text: Today in Tech: Why Spotify is worth “just” $3 billion by JP Mangalindan @FortuneMagazine November 12, 2012, 10:52 AM EDT E-mail Tweet Facebook Google Plus Linkedin Share icons Also: Why Apple and HTC settled their patent fight; YouTube readies another round of convent investment. Why Apple and HTC settled their patent litigation [THE VERGE] Apple’s victory over Samsung is much less a predictor of future succes than you might think. Apple had essentially a perfect storm of facts in the Samsung case: the large number of Samsung devices that look exactly like Apple devices, the internal Samsung evidence showing the company directly tried to copy Apple, the massive sales of Samsung devices that could be used to calculate huge damages. Apple isn’t going to get so lucky again. Especially not against HTC, which has a very different design language and comparatively tiny sales. Where did Spotify’s billion dollars go? Ask Netflix [ALLTHINGSD] But for Spotify, you can get a bit more specific if you want a reason to pass at $4 billion: Investors already know what a digital subscription business looks like at scale. That would be Netflix, which has some 27 million subscribers at around $8 a month. Today, after Carl Icahn goosed it a bit, Netflix has a market cap of $4.3 billion. Spotify says it has 4 million paying subscribers at around $10 a month. Bear in mind that if you value Spotify at $4 billion today, you’re really saying it will be worth three times that — $12 billion — in a few years, when it would presumably go public. Minding the (Apple) Store [MONDAY NOTE] ‘Now you know the real reason for Browett’s firing’, a friend said, half-seriously.‘How can you spend North of $15M on such a strategically placed, symbolic store, complete with Italian stone hand-picked by Jobs himself…and give no consideration to the acoustics? It’s bad for customers, it’s bad for the staff, it’s bad for business, and it’s bad for the brand. Apple appears to be more concerned with style than with substance!’ YouTube preps big new round of content investments [AD AGE] Google’s video giant will provide a second round of funding to 30% to 40% of its original partners and will start notifying those getting more investment in the next few weeks. “Our biggest objective was to kick-start the ecosystem, to bring in great creators, to deepen our relationships with advertisers and to grow viewership,” said Global Head of Content Jamie Byrne. The problem with measuring digital influence [TECHCRUNCH] One of the reasons that brands don’t understand digital influence is because they don’t seem to realize that no one actually has any measured “data” on influence (i.e. explicit data that says precisely who actually influenced who, when, where, how, etc.). All influence scores are computed from users’ social activity data based on some models and algorithms of how influence works. However, anyone can create these models and algorithms. So who is right? How can we be sure your influence score is correct? In other words, how can we validate the models that vendors use to predict people’s influence? Don’t miss the latest tech news. Sign up now to get Today in Tech emailed every morning.


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Music streaming service Deezer is launching in the US today, the service is already available in 180 countries around the world.
Deezer was founded in Paris, France in 2007 and it is available on a range of platforms including iOS and Android.
Deezer will charge $10 a month to users in the US and they are offering a 30 day free trial of the device at launch.
The music streaming service already has 70 million free users and 30 million paid subscribers and it has over 40 million music tracks.
It will be interesting to see if Deezer becomes popular in the US, it is entering a crowded market with Apple Music, Spotify and others.
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Montblanc reinforces its commitment to sustainability with a small leather goods capsule collection made from leather obtained by processes to reduce carbon footprint and to minimize the use of water. With the introduction of its Montblanc Sartorial Eco Capsule Collection, Montblanc masterfully balances design aesthetic, product functionality, and environmental impact. Crafted from leather obtained by … Continue reading “MONTBLANC RELEASES A SUSTAINABLE CAPSULE COLLECTION”
There is an increasing number of brands that support sustainability highly targetting millennials and the next generation.
Tommy Hilfiger releases a swimwear collection made from sustainable fashion materials each nod to the brand’s iconic heritage and iconic colors.
Let’s change fashion for their future. H&M collaborates with illustrator Emma Jayne for a wildlife-inspired, sustainable collection made especially for kids
Nestled in the heart of the bustling urban landscape of the Philippines lies a haven of tranquility that has captured the essence of wellness and relaxation for over two decades. OGAWA Philippines, a name synonymous with innovation, rejuvenation, and holistic well-being, has etched its mark into the rich tapestry of the country’s history. From its … Continue reading “THE JOURNEY OF OGAWA THROUGH TIME AND INNOVATION”
Generali Life Assurance Philippines, Inc. (Generali Philippines) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Hak Hong Soo as President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to his appointment as CEO of Generali Philippines, he was the Regional Head of Health and an Executive Member of the International – Asia Regional Office. In this capacity, Dr. … Continue reading “GENERALI PHILIPPINES ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO”
We listed down 20 outstanding reasons among its many features why you need to put Bluewater Sumilon on your traveler’s bucket list.
Crafted using sustainable materials, each bag is designed to be versatile, functional, and fashionable. Find the perfect bag for your busy lifestyle with MLOUYE.
Cathay Pacific will be planting 20,000 mangrove trees in Southeast Asia this year, to honor its commitment to plant a tree for every flight ticket purchased in the region during the 1 Ticket, 1 Tree campaign held in 2022. This was announced at a tree planting event in Manila, Philippines, yesterday, 13 April. To commemorate Earth … Continue reading “CATHAY PACIFIC PLANTS 20,000 TREES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA”
This month, Levi’s® is launching the next iteration of its “Buy Better, Wear Longer” campaign which builds on the brand’s long-term commitment to making fashion more sustainable and prolonging the lifespan of its products. The brand is on a mission to help consumers love their jeans for decades, not seasons. To support this effort, the … Continue reading “LEVI’S LAUNCHES THE NEXT ITERATION OF BUY BETTER WEAR LONGER”
As the world slowly shifts into the post-pandemic era, more people are re-learning the importance of self-care. Everyone is trying to be the 2.0 versions of themselves, whether that’s physically, emotionally, or mentally. You best believe TRIZIE is doing the same! Last year, wellness enthusiasts were introduced to the Philippines’ first-ever fiber jelly, which made … Continue reading “ICYMI: TRIZIE NOW HAS A NEW AND IMPROVED FORMULA”
Athleisure has definitely become one of the biggest trends in recent years. The increasing popularity of stylish, trendy athletic wear has made comfortable clothing something that’s just as much for the gym as it is outside of it. But as with all clothing, it’s not just about looking good. You want to feel good, … Continue reading “MEET FUTURE RELICS: YOUR GO-TO ATHLEISURE WEAR BORN IN MANILA”
True to its values, Seiko Prospex welcomes the year on a brighter perspective as they launched a new set of time tellers that challenges every limit for sports lovers and adventure seekers whether in the water, in the sky, or on land. “Seize the Sunrise” is Seiko’s latest campaign in partnership with Reef Check Philippines … Continue reading “SEIKO DROPS THE 2ND PHILIPPINE LIMITED EDITION PROSPEX WATCH”
Gucci reveals its collaboration with The North Face that celebrates the spirit of exploration.
Nadine Lustre is Raising Funds for 88,000 Trees and here’s how you can help.
James Dyson Sustainability Awardee, Carvey Maigue readily integrable technology AuREUS is fitting to take Filipinos to the forefront of the sustainability arena.
The L’Oréal Group is advancing on its 2030 sustainability commitments with launch of Green Beauty – an end-to-end approach to sustainability.
The winner of this year’s Philippines National James Dyson Award decided to design a women-centered birthing tool to make labour more comfortable.
You must take advantage of this two-month fashion partnerships!
Fourth time is a sweet charm.


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Stoptober: NHS Backs Vaping
Photo credit vaping360.com
By Paul McGuirk
The annual Stoptober anti-smoking campaign is set to embrace vaping for the first time, in line with draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Until now, the government has avoided the promotion of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid. However, this year’s Stoptober campaign will include vaping in its marketing material, after polls revealed that e-cigarettes were the most popular tool used by smokers to help kick the habit in 2016.
According to statistics collated by Stoptober organisers, over half of those who gave up smoking last year used one of the devices, either to temporarily deal with cravings or as a long-term alternative to cigarettes.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that over a quarter of adults were classed as regular smokers in 2000. This number has been in sharp decline year-on-year, with just 15 percent of adults in the UK classed as regular smokers in 2016, proof positive that the UK is getting the message when it comes to the link between smoking and serious debilitating health conditions.
However, this data fails to account for the number of people eschewing smoking for e-cigarettes, a trend noticed by Dean Whitehead of Alauna Vapour Store, which is one of Cumbria’s longest established retailers of e-liquids, e-cigs and assorted paraphernalia.
Dean explained: “We’ve definitely noticed an increase in the number of middle-aged and elderly people switching over to e-cigarettes.
“As the popularity of vaping increases, it perhaps gives the older population a bit more confidence to try an alternative.”
Winning the war on smoking
The NHS website now describes e-cigarettes as “a great way to help combat nicotine cravings”, adding that the devices carry “a fraction of the risk” of regular cigarettes, leading some to speculate that vaping could eventually be available via the National Health Service to help long-term smokers beat their addiction.
Professor Gina Radford, the government’s deputy chief medical officer, also agreed in a recent interview that e-cigs were playing “an important role” in helping people to quit smoking. Alongside several other factors, including the introduction of standardised packaging, the implementation of display bans in shops and increased taxation on tobacco products, all of which were implemented in the past twelve months as part of legislation aimed at restricting the marketing powers of tobacco manufacturers.
Find your nearest Alauna Vapour Store
Workington, 9 Oxford Street – 01900 601 099
Whitehaven, 56 Roper Street – 01946 696 513
Cockermouth, 74 Main Street, 01900 822 280
Stoptober begins on October 1. For further information on the campaign, or for help and advice on smoking cessation, visit www.nhs.uk/oneyou/Stoptober.


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Tuta absoluta returns to NigeriaThe Gombe State Agricultural Development Project (ADP) says that the tomato pest, Tuta Absoluta, has seriously affected tomato harvests in three of the state’s 11 local government areas.
Mr Abba Dreba, the Pest Control Officer of the ADP, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Wednesday that the affected local governments were Akko, Kwami and Yamltu-Deba.
“The tomato pest started ravaging tomato farms last year but the ADP was not aware of this until this year; this is because tomato farmers in the affected local government areas were ignorant of the pest.
“However, when we received the report, we went round the entire local governments of Gombe and discovered that only Akko, Kwami and Yamltu-Deba local government areas were affected.
“The entirety of the tomato farms in the three areas were devastated. This is a very serious problem because the pest is resistant to all the available chemicals and insecticides in the market,’’ he said.
Read more at AIT
Publication date: 5/15/2017
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In May, the World Bank released The Pacific Possible: Tourism Report, which states that 11 emerging destinations in the Pacific region could receive one million more visitors, up to US$1.8 billion annually in additional receipts and 128,000 more jobs by 2040. The report, for which I was a contributor, analyzed tourism trends for key generating markets and the receiving markets of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati, Palau, Marshall Islands (RMI), Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Tuvalu (referred to collectively as the PIC11). For investors interested in the region, the report could serve to stimulate increased public and private sector investment, particularly in infrastructure, including hotel investments.
The report recommends four key strategy areas for attention: improving international transport links to the region; attracting higher-spending tourists; improved public sector engagement; and improving linkages between tourism and local economies. Coordinated and targeted actions in these areas by the public sector and businesses will help the PIC11 increase sustainable tourism and the socio-economic, cultural and environmental benefits that can result. Addressing these areas will also raise the bar of confidence, of course, for investors.
In 2014, a record 1.37 million overnight tourists visited the PIC11, with Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Samoa and Vanuatu comprising the top five destinations. Two thirds of visitors traveling to Pacific Island countries are from Australia and New Zealand, while the United States, China, Japan and Europe represent significant growth potential.
As John Perrottet, report author and senior technical specialist at the World Bank, emphasized: “Tourism is one of the Pacific region’s most economically viable sectors, with significant opportunities for sustainable growth in the Chinese tourist, cruise ship, luxury travel and retiree markets. By taking a targeted approach to tourism development, Pacific Island countries can ensure visitor numbers are kept at sustainable levels, while attracting higher-spending tourists—helping to protect the precious natural environment and cultural heritage that make this region so special.”
According to the report, international brand name hotels are not well represented in the PIC11 countries because of the very small average size of hotels in the region. International Finance Corporation research shows that there are fewer than 60 hotels in the PIC11 with more than 100
rooms and less than 60 percent of these carry an international brand. AccorHotels (France), Starwood Hotels & Resorts (U.S.) and InterContinental Hotels Group (UK) dominate the region with 60 percent of the branded properties. The absence of a critical mass of international brand names limits recognition in international markets.
Increasing the Chinese Market
The Chinese market offers substantial growth opportunities for the PIC11, albeit with the proviso that careful planning is needed so that destinations are not overwhelmed with more visitors than they can manage sustainably. The report explains that between 2009 and 2014, Chinese visitors to PIC11 grew by an average of 27 percent per annum, and now represent 7 percent of the inbound market. This rate could continue at 20 percent per annum over the next 10 years, which would result in the Chinese comprising 20 percent of the market in PIC11s by 2025.
To achieve this growth with the Chinese market, the World Bank recommends the following:
- Negotiate new air routes between PIC’s and Chinese cities. Scheduled routes may initially be developed by charters or supplemented by charters at times of high demand.
- Upgrade airports and provide support to attract new carriers.
- Tailor offerings to Chinese tourists, such as providing translators, improving service standards, installing Chinese signage and Wi-Fi coverage.
- Build relationships with major Chinese outbound operators, wholesalers and China-based agents selling the Pacific to develop concrete sales and distribution channels for marketing efforts.
- Implement a fully-resourced, long-term targeted promotion campaign, covering all cities, including travel trade, public relations and a major on-line presence through leading booking and trading websites.
- Identify specific segments of the Chinese market which match PIC11 offerings, including soft adventure, diving, weddings, incentives, overnight cruising etc.
- Increase the efficiency of visa application processes across all PIC’s targeting the Chinese market where visas are a barrier, including improving the communication of visa requirements, introducing multiple entry electronic visas (e-visa), promoting a regional visa scheme, and introducing a no-cost Visa on Arrival.
- Improve shopping in key destinations through a retail development program.
- Implement a major Pacific awareness campaign through Chinese media.
Increasing the High-Yield Market
Given the limited size and thus absorption capacity of the PIC11 countries, the report recommends a focus on high-end luxury properties. The World Bank estimates that by 2040 an additional 138,000 high-yield tourists could be attracted to the PIC11 for luxury offers, who would generate over US$449 million in total tourism receipts, and over 31,000 additional jobs.
To achieve this growth, the World Bank recommends the following:
- Develop PIC Government policy and strategy on exclusive accommodations.
- Encourage government support for the purchase or lease of land by investors ensuring full protection and benefits for traditional land owners.
- Identify prospective development locations, particularly in regards to accessibility.
- Identify a Pacific champion to lead the development of a regional strategy, an individual who can, with bring investors and opportunities together.
- Develop a Pacific luxury marketing strategy similar to Tourism New Zealand’s Premium Strategy.
- Increase availability of private jet aircraft facilities at gateway airports.
Increasing the Retiree Market
The retiree market is also an important potential segment for the PIC11, which the World Bank estimates could bring US$300 million by 2040. According to the report, the number of Australian retirees is projected to increase by 75 percent over the next 20 years, from 3.3 million in 2012 to 5.8 million in 2032, with assets that will grow from around US$300 billion to US$1.3 trillion by 2032. Retirees in New Zealand are expected to double by 2036. The World Bank estimates that the PIC11 could receive a total of 5,000 retirees by 2025 and that this growth could continue beyond 2025 to
10,000 resident foreign retirees by 2040, who could bring US$320 million in receipts and generate over 22,000 jobs.
To achieve this growth, the World Bank recommends the following:
- Establish visa and taxation regimes to attract long stay retirees
- Invest in high quality and affordable health care offerings that are crucial to the retiree market including private hospitals and aged-care homes.
- Invest in infrastructure and provide incentives to attract the private sector to develop accommodation options for foreign retirees.
- Determine rights of individuals to import personal effects duty free, and vehicles for their own use either duty free (with a claw-back on sale) or at a minimal charge.
- Determine rights of retirees to import capital and receive income from their home country, and to remit capital on sale or to beneficiaries in the event of death.
- Establish a system of licensed immigration agents to assist and guide intending immigrants.
- Enhance targeted marketing efforts to potential foreign retirees.
- Given Australia and New Zealand are both top destinations for retirement, PIC11s need to develop a strategic plan to attract retirees from these two potential markets.
- Develop a communication plan and provide clear guidance to retirees through a dedicated government website.
- Introduce training through authorized providers for aged-care support services.
- Determine the interest of Australian and New Zealand aged care providers to establish facilities in PICs.
Tapping these priority markets and attracting more investment and operators, particularly international tour operators and hotel groups, the World Bank recommends a four-part strategy:
- Improving connectivity with growing and established markets—More direct connections between northern hemisphere generating markets and the PIC11s, with less dependence on the hubs of Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Guam.
- Attracting more and higher yielding tourists—Long-term market development that emphasizes yield, rather than volume, with less dependence on Australia and New Zealand as the principal generating markets.
- Improving the investment climate and the effectiveness of public sector participation in the sector—Increased focus among the PIC11 Governments on policies that strengthen the business enabling environment, the labor force quality, effectiveness of public institutions to attract visitors, and capacity of regional level destination marketing.
- Improving the efficiency of the tourism sector—Strengthen linkages between tourism and local suppliers, especially for food supplies and services to hotels, improve destination management and strategy, pool private sector resources such as cold storage and access to warehouse financing for this purpose, and regional level training facilities.
For the PIC11 countries, pursuing this strategy with World Bank support, as well as with the support of the South Pacific Tourism Organization, national tourism authorities, tourism businesses in each country and other stakeholders, can stimulate more investment, more high yield tourist arrivals, more income and tax revenue, as well as more jobs. Tourism is a key to the sustainable development and a more prosperous future for the region.


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As the country moves to Level 5 restrictions, some local businesses are introducing innovative measures to keep spirits up. With food outlets limited to takeaway, the iconic Uncle Tom’s Cabin bar and restaurant in Dundrum, Co. Dublin, has recalibrated its offering to provide a quality takeaway service for their loyal customers in the weeks ahead.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin — in partnership with the award-winning Dublin Pizza Company — recently launched its exciting new family-friendly Community Food Hub, providing a safe outdoor dining and drinking space for locals and customers to enjoy.
Faced with the new lockdown, Uncle Tom’s Cabin has announced it will temporarily change with the difficult times to give customers a slice of normality. The venue is harnessing its special ingredients — mouthwatering Italian pizzas from the Dublin Pizza Company, a complete drinks menu from Uncle’s Tom’s legendary bar and quality coffee from its Community Coffee dock — to create a virtual ‘one-stop-shop’ food and drink takeaway service, and has utilised the spatial surrounds of the car park to create a unique “Pizza ‘n’ Pints Drive-Thru” for local customers.
The venue’s Barry Cassidy says, “We can understand people’s disappointment and worries heading into another lockdown. Like many other businesses, we’ve had to adapt the entire way we operate and this led to the creation of the outdoor Community Food Hub, which was very popular with customers, old and new.
“Now, over the next six weeks, we are facing another challenge but we’re working hard to make sure our local customers can enjoy a top-quality takeaway service so that they can at least recreate the Uncle Tom’s experience from their homes.”
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the Dublin Pizza Company and the Community Coffee have drawn up new takeaway menus for customers.
The pub has reduced the price of its famous pint of Guinness to just €5, and customers will be given special takeaway holders to keep their drinks safe. Other favourites such as Heineken and a large selection of traditional and craft beers are also available at reduced takeaway prices. (On behalf of Easy Food, we’d like to specify that only passengers should be availing of the takeaway pints. Obviously.)
Meanwhile, the Dublin Pizza Company offers a true slice for food lovers, serving authentic Italian pizza, fresh pasta and gelato.
Then there’s the coffee. The venue recently opened its Community Coffee dock outside the front entrance, serving 9th Degree Coffee, which is roasted in a micro-roastery in the heart of Dublin city centre.
Barry — who created the new outdoor project during the first lockdown back in March, added, “The whole idea is to create a fun and safe environment in the community where everyone can come and relax together and enjoy some great food, drinks and coffee.
“We’re delighted to have our partners Dublin Pizza Company on board, providing a real and authentic taste of Italy on-site using their own homegrown organic ingredients.”
Uncle Tom’s new opening hours are from 4-10pm Monday to Friday, and 2-10pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Community Coffee opens from 8am to 4pm every day.


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Genii Inks Casino Content Manage EveryMatrix
Supplier of gaming innovation assistance Genii revealed today so it provides written a collaboration agreement with using the internet games computer software carrier EveryMatrix. Under the terms of the contract, EveryMatrix will begin offering Genii’s list of greater than 130 video gaming brands to the people across the gaming marketplace.
The video games to get provided additionally include Genii’s Spin16 range, known for letting members to immediately swipe reels leftover, right, upwards, and lower, and also other features that are exciting.
Founded back 2008, EveryMatrix is now among the biggest aggregators of internet casino material throughout the industry. The business has offices in Asia, Europe, and the united states. Placing comments regarding the announcement, Nick slope, purchases and promotional movie director for your video gaming supplier, said that their providers aims at offering the most useful products that are possible casino and sportsbook platforms along with fees ones and therefore Genii’s directory ‘certainly match that classification.’
The executive further mentioned by using the Spin16 slot machines, EveryMatrix will be able to give clientele with something distinctive.
Genii’s portfolio consists of a lot more than 130 multi-channel that is different. These include readily available on desktop, mobile, and pill and are generally all backed on Microsoft windows, Android, and Apple.
Genii deals manager Nick Barr observed that the agreement that was latest is extremely good development for any team as the video gaming titles being offered to EveryMatrix’s huge market. Mr. Barr further remarked that their new lover’s determination to your quality products that are highest seems to be always a best complement for Genii and it is indicative on the ‘quality and elegance’ of this company’s collection.
The announcement about Genii’s platform cooperation with EveryMatrix arrived only a time following the video gaming technology provider uncovered a material package with Videoslots. According gamblingrosecasino.co.uk to the terms of the agreement, Genii’s full games index will run reside making use of the online casino brand, including the Spin16 number of brands.
Alexander Stevendahl of Videoslots mentioned that its big getting ‘a seller like Genii onboard’ using its appealing video gaming portfolio. Based on Mr. Stevendahl, experiencing the cellular and tablet generation is particularly vital and Genii will undoubtedly give you the casino that is online with these tapping.
Within the last several months, Genii has also established partnerships with Stafish Media, OMEGA Gaming, LeoVegas, Iforium, as well as a amount of various other companies that are gambling-related.
Kingdom International Announces 2016 Rebranding Plan in Italy
Gambling operator Empire international Corp. established prior today the 2016 Rebranding regimen. The company operates on the internet and gaming that is land-based betting providers in Italy through their wholly-owned part Multigioco Srl.
The agent has rejuvenated its brand new Gioco logo design in a fashion that complements the overall picture. On top of that, this has revamped their playing websites so that you can incorporate customers with a wider variety of sporting events activities, both residential and international, and in-game betting plays.
Kingdom international said inside a statement from earlier in the day today that its updated product offering was alive now in Italy. The organization more mentioned that the introduced improvements ‘provide a platform that is superior’ hence and can compete with the most significant & most prominent playing providers providing her service to Italian clientele.
Posting comments on the current statement, Empire worldwide CEO Michele Ciavarella noticed that the driver’s extended sports betting program will provide existing users with better skills compared to one they already know just and can have more new clients from competition. The professional also extra which they anticipate enhanced turnover that is betting an outcome of the applied changes.
Based in Toronto, Canada, kingdom Global Corp. provides online and brick-and-mortar gambling treatments in Italy through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Rifa Srl and Multigioco Srl. The firms control online video gaming and activities wagering brands when better to be string of wagering shops through the nation.
Empire worldwide has now expose that it had obtained financing from Italy’s Veneto Banca to perform previously revealed acquisitions. The organization had been approved financing of €500,000 for a 5-year name and by having an annual interest rate of 5%.
The gaming operator has also revealed the session of Graham Martin to their administration teams and Board of administrators, hence increasing their unique quantity to four members. Located in Hong-Kong and London, Mr. Martin is really a bookie and gambling that is online using more than 30 years of experience on the go.
Its their objective to attract both human and monetary investment to Empire Global as a way for the organization if you would like to promote integration synergies from inside the regulated gaming marketplaces, where in actuality the professional is actually well-respected and knowledgeable. Mr. Martin is known to be the president of excellente Terre Ltd., a business enterprise which today works as heavens choice and is also among the prominent gaming workers in the united kingdom.


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(NBC) – If coffee was a politician, it would win election in a landslide, and if it was Congress, it might even get something done.
According to the National Coffee Association, nearly 60% of Americans choose coffee each day over other beverages, including tap water, which may be why coffee has its very own day.
No matter how you like your cup of joe… There are plenty of deals brewing today.
Starbucks is celebrating its 50th anniversary today with a rare freebie – you can get a free cup of pike place roast if you bring in a clean, empty reusable cup, up to 20 ounces.
Members of Dunkin’s “D-D perks” program will get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase.
And McDonald’s says it doesn’t have a dedicated coffee day offer… But you can get a cup of hot or iced coffee for 99 cents through the end of the year on its app.
Download the ArkLaTexHomepage app to keep up with the latest top stories, breaking news, weather, sports, and more!


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The Chinese solar industry is expanding at a high rate. One of the latest adopted by the manufacturers in the solar industry is to ship solar panels via other Asian countries in order to dodge trade restrictions laid down by the Western markets. Manufacturers in the China’s solar industry are currently aiming to dodge the European Union and United States laid trade barriers by locating approximately tenth of their production capacity overseas.
However, this tactic is not risk free, as the European Commission is currently investigating if the Chinese manufacturers are shipping solar panels through Malaysia and Taiwan to evade the trade restrictions. According to a ruling in the U.S., in 2014 December the expanded protection by duties included products from Taiwan, in which producers from China purchases previously some solar cells.Furthermore, the United States has also finalized on their plans to add tariffs to any solar panels which are assembled/made in China despite the origin of the solar cells used.
These trade restriction associated tensions are the result of China’s emergences as the dominant producer in the world for solar products. At present, China holds a total of 70 per cent share of supply of solar panels in the global market. According to the investor relations directors, Sebastian Liu, products from their Malaysian plant are mostly exported to the U.S. and they are now focusing on the global demand, he further said that this is permanent, however, they want the manufacturing at the global level to prevent any risks which are posed by an individual production location.
In 2013, the European Union approved a deal which set a least price and volume limit on importing solar products made in China. Similarly, in Canada during March there were imposed provisional duties placed on the solar panels made in China. While the U.S. ruled in the month of January that PV imports from China and Taiwan to be sold at a cost which was below the fair market value as it harmed the solar panel manufacturers in the U.S.


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CAIRO: Egypt and Jordan have agreed on an e-linking project to facilitate customs clearance procedures between the two countries.
Egypt’s transportation ministry confirmed the agreement in an announcement on Saturday. The agreement includes easing the transit of ships and passengers between Nuweiba and Aqaba Ports.
Egypt and Jordan are discussing ways to boost investment and economic cooperation and simplify procedures for better flow of goods, passengers, and cargo between each other. Egypt’s Minister of Transport Galal Saeed has been conducting extensive meetings with Jordanian counterpart Yahia Kasabi to start the e-link project as soon as possible.


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What Trump’s border tax could mean for retail companies like Target
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Chief executives of some of America’s largest retailers will meet with President Donald Trump today to talk about job creation and the economy.
They’re also bending the ears of members of Congress to express opposition to a possible border adjustment tax, which is part of a House Republican blueprint for tax reform. The proposal would, among other things, levy a 20 percent tax on imported goods.
That’s unappealing to the heads of import-reliant companies like Best Buy, Target and Gap Inc.
Click the above audio player to hear the full story.
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Kohl's paring costs as sales decline
With shopper traffic down and sales continuing to slide, Kohl’s Corp. is reducing inventory levels in hundreds of its stores, and in some cases is looking to bring in other retailers to occupy space being freed.
The initiative reduces operating costs — important at a time when top-line growth proves elusive — but maintains the large brick-and-mortar presence Kohl’s sees as an asset supporting its online sales.
By this time next year, more than 300 full-size Kohl’s stores — about a third of the total — will be operating with reduced inventories and fewer fixtures.
The company has been testing the initiative but hasn’t spoken publicly about it much until now.
Like other department-store chains, Kohl’s has struggled amid growing competition from online and discount retailers. On Thursday, the Menomonee Falls-based company reported declining sales and earnings in the important fourth quarter and predicted tepid results for 2017.
Kohl’s has long been vigilant about managing costs, but with shrinking revenue, paring expenses has become even more important.
At the same time, while retailers such as Macy’s have announced major store closings, Kohl’s is taking a less-drastic tack. The firm shuttered 19 locations in 2016, but that was a small slice of its roughly 1,150 stores.
Speaking with industry analysts on a post-earnings conference call Thursday, CEO Kevin Mansell said he doesn’t necessarily envision a future decline in the number of stores, but that more of them will be smaller.
“We do think that having a big footprint is really important,” he said.
Kohl’s believes a physical presence helps online sales, and a growing share of those sales — a third of them in the fourth quarter — get fulfilled through a brick-and-mortar store.
A standard Kohl’s store covers about 80,000 square feet. But Kohl’s has been transitioning to smaller spaces, and now has about 185 stores — 16% of the total — that are less than that, typically 55,000 or 35,000 square feet.
In addition, the company has reduced inventory and fixtures in another 115 standard-sized locations, in effect running them as smaller stores. Among them is the Sussex store, at Highway 164 and Silver Spring Road.
“We’re going to expand that effort dramatically this year,” Mansell said in an interview. Another 200 stores are to get the treatment this year.
He said the downsizing “has had essentially no impact on sales’’ but has reduced expenses. And it has improved the customer experience by giving shoppers more space and reducing clutter, Mansell said.
On average, the affected stores have had their inventory and fixtures reduced by a “mid-teens percentage,” Jen Johnson, Kohl’s vice president for corporate communications, said in an email.
In at least two cases, Kohl’s has carved out physical space that was subsequently leased to other merchants. The Kohl's store in Framingham, Mass., cut 20,000 square feet that the landlord has leased to a Pier One. Another Kohl's store, in the Boston suburb of Medford, cut 30,000 square feet that a Wegmans supermarket will occupy later this year.
Kohl’s now is looking for further opportunities to bring in other retailers to space vacated by downsized stores, chief financial officer Wes McDonald told analysts.
That promises to attract more shoppers to developments that include Kohl’s stores — an important potential benefit, as traffic across the chain dropped 5% to 6% last year.
The reduced traffic figured in the results Kohl’s announced Thursday — sales off 2.8% in the three months ended Jan. 28, compared with a year ago, and profit off by 15%.
Sales in stores open at least a year fell 2.2%. It was the fourth straight quarter of year-over-year declines in the key measure of retail performance.
The company had signaled the downbeat quarterly results in an announcement last month that sent its stock tumbling 19%.
The hard times besetting Kohl’s and other department-store chains aren’t disappearing yet. Kohl’s said it expects 2017 sales to decline as much as 1.3% from last year’s level. The most optimistic projection is a gain of 0.7%. Total sales last year were off 2.7% from 2015.
Comparable-store sales in 2017 are expected to be flat to down 2%, the company said.
Kohl’s said it expects $3.50 to $3.80 in earnings per share this year. The retailer earned $3.76 a share in 2016.
One bright note: The Kohl’s board this week raised the quarterly dividend on its stock by a nickel, to 55 cents a share.


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NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman kickstarted her Budget 2022 speech by stressing on the importance of drones in the farming sector and as well as how drones could help boost startups in India. Betting on the agriculture sector, drones could be used for assessment and fertilisation, according to the government.
Kisan Drones is said to be entrusted in deployment of drone technology in the sector, which also includes providing special monetary benefits that allows purchase or hire of drones for such purposes.
The primary objectives of bringing drones into the sector is to reduce manpower, increase the efficiency of crop protection with chemicals, reduce the amount of water used for farming, and prevent humans from getting exposed to harmful pesticides.
Budget 2022: 5G Coming To India By 2023 Announces Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
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“The guidelines of “Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation” (SMAM) have been amended which envisages granting upto 100% of the cost of agriculture drone or Rs 10 lakhs, whichever is less, as grant for purchase of drones by the Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes, ICAR institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Agriculture Universities for taking up large scale demonstrations of this technology on the farmers’ fields," according to a recent statement by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
In addition to these, the Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) are eligible to get grants up to 75 percent of the total cost of agriculture drones. Subsidising the cost of owning drones is likely to propel the use of technology among farmers, and certain bodies will be responsible to reach out at the ground level for its widespread use.
Also read: Budget 2022 LIVE Updates: No Change In Income Tax Slabs, 30% Tax On Virtual Digital Assets
But the policy is not limited to the use of drones in the sector. The Indian Government wants to push for local drone production, which effectively brings down the cost of ownership for interested parties.
There will be a structured pre- and post-application process that has to be monitored by the operator, giving them the control of the drone in the field, and enabling the farmer to benefit from use of the aerial technology for agricultural purposes.
Read all the Latest Tech News here


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RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The prices haven’t risen on everything this pandemic. In fact, there’s a lot of things that have gotten much cheaper.
Kyle James with the website: ratherbeshopping.com put this list together-- the 13 things that have gotten cheaper during the pandemic.
Gas-- is much cheaper right now, and if you need to fill up its significantly less than this time last year.
Clothing is less expensive. Retail stores are hurting and trying to get you to buy.
So, the coupons circulating right now-- are crazy good. Sometimes as much as 60% off an order.
Stores are also offering great free shipping deals and we’re seeing some new ones from stores that didn’t normally offer free shipping.
There’s also a lot of free streaming workouts available right now. If you want to drop the membership and use free alternatives to save a little money.
Auto manufacturers are offering a lot of 0% financing deals that run years-- if you need a new car.
And credit reports are free right now. All “Big 3” credit bureaus are offering free WEEKLY online reports through April of 2021. Before COVID-19, you could only get one free peek at your credit report a year through each credit bureau.
Copyright 2020 WWBT. All rights reserved.


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GREENSBORO, United States — Apparel maker VF Corp posted better-than-expected quarterly results and raised its full-year profit forecast on Friday, boosted by thriving demand for its high-margin Vans shoes and North Face apparel.
VF Corp, which recently decided to spin off of its less profitable denim business that houses iconic brands such as Wrangler and Lee into a publicly traded company, is now banking on the growing popularity of Vans brand.
The company has been keeping its inventory channels clean and selling products at full price, while also refreshing styles to make its brands more popular among millennials and compete with Nike.
VF said revenue from the company's Vans sneaker segment rose 26 percent in the quarter.
The company raised its full-year adjusted earnings forecast to $3.65 per share from the previous expected range of $3.52 to $3.57.
The company's income from continuing operations rose to $507.1 million, or $1.26 per share, in the second quarter ended Sept. 29, from $473.8 million, or $1.19 per share, a year earlier.
Excluding certain items, VF, earned $1.43 per share, beating analysts' average estimate of $1.33, according to Refinitiv estimates.
Net revenue rose 15 percent to $3.91 billion, above the market expectation of $3.87 billion.
By Aishwarya Venugopal; editor: Arun Koyyur.


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Source: Washington Mutual
Washington Mutual, Inc. (NYSE: WM) announced today that James B. Corcoran has been named president of its Retail Banking franchise. He joins Washington Mutual in Seattle in May, 2006 from Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBoS), where he was the Managing Director of Retail Distribution.
At Washington Mutual (WaMu), Corcoran will oversee all facets of the company's retail banking franchise, including its network of more than 2,100 retail banking stores and more than 30,000 employees, small business banking, consumer lending, financial services and all retail products and banking operations. He will report to company President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Rotella and will be a member of the company's Executive Committee.
"James is an outstanding addition to Washington Mutual," said Rotella. "He has a proven track record of driving significant organic customer growth along with bottom line results. His strong combination of sales and marketing expertise and exceptional operating skills will accelerate the momentum of our retail banking franchise in rapidly growing households, improving productivity and cross-selling. James is also an energetic catalyst for innovation and creativity. We're excited to add his considerable skills and talents to WaMu's executive team."
Corcoran joined HBoS in 2000. He was responsible for its branch retail system and all non-branch distribution channels, including customer call centers, E-commerce, and real estate brokerage and financial planning operations. At HBoS, Corcoran oversaw a retail banking team of 32,000 employees and grew the company's card business from one to four million customers in three years. The HBoS Group has 22 million customers and a relationship with 2 out of every 5 households in the UK. In the company's banking unit, more people in the UK switch their current account to HBoS than any other bank (21%).
"I'm really excited to be joining WaMu and look forward to helping drive further expansion and growth," said Corcoran. "Our continued success will be built upon delivering superior value and convenience to our customers."
Prior to joining HBoS, Corcoran was the president of the UK Card Business at Bank One/First USA and was Managing Director of Global Sales at Citigroup, New York, where he was responsible for developing the bank's worldwide retail banking distribution network. He also served as head of Marketing for IBM's Consumer Business in New York. Corcoran began his career at American Express. He started as a sales executive and over his 15 years there rose through the ranks, including senior assignments in New York and Australia, to become senior vice president of Card Marketing for the company's European operations.


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Brazilian IT spending is expected to bounce back in 2010, following strong growth in computer sales in the first half of the year. Government and retail demand drove most of the growth, as Brazil's economy made a robust recovery, while still-sluggish business demand is expected to pick up in H210. Demand for IT products and services is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% over the forecast period, making Brazil one of the best-performing global IT markets. A National Broadband Plan announced in May 2010 should help to drive future growth in demand for IT products and services.
After 2010, the fundamentals of low computer penetration and growing affordability should keep the market on an upward path. Despite current economic uncertainty, a PC penetration rate of less than 25% indicates plenty of room for market growth. Infrastructure investments following the award of the 2016 Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro is expected to drive new spending on IT systems and solutions.
In May 2010, the Brazil government formally launched a National Broadband Plan (PNBL), which aims to triple access to broadband services by 2014. The government will invest BRL11bn in the plan, which will be managed by former state-owned telecoms company Telebras. The government has set an ambitious target for Brazil to have 90mn broadband connections by 2014, reaching half of Brazilian homes. The plan could provide a boost to the Brazilian computer market, as most broadband infrastructure is currently concentrated in major cities and towns.
Vendors reported an upturn in government IT spending in Q110, boosted by computer procurements by the Ministry of Education and schools. Government information and communication technology (ICT) spending reached BRL1.89bn (US$1bn) during January-July 2009. In terms of types of service, consulting accounted for about half of government ICT expenditures in the first seven months of 2009 with investment of BRL915mn.
In H110, the government continued to roll out its 'one computer per student' programme. The programme received a boost in 2009 when Brazil's central bank authorised BRL100mn in funding for national development bank BNDES to purchase PCs through the programme. The funds will be made available to public schools for the purchase of low-cost portable computers and will also cover networking infrastructure costs.
The Brazilian PC market leader remains Positivo Informatica, ahead of leading multinational rivals like HP, Dell and Acer. Positivo has been the sales leader in Brazil for the last 22 quarters and reported a 31.8% year-on-year rise (y-o-y) in revenues in the first quarter of 2010. The company achieved sales of BRL617mn (US$348) on the back of strong sales to the government sector. Positivo's quarterly PC shipments reached 427,741 units, with desktop and notebook shipments increasing 32.2% and 30.9% respectively.
The Brazilian IT services market is competitive with multinationals such as IBM, HP, Accenture and Indian vendors Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) competing with local players like Politec, CPM Braxis and Stefanini. Brazil's government is determined to encourage the development of the domestic IT sector, in line with ambitions for Brazil to become one of the world's top outsourcing destinations by 2010.
One growth area is expected to be demand by Brazilian organisations for services to facilitate use of cloud computing. In March 2010, business process outsourcing (BPO) player Tivit announced that it was launching cloud computing services, branded as Tivit virtual services, which will be targeted at corporations. Meanwhile, Brazilian IT services provider Avancera is the exclusive national distributor of Microsoft Dynamics AX in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, and claimed in March 2010 to be on its way towards closing six to eight Microsoft hosting contracts in the year.
Brazilian sales of computer hardware are projected to grow around 17% in US dollar value terms in 2010, following a strong increase in shipments in the first quarter of the year. PC volume sales were up by around one-third in Q110, boosted by government tenders, a recovering economy and easier credit.
Brazil's software market is projected to be worth US$3.8bn in 2010, with more robust growth compared with 2009. Software CAGR for 2010-2014 is projected at around 13%. The current economic crisis led companies in some key Brazilian software spending verticals such as manufacturing and oil and gas to review IT budgets or look to defer systems updates.
Brazil's IT services market is expected to continue to grow strongly in 2010, with total spending of around US$8.9bn as the economy continues to bounce back from recession. The award of the 2016 Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro is expected to drive substantial investment in IT, not only directly associated with the games, but also related to transport and other infrastructure projects.
The World Economic Forum's latest IT report ranked Brazil 53rd in the world in the area of 'degree of preparation to participate in and benefit from information and communications technology', placing Brazil fourth in the region behind Chile, Barbados and Mexico. The government recently said that 37mn elementary school children in Brazil should have access to broadband by 2010.


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FRANKFURT, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese publishers have done an unprecedented volume of copyright deals at the Frankfurt Book Fair, sealing contracts for 2,192 copyright items so far, a Chinese official said Saturday.
This was the biggest ever copyright trade for China at the annual Frankfurt fair, the world’s biggest book gala.
Of the total contracts, Chinese publishers have imported 1,310 copyright items, and exported 882 titles to foreign counterparts, said Zhang Fuhai, a senior official from the Chinese delegation, at a press conference.
China is the Guest of Honor at this year’s book fair and 223 publishing houses from the Chinese mainland participated.
Zhang attributed the sharp rise in copyright trade volume to China’s role as the Guest of Honor as well as to China’s rising influence generally in the world.
Zhang said he expected more contracts to be inked by Chinese publishers before the fair ends on Sunday.
The Chinese government has adopted a "going-out" strategy, which encourages Chinese publishers to export more book copyrights abroad in a bid to promote Chinese culture at large.


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New funding for four food and beverage manufacturers will support local economies by creating new jobs, strengthening B.C.’s agrifood and agritech sectors, and promoting the development of made-in-B.C. products.
“Helping homegrown manufacturing companies expand helps us grow a strong, sustainable economy in B.C. that everyone can benefit from,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “Through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, we’re investing in innovative projects around the province that create stable jobs and stronger communities.”
The Government of B.C. is contributing as much as $2.07 million through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, supporting three capital projects and one planning project, to help food and beverage manufacturers grow by upgrading equipment and facilities to increase capacity, while creating more than 125 new jobs.
In Surrey, Dr. Ma’s Laboratories, which manufactures more than 800 natural health products, will receive as much as $1.25 million to establish a second processing facility and complete facility upgrades. Upgrades will accommodate scaling up and automation of production to meet increasing demand. The food, supplement and vitamin manufacturer will also bring raw-ingredient processing in house as part of a capital project, which will triple production, enable it to prioritize local suppliers and create 75 new jobs.
“The program’s support allows our company to open a second manufacturing facility and add new in-house production capabilities,” said Jie Ma, president, Dr. Ma’s Laboratories. “The funding helps us create sustainable and quality jobs, right here in Surrey.”
In Pitt Meadows, When We Eat Manufacturing Ltd., which produces frozen-snack foods for grocery-store chains and is working to become a net-zero processing facility, is receiving as much as $623,000 to expand production, build and install new equipment. The upgrade will help scale up operations and minimize CO2 emissions from production. This project will create 50 new jobs and set the stage to increase manufacturing capacity and diversify product offerings.
“With deep gratitude to the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, our project modernizes production in the food industry with in-house, state-of-the-art equipment and facility expansion,” said Jae Park, owner, When We Eat Manufacturing Ltd. “This strategic investment enhances efficiency, generates jobs, ensures food safety and drives our commitment to global innovation, contributing significantly to food-industry competitiveness and growth.”
Other food and beverage manufacturers receiving funds from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund include:
- Wynndel: Pippin Point, which produces juice, cider and reusable wooden boxes, will receive as much as $176,610 to build a new production plant and buy machinery that will allow it to operate year-round, increase the manufacturing of reusable wooden boxes made from B.C. plywood and hire four full-time staff; and
- Coquitlam: Soul Bite Food Inc., a plant-based food manufacturing and catering business that produces and distributes a line of vegan frozen dinners, is receiving as much as $22,000 to complete planning activities for a future capital project that would help the company buy equipment to automate production, achieve economies of scale and create four jobs.
“The stronger the B.C. manufacturing system is, the more secure our food and beverage supply will be for the people who rely on local products in our communities,” said Pam Alexis, Minister of Agriculture and Food. “With this program, we’re helping B.C.’s agriculture and agritech manufacturing sectors be more competitive, while boosting economic growth. We will continue to work closely with them to ensure their success.”
The BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund supports for-profit organizations to plan and launch shovel-ready, high-value industrial and manufacturing projects that bring direct benefits and stable, family-supporting jobs to communities, while driving clean and inclusive growth throughout the province.
Building resilient economies is part of the Province’s work through the StrongerBC Economic Plan to build a strong and sustainable economy through clean and inclusive growth. Supporting B.C.’s manufacturing sectors helps bring the government closer to its goal of building a more innovative economy for people, businesses and communities throughout B.C.
Lisa Beare, MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows –
“There are so many amazing innovators in B.C. leading the way in clean and sustainable manufacturing, including right here in Pitt Meadows. When we support local companies making these changes, we're creating good jobs in our community and a cleaner economy.”
Brittny Anderson, MLA for Nelson-Creston –
“People in the Kootenays are proud of the innovation and creativity of our small businesses. I’m so glad our government is able to assist Pippin Point to expand their operations and continue growing our local sustainable economy.”
Selina Robinson, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville –
“Innovation is key to an expanding food manufacturing sector. The BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund is helping small, local companies to modernize production and create more jobs for people in their home communities. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Soul Bite Food’s vegan frozen dinners and catering, as they grow and expand their business.”
Stephen Aryan, director, Pippin Point –
“Pippin Point is grateful to the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund for contributing to the expansion of our operations in the Columbia Basin region. This funding allows for a continued investment in scaling up manufacturing to meet increasing demand, replace imported products with locally produced versions and open up new export markets.”
Ali Haeri, director, Soul Bite Food Inc. –
“With funds from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, we have been able to conduct comprehensive market research, refine our case-development strategies and position ourselves for sustainable success. The impact of this support extends far beyond our organization. It contributes to the overall development of the manufacturing landscape in British Columbia.”
To learn about the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/economic-development/support-organizations-community-partners/rural-economic-development/manufacturing-jobs-fund
To learn about StrongerBC Economic Plan, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/plan


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Snapchat already makes it easy to add as many emojis as you want over photos and videos. And now, it's giving emojis the ability to interact with the environment you're shooting.
It's similar to the way Snapchat lenses — those whacky selfie filters — track your face and follow you in frame.
When you add an emoji from the dedicated sticker button at the top right of a snap replay, you can now long press on an object in your video that you want to attach the emoji to. The result looks like this:
Pretty cool, right?
Snapchat says the tech behind this new emoji feature was developed in-house, and it's available on Android now before arriving on the iPhone soon.


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The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Towed vehicles or plates retained by the traffic police from December 24 through January 4, 2015 cannot be recuperated until January 5 because during this time all offices of the Road Safety Council (Cosevi) are closed.
As reported by the Cosevi, new plates, licenses and payment for fines will be offered at all Cosevi locations as usual on Monday and Tuesday, and then on Wednesday, December 24 they will be open until noon.
The legal director of Cosevi, Carlos Rivas, said that during this time many cars are impounded due to tourists leaving their automobiles in tow zones and driving while under the influence.
As of January 1, fines for traffic violations will increase because it is based on the Consumer Price Index and varies yearly.
For instance, the highest penalty, currently ¢293,000, will go to about ¢306,000. These severe fines (Type A) apply to those who drive more than 120 miles per hour with a suspended license, make a U-turn in a prohibited area, or other larger offenses. Lesser fines (Type E) that normally start at ¢21,000 will be raised to ¢22,000. (Amelia Rueda)
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose, Costa Rica


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With digital audiences growing and attention spans shortening, businesses and brands are feverishly churning out social campaigns, each one battling it out to grab the attention of scroll-happy internet users.
However, digital and social advertising is often unpredictable and attitudes in the industry are changing regarding how methods are used. Influencer marketing is under more and more scrutiny, social media giants are falling from grace and customers are more sceptical of marketing gimmicks.
Because of this, alternatives to traditional methods of social and digital advertising are cropping up. Here are some recent trends that could spice up your next campaign and help you avoid any social snags:
Alternate Social Platforms
As the social media world has boomed after the last decade, several platforms stayed ahead of the curve and have been a preferred choice for marketers. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have dominated most conversations about paid ads and influencer marketing. Whilst these platforms are profitable and practical to build a campaign around, controversies have haunted them in recent months and many are seeing declines in effectiveness and user behaviours.
Despite this, several other social platforms, such as Pinterest and Reddit, are seeing significant rises in engagement rates for both advertisers and users. Whilst these platforms are very popular, from a marketing perspective, they’ve never been regarded in the same ways as the Facebooks and Twitters of the world… but perhaps it’s time they were.
Reddit is famously difficult for advertisers to navigate but they have recently beaten Facebook to become the third most visited site in the US and while ad options are limited, the site has seen “three to seven times better engagement rates” and an increase in their active audience base by 30% in six months. Pinterest is also experiencing similar growth thanks to expanded shopping and ad capabilities. The platform reports particularly high numbers for engagement and conversion rates, with 93% of users saying they use the platform to plan or make purchases.
These stats are nothing to scoff at, especially considering the declining numbers of other platforms. This, along with new capabilities for mediums like WhatsApp, may mean that trying out a different platform could keep your brand on the cutting-edge.
There’s been a ton of industry chatter recently regarding influencer marketing with shifts in how brands are utilising it. Unilever has announced that they will no longer be working with any influencer that has fake followers and other brands are starting to shift their focus from big names to micro-influencers.
One alternative to using these insta-celebs are meme accounts. That’s right, social accounts dedicated entirely to posting memes are seeing better ROI than influencers. These accounts often have smaller follower counts but have high engagement rates, meaning that conversion rate can be much higher. These accounts also tend to charge far less for their posts than standard influencers, meaning more bang for your buck.
Meme accounts can positively drive brand awareness as their engagement is based around tagging other users meaning it is often more reliable. Their follower count also grows more predictably than that of an influencer as their focus is generally more tailored in one direction and there is no singular “person” behind the account that can divide user opinion.
Alternate Product Placement
Embarking on ad partnerships with popular events and TV programming is an advertising staple, albeit an extremely expensive one. Instead of placing a standard commercial on TV, brands can spot the opportunities surrounding popular celebrities, events and programmes, even if they aren’t directly sponsoring them.
This will give brands the chance to reach new audiences and take advantage of opportunities that will arise when a popular show begins. Conversations online are driven by casts, presenters and TV moments as well as by products and items featured on said shows. For example, during The Great British Bake Off, there is a swell of mentions for aprons and rolling pins, not to mention Love Island’s unashamed and synchronised cross-platform placements. Spot what’s popular and see how your brand can naturally jump on board without having to take the expensive route.
There are several ways to mix up your next campaign; think outside the box and keep your ideas fresh because internet trends tend to have a short sell-by date.
This Week’s Top Social Stories
Hundreds of Instagram users have had their accounts hijacked by Russian based bots and are unable to log back in. Read More
Facebook has announced a new batch of updates including expanded capabilities for their pages feature. Read More
Tinder execs are suing parent group, Match Group for $2 billion for allegedly cheating them out of stock options. Read More
Twitter is continuing to clean up its user count by purging accounts that are found to be evading previous suspensions. Read More
Snapchat has released a new report on the benefits of its ‘addressable reach’ for advertisers after their last disappointing earnings report. Read More
LinkedIn has shown they’re a social media platform to be taken seriously this week as they’ve announced they now have 575 million registered members across the globe, including 150m in the US, 42m in China and 25m in the UK.
Australian cosmetics brand BECCA has come under fire after posting an ad that appeared to have photoshopped a white person’s hand to look darker. The company later deleted the ad and replaced it one with one using “real” girls from their office.
Nando’s latest campaign in South Africa set out to remove the red spellcheck line from under their name as well as all non-traditional English names. By crowdsourcing names, people could download a new dictionary on SA’s Human Rights Day and remove the red line from their names for good.


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'˜I love New York' designer Milton Glaser talks to Edinburgh
THE legendary designer behind the '˜I Love New York' logo is to deliver a rare public lecture to an Edinburgh audience.
Milton Glaser, whose heart-centred design has been popular with visitors to the Big Apple since the ‘70s, has been invited to deliver the inaugural Chancellor’s Talk at Edinburgh Napier University.
Design genius Glaser, whose work also includes the famous psychedelic Bob Dylan poster and the Brooklyn Brewery logo, will address an audience at the University’s Craiglockhart campus via a Skype link on Wednesday, March 9.
Speaking from his native New York City, the 86-year-old will speak about a career which has seen him co-found New York magazine and host one-man shows on his way to becoming one of the most celebrated designers in the U.S.


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DON'T SHARE NUISANCE.
Rangarajan recommends lifting curbs on sugar sector
The expert panel has also recommended scrapping state-declared cane prices.
Mumbai: An expert panel, headed by PMEAC chairman C Rangarajan, has suggested giving freedom to millers to sell sugar in the open market among other recommendations. It has also recommended scrapping state-declared cane prices. The committee, in a press conference on Friday, has also suggested abolition of levy sugar system, under which mills are required to sell 10 per cent of their production to the government to meet ration shops requirement at a cheaper rate.
"The levy quota is leading to unnecessary losses to the millers. Our advice to the government is that buy sugar from open market for PDS," Rangarajan said. The committee has also recommended paying farmers fair and remunerative price (FRP) at time for cane purchase. It says the FRP can be revises on a half-yearly basis and the revenue sharing mechanism should be based on that.
The panel has advocated that sugar manufacturers should distribute 70 per cent of the realisation on sugar and by-products to cane farmers. "There is no need for quantitative restrictions on sugar supply," Ragarajan sai adding, the panel is advising removing restrictions on by-product use. The sugar industry is under government control, right from the level of production to distribution. Under regulated release regime, the Food Ministry fixes the quantity of sugar that mills can sell in the open market and ration shops. (Here's how sugar stocks reacted)
In January, the Prime Minister had set up an expert committee, headed by Prime Minister Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC)'s chairman, to examine issues related to decontrolling the sugar sector. Members of the committee include former Chief Economic Adviser Kaushik Basu and secretaries to the Department of Food and Agriculture. Sugar output in the 2011-12 season (October-September) was 26 million tonnes, against the annual demand of 22-23 million tonnes.
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Yahoo Has Amended $4.8B Verizon Sale
- Author: Arturo Norris Feb 22, 2017,
Feb 22, 2017, 20:07
"Although Verizon today is a $126 billion business (2016 revenues), it has only 114.2 million retail connections", TechCrunch said, noting that it is picking up Yahoo's more than 1 billion users, and digital content, for "a relatively small fee".
The deal between Verizon and the once-upon-a-time web giant, Yahoo, was originally announced in June last year, but following several revelations about hacks which had hit the company in recent years, it seemed clear Verizon wasn't quite as keen. The company chose to proceed in part because it continued to believe that the deal made strategic sense and that users were loyal and engaged. Just last week, Yahoo sent out warning letters to users saying their accounts may have been compromised through a forged cookie scheme apparently related to the 500 million account breach announced last September. The closing of the transaction had been delayed as Verizon and Yahoo assessed the fallout from the data breaches, which Yahoo disclosed past year. "The amended terms of the agreement provide a fair and favorable outcome for shareholders". The data breaches would not be taken into account if certain closing conditions have been satisfied.
Under the revised terms of the deal, Yahoo would have to pay any fine it could be issued by the SEC and would be responsible for any other liabilities stemming from "shareholder lawsuits". The final deal is now expected to close in the second quarter, though there may be some delay for the integration of all of Yahoo's services with Verizon's business due to the hacks, as per Reuters.
The acquisition of Verizon to Yahoo would create one of the largest portfolios of owned or partnered global brands.
Under the newly-amended deal, Yahoo will have to cover at least 50 percent of any cash liabilities that would have accrued at closing, in relation to related government investigations and and breach-related lawsuits. Verizon will combine Yahoo's advertising technology tools as well as its search, email and messenger assets with its AOL unit, purchased for US$4.4bil (RM19.6bil) in 2015. "We have long believed that Yahoo Mail is the service that generates most of the usage and should users leave Yahoo, then the value that Verizon is attributing to Yahoo will have to be written off". We have a terrific, loyal, experienced team at Yahoo. A similar revelation followed in December of previous year, when Yahoo stated that a separate security breach in August 2013 had exposed the names, emails, and hashed passwords of more than a billion users.


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The Circle City is teeming with entrepreneurs making an impact Indy's destination appeal. In January 2023, The Mayor’s Office, City-County Council and Visit Indy launched a new initiative to help uncover additional visitor-related businesses to help continue to drive visitors into all neighborhoods across the city. The Visiting All Neighborhoods initiative celebrates artists, storefront owners, business leaders, and restaurateurs - many of whom behind the wheel of women-owned businesses. Meet a few female Indy locals shaking things up in the Circle City.
A plant-moms dream, offering a curated selection of high-quality houseplants, lifestyle gifts, and wellness products made by people of color and women-owned businesses.
A coworking and office space, event space, and community center, representing a collective of many businesses and nonprofits who serve the people of the city’s Eastside neighborhood.
The first Black-owned department store in the Circle City Mall, SHE. Event provides Black business with the “SHE. Xperience” to increase their revenue, connect with other creators, and circulate dollars in to the Black community.


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Fire-Boltt announced the appointment of leading Indian actor and film producer Vijay Deverakonda as its new brand ambassador. Alongside cricketing legend Virat Kohli and actors Vicky Kaushal and Kiara Advani, Vijay will participate in Fire-Boltt’s commercial marketing efforts and will help in establishing its presence in the Indian market.
The pan-India star will be a part of different marketing, ad, and endorsement campaigns of Fire-Boltt which has grabbed the first spot yet again in the Indian smartwatch market with a market share of 28%. The partnership demonstrates the homegrown brand’s dedication to offering its customers fashionable yet cost-effective smart wearable choices.
Vijay’s persona resonates with the brand identity and will be an inspiration to numerous young fans. The association with him will not only help the brand in building a presence in the southern market but increase brand penetration and engagement with the young generation across the country due to his pan-India fan following.
Fire-Boltt has also been ranked #4 Globally which resulted in India’s Smartwatch Market taking the second spot for the first time in Q2.
Talking about his love for fitness & smartwatches and his association with Fire-Boltt, Indian actor & film producer Vijay Deverakonda, who is one of the biggest names across the country said, “Smartwatches have become an integral part of our lives, and getting the right smartwatch to suit our needs and style becomes an important task. Fire-Boltt has been a brand that stood the test of time and emerged as a significant player as the brand has yet again grabbed the first spot in the Indian smartwatch market and also put India on the global map. Fire-Boltt’s motto is to make smartwatches affordable so that everyone can track their fitness seamlessly, and this ideology of Fire-Boltt convinced me to get allied with this brand.”
Commenting on this achievement, Arnav Kishore, Founder & CEO at Fire-Boltt asserted, “We are delighted to collaborate with Vijay Deverakonda. We see an evolved lifestyle for all people, ushered in by lifestyle gadgets like a wristwatch, and Vijay's outlook, paired with his fitness quotient and sense of style, is in line with that. He will help us connect better with the younger generation as he commands a huge craze among the youth across the nation. We want a smartwatch on every wrist in the aftermath of the new normal, just as having a cell phone in every hand is a reality now. A step in that direction is our partnership with Vijay, which we have already taken with our existing association with Virat Kohl, Vicky Kaushal and Kiara Advani.
Adding to the excitement, Aayushi Kishore, Co-Founder, Fire-Boltt, said, “We believe in developing an ecosystem that responds to consumer expectations with specially produced goods that are both cutting-edge and fashionable. Vijay will be crucial in helping to make us one of the most well-known and reputable companies in the smart wearables market. We are therefore moving at full speed to take advantage of this chance and further enter the southern market with absolute control.”
They further added, “With team’s constant support we have yet again became the no.1 brand in the smartwatch market and will continue to be the biggest in the industry. Not only this, Fire-Boltt became the 4th largest brand internationally behind established brands such as Apple, Samsung & Huawei with global smartwatch market growth to 13% YoY in Q2 and will achieve bigger milestones in the future.”
Customers can easily access Fire-Boltt’s products from different parts of the country. The brand has a strong presence across leading online channels including Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Tata CLiQ, Nykaa, and Paytm, and has an offline presence in more than 750+ cities through modern trade outlets, all national and regional LFR’s including Croma, Reliance and Vijay Sales, and all large regional retailers including Poorvika, Sangeetha etc. The brand has a presence through its own e-commerce website and aims to scale up its contribution to overall sales in the near future.
Fire-Boltt has recently launched over 30 smartwatches over the past few months and has also announced its expansion plans to newer markets beyond India, including the Middle East and Europe post receiving a phenomenal response on the entire product line-up from the UAE market.


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A world of work
The global deployment of work has its critics, but it holds huge opportunities for rich and poor countries alike, says Ben Edwards
ON A technology campus off the bustle of the Hosur Road in Electronics City, Bangalore, engineers are fiddling with the innards of a 65-inch television, destined for American shops in 2006. The boffins in the white lab coats work for Wipro, an Indian technology company. Wipro has a research-and-development contract with a firm called Brillian, an American company based half a world away in Tempe, Arizona. Brillian's expertise is in display technology. Wipro's job is to put together the bits that will turn Brillian's technology into a top-end TV.
Wipro is sourcing the television's bits and pieces from companies in America, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. After design and testing, assembly will pass to a specialist contract manufacturer, such as Flextronics or Solectron. The buyer of the finished television might use a credit card administered from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After-sales service might be provided by a polite young Indian call-centre agent, trained in stress management and taught how to aspirate her Ps the American way.
A few years ago, the combination of technology and management know-how that makes this global network of relationships possible would have been celebrated as a wonder of the new economy. Today, the reaction tends to be less exuberant. The same forces of globalisation that pushed Flextronics into China and its share price into the stratosphere in the 1990s are now blamed for the relentless export of manufacturing jobs from rich to poorer countries. Brillian's use of Indian engineers is no longer seen as a sign of the admirable flexibility of a fast-growing tech firm, but as a depressing commentary on the West's declining competitiveness in engineering skills. The fibre-optic cable running between America and India that used to be hailed as futuristic transport for the digital economy is now seen as a giant pipe down which jobs are disappearing as fast as America's greedy and unpatriotic bosses can shovel them.
These anxieties have crystallised into a perceived threat called “outsourcing”, a shorthand for the process by which good jobs in America, Britain or Germany become much lower-paying jobs in India, China or Mexico. Politicians decry outsourcing and the bosses they blame forperpetrating it. The same media that greeted the rise of the new economy in the 1990s now mourn the jobs that supposedly migrate from rich countries to less developed ones.
Forrester, an American research firm, has estimated these future casualties down to the last poor soul. By 2015, America is expected to have lost 74,642 legal jobs to poorer countries, and Europe will have 118,712 fewer computer professionals. As Amar Bhide of Columbia University comments drily, “Graphs from a few years ago that used to predict explosive growth in e-commerce have apparently been re-labelled to show hyperbolic increases in the migration of professional jobs.”
Amid all this clamour, some of the vocabulary has become mixed up. Properly speaking, outsourcing means that companies hand work they used to perform in-house to outside firms. For example, Brillian is outsourcing the manufacture of its televisions to Flextronics or Solectron. Where that work should be done involves a separate decision. Flextronics might assemble bits of its televisions in Asia but put together the final products close to its customers in America. If it does, it will have moved part of its manufacturing “offshore”. Not all offshore production is outsourced, however: Brillian might one day open its own “captive” research-and-development facility in Bangalore, for instance.
What agitates worriers in the West is the movement of work abroad, regardless of whether it is then outsourced or performed in-house. But the reality is more complicated than they acknowledge.
A well-established model
The age of mass mechanisation began with the rise of large, integrated assembly lines, such as the one Henry Ford built in 1913 at Dearborn, Michigan, to make the Model T. Over the course of the 20th century, companies reorganised industrial production into ever more intricate layers of designers, subcontractors, assemblers and logistics specialists, but by and large companies have mostly continued to manufacture close to where their goods are consumed. They have then grown internationally by producing overseas, for new customers, the same goods they produce and sell to their customers at home: 87% of foreign direct investment is made in search of local markets, according to McKinsey, a consultancy. Products and brands have become global, but production has not.
Conversely, white-collar work continues to be produced in the same way that Ford produced the Model T: at home and in-house. Bruce Harreld, the head of strategy at IBM, reckons that the world's companies between them spend about $19 trillion each year on sales, general and administrative expenses. Only $1.4 trillion-worth of this, says Mr Harreld, has been outsourced to other firms.
Brillian obtains both the goods and the services it needs to put together its televisions from outsiders all over the world, which means each bit of work goes to whatever company or country is best suited to it. This opens up huge opportunities. Diana Farrell, the head of McKinsey's Global Institute, thinks that by reorganising production intelligently, a multinational firm can hope to lower its costs by as much as 50-70%.
Such reorganisation takes two main forms. First, thanks to the spread of the internet, along with cheap and abundant telecommunications bandwidth, businesses are able to hand over more white-collar work to specialist outside suppliers, in the same way as manufacturers are doing already. A growing number of specialists offer, say, corporate human-resources services, credit-card processing, debt collection or information-technology work.
Second, as transport costs fall, globalisation is beginning to separate the geography of production and consumption, with firms producing goods and services in one country and shipping them to their customers in another. Over the past ten years, countries such as Mexico, Brazil, the Czech Republic and, most notably, China have emerged as important manufacturing hubs for televisions, cars, computers and other goods which are then consumed in America, Japan and Europe. Such offshore production is central to the strategies of some of the world's most powerful businesses, including Wal-Mart and Dell.
Over the next ten years, Russia, China and particularly India will emerge as important hubs for producing services such as software engineering, insurance underwriting and market research. These services will be consumed at the other end of a fibre-optic cable in America, Japan and Europe. Just as Dell and Wal-Mart are obtaining manufactured goods from low-cost countries, companies such as Wipro, TCS and Infosys, for instance, are already providing IT services from low-cost India.
As businesses take advantage of declining shipping costs, abundant and cheap telecommunications bandwidth and the open standards of the internet, the reorganisation of work in each of these areas is likely to advance rapidly. IBM's figures suggest that companies have so far outsourced less than 8% of their administrative office work. Privately, some big companies say that they could outsource half or more of all the work they currently do in-house.
Rich-country manufacturers have already invested hundreds of billions of dollars in building factories in China to make clothes, toys, computers and consumer goods. In the next few years, they may invest hundreds of billions more to shift the production of cars, chemicals, plastics, medical equipment and industrial goods. Yet the globalisation of white-collar work has only just begun.
A forthcoming study by McKinsey looks at possible shifts in global employment patterns in various service industries, including software engineering, banking and IT services. Between them, these three industries employ more than 20m workers worldwide. The supply of IT services is the most global. Already, 16% of all the work done by the world's IT-services industry is carried out remotely, away from where these services are consumed, says McKinsey. In the software industry the proportion is 6%. The supply of banking services is the least global, with less than 1% delivered remotely.
McKinsey reckons that in each of these industries, perhaps as much as half of the work could be moved abroad. But even a much smaller volume would represent a huge shift in the way that work in these industries is organised. There may be just as much potential in insurance, market research, legal services and other industries.
Outsourcing inspires more fear about jobs than hope about growth. But the agents of change are the same as those that brought about the 1990s boom. New-economy communications and computer technologies are combining with globalisation to bring down costs, lift profits and boost growth. This survey will try to restore some of the hope.
This article appeared in the Special report section of the print edition under the headline "A world of work"
From the November 13th 2004 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition


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Measurability is one of the key factors that draw business owners to online marketing.
While it’s difficult to tell how many people will see a television ad or billboard, it's easy to find out how many people have viewed or, more importantly, clicked on, a Web ad. When a Web ad takes the form of a Facebook fan page , the number of people regularly viewing it — its fan count — is available for all to see.
Given that marketers want their brands to appear as popular as possible, it makes sense that many companies offering to "deliver" Facebook fans or friends to company pages have sprung up over the past few years.
One of these companies, uSocial, offers packages that promise to deliver between 1,000 and 20 million fans to a Facebook page , for fees that vary based on the number of fans delivered. For example, 1,000 fans cost $197; 250,000 fans cost $8997.30. Clients seeking larger packages must contact the company for a quote.
The website of GettyFans, another company offering to deliver its clients Facebook fans, includes a pledge that the fans it delivers are "real people."
"GettyFans works with real humans who interact to your material. It's simple…no dummy accounts," the site states. It also promises "targeted followers," fans who seem appropriate given a client’s location or industry.
Social media experts warn that paid fans may not be real fans.
Ben Grossman, a communications strategist with Lambertville, N.J.-based Oxford Communications, said that before a business owner signs on with a company that promises to deliver fans or friends, she should consider her Facebook objectives.
"Is [the Facebook page] a tool to trigger online purchase, customer service, in-store traffic, or something else of value to your company?" Grossman asked. "Knowing what you and your business expect out of your fans can help you decide whether the fan-bolstering tactic under consideration is right for you," he said.
Grossman also said a business owner considering hiring a Facebook fan delivery company should insist on seeing current examples of the company’s work.
Jon Bond, CEO of the social media marketing firm Big Fuel, said that a large quantity of fans does not necessarily translate into the type of devoted online following companies should seek.
"Fans aren’t necessarily worth anything just because they’re fans," Bond said. He added, "It’s not about the number of fans, it’s about the number of engaged fans, and you can’t buy engaged fans."
- 5Â Facebook Marketing Tactics That Work
- 5 Companies That Rock Facebook
- The Best Facebook Fan Page Building Tools


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Tokyo--Bridgestone Corporation held the official opening ceremony earlier this week for a 40 kt/year carbon black plant in Thailand, that started production in May 2004. The plant is in Ban Khai District of Rayong Province, about 180 kilometers south of Bangkok. It operates as Bridgestone Carbon Black (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a wholly owned member of the Bridgestone Group.
In an official statement, Bridgestone said the plant represents an investment of Baht 1700 million (â‚¬32.6 million) and exports carbon black to Bridgestone tyre plants in Japan and in other nations. Bridgestone produces carbon black in Japan at its subsidiary Asahi Carbon Co., Ltd. Bridgestone Carbon Black (Thailand)'s Ban Khai Plant is Bridgestone's first wholly-owned carbon black plant outside Japan.


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Meta unveiled its high-end virtual and mixed reality headset Quest Pro in October last year. Now, the Facebook parent seems to be investing heavily towards its metaverse plans with a flurry of AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) products. Meta is reportedly gearing up to release its first pair of smart glasses with a display in 2025 alongside a neural interface smartwatch designed to control them. Meta's AR glasses are expected to go official later in 2027, as per the report. The possible roadmap of the social media giant for this year is likely to comprise a Quest 3 headset as well. It could also unveil a headset codenamed Ventura in 2024.
A report by The Verge has leaked Meta's possible roadmap for several AR and VR products in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2027. The report, citing employees of Meta's Reality Labs division, states that Meta Quest 3 headset featuring mixed reality experiences will be unveiled later this year. The flagship headset is expected to cost more than the current Quest 2 and could be twice as thin and powerful as the predecessor. The Meta Quest 3 could include 41 new apps and games.
To recall, the Quest 2 was unveiled with a starting price tag of $399 (roughly Rs. 32,000). Meta's Vice President for VR reportedly confirmed that it had sold almost 20 million Quest headsets to date. As per the report, he also acknowledged that the current Quest is struggling to keep new users engaged.
The report further suggests that the Mark Zuckerberg led company is planning to ship a more “accessible” headset codenamed Ventura next year. Thenceforth, the company could introduce an advanced headset codenamed La Jolla, featuring photorealistic Codec Avatars.
Moreover, the report, quoting Alex Himel, Meta's Vice President for AR, states that the company will unveil the second generation of its Ray-Ban Stories this fall. The augmented reality glasses were developed in partnership with Ray-Ban's parent Luxottica.
In 2025, the company will reportedly unveil the third generation of smart glasses with a“viewfinder” display for viewing incoming texts, scan QR codes, and translating texts from another language in real time. The glasses will be released alongside a “neural interface” band that would allow users to control them through hand gestures. Additionally, Meta is also reportedly developing a smartwatch that will work with smart glasses.
Further, Meta is reportedly considering to unveil its long-rumoured AR glasses, codenamed Orion, internally for employees in 2024. It could be launched for the public after 2027.
After facing headwinds in India last year, Xiaomi is all set to take on the competition in 2023. What are the company's plans for its wide product portfolio and its Make in India commitment in the country? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts. Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.


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Is LELO’s Re-Engineered HEX Condom Safer or More Dangerous Than Your Regular Latex Condom?
UK-based company They Fit have made the world's smallest condom, as research shows millions of men search for smaller sizes online every day. World the condom online no one really wants to admit their package doesn't fill out a condom, UK-based company, They Fit say it's a problem faced by millions of men.
Their xxxx has shown that an increasing number of men are searching for smaller sized condoms every day. And now world may finally have a solution, as they have started selling the world's smallest condom.
A regular condom measures around 7. They Online have produced condoms which start at just condom. Do the problems remain?
The website features a series of graphics which highlight the lack of difference between a regular condom and smaller ones previously sold to the public. This online, they claim, is all to do with nominal width, a measurement that is printed on every condom box in Europe, but is something most men have never heard of.
World's smallest condom now exists - and it could make a huge difference to your sex life
As well as the world's smallest condoms, They Fit offer 65 other sizes to ensure men can find their perfect condom. World customer who reviewed their products wrote: By Courtney Pochin Audience Writer. You can now buy the world's smallest condom Image: