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iphone 5s releaseiPhone 5S release date price and specs rumour roundup
Apples iPhones have remained largely unchanged when it comes to price, but there are rumours that the firm will launch a budget iPhone model alongside the iPhone 5S/ this year. This will reportedly be around cheaper than Apples next flagship iPhone, with rumours claiming that its likely to fetch between and .
Typically, the next iPhone will arrive running the newest iteration of Apples iOS software, known this time round as iOS .
In terms of design, Apples nextgeneration iPhone is expected to remain largely unchanged, sporting the same aluminum design as the iPhone 5. However,the firm will reportedly release the next iPhone in a new champagne gold flavour, as it looks to appeal to emerging markets where colourful handsets are more popular.
CFIUS also claims deal could be bad for 5G development
Alexa now supports Deezer music streaming as well as Spotify
There will be a change in the form of a fingerprint sensor however, which will come built into the handsets home button.This will reportedly be called the iPhones Touch ID Sensor, and will allow users to unlock the phone using no more than their fingerprint.
iPhone X price, deals and news Analysts dramatically revise shipping forecasts amid sluggish demand
Check out our roundup of everything you need to know about iOS .
Given that all UK networks are set to launch their G networks later in the year, were thinking its a pretty safe bet that the iPhone 5S/ will launch with LTE support, much like its iPhone 5 predecessor.
Reports emerging that the apocalypse has begun
Incisive Business Media IP Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, Drury Lane, London WCB 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers
However, the casing is likely to be a bit bigger, asApple is reportedly testing screens larger than four inches for its upcoming iPhone device, with online speculation hinting that the firm will opt for a .in . However, most rumours are siding with the view that the will remain unchanged.
HARDWARE DESIGNERApples iPhone 5S or iPhone , depending on which name the firm goes for, is arguably the most hotly anticipated smartphone of the year, and will signal the firm looking to steal back marketshare from the likes ofSamsungs Galaxy Sand theHTC One.
As for Apples next flagship iPhone, this is widely expected to stick around the 5 SIM free mark.
Galaxy S release date, price and specs Samsungs Experience app lets you try out the Ss features
The number of successful cyberattacks per year per company has increased by over the last four years. But what really needs to be considered when exploring a solution? What questions need to be asked? Download to find out…
Apple has confirmed that it will unveil its new iPhones at an event in San Francisco on September, and is promsiing that its imminent announcement Will brighten everyones day.
Unveiled at WWDC on June, iOS sees Apple radical changes to its mobile software, most noly when it comes to design. App icons have been redesigned, colours have been tweaked and the operating system boasts a completely new look and feel.
Modders coax Intels Coffee Lake CPUs to run on incompatible motherboards
Theres a host of new features bakedin too. Apples Spotify rival, iTunes Radio, comes built into the Music application, theres now a Control Center menu for toggling settings such as WiFi and Bluetooth and apps such as Sari and Weather have been given a makeover inside and out.
Youll need time, skill and a willingness to risk bork your CPU
Since the launch of the iPhone 5, rumours about its successor have filled the internet, detailing what we can expect from the next generation Apple smartphone. Keep this bookmarked to keep on top of all of the latest iPhone 5S/iPhone rumours.
Theres still no word on when the handset will hit shelves, although its typically a couple of weeks after Apples highprofile unveiling. Apples cheaper iPhone 5C is allegedly tipped to arrive on shelves on September.
As for the cheaper iPhone 5C, this will apparently be available in an array of different colours including pink, green and blue. Not much is known about the specs of the socalled iPhone 5C, but they are likely to be midrange given the handsets supposed affordable pricetag.
Alexa is laughing manically and frankly were screwed guys
Choosing a Testing Partner can be complex. So what do you look for? This guide offers insight into the qualities you must look for in choosing a Testing provider. Download now to learn more.
As well as the iPhone 5S/, iOS will be available for the iPhone , iPhone S, iPhone 5, iPad , iPad , iPad and the iPad Mini.


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Thursday, 4 June 2009
La Touraine special edition – foires, fêtes, etc
A special edition of La Touraine (€6) is now out covering summer fairs and fêtes – Touraine has lots of them. A number of fêtes are profilede and arranged under various different types: cultural, food and wine, the Loire, traditional etc.
Report on Tuesday's visit to Nicolas Guerbois now complete.

domain: news


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No causality was reported in the incident, police said.
Though exact figures of the loss were yet to be confirmed by the management, general manager of the warehouse Ramesh Shrestha claimed property worth Rs. 3 billion was gutted.
The warehouse was used to store CG brands of electronic goods and home appliances.
Items including mobile phones, TV sets, DVDs, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and refrigerators of brands like LG, Toshiba, Godrej, Rico and TCL, were stored in the warehouse.
Around a dozen fire brigades and more than 150 personnel of the Armed Police Force, the paramilitary troupes, and equal number of personnel from Nepal Police were deployed to douse the fire.
Since the warehouse lies close to a residential area in the rear, houses lying within a 100-metre periphery were evacuated.
Meanwhile, police have arrested some 20 people for stealing mobile phone sets and other electronic goods from the warehouse while others were busy controlling the fire.


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Expected Specifications of Xiaomi 12T
In terms of specifications, according to a tweet by tipster Yogosh Brar (@heyitsyogesh), the Xiaomi 12T sports a 6.7-inch OLED display that supports 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+. Talking about the processor, MediaTek Dimensity 8100 SoC has been given in Xiaomi smartphone.
Talking about the camera, the Xiaomi 12T has a triple rear camera setup, which includes the first 108-megapixel camera, the second 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. At the same time, a 20-megapixel selfie shooter has been given in the front of this smartphone. Talking about storage, this smartphone can get 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 128GB or 256GB of storage. Talking about the operating system, this smartphone works on MIUI 13 based on Android 12. Talking about battery backup, it has a 5,000mAh battery which supports 67W fast charging.
The smartphone is expected to feature an under-display fingerprint sensor and stereo speakers. Similar specifications were talked about in a recent report, which said that the regular Xiaomi 12T is codenamed ‘Plato’. This also makes it clear that the internal testing of this smartphone with Xiaomi 12T Pro can start in many Asian and European regions. The Xiaomi 12T has also reportedly been spotted on the US FCC database. This alleged listing makes it clear that it can come with Wi-Fi 802.11ax, 5G (7 bands), Bluetooth, GPS and IR Blaster connectivity options.


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Journalists love mail. Well, I don’t know about all journalists.. But I do. It’s fun to open things, even if most of them are advertisements or circulars.
So I was thrilled as a fat baby dancing to “I got my eye on you” when I got a small package from Rhinegeist Brewery on Wednesday morning. Inside was a can for the newly released Zen pale ale. I was a little bit less thrilled when I realized the can was empty. But I’ll use it as a cup or maybe a little planter or something.
Zen is billed as a “session” pale ale, meaning you can drink a whole bunch of the 4.8 percent ABV beer at a barbecue and still not stumble into the fire. Rhinegeist puts it more poetically: “The ‘Session’ refers to how well suited Zen is for endless summertime days-that-turn-into-nights, and fuels fun that knows no end.”
The beer is brewed with Golden Promise malts and citra, mosaic and cascade hops. “Zen brims with hop character yet minimal bitterness,” according to the brewery.
The brewery first started distributing its Truth IPA and Cougar golden ale at the beginning of this year. Zen is its third beer in cans and is available today.
Beer enthusiasts have long scoffed at craft beer in cans, believing the aluminum would taint the taste of the beer, but as can technology has improved, a liner in the can prevents the beer from ever touching metal. Brewers have found that cans prevent more beer-damaging UV light and oxygen from reaching and degrading their beer than even glass bottles.
Rhinegeist on May 20 was awarded tax credits by the state of Ohio to hire 40, retain 15 jobs and expand its brewery.


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An online vintage store is putting down roots in Church Hill.
Era Vintage, which until recently was a web-only retailer selling mid-century cookware, furniture and lighting, will take over a storefront at 2241 Venable St. Owner Diana Mathews said she wants to be up and running by March, in time for the first anniversary of the website’s launch.
“I think people in the neighborhood are ready for something like this,” Mathews said. “There aren’t any options for furniture or home decor in the area right now.”A $10,000 grant from a Bon Secours East End development program will help Mathews finance the build out. She already has most of the inventory: cutlery, couches, credenzas and more.
“I’ve been able to do this without falling into debt, which was one of the reasons why I started with a website and not a brick-and-mortar store,” Mathews said.
Mathews stores and occasionally shows pieces at a warehouse in Chester, but she said the Church Hill storefront should be more convenient for most of her customers, although she’s shipped smaller items to customers in places as far away as Montana.To test the market, Mathews ran a pop-up store in Carytown’s Modern Artifacts in November and December.
“I’ve been really pleased with the turnout,” Mathews said. “Obviously, people only need so many china cabinets, but I’ve seen a few repeat customers.”
Mathews, who used to manage downtown gallery Quirk, said her fascination with vintage pieces dates back years.
“I was born in the wrong decade,” Mathews said. “I’ve always been really interested in fashion and design from the ’60s, and my collection just kept growing over the years. When it got to be more than I could store, I started Era Vintage.”


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Harpenden entrepreneur introduces green dry cleaning machines to UK
PUBLISHED: 16:00 05 October 2018 | UPDATED: 16:45 05 October 2018
It’s an idea straight out of Dragons’ Den! A Harpenden entrepreneur has introduced what he calls the first green dry cleaning machines to the UK.
Nick Harris’ company VClean Life has installed drop-and-go vending machines at Epping station where people deposit clothes to be cleaned using biodegradable soap and collect them 24 hours later.
Nick said: “We are transforming the dirty dry cleaning sector, by making green cleaning accessible with VDrop machines now hitting the high street. There is nothing else like this on the market. In just 24 hours customers will receive a premium service at ridiculously cheap prices, starting at just £2.50 for shirts and £3 for all other items.”
Users sign up online at www.vclean.life and receive a QR code, which they input into the machine to book in their clothes.
Plans are afoot to install machines at a number of Underground stations.


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Everyone is familiar with the name IBM. But now the company has hit the headlines in the realm of e-commerce as well, having launched a new service that focuses on social commerce methods for business.
The new service is called Smarter Commerce, and it has some distinct aims. The idea focused on using Facebook and Twitter, arguably two of the most influential sites when it comes to promoting a service or product online. Both sites have huge audiences and users, and these people fall into lots of different subject areas. This means the new service from IBM should appeal to many different businesses. Indeed, IBM believes the business could enjoy a $10 billion turnover in the next four years or so.
One of the major elements of the Smarter Commerce idea is analytics. This enables the businesses using it to see in real time who is responding to their messages and how they are interacting with them. As such the businesses that are using Smarter Commerce will be able to refine the work they are doing on Facebook and Twitter, so that they can get better results and make more e-commerce sales.
It is very early days for Smarter Commerce from IBM as yet. But the initial signs are good. Having a way to assess your brand as shown on Facebook and Twitter can only be a good thing, and it could change the way businesses operate on these sites.


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A new study found that taking a vitamin B12-folic acid supplement each day did not boost memory in seniors.
A new study is reporting that an extract from Japanese mushrooms can help treat HPV.
Migraines can disrupt people's abilities to carry out every day errands. Here are six habits people can follow to keep migraines at bay.
According to a new study, normal doses of calcium supplements might be too high for some older women.
According to researchers, taking probiotic supplements could prevent fatal complications for patients with liver cirrhosis.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending pregnant and breast-feeding women to take a daily supplement containing iodine in order to prevent iodine deficiency.
According to a new study, taking the arthritis supplement called glucosamine extended mice's lifespan by 10 percent.
According to a new study, exposure to ultraviolet rays could reduce folate levels.
Higher levels of Omega-3 can improve sleep, according to a new study.
Researchers stated that they found an ingredient in a popular body-building supplement that is very similar to meth.
Women who take calcium pills live longer than those who don't, a new study suggests.
A new study revealed that many over-the-counter vitamin D supplements might not actually contain what their label says.
If you're considering changing careers, you know there are many factors to consider. Making the right career choice is crucial - imagine spending 40 hours a week doing something you hate? Not an ideal scenario by any stretch! If you are interested in a healthcare career but have a passion and interest in technology, a Health Information Tech Career is probably something to keep on your radar.


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GLYNN CO., GA (WTOC) - The Glynn County Police Department just upgraded their look.
The department announced there will be new car designs and new uniforms for their officers. The cruisers are going from brown and gold colors, to a new black and white color scheme. And officer uniforms will go from brown and a pinkish-tan, to green and tan.
Police Chief John Powell says the money for new decals and uniforms were already in the department's budget.


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Apple Faces $5Million Lawsuit Over ‘Sneaky’ iOS9 Data Usage
A lawsuit filed against Apple on Friday alleges the company did not properly warn customers about an iOS 9 feature that can cause monthly data usage – and therefore bills – to spiral.
After updating to iOS 9, the Wi-Fi Assist feature is turned on by default, enabling the device to switch to mobile data when Wi-Fi signal is weak. It is alleged that Wi-Fi Assist may have resulted in users going over the data capacity allowed under their phone plans – to the tune of $5million. The action also states that there was no clear warning or indication when a device switched from Wi-Fi to mobile data.
It was only after a flood of online articles and complaints that Apple issued a statement briefly explaining how to deactivate Wi-Fi Assist, adding it should only result in minor increases in charges.
However the lawsuit states:
“[Apple’s] corrective action still downplays the possible data overcharges a user could incur. The company failed to disclose any basis for its conclusion that an average consumer would not see much increase in cellular usage.”
They are accused of violating the Unfair Competition Law, which covers “any unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business act or practice and unfair, deceptive, untrue or misleading advertising.” They have also contravened California False Advertising Law and face charges of negligent misrepresentation, according to the lawsuit.
Despite Apple’s efforts to curb the issue, the plaintiffs assert that their statement did little to make up for the $5million dollar problem.


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This year Xsens will exhibit at E3 in Los Angeles, June 13 – 15. We’re present at E3 for the first time! We’re very excited to demonstrate the Xsens MVN motion capture portfolio live on the show floor.
If you would like to set up a meeting, email us at [email protected]
E3 is the world’s premier event for computer and video games and related products. The show is owned by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies, publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet.
Read more at the E3 expo website


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RICHMOND HILL, GA (WTOC) - Congressman Buddy Carter says he will continue to fight against the opioid addiction and crisis affecting the 1st District of Georgia.
Walgreens is expanding its safe medication disposal kiosks in Georgia and now the Walgreens on Highway 17 in Richmond Hill has a drop box for unused medication. The retail pharmacy giant now has 29 locations across the state where people can safely dispose of unwanted medications. Please click here to find a store near you.
Congressman Carter stopped by this event after his opioid forum with local law enforcement leaders and says this helps in the fight against the opioid crisis.
"One of the main ways people get addicted to drugs, particularly young people, is because of leftover medication in medicine cabinets. This will help to solve that problem," Rep. Carter said.
If you have prescribed medication you're no longer using, you can drop it off at the Walgreens on Hwy 17.


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Jaguar has added a brace of new R-Dynamic variants to its XE luxo sedan range, bringing a significant dose of technology borrowed from its I-Pace and F-Type siblings, wrapped up in a more athletic look.
Priced from $65,670 before on-road costs, the R-Dynamic SE is positioned about the middle of the XE range, which now extends to 13 variants, offering a more ‘performance-focused’ option, says Jaguar. The more generously equipped HSE kicks off from $71,940.
Aesthetically, the mid-sized executive sedan has been treated to a significant update, with a new bodykit featuring a revised front bumper with larger vents and a more purposeful looking rear valence that houses twin tailpipes.
Full LED headlights and new tail-light clusters complement the exterior changes, along with 18-inch wheels, while the HSE rolls on 19s.
Inside, there are more significant changes to both visual and technological features. Interiors are ‘all-new’ according to Jaguar and adopt finer quality materials such as soft-touch and premium veneers, while storage options have been boosted.
A revised centre console adopts the Sportshift gear selector and Jaguardrive Control switchgear from the F-Type sportscar, while the all-electric I-Pace SUV lends the updated XE its extensive digital displays.
Optionally replacing conventional gauges, the instrument cluster can now be upgraded to a customisable 12.3-inch digital screen, complemented by another pair of Touch Pro Duo screens in the HSE for adjusting climate and comfort settings, as well as the now enhanced entertainment systems.
There’s more I-Pace technology lifted for the steering wheel, which shares the same hidden-until-lit graphics and tactile switches, broadening the control options for the driver. Android Auto/Apple Carplay, wireless device charging and digital radio are also included in the deal.
Also enhancing driver assistance and safety is a new Clearsight rear-view mirror, which uses a rear-facing camera for an unobscured view of the road behind the car, and a high-definition, multi-colour head-up display are also available optionally.
Opt for the more expensive HSE and owners will get even more safety systems including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking that works at high speeds as well as lower about-town speed.
Other HSE extras include a high-end Meridian sound system, electric steering column adjustment and electric front seats with 18-way electric adjustment.
Power comes courtesy of the same 2.0-litre turbo Ingenium engine that powers other 30t variants in the line-up and sends 221kW and 400Nm to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard. Zero to 100km/h acceleration takes 5.9 seconds.
How are you finding our new site design? Tell us in the comments below or send us your thoughts at email@example.com.
Renault unveils plans for largest EV manufacturing facility in Europe
ElectriCity will produce 400,000 electric cars annually by 2025
Potential trailing arm failure forces Porsche to recall Cayenne
Models sold in late 2020 recalled over rear suspension fault
Genesis G80 and GV80 recalled over fuel leak
Total of 11 cars affected, all fitted with the 2.5 GDI Engine


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Samsung next month next to the Samsung Galaxy S10E name and S10 Plus probably also a cheaper device. The name of this smartphone is now probably known, and it is not the ‘Galaxy S10 Lite’.
Samsung Galaxy S10E name leaked
The generally reliable telecom insider Evan Blass ( @evleaks ) says that the phone will be called the Samsung Galaxy S10E. That corresponds to a rumor that appeared a few days ago. The Samsung Galaxy S10E – just like the Galaxy S7 from 2016 – will get a flat screen, where the curved screen edges of recent Galaxy S devices are missing. The screen would be full-front, with only a hole in the upper corner for the front camera.
The price of the Galaxy S10E is still unknown, but the smartphone is probably several hundred euros cheaper than the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus. If we can believe the latest rumors, the S10E has the same internal hardware as its more expensive brothers. However, the device would only have a dual camera, while the battery with 3100 mAh is smaller and there is no fingerprint scanner in the screen. The scanner, on the other hand, would be on the side of the housing. It is also logical that the S10E on Android 9.0 (Pie) runs with Samsung’s new One UI skin.
The Samsung Galaxy S10E may be unveiled on Wednesday, February 20th. On that day, the South Korean manufacturer is organizing an Unpacked event in San Francisco to present its new top equipment. According to reports, the phones can be pre-ordered immediately after the event, after which the release has to take place on 8 March. However, this has not yet been confirmed by Samsung.
Stay informed about the Samsung Galaxy S10E, S10 and S10 Plus? Sign up for our newsletter or download the Global Tech app to follow all the news around the smartphones!


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Beer aficionados can thank an unexpected decline in sales in 2015 for the recent release of Sierra Nevada’s booziest brew ever. That was the year that founder Ken Grossman and his team found themselves looking at a glut of their award-winning Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale that, for some inexplicable reason, did not hit their sales expectations. Rather than dump their excess product, they instead decided to rack it into wooden barrels and let it mature at their Chico, California, facility to see what changes might happen to an already flavor-packed brew.
“If there is one thing that I have learned during my twenty-eight years at Sierra Nevada is that Ken is not one to dump good beer down the drain,” says Terence Sullivan, the brand manager and brewery ambassador for Sierra Nevada. “So, we filled over 100 barrels with our unsold Bigfoot and parked them off to the side, coming back each year to sample them. I knew after four years something special was happening, but we didn’t know what to do with it.”
That problem was solved in early 2021 when the team at Buffalo Trace Distillery reached out, wanting to know if Sierra Nevada might be interested in creating a collaboration beer. They wanted to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Bottle and Bond Act. This legislation effectively established the modern parameters for bourbon. As one of the oldest continually operating distilleries in the United States, they found symmetry in partnering with one of the oldest craft brewers in the country.
The opportunity to create something so outside their regular portfolio of pale ales and IPAs, with such an unlikely partner, led Sierra, a company not known for collaborations, to take a chance.
They decided to transfer their aging Bigfoot into previously used Colonel E. H. Taylor bourbon barrels shipped to their brewery. Taylor is a small-batch bourbon that pays tribute to one of the founders of Buffalo Trace, that helped also helped pass the Bottled-in-Bond Act. A multiple award-winning spirit, it would help transform the profile of the Bigfoot over its last year of aging. It also would mark the first-ever beer collaboration for the bourbon.
After ensuring it kept the market supplied with its mainline beers during the pandemic, Sierra Nevada decided that its first new release in several years would have a proper coming-out party. At the recently concluded Great American Beer Festival, the first one conducted with attendees in two years, they started pouring it. Each night at 7:30, they hosted a special tasting that quickly became one of the event’s highlights, with long lines of drinkers queuing to get a sip.
“It was fantastic to be back at the GABF and to watch the faces of our fans as they tasted this beer,” says Sullivan. “It was such an unexpected beer from us, catching many people off guard. Each day the crowds came for more.”
A boozy 15% ABV, it is loaded with caramel, molasses, and sugar flavors balanced by a healthy hop hit and a backstop of bourbon. The beer will quickly be gone since only 15,000 bottles were produced. Each 750 ml bottle comes in a bourbon-style container with a vintage-style label and is available for $25. While they have already sold out online, they are available at select retailers.
Hopefully, the success of this beer will lead to Sierra Nevada and E.H. Taylor teaming up again, especially if Grossman has any other stashes of unsold beer.


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Honda to Launch Personal Assistant, “OK Honda,” at CES 2020 Backed by SoundHound
Honda revealed a preview of the advanced automotive technology it plans to show off at CES this year, including new voice tech integrations. Honda will feature its Honda Personal Assistant, a voice assistant created in a collaboration with SoundHound, along with new ways to control smartphones from the car.
OK Honda Voice Assistant
Honda inked a deal with SoundHound in the fall of 2018 to work on a voice assistant for Honda cars built on its Houndify platform. The partnership grew out of SoundHound’s involvement in the Honda Xcelerator program. The Honda Personal Assistant will respond to “OK Honda” as a wake word, and carry out requests from the driver including running the car’s entertainment system and environmental controls. The voice assistant will also be able to apply the conversational history, location, and other context clues to answer questions about nearby restaurants or previously visited gas stations, for instance.
Honda’s other voice integration involves the technology it gained when acquiring the smartphone-connection service startup Drivemode last October. The resulting “Smartphone as Brain” feature is designed to make connecting and controlling a smartphone safer for motorcyclists. Once the device is connected to the motorcycle by Bluetooth, the driver can control it by voice or with steering handle switches.
SoundHound As Platform Alternative
SoundHound has been accruing new automotive partners at a steady rate. Most recently, Kia announced that the Seltos line of cars will include a Houndify-based voice assistant. SoundHound has also integrated its technology into Hyundai on the Venue SUV earlier this summer, the first voice-enabled SUV in India, along with PSA Groupe and Mercedes. SoundHound’s automotive ventures are only one facet of its efforts to spread Houndify to new markets. Pandora’s voice mode uses Houndify, as do the voice assistants in hotel rooms provided by Samsung subsidiary Harman Professional Solutions.
Using SoundHound means Honda has more control of its data than if it had partnered with Amazon or Google for a voice assistant. That’s a major draw for automotive companies and one reason several have partnered with SoundHound or created their own voice assistant in-house like Ford. Honda will likely be only one of several car companies highlighting their use of voice technology at CES. There’s going to be a steep rise in the space in the next few years according to a Capgemini Research Institute report claiming 73% of drivers are going to be using an in-car voice assistant by 2022.


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Taiwan-based smartphone vendor HTC’s revenue in February increased 11 per cent from a year ago to TWD4.67 billion ($152 million) – rebounding from nearly a 30 per cent year-on-year drop in January.
However, revenue for the first two months of the year was down 11.6 per cent to TWD9.33 billion.
HTC last month said its focus for 2017 is on profitability rather than growing volume. It plans to bring “six to seven” products to market this year, and aims to dramatically reduce its portfolio.
The vendor expects sales to gain momentum after it ships its HTC U series smartphones to China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, the US, Europe and the Middle East, according to DigiTimes.
HTC forecasts a narrower loss in Q1 2017, after reporting a loss of TWD3.1 billion in Q4 2016. Revenue in the last quarter of 2016 dropped 13.6 per cent to TWD22.2 billion, down from TWD25.7 billion.


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|Bid||0.00 x 800|
|Ask||0.00 x 1000|
|Day's range||127.23 - 130.57|
|52-week range||67.90 - 139.18|
|Beta (3Y monthly)||0.93|
|PE ratio (TTM)||11.34|
|Earnings date||23 Oct 2019|
|Forward dividend & yield||1.20 (0.94%)|
|1y target est||143.09|
While Ford's (F) sales in China fall 30.3% year over year in Q3, Tesla takes the U.K. market by storm with record deliveries of 6,244 vehicles.
Lithia Motors (LAD) possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.
Lithia Motors Inc. (LAD) has activated a convenient sell-from-home customer experience powered by a proprietary technology. “We’re meeting customers on their terms,” said George Hines, Lithia Motors Senior Vice President, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer. The technology is part of a multi-faceted expansion of digital conveniences, building upon buy-from-home technology launched earlier in 2019.
While AutoZone (AZO) cheers investors with an additional buyback of $1.25 billion, Tesla (TSLA) delivers a record 97,000 vehicles globally in Q3 but still falls short of Musk's target of 100,000.
Lithia Motors (LAD) generates significant cash flows by acquiring and building strong brands with considerable earnings potential while maintaining low leverage.
Lithia Motors, Inc. announced its third quarter 2019 earnings will be released before the market opens on Wednesday, October 23, 2019. A conference call to discuss the earnings results is scheduled for the same day at 10:00 a.m.
The sector's prospects are closely tied to the purchasing power of consumers. A sturdy labor market is likely to stimulate consumer spending during the holiday season.
Lithia Motors (LAD) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.
Lithia Motors, Inc. announced today the addition of Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat and Subaru stores in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Crocs, Fossil, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, Lithia Motors and AngloGold Ashanti


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Leading retailers warn Chancellor against 400m business tax hike
Warning: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt
Jeremy Hunt has been urged by some of the country's biggest retailers to avoid a 400m business rates hike that they say risks undermining the fight against inflation.
Bosses from Marks & Spencer, Greggs, Harvey Nichols, Tesco, Sainsbury's and B&Q are among 44 who have signed a letter asking for rates to be frozen.
The letter, coordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said firms had been battling to contain price rises despite costs soaring over the past 18 months taking a hit to profit margins.


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Dufry and Alibaba Group have agreed to enter into a joint venture collaboration to “explore and invest” in opportunities in China.
The partnership will aim to develop the travel retail business in China as well as boosting Dufry’s digital transformation. The joint venture company will be owned 51% by Alibaba and 49% by Dufry.
As part of the deal, Alibaba plans an equity investment in Dufry with a target ownership of 9.99% post capital release. With the additional commitment, Dufry is set to propose the issuance of 25 million fully paid-in registered shares at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
Dufry’s existing Chinese travel retail business will form part of the joint venture company, alongside Alibaba’s digital capabilities and Chinese network.
The partnership is in line with Dufry’s stated growth strategy, with a focus on Asian markets and building on its existing Chinese operations.
The world’s biggest travel retailer currently runs duty-paid stores at Shanghai and Chengdu airports, as well as operations in Hong Kong and Macao.
Read original article


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Another 21 percent of the companies, polled in the first half of July by the Confederation of British Industry, said they were operating partially, with some headquarters still closed.
“In light of the gradual reopening of companies, this month’s data appears to be a turning point for the economy,” said Albish Palega, economist at Etihad, one of the largest groups representing corporate interests in Britain.
But he added that many companies, especially in the sectors of direct dealing with consumers, are still experiencing a “severe financial crisis”.
Britain has been gradually lifting the overall closure since May, the most recent big move on July 4, when hotels, bars and restaurants were allowed to reopen.
However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would postpone further easing of procedures, which would have been helpful to some arts and entertainment venues, due to an increase in injuries.
The companies said, on average, that they were operating at 85 percent of the usual energy due to social divergence, compared to 72 percent when a stricter rule imposing a generally two-meter distance between individuals was in effect.
The Federation of Industries said that weak consumer demand remains the most common challenge faced by companies to resume activities normally. More than two-thirds of the companies said it was preventing normal operations, down slightly from three quarters in June.
The Bank of England will announce its new quarterly forecasts on Thursday, as economic sectors recover from varying rates of unprecedented economic damage.
Whether the main impediment to growth is weak consumer demand or difficulties companies face in meeting it, it will be a major factor when the central bank decides on economic stimulus measures later this year.
Prepared by Ahmed Elhamy for the Arabic Bulletin


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The bags containing the gourmet ghee be received by celebs who will be attending the after parties from the Oscars; the academy board members will also receive the bags.
Oscars 2019 bets are already on. Who will win big and who will see a snub? However, more than the winners and others of the night, it is often Oscars’ goodie bags which get everyone intrigued, besides the Red carpet looks of course.
Speculations have been around for years that led many to wonder about the contents of these mysterious glam bags. According to a report in American Bazaar, the Oscars goodie bag last year reportedly had stuff worth a staggering $100,000.
And in 2019, it is being said that the much-coveted goodie bag will be more expensive and more diverse.
American Bazaar in its report said that apart from the usual expensive affair with the goodie bag, it will also contain a jar of ghee.
Like all things exotic, the desi ghee seems to be the new rage.
Indian American Nazia Aibani, who is the founder of NY-based, Gourmet Ghee Co. along with her husband, Steven DeFrank, told American Bazaar that they will be supplying jars of their gourmet ghee for 200 VIP guests for the goodie bags presented in Oscars after-party.
Aibani said that her company was associated “with one of the largest companies that makes gift bags for the Oscars and other award shows and that they “wanted to change things up”
And the gourmet ghee won’t be just your usual buttery goodness either. Aibani revealed to the American Bazaar that told that they have selected a black truffle ghee butter as it would go nicely with a black-tie event such as the Oscars.
The bags containing the gourmet ghee be received by celebs who will be attending the after parties from the Oscars; the academy board members will also receive the bags, she has confirmed.
When the company was approached, Aibani said, that couldn’t help but be “flattered” as they could showcase an ancient food from India which usually doesn’t get this much attention.
Gourmet Ghee is, well gourmet and naturally it is a delicacy of sorts with A-list celebs and Aibani admits that her company sent baskets to pop diva Beyonce, her manager and a host of celebs and businessmen. Her 24k gold ghee butter is a favorite with celebrity clients, she says.
Aibani was born in Mumbai and went to the United States along with her family in 1984, when she was just four.
She did her undergraduate degree in business and marketing and also worked as a producer in the television industry for sometime. But the entrepreneur bug caught her and Aibani ended up launching her own business in 2017.
Her website says, “People ask me why I chose ghee butter and my answer is always the same, “The women of ancient India had amazing foresight to know the dietary, health and beauty benefits of ghee. As a Indian woman I feel it’s my responsibility to represent and share that knowledge while making it a useful staple in people’s everyday life.


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- Using the human body to enable a physical layer of security could possibly eliminate certain mobile data security and medical device security concerns, according to recent research.
University of Washington researchers explain in a paper that sensors on commodity devices, including smartphones laptops, could potentially generate wireless data transmissions that are confined to the human body.
“Specifically, a communication primitive that transmits information directly through the body would create links immune to eavesdropping or man in the middle attacks,” wrote Mehrdad Hessar, Vikram Iyer, and Shyamnath Gollakota.
For example, a user would touch a fingerprint scanner on a smartphone and then place his or her hand on a doorknob. The smartphone could then send information securely to the doorknob or glucose sensors on the body.
This approach could also eliminate the need for typing in a serial number or a password to wirelessly pair medical devices with smartphones. Instead, a glucose or blood pressure monitor would receive information via a user’s body as he or she touches a finger to the smartphone.
“Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chipsets are designed to transmit data as far as possible over air; an attacker familiar with the communication standard can easily intercept these wireless transmissions,” the researchers wrote. “In fact, researchers have raised security and privacy concerns about the vulnerability of even custom radio protocols for wearable and implantable devices.”
For on-body transmissions to work, the researchers explained that the following three requirements would need to take place:
- The component should be in direct contact with the body
- The component should reliably produce electromagnetic (EM) signals required to implement the physical layer of a body-coupled communication system
- As EM signals above tens of megahertz do not propagate well through the body, it should generate EM signals below these frequencies
The paper also acknowledges that security is a key factor for wearable medical devices, and that the devices often encrypt data based on a secret key or password for secure communications.
“We can envision that a user would touch their fingerprint sensor, which would in turn transmit a secret key to medical devices on the body,” the researchers explained. “Once the secret key is transmitted, an encrypted pairing process can be used to establish a traditional wireless communication link, allowing the wearable device to communicate with smartphones or other devices.”
Both mobile device security and medical device security are increasingly popular topics in the healthcare industry. While there has not yet been a case of a hacked medical device affecting a patient, the concern for such a scenario is growing.
In September 2016, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) started working with Clearwater Compliance to investigate how best to improve the wireless IV medical infusion pump security.
The pumps now utilize wireless technology, Gavin O’Brien, senior cybersecurity engineer with NCCoE told HealthITSecurity.com. Providers may have less maintenance involved, as software updates can be pushed to the devices, rather than conducting manual updates. In newer models, the dosing information can also potentially be sent wirelessly.
However, this has also created potential risk in that same wireless component, he added.
Both device manufacturers and healthcare providers need to work to find the right balance between innovation and security, O’Brien said.
“On the one hand, manufacturers build products that infuse drugs into patients and did that well,” O’Brien explained. “But now that everything has a computer on it, they added their wireless component, so these devices need to consider cybersecurity.”


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Depending on the viewpoint of your favorite economist, the recession may be over. But retail growth is far from buoyant in many markets. The UK retail sector shows healthy signs of recovery, while US consumers seem be less confident. There are numerable success stories; John Lewis passed the £1bn online revenue mark this year, while Macys is in its fifth year of double-digit online growth, in spite of a slightly shaky offline performance. But as an eBusiness leader, no matter what your local market conditions, I’m willing to bet one thing.
Your growth targets haven’t gone down.
For many years, growing online revenues has been a core strategy for most B2C firms, and many B2B firms are also riding the eCommerce wave. But as markets become crowded and competition becomes tighter, globalization is an increasingly attractive option for eBusiness professionals. With southern European markets seeing online growth rates in the high teens and even bigger opportunities like Russia and China on the global horizon, it’s no surprise that an international strategy is high on the agenda for many eBusiness leaders.
It’s a very enlightening way of seeing digital disruption in action. When my wife and I bought our current house over a decade ago, we found it on a property website, but that’s where the digital engagement ended. We physically went to the estate agent to book a viewing. We were given a printed brochure about the house. Our mortgage application was done in person. We took photos of the house, printed them at the local Boots and stuck them in an album. When we moved we had to call our friends and tell them we’d moved.


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McDonald’s Malaysia has inked a sponsorship deal as a silver sponsor with the 29th SEA Games and 9th ASEAN Para Games.
In addition to that, McDonald’s Malaysia is also the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games’ and Para Games’ official restaurant.
The deal was signed this morning by MASOC (Malaysian Organising Committee)’s CEO, YBhg Dato’ Seri Zolkpes Embong and En Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director (Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia), in the presence of Youth and Sports minister, Khairy Jamaluddin.
McDonald’s sponsorship is over RM 1 million sponsorship in cash and in-kind. This partnership is also to demonstrate McDonald’s efforts to support the growth of sports in Malaysia.
In addition to that, three McDonald’s restaurants in Johor, Penang and Putrajaya will serve as pit stops for the Torch Run.
“McDonald’s is extremely proud to be a part of this momentous event and we look forward to doing our bit in helping to raise the spirit of ‘Bangkit Bersama’.” said En Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia.
“We especially look forward to welcoming all Malaysians at our restaurant pit stops to express support for our athletes and the Games.” he added.
According to Youth and Sports minister, YB Khairy Jamaluddin, MASOC is very pleased to welcome participation from a globally-known company like McDonald’s.
“I believe that this sponsorship will not only allow McDonald’s to further strengthen its branding in the Southeast Asia region, but to utilize this strength to unite Malaysians just as it does through its food products.” the minister said after witnessing the signing ceremony.
The 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games will take place on 19th to 30th August 2017, while the Para Games will take place from 17th to 23rd September 2017.
Other posts by Gowri Krishnan


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Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become part of the Thanksgiving holiday season, but what about "Takeout Wednesday?"
On Thanksgiving Eve, while folks across North Central West Virginia were busy preparing their meals for the next day, the phones were ringing off the hooks at Domino's in Clarksburg.
Assistant manager Brian Lamp said his store is always very busy on the night before Thanksgiving and that a lot of people eat pizza while they prepare holiday meals.
"It's usually more deliveries than walk-ins. It's easier for someone to be sitting at home making dinner and call us. We get it there as soon as we can. I think were at a half-hour to 45 minute range tonight on average," Lamp said.
Lamp said it can get hectic, but that some of his employees have been there for 10 years or more, so they all work together to get the job done.


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Huawei's folding phone patent shows how a phone turns into a tablet and vice versa
In the open position, the foldable Huawei device is a full-sized tablet. It appears to fold in the middle to become a smartphone. Back in October, when he discussed the foldable phone that Huawei was working on, CEO Yu mentioned that there was a "small gap" between the two screens when they are opened in the tablet position. At the time, he said that Huawei had to find a way to get rid of the gap. Since this patent was filed before his comments were made, we assume that the mechanism in this patent does not solve that issue.
Other phone manufacturers are believed to be working on a foldable phone. Earlier this month, a Merrill Lynch analyst said that Apple is creating a folding iPhone that could be introduced in 2020. Microsoft has received some patents for its "Andromeda" foldable device, and Samsung is reportedly set to unveil the long-awaited foldable Galaxy X some time next year.
You can see images from Huawei's patent at the very top of this story.
source: LetsGoDigital (translated)
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Following the release of new iPod series, now ColorWare released its latest color custom service for new iPod touch 4G.
Grip should be ColorWare’s first iPad accessory. From the following image, you may call it iPad case without backing or iPad frame.
After releasing custom services for iPad and iPhone 4, ColorWare has aimed at Mac Mini launched by Apple recently.
Apparently every gadgets manufacturer doesn’t ignore iPhone 4, also including ColorWare. Want to customize the colors of your iPhone 4? Let’s go on checking.


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Despite these positive results and continuing work with Macau community to control Covid-19, the group has announced it will postpone the opening of Galaxy Macau Phase 3 until 2022, citing restrictions to workforce and building material access due to the pandemic.
In a press conference on Thursday, Vice Chairman Francis Lui Yiu Tung said that it was “hard to determine” an exact date of the opening of Phase 3, as the firm has already shifted the date of launch several times.
Given the current situation, the company hopes that, by early next year, part of the Phase 3 projects will be open for business.
One of said openings will be Raffles at Galaxy Macau, an exclusive 450 all-suite tower, part of Cotai Phase 3, set to open “early 2022”, with a launch date modified from “later part of 2021” according to a first-quarter report.
This opening will be followed by Galaxy International Convention Center and hotel Andaz Macau, “in anticipation of the recovery of the MICE and entertainment markets.”
Following these two launches, Galaxy Entertainment Group will proceed with the construction of Cotai Phase 4, a “next generation integrated resort” which will complete the company’s ecosystem in Cotai, supporting “Macau’s vision of becoming a world centre of tourism and leisure.”
“GEG is uniquely positioned for long term growth,” described the company in its Q2 report. “We are proceeding with the development of Phases 3 & 4 and continue to review and refine plans to ensure a world-class optimal development.”
Phases 3 & 4 combined will have approximately 3,000 high end and family rooms and villas, 400,000 square feet of MICE space, a 500,000 square feet 16,000-seat multi-purpose arena, F&B, retail and casinos.
“We will try to maintain our development targets, however due to COVID-19, development timelines may be impacted,” further added the group, while admitting that, at this point, it cannot “quantify the impact” but will endeavor to maintain schedule.
Despite these delays in the upcoming two phases, Galaxy Entertainment Group remains confident, having experienced its fourth consecutive quarter of gross gaming revenue growth despite sporadic outbreaks of COVID-19 both in Mainland and Macau.
Earlier this month, Macau reported four positive cases, which caused Macau’s casino revenue to drop to $15 million in the first week of August. It is expected that the month will see a 30% drop compared to July.
However, no new cases have been reported since, and border restrictions have now been reversed.


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Just days after officially launching its G9 SUV, XPeng Motors has completely revamped the naming system of its trims, offering two new versions and different prices. The Chinese automaker has cited tremendous customer demand as the reason for the changes, but the overhaul also addresses confusion surrounding which G9 configuration delivered which standard features. Here are the changes.
Earlier this week, XPeng Motors officially launched its much anticipated G9 SUV in China, sharing available trims and their prices for the first time publicly. We covered the details of the brand new G9 thoroughly, including XPeng’s claim it will arrive as the “world’s fastest charging EV.”
Our report also included details of XPeng’s second-generation ADAS, called XNGP, debuting on the G9 SUV to include driver assistance through busy city environments. Originally, the trims were separated by a series of numbers and one of the five letters in “XPeng” e.g. the 570G or 650X.
Now, XPeng Motors has suddenly done a complete overhaul of available G9 trims, the nomenclature of said trims, and their prices, citing customer demand for specific standard features. To begin, here’s how the original prices revealed by XPeng on Wednesday compare to the new pricing announced today.
As you can see above, XPeng Motors has abandoned its single letter naming system for trims of the G9 SUV in favor of nomenclature that more closely resembles Apple products. That said, the numbers in each trim still represent the CLTC range in km. The company shared the following reasoning behind the sudden change:
These adjustments reflect the Company’s commitment to customer experience, and the high demand for certain specifications of the G9, particularly the optional spec packages of cutting-edge technologies.
In our talks with XPeng, we learned that while early demand for the G9 was quite positive in China, many customers were confused about which trim configuration would give them the performance and advanced features they desired as standard.
To alleviate this issue, XPeng introduced the new naming system, which includes two additional versions of the G9 SUV and adjusted prices. As for standard features, here’s how the trims of the G9 now differentiate:
All versions of the upcoming G9 will come with XPeng’s first generation XPILOT ADAS standard, but if drivers want the second generation XNGP which will eventually include City NGP driving, they will need to purchase one of the Max or Launch Edition trims.
Despite the change, the G9 remains on schedule for first deliveries in China in October, followed by deliveries to Europe sometime in 2023 after production in its homeland successfully ramps up.
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Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. is looking to shutter its Datsun brand, discontinue unprofitable models and reduce the number of its global assembly lines in a bid to improve profits by streamlining the company, Reuters reported Oct. 23, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter.
The Japanese automaker is reportedly implementing a "performance recovery plan" that veers away from the expansionist strategy of deposed chairman Carlos Ghosn.
The report said Nissan will likely stop producing loss-making variants of its Titan full-size pickup, such as the single-cab and diesel versions. The company is also seeking to reduce production capacity in all markets except China, but sources clarified that there are no plans to close entire facilities nor completely withdraw from a country, the news wire said.
The proposed closure of underused production lines is expected to affect plants in emerging markets like Indonesia, India and Russia the most, according to Reuters. Ghosn revived the Datsun brand for emerging markets after it was first discontinued in the 1980s, the report said.
Nissan will also stop selling heavily discounted vehicles to rental car and fleet operators as the practice is said to have damaged the company's brand image and profitability, Reuters added.
Nissan senior vice president and incoming vice COO Jun Seki and his team are expected to come up with a plan this month although some aspects are still being finalized, the report said.
Nissan did not immediately respond to S&P Global Market Intelligence's request for comment.


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Take On Payments, a blog sponsored by the Retail Payments Risk Forum of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, is intended to foster dialogue on emerging risks in retail payment systems and enhance collaborative efforts to improve risk detection and mitigation. We encourage your active participation in Take on Payments and look forward to collaborating with you.
Comments are moderated and will not appear until the moderator has approved them.
Please submit appropriate comments. Inappropriate comments include content that is abusive, harassing, or threatening; obscene, vulgar, or profane; an attack of a personal nature; or overtly political.
In addition, no off-topic remarks or spam is permitted.
Leaders Discuss CBDC Research Project
Please note that because of a scheduling conflict with one of our guest presenters, we’ve rescheduled the webinar and updated this post. The webinar is taking place on June 9.
What might a central bank digital currency (CBDC) look like? And how would it work? While the Federal Reserve Board of Governors has not expressed any intention to launch a CBDC, it issued a white paper in January this year to kick off a discussion about it with payment stakeholders. The Board is asking for input by May 20.
Last August, before the release of the white paper, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Digital Currency Initiative announced they were partnering to study the implications of a CBDC. Calling their collaborative effort "Project Hamilton," they describe it as a "multiyear research project to explore the CBDC design space and gain a hands-on understanding of a CBDC's technical challenges and opportunities." They issued a Phase I report this past February.
In the next episode of our Talk About Payments webinar series on June 9, two Boston Fed senior leaders on the Project Hamilton team will provide a detailed overview and current status of the project. Jim Cunha is executive vice president and interim chief operating officer leading the Boston Fed's research effort in central bank digital currency technology. Bob Bench is an assistant vice president in the Boston Fed's payment strategies group. Dave Lott, Atlanta Fed payments risk expert, will moderate the discussion.
We encourage financial institutions, retailers, payments processors, law enforcement officials, academics, and other payments system stakeholders to participate. As always, we're allotting time for participant questions. Please pass this invitation along to any colleagues you believe will be interested in attending.
So, please join us for our webinar on June 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. (ET). The webinar is free and open to the public. However, you must register. We'll send you login information after you register. If you cannot attend the live event, a recording of the webinar will be posted the week after the event.
If you'd like to view previous webinars, go to our Talk About Payments webinars page.
We hope to see you on June 9!
Take On Payments Search
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Accra Men’s Fashion Week last week held its 3rd edition of the biggest gathering of menswear designers and models in Accra at the International Trade Fair Center.
The runway saw designers from across Africa display latest works from their collections which undoubtedly depicted the diversity and beauty of culture and gave fashion enthusiasts memories they will cherish for a very long time.
One interesting part of this year’s event was the Nokia Phones themed show which had models strut the runway with the Nokia range of phones on android in collaboration with Saintt Mensah Collection.
Among the phones used included Nokia 3310, Nokia 1, Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 8.
Accra Men’s Fashion Week is organized by Fame Model Management.


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Thousands of pharmacy and other retail jobs at risk from Jobseeker cuts as businesses and employees are set to suffer financially, MPs tell Parliament
Federal parliamentarians have debated the impact that the looming end of the jobseeker payment will have on pharmacy profitability and the income of pharmacy staff.
Earlier this week, the Senate debated the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020, which extends the coronavirus supplement from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2021, but at a rate reduced by $150 per fortnight.
Senator Helen Polly (ALP, Tas) said “There is an abundance of evidence and information out there which shows that this is not an adequate amount to live on and actually entrenches welfare dependency”.
“Forty dollars a day is not enough to cover the basic expenses of food, housing, transportation and health care, let alone if you get sick and need to buy medication or have to go to the dentist, get prescription glasses or attend specialist appointments”.
Senator Polley said social security recipients spend an estimated 58% of their payments on retail goods or services at pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores, essential merchandise stores and other small businesses.
“It is projected that the scheduled end of the JobSeeker payment will take the equivalent of $8½ billion per year from the retail sector. The equivalent of 130,000 Australian retail jobs are also on the line
if we return the rate of the JobSeeker payment to its old base rate.
Even before COVID there were strong arguments for making a permanent increase in the JobSeeker
payment. What COVID has done is give us a strong evidence base for thinking and realising—and for the
government to come to terms with—that we need to make it a permanent increase, without it having significant adverse effects on the incentive to find work”.
In the House of Representatives, pharmacist Emma McBride (ALP), MP for Dobell, NSW, also discussed the impact of federal government changes. In this case, “the Prime Minister’s new workplace laws”, which she said would see a pharmacy assistant, working a 38-hour week, lose around $6,000 a year.
“Why is the government’s Christmas thankyou to frontline workers a cut to their take-home pay?” Ms McBride asked.
In response, Christian Porter, Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations said “why would the Leader of the Opposition be sending out his backbenchers to ask questions solely designed to scare people unnecessarily before Christmas?”
you do that? How desperate do you have to be to send out your backbenchers to ask questions based on totally
false assertions and premises? Totally false, completely wrong, raising impossible scenarios—how desperate
would you have to be to do that, when the only conceivable reason is to scare people unnecessarily, unfairly and
Meanwhile, the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2020 Measures No. 2) Bill 2020 had its second reading in the House of Representatives this week.
Trevor Evans, (LNP, Brisbane), the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, introduced the bill saying it removed “a potential impediment to the Australian government’s
response to the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to the importation and supply of COVID-19 vaccines in
The bill also supported continued access to prescription medicines during a serious scarcity of such medicines in Australia and improved access to therapeutic goods, he said.
He also highlighted its extension of pharmacist substitution of medicines, continuing measures originally introduced to combat last summer’s bushfires, and subsequently expanded and extended due to the pandemic.
“In particular, the bill allows pharmacists to substitute a medicine for which there is a serious scarcity with a suitable alternative medicine, to avoid the risk of disruption to treatment for Australians that may be caused by a medicine shortage and the major impact that can have on patient health.
Pharmacists will be able to substitute medicines without prior authority from a prescriber, but only where it is safe and appropriate to do so”.


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Beware of New U.S. Postal Service Scam
The scammers are back at it with a new way to try and steal your information.
Fox 44 News is reporting that the U.S. Postal Service has issued a warning concerning recent phishing emails and text message smishing attempts.
The alert, which went out on Tuesday, warned of fake texts and emails about deliveries:
These messages are prompting unsuspecting consumers to confirm their personal delivery information by clicking a link or downloading an attachment, that, when opened, can activate a virus and steal information such as usernames, passwords and financial account information.
The Postal Service does not send text messages or emails concerning deliveries, so if you ever get one, delete it immediately.
Here are a few tips the USPS offered to protect yourself from identity theft:
- Never click on a link or open attachments in a suspicious email
- Be skeptical of “once in a lifetime” offers and “urgent requests”
- Unless you initiated the contact, never share your information with anyone
- Keep your computer’s antivirus software updated
- Use unique, secure passwords and never use the same password on multiple sites
- Make sure the sender's address is their official address by looking it up online
- Spelling and grammar mistakes are coming in phishing and smishing attempts
- Hover over hyperlink descriptions to make sure they match their supposed destinations
- Ensure the lock symbol indicating a secure website shows up in your browser
If you suspect that you’ve been on the receiving end of a smishing or phishing attempt, make a report at this location.


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Most people in their 70s are retired. Sidney Louis Fleishman is an exception. At 75, he’s just starting a career as the author of children’s books.
Fleishman quit his job as marketing director for Kichler Lighting in Cleveland four and a half years ago.
“My intention was to write more,” he said. “So I pulled it out of a drawer.”
“It” was a children’s tale, written in a simple four-line rhyme scheme, Fleishman had finished more than four decades earlier.
“It’s the story of Tommy,
That sad Christmas tree,
Who, with twenty years’ growth
Was just high as your knee.”
Fleishman knew what kinds of books appeal to children. Before his career in marketing, he had taught in the Philadelphia public schools for about four years.
But children’s books are more than words. They need colorful illustrations and graphics — and a publisher.
Fleishman, a resident of Strongsville, didn’t have to look far for help.
Michelle Scotton, of Medina Township, had worked as an interior designer for 20 years, but dreamed of publishing children’s books.
Scotton said she can trace her inspiration to a specific day — Feb. 9, 2012.
That was when her 3-year-old son, Connor, “looked at me and grabbed my face and said, ‘You’re so beautiful.’ ”
She said she always loved reading to her son and thought writing and publishing children’s books was a way to share that love.
Fortunately, she knew just where to find an author.
“Sid was my old boss from my designer days,” she said.
The artist, Jeanne Carr, was next to join the team.
Carr, a Medina resident, had studied art at the University of Akron. After her two boys were old enough to be in school all day, she jumped at Scotton’s offer to illustrate a children’s book.
“It was a great chance to use my degree,” she said.
The other two members of the team also are Medina residents: graphic designer Tami Petitto, who put all the pieces together, and Melissa Jordan, who came up with several “hands-on” craft projects featured in the book.
The product of their 18-month collaboration, “The Legend of Tommy the Tiny Christmas Tree,” came out last month.
The book is Lucky Missy Publishing’s first offering. But more are promised.
Fleishman said he has completed three other stories in “The Legend Series” on the holiday themes of Easter, Halloween and the Fourth of July.
“I’m writing another right now about Valentine’s Day,” he said.
Asked why he was devoting himself to children’s books, Fleishman said, “I felt there was a void — most children’s books didn’t make the child think.”
Fleishman said the message he wants to bring to children is that “there is a possibility to become something you want to be.”
So what’s the happy ending for Tommy, the knee-high Christmas tree nobody wanted?
“Tommy had found a home,
Yes, the best there could be,
For he now had become . . .
Santa’s elves’ Christmas Tree.”
Contact David Knox at (330) 721-4065 or email@example.com.


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California is moving to require companies to label Roundup and other weed killers containing glyphosate that the chemical is a potential cause of cancer.
The first step is putting glyphosate on a regulatory list on July 7.
A year later, the listing could come with warning labels on the product, officials said.
But it’s not certain that the regulation will go into effect because Monstanto, maker of Roundup, has filed an appeal.
Environmental regulators in California also conceded that it’s not certain that glyphosate causes cancer.


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Bedaya, Egypt’s first governmental fund that is private sector led, has launched a new fund worth $17 million.
Owned by the General Authority For Investment (GAFI), the Bedaya Fund was launched by Bedaya’s Startup Academy and will support SMEs from various sectors, in exchange for equity.
Since November 2013 the Startup Academy has been helping entrepreneurs using a three month program that assists with essential steps like company registration, business model development, managing the marketing, financial and legal affairs, and sustainable tools for business.
In parallel with its mission to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Egypt it plans to launch a new partnership with the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) in Cairo.
This partnership will see $800,000 raised for the development of minimum viable products, through Bedaya.
Entrepreneurship program leader and communication specialist for Bedaya Mahi Al Jazzar spoke with Wamda about the selection process.
The Academy relies on several financial and nonfinancial services in its quest to help SMEs. Mentorship sessions around legal, marketing or financial consulting are among these services. "We offer these services in our 'business clinic' which aims to dissect the challenges for each project and help cofounders overcome them," Al Jazzar said.


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Any minute now, GM will be taking the wraps off the 2015 GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Suburban. For now, we’ve got some press shots to keep you held over. The big news so far appears to be GMC’s pushing of the Denali model as an upscale alternative to the normal Yukon and Suburban trims. Denalis get a nicer interior as well as a 6.2L V8 making 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The other models get the standard 5.3L version. More info to follow.
Following in the footsteps of the Ford F-Series multiple luxury times and Ram Laramie, Chevrolet will offer a new luxury trim level for the Silverado – complicating things for GMC, which is positioned as an upscale truck brand.
With its minivans and conventional midsize SUVs discontinued, GM relies heavily on its large “Lambda” crossovers—the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave—to serve the family market. With over 230,000 sold in 2010, they’re easily the best sellers* in the segment. In comparison, Ford shifted only 34,000 Flexes. But, now in their fifth model year, the Lambdas are getting old. With cash short leading up to the bankruptcy, what might be done on the cheap to maintain buyer interest? The winning answer: a new Denali variant of the GMC Acadia.
GM announced today that Buick-GMC sales manager Brian Sweeney has been promoted to the top spot at Buick-GMC after his predecessor Michael Richards left the position after nine days on the job. According to the Detroit News, Sweeney began his GM career at GMC in 1990 and has served as vice president of sales at Saab Cars USA and sales manager of GM’s north-central region.


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When the iOS was launched, the App Store of Apple took a royalty of 30% on all the applications, which were sold. Application vendors responded largely by switching over to free applications, which charged in-app for annual subscriptions and other fees. These had prompted Apple to ban in-app purchases except, which were through Apple that would a commission of 30% on the revenues over the lifetime from each and every user. Competition from Android and hybrid models, where users sign up on the web and then log in to their applications, had driven the lifetime tax on Apple on in-app transactions to 15%. Despite this, for the top suppliers of Apple, this tends to add up to hundreds of millions every year.
This has even prompted a slow but increasing exit of people from in-app payments, right from Amazon Video to Spotify and now even from Netflix. Now, after having carried out an experiment for requiring users to pay through the website, Netflix has managed to discontinue the use of in-app payments for all new users. Last year saw Netflix paying up an estimated amount of $256m to Apple in Apple Tax for all those users who paid through the app. Netflix can afford to lose millions of users from this particular shift but still manage to come out on top.
Earlier in the year 2018, Netflix had dropped their in-app purchases from the Google Play Store. They even found that all those users still received permissions to pay within the app in a gradual manner but quite steadily switched over towards making payments through the web, hence eroding their business of having Google’s share. For instance, Amazon has historically managed to restrict movie and TV rentals along with the purchases to their own website or other compatible apps, rather than allow them to take place through their Prime Video app. The same applies to Kindle eBooks. They are also not offered in the Kindle mobile application. Even, Spotify has also gone on to discontinue the option to pay for their Premium service by making use of the in-app payment system from Apple.
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Carl is an associate author at Market News Live. Before joining the Market News Live team, he was working as a software engineer. His love for perusing something worthwhile in life has forced him to leave the 9 to 5 job and do what he loves – Journalism. He covers all the technology updates that happen worldwide and the person who we believe has the potential to excel beyond limits.


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Public Business Sector Minister Mahmoud Esmat said that his ministry has outlined a plan to improve the textile industry sector in Egypt, tap new markets and increase exports.
Esmat made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the 6th edition of the annual international pan-African event “Destination Africa 2022” for the textile industries in Egypt. The two-day event witnesses the participation of more than 150 international buyers and representatives of 80 various popular international brands.
The minister clarified that the development plan covers all stages of textile production, starting from the cultivation of cotton and the whole manufacturing process up to making the end product, noting the importance of catching up with the global developments regarding professional marketing.
During the event, Esmat met with representatives of major local manufacturers, international buyers and officials from the African Cotton and Textile Industries Federation (ACTIF), highlighting the importance of enhancing cooperation between Egypt and African countries and promoting Egyptian products in markets across the continent.
Destination Africa is an annual international pan-African B2B sourcing event for the textile industries in Egypt. It brings together the African Textile, Apparel, and Home Textiles manufacturers in ONE place with the international buyers to strengthen the business opportunities and trade activities on a global level, according to its official website.


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American Eagle Outfitters on Tuesday signaled its revenue growth in the holiday quarter was hampered by supply chain snarls and disruptions caused by the Omicron surge, sending its shares down 2% in premarket trading.
London landlord Shaftesbury has delivered an impressive record in terms of attracting a host of new retailers and increasing footfall to its properties. it has signed over 60 new brands since 1 October 2020.
American Eagle Outfitters said on Tuesday its inventory levels jumped ahead of the holiday season as it spent more on freight to overcome supply-chain disruptions, after posting better-than-expected quarterly results.
A big capture for Shaftesbury. The London-centric property giant has signed well-known US sister brands American Eagle and Aerie to make their UK store debuts, both taking spaces at its key Carnaby shopping attraction.
The Pittsburgh-based apparel retailer announced on Tuesday that it has agreed to acquire its fulfillment partner, Quiet Logistics, for $350 million as part of the ongoing transformation of its supply chain.
The New York-based fashion group announced the launch of its new premium denim brand on Wednesday, revealing a label combining sustainability, quality and artistic sensibility, set to make its debut in October.
Halima Aden, the first supermodel to wear a hijab and pose in a burkini, has ripped up her lucrative contracts in an industry she feels lacks "basic human respect" and entered the world of modest fashion design instead.
American Eagle Outfitters Inc reported quarterly revenue that missed estimates on Thursday as the apparel retailer's online business slowed following vaccinations and the easing of some COVID-19 curbs.


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Cable giant Comcast has launched Xfinity xFi that provides a simple digital dashboard to set up their home Wi-Fi network, find password, see connected devices, manage issues, set parental controls and pause Wi-Fi access on their home network.
Broadband users can control the xFi experience via a mobile app, website and on the TV with the X1 voice remote. Customers need to visit www.xfinity.com/myxfi or download xFi app for iOS and Android. Comcast is offering free xFi to 10 million Xfinity Internet customers with a compatible Xfinity WiFi device.
This year, 86 percent of in-home broadband use will travel over Wi-Fi, and by 2020 Americans will have an average of 50 Wi-Fi connected devices in their homes.
The broadband operator said that xFi is a personalized home Wi-Fi experience that gives customers the fastest speeds, best coverage and ultimate control in their homes.
“The platform will allow us to bring future innovations to our customers, address common pain points and vastly improve the way millions of people interact with their home Wi-Fi network,” said Eric Schaefer, senior vice president of Internet and Communications Services for Comcast Cable.
Comcast said the xFi-enabled device that is in 10 million homes will be called the xFi Wireless Gateway. The company is also introducing a new “xFi Advanced Gateway” to customers on the fastest speed tiers.
Comcast said the xFi Advanced Gateway will be the primary device Comcast uses to provide one-gig speeds to customers. It is capable of delivering gigabit speeds over Wi-Fi and supports Xfinity Voice, home security and automation applications.
Comcast expects the number of xFi-ready homes to increase to about 15 million by the end of 2017.
Comcast will also launch no-configuration, adaptive xFi pods that can be paired with either the xFi Wireless Gateway or the xFi Advanced Gateway, which will help customers extend their Wi-Fi coverage to even the remote areas of their homes.
The company has made an undisclosed investment in Plume, a developer of distributed Wi-Fi software and systems, to combine the technologies of Plume and xFi into a unified experience that improves throughput and consistency to individual devices.
Comcast’s Wi-Fi network has more than 16 million hotspots spread across U.S. homes, businesses, and outdoor locations.


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The company is now launching the second generation of its high-performance CPUs and is in a better place than ever to keep the pressure on Intel.
Since AMD's Ryzen 2000 CPUs aren't available yet, we expect to see even higher clock speeds from other overclockers soon. AMD plans on continuing its streak with the launch of the 2nd Generation Ryzen CPUs aimed at consumer market.
While Intel Core processors have a maximum of 6 cores for the top model in the 8th gen series, the base model of the 2nd generation AMD Ryzen have 6 cores at one-third the price.More news: California can lose most in trade dispute between US, China
There's also 2 new Ryzen 5 CPUs that were launched alongside the Ryzen 7 CPUs. It will be a few days before reviews hit, but it looks like at least one overclocker has already managed to push Zen+ to its limits, achieving a 5.88GHz overclock on the upcoming Ryzen 7 2700X.
Intel's new i7 8700k, which sells for about $350, has only six cores, in comparison, as Engadget pointed out.
Additionally AMD has also launched their new X470 chipset motherboards which use the same AM4 mount as the previous gen X370 boards.More news: United Kingdom wages outstrip prices as Brexit squeeze runs its course
AMD finally opened up pre-orders for its second-generation of Ryzen chips last week, with the processors set to arrive this Thursday (April 19). The new processors are led by the company's latest flagship CPU, the eight-core Ryzen 7 2700X. The Ryzen 5 2600X has 6 cores and 12 threads with 19MB Smart Prefetch Cache.
The four 2-gen Ryzen processors arriving this week, which are built using a 12nm process and use the Zen+ architecture, include both the 2700X and 2600X chips, along with their non-X versions. That's a bit faster than the 2700, for a power draw of 95 W. For those looking for a chip that's easier to cool down, both the Ryzen 7 2700 and the Ryzen 5 2600 only pulls 65 W. It's still a six-core processor with 12 threads, and capable of a max boost speed of 3.9 GHz.
The Ryzen 5 2600 is the most affordable chip announced this week, at $199.More news: Critically endangered western lowland gorilla born in Smithsonian zoo


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Co-op is giving away £20 a week in vouchers to buy food for kids at Co-op Academy schools.
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In an email from the Co-op CEO, Steve Murrells, shared a new initiative to help to feed kids at Co-op Academy schools.
Many kids get free school meals.
Lunch may be the main meal of the day for them and when schools are closed, like over the long summer, kids can go hungry.
In these challenging times, Co-op has stepped up and is offering £20 in Co-op vouchers a week.
There are 6,500 students that have free school meals at 25 of the Co-op Academy schools. They will all get a £20 voucher which can go towards their lunch.
The voucher can be spent at any Co-op store.
It’s nice to have a good news story!
Schools where kids will get the vouchers are:
Co-op Academy Manchester
Co-op Academy North Manchester
Co-op Academy Failsworth
Co-op Academy Swinton
Co-op Academy Broadhurst
Co-op Academy Walkden
Connell Co-op College
Staffordshire and Merseyside
Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent
Co-op Academy Portland
Co-op Academy Friarswood
Co-op Academy Woodslee
Co-op Academy Bebington
Co-op Academy Leeds
Co-op Academy Brownhill
Co-op Academy Oakwood
Co-op Academy Woodlands
Co-op Academy Nightingale
Co-op Academy Priesthorpe
Co-op Academy Beckfield
Co-op Academy Parkland
Co-op Academy Grange
Co-op Academy Southfield
Co-op Academy Delius
Co-op Academy Smithies Moor
Free school meals from the government
Schools are closed in England after Friday 20 March 2020.
Some 1.4 million children have free school meals.
Children are not going to miss out.
A new voucher system is being set up for children who currently get free school meals.
More information will be shared on this as soon as possible.
Other Co-op support
Co-op is also creating a new online platform.
The platform, called Co-operate, will connect people to local support and further information.
With so much change, it’s useful to know where to go to find support in one place.
Some Co-op stores offer online food shopping too.
If it’s not available in your area, you could try to get a Co-op delivery through Deliveroo.
Click here to get £10 credit to spread across your next orders with Deliveroo.
If you’re looking for other financial support, look to see if you’re entitled to any grants with Turn2Us.
:: Come and join thousands of other savvy shoppers in the Reduce Your Supermarket Spend Facebook community to find out tips and tricks to save money on your food shop.


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An ambitious launch wrapped in a publicity stunt.
Guard against collisions, dead batteries, and other car issues with the CarLock Anti-Theft System.
Those of you that caught yesterday's op-ed about Lincoln will have heard already, but Mark LaNeve has taken the helm at Team Detroit. Once the North American vice president of sales, service and marketing for General Motors, LaNeve will now head up the agency that handles all of Ford advertising. LaNeve will also run the account for Lincoln. While at GM from 2001 to 2009, the exec oversaw ad campaigns like Cadillac's Breakthrough and sales initiatives like "Employee Pricing for Everyone."
You may have a six-figure mountain of debt but, hey, you'll get $1,000 off of a Prius C.
Just don't tweet from behind the wheel, Okay?
It's like an extra tapas dish being thrown in with the whole meal, we guess.
With all the attention given the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt, you'd easily be forgiven for completely overlooking the diminutive Misubishi i-MiEV. First, the small EV has yet to roll into the driveway of a U.S. customer. Second, until recently, Mitsubishi's national advertising has been just as hard to find as the vehicle. Rather than working to build buzz in advance of the vehicle's availability as both Chevy and Nissan did with their respective cars, Mitsubishi has decided to play the i somewha
Lynch Hummer dealership in Chesterfield, Missouri – Click above for image gallery
Last year, Max Motors in Butler, MO gave away free handguns with the purchase of a new vehicle. The promotion was such a success that the dealership is at it again, but this time with a more Russian flair. Buy a new truck at Max Motors, and you'll receive a voucher for a free AK-47.
Audi is the official luxury vehicle of the New York Yankees, Toyota said it's a sponsor but hasn't said how, and now Ford joins the cavalcade of motorized Yankee stadium financial backers by providing the official truck and SUV of the pinstriped boys. The deal is mostly for signage on the field and concourse, along with Yankees promo materials, with some display dates thrown in (as with the Audi deal) on Babe Ruth Plaza. Ford hasn't said how long the partnership will last, but we suppose it's be
If a company is going to stay in business, there's no question that it must continue to market itself. Yet Chrysler's choice to pay to do so via this summer's Terminator: Salvation is a head-scratcher. Some folks have made an issue -- a valid one -- of public funds being used to secure the sponsorship. Regardless of who's paying, we don't get this at all.
How can you win a free Lexus hybrid? Easy. Well, it's easy to enter the contest, anyway.
We'll avoid the trite jokes about Jack Kirby's Mustang sculpture being a "nice car, bud." Ouch. There, it slipped out anyway. Now we can just move on. Rather than just stack up the red, white, and blue swill cans to the ceiling, as would most college students, the art and design scholar built a car instead. Kirby's chef d'oeuvre came to be when Budweiser rolled out its UK-only "Budbucks" promotion this summer – grand prize, a 1965 Mustang, Jack's favorite car. Whether or not he wins the co
We've all seen the assorted tinsletown glitterati rolling up to award shows and premiers in their shiny new hybrids. Some of them like Ed Begley, Jr. and Darryl Hannah are genuine greenies. Others not so much. So why do so many celebrities show up in Priuses instead of stretched limos when the cameras are turned on? Look no further than the EMA.
While many automakers are scrambling to increase the music quotient in their cars via the addition of auxiliary inputs, a.k.a. iPod jacks, Volkswagen has announced the V-dubs Rock promotion today that turns up the wick on in-car entertainment. Beginning today and lasting through December 31st, anyone who purchases or leases any 2007 Volkswagen model or select 2006 models will get a custom First Act GarageMaster electric guitar that can be plugged into their Volkswagen and played through its soun
Though automakers are shifting millions of ad dollars to the Internet, they have not neglected the old boob tube. Dodge, Turner Media Group and EchoStar along with its DISH satellite TV network have teamed up to bring one internet feature--interactivity--to Dodge's new TV-based Caliber campaign. Subscribers seeing one of the 30 second ads will be shown an on-screen "trigger" that will transport them to a website-like environment where they'll be able to browse a picture gallery, locate dealers o


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Passersby hurried to fast-food restaurants on a busy lower Manhattan street Thursday just after noon to join lines that already stretched out of doorways and twisted around corners. But amid the lunch-hour frenzy, the Chipotle on the corner of Maiden Lane and Pearl Street sat jarringly empty, with no line, clusters of empty tables and just one man perched at the end of a series of vacant stools facing a windowfront.
“I was surprised that there wasn’t a big line – there usually is a big line. But now I know why,” said 31-year-old Dominick Picciano, putting down his double-wrapped chicken burrito after being informed that the restaurant chain had recently suffered a string of contaminant outbreaks across the country. At least 80 students at Boston College contracted norovirus this week after eating at the chain, and an E. coli outbreak at Chipotle restaurants last month resulted in 43 stores being closed in Washington state and Oregon.
The outbreaks have smeared the company’s reputation for offering a high-quality, ethically sourced menu meant to elevate it above its fast-food competitors, and the fallout from customers has been swift. As the company enters damage-control mode, industry experts have urged it to be transparent in explaining to customers exactly what went wrong with Chipotle’s food preparation process, and what they’ll do to resolve the crisis. Otherwise, the company could see irreparable damage to a famously loyal customer base, which has been described as “cult-like” ever since the chain skyrocketed to success around 2012.
Co-Chief Executive Officer Steve Ells apologized to customers for the outbreak in Boston Thursday on NBC’s “Today” show, saying he was “deeply sorry” for “a very unfortunate incident.” Chipotle’s stock fell about 20 percent in the wake of the outbreaks, but its shares were up 3.6 percent to $567.71 in premarket trading after Ells’ TV appearance.
“The procedures we’re putting in place today are so above industry norms that we are going to be the safest place to eat,” he said.
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 10, 2015
But industry experts say it could be precisely Chipotle’s emphasis on using fresh produce that left it susceptible to such outbreaks. Marie Bragg, an obesity and food policy researcher at New York University, said of all the restaurant chains these incidents could have occurred in, it’s unsurprising that it was Chipotle, since the company is known for touting its use of fresh produce, which is at high risk for contaminants.
“It’s unfortunate, because Chipotle has been trying to do the right thing in terms of getting antibiotics out of their food, getting [genetically modified organisms] out of their food – and so it just shows how complicated things can get when you’re trying to do the right thing,” she said.
Chipotle has done exactly the right thing by owning up to the outbreaks and apologizing, Bragg said. As a next step, Chipotle needs to do everything it can to determine when and where the food was contaminated in its production process, she said.
“We know from food safety research and from food production in this country that there are a lot of vulnerable areas where food contamination could occur,” she said. “It could occur during the early stages of getting the food from the farm to the restaurant, it could occur from the workers not using proper hygiene.”
Transparency will be Chipotle’s best ally moving forward, especially given Chipotle’s broad following, said Mario Almonte, partner at New York-based Herman & Almonte Public Relations. The chain must not be afraid to admit to mistakes they’ve made – even large ones – no matter how much the company wants to promote its quality-control efforts, he said.
“Their customers are very loyal – extremely fanatic about the food and the fact that they’re a fan of the brand,” he said. “If they begin to even for a second doubt or question the honesty or integrity of the brand or of what management is saying, it can begin to damage it enough that it could become a permanent thing.
Ells' "Today” show apology was exactly the right way to handle the situation, Almonte said. Even Ells’ grandiose remark to make the restaurant “the safest place to eat” will go over well with consumers, who won’t want to see a shred of doubt from the company’s senior management that the incident is under control.
“You gotta say that. That’s exactly what it should be. That’s what people want to hear,” he said. “He can’t sound equivocal. He can’t say, ‘We’re going to do our best to try to make it better.’ You have to say, ‘We are going to make it better. We are going to make it the safest place.’ You can’t offer any kind of suggestion or sign that maybe you’re not fully on top of this."
Going forward, Chipotle must follow up Ells’ words with concrete actions, Almonte said. The apology will sound empty if one month from now, another E. coli or norovirus outbreak occurs, he added.
Pamela Ponce, 26, said she frequents the lower Manhattan Chipotle restaurant and always orders the burrito bowl. She knew about the outbreaks, but assumed her food would be safe since she had not heard of any incidents occurring in New York.
“I’ve eaten here before, so I think it’s fine. But I know some of my co-workers were worried about it and they didn’t want to come here,” she said Thursday. “I’m sure the cases have hurt Chipotle a lot and I’m sure they don’t want to lose customers, so I’m sure that they’re going to try to improve the quality of the food to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”
As for Picciano, he still finished his burrito. But he said he’ll be doing some research on Chipotle when he gets home.


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Via Ozformers Facebook we can confirm that the new Transformers x Back To The Future Gigawatt figure will be officially released in both Australia and New Zealand markets.
The newest installment in the Transformers Collaborative line got the attention of not only Transformers collectors buy fans of the classic 80’s movie. According to the information shared, Gigawatt will be available at a few specialty stores in both Australia and New Zealand. It’s probable that these stores are EB Games and Zing which also had Ectotron and other exclusive releases previously.
Click on the discussion link below and share your impressions on the 2005 Boards!


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According to published reports in the far east on Thursday, Apple’s third-generation iPad may be released soon after the start of the new year.
DigiTimes reveals that Apple’s current plans for the iPad 2 call for the tablet to be reduced in price following the launch of the iPad 3. This will give Apple a leg up on the competition in the entry-level tablet PC market.
The report says the greatest evidence to suggest a looming iPad 3 arrival comes from the fact that iPad 2 production has been dramatically reduced in recent weeks.
“Sources from Apple’s supply chain,” DigiTimes reports, “have pointed out that Apple’s orders for iPad 2 are dropping gradually, while orders for the new devices remain steady.”
As for whether the drops in orders could mean that Apple is actually planning to phase out iPad 2, the sources noted it is still too early to tell, and more observations need to be done in 2012 before the picture becomes clearer.
Although there remains talk of Apple possibly ending iPad 2 production after the iPad 3 hits the market, most industry analysts believe Apple will keep the iPad 2 around as a means to keep the Amazon Kindle Fire’s market share as small as possible.