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Network Ten has retired its TEN logo and channel name and will now be known as Network 10 across all assets with a new logo, colour scheme, and tone of voice.
ONE has also been rebranded to become 10 Boss, targeting women and men over 40 with programming driven by bold, confident characters, while ELEVEN has become 10 Peach targeting 16-to-39-year-olds looking for feel-good, escapist entertainment.
TEN Eyewitness News First At Five will become 10 News First, embracing the proud heritage of First at Five, while promising to deliver news and information first, when and where people want it. tenplay will become 10 Play and ten daily will become 10 Daily. Network 10’s “coming soon” subscription video on-demand service will be 10 All Access.
Network 10 chief executive Paul Anderson said: “We have changed things up and not only do we have sparkling new looks and brands for 10, 10 Boss, and 10 Peach in 2019, with the imminent launch of 10 All Access and other big initiatives the time is right to connect the whole family of Network 10 platforms and channels.
“We are the adventurous alternative, the network that has always taken risks and tried new things – always with a sense of fun and with content that really engages with our under-50s audience.
“Our aim here is simple: make our brands more distinctive, give them stronger cut- through in a hyper-competitive media sector, ensure greater consistency across our family of brands, strengthen our already deep engagement with audiences, and underline our entertainment credentials. If you cut out the jargon, what this means is that TV’s wild child has its voice back,” he said.
The new look and branding for 10, 10 Peach, 10 Boss and the rest of the family were driven by Network 10’s in-house design team and the branding design agency Principals, which worked with 10 to deliver the network-wide rebrand. Following extensive research in conjunction with the 10 insights team, external industry interviews and 10’s staff, the new positioning for the brand and its sub-brands was born.
Principals’ executive creative director, Simon Wright, said: “So much of this brand refresh project was about helping 10 find its mojo again.
“Network 10 has a proud history of being bold and refreshingly different. This new identity captures this spirit while looking to 10’s future as an entertainment network that specialises in escapism.
“We worked closely with the brilliant in-house team to celebrate escapist entertainment. Across design, naming and writing, we’ve created a stronger, more unified brand expression to get 10 back to what it’s always done best – being as fun as the programs it shows.”
The refreshed family of brands was revealed at the 10 upfronts this evening with the work activating this distinctive voice across the multiple platforms of the network.
Leading Australian market research data brand, RDA Research, provides actionable consumer intelligence to help businesses inform decision making and growth strategies. RDA Research wanted to make its unique consumer data available for addressable digital targeting and required a data onboarding partner to help activate their data in an online environment.
Storytelling agency Enthral has appointed Channel 7 reporter and sports presenter Sean Sowerby as its new senior PR and content manager in Melbourne. Sowerby (pictured) started his award-winning career at 3AW before spending more than 15 years in television. Enthral founder and manager director, Cameron Smith, spoke of the significance of Sowerby joining the agency. […]
This week Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa are celebrating 10 years of their iconic radio show and plenty of famous faces have weighed in on the feat! For Fitzy & Wippa’s 10-year anniversary show they were joined by a bunch of special friends who shared their messages and favourite memories over the last decade. The guys […]
Ever since Google first announced it would be getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, digital advertising businesses have been actively sharing their plans for life after cookies. And now programmatic advertising company Blis might have come up with the most creative way to get the message across, in a new video which sees company […]
Integrated Melbourne agency Icon has taken top honours in the 2021 SABRE Awards, winning the coveted Australasian Consultancy of the Year for 2021 along with a host of category and craft awards. Icon led a large field of Australian agencies with a total of three major and seven minor awards, including gold in the cause-related […]
Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both founded Reactive, a digital agency, which was bought by Accenture in 2016. Following the deal, O’Neill and Fouhy ended up leading the company’s digital marketing arm, Accenture Interactive before […]


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There’s some confusion regarding the launch of Samsung‘s next TWS (true wireless) earbuds. While some reports say the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 will arrive alongside the new foldables and the Galaxy Watch 5 series in August, some others suggest it has been delayed. Well, there are also rumors of it arriving before the rest of the pack. As we wait for the confirmation on that, the new pair of wearables have picked up the FCC certification.
The regulatory agency has certified the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 with the model number SM-R510. As usual, the certification doesn’t reveal anything notable about the wearables. The documents in the listing contain the serial number, Bluetooth frequency range, power supply rating, software version, the FCC label, and other information that hardly matters to end-users. However, this is another indication that Samsung is getting closer to launching its next TWS earbuds.
Leaks have already revealed some info about the Galaxy Buds Pro 2
The FCC certification may not tell us much about the Galaxy Buds Pro 2, but multiple leaks over the past few weeks have revealed some notable info. The wearables are now reportedly in the mass production stage. Samsung has chosen three colors for the earbuds — Zenith Graphite, Zenith White, and Zenith Bora Purple. The shape and size should largely remain unchanged from the original Buds Pro launched early last year. Feature-wise, we are expecting the new buds to boast ANC (active noise cancellation), Ambient Sound, 360° Audio, and wireless charging.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 hasn’t gotten as much attention as other Samsung products rumored to launch within the next couple of months. There’s hardly anything left to know about the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 foldables. The Korean firm is preparing for another huge overhaul of its foldable lineup with several key improvements. Leaks and rumors suggest we are in line for a much-improved build, more streamlined design, bigger batteries, faster charging, and more advanced cameras.
Leaks have revealed a lot about the Galaxy Watch 5 series as well. A year after Samsung ditched its in-house Tizen OS in favor of Google’s Wear OS, the company may now be getting ready to bid adieu to another “unique” feature of its smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch 5 may come sans the iconic rotating physical bezel. There are also reports that the Korean firm will rename the Classic model as Pro. It’s not a too-long wait now before things go official. The next galaxy Unpacked event is said to take place on August 10. We will keep you posted.

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Hyperloop One Shares Transformative Vision for the Future of Manufacturing
– “Hyperloop One changes everything,” says Senior Vice President of Global Operations, Nick Earle, at GMIS.
– Building Hyperloop will shape and enable the future of manufacturing, supply chain and warehousing.
– Announces the launch of Hyperloop One Partner Program to create mutually beneficial relationships between the company and its global partners.
– New images of the world’s first and only full-scale Hyperloop test track, ‘DevLoop’, revealed.
ABU DHABI, UAE, March 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ —
Hyperloop One, the global leader in developing the world’s first operational Hyperloop, is set to empower manufacturing and its adjacent sectors with the potential for increased value creation, faster lead times and lower costs when compared to traditional alternatives. Terrific momentum has driven the project’s development, with new images recently revealed demonstrating the progress made at the DevLoop, the world’s first and only full-scale Hyperloop test track.
Set to have a disruptive effect on manufacturing, warehousing and supply chain distribution throughout the GCC and beyond, Hyperloop One is reinventing transportation to eliminate the barriers of distance and time. Traveling at speeds of 1080 km/h, Hyperloop will enable travel between cities in the GCC in under an hour, enabling disruption that will create new opportunities in manufacturing, warehousing and supply chain distribution.
Senior Vice President of Hyperloop One’s Global Operations, Nick Earle, delivered the closing key note at the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) in Abu Dhabi today, bringing to light the transformative effect that Hyperloop One will have on manufacturing, logistics, supply chain and warehousing. The keynote, entitled ‘Hyperloop and Manufacturing – This Changes Everything,’ highlighted the ways in which the aforementioned sectors will benefit – including increased capital due to reducing finished goods inventories by 25%, access to 10 times larger talent pools with the same commute time and saving up to 80% on real estate costs, as well as shorter lead times, reduced freight spend and slashed CO2 emissions.
“As the only company in the world building an operational Hyperloop system, Hyperloop One is focused on creating a new mode of transportation to move people and cargo,” said Earle. “Hyperloop One changes everything. We’re committed to enabling disruption to create new opportunities in manufacturing, warehousing and supply chain distribution. Hyperloop will drive significant value for a wide range of businesses and reinvent transportation as we know it.”
At two thirds the cost, three times the speed and with 3.5-4 times the benefit of high speed rail, Hyperloop will have a tangible impact on current and future businesses and society. Hyperloop will transform transportation, driving value throughout the ecosystem and enabling job creation, while also empowering workers with the ability to commute quickly and easily. This, in particular, will help to provide employment opportunities to the 200 million youth that live in the Middle East and North Africa, the largest growing sector of the region’s population.
In the GCC, the cargo transportation market was worth approximately US$35 billion in 2016, according to McKinsey & Co. Of this, Hyperloop One has an addressable share of around US$12 billion, excluding short-haul, intra-city shipping and low-value commodity freight such as oil and chemicals, metals and minerals and agriculture and food products. Hyperloop One would compete for 100% of air freight in the GCC, which is a $7 billion market, 22% of the surface freight – which is approximately $3 billion in road and rail freight and 13% of the maritime freight, equating to roughly $2 billion.
“The UAE has a progressive vision for transforming its economy, and Hyperloop One plays right into that by increasing access to the region and beyond,” said Shervin Pishevar, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Hyperloop One. “At Hyperloop One, we’re committed to enabling disruption, and we recognize the importance of partnership in being able to realize the full potential of developing robust ecosystems that are needed to support Hyperloop’s capacity. In this sense, we’re thinking beyond the benefits that Hyperloop will offer companies; connecting the GCC with Hyperloop will enable governments to address the region’s youth bulge, by providing young jobseekers with the opportunity to explore new, exciting job prospects. As an entrepreneur myself, I can understand the value of having an accessible ecosystem.”
During GMIS, Hyperloop One announced the launch of the Hyperloop One Partner Program, which is designed to create mutually beneficial, structured relationships between Hyperloop One and the company’s global partners. The program will help partners build expertise in Hyperloop One solutions, increase revenue, build industry recognition and provide inside access to understand and influence Hyperloop One’s strategy. As the industry’s first partner program, it will unite an innovative partner ecosystem to make the next mode of transportation a reality.
Harj Dhaliwal, Senior Vice President, Parsons – a partner of Hyperloop One, said: “Hyperloop One will break down time and distance to rebalance economies and enable people, goods and services to move faster. Parsons is providing expertise and intrinsic knowledge of regional transportation requirements in support of Hyperloop One on a number of projects around the world. Hyperloop One’s progress is extraordinary and it will happen sooner than you think.”
Held in Abu Dhabi from March 27-30, the inaugural GMIS brings together decision-making leaders from governments, businesses and civil society organizations to shape a vision for the manufacturing sector’s future.
About Hyperloop One
Hyperloop One is reinventing transportation by developing the world’s first Hyperloop, an integrated structure to move passengers and cargo between two points immediately, safely, efficiently and sustainably. Our team has the world’s leading experts in engineering, technology and transport project delivery, working in tandem with global partners and investors to make Hyperloop a reality, now. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the company is led by CEO Rob Lloyd and co-founded by Executive Chairman Shervin Pishevar and President of Engineering Josh Giegel. For more information, please visit www.hyperloop-one.com.


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Multiple vendors at the Green Acres Outdoor Flea Market in Valley Stream have been arrested after it was determined they were allegedly selling counterfeit shoes, handbags and electronics.
Investigators from the Nassau County District Attorney’s office conducted a joint operation with the Nassau County Police Department’s Asset Forfeiture Unit and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Trademark Counterfeit team while at the outdoor flea market Saturday.
Alleged counterfeit merchandise included Coach and Louis Vuitton handbags, Ugg boots, music CDs and DVDs.
The booths selling the alleged counterfeits were operated by Avinash Gayadat of Richmond Hill, Raymond Gillies of Laurelton, Allan Sanasse of Jamaica, Rohanand Parasram of Brooklyn, Migues Ragoonath of South Ozone Park, Lamont Faulkner of Springfield Gardens, Gregory Janvier of Jamaica and Yu Ma of Flushing.
Each individual was issued a desk appearance ticket and faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
More breaking news
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- UL eliminates 32 Melville jobs amid restructuring
- Inked: Recent Long Island real estate deals
- LI shopping centers’ $20M facelift nearly done
- Starbucks to roll out ‘pay ahead’ option in 2015
- Will Apple Pay be the next iRevolution?
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- All hands on tech


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US Robotics? penchant for high inventory levels will put a severe dent in the profitability of its parent 3Com.
3Com, which acquired USR for $6.6 billion, warned that flushing out $600 million-worth excess stock will reduce expected earnings of 44 cents a share to zero in Q3. Revenue will also be down to about $1.2 billion - $400 million below what analysts expected.
The news pushed 3Com?s share price down to just over $35. This time last year it was priced at over $80.
Industry analysts said USR?s high level of inventory was mostly to blame. Modem prices have fallen faster than modem technology has advanced. When 3Com bought USR last February, a 33.6Kbaud fax modem carried a retail price of #150; now it would sell for about #40. Under the new regime, 3Com resellers will hold between six and eight weeks inventory, compared to up to 12 weeks currently. ends
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
Fortnite easily out-earns PUBG, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018
Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


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Live blog recap: iPhone experts take stand in Apple-Samsung patent trial
Apple and Samsung return to federal court in San Jose on Friday for the second day of testimony in round two if their epic patent battle. Apple vice president of marketing Phil Schiller is scheduled to take the stand, followed by Apple engineer Greg Christie, an iPhone guru. Mercury News reporter Troy Wolverton will cover all the action from court.
( T. Charles Erickson )
Review: 'Satchmo' goes behind Louis Armstrong's happy facade
The solo show 'Satchmo' by Terry Teachout depicts jazz legend Louis Armstrong reflecting on his bittersweet life and music; it plays at American Conservatory Theater through Feb. 7
(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston split up
Taylor Swift decides Tom Hiddleston isn’t the one after all and hands him his walking papers.


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Here’s your Christmas card from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
If family love gets you feeling the holiday spirit, then prepare to see something extra festive. This morning, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as Prince George and Princess Charlotte, released a new family photo along with a sweet Christmas message that’s got everyone feeling that winter glow.
The British Monarchy posted the photo over on Facebook, and it’s already racked up hundreds of thousands of likes. It’s equal parts heartwarming and adorable, so it makes sense that people can’t get enough of their Christmas cheer.
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NEW YORK (AP) — The newest weapon in the breakfast wars is a biscuit shaped like a taco.
Taco Bell is launching a “biscuit taco” this week and ditching its “waffle taco,” which got widespread attention last year when it was included in the rollout of the chain’s breakfast menu.
The swap comes as the chain tries to build on its year-old breakfast business by once again going after the dominant player in the mornings: McDonald’s.
In a new ad campaign, Taco Bell plans to paint Egg McMuffins as boring, routine food for the brainwashed. In New York and Los Angeles, it is putting up propaganda-like posters for a place called “Routine Republic,” with one featuring a demonic clown holding what looks like an Egg McMuffin with the words “Routine Rules.”
National TV ads will feature testimonials from real-life “defectors” saying things like “I admit I used to be a McDonald’s fan.”
It’s a continuation of an ad campaign last year that featured real-life people named Ronald McDonald professing their love for Taco Bell offerings. At one point, McDonald’s responded by tweeting a photo of Ronald McDonald kneeling down to pet a frail Chihuahua, which was once the mascot for Taco Bell.
Some referred to the back-and-forth as “the breakfast wars.”
Whether the biscuit taco has more staying power than the waffle taco remains to be seen.


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This week, we join the Small Business Administration in celebrating National Small Business Week.
The SBA has celebrated the week for more than half a century. But this year — as we struggle to come out of a global pandemic — it's even more important than ever to understand the contributions of small businesses as well as their plight to remain profitable.
More than half of Americans own or work for a small business, and they create nearly two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year, according to Forbes magazine.
Small businesses have shown tenacity, determination and ingenuity throughout the pandemic. In order to survive, they have to.
The SBA held a virtual summit this past week that featured topics such as "Getting Real about Resilience," "Make Your Small Business More Accessible," and "Winning in E-commerce with Email Marketing."
Our federal government took unprecedented steps to help small businesses over the past 1 1/2 years. Forbes said 42 percent of entrepreneurs applied for one or more PPP loans to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The loans helped many small businesses to survive. Here in Jefferson City, we suspect many businesses have quietly struggled to survive. Some have closed, but we've also seen many open. Just over the summer, one pizza restaurant opened and another announced plans to open.
Perhaps one day Jefferson City will even get the Holy Grail locals have clamored for since our city was founded in 1825: an Olive Garden.
People have gone back to in-restaurant dining for the most part. Now, we just need employees to keep them, and other businesses, running.
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-MO, said small business owners drive the U.S. economy and workforce, impacting every American.
"Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities; they are comprised of job creators and innovators alike," he said in a hearing on small businesses this week.
We concur. We honor our local small businesses and the people who work long hours each day to support their families and keep their business ownership dreams alive.


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Qatar Airways Places Largest Single Aircraft Order in its History
Qatar Airways and Boeing have finalised an order for 50 aircraft, of the 777-9Xs range. The order was first announced as a commitment at the 2013 Dubai Airshow and was part of the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history.
In addition, Qatar Airways announced a commitment for 50 additional purchase rights which if exercised, could take its order tally to over 100 airplanes, valued at around US $40 billion at list prices.
The company, which has a long-term target to become a top five cargo carrier, also announced its intent to order four 777 Freighters and options for four more, with a combined value of around US $3 billion at list prices.
He said: "Qatar Airways continuously builds upon its successful fleet programme, and this latest announcement demonstrates our investment in quality equipment to deliver our signature Five-Star service.
"The Boeing 777 is a key component of our fleet and we look forward to building on this with the next-generation 777-9X.”
The 777X will introduce the latest technologies including the most advanced commercial engine ever; the GE9X by GE Aviation, and an all-new high efficiency composite wing that has a longer span than today’s aircraft.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner, said: “Qatar Airways took delivery of its first 777 a few short years ago, and we are honoured to see this partnership continue to grow and strengthen.
“Today signifies a new chapter in our relationship, with Qatar Airways’ endorsement of the 777X as well as their ongoing confidence in the value of the 777 Freighter. These orders validate the market leading role that the 777 and now the 777X will continue to play in the Middle East’s passenger and cargo market.”
The 777-9X will be 12 percent more fuel efficient than any competing airplane, something which is necessary in today’s competitive environment.
Design of the 777X is underway and production is set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2020. To date, the 777X has accumulated 300 orders and commitments from six customers worldwide.
Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation, to the point where today it is flying a modern fleet of 134 aircraft to 144 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.
Qatar Airways joined the oneworld Alliance, becoming the first Gulf carrier to join a global airline alliance, enabling its customers to benefit from almost 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
For more information, visit http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/press-release.page?pr_id=pressrelease_boeing-order-100-fia-160714
Elon Musk's Boring Co. planning wider tunnels for freight
Elon Musk’s drilling outfit The Boring Company could be shifting its focus towards subterranean freight and logistics solutions, according to reports.
A Boring Co. pitch deck seen and shared by Bloomberg depicts plans to construct wider tunnels designed to accommodate shipping containers.
Founded by Tesla CEO Musk in 2016, the company initially stated its mission was to offer safer, faster point-to-point transport for people, particularly in cities plagued by traffic congestion. It also planned longer tunnels to ferry passengers between popular destinations across the US.
The Boring Co. completed its first commercial project earlier this year in April. The 1.7m tunnel system is designed to move professionals between convention centres in Las Vegas using Tesla EVs. It says the Las Vegas Convention Centre Loop can cut travel time between venues from 45 minutes to just two.
Boring Co.'s new freight tunnels
The Boring Co.'s new tunnel designs would allow freight to be transported on purpose built platforms, labelled as “battery-powered freight carriers”. The document shows that, though the containers could technically fit within its current 12-foot tunnels, wider tunnels would be more efficient. Designs for a new tunnel, 21 feet in diameter, show that they can comfortably accommodate two containers side-by-side, with a one-foot gap between them.
The Boring Co.’s new drilling machine, dubbed Prufrock, can tunnel at a rate of one mile per week, which is six times faster than its previous machine, and is designed to ‘porpoise’ - mimicking the marine animal by ‘diving’ below ground and reemerging once the tunnel is complete.
Tesla’s supply chain woes
Tesla is facing its own supply chain and logistic issues. The EV manufacturer has raised the price of its vehicles, with CEO Musk confirming the incremental hike was a result of “major supply chain pressure”. Musk replied to a disgruntled Twitter user, confused as to why prices were rising while features were being removed from the cars, saying the “raw materials especially” were a big issue.
Car manufacturing continues to be one of the industries hit hardest by a global shortage in semiconductor chips. While China’s chip manufacturing levels hit an all-time high in May, and the US is proposing a 25% tax credit for chip manufacturers, demand still outstrips supply. Automakers including Volkswagen and Audi have again said they expect reduced vehicle output in the next quarter due to a lack of semiconductors, with more factory downtime likely.
Top Image credit: The Boring Company / @boringcompany


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With only 18 days until voting closes for the AMVCA 2017, we bring you the nominees announcement party to the grand awards ceremony which will be held in March this year.
An evening where glam was not in shortage as well as fun, the stars were at their finest, proof as to why Africa is the best. The likes of Somkele, Sambasa Nzeribe just to name a few, were there to fill us in on their excitement.
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Then it’s off to the Life is Eazi concert, where Starboy’s label mate Mr. Eazi showcased why he is one of the best in the industry through a live performance. Headlining was a man who wears many hats as an actor, rapper as well as songwriter, Falz as well as Phyno and Dj Cuppy kept the beats coming on the wheels of steel.
The Nigerian fashion landscape continues to make strides as the first edition of Men’s fashion week Lagos took place. The very best from around the globe designers such as Ayo Van Elmar, S Elle Couture, Bushai collection and much more were showcased.
Sika gets to witness the process of magic making as she joins sizzling hot performer, Nigerian reggae- dancehall sensation Burna Boy on the set of his new music video shoot. Burna Boy found time from shooting the video for the track ‘Boshenlo’ off his EP Redemption and had a chat to our gorgeous presenter filling her in on his life and jungle style!
Don’t miss all this and more this Monday at 21:30WAT on Africa Magic Urban, DStv Channel 153


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Sydney-headquartered MNF Group has entered into an asset sale agreement that will see the publicly-listed company sell its fixed line residential broadband customer base to Southern Phone.
Based in Moruya, New South Wales, Southern Phone is a telecommunications provider established in 2002 and operates as an unlisted public company employing more than 150 people. The telco provides fixed line, mobile and internet communications services in regional Australia.
The value of the transaction has not been disclosed, but MNF told shareholders the sale is not material and is not expected to make a material difference to the full year guidance.
However, MNF does expect savings in operational costs post customer migration.
The decision was made following a review of MNF's legacy residential broadband business, which determined that the customer base was a non-core business.
The acquisition is expected to be completed at the end of March 2019 and MNF said both companies have worked together for 18 months, jointly leveraging each other's extensive software capabilities through API integration for number porting and other voice capabilities.
Following the acquisition, Southern Phone plans to migrate MNF’s fixed line residential broadband customer base onto its platform by the end of May 2019.
MNF guaranteed there would be no disruption of the services and MNF will notify affected customers.
Residential MyNetFone VoIP customer base and its residential PennyTel mobile customer base will remain with MNF, as well as the brands and customers acquired from Inabox in December. Those are Telcoinabox, iVox, Neural Networks, Mobile Service Solutions and Symmetry Networks.
In early October, MNF Group entered into an agreement to acquire Inabox's indirect business, under that first proposed deal MNF Group would pay between $30.3 - $33.5 million for the business units, with the wholesale business currently responsible for 500 customers.
However, a month later, Inabox received another bid from SB&G Group but only a few days later MNF improved its offer increasing the purchase price to $34.5 million on a debt-free basis, which could in turn represent an increase in the distribution to shareholders. This deal was then approved by shareholders in December.
MNF Group has seen its net profit after tax (NPAT) fall by nearly 50 per cent to $3.1 million for the half year ending 31 December. The publicly-listed company pointed to a decrease in previously stated global wholesale margins of $4 million due to "contracts unwinds" in usage based volumes.
The global wholesale business decline also hit MNF’s revenue, which fell by 16 per cent to $98.1 million from the previous corresponding period. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was $9.8 million.
However, in an update to shareholders, the company said it remained confident of achieving a full year NPAT of between $11 million and $12 million.


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By email@example.com (InfoseekChina)
(WCT) After entering emerging markets such as India and Brazil, leading Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is gunning for the African market as early as September, reports the Shanghai-based China Business News.
Xiaomi reportedly will introduce the Xiaomi 2 and 4 smartphones to African counties, priced at US$160 and US$320, respectively.
Xiaomi first tested the waters outside mainland China by releasing its smartphones in Taiwan and Hong Kong, followed by Singapore in 2014. CEO Lei Jun told reporters last year that Xiaomi would enter 10 countries in Asia, Europe and America, including Malaysia, Russia, Turkey and Brazil.
African markets were not mentioned at the time. But the continent is revealing its potential for fast growth in the smartphone market. According to the GSM Association, Sub-Saharan Africa has seen the fastest growth over the past five years, with 329 million independent smartphone users and a penetration rate of 38% as of June 2014.
According to market researcher IDC, in the first quarter total mobile phone sales in the whole of Africa rose 66% from the same period a year earlier to 36 million units. Smartphone sales rose 47%.
IDC said the combined smartphones sales for the Middle East and Africa are expected to reach 155 million units this year.
Xiaomi has reportedly chosen Mobile in Africa as its sales agent in Sub-Saharan Africa. The firm’s founder, RJ van Spaandonk, was former executive director of Core Group, Apple’s sales agent in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mobile in Africa has set up network shops in 14 African nations. In South Africa and Kenya, smartphones account for over 50% of their mobile phone sales, with Nigeria at about 30%, Spaandonk said. The three countries combined are expected to see sales of about 20 million smartphones this year, he estimated.
Whether the rapid sales model of Xiaomi can work abroad remains to be seen, especially due to concerns over its patents, which have caused a problem in India.
As Xiaomi is still a comparatively young company, it still faces a host of patent infringement suits.
Xiaomi will apply for more than 2,000 patents in 2015, and by the end of 2015 will have more than 4,000 patents, Xiaomi co-founder Lin Bin said late last year.
Source:: Xiaomi looking to start Africa sales in the autumn


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Soaring prices are hitting the vacation home market, as a growing number of Americans now choose to rent rather than buy their beach and mountain homes.
Sales of vacation homes slumped nearly 22 percent in 2016 to the lowest level in three years, even as overall home sales hit their highest level in a decade, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Vacation homebuyers also were more likely to take out a mortgage to help offset higher costs.
Several markets in the South and West — the two most popular destinations for vacation homebuyers — saw strong sales gains for years as job growth came back online after the financial crisis. But vacation home sales tanked last year as demand outstripped the supply of available homes, said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the NAR.
"With fewer bargain-priced properties to choose from and a growing number of traditional buyers, finding a home for vacation purposes became more difficult and less affordable last year," he said.
It was the second straight year of falling sales for the vacation sales sector, which is now down 36 percent from its latest peak in 2014. Yun points to volatility in the financial markets in late 2015, which continued into the presidential election in 2016, as causing more affluent buyers to curtail purchases.
Tight supply of vacation homes for sale was behind the jump in prices, as it is in the overall housing market. The median price of a vacation home sold in 2016 was $200,000, up 4.2 percent compared with 2015 and the highest median price since 2006.


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We are excited to bring Transform 2022 back in-person July 19 and virtually July 20 - 28. Join AI and data leaders for insightful talks and exciting networking opportunities. Register today!
After several months of keeping its new service invite-only, Spotify took advantage of its spotlight at the Facebook f8 event this week to open its doors to anyone who wants to use the on-demand music service. And they’ll get to do so free for six months.
One of Facebook’s big announcements Thursday was allowing for much more interactivity between users when it comes to media like music services. For example, Spotify users can use Facebook friends to find new music to listen to and even see what friends are listening to in real time. This sort of capability is one that Spotify wants all Facebook users to have, so this is an ideal moment to take down the invite-only wall.
Spotify will now let anyone in the U.S. join its streaming music service by simply signing up at spotify.com. The service will be free for six months with occassional ads for free, but after that Spotify will give you 10 free hours a month or you can sign up for a premium plan. For $5 a month, you can listen to Spotify’s catalog without ads via PCs; and for $10 a month, you can listen to music without ads via PCs and mobile apps for iPhone and Android.
Streaming music services have been making quite a few headlines as of late and the field is getting exceptionally competitive. While Spotify is relatively new, it has done a good job a keeping its profile up against strong rivals like MOG, Rdio and Rhapsody.
Spotify currently has more than 2 million paying subscribers in eight countries, adding about 400,000 paying users since its U.S. launch. The company has raised $120 million so far and is valued at about $1 billion. It recently finished raising a round of financing from Russia’s DST, the investment company that has previously backed Facebook, Groupon and Zynga.
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Gluten appears in foods and products you would not expect, such as licorice, shampoo and lipstick. It is used as a thickener in salad dressing and a filler in processed meats. Soy sauce has gluten, and so does beer. People with gluten problems become label readers who become familiar with gluten's hiding places.
"Anything with wheat, barley or malt is automatically out," said Ross, "but it's the additives and preservatives and thickeners with the strange chemical sounding names that are so hard to figure out. Meanwhile, I discovered that dried mango isn't that bad."
The good news is that much of the damage is reversible, according to medical experts. The key is to get rid of the intestinal inflammation, and the best way is to avoid gluten and its fiery protein.
"It does recover," confirmed Keith, "and you can start feeling better in three to six weeks. The thing about a gluten-free diet is that it's difficult to adhere to. Gluten is pretty ubiquitous in our diet, and to eat gluten-free is expensive. But what is exciting for many of my patients now is that even Walmart has a gluten-free section."
Among restaurants, Curly's and the Pizza Plant restaurants (in New York) were among the first to take gluten avoiders' needs seriously, Hauck said.
At Western New York Gluten Free Diet Support Group meetings, there's been a "huge increase" in the number of people looking for help, said Hauck. When his wife, Marilyn, was diagnosed with celiac disease about 20 years ago, the Haucks started learning how to talk to restaurant staff about gluten.


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Dubai's DED to allow businesses to pay fines in instalments, renew licences
Effort comes as part of a range of new initiatives by the UAE Government to stimulate growth
Dubai's Department of Economic Development (DED) has launched a package to help businesses clear fines and renew licences in monthly instalments, as part of efforts to stimulate business growth and economic development in the UAE.
"Eliminating all obstacles faced by companies is important to developing the economy and creating a competitive environment conducive to investment in Dubai," said Mohammed Al Shehhi, DED's deputy chief executive, corporate support services.
In May, Dubai and Abu Dhabi granted companies exemption from administrative fines for the rest of year to help boost business and economic growth. A decree by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Ruler of Dubai, said the DED would cancel fines imposed on businesses whose licences have expired until the end of 2018. Abu Dhabi said it will exempt businesses whose licences have not been valid for more than 24 months.
Under the new package, apart from paying fees and fines in easy instalments, businesses can freeze their trade licence for a year as well as seek amicable settlements with the DED for commercial violations.
The service package would enable businesses to maintain competitiveness by overcoming obstacles and benefiting from a credit facility, the DED added. Companies now have the option of paying licence renewal fees and accumulated fines in 12-month instalments. The facility has been extended in co-operation with a number of local banks including aafaq Islamic Finance. The licensee benefits from instalment payments if fines and fees have accumulated for more than a year. Investors also have the option to entirely avoid payment, by temporarily freezing their business, while retaining their licence. The waiver applies to fines issued before April 14, 2018 and for those issued after that, firms can take advantage of the amicable settlement and instalment payment options. Those who opt for amicable settlements should not have been beneficiaries of any other exemption following the first fine incurred after April 14, 2018. These licensees are entitled to a 50 per cent reduction in the basic value of penalties issued for the first violation.
The move follows a recent trend towards relaxing rules to incentivise investment at a time of slowing FDI activity across the region. The UAE Government announced last month that it would allow foreign investors 100 per cent ownership in businesses besides granting 10-year visas to some expatriates.
The UAE’s economy is recovering from muted growth in the past two years due to sustained low oil prices. GDP growth is expected to gather speed in 2018 and 2019, rising to 2.7 per cent and 3.1 per cent, respectively, from 1.5 per cent in 2017, according to the Central Bank of the UAE.
Updated: June 9, 2018 06:21 PM


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Every year, fans and developers worldwide look forward to the Roblox Developers Conference, and RDC 2023 certainly delivered on its promise of future innovation for the platform. In the keynote, we got to learn exactly where Roblox is going next, and it certainly looks as though both players and creators have reason to be excited. Want to know what all the fuss is about? Our RDC 2023 round-up is on hand to show you everything from the all-important keynote.
Before we dive in, if you’re not familiar with the Roblox Developers Conference, it’s an annual event in which there’s a mixture of online and in-person talks (if you make the trip to San Francisco), meaning you can enjoy all the exciting news as it happens regardless of where you are in the world. However, there’s no denying how great it is to attend RDC, even if it’s purely for networking purposes.
We know, we know, most of you likely want to know what all the fuss is about for players. Well, how about the fact that there’s a fresh new way to communicate? Or that you can create your avatar from anywhere?
Roblox Developers Conference 2023 highlights
Without further ado, let’s dive into all of the exciting news to come from the RDC 2023 keynote:
The RDC 2023 keynote began much in the same way as we’ve seen in the previous year. Just before Roblox CEO David Baszucki came out on stage, we were treated to a short montage celebrating the history of the platform and some of its most popular games, including Doors, Rainbow Friends, and more.
Baszucki’s opening speech was well received by the crowd of Roblox devotees, describing the event as “the epicenter of the world’s creative energy at this moment in time”. Then, after further praising the Roblox developers, producers, and community, he moved on to the big reveals for this year’s RDC main event.
Entertainment and education
Before talking about the platform’s gaming experiences, Baszucki touched on the desire within Roblox to expand further into entertainment and education. He suggested we’re going to see more live music by artists like Blackpink, and explained how to developer is planning to further enhance the education Pyramids of Giza experience with intelligent AI.
Big in Japan
While covering the numbers for the last year of Roblox, the CEO revealed a staggered 107% growth in daily active users and a 104% increase in Robux spending in Japan in the last year, complimented by games by Japanese creators such as Escape Running Head.
One of the big reveals from the RDC 2023 keynote was the news that UGC creation is going mainstream, with the developer adding the ability for everyone to get creative in the next six months. There are also plans for in-experience creation, which the developer is set to roll out in the next 12 months.
The ways to connect with other players on Roblox are plentiful, thanks to the likes of text chat and voice chat (for those over the age of 13). Plus, there’s the option for teenagers to animate their avatars with facial animations, which is a new feature that Roblox introduced just last month. So, what’s next? It’s Roblox Connect – the future is video calls!
For all of you parents out there, don’t worry, for it’s still your avatar that’s on display, and you can only make calls to those on your friends list. To put it in perspective, when you enter a call, you can convey your facial expressions and body language through your avatar, though you do also get to use your real name. When you enter the call, you go to a shared immersive space in which you all get to virtually sit together at a campfire or stand by a waterfall.
It’s a big step forward in helping Roblox friends stay connected, especially if it’s as a means of communicating with long-distance relatives.
Roblox is coming to PlayStation
Yes, you read that right. Those of you who enjoy Roblox on mobile with a PlayStation can switch between the two devices as of next month. Sure, Roblox is also on PC and Xbox, but not everyone has those platforms, so this is an exciting move for the beloved games platform.
Roblox CEO Baszucki also hinted at more platforms to come, telling the crowd he could offer some hints if they caught him after the keynote. Now, this is purely speculation, but there’s one important console we at Pocket Tactics love that is now one of the few that doesn’t handle the Roblox platform. We’re talking, of course, about the Nintendo Switch. Could this be a cryptic hint from the CEO we can expect Roblox to arrive on Nintendo’s hardware soon? We’re not sure, but we certainly hope so.
New tools for avatar creation
Thanks to the reveal of new mesh and texture APIs, creators have complete control over changing items while inside a Roblox game or experience, meaning they can morph the shape and dimensions of their Roblox avatar while also being able to switch up the textures. Developers will have the option to enable this feature for players in their experiences in the near future.
However, it looks to be a phased process as you can customize the avatar itself first, with alterations to clothes, emotes, and items coming in the months after. Roblox also intends to enable players to create their avatars from a simple image or a text prompt. We can only imagine the possibilities with that sort of technology – it certainly cuts the creation time down to size.
Talking of ‘aging up’ has been a big topic at prior RDC conferences, with the developer keenly aware of its need to attract older users. The news from this year’s keynote is that the developer’s approach is working, with the 17-24 demographic the fastest growing on the platform. Considering the refinement of the Roblox age limit, and the arrival of more adult-orientated games, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
New ways for Roblox devs to earn money
Sure, creating things is great, and it’s a true passion for those who choose to be a developer on Roblox, but they also deserve some compensation for all their hard work in attracting players to the games platform. Well, that’s something Roblox evidently agrees with, as it’s set to introduce a subscription system. Essentially, creators can offer subscriptions within their game (what the subscription entails is at the discretion of the developer).
We’re also going to see the introduction of the Avatar Marketplace Analytics system, providing UGC creators with more ways to understand and complement their products. That’s alongside a new notifications system for experience creators, offering the ability to notify users new and old when there are new updates or events taking place inside a game. In both cases, Roblox is handing as much control as possible over to its countless creators.
Everyone is invited to join the Roblox economy
Not only are developers benefiting from changes to Roblox’s economy, but the company intends to allow everyone who’s ID-verified with a premium membership to create items for the marketplace. This is yet another way for you to unleash your creativity on the popular platform.
If that isn’t exciting enough for you, how about the fact that Roblox is going to allow asset and tool creators to keep 100 percent of the money generated through their items in the Studio and Creator Hub? This is due to come into effect next year.
As fun as Roblox is, it’s still a place on the internet, and given some of the younger audience members, it’s vital that there’s some safeguarding on display. Luckily, Roblox intends to further its protection with some ML architecture that detects when somebody violates a policy through voice communication. Furthermore, it’s the first AI of its kind to be deployed at such a large scale. The English moderator is to release soon, though a further four languages are due to follow.
The platform is also set to introduce BanningAPI to further secure users from those they don’t want to interact with. This extends to alt accounts, with the new API system powerful enough to connect alt accounts to individual users. So, if you ban someone once, there’s no way of them somehow making their way back onto your friendslist by means of disguising themselves behind a secondary account.
When it comes to developers, later this year, Roblox is rolling out developer-configured text filters, which essentially means that the developer can determine what sort of text is okay for their community. Thanks to the IsVerfied API, they can also decide what parts of their experience a player can visit – if someone behaves in a toxic manner, they can be blocked from certain areas of the game.
Back in 2018, David Baszucki took to the RDC stage to make a list of predictions about the state of the game in five years’ time. At the 2023 event, the CEO revealed the list had a 58% success rate, before unveiling ten new objectives to aim for before the 2028 conference.
As you can see in from the long list of predictions below, there are some pretty high aspirations there, including the desire to see a Roblox developer valued at over a billion dollars, and individual goals for areas such as education, fashion, and live music on the platform. So, now all we have to do is wait five years to see if these high aspirations come to fruition.
10. A Fortune 500 company will use a Roblox experience as part of their recruiting process.
9. A school will integrate a full K-12 curriculum with Roblox, including language classes with schools in other countries and virtual field trips.
8. For 17+ verified people in 17+ experiences: Thousands of adults will meet for the first time in Roblox dating experiences and subsequently form real life relationships.
7. Roblox employees will spend more time using Roblox for remote meetings than with video.
6. We will share a universal civility metric, and show that for most places, it increases over time.
5. Some Roblox creators will make more money from selling physical merchandise on Roblox than virtual merchandise.
4. Roblox will be a frequent communication channel for my family.
3. A top fashion designer will be discovered on Roblox, without having any experience in physical fashion.
2. A musician will perform live to over 1M people on Roblox, using a phone for motion capture.
1. A Roblox developer will be valued at $1B.
New technology for creators
As ever, there were plenty of new tools for creators on show during the RDC 2023 keynote. We saw an upcoming assistant tool, offering creators a better way to understand development and bring people to their game on the platform. There are also updates on the way for Roblox coders, with more scripting and coding tools becoming compatible with Roblox’s inner workings so that designers can use whatever software they feel most comfortable with.
Finally, we can’t wrap up our coverage of the RDC 2023 keynote without mentioning the big guest star of the night – Elton John. Celebrating the success of the Beyond the Yellow Brick Road experience, the iconic piano man made a brief video appearance thanking the community for its support following the launch of Elton’s very own Roblox title. We didn’t have that appearance on our RDC bingo card, but it did bring a little star power to the main stage. Maybe we’ll get Mariah Carey next year?
From RDC 2023, we can clearly see that Roblox is still full of exciting innovations. If all of this has you wanting to try out some of the experiences on offer, take a look at our lists of the best Roblox games and best Roblox horror games. We’ve also got plenty of Roblox game codes and Roblox promo codes, so you can grab a few freebies.


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Narrow your search
Charging an electric car is not quite as easy as just plugging it in. There are different charging options that fill a car's battery and different rates.
GE's WattStation EV charger will become the recommended charger for Coda's all-electric sedans, which are just starting production and will compete with the Nissan Leaf and Ford Focus.
Boston's Beltway is going to get a little greener--Coulomb Technologies will install 150 ChargePoint stations in the Boston metro area.
Italian auto designer Pininfarina crafts a solar charging stations for its modular electric car prototype.
Ecotality and Coulomb Technologies unveil direct-current fast charging stations for electric vehicles that can give a significant boost to batteries in a half-hour.
Victorian government in Australia is asking residents to volunteer for Blink Level 2 EV chargers in homes as part of a province-wide study.
Coulomb Technologies installs free public electric-charging station in downtown Detroit as part of ChargePoint America program to encourage EV adoption.
EV battery-swap company to offer a self-charging option, as well as private swapping stations.
What will happen when millions of electric vehicles plug into the grid at at the same time? If ZigBee Alliance's blueprints for the smart grid go according to plan, not much.
Coulomb Technologies installed its first charging station in New York that the public can use to recharge electric vehicles.


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With sales of its iconic motorcycles plummeting, Milwaukee based Harley-Davidson will cut 1,100 jobs over two years and scale back its operations in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, part of a a three-part strategy to weather the economic downturn which has dampened consumer confidence and the market for big ticket items such as motorcycles.
Harley plans to consolidate two engine and transmission plants in Milwaukee into its Menomonee Falls plant, close a distribution facility in Franklin, and downsize paint and frame operations in York, Pennsylvania. A Harley press release states that company earnings have fallen 58%, or 34 cents per share, to $77.8 million, from $186.1 one million, or 78 cents per share, last year. Sales fell almost seven percent over that period, and wholesale shipments of motorcycles were down over eight percent.
For 2009, Harley plans to ship between 264-thousand and 273-thousand new motorcycles, a 10 to 13 percent reduction from 2008, and will also end its domestic transportation fleet.


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Thomas Ryder, chairman and chief executive of the Reader's Digest Association, said the magazine industry will benefit greatly from shifts toward a more accountable, digital future. Ryder said magazines will benefit from the decline of TV in particular, which is now in "deep trouble," because "the cost of advertising is rising too fast, and the product is truly dreadful."
Ryder said that magazines will be the most efficient place for advertisers to build brands, and that wireless technology will mark the end of postage costs and give publishers the opportunity to personalize content for readers.
Newly promoted MPA Chief Jack Kliger noted that changes need to be made in the areas of readership and distribution measurement, as well as postal reform. Kliger called circulation measurement "the ill in the system," noting that other media are measured based on consumption. "Why should advertisers care if a magazine is paid or unpaid?"
Earlier this month, the Newspaper Association of America took steps forward in achieving this by measuring so-called pass-along readers--or those who consume newspapers without paying for them--instead of merely subscription and newsstand sales.
Kliger added that investment in ROI measurement will help magazines prove their value to advertisers. "We must market the medium as never before," he said, pushing the notion that magazines hold the "key currency" for advertisers: consumer engagement. He noted that product placement directly assaults this core value.


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Only 57% of top British online retailers have mobile-compatible websites; 43% lack an iPhone app, 63% lack an Android app, finds study
March 6, 2012
– According to a study by independent mobile marketing agency Somo Ltd. that examined the U.K.’s top 100 retail brands in terms of mobile-readiness, only 57% of top British online retailers have mobile-compatible websites, Internet Retailing reported Feb. 29.
For the 57% of online retailers that did offer mobile-compatible websites, the main customer complaint involved a death of payment processes for their mobile sites and applications.
According to the agency’s original analysis of the IMRG/Hitwise Top 100 Online Retailers, only 10% of the retailers included on the list had a website designed for tablets, less than 20% of retailers had created applications for Android tablets and only 26% of retailers had created an iPad application.
Somo found that 43% of retailers did not offer an iPhone app, and 63% did not offer an Android app.
Tesco Plc. was the only retailer whose website worked on both smartphones and tablets, and offered several iPad commerce, enterprise and publishing apps.
BHS Limited, PC World Communications Inc. and the Thomson Travel Group were among the 20 top British Internet retailers that offered neither tablet nor smartphone applications or websites.
Fashion chain TopShop Inc., which recently announced that roughly 2/3 of their mobile visitors were using a tablet device, has neither a tablet website nor a tablet application.
Smartphone penetration in the U.K. has exceeded 50%, and mobile devices account for roughly 15% of all Internet traffic.
“The astonishing thing is that almost half of the top online retailers haven’t even got a mobile website,” Somo Chief Executive Officer Nick Hynes said, “This is very basic stuff. A well-built site does retailers the world of good, allowing customers to make shopping comparisons on their phones while in store, and browse leisurely at home on their tablet. These companies have to start looking at the role that mobile plays in their customer journey; at the moment they’re missing a trick.”
The primary source of this article is Internet Retailing, London, England, on Feb. 29, 2012.


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Perhaps it was the rising power of Samsung’s Galaxy brand. Or maybe it was Amazon embracing Android but burying its brand in the Kindle. But whatever the reason, Google is killing off the Android brand, replacing it with a much more vendor-specific brand: Google. Can Google dump Android and still maintain its momentum?
Despite owning a massive share of the market, Google has long had an Android problem. As different handset manufacturers and wireless carriers embraced Android, they embraced their own versions of Android, with changes to try to drive differentiation. In a public appearance last year, Google chairman Eric Schmidt was quick to crown fragmentation as negative but differentiation as positive.
Apparently now even differentiation is bad.
Android: Too Big To Fail?
Mobile industry veteran Fabrizio Capobianco highlighted this recently, noting Android’s absence from the Mobile World Congress (MWC) was just a tell-tale sign of something Google put into play long ago. Citing the need of both Android licensees and Google to stand out, Capobianco posits, “Android is now so dominant, it can be killed. Because it is just what’s inside. What matters, it is the outside.”
How dominant? Microsoft desktop Windows-esque dominance in the smartphone market:
This is almost certain to continue, and to bleed into tablets, as well. The problem, however, is that a disproportionate share of that Android wealth is not going to Google, and Samsung’s Galaxy brand seems to have eclipsed Android, as Chris Burns illustrates:
Put in this context, it’s not surprising that Google named its phone the Google Nexus, “Android Marketplace” became “Google Play,” and Google cut its Android presence at MWC. To protect its Android-related revenue, Google had to reassert itself in the Android market.
Android is dead. Long live Google.
Life After Android?
The question is whether Google can go it alone. Samsung, HTC, and every other major Android licensee have been spending on differentiating their mobile devices from the Android pack. Samsung, obviously, has been most successful. Will they be as interested in embracing Google’s brand? Almost certainly not.
Do they have a choice?
Arguably, no. The industry tried a number of alternatives to Apple’s iOS, including Tizen, MeeGo, Ubuntu, Bada, and more. None of stuck. It took Google’s engineering muscle to gift the industry an Android lifeline, not to mention the mega money it spent subsidizing Android adoption by handset manufacturers and carriers.
The industry’s track record at developing alternatives to Apple is dismal at best. And so are Google’s attempts to fend off fragmentation.
Which may be the single-greatest reason a shift from Android to Google could succeed: developers. Despite Apple’s fading market share in mobile, developers still flock to iOS. Why? Because that’s where the money is. The gap between Android developer pay and iOS developer pay has been shrinking, but it’s still substantial.
Coordinating Android activity under the Google brand will lead to diminished fragmentation, and potentially even more market share for “Android.” Just as the Windows brand helped to sell more PCs, the Google brand – currently ranked second-most powerful brand in the world, behind Apple – could be a unifying force that removes market confusion and boosts developer returns on their “Android” investments.
Not that the device manufacturers will like this.
Building on the Google brand may help them sell more devices as an industry, but it’s unlikely to distinguish them from each other, just as Microsoft got rich as HP, Dell, and others shipped largely undifferentiated Windows-based machines. But again, what choice do they have?
Android is now too big to fail, whatever its associated branding. It will be interesting to see how Samsung, in particular, responds.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.


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BUENOS AIRES, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Argentina said on Tuesday it lifted a 30,000-tonne-per-day limit recently placed on corn exports, which had caused farmers to go on a sales strike in protest.
Growers have withheld crops from market since early Monday, angered by what they said was overzealous intervention in the markets. The government said the curb was intended to ensure ample domestic food supplies and stable prices.
As part of a deal negotiated with farm groups and export companies on Tuesday, the agriculture ministry said a commission would be named to monitor domestic corn prices.
“These meetings allow us to continue advancing in making private interests compatible with the need of the state to guarantee essential goods throughout the national territory,” the ministry’s statement said.
The three-day sales strike had caused concern in a country desperate for export dollars as it contends with a long recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 30,000-tonne limit on corn exports replaced an earlier government decision to suspend all corn shipments in January and February. Farmers slammed both measures as unnecessary.
Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by by Mark Heinrich and Richard Pullin
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Hopland, Calif.-based Fetzer announced its Thanksgiving campaign ahead of its key selling period. Developed with media agency Cutwater, Here's to #Friendsgiving offers a 2021 take on Fetzer's traditional Thanksgiving campaigns, as America's most diverse generation yet comes to the table with new ways to connect and with new favorite foods, the company says.
As Fetzer's new campaign draws inspiration from the reality that this year's Thanksgivings will look different, amidst a time of shifting cultural norms and ongoing social distancing, it highlights the possibilities this moment affords and underscores the beauty of celebrating differently — be it with a meat-free Thanksgiving, a socially distanced potluck with friends, or any other inspired riff on the traditional occasion, the company adds.
"The Fetzer brand was founded more than 50 years ago on the idea that it should be easy to enjoy a great-quality bottle of wine with a meal,'' said Rachel Newman, vice president of marketing for Fetzer, in a statement. “While we still make good on that promise, we're taking a page from our consumers and reconsidering how this classic holiday looks, with one of our biggest investments ever in a holiday campaign."
The 360-degree Here's to #Friendsgiving campaign will come to life beginning Nov. 1, delivering a coordinated mix of social media programming, digital ads, influencer activations across the United States, while it offers a consumer sweepstakes at point of sale (POS) to drive home the message that Thanksgiving is what you make of it. To that end, engaging POS asking "What will you bring to the table?" will invite consumers to define their own traditions, and share them on social media, the company says.
Ensuring continuity with broader marketing initiatives, the campaign name itself is a seasonal, social take on the brand's year-round tagline, "Here's to Tomorrow," the company adds.
"Our inherent drive to connect can't be confined to a particular definition of tradition,” said Hilary Butler, senior brand manager for Fetzer, in a statement. “Even during a time of significant change like this year, connection ― and the ways we create it ― is the great equalizer and ties us all together. This campaign looks to celebrate that and is part of the long history of tradition around the table that Fetzer stands for, seen in a new light."


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CASH-STRAPPED Teesside motorists are being urged to help the environment, save money and get free travel under a new initiative from Go North East.
The North’s largest bus operator is offering to scrap old bangers and in return give away double the value in bus travel.
The company is introducing its Key Lifestyle travel package with the Scrap a Banger scheme and will provide a free collection and valuation service on old cars.
But instead of getting cash, participants in the scheme have been promised twice as much value in free travel.
The first 10 people to sign up to the initiative will be guaranteed at least one full year’s worth of travel valued at £900, regardless of the value of their old banger.
Go North East said those who signed up for the scheme would reap environmental and financial benefits.
Commercial director, Martin Harris, said: “Keeping old cars on the road at a time when costs are going through the roof is tough.
“Many people simply can’t afford the fuel, repairs, tax, insurance and maintenance.
“Many people have turned to buses already as a lifestyle choice or out of financial necessity.
“We hope to encourage many more to make the smarter choice and enjoy the benefits of our Key Lifestyle scheme as it continues to grow and expand.”
Go North East is working on the scheme with breakdown specialist Alpha Recovery, which will collect the cars free of charge, provide a quote for the scrap value of the car and what it will convert to in free bus travel. If the scrap value of the car is £300, the car owner will receive £600 worth of free bus travel with Go North East.
However, if the car owner is one of the first 10 to sign up to the scheme, he or she will automatically receive a year’s worth of travel valued at £900, regardless of the scrap value.
Michael Burke at Alpha Recovery, said: “In a time of austerity, people are getting the very last use out of their cars.
“Tightening the purse strings has meant that more and more people are driving cars that are in a bit of a state and in need of repair.
“With this scheme, people can opt for convenient, free bus travel.”
The scheme is an alternative twist on the Government’s “cash for bangers” initiative, which jump-started the ailing car market out of the recession two years ago.
Launched in May, 2009, the £400m scheme offered motorists £2,000 to trade in their ten-year-old cars for new models.
The move was praised for shunting environmentally inefficient cars off the road and replacing them with greener models - leading to lucrative financial benefits for car owners and motor traders.
Teesside auto dealers said the scheme boosted sales by up to 40% while nationally the scheme accounted for around a fifth of all car registrations - adding millions of pounds to the UK economy.
But the performance of the car industry leveled off again once the scrappage scheme was ditched last year.
This year has been a similar struggle, with new car registrations dipping 4.5% in the first ten months of this year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Meanwhile car dealership Lookers recently reported a 10% drop in private new car sales as plummeting consumer confidence weighed on the business.
But last week there was good news in the form of global giant Toyota, which announced a £100m investment at its Derbyshire factory to build its new-generation family-sized hatchback. The move will create up to 1,500 new jobs in the next two years and help to rev up an industry that struggled more than most during the recession.
The plant will become the sole European manufacturing centre for the new hatchbacks, including petrol models and the more environmentally friendly hybrid and diesel equivalents.
But take-up of green vehicles hasn’t been as buoyant as expected, according to a new survey of motorists by market research firm GfK Automotive.
Just 8% of the 3,161 motorists polled said they would definitely or probably buy an electric car at some stage, with a lack of understanding about the benefits of electric vehicles a key barrier to investment.


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Here’s another great example of a retailer enticing customers with additional in-store features this week as Sports Direct announce their plans to open a 100,000 square foot superstore in the heart of London, which will also include a gym for their customers – alongside their retail offering – and new office facilities for the popular retail chain brand.
Sports Direct headquarters are currently based in Derbyshire and until recently they also had offices in London. This week they confirmed that they have now sold their offices in New Cavendish Street to the University of Westminster for £44 million and are now looking to reinvest by developing their retail offering. They are on the look out for a prime retail location, which will be home to a new megastore, incorporating the former New Cavendish Street offices within the new retail development.
Dave Forsey, Chief Executive of Sports Direct explains the reasoning behind the new move for the brand, which made a healthy £14 million profit on the recent sale:
“We are continuing to strengthen our market position and expand our offering and we need more space.”
Once the new store is opened it will increase the brand’s presence in London, following the opening of their new flagship store on Oxford Street a year ago. The success of in-store gyms at three of the retailer’s other stores in the North of the country – at Aintree, St Helens and Keighley – has clearly influenced their decision to expand the retail format in the South and they have also announced plans to open a chain of stand alone-budget gyms – which are not directly adjacent to stores – perhaps in direct response to their retail rival, JD Sports new chain of ‘JD Gyms’ which launched recently.


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Autonomous driving company, TuSimple, recently announced that it has secured commitments for an additional $120 million in Series D funding.
These funds are part of an extended Series D round that was oversubscribed and reached a total of $215 million. The round includes previously announced investor UPS, the global logistics leader. New participants in the round include CDH Investments and leading automotive tier-1 supplier Mando Corporation. It was led by SINA, a technology company known for social media platforms, Weibo.
Founded in 2015, and headquartered in San Diego, TuSimple is developing a commercial-ready Level 4 (SAE) fully autonomous driving solution for the logistics industry. It claims to be only self-driving truck company capable of driving from depot-to-depot without human intervention and do so every day for its customers. It is moving quickly to bring commercial self-driving trucks to market and has grown rapidly to over 500 employees worldwide.
The company previously achieved unicorn status with a valuation of $1 billion, and the new investment brings its total funding to $298 million to date. The new funds will be used to expand long haul service for fleets and co-develop a commercial self-driving truck with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.


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More than 125,000 people are expected to roam the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon when the city’s Victorian Christmas Market makes its long-awaited return this year.
In an effort to replenish the coffers of independent traders and chain stores, this year’s event will take place over four days for the first time.
Returning for the first time since 2019 after last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic, the market will run from Thursday, December 9 to Sunday, December 12.
Read more: Stories about Stratford
What to expect?
Expect over 300 fabulous stalls, all of which will be manned by merchants dressed in authentic Victorian clothing.
There will be street food, mulled wine and cider, Baileys hot chocolate and a funfair with an original Victorian carousel
Waltz to the sound of live music and choirs, sway with the dance groups, and marvel at waders, chimney sweeps and walkers making their way through the city.
A Victorian Christmas market is not complete without the appearance of Santa Claus, his reindeer and Frosty the snowman.
Where is it going?
The Christmas Market will take place on Waterside, Bridge Street, Henley Street, High Street and Meer Street.
Many stalls selling street food and drink related products will be on Wood Street.
What are the opening days and hours?
The event takes place from Thursday to Sunday December 9-12.
Thursday December 9 – 11 am-8pm
Friday December 10 – 10 am-8pm
Saturday December 11 – 10 am-8pm
Sunday December 12 – 10 am-5pm
How to get there?
All city parking lots will be open during the event, but people are encouraged to take advantage of the Bishopton Park & Ride service available each day of the event.
Keep up to date with the latest news with our email alerts delivered straight to your inbox. register here


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Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
Evian’s famous babies campaign is back in some oversized clothing.
This is the seventh iteration of the “Live Young” campaign of this brand, done by the creative agency BETC Paris, and this time brand wants its consumers to experience what it might be like to see the world as a baby.
„For us, babies are a way to use the metaphor to explain our promise: that when you drink Evian we awake the baby inside you,” explained Patricia Oliva, Evian’s global marketing director. “There is joy and wonder when you see the world through the eyes of a baby. When you see yourself as a baby you see the world as oversize.”
The campaign will have digital elements—including a Snapchat filter that is already available via a Snapcode on 300 million Evian bottles; it will be available to all users on June 10—as well as out-of-home billboards, social, event activations and a clothing line partnership with Rad.co. Brand ambassadors Maria Sharapova, Stan Wawrinka, Lucas Pouille, Madison Keys and Lydia Ko are featured in the campaign elements.


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Why Etisalat's new 'Business MiFi' is attracting entrepreneurs from all sectors
UAE-based telcom operator Etisalat has launched its ‘Business MiFi’ to allow customers from large enterprises and small and medium businesses to enrich their clients with a connected drive experience on the move.
The Business MiFi proposition consists of mobile data and industry specific automotive dongle that create mobile wifi network, which enables up to five devices to connect to the internet simultaneously, said a statement.
It has been launched to meet the needs of automotive, hospitality, airlines, logistics and transportation sectors, as the service offers flexibility and convenience to business professionals on the move.
John Lincoln, senior vice president, Business Marketing, Etisalat UAE, said: “Etisalat continues to innovate in its business offerings by providing the best connected experience to business customers. We understand that businesses need flexibility and convenience and therefore built these qualities into our Business MiFi offerings.”
Business Mifi device is heat and shock resistant powered by the car battery and the internet gets activated upon car ignition, said the statement.
The proposition is being offered in two data bundles, which includes a dedicated data bundle plus device available in 1GB, 5GB and 20 GB, and a shared data bundle available in 5GB and 10 GB.
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Talk about true next-generation gaming, Oculus Rift, the much celebrated VR headset now said to arrive in months to consumers.
Oculus VR CEO Brendan Iribe just announced this week that the much awaited consumer version of their Virtual Reality headset, Oculus Rift, will be released in months time, stating that “We’re all hungry for it to happen. We’re getting very close. It’s months, not years away, but many months.”, this statement was made during the Web Summit 2014 in Dublin, Ireland.
While stating that the release could be just “months away”, Oculus VR is still wary of the possible issues concerning their product, one being the need to develop a proper input device, and the side-effects from prolonged usage of VR devices, and of course the threat of other VR device developers, Brendan Iribe states that:
“We’re a little worried about bigger companies putting out products that aren’t ready. Disorientation and motion sickness is the elephant in the room. We’re encouraging big companies not to put out a product before it’s ready.”
But even so, Iribe, and the whole of Oculus VR is more than hopeful to do a full release of their VR headset, saying “We don’t want it to be four or five years. We’re eager for this to happen“, rumors from VRFocus states that Oculus will be rolling out a limited number of Consumer version VR Headsets for Beta Tests, though this is not confirmed, nor denied by Oculus VR, it could be a huge possibility knowing their recent announcement regarding the release of their VR headset.


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That was its biggest annual increase since June 2013, the Office for National Statistics said, and was above the median forecast of 2.7 percent in a Reuters poll of economists.
It is also faster than the growth in pay for most people who have suffered a squeeze on their incomes almost without break for a decade.
Data due to be released on Wednesday is likely to show basic pay rose by an annual 2.0 percent in the three months to April, according to another Reuters poll.
Prime Minister Theresa May, weakened by the loss of her parliamentary majority in the election, has accepted that voters' patience with austerity is at an end, the Times reported on Tuesday.
Despite the stronger-than-expected consumer price inflation figures, the pound fell slightly after the ONS data, possibly reflecting a slowing of the surge in prices faced by factories which hints at slower inflation ahead for households.
Paul Hollingsworth, an economist with Capital Economics, said he believed the data showed the drop in the pound has fed through into inflation more quickly than expected.
"While we think that CPI inflation will peak at a little above 3 percent before the end of this year, it is likely to drop back fairly quickly in 2018," he said.
The ONS said one of the main drivers for inflation in May was the increased cost of package holidays abroad for British tourists who have to pay more for their euros and dollars.
Another big push on prices came from computer games and equipment, which are typically imported and therefore reflect the diminished buying power of sterling since the Brexit vote.
Inflation has picked up speed broadly around the world but in Britain there is extra pressure from the fall in sterling, contributing to a sharp slowdown in British economic growth since the start of this year.
Credit card firm Visa said on Monday it saw the first annual fall in spending by consumers in nearly four years in May.


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Photo Credit: YouTube
What has 8 propellers, 4 legs and a cargo space filled with Season 2 of The O.C.?
Calm down, Seth.
The answer is, depending on your Wish List, the new unmanned delivery drones that Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos unveiled on 60 Minutes last night. Bezos casually introduced the "Octocopters," seemingly unphased by the fact that he had just exploded the heads of both Charlie Rose and the collective Internet.
The drones, which Bezos says are possibly 4-5 years away from making their debut, have to wait on the FAA to catch up with Amazon by reworking unmanned aircraft laws for the U.S. In the meantime, Bezos admits there are still a few bugs to be worked out: "The hardest part here is working out all the redundency, the reliability ... this thing can't land on sombody's head while they're walking around the neighborhood."
So while it may be a little while before the Jetsons comes true, the possibility of ordering a product on Amazon and having it delivered by ROBOT within 30 minutes, seems to be happening sooner than later.
Just imagine: a world where you can order a pizza, subsequently order Die Hard on Amazon and have the DVD delivered before the pie.
Admittedly there are probably better uses of unmanned 30-minute drone delivery systems, but this is the best way my brain can process the information.
Check out the video below to see the drones in action.
What do you think of the new Amazon Prime Air system? Scary? Awesome? Stupid?
Let us know!


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Keyword: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club
Here are some of the best ways to get active in the Caribbean, from cycling in Cuba to underwater yoga in Grenada. Check it out.
In convincing fashion, the Beresheet Hotel in Israel has won Travel Agent's 2018 "Coolest Hotel Pool in the World" contest. Here's a look at this year's winner and runner-up.
Looking for a getaway this spring break? Check out these options, which range from quick weekend escapes to week-long vacations.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
The main pool at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club overlooks the sands of Nisbet Beach on the Atlantic Ocean side of Nevis. Here's an inside look.
Despite the damage that the Caribbean sustained in this year's hurricanes, there's still plenty to do at other islands. Here's more.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
According to a Nevis Tourism Authority news release, initial reports out of Nevis are positive as Hurricane Irma moves away from the island, although the damage is still being assessed. Here's the latest.
From a Half Moon makeover to new suites at Eden Roc top luxury Caribbean resort news, here is a wealth of selling points for your clients with no budget concerns.
From Nisbet Plantation Beach Club on Nevis' new rate structure to AMResorts' first Breathless property in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Travel Agent breaks down the hottest hotel happenings in the Caribbean.
In addition, Nisbet Plantation Beach Club will offer only daily rates and will no longer offer specials or packages. Get the details here.


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Lisa Rinna isn’t backing down. The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star was mega-slammed two days ago while posing in an undies bodysuit and with spread legs to promote her upcoming Rinna Beauty line – Lisa, 57, was asked if she isn’t “too old for this now?” as she knocked the camera dead for a little promo.
Lisa’s latest paparazzi photos came Wednesday as the Bravo face hit up a hair salon in Los Angeles. Either Lisa was in a rush, or she was out to burn some calories during a braless run. Check it out below.
Scroll for the latest photos, plus the video that kicked off the storm. Lisa, already seeing fans calling for her to be fired after her spat with Denis Richards on the most recent “RHOB” season, updated her Instagram in glam mode for the shoot. The mom of two was seen flaunting her ripped body in a skintight and spaghetti-strap bodysuit with a plunging neckline, plus heels – “Bts @rinnabeauty,” Lisa wrote.
“Do you have any self respect??” – comments weren’t flattering, although that’s nothing new for the former actress who’ll happily jam out to Billie Eilish in a bikini and cowboy hat.
Click here for the paparazzi photos – scroll for more. Lisa, opting out of any clap-backs as fans also said: “It seems like you starve for attention,” was photographed yesterday looking fit and trendy.
Photos showed Lisa in all-black. The former “Melrose Place” actress, wearing cropped leggings and a dark tank worn braless, rocked her trademark spiky short hair, plus a face mask shouting out COVID. Also holding a small handbag and wearing monochrome sneakers, Lisa was caught running amid cars to her appointment. More after the video.
Lisa is hopping abord the Lip Kit trend set by a much younger and much richer face – Kylie Jenner. The star, this year calling herself an “-sshole with iconic hair and big lips” for a joke, will be dropping three Lip Kits costing $45.
The collab, with SEL Beauty, will offer three shades: Birthday Suit, Legends Only, and No Apologies, with Lisa recently telling Allure that this “just had to be something that I would love, and I would wear.”
Lisa, herself acknowledging cosmetic procedures including botox, silicon, and Juverdem injections, has also stated that her line will expand to be a lifestyle one.
“I’ve had people ask me over the years, “What’s your lipstick, what color are you wearing?” I’ve always done a lip liner, a lipstick, and a lip gloss,”she continued, adding: “That’s always my go-to. Of course I want to go into everything down the line. Rinna Beauty is going to be a lifestyle brand.”
Fans seem on the fence. While some are pumped to get the iconic pout via the range, others have been smelling failure.


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News There's a lot happening in the AMD Linux space right now.
Ask PC Gamer Backing up Steam games isn’t complicated but it helps to know a few details, especially if you want to do it yourself.
TWIPCG This week's got sexy vampires in, Sonic in space and solving crimes with the power of empathy in Life is Strange.
TWIPCG Head trips, hungry Xenomorphs, and spy games are just a portion of what to expect this week in PC gaming.
news Valve wants to take advantage of all the ways you play the Steam Deck, no matter where you are.


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Whether out of procrastination or a desire for last-minute deals, thousands of shoppers flooded the Volusia Mall on Sunday to do some 11th hour Christmas shopping.
DAYTONA BEACH — Whether out of procrastination or a desire for last-minute deals, thousands of shoppers flooded the Volusia Mall on Sunday to do some 11th hour Christmas shopping.
Lines were long, parking was scarce and walking was difficult as deal-hungry customers moved from store to store. But for many people, last minute shopping is a necessity, due to inconvenient working hours or for financial reasons.
Tom Mowery of Edgewater, for example, shopped for presents for his two young daughters Sunday.
"It's been very busy, but everybody's been really nice in the stores," he said. "Usually we get it done early, but this year, things changed, so we had to make the most of it."
As he stood in line with his wife and daughters to get a picture with Santa Claus, he explained that his busy work schedule this year prevented him from shopping sooner, as he usually did.
Time constraints seemed to be a common theme among many shoppers Sunday.
A busy schedule kept Jody Kinberger of Port Orange away from the stores until Sunday as well.
"We had to get a couple of last-minute Christmas gifts," he said. "It's a lot busier than I thought it would be."
Still, others, like Robert Sweeney of Port Orange, had another reason for waiting.
"Paycheck," he answered simply, when asked why he chose to do his shopping on Sunday.
As late in the season as it was, Sunday didn't officially mark the "last minute" to shop. Many area retailers, including big-box giants like Wal-Mart and Target, will be open Monday as well, with some having hours well into the night.
But for anyone planning on waiting until the literal last minute, forget it – the lion's share of retailers will be closed Christmas Day.
Ray Richards, general manager of the Super Target in Palm Coast, expects the crowds to continue to pour in through Monday.
"This year is going to be a little different because Christmas Eve is falling on a Monday," he said. "But, I expect it to be very busy all the way through."
"I think it's going to be busier than a usual Monday, but I don't really know. It's hard to predict," said John Fleming, a spokesman with the Florida Retail Federation. "Retail is funny. Sometimes you just never know until you close the doors and count the cash register."


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The pandemic has once again exposed how unsustainable and inequitable the current food system is. In April of 2020, for example, while millions of Canadians faced financial insecurity and food insecurity, the Dairy Farmers of Ontario—the provincial organization that sets milk production quotas—began ordering farmers to dump their "surplus" milk. News agencies across North America reported the surpluses of dairy, eggs and produce caused by the closures of hotels and restaurants being dumped, crushed and otherwise destroyed.
Our latest issue of the Monitor pulls back the curtain on the unseen labour and politics behind our food. We asked organizers and writers: what would decolonizing the food justice movement mean? And this is what they told us. From community-led kitchens and gardens to microbreweries run by former FARC rebels, change is taking root.
Pull up a chair. At this table, there's room for everyone.
Here's a sample of what you'll find in this issue:
- Sprouting seeds of hope: How a garden united Montreal’s Chinese diaspora, from Diamond Yao
From rebels to hipsters: Former FARC guerrillas turn to craft beer, Cruz Bonlarron Martínez details how microbrewing has helped former FARC rebels rebuild following the 2016 ceasefire in Colombia.
The gentrification of food: A Mexican example, Jumko Ogata-Aguilar traces how chef Enrique Olvera has built a prestigious career on the appropriation of traditional Mesoamerican ingredients, making his dishes palatable to mainly white and international audiences.
- It's time to decolonize food, writes Anishinabe chef Justine Deschenes. Decolonizing food means much more than being choosy about where you harvest and source your meats and veggies. It’s about being aware that every decision you make has an effect on everything, including what you choose to put in your body.
- Demanding justice: Can trade policy be fair? Gavin Fridell and Kate Ervine look at current trade models in the food system to assess what role international trade agreements can play in combatting climate change and closing gender gaps.


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Getaround has launched its first rental car, a car that rents out its interior to a small group of users who are in need of a ride.
The company said it had partnered with the Australian government to offer rental cars to people with disabilities in order to “enhance the accessibility of Getaround services”.
The Getaround app was launched in August last year and currently provides a service that allows users to book a car and then pay the car’s rental fee online.
“Getaround is proud to be the first company in Australia to enable users with disabilities to book and pay for a rental car using a smartphone app,” Getaround CEO and founder, Sam Sosnick, said in a statement.
“Our app will enable people with a disability to book their own cars, and pay the cost of the car upfront, with the car then returned to the owner after the car is rented.”
“This will enable them to stay in touch with friends and family, without having to use Getaround’s website or mobile app,” he said.
“The GetAround app has the potential to make the world a better place for people with physical disabilities.”
Getaround launched its app to enable people to book, pay and rent a car, using a phone app.
Read next The next big story is: the rise of the tech economy The next huge story is…
The next major story is, the rise in the tech sector.
Read the full story.
The Get around app is available for Android and iOS devices and is currently being tested in the US and Europe.
“We’ve been impressed with the support from the Australian Government, who are a big advocate for the accessibility rights of people with disability,” Mr Sosnik said.
The app allows users with physical impairments to book private hire cars and then make payment for the car once it is rented.
“For example, if someone has a disability that makes it difficult for them to stand, for example, they might need a wheelchair, and they might also need to make a reservation for a car or pick up someone from their home, they can do this using Getaround.
The Getaround mobile app will do all this for them,” Mr Kelleher said.
Getaround has a number of other services, including a virtual tour of Australia, where users can take photos of landmarks and take a virtual journey around the country.
“To get to a specific location you need to know the GPS coordinates, the distance, the elevation,” Mr Tullo said.”[We] will provide them with a virtual guide of the landmarks they will be visiting.”
These landmarks are the best places to start, and the best way to get around them is with the Getaround car app.
“Read next Can Amazon and Uber really compete in Australia?
Can Amazon & Uber really contest Australia?
article GetAround is also offering a virtual train tour of the country, as well as a virtual bus tour.”
When you buy a Getaround pass, you’ll be able to get access to Getaround and the services that it offers, so you’ll also be able connect with other Getaround users around the world, and make sure you get the best Getaround experience,” Mr Nardelli said.
It also allows users who have a disability in the car to connect with friends via Getaround Live, a social media sharing platform.”
People with physical impairment can share their experiences, and we’ll work with them to make sure that we get their needs met,” Mr Gartner said.
Mr Nardello said Getaround was looking at ways to expand Getaround to include people with mental disabilities.”
If we can improve the accessibility, the accessibility in the services and the accessibility around getting around the city, that’s something that we’re looking at,” he told News Corp. “So, there are a lot of things we’re trying to do.
“Get around is also developing its own range of mobile phones, which is now available to buy.”
GetAround is available to download for free.”
We want to see that we continue to develop Getaround apps that are accessible to all Australians, and people who are physically or mentally disabled.”
GetAround is available to download for free.