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Enterprises are, mostly, a cautious lot – just look how long it took to build momentum to move away from Windows XP.
(Some are so cautious that they are still running Windows XP which is an ironic thing because that has to be far more dangerous that running Windows 7)
Having mainly focussed on the consumer story up to now, Microsoft are starting to build out their Enterprise story for Windows 10.
One of Microsoft’s commitments with Windows 10 is that they will be moving towards Windows as a Service as part of this:
Rather than waiting for the next major release, Microsoft will provide new features and functionality and deliver security updates and critical fixes on a regular basis.
That doesn’t necessarily excite an Enterprise IT organisation, for some that’s a scary thought. One of the things that they have announced are Long Term Service Branches:
Many consumers today expect their devices to receive ongoing feature updates without having to take an action. However, we understand that businesses require more control in how updates are delivered, and at what pace.
For example, systems powering hospital emergency rooms, air traffic control towers, financial trading systems, factory floors, just to name a few, may need very strict change management policies, for prolonged periods of time. To support Windows 10 devices in these mission critical customer environments we will provide Long Term Servicing branches at the appropriate time intervals. On these branches, customer devices will receive the level of enterprise support expected for the mission critical systems, keeping systems more secure with the latest security and critical updates, while minimizing change by not delivering new features for the duration of mainstream (five years) and extended support (five years).
In simple terms, you will be able to choose to get automatic updates at the consumer pace, or at the business pace. But, whichever branch you are on you’ll still get security updates at the same pace.
There will be many IT organisation who are breathing a sigh of relief at that news, I just hope that they choose to use it wisely and still give those people in their organisation who can move quicker the option to move quicker.


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CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela will create a new exchange rate for tourists to buy up to $10,000 of the local bolivar currency per year in a measure intended to help reduce black market trading, the government said in its official gazette on Thursday.
The announcement by the Finance Ministry and Central Bank said new foreign exchange counters would be established at airports and ports where foreigners enter the South American nation.
There was no indication, however, of what price the dollars would be sold at.
Under strict exchange controls in place for a decade, the greenback's official rate is 6.3 bolivars, although access at that level is heavily-restricted to priority goods like medicines and foods.
Authorities also sell dollars to businesses via weekly auctions, in a system known as Sicad, where traders say the price is around 11 bolivars.
But the U.S. currency fetches more than 50 bolivars on the illegal market, according to web sites that track it.
Thurdsay's measure appeared intended to keep tourists away from black-market trading by offering a bolivar rate that would presumably be higher than the official level but lower than the illegal one.
Visitors flying into Venezuela's main international airport, at Maiquetia outside Caracas, are often approached by black market currency traders as soon as they step out of arrivals.
President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government says its right-wing enemies inside and outside Venezuela are "sabotaging" the economy by promoting illegal currency trading, price speculation, hoarding and deliberate acts of destruction.
But government critics, in the sharply polarized nation ruled by Hugo Chavez for 14 years until his death from cancer earlier this year, blame socialist policies, corruption and bureaucratic incompetence for the economic problems piling up.
As well as the currency distortions, Venezuela is suffering from a near-50 percent annual inflation rate, and shortages of basic goods from milk to toilet-paper due in part to the scarcity of dollars available to importers.
(Reporting by Andrew Cawthorne: Editing by Diane Craft)

domain: news


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DTNA breaks ground on new Logistics Center
As part of an ongoing initiative to improve their manufacturing targets of quality, efficiency and being a Great Place to Work, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA)broke ground today, paving the way for a modern logistics center at its Cleveland, N.C. truck manufacturing plant.
The new center, expected to be completed early in 2019, represents a $27 million investment, and will create multiple new jobs in Cleveland. During a town hall meeting, plant management and over 1,400 employees gathered to commemorate this significant investment into the future development of the Cleveland Truck Manufacturing Plant.
The Cleveland facility produces Freightliner and Western Star Class 8 models for sale in North America, along with the Freightliner Columbia and Argosy cab-over-engine models for the export market.
"DTNA is committed long-term to doing business in Cleveland, and this is our next step toward continued manufacturing excellence involving end-to-end logistics," said Henning Bruns, Cleveland truck manufacturing plant manager. "This is an important investment that helps further our commitment to efficiency in all our processes, which benefits both our employees and our customers."
When the new center opens, it will consolidate multiple existing warehouses and allow for more efficient conveyance of parts to the assembly lines, implementing advanced lean logistics concepts. An additional benefit of the new logistics center is the ability to convert forklifts to tuggers and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). This will create safer and more efficient traffic patterns throughout the plant, boosting DTNA's reputation for manufacturing excellence.
4747 N. Channel Ave.
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3 Surging High-Growth Tech Stocks to Own in 2021: Shopify, CrowdStrike, Sonos
December 30, 2020 at 11:24 AM EST
A second strain of coronavirus and ongoing holiday celebrations have led to a rise in COVID-19 cases globally, making the commercial backdrop more favorable for tech stocks. However, stocks such as Shopify (SHOP), CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) and Sonos (SONO) began their bull run long before the pandemic, and we think they still have plenty of upside as we head to 2021.
The tech industry has been one of the most volatile sectors in the past year. It has soared to record highs and experienced wicked periodic selloffs, all within a span of months. Following the approval of COVID-19 vaccines and news about their deployment , the tech industry faced a sharp pullback, as investors grew anxious that the normalization of economic activities would moderate the sector’s growth potential. However, these stocks have mostly recovered since then, as a second strain of coronavirus has called or renewed nationwide lockdowns, mainly across Europe. This, and attendant new travel bans, has paved the way for another tech rally.
The technology industry has been on an uptrend for quite some time, with increasing dependence on online platforms. The S&P 500 Information Technology index has gained 27.4% over the past three years. While the pandemic has accelerated this growth, many believe that the remote lifestyle trend is likely to stay because of the increased productivity it has yielded.
Companies such as Shopify, Inc. (SHOP), CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD) and Sonos, Inc. (SONO) have reported substantial gains in revenues and other financial metrics over the past couple of years, upholding their reputation as growth stocks. As the tech rally is expected to continue in 2021, we think that these companies are well positioned to keep climbing.
Shopify, Inc. (SHOP)
SHOP is an up-and-coming e-commerce platform that is shattering records with its growth rates. It caters primarily to small- and medium-sized businesses, allowing owners to exhibit their products and services. Based in Canada, SHOP currently operates in 175 countries across various continents. The company has demonstrated resilience and a capacity to fend off stiff competition from industry leaders.
SHOP generated more than $5.10 billion within three days of the Black Friday sale (Nov 27 – Nov 30), a 76% gain versus the same period last year. In fact, the company’s sales for the week (Nov 23 – Nov 30) increased 84% year-over-year.
SHOP’s revenue has increased 96% year-over-year to $767.40 million in the third quarter ended September 30, 2020. This can be attributed to a 48% and 132% increase in subscription solutions revenue and merchant solutions revenue, respectively, over this period. Its Gross Merchandise Value has increased 109% from the year-ago value to $30.90 billion, while gross profit rose 87% from the same period last year to $405.10 million. Its EPS has increased substantially from the negative year-ago value to $1.54.
While the coronavirus-pandemic driven e-commerce boom has been a major contributing factor in SHOP’s growth over the past couple of quarters, the company has been one of the biggest growing platforms for quite some time. SHOP has gained 1060% over the past three years owing to its impressive rise in revenues and total assets. SHOP’s revenue has increased at a CAGR of 61.7% over the past three years, while its tangible book value and total assets have increased at CAGRs of 81.9% and 89.2%, respectively, over the same period.
The consensus EPS estimate of $1.27 for the third quarter ending December 31, 2020 indicates a 195.3% improvement year-over-year. The company has an impressive earnings surprise history as well; it beat the street EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The consensus revenue estimate of $906.17 million for the ongoing quarter indicates a 79.4% rise from the same period last year.
SHOP has gained 187.2% over the past year. The stock hit its 52-week high of $1,285.19 on December 22.
How does SHOP stack up for the POWR Ratings?
A for Trade Grade
B for Buy & Hold Grade
A for Peer Grade
A for Overall POWR Rating.
It is currently ranked #1 of 37 stocks in the Internet – Services industry.
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD)
CRWD is a cloud-based securities service provider operating through its proprietary ‘Falcon’ platform. The company uses integrated technologies of lightweight agent and threat graph to provide all round coverage to its clients, including monitoring, management, response, and remediation solutions. It is one of the fastest growing stocks in the cybersecurity space, as its revenues have increased 85.9% year-over-year.
CRWD has a long-standing partnership with Amazon. Inc.’s (AMZN) Amazon Web Services (AWS). In November, CRWD became a launch partner for AWS network firewall, which provided protection for all AWS’ virtual private clouds. CRWD launched its services on AWS marketplace in December to provide contact cybersecurity services to customers through the platform.
CRWD released a new security module, Falcon X Recon, in October. This provides a higher level of situational awareness to users. This allows users to steer clear of malicious websites and receive immediate notifications regarding breaches of security.
CRWD’s revenues have increased 86% year-over-year to $232.50 million in the fiscal third quarter ended October 31, 2020. This can be attributed to an 87% year-over-year increase in subscription revenues over this period. Its annual recurring revenue has risen 81% from the year-ago value to $907.40 million, while gross profit grew 94.8% from the same period last year to $170.93 million.
The consensus EPS estimate of $0.08 for the fiscal third quarter ending January 31, 2021 indicates a 500% improvement from the year-ago value. Moreover, CWRD beat the Street EPS estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, which is impressive. The consensus revenue estimate of $249.35 million indicates a 63.9% rise year-over-year.
CRWD has gained more than 540% since hitting its 52-week low of $31.95 in March.
It is no surprise that CRWD is rated “Strong Buy” in our POWR Ratings system, with an “A” for Trade Grade, Peer Grade and Industry Rank, and a “B” for Buy & Hold Grade.
Sonos, Inc. (SONO)
SONO designs and manufactures wireless multiroom audio systems, home theater products, voice enabled systems, and accessories. The company sells its products across the United States and Europe through its website, retail and e-commerce chains, and third-party subsidiaries.
On December 15, SONO entered a multi-year licensing agreement with Legrand. Under this deal, Legrand will pay to license SONO’s patents and integrate the technology with its NUVO multiroom wireless audio devices. This allows SONO to market and lease its proprietary technology to third parties, enhancing its brand value and revenues simultaneously.
In November, SONO repurchased 3.80 million shares of its stock worth $50 million. This will allow the company to generate higher per-share returns for existing shareholders in the long term. Also in November, SONO launched Sono Radio HD, an ad-free, high-definition streaming radio service. The launch allows SONO to compete with leading music streaming platforms around the world.
SONO’s revenue and EBITDA have increased at CAGRs of 10.2% and 23.9%, respectively, over the past three years. The company’s tangible book value increased at a CAGR of 2,016.3% over the same period. These impressive gains reflect the company’s growth over the past three years.
SONO’s revenues have increased 16% year-over-year to $339.80 million in the fiscal fourth quarter ended October 31,2020. Non-GAAP net income has risen 345.2% year-over-year to $40.70 million, while non-GAAP EPS has increased 320% from the year-ago value to $0.33. Its gross margin gained 530 basis points from the prior-year quarter to 47.5%.
The consensus EPS estimate of $0.87 for the current quarter ending December 31, 2020 represents a 45% improvement from the year-ago value. Analysts expect SONO’s revenue to rise 10% in the current year, and 8.6% next year.
SONO has gained more than 285% to hit its 52-week high of $25.40 since hitting its 52-week low of $6.58 in March.
SONO’s POWR Ratings reflect this positive outlook. It is rated “Strong Buy” with an “A” for Trade Grade, Peer Grade and Industry Rank, and a “B” for Buy & Hold Grade. In the 38-stock Technology – Electronics industry, it is currently ranked #9.
Want More Great Investing Ideas?
SHOP shares were trading at $1,163.00 per share on Wednesday afternoon, down $8.61 (-0.73%). Year-to-date, SHOP has gained 192.52%, versus a 17.75% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
About the Author: Aditi Ganguly
Aditi is an experienced content developer and financial writer who is passionate about helping investors understand the do’s and don'ts of investing. She has a keen interest in the stock market and has a fundamental approach when analyzing equities.3 Surging High-Growth Tech Stocks to Own in 2021: Shopify, CrowdStrike, Sonos appeared first on StockNews.com


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It’s a bumper week for presidency pushback on the misuse of artificial intelligence.
As we say the EU launched its lengthy-awaited dwelling of AI guidelines, an early draft of which leaked remaining week. The guidelines are extensive ranging, with restrictions on mass surveillance and the expend of AI to manipulate of us.
But an announcement of intent from the US Federal Commerce Commission, outlined in a quick weblog put up by staff attorney Elisa Jillson on April 19, would possibly per chance well furthermore simply enjoy extra enamel in the instantaneous future. Per the put up, the FTC plans to head after companies the expend of and selling biased algorithms.
A different of companies shall be running worried loyal now, says Ryan Calo, a professor on the University of Washington, who works on skills and law. “It’s no longer genuinely right this one weblog put up,” he says. “This one weblog put up is a genuinely stark instance of what appears to be like a sea change.”
The EU is neatly-known for its onerous line against Astronomical Tech, however the FTC has taken a softer capability, no longer lower than in contemporary times. The company is meant to police unfair and dishonest alternate practices. Its remit is narrow—it does no longer enjoy jurisdiction over authorities companies, banks, or nonprofits. On the other hand it will step in when companies misrepresent the capabilities of a product they’re selling, which manner companies that enlighten their facial recognition systems, predictive policing algorithms or healthcare tools are no longer biased would possibly per chance well furthermore simply now be in the motorway of hearth. “Where they make enjoy vitality, they’ve massive vitality,” says Calo.
The FTC has no longer always been willing to wield that vitality. Following criticism in the 1980s and ’90s that it used to be being too aggressive, it backed off and picked fewer fights, in particular against skills companies. This appears to be like changing.
Within the weblog put up, the FTC warns vendors that claims about AI must always be “neutral, non-spurious, and backed up by proof.”
“As an illustration, let’s declare an AI developer tells purchasers that its product will present ‘100% just hiring choices,’ however the algorithm used to be constructed with knowledge that lacked racial or gender diversity. The final consequence shall be deception, discrimination—and an FTC law enforcement run.”
The FTC run has bipartisan pork up in the Senate, the attach apart commissioners enjoy been requested the outdated day what extra they’ll be doing and what they desired to make it. “There’s wind in the lend a hand of the sails,” says Calo.
Meanwhile, though they design a clear line in the sand, the EU’s AI guidelines are pointers handiest. As with the GDPR tips presented in 2018, this would possibly per chance well well also be up to individual EU member states to safe easy systems to implement them. One of the most language is furthermore vague and birth to interpretation. Take one provision against “subliminal ways previous an individual’s consciousness in reveal to materially distort an individual’s behaviour” in a intention that would possibly per chance well well purpose psychological wound. Does that discover to social media knowledge feeds and centered selling? “We can demand many lobbyists to try to explicitly exclude selling or recommender systems,” says Michael Veale, a college member at University College London who studies law and skills.
This would possibly per chance well expend years of loyal challenges in the courts to thrash out the information and definitions. “That can handiest be after a in particular lengthy route of of investigation, criticism, gentle, enchantment, counter-enchantment, and referral to the European Court docket of Justice,” says Veale. “At which level the cycle will originate all some other time.” However the FTC, despite its narrow remit, has the autonomy to act now.
One colossal limitation general to each the FTC and European Commission is the inability of capability to rein in governments’ expend of unhealthy AI tech. The EU’s guidelines consist of gash-outs for converse expend of surveillance, for instance. And the FTC is handiest authorized to head after companies. It would possibly per chance well well intervene by stopping non-public vendors from selling biased tool to law enforcement companies. But imposing this can also be onerous, given the secrecy around such sales and the dearth of pointers on what authorities companies want to enlighten when procuring skills.
But this week’s announcements replicate a enormous worldwide shift against serious law of AI, a skills that has been developed and deployed with puny oversight to this level. Ethics watchdogs enjoy been calling for restrictions on unfair and unhealthy AI practices for years.
The EU sees its guidelines bringing AI below unusual protections for human liberties. “Synthetic intelligence need to lend a hand of us, and attributable to this fact artificial intelligence need to always discover of us’s rights,” acknowledged Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in a speech outdated to the initiating.
Regulation will furthermore lend a hand AI with its listing misfortune. As von der Leyen furthermore acknowledged: “We want to abet our electorate to feel confident to expend it.”


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BBC iPlayer for Android update lacks Sky Go & iOS features
Modern mobile technology has allowed us to enjoy digital content while on the go, and this includes streaming content from a variety of sources and broadcasters. The BBC iPlayer application for the Android platform has just received an update but lacks Sky Go and iOS features.
Back in December the company revealed they had a team hard at work on the app for Android users and said Android was important to them, but did mention the platforms fragmentation had caused issues.
The latest update now brings back the Favourites option that disappeared a while back, and there have been improvements made to loading times and image quality for the content. A number of bug fixes have been thrown into the mix as well so the on screen buttons should disappear correctly on hardware running Android Jelly Bean.
One massive feature that is still missing though is downloads or on demand, which is available on the iOS version of the BBC iPlayer app, as well as the popular Sky Go offering. The company has stated this option will be coming in the future, and remains a priority for the team.
Some users that have already updated the application have given it negative reviews, with some complaining the search feature has been ruined. Others have said since the update the app is not as good as before, but others have said it’s at least getting there.
Are you a user of the BBC iPlayer app?


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Here is more of the article on what staff, volunteers, journalists ate at Sochi:
Borscht was the crowd favorite there. Otherwise, the food was convention-center-bland and on the pricey side: Coke and a baked potato, $6.50. After a few days, vows to avoid fast food in search of better nutrition were guiltily forgotten. A new mantra was repeatedly overheard: I haven’t eaten this many McDonald’s meals over 20 years.
The Big Mac became a gourmet’s dream, fries an epicurean delight. And soon everyone stopped complaining about having to pay 85 cents for a small vial of ketchup.
There were glorious escapes, when Olympic denizens would fling themselves out of the fences and into the city, following enticing aromas to smoked Russian salmon and caviar pizza. They raved over Georgian khachapuri — describing it as cheese-filled bread offers little sense of its wonders. They marveled at grilled meat on skewers known as shashlik, and the pelmeni — meat-filled dumplings dressed up in sour cream.


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Melbourne foodies may not have to travel far for Goulburn Valley produce in the future, with plans to open a metropolitan store to showcase the region’s food.JARROD WHITTAKER May 31, 2014 2:59am
The Goulburn Valley Food Co-operative is moving to establish the shop following the success of its range of locally produced products.
Last year the co-operative tasted success with the launch of its first food products — a ready-to-cook $10 pasta meal made from the region’s tomatoes and a cider made from local apples.
Co-operative chairman Les Cameron said the group was moving to establish the store as soon as possible.
The group is aiming to build a network of regional growers and processors to provide stock.
‘‘Thanks to the work of the co-op team, we now have nearly 50 places who take our products,’’ Mr Cameron said. ‘‘We want to have an identifiable stand of GV Food products in each of those 50 places.
‘‘We think our ‘brand’ will be as good as the Barossa Valley’s one day.’’
He said the co-operative hoped to have a store set up by spring.
The announcement comes on the back of a recent trip Mr Cameron and fellow co-operative member Liz Waters made to investigate opportunities to export the region’s food to Hong Kong.
During the visit, Mr Cameron and Ms Waters met with Cooee Food’s Qiuran and Owen Morris for discussions about exporting.
‘‘While this was a privately funded tour, Liz and I were keen to follow up on the recent visit that the Morris’ had made to the Goulburn Valley,’’ Mr Cameron said.
‘‘They are very enthusiastic about the products we are creating here.
‘‘They believe they can get GV products sold alongside the best the world has to offer.’’
Ms Waters said Cooee Foods was interested in importing a range of Goulburn Valley products.
‘‘They have attracted interest in our jams, wines, ciders, sauces, juices and oils,’’ she said.
‘‘They are in the process of setting up show rooms this week and will have a booth at the big Hong Kong Food Show in August.’’
The co-operative was formed following the closure of Heinz’s Girgarre factory in January 2012.
An average of one person a day attends Goulburn Valley Base Hospital either in an intoxicated state or with a history of risky alcohol consumption, an emergency department specialist says.
The Yarrawonga Pigeons will have to regroup after being dismantled by the Tigers in the OMFNL second semi-final.
Transition Tatura held a successful film festival, Communities Shaping the Future: a Day of Conversations and Films on Saturday, August 30.
Councillor Tom Weyrich has been re-elected mayor.
A building damaged in the Rochester flood in 2011 will be repaired using a Victorian Government allocation.
Hawthorn star visits Kyabram
Seymour Garden Club members remember the organisation's founder.
On Saturday, for the first time in Jerilderie Football Club's history, the Dees won three consecutive senior premierships.
Tellurian Wines’ Daniel Hopkins was thrilled to receive the top prize in the inaugural VIC100 wine awards at Federation Square in Melbourne.
Moira council has urged community to support Nathalia Men’s Shed to complete the project.
Deniliquin couple and foster carers Christine and David Donald are encouraging people to take on a foster child.
Apples were the food most seized and destroyed at Australian airports in 2013-14, but Fruit Growers Victoria is not alarmed.
William 'Bill' Cleeland was inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame last week in recognition of his lifetime of service to the transport industry.
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Fans of BlackBerry (BlackBerry Stock Quote, Charts, News, Analysts, Financials TSX:BB) may have lost the use of their treasured keypad phones but shareholders can take a bit of comfort in BB’s share price, which finished 2021 up 40 per cent.
But even that is a puzzling state of affairs, says Stephen Takacsy, chief investment officer and CEO of Lester Asset Management, who thinks that behind the stock’s gains, BlackBerry as a company is pretty dysfunctional.
“We did recommended it just over a year ago at $6, and then the Reddit crowd did us a huge favour and drove it up to over $20 and we sold our stock because it was just way above anything we dreamed of,” said Takacsy, speaking on BNN Bloomberg on Thursday.
“Blackberry has its problems,” he said.
Former phone maker BlackBerry announced earlier this month that devices running its legacy software would cease to function, ending an era that really finished about a decade ago with the rise of the iPhone. And while BlackBerry has farmed out its phone tech to a partner company looking to make a 5G mobile, BlackBerry as a company has definitely moved on, having remade itself as a software and security business.
That turnaround from hardware to software was labelled complete a few years ago, yet questions remain about the company’s ability to compete in the tough sectors of cybersecurity and autos, the latter being BB’s focus for its connected IoT tech. A downturn in the auto sector has impacted BlackBerry’s business with its QNX operating system, meanwhile the company paid big in 2019 to add US cybersecurity business Cylance to its stable of assets but that deal has yet to pay off for BlackBerry.
“That Cylance acquisition they made has been short of a disaster,” said Takacsy. “They almost wrote it off within 12 months of them buying it. They’re basically getting their lunch eaten by the likes of many of the other cybersecurity companies out there.”
“Their IP portfolio has been for sale for over a year now. We’ve heard that it’s been sold and there’s still no news,” he said. “And they’re having real trouble hanging on to some of their core business — I’m not talking about the physical phones but their enterprise security software business.”
“So, I don’t even know why the stock is at $11. It probably should have got back down,” he said.
BlackBerry got caught up in last year’s so-called meme stock phenomenon where retail investors used social media to rally around a few names and managed to pump up share prices to wildly inflated levels. In BlackBerry’s case, that meant taking the stock from around $8 at the start of January of last year to as high as $31.49 by the end of the month only to lose most of those gains over the ensuing weeks. Another wave came in late May/early June where the stock doubled from about $10 to $20 per share but it’s been a gradual downward slope since then, with BlackBerry currently trading around the $11 mark.
But Takacsy says BlackBerry’s troubles run deeper than last year’s retail investor revolution, hinting that CEO John Chen’s tenure at the top hasn’t been as beneficial to the company as it could have been.
“[BlackBerry stock] is not what I would touch,” said Takacsy. “I think it’s just sort of floating up there because of the meme stock [trend] and so it has a bit of an aura about it.”
“But in the corporate governance, in my opinion hasn’t been good,” he said. “We’ve seen some directors step down from some committees and we feel that it’s too much control in the in the hands of certain individuals.”
“I honestly wouldn’t buy it. It’s possible that the company gets sold one day for bit more than it’s trading at today, but there are a lot of problems going on in there and the pay package of the executives are just exorbitant, as well,” he said.
BlackBerry announced financial results last month for it third quarter fiscal 2022, ended November 30, 2021, showing revenue of $184 million compared to $218 million a year earlier but up slightly from the $175 million of the previous quarter. The company’s gross margin sank to 63.6 per cent compared to 64.0 per cent for the previous quarter and 68.3 per cent from a year ago while the company posted net income before income taxes of $76 million compared to a loss of $128 million a year earlier. BlackBerry’s revenue came from its Cybersecurity business at $128 million, $43 million from its IoT segment and $13 million from Licensing & Other revenue.
“This quarter BlackBerry delivered solid sequential billings and revenue growth for both the IoT and Cybersecurity businesses, beating expectations for the second consecutive quarter,” Chen said in a press release. “We also beat expectations on earnings despite the ongoing investment to drive future top line growth.”
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PARIS — LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton is putting its stamp on an initiative that casts a broad net for aspiring artisans in have-not neighborhoods, and trains them for a variety of luxury métiers, WWD has learned.
Starting in September, roughly 20 young people are to commence special two-year degree courses in jewelry or dressmaking that include paid work terms at LVMH brands and additional mentoring from the French luxury group’s in-house experts.
“It’s a question of making [young people] aware that these métiers exist,” Chantal Gaemperle, LVMH’s group executive vice president, human resources and synergies, said in an exclusive interview. “People don’t necessarily know about those jobs and what they can lead to.
“We also want to make sure that these métiers survive over the long term — that they have the right fuel,” she added. “It’s a field which is delivering jobs that are substantial and extremely valued in some of the most iconic brands in the world.”
LVMH has already partnered with two Paris schools for its nascent Institut des Métiers d’Excellence, or Institute for Métiers of Excellence, in English. They are the École de la Bijouterie-Joaillerie de Paris for jewelry and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne for a class specialized in soft, or “flou,” garments.
Successful applicants for the jewelry placements are to become apprentices at Chaumet or Louis Vuitton, while those studying “flou” are assured placements at Dior, Givenchy, Kenzo or Le Bon Marché, the Left Bank department store that shelters an alterations expert with more than 30 years of experience.
Gaemperle said LVMH plans to add degree programs for leather goods and tailoring later this year, and others specializing in visual merchandising and retail sales in 2015.
She stressed that the combination of theoretical education and practical work experience, plus coaching and mentoring, offers the best chance of turning out highly skilled artisans. For example, only one in five apprentices in high jewelry succeed in a profession that requires eight to 10 years of training to reach the highest levels.
The initiative comes against a backdrop of high youth unemployment in France, and dovetails with heightened interest in the rare suppliers and artisans that realize expensive leather goods, fashions and jewelry.
In 2011, LVMH introduced a biennial initiative called Journées Particulières in which it invites the public to visit its workshops across Europe, including Christian Dior’s couture salons in Paris; Vuitton’s leather goods facility in Asnières, France, and a production site for Guerlain beauty products in Orphin, France.
LVMH executives noticed that many young visitors asked the artisans doing demonstrations: “How did you end up in this job?”
The luxury group plans to root out applicants via its network of connections with schools and organizations in low-income neighborhoods. The French company is to cover tuition costs and salaries, while the LVMH-branded diploma offers a “seal of guarantee,” Gaemperle said.
She noted the initiative would heighten motivation, engagement and pride among senior employees of the group, including master apprentices.
While graduates are free to go on to work at any company they like, LVMH is growing sufficiently fast that it would be able to engage a good number of them, Gaemperle noted.
Successful students received a Certificate of Vocational Aptitude, which falls under France’s apprenticeship program for young people ages 16 to 26. Some 61 percent of apprentices go directly into employment, while 78 percent find jobs within six months, according to government statistics.
Breaking News: @louisvuitton's men's artistic director @mrkimjones is leaving the French fashion house after nearly 7 years. Jones joined Louis Vuitton in 2011, following a three year tenure as creative director of British luxury goods brand Alfred Dunhill. Jones is to exit Louis Vuitton after showing his fall 2018 collection for the brand in Paris on Thursday. Read the full exclusive story on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
For men’s fall 2018, @giuseppezanotti drew on elements from streetwear, sport, biker, combat and rock ‘n’ roll. Pictured here are a pair of shoes from the collection, featuring zippers, rhinestones, and silver hardware. Head to WWD.com to see a roundup of the accessories from Milan’s men’s fall 2018 shows. #wwdfashion (📷: Andrea Delb)
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of @ralphlauren’s snowboarding collection, the brand is mining its archives. The iconic brand is reintroducing vintage styles and dropping new designs for a color capsule that will be available in Ralph Lauren stores and @openingceremony on January 25. The capsule will consist of 10 pieces, including the Snow Beach Pullover, pictured here, which is a collector’s item that rapper Raekwon wore in Wu-Tang Clan’s “Can It Be All So Simple” video. #wwdfashion (📷: Tom Gould)
For @rochasofficial’s pre-fall 2018 collection, creative director Alessandro Dell’Acqua channeled the sophisticated and intriguing Catherine Denevue in the film “Belle de Jour.” Polished collarless coats, midi skirts, suits and ’60s graphic motifs were all featured in the collection, adding a sense of discreet luxury. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion
“We tried to produce clothing of that couture quality, but the most daunting part was that we only had a matter of days [to do it],” said costume designer Lou Eyrich, who recreated Gianni Versace’s iconic looks for @americancrimestoryfx. Eyrich searched online retailers and vintage shops for original pieces from the design house and for @penelopecruzoficial, who plays Donatella Versace. Head to WWD.com to read how she created the Versace world. #wwdfashion
Only three months after her stellar debut catwalk season, @kaiagerber has inked her first big design collaboration –– with @karllagerfeld. The collection blends Lagerfeld’s Parisian chic aesthetic and the model’s signature West Coast casual style via RTW, accessories, footwear and more. The #KarlLagerfeldxKaia collection will launch in September with a series of events. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
Harrods plans to remove the famous statue of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed from the bottom of the Egyptian escalators and hand it back to Mohamed Al-Fayed. “We are very proud to have played our role in celebrating the lives of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed at Harrods and to have welcomed people from around the world to visit the memorial for the past 20 years,” said Michael Ward, Harrods managing director. “With the announcement of the new official memorial statue to Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace, we feel that the time is right to return this memorial to Mr. Al Fayed and for the public to be invited to pay their respects at the palace.” More on the news, with reporting by @loreleimarfil, at WWD.com. #wwdnews


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Pinterest is to automate its Shop the Look feature which lets users of the microblogging site purchase items directly from Pins.
The company launched Shop the Look back in March 2018 in selected countries. Users have since been able to tap white circles below products to view recommendations for similar items.
The company previously used computer vision technology and human creators to match pinned items to existing products. Now, this process has been automated to make it easier to scale.
For now, the technology only works on iOS, but will soon be coming to Android, according to a blog post by the company.
Coverage of the Shop the Look Pin thus increases by 22.5% and the company added that early testing showed a 7% lift in engagement.
The majority (97%) of posts on Pinterest are non-branded, giving advertisers and brands an opportunity to reach people more organically.
The update is also likely to boost a more consistent user experience across Pinterest.


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Consumer Group Launches “Know the Value” Campaign
By Business Wire News
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) today launched a new educational campaign called “Know the Value” focused on educating Coloradans on the central role that energy plays in their everyday lives. Without Colorado energy, many industries and activities that Coloradans may take for granted could become inaccessible to many.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160613005298/en/
As part of the campaign, CEA is releasing a series of ads and videos highlighting industries directly impacted by production of energy in Colorado, including agriculture, education, breweries, and medical devices. From the plastics used in manufacturing life-saving healthcare equipment to durable, waterproof fibers in sportswear and the energy required to power ski resort chairlifts, this campaign focuses on connecting the dots to tell the story of how fossil fuels are very much a part of Coloradans’ daily lives.
“Since energy makes just about everything that touches our lives on a daily basis, from the food and drinks we consume to the clothes we wear and the cars we drive, CEA is pleased to launch this unique effort to help alleviate some misinformation,” said David Holt, CEA’s President. “By engaging more with Colorado consumers to advance the real facts on hydraulic fracturing and other forms of energy production, we look forward to thoughtfully answering questions for Coloradans and engaging them to proactively support Colorado energy. If Colorado continues to lead on its energy and environmental policies, our lives will be more rewarding and our economy will continue to grow.”
“With four prospective ballot initiatives in Colorado that would limit or ban oil and gas production in the state, now is the time for Coloradans to learn more about the potential effect on both Colorado’s businesses and consumers,” said Andrew Browning, Executive Vice President of CEA. “We are pleased that our ‘Know the Value’ campaign will provide Colorado consumers with information on the benefits of Colorado energy and tools to share new developments broadly across the region.”
“Energy is a critical ingredient for a robust economy and powers every American industry including such critical sectors as agriculture, automotive, chemicals and steel,” said Jennifer Diggins, immediate past Chairwoman of CEA and Director of Public Affairs for Nucor Corporation. “As the largest steel producer in the U.S. and a significant investor in the development of Colorado natural gas, we are pleased that CEA is taking this important step to educate consumers on the important role energy plays in our everyday lives.”
“Given the tremendous impact of energy on agriculture, we couldn’t be happier to support CEA’s ‘Know the Value’ campaign,” said Chad Vorthmann, Executive Vice President of Colorado Farm Bureau. “Just as the majority of Colorado farmers depend on fertilizer made from natural gas to help grow their crops, they also rely on oil and gas to fuel their tractors, keep food clean and refrigerated, and transport it from the field to your dinner plate.”
“Know the Value” goes live today with the launch of a website (www.ConsumerEnergyAlliance.org/Value), video series and information campaign that will be supported by advertising across Colorado. For more information visit www.ConsumerEnergyAlliance.org/Value online.
About Consumer Energy Alliance
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) brings together consumers, producers and manufacturers to engage in a meaningful dialogue about America’s energy future. With more than 400,000 members nationwide, our mission is to help ensure stable prices for consumers and energy security. We believe energy development is something that touches everyone in our nation, and thus it is necessary for all consumers to actively engage in the conversation about how we develop and diversify our energy resources and energy’s importance to the economy. CEA promotes a thoughtful dialogue to help produce our abundant energy supply, and balance our energy needs with our nation’s environmental and conservation goals. Learn more at ConsumerEnergyAlliance.org.
Consumer Energy Alliance
James Voyles, 202-429-4362


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A new range of AMG C 63 saloons and estates is set to grace Mercedes forecourts as early as next spring, the German giant says.
The new high-performance C 63s, which will cost from £59,795, will have similar AMG tuning as the manufacturer's new C-Class models.
They will feature the same 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo engine as the AMG GT.
Mercedes says it has improved the fuel efficiency of the engine, but confirms it still provides 476 horsepower and is capable of going from zero to 62mph in just 4.1 seconds.
The even more powerful S models deliver 510 horsepower, while the fuel economy of the saloon variant is 34.5mg.
The Mercedes C 63s have a seven-speed gearbox with faster gear-shifts.
The manufacturer has announced that prices for the C 63 estate will start at £60,995, while the S models will cost from £66,545.
Copyright Press Association 2014


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Last Updated: Monday, February 10, 2014, 19:52
The company had posted a consolidated profit of Rs 1,627.5 crore in the same period of the previous financial year, Tata Motors said in a statement.
Last Updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013, 17:24
Hit by a demand slump, homegrown auto major Tata Motors on Thursday reported 52.2 percent decline in consolidated net profit for the third quarter ended December, 2012, at Rs 1,636.01 crore.
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 11:35
Shares of Tata Motors surged by over 7 percent in morning trade Wednesday, a day after the company reported 40.5 percent jump in consolidated net profit for the quarter ended December, 2011.
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 16:04
Tata Motors on Tuesday reported 40.51 percent jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 3,406 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2011.
more videos >>


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It looks like Minecraft might be getting a native release on current-gen consoles in the near future.
Minecraft might finally be getting a native release on the PS5 soon. The game, currently only available on current-gen platforms through the use of backwards compatibility for the PS4 and Xbox versions, hasn’t seen a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S release.
Hints of a potential PS5 version of Minecraft were spotted by PlayStation Game Size—an X (formerly Twitter) account that tracks the backend and databases of the PlayStation Store. It is worth noting that neither developer Mojang nor studio owner Microsoft have made any official announcement for Minecraft on PS5.
It is also wort noting that the Xbox Series X/S version of Minecraft had popped up back in September of last year, having gotten an ESRB rating.
Minecraft is one of the most popular video games out there, and back in October 2023, had crossed the 300 million lifetime sales milestone. Spinoff titles of Minecraft have also been successful, with Minecraft Dungeons, for instance, crossing 25 million players back in September.


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Spar on Wednesday reported a 1.4% increase in headline earnings per share to 965.7 cents for the year to 30 September 2018.
Headline earnings came in at R1.859 billion.
The JSE-listed company declared a dividend of 729 cents per share, an 8% increase on the year before.
Ireland (1371 stores) was Spar’s top performer, but profits in Switzerland (315 stores) is down.
Overall turnover is up 6% to R103 billion.
Alcohol turnover grew by 13% while turnover of pharmaceuticals was up 13.4%.
Spar has 2236 stores in South Africa.
Listen to the interview in the audio below (and/or scroll down for quotes from it).
Our guys… are firing the retailers [in Switzerland] up… To see the change in culture in the business is absolutely remarkable… They responded well…— Graham O'Connor, Spar Group
Tops was outstanding… an exciting brand… advertising to younger people and females have been well received…— Graham O'Connor, Spar Group
Our President has done a fantastic job of eradicating corruption and trying to get employment on the cards…— Graham O'Connor, Spar Group
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LAST UPDATED : May 11, 2021, 08:12 AM IST
- US: Got India’s list on vaccine raw materials; supply chain hit
The global supply chain for vaccines and their components is facing “challenges,” said Dan Smith, the newly arrived charge d’affaires at the US embassy. “There are challenges in the global supply chain right now when it comes to precursors and raw materials that are necessary for these vaccines.” This would indicate an uphill battle to manufacture and procure more vaccines.
- Solar Fans That Are Ideal For Various Purposes And Reduce Electricity Consumption
Cooling your home this summer will not be expensive, because we have found the perfect alternative for you. We have enlisted here some of the best solar fans that will cool you off no matter what the temperature is outside, without creating a hole in your pocket.
- 8 women and 7 minority MLAs among Mamata's 43 ministers
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has struck a fine balance between experience and fresh faces, packing her council of 43 ministers with eight women and seven members from the minority community. While handpicking her team, Banerjee has had an eye on district representation. She has also undertaken some major changes in portfolio distribution, possibly based on public feedback.
- Document list expanded to remove vaccination hurdle in UP
After its order that those in the 18-44 age group coming for vaccines to government sites would have to produce a UP identity card as address proof drew criticism and stoked fears that many people in a migrant hub like NCR would become ineligible, UP’s health department on Monday expanded the list of documents that will be accepted.
- Agree to terms or face limited functions: WhatsApp


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BITA, the British Industrial Truck Association, used the occasion of its 2008 AGM on 9 May to unveil an exclusive new economic forecasting service for its members.
Taking the form of a 30-page 'Forklift Market' report, distributed to BITA members at the AGM, the new service examines likely short- and medium-term developments in the industrial truck market, based on observed trends and predictions for the global economy as a whole.
The economic forecast has been provided by Oxford Economics, whose high-quality quantitative analysis and practical, evidence-based advice already helps businesses, governments and international organisations make confident decisions about tactics, strategy and policy.
BITA's exclusive new economic forecast will complement its existing and unique provision of UK industrial truck sales statistics, which are contributed by – and only made available to – members of BITA's Truck Suppliers Group and Components & Services Group.
James Clark, Secretary-General of BITA comments: “In a current market setting increasingly characterised by uncertainty and turbulence, it's vital for businesses to have the best possible perspective on likely economic developments. While BITA members already have exclusive access to BITA's unique UK sales statistics, the additional benefit of our new economic forecasting service will surely add confidence and perspicacity to our members' business decisions.”
Highlights of the forecast
Oxford Economics predicts a 3% downturn of orders in 2008, stability in 2009 from 2008, and a subsequent increase of approximately 3.5% year on year, in terms of units, until 2012 — figures that align with BITA's own summations.
Frank Hopper, chair of BITA's Statistics Committee, comments: “Oxford Economics sees a small decline for counterbalanced trucks in 2008, which BITA would expect to result from a fall in electric powered models, with internal combustion (i/c) engine powered truck sales remaining fairly static.
“Historically the electric counterbalanced market over the last 10 years has stayed roughly between 5,000 and 6,000 units annually, whilst over a similar period, the i/c engine counterbalanced segment has varied between 9,000 and 12,000 units.
“Oxford Economics also forecasts warehouse products to decline by around 4% in 2008 but then to rise by similar percentages in the next two years. The market for rider warehouse products, of which 60% are reach trucks, has fallen by over 12% from a peak mid 2005 whilst over a similar period pedestrian warehouse trucks, of which 60% are transporters, have fallen by only 5%. Pedestrian products make up 60% of the warehouse sector and therefore have a far greater influence on market trends than rider products.”
BITA elects new President and Board
The 2008 BITA AGM also saw the election of a new BITA Management Board, with Richard Close, CEO of Briggs Equipment, assuming the BITA Presidency from Brendon Sparks, Director of Nissan's Industrial Machinery Division (who is retiring from the industry at the end of May).
He commented: “I am very pleased to take up the challenge of leading BITA. It's a turbulent economic time at the moment and we will be looking for new ways in which we can offer BITA members guidance and support during 2008 and 2009. Health and safety, and our ethos of raising industry standards, continue as top priorities, and we will be seeking new ways in which to achieve those aims in tangible ways.
“Our new economic foresting service is just one example of the value-added gains that members of BITA enjoy, as well as a supportive and professional trade association which in a position to influence and improve the industry. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Brendon, plus the rest of the BITA board members and staff, for maintaining such an efficient and well-respected organisation.”
Brendon Sparks commented: “I am delighted to hand over the Presidency to such a capable and committed individual as Richard Close and I wish him well. I am sure that under his leadership, and with a complete board behind him, we will see BITA continue to deliver ever-higher levels of service and support.”
Following Brendon's retirement, a new Truck Suppliers Group (TSG) Director will be elected by that membership in due course.
The new BITA board is comprised as follows:
Richard Close (Briggs): President, Development & Member Services
Tim Waples (Doosan): Vice President, Communications and IMHE Director
Tom McLoy (Still): TSG Chairman, statistics and Technical Policy
Committee (TPC) liaison
Tony Wheeler (REMA): Component Suppliers Group (CSG) Chairman
Derek Rice (Electrofit Zapi): TPC Chairman
David Rowell (Hyster): FEM/BMHF Representative
Brian Tyrer (Pyroban): IMHE Director and CFTS Director
Steve Hodkinson (Toyota Material Handling): Finance Director, BITA and CFTS Director
James Clark: Secretary-General and IMHE Director
Additionally, BITA members raised just under £4,000 at the AGM and subsequent evening ball, to be split equally between Macmillan Cancer Support and Claire House Hospice (www.claire-house.org.uk).


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A DOG looks ready to jump on her bow as she models the fashion label’s biker jacket.
Moschino has launched a line of dog t-shirts, leather jackets and trench coats.
But pet Luxury doesn’t come cheap – with prices ranging from £110 to £500.
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https://www.the-sun.com/news/4147498/moschino-has-launched-dog-clothes/ Design brand Moschino has launched a line of dog clothes and it doesn’t come cheap


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DETROIT — Chrysler's January U.S. sales jumped 44 percent over a year ago, starting off what is expected to be a strong year for auto sales.
The company said its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands combined to give the company its best January tally in four years.
The increase is a sign that U.S. car sales started 2012 on a strong note, continuing their brisk pace from late last year.
Chrysler is the first automaker to report sales on Wednesday. Industry analysts expect a strong year in the wake of the recession because the average age of a vehicle has reached a record 10.8 years in the U.S. Buyers who needed to replace aging vehicles took advantage of low interest rates and greater loan availability in January.
Analysts expect that new car and truck sales hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 13.5 million vehicles last month. That follows an annual rate of 13.56 million in December and 13.63 million in November.
At Chrysler Group, total sales for the month rose to 101,149 from 70,118 a year ago. Chrysler brand led the way with an 81 percent increase, and the company attributed much of its gain to sales of sedans.
Chrysler Group LLC said it sold 7,007 Chrysler 200 midsize sedans last month, more than eight times the number it sold in January of 2010, a poor month for the company. In addition, the Chrysler 300 large sedan saw sales rise almost quadruple over a year earlier.
Hyundai and Kia are also expected to report big increases. General Motors, which had a strong January aided by great deals last year, will see sales drop, according to the TrueCar.com auto pricing website.
Not all trends are encouraging for industry sales. Consumer confidence fell in January after two straight months of big gains as Americans worried about incomes, gas prices and business conditions. Unemployment is at its lowest level in nearly three years, but it's still 8.5 percent.
"Overall, the economy's not in a good place yet, but I think consumers are reacting to the conditions much more favorably than expected," said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting for LMC Automotive, an industry consulting company in Troy, Michigan.
As credit loosens up, dealers are reporting more young buyers and more buyers with lower credit scores, Schuster said.
Wes Lutz, owner of a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealership in Jackson, Mich., said January sales were good, but not nearly as strong as December. People in showrooms generally are more optimistic than they were early last year.
"The customers have more down payments. The credit market is loosening up some," he said.
U.S. auto sales rose 10 percent to 12.8 million in 2011. That was up 23 percent from 2009, when the U.S. auto industry and the financial system were in peril.
In January, there were signs of good deals from Japanese automakers. They want to stop people from defecting to U.S. and Korean carmakers who are challenging their traditional area of strength, small- and midsize-cars.
Toyota and Honda lost sales last year when a March earthquake and tsunami forced them to slow their factories. Many dealers ran short of models to sell.
Toyota's U.S. market share fell 2.3 percentage points last year to 12.9 percent, while Honda lost 1.6 percentage points and ended the year at 9 percent, according to Autodata Corp.
In January, Honda increased incentives such as rebates and low-interest financing by 12 percent from a year earlier, said Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends for TrueCar. The company spent $2,258 per vehicle on discounts, and much of the increase went to the midsize Accord, he said.
"It is the highest incentive spending we've seen Honda do for Accord ever," Toprak said.
Honda wouldn't say how much it's spending on incentives, but spokesman Chris Martin said the company is trying to regain sales after last year, when it lost production of more than 200,000 cars and trucks due to the earthquake, and flooding in Thailand.
Toyota, however, reduced its incentive spending by 2.1 percent to $1,921 per vehicle.
Analysts last year predicted a price war as Honda and Toyota factories came back on line and the companies tried to regain market share lost to Hyundai and the Detroit automakers.
But Toprak says an all-out war isn't likely because automakers are no longer producing more cars than people will buy. He expects skirmishes from time to time in certain segments. Automakers could start a price war in the compact car segment because of intense competition.


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What is it like working for a AAA Japanese company on a daily basis? Well, in short... it's good and bad -- like just about any other company. Here is a typical day in the life of Ben Judd.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Netflix says India's mobile-only plan successful, will test it in other markets
Netflix's mobile-only subscription plan for India has been performing better than expected, asserted company's Chief Product Officer. Though, there are over a dozen other players in streaming biz, Netflix has managed to expand its subscriber base.
Gold Rate Today: Gold, silver trade lower as traders wait for directions on Brexit, trade war fronts
US gold futures slipped 0.1 per cent to ...
India emerges 3rd largest ecosystems for successful startups
Leading the pack from the country are payments solutions platform One97 Communic...
View: India is positioning itself to do business with all, and not ‘take sides’
India has moved decisively from a P2 (US and China) mindset to a P5+2 approach to position itself as a power.
India, USA track 1.5 dialogue next week to push ties after PM visit
The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum is committed to creating the most powerful strategic partnership between the US & India. The summit is significant in the backdrop of PM Narendra Modi's recent US visit and prospective Indo-US trade deal.
India will not allow water to flow to Pakistan: Modi
He said the farmers of Haryana and Rajasthan have the rights over the water that is flowing to Pakistan and was not being stopped by earlier Indian governments.
Private sector investment rate may decline: Kotak report
The report cited a number of reasons for this such as weak balance sheets and high leverage of most large infrastructure companies.
TikTok in talks with companies in India for campaigns, engagement initiatives
TikTok announced the launch of its multi-phased integrated initiative, EduTok. It has also announced collaboration with Josh Talks and The/Nudge Foundation to educate 5,000 young individuals in the country.
Amit Shah in Varanasi: Veer Savarkar was first person to call 1857 rebellion as India’s first independence struggle
Crediting Vinayak Damodar Savarkar for calling the 1857 rebellion as India’s first independence struggle, Home Minister Amit Shah said had i...
Trade talks between India, US to conclude soon: Nirmala Sitharaman
Trade tensions between India and the US have been rising with President Trump, championing his 'America First' policy, complaining that tariffs imposed by India on American products were "no longer acceptable" to his country.
The Soli radar chip on Pixel 4 is stopping it from coming to India
The Soli chip uses spectrum in the 60 GHz frequency range, which is currently not available for commercial use as per government regulations.
You get to know yourself quite a lot in India: South Africa opener Dean Elgar
"It's a challenging tour. You get stretched as a person, as a cricketer. You get to know yourself quite a lot as a person when you come to the smaller places where the hotels are maybe not as good, and you get challenged on the field," Elgar said.
Theme restaurant & TV show in China done, iconic emoji Tuzki comes to India with a unique fashion line
The quirky rabbit teams up with fashion designer Manish Arora for a new collection.
Netherlands can help India become the food factory of the world: Dutch Minister
The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world (2018: US$ 100 billion) and has vast experience in managing supply chains for fresh vegetables, food and flowers to market destinations all over the world.


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Multi-million selling games and Blade Runner aren’t a great match according to Randy Pitchford.
Gearbox seemingly has a knack for securing the rights high-profile sci-fi movie properties. As well as the Aliens license, which it is using to make the long-anticiapted Colonial Marines game, Gearbox also got its hands on the Blade Runner license. Unfortunately, Gearbox didn’t get to make the Blade Runner game it wanted to as everyone at the studio liked having a job just a little bit too much.
“That game would’ve cost like $40m to make and sold about 600,000 units – and that would have been the end of us,” studio boss Randy Pitchford told Official PlayStation Magazine. He continued, saying that it was essentially a choice between its vision for the game and making money, and that the two weren’t especially compatible.
“There’s no rational business model that would have allowed that to make sense,” he said. “If we’d made it with a business model that did work, it would not have been the Blade Runner game we all would have wanted.”
Blade Runner is a seminal sci-fi movie, which was released in 1982. It was loosely based on the Phillip K Dick novel, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” although it took the story in a much different direction. The movie – in which Harrison Ford plays a cop tasked with hunting down a gang of escaped biological robots called “replicants” – explores themes of compassion, identity, and humanity, people have debated whether Ford’s character, Deckard, was really human for decades. While the movie wasn’t a huge success on release, it has proven incredibly influential, and works like anime Ghost in the Shell, the game Deus Ex, and even the Battlestar Galactica reboot have all taken inspiration from it.
As Pitchford says, it’s hard to imagine a Blade Runner game that does the movie justice. It’s not impossible though, just tremendously difficult. Perhaps the best way to make a Blade Runner game would be to go the same route that Gearbox has taken with Colonial Marines, and make a game set in the same universe, but use different characters. It’s a tactic that’s worked before – the 1997 Blade Runner adventure game told a parallel story and sold over a million copies – and there’s no reason why it couldn’t work again.


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Brand new bubble puzzle game launches globally on iOS, Android, Amazon and Facebook.
Animated comedy series Simon’s Cat, part of Endemol Shine UK, has launched a brand new mobile game Simon’s Cat Pop Time, in partnership with developer Tactile Games.
Simon’s Cat Pop Time is free to play and available globally on Google Play, Apple App Store, Amazon Appstore and Facebook. The new launch follows on from the globally successful Simon’s Cat Crunch Time, from Tactile Games, which has amassed 8 million downloads since its launch last year.
Simon Tofield, founder and Creative Director, Simon’s Cat said, “I’m quite astounded by the success of Crunch Time and am delighted to be launching another fantastic mobile game for fans to enjoy. Simon’s Cat inhabits such a rich world that translates across different platforms and our games allow me to give life to different characters that had previously only existed in my imagination.”
The brand new bubble puzzle game is centred around the dreaded Mr. Potts, whose garden has been invaded by Simon’s Cat and his pals. Potts, who’s finally had enough of their incursions has detained them in bubbles throughout the neighbourhood. Players must free the critters from their bubbly trap and can collect treats and toys to use as special boosters, across multiple game modes in more than 600 unique levels.
Simon’s Cat Pop Time features original artwork and animations from the creators of Simon’s Cat, with Simon’s Cat and his friends voiced, as in the original series, by creator Simon Tofield. Supported languages include English, Danish, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Korean, Russian and simplified Chinese.
Globally successful animated comedy series Simon’s Cat, part of Endemol Shine UK, celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, marking a decade since award-winning illustrator, animator and director Simon Tofield uploaded the first Simon’s Cat animation, Cat Man Do, to YouTube.
The digital comedy series has gone on to amass over 4.75 million subscribers and more than 980 million views on YouTube with 5.9 million fans on the official Facebook Page and over 765k followers on Instagram.
The Simon’s Cat brand extends into a number of successful global consumer offerings across gaming, publishing, stationary, apparel and giftware.


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Anyone who owns bitcoin will soon be able to enjoy the perks of a new cryptocurrency. An alternative version of block 491,017 for bitcoin has been launched in the form of a variant branded as BTG or bitcoin gold.
The project plans to improve the technology that bitcoins work on by changing the system for competition of rewards. This is also the second such launch after August via a process known as a hard fork.
Readers who have been staying in touch with the bitcoin industry will be able to recall this term from the launch of bitcoin cash recently. Although, it is too early to make a call on bitcoin gold, there are enough reasons for the enthusiasm to rise.
What is Bitcoin Gold?
To understand bitcoin gold in a better way, it is imperative to understand the goals that it aims to achieve. Bitcoin gold aims to achieve two major goals.
- Firstly, bitcoin gold wants to change the way mining works. The fork plans to alter the process in a way that the fastest mining machines may no longer be required by users.
- Secondly, the fork aims to attract a higher influx of people to the system and eventually to free the bitcoin from the moguls that are offering the products. Experts behind BTG have argued that these moguls command undue influence.
Instead of just scaling bitcoins, bitcoin gold aims to tweak bitcoins in a bid to make it decentralized again. While bitcoin gold will be created via a similar mechanism, it differs from bitcoin cash in more than one way. The differences include:
- The bitcoin gold currency is set to be manufactured before the code is open-sourced to the public.
- Around 1 percent of all cryptocurrency tokens mined before the chain goes public will be used for paying the development team behind bitcoin gold.
- Once the initial distribution phase is over, the team will launch the cryptocurrency so that all users can successfully redeem their coins.
While bitcoin gold aims to become a de-facto version of the popular bitcoin, many experts consider it to be nothing more than an altcoin – a term used to define all digital currencies launched using bitcoin’s code.
Do I have Bitcoin Gold?
The fork for bitcoin gold took place on October 25; which means that everyone who owned one bitcoin BTC at that time has received one bitcoin gold BTG. This has opened the doors for enhanced market activity in the future.
The first thing that you should do to retrieve your bitcoin gold is to move your bitcoin to all wallets or exchanges that allow you to operate BTG. To date, we have more than 20 wallets and exchanges that support the launch of bitcoin gold and allow traders to trade them. With proper planning, this fork could open a new era of opportunities in the crypto market.


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Targeting gangs imperils immigrant communities, advocates say
- April 16, 2010
- Connie McGuire, anthropology graduate student, is quoted in the Latin American News Dispatch April 15, 2010
From the Latin American News Dispatch:
Connie McGuire, a University of California, Irvine student studying public policy toward gangs, presented research showing gangs are now considered a transnational, not local, problem by the U.S. government.
For the full story, please visit http://latindispatch.com/2010/04/15/targeting-gangs-imperils-immigrant-c....
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Reeling under severe slowdown, Maruti Suzuki India—largest carmaker by market share—reduced its production by 33.99 percent in August, making it the seventh straight month that the country's largest carmaker reduced its output.
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) September 1, 2019
The company produced a total of 1,11,370 units in August as against 1,68,725 units in the year-ago month, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a filing to the BSE on Monday.
Passenger vehicles' production last month stood at 1,10,214 units as against 1,66,161 units in August 2018, it added.
Production of mini and compact segment cars including Alto, New WagonR, Celerio, Ignis, Swift, Baleno and Dzire stood at 80,909 units as against 1,22,824 units in August last year, down 34.1 percent.
Production of utility vehicles such as Vitara Brezza, Ertiga and S-Cross declined 34.85 percent to 15,099 units as compared with 23,176 units in the year-ago month.
Mid-sized sedan Ciaz saw its production reduced to 2,285 units in August from 6,149 units in the same month last year.
Light commercial vehicle Super Carry's production was also trimmed to 1,156 units last month from 2,564 units in August 2018, the filing said.
In July, the automaker had cut its production by 25.15 percent at 1,33,625 units.
Analyst IHS Markit has slashed its 2019 growth forecast for India and expects car sales to fall by 11 percent for the year, according to Reuters.
“It is not just lack of buyer interest but a loop of negative sentiment with automakers cutting jobs and production,”said Puneet Gupta, associate director at IHS Markit, noting that his initial forecast for 2019 had been growth in sales of 5 percent.
Maruti looking at CNG options
The company is looking at CNG option to fill in the space vacated by small diesel engine cars in future, a senior company official told PTI late last month.
The company had in April this year announced that it would stop selling diesel cars from April 2020, when BS-VI is implemented in the domestic market, citing feasibility issues after cost escalation due to the new emission norms.
At the time of the announcement around 23 percent of all the units sold by the company in the domestic market were diesel cars.
Presently, MSI offers its popular models Alto, AltoK10, Celerio, WagonR, Dzire, Ertiga in CNG option along with light commercial vehicle, Super Carry.
“All small cars in our portfolio will get converted to CNG,” Maruti Suzuki chairman RC Bhargava told The Economic Times. “There is an acceptance from the government that CNG is a cleaner fuel, and it is being accepted for transportation,” Bhargava said.
"For Maruti Suzuki in the future, CNG vehicles are likely to make up for the space vacated by small diesel engine cars," MIS Senior Executive Director (Engineering) CV Raman told PTI earlier.
The auto industry employes over 3.5 crore people directly and indirectly. Representatives of major automobile manufacturers have urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sought lowering of Goods and Services Taxes Tax (GST) from 28 percent to 18 percent. She said in Chennai on Sunday that the GST Council will take a call on the issue.
--With PTI inputs
Updated Date: Sep 03, 2019 08:23:45 IST


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There was a time, not so long ago, that measuring was the time-consuming element of design work. In these Corona virus-sensitive days, it is a fraught part of the process.
Thanks to improved technology, architects can now measure a building’s spaces more accurately and quickly, with less time spent inside the rooms.
“The technology is not new, but we are now able to use it on all types of structures,” says Chris Brown, Principal of b Architecture Studio, a custom home design studio with offices in Winchester and Osterville, Massachusetts. “The technology has progressed so that the formulation is better. The time and the cost used to be prohibitive for smaller structures.”
A 3-D scanner, the device used by Brown and other real estate and design professionals, throws a laser beam 360 degrees to capture all aspects of a room.
“The technician has to leave the room while it is scanning,” Brown explains. “It can measure a typical home in a half day, a larger one in one day. This is much quicker than doing it by hand, so the intrusion is less.
“In the future, maybe a robot or a drone can do it,” he adds.
Accuracy is a great advantage of 3-D laser scanning, Brown says.
“For complicated crown moldings, the technology is excellent and does this very well. It does have some limitations. For example, be careful if the room has mirrors: they deflect the laser.”
He finds the cost of a 3-D laser scanner competitive with the cost of human measuring, and its advantages to homeowners who want to limit traffic in their homes are enormous. The brands Brown uses are Leica and FARO. FARO’s entry-level Focus M70 scanner retails for just under $25,000.
Real estate agents have been grappling with the challenge of showing houses to prospective clients while trying to minimize interaction with them, as well as time spent touring homes. Although BoomTown has been in business since 2006, providing concierge services to real estate professionals, the new social isolation rules have been a boon to the company. With 41,000 users of the service all over the United States and Canada, BoomTown has seen a 41% increase in membership since March. Monthly subscriptions cost $1,750.
“People are still searching for homes; in fact, more than ever,” says Stacey Finnegan, Director of Product Marketing. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, with offices in San Francisco, Atlanta and San Diego, BoomTown’s real estate products and services are geared to the residential market.
"While we've been shooting 3D tours for years, we took these to another level recently by utilizing a 3D tour system that adds on-demand video chat. Homebuyers like to virtually tour homes anytime, but they love being able to click a button where they can video chat with one of our agents to ask their questions. In today's day and age, providing on-demand answers is crucial. The combo of the 3D tour coupled with on-demand video chat has been a game-changer for us."
“For the past ten years, video and photos of a property have very important,” says Owen Tyler, partner and realtor at the Cassina Group in Charleston, SC. “A huge percentage of people look on line before they decide whether to walk through. Now, this new technology takes it a step further. BoomTown powers our web site, and consumers can text us directly from the website.”
He thinks that the technology is timely.
“Prior to January, 2020, a few homes per year were sold without the buyer setting foot inside. Now, I see a lot more contracts that were signed remotely, without people actually seeing the property.”
He believes that the new norm will have homebuyers signing purchase and sales agreements as a way of locking down a property until they can visit it in person.
For homeowners who want to sell their properties but are reluctant to allow an appraiser into the home, ServiceLink offers a new product that does away with that in-person service entirely. EXOS Inspect, one of the suite of products of EXOSValuations, a division of ServiceLink, makes the appraiser’s personal visit redundant, but still provides him or her with the necessary information and visuals to complete the appraisal.
“EXOS Inspect replicates what an appraiser would see, but it is entirely in the hands of the homeowner,” says Phil King, Vice President and Principal Product Manager for EXOS Valuations.
“The app can be used with an I phone or an Android smart phone. It uses public records, video, geo-fencing and AI capability, and it gives step-by-step, real time feedback. Depending on the size of the house, it takes 15 to 20 minutes. It asks about the type of heating or improvements you’ve made, and it tells you how to hold the camera. If it wasn’t done right, it tells you to do it again.”
EXOS Inspect is made available to home owners by appraisal companies and lenders; there is no cost to the consumer. The geo-fencing aspect of the app makes it impossible to use anywhere but at the home being inspected.
“You can’t use it at your neighbor’s house,” King says. “However, it protects privacy. If it captures family pictures or religious icons, the AI feature blocks them out.”


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Intel sparked off intense interest in charging a handset wirelessly a year ago when it demonstrated the technology at its 2008 Developer Forum. Since then, the bandwagon has gathered speed, and now Nokia has joined the Wireless Power Consortium, which aims to create an international wireless power standard for rechargeable electronic devices. Other members include Samsung, ST-Ericsson, Texas Instruments, Sanyo, Philips and battery maker Duracell. Founded in December 2008, the Wireless Power Consortium is close to releasing the first full version of its standard. It unveiled the 0.95 technical specification for review by its members in August and began prototype testing last month.
US cable equipment supplier Arris said this week that its ConvergeMedia Management Suite, previously known as nABLE, can now dynamically manage heterogeneous VoD content across multiple video servers, optimizing network bandwidth and server storage at the same time. This all comes in Management Suite release 1.0, now generally available. The suite also supports dynamic ad insertion and interactivity, and can also use it to support internet streaming to PCs or phones.
Akamai has issued its 2nd quarter ‘State of the Internet’ report and says the US and China account for 40% of IP connections, and average connection speeds among the top ten countries went down, not up, in the quarter, contrary to expectation. They fell by 11% to 1.5 Mbps. Only 19% of connections globally were over 5 Mbps, a 5% decline from the prior quarter. South Korea had 69% of its connections above 5 Mbps, and in the US New Hampshire had the highest average speed at 6.4 Mbps with Delaware second on 6.3 Mbps. Akamai said there were internet attacks from 201 countries, but that the US and China are still the largest sources of attack traffic, with 45% of the total attacks originating from there.
US researcher Trender reckons that some 7% of US homes will dump pay TV for some form of hybrid viewing option based around over the top services such as Hulu and Netflix on devices like TiVo, and Roku, all by 2012. Trender offers a model for estimating the percentage of households who will ‘cut the cord’ from their Pay TV subscriptions. The report highlights lack of live TV, sports, and HD as slowing this trend, but warns that if these problems are solved then its predictions are conservative.
Another US report from Global Media Consult (GMC) echoes the Trender conclusions and says that the next five years could see an end to classic broadcast. Its survey took in the thoughts of 280 content experts from 20 countries and concludes that hybrid devices and business models will shape the market development over the next five years and says it is the Telcos, IPTV providers and manufacturers of CE devices such as Philips, Samsung or Panasonic, as well as vertically integrated providers of hardware, services and applications such as Apple, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony which are seen as the winners of any fusion between broadcast and broadband. That would be the first time in a long time that Sony was both innovative and a winner. Sorry to be skeptical.
Yet another report, this one from NSR, applauds how well satellite pay TV services have weathered the recession driven primarily by a larger section of viewers choosing television as a cost effective means of entertainment. Some 99 DTH operators beam 13,800 channels to 114 million subscribers generating over $65 billion in subscription revenue as of the end of 2008 ‘ and the collective pie continues to grow. NSR says this will grow to 21,000 channels by 2018 and to 209 million subscribers, bringing in over $100 billion in revenues. Of course this directly contradicts the surveys cited above which says internet TV will kill or slow this growth, so take your pick.
Advanced TV News tells us that Telefonica and Italian broadcaster Mediaset are likely to join forces to acquire Sogecable, the Spanish owner of pay TV platform Digital Plus. We reckon that any attempt for control of Sogecable which starts anywhere near Telefonica will mean that the European Commission will have a long hard look, and possibly intervene on the ground of monopoly, although the two already buy some content collectively. Mediaset has Spanish channels and will absorb the Sogecable channels the report says. Sogecable is on the block due to high debt at its owner Prisa and an offer from Telefonica and Vivendi was previously turned down as too low.
Telephony webzine reports that the time it takes for an IPTV installation at a home is dropping due to the use of HPNA and says it has reached three hours at AT&T, CenturyLink and Telus in the US and Canada. HPNA uses twisted paid cabling and helps them avoid any rewiring which is what cuts the time right down.
Canal Overseas, the overseas subsidiary of France’s Canal+, has deployed a new version of NDS MediaHighway set-top box software, says NDS, allowing subscribers to transform set tops into DVRs by the simple addition of an external hard drive. It also uses a Flash based EPG. This service is being offered in markets around the Indian Ocean and in the Caribbean and shortly in the French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa and South Pacific. The new software detects the addition of a hard drive and formats it for use under MediaHighway. This has been shown using disk drives from Western Digital on Pace set tops.
Espial says that it has landed a tier 1 Chinese cable operator, Chongqing Cable TV Network, to use its MediaBase VoD services. Chongqing is in southwest China and has 4.2 million customers, and can now offer VoD and Network DVR services. Espial MediaBase is tightly integrated with business management tools offered to Cable Operators by Huawei. There is an awful lot (around 160 million) Chinese cable subscribers who’s operators need upgrading, so any wins here could be vital for the small Canadian company.
Point Topic expects broadband growth to be around 10% over the next 12 to 18 months taking the world past half a billion broadband lines. As availability continues to improve, new markets will offset at least some of the slowdown brought by saturation.
Following a trial with Citro’n in November across 100,000 French households, Orange is now launching interactive TV advertising over ADSL and can now send similar campaigns to 2 million households. Advertising campaigns use interactive banners superimposed on the screen during ad spots and clicking the remote on them takes viewers to dedicated websites on their TV. Viewers can also click to a mini interactive site downloaded to the set top. Viewers can ask to be contacted, request documentation, book a vehicle test drive and obtain a list of sales outlets.


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A breakfast favorite could be getting more expensive.
FOX's Lilian Woo reports:
Bacon prices heating up as the nation's bacon reserves dip, now at the lowest level in about half a century with the demand for frozen pork belly, outpacing supply according to the Ohio Pork Council, which reports pork belly prices have increased 20 percent in January.
The USDA saying there were 17.8 million pounds of frozen pork belly reserves in the U.S. at the end of December, compared to 53.4 million pounds in December 2015.
Officials suggesting increased foreign demand might account for the decline in inventory as Hog farmers export about a quarter of total productions.
Lilian Woo, FOX News.


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EcoFlow, the industry-leading portable power and renewable energy solution company, today announced that it has successfully entered all markets in the European Union, with plans to boost business activities in Germany, UK and France. Earlier this month, EcoFlow was named by Deutschland Favorit 2022 (“Germany’s Favourite”) as one of the country’s most trusted consumer technology brands.
EcoFlow Launches Official Websites in Germany, France and UK
As a sign of its further expansion, EcoFlow recently launched official websites in Germany and France. This follows the launch of its official UK website in 2021. As it ramps up activity and marks the beginning of the spring season, EcoFlow has launched its Easter sale across the European markets, offering customers discounts on both portable power stations and solar panel products.
EcoFlow Kicks off Easter Sale
This Easter, EcoFlow is offering customers savings of up to 10% on its official website. The DELTA mini portable power station, which retails for €1,099, has a promotional price of €999, equaling savings of €100. Meanwhile, a 9% reduction has been applied to the 110W Solar Panel, for a promotional price of €309. EcoFlow’s Easter sale ends on April 24.
EcoFlow Named the Official Sponsor of the AOP Awards
As it broadens its footprint in the European market, EcoFlow has also developed partnerships with different organizations across the continent, covering diverse industries such as photography, sports, automotive, and more. The Association of Photographers (AOP), recently announced EcoFlow as the sponsor of the 37th AOP Awards. AOP is the leading organization established in the 20th century for professional photographers in creative industries, whose high-profile members have spotlighted cultural and societal topics in the UK and on a global scale.
“As awareness of renewable energy and electricity storage solutions grows across Europe, EcoFlow will continue to demonstrate its industry-leading technology and thought leadership in the field, unleashing innovations with the impact to change how we view and use energy,” said Ryan Xing, regional head of EcoFlow Europe.
#EcoFlow #PortablePower #Outdoor #Outdoors


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Cyanogen Claims 'More Users Than Windows Mobile and BlackBerry Combined'
At the Seattle Code Rush developer conference, Cyanogen employee Adnan Begovic told attendees that the mobile platform has 50 million users, which is more than Windows Mobile and BlackBerry combined. Cyanogen is an alternative, open source version of Android. A few devices, such as the OnePlus One and Yu Plus, ship with Cyanogen installed, but most users install Cyanogen themselves on rooted devices.
Observers noted that while Cyanogen seems to be positioning itself as the third largest mobile development platform, Begovic compared it to Microsoft's older mobile platform rather than its new platform, Windows Phone, which ships around 40 million devices per year.


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CHICAGO (CN) – Basketball great Michael Jordan has scored big in court, winning an $8.9 million judgment against a now-defunct grocery chain for using his name in a steak ad without permission.
A federal jury ordered the award against Dominick’s and its parent company Safeway on Friday night.
The former Chicago Bulls star sued the supermarket for using his name in an ad it placed in a 2009 commemorative edition of Sports Illustrated magazine celebrating his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. It stated:”Congratulations Michael Jordan …You are a cut above,” and included a $2 coupon for steak.
Despite his name’s apparent hefty price tag, Jordan told reporters it was never about the money, and that he plans to donate it to charity.
“It is my name and I’ve worked hard for it for 30-something years,” he told the Chicago Tribune.
Jordan has also sued another grocery chain, Jewel-Osco and its parent company Supervalu. Jewel ran an ad in the same magazine issue as Dominick’s, but did not use Jordan’s name or include a coupon, instead featuring a picture of basketball shoes with the number 23 on them.
According to a decision written in March, Jordan needs to show that Jewel’s ad served a commercial purpose. That trial is slated for December.
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Samsung Electronics (005930.SE), the world's largest technology firm by revenue, raised the price of mobile processor supplied to Apple Inc.
"Samsung Electronics recently asked Apple for a significant price raise in (the mobile processor known as) application processor," the person was quoted as saying in the report. "Apple first disapproved it, but finding no replacement supplier, it accepted the (increase.)"
The two firms have started to reflect the new supply price recently, the report added, citing the same person.
According to the report, Apple buys all APs used for production of iPhone and iPad from Samsung Electronics with the volume estimated to be 130 million units last year and more than 200 million units this year.
Samsung Electronics has a long-term contract to supply APs to Apple until 2014, the report added.
Samsung Electronics and Apple's South Korea office declined to comment on the report.
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires


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Nissan vehicles will be installed with easily filled Tire Pressure warning system
“Easily Filled Tire Pressure Warning System” is a brand new control module.“Nissan’s ‘Easy-Fill Tire Alert’ system is straight forward and eliminates the need to keep a tire gauge in your vehicle’s glove compartment,” said Pierre Loing, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “By making this unique Nissan innovation available on all our future products, the guessing and the gauge vanish for our customers.”
The system — which will debut on the 2013 Nissan Altima when it goes on sale in the coming weeks – is designed to not only alert a motorist when a tire is underinflated but also to make it easier to fill it back up.
According to the official news that Easily Filled Tire Pressure Warning System of Nissan vehicles is very easy and car diagnostic tool
convenient, which make it is unnecesary for car owners to place a Tire Pressure Detector in trunk. This innovative technology will be applied on all vehicles to ignore the measurment of Tire Pressure. Nissan has been famous for its technology, and this “Easily Filled Tire Pressure Warning System” shows its strength agian.
More information please refer to: obd2


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HYPEBEAST 100: The innovators from all realms of creativity in the spotlight.
With in-depth interviews, focused features and fashion-forward editorials, our print publication features long-form coverage of the topics valued by readers.
Explore and be inspired by the latest women's fashion news and trends.
The Dubai Police department has released a video called “Luxurious Super Patrol Cars for a
CAR runs the 2013 edition of its Sports Car of the Year test. Models included in this year’s lineup
As part of Motor Trend’s exploration of some of the biggest and baddest cars on the market, they’ve
Fixing what ain’t broke – the Hennessy Performance slogan must ring akin. After all, “We’ve been
Featured recently on an episode of BBC’s Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson was the superlative McLaren
Following extensive trial testing worldwide, McLaren brought its MP4-12C model to Nürburgring
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JumpStart has launched the new mobile game “School of Dragons: Alchemy Adventure
” the second game under its School of Dragons brand, based on DreamWorks Animation's
How to Train Your Dragon
The multi-player game app is available now on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, online and Facebook.
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Zillow Group CEO Spencer Rascoff thinks his company’s foray into flipping homes will pay dividends in the long run, CNBC reports.
"We think of it like Netflix moving into originals," Rascoff told "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer in a Monday interview. "They used their data advantage and then they built that muscle memory, that DNA, to be creative. And it was a big swing for them and obviously it's created a huge business."
Under Instant Offers, Zillow’s home flipping plan, home sellers can use the company's online database to compare offers from potential buyers including Zillow itself.
If Zillow wins the offer, the company will aim to flip the home within 90 days and re-list it as quickly as possible with one of its premier real estate agents.
In some cases, Zillow will leverage its buyer data to advertise homes to prospective buyers before Zillow officially purchases and flips them, Rascoff said.
"We don't think of it as a flipping business – flipping is really about taking advantage of a distressed seller," the CEO said. "What we're trying to do is provide a service to a seller so they don't have to deal with the difficulty, the complexity, the uncertainty, the time of selling [their home]."