$261 million a year ago as its sales rose 18 per cent.
The Ontario-based auto parts company, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, said Thursday its profit amounted to US$2.03 per diluted share, up from 86 cents per diluted share in the first three months of 2020.
Sales for the quarter totalled US$10.18 billion, up from $8.66 billion in the same quarter last year.
"Following a challenging 2020 with the negative impact of COVID, particularly in the first half, we are experiencing a recovery in global vehicle demand and corresponding increase in global auto production," Magna CEO Seetarama (Swamy) Kotagiri said.
"Overall, we continued our strong performance in (the first quarter), despite some of the strong challenges we faced."
Magna said the increase in sales came as global light vehicle production rose 18 per cent driven by an 87 per cent increase in China.
On an adjusted basis, Magna said it earned US$1.86 per diluted share, up from an adjusted profit of 86 cents per share last year.
In a revised outlook for the full year, the company said it now expects total sales between US$40.2 billion and US$41.8 billion, up from earlier guidance for between US40.0 billion and US$41.6 billion.
Magna chief financial officer Vince Galifi said sales were further boosted by the acquisition last year of Honglizhixin, a seat supplier to the booming Chinese market.
The company's guidance for net income attributable to Magna was also increased to between US$2.2 billion and US$2.4 billion from between US$2.1 billion and US$$2.3 billion.
Kotagiri said the company continues to be wary of the pandemic and the challenges and potential road bumps it could present, especially with a current shortage of semiconductor chips.
However, he said there's optimism around the auto industry's continued move toward trucks and utility vehicles, which suits their expertise.
Magna also said its in a competitive position for the production of battery enclosures, a part that will be needed on every high-voltage vehicle as the industry continues moving toward electric vehicles.
"We already have two program awards for this technology, and there is a lot more interest in the pipeline," said Kotagiri, saying the company will work on GM's Hummer EV and Ford's F-150 pickup truck EV vehicles.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2021.
Companies in this story: (TSX:MG)
The Canadian Press


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Source: Business Wire SAN FRANCISCO & YOKOHAMA, Japan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–OSARO Inc., a rising leader in machine learning software for industrial automation, and INNOTECH Corp. (HQ: Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City, Representative: Toshihiko Ono) have announced a collaboration to establish the “Innotech AI Picking Lab” in Yokohama City to support Japanese customers in various industries through improved warehouse and distribution operations. Through this new collaboration, INNOTECH will develop and popularize general purpose and …Read More
Tag Archives: innovation
Source: Robotics Business Review / by Phil Britt Robotics a key showcase for company’s new display of supply chain and logistics-related technologies. DHL opened its Americas Innovation Center in northwest suburban Chicago Thursday, complete with demonstration robots, conference areas, smart glass displays (for human bin picking) and other amenities to demonstrate to customers the company’s capabilities in the warehouse, logistics and other areas of the supply chain.
Last month, some members of the PICK-PLACE consortium attended the European Robotics Forum (ERF) 2019, which took place in Bucharest (Romania), on March 20-22 2019. The Forum has been an excellent occasion to learn about the latest innovations in the field, and has provided interesting feedback for our project. Ander Iriondo, researcher at IK4-TEKNIKER, answers the interview. As IK4-TEKNIKER, why did you decide to attend ERF 2019? ERF is a …Read More
Source: The Robot Report / By Steven Crowe With the collaborative robot market exploding, robotic grippers will be an area of growth and increasing competition. That was made abundantly clear at Automatica 2018 where new robotic grippers made quite a splash. While market growth has an impact on the amount of innovation taking place, Lasse Kieffer, CEO and co-founder of Purple Robotics, said a shift in mindset is also leading to new robotic grippers. “End …Read More
Source: SafeLog.eu About SafeLog SafeLog is a European project focusing on safe human-robot interaction in logistics applications for highly flexible warehouses. The consortium includes seven members from Germany, Czech Republic and Croatia. The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is the project coordinator; other partners are Swisslog Automation, Czech Technical University in Prague (CVUT), University of Zagreb (UNIZG-FER), Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) and KONČAR – Electrical Engineering Institute. With a total budget …Read More


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The PBM industry saw some significant changes in 2019, as some of the largest forces in the market vertically integrated and began implementing disruptive programs that redefined the way pharmacy claims are processed in the U.S. The disruptive strategies spanned from drug acquisition (the way PBMs negotiate discounts with pharma clients) through drug delivery (the way the drugs are made available to patients).
Here are the top 10 macrotrends that significantly reshaped the PBM industry in 2019:
1. Emergence of transparent contracting strategies:
As an answer to growing criticism that PBMs take huge profit margins through rebates offered by pharma companies, PBMs have explored radically different contracting strategies to retain market share. Both CVS and Express scripts are moving away from a conventional PBM spread model and are passing on pharmaceutical purchase discounts, price reductions, and rebates back to their health plan clients. CVS Health’s ‘Guaranteed Net Cost’ model ensures clients receive 100 percent rebates, while Express Script’s ‘Pass through’ model passes approximately 95 percent of all pharmaceutical purchase discounts back to its members.
2. Consolidation of the retail pharmacy sector:
Over the past few years, the specialty pharmacy sector has consolidated significantly – most of the standalone specialty pharmacies have been taken over by PBMs, payers, or larger retail chains. In 2018, CVS acquired five specialty pharmacies (Apothecary By Design, Central Drugs, EncompassRx, EntrustRx, and SimplicityRx). Such consolidations provide the combined entities more bargaining clout for negotiating drug prices with pharma manufacturers. Given the high costs associated with procuring and managing specialty drugs, we can expect to see more consolidations in the coming years.
3. Limited distribution strategies:
The addition of new specialty drugs in the market will increase the specialty drug spend, forcing PBMs to explore limited distribution strategies. Currently, more than 75 percent of specialty drugs are dispensed through a limited distribution model. It is noteworthy that the number of specialty drug approvals has been on a rise – in 2019, the FDA approved 44 innovative drugs. Several others are expected to reach the market in the near future.
4. Innovative payment models for high-cost gene therapies:
PBMs and drug manufacturers explored innovative payment models pertaining to exceptionally pricy gene therapies. Staggered-payment plans and pay-for-performance deals appear to be the most commonly explored strategies between pharma and PBMs. For instance, Accredo (a Cigna-Express Scripts–owned specialty pharmacy) inked a five-year payment plan for Novartis’s $2.1M rare disease drug called Zolgensma.
5. Formulary Exclusion:
CVS, Express Scripts, and OptumRx continue to exclude several branded drugs from their largest formularies. With more biosimilar versions reaching the market, it is expected that many original biologics could be excluded from PBM formularies. In 2019, Express Scripts excluded 244 drugs, while CVS excluded 167 brands. For 2020, CVS and Express Scripts will exclude an additional 32 brands from their standard formularies. Given the billions in projected savings big PBMs are expecting to achieve through exclusions (an estimated $3.2 billion for Express Scripts and $4.4 billion for CVS/Caremark), it’s not unlikely other PBMs and payers will take a similar approach to formulary decisions.
6. Emergence of community-based healthcare management model:
The mega merger of CVS and Aetna paved the way for a new era of payer-aligned medical-pharmacy, wherein the combined entities brought together PBMs, payers, primary care providers as well as pharmacies under one roof. CVS introduced HealthHUBs, which provide primary-care services to Aetna members and help in managing chronic conditions. CVS has plans to have 1,500 HealthHUBs operating by the end of 2021.
7. Increased focus on social determinants of health:
In July 2019, Aetna and CVS Health announced a partnership with UniteUs, a social care coordination platform that connects patients with social needs (such as housing, food, and transportation) to community groups that fulfill these requirements. Scientific research has indicated that social determinants drive more than 80 percent of health outcomes such as mortality, morbidity, healthcare expenditure, and functional limitations. More and more PBMs will begin addressing social determinants as a patient engagement tool in the near future.
8. Laying groundwork for digital health solutions:
PBMs began investing on technology platforms to support a new era of digital therapeutic applications. CVS introduced a new service called vendor benefit management (VBM) to help its clients manage third-party vendors that provide such digital health solutions effectively. The PBM has included Big Health’s Sleepio application in this program. Express Scripts released a digital formulary through which the PBM aims to provide 15 digital health programs to its members, starting in January 2020.
9. Rapid Drug Delivery options:
CVS contracted with UPS to deliver prescription drugs using drones. Two deliveries have been successfully conducted in Cary, N.C., however it will take the companies some more time to provide drone delivery services in a full-fledged manner. It is noteworthy that Amazon is also planning for rapid delivery option (called Prime Air) wherein drones will deliver drugs within 30 minutes of placing the order. Amazon may contract directly with insurers for delivering prescription drugs bypassing the PBMs.
10. New Entrants:
In May 2019, Anthem launched IngenioRx, in partnership with CVS Health, indicated potential increase in competition in the PBM space. Amazon’s entry into the prescription drug market with the Pillpack acquisition is another area to watch for. Amazon’s popularity in easy delivery and reach could create more competition in the market. Amazon also launched a virtual clinic called Amazon Care for its employees and acquired Health Navigator, a start-up which provides technology and services to digital health companies.
A significant external factor that dictates the way PBMs function in the future will be the implementation of national and state-level policies. Although the federal government’s efforts to eliminate rebates that pharma companies pay to PBMs has not been successful, a total of 19 states passed around 22 bills to regulate PBMs and to control rising prescription drug costs. These bills include banning gag clauses, PBM licensure, limits on patients’ cost-sharing, prevention of PBM price spread, and rebate transparency. In addition, more than 100 PBM bills were introduced in state legislatures across the nation in 2019.
As for 2020, some significant challenges as well as opportunities await the PBM players as they tread into the revamped race track. CVS/caremark and Express Scripts will remain atop the PBM industry and will continue to manage a significant number of pharmacy lives in the country. However, given that smaller PBMs are engaging in several strategic partnerships and alliances, there is a strong chance that the enrollment rankings for these large national PBMs could see significant shifts in 2020 and beyond.


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Ford, Chrysler and General Motors are expected to side against granting annual raises to their 107,000 hourly employees as auto worker contract negotiations soon commence Tuesday, reports Automotive News. The Detroit 3 are allegedly prepared to offer productivity and quality bonuses of up to $10,000 per year. If auto workers agree to proposed profit-sharing measures offered by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, it would mark the biggest shift in compensation practices since the 1950s.
Union proposed US auto workers do it like Japan
UAW President Bob King believes that the union is near an agreement with the Detroit 3 that would revolutionize auto worker compensation. Essentially, as much as 15 percent of hourly workers’ salaries would be paid out in performance bonuses and lump payments, as it is done with Japanese auto workers and salaried U.S. workers. A new auto worker contract would go into effect in September.
Recovering from the concessions
UAW VP Jimmy Settles, who is leading the auto workers’ negotiations with Ford, is poised to recapture much of the pay and benefits U.S. auto workers have given up since 2005 to keep the industry afloat.
“We always look for everything — plus,” said Settles. “We’re going to negotiate smart. We’re not going to cut our nose off and spite our faces.”
King will demand that U.S. auto workers be granted the raises, bonuses and cost-of-living adjustments they sacrificed. It is estimated that individual auto workers gave up anywhere from $7,000 to $30,000 from 2005 to the present.
Hope for things to come
UAW representatives were encouraged by recent bonus distribution from the Detroit 3. This month, Ford paid 40,600 hourly employees profit-sharing checks averaging $5,000 each, while Chrysler paid its union employees an average bonus of $750. General Motors has promised profit-sharing distribution for its 45,000 hourly staff that will average $4,300.
Yet the automakers may be attempting to transition into a more incentive-based pay system.
“With these profit-sharing checks, it’s the hope of all three automakers that they are making a down payment on a more incentive-based pay system,” said labor Prof. Harley Shaiken of the University of California-Berkeley. “There’s nothing like that check to show that it can be done.”
Will US auto workers accept an incentive-based system?
Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., points out that U.S. workers prefer the predictability of set pay.
“Western workers don’t like to have a significant part of their compensation depend upon something unpredictable,” he said. “Workers want to know what they’re making in order to plan, and that requires predictability, while variable pay implies flexibility.”
Longevity and long-term security are issues that the UAW constituency desire. In negotiations with the Detroit 3, Bob King will face pressure from workers to bring back a predictable annual raise system, while the automakers will push to keep labor rates competitive with Asia and Europe.


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WebID has received a patent for their product WebID Video Ident from the China National Intellectual Property Administration, the Chinese patent office. As a result, WebID has laid the foundation for their expansion into a promising new market.
Berlin, 20. February 2020
WebID Solutions GmbH, the German inventor of Video Ident and international innovator of identification services, has now opened up a new Asian market by receiving a Chinese patent. The China National Intellectual Property Administration has granted the patent „Method for evaluating a document“ (Patent Certificate Number: 3571998) for WebID’s solution for video identification.
“We are delighted by this recognition of our innovation by the Chinese authorities. After having already expanded to India, we now have a legal foundation for us to help Chinese companies identify their customers safely and quickly online”, Frank Jorga, Founder and CoCEO of WebID, says. “This is especially interesting for us, as the Chinese market is quickly developing within numerous industries and offers an online identification expert like ourselves many opportunities – especially in the fields of Finance, eCommerce, Telecommunication and Mobility.”
Using WebID Video Ident, companies can identify their customers safely and quickly – from anywhere on the planet. All customers need, is a web-enabled device with a microphone and camera. The identification process can be completed in three easy steps: entering your personal data, videocall with a specially trained agent from the high-security Identcenter and entering a TAN number.
Digital identities are becoming increasingly important with the global rise of online business transactions. This is why WebID offers a number of identification products besides the now patented one: such as eID Ident, identification via the chip in the ID card, Automatic Ident, a fully automated ID card check using artificial intelligence, or Database Ident, with which customers can verify their identity within seconds by accessing their own data, which has been saved with their approval in the WebID database. All products are connected to the Global Trust Technology Platform (GTTP) developed by WebID, which also contains products by third-party suppliers and hence allows for very individual solutions for WebID clients.