text:
Multiple personnel, managing different doors, can run the app on their device, counting visitors in and out.
Each door attendant can immediately see how many people have entered and departed through their door along with the current total occupancy of the building.
Each app talks to other copies of the app via WiFi over the local network (technically the devices need to be on the same IP subnet).
The app is available free of charge to help businesses ease out of lockdown.
Free app to help ease lockdown lifting
Bath, UK – Navigator Systems have launched a free app to assist in monitoring building occupancy.
As we slowly come out of lockdown and see more shops and cafes opening back up, venue managers are starting to plan how they will cope once they are also allowed to open. They are having to think of innovative ways to comply with the rules whilst maximising the number of customers who can safely use their venue, at the same time giving those customers the confidence that their safely is assured.
At Navigator systems, we have developed a new mobile app that could be a very useful solution to keeping track of the numbers in a venue at any one time, ensuring that compliance with the rules is always maintained.
The free app, called “Visitor Counter”, allows door personnel to count visitors in and out, so at any time they know exactly how many people are inside. The clever bit is the inbuilt app to app communication, so no matter how many door personnel there are, and how many doors allowing visitors in and out, the management team and door staff to know exactly how many people are in the venue at any moment.
This allows them to halt new admissions as soon as the safe capacity has been reached, and restart admissions as soon as the numbers allow.
Managing director David Rose said that he came up with the idea while watching reports of department stores and open air venues reopening in Italy. “The footage showed door staff using mechanical clickers to count the number of customers entering the premises, and then using walkie talkies to report the numbers to a central figure keeping track for the whole venue. This seemed over complicated and produced a delay in knowing the total number of customers in the venue, potentially allowing more people in that were strictly allowed”. David realised that if the count could be recorded on an mobile device and the devices could communicate with each other, each member of door staff would have an accurate count figure and could concentrate on customers rather than reporting figures through a walkie talkie and waiting for a response. The management team would also have real time numbers and could prove their compliance.
This free app could prove a useful tool in managing the safe reopening of venues, at no additional cost.
Although currently available for Android devices, the Apple version is expected to be released within the next week.
Media (links to full size images)
Web page – http://www.navigator.co.uk/visitor-counter-multi-user/
Google Playstore – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navigator.Occupancy
InfoGraphic Restaurant/Shop – https://www.navigator.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/visitor-counter-1024×500-1.png
InfoGraphic Theatre – https://www.navigator.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/theatre.png
InfoGraphic Concert – https://www.navigator.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/gig.png
ScreenShot Login Screen – https://www.navigator.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ScreenShot3.png
ScreenShot Operator Screen – https://www.navigator.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ScreenShot2.png
ScreenShot Management Screen – https://www.navigator.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ScreenShot4.png
Bath based Navigator Systems released their first event production software package, TestTrack, early in 1995, followed shortly by their HireTrack rental management software package, which won the coveted “Award for Product Excellence” at that year’s PLASA (professional light and sound association) exhibition.
Since then Navigator Systems’ rental management software packages have been installed at hundreds of sites around the world and translated in to many languages.
Always striving for new innovations, over the past 25 years, Navigator Systems have continued to address the software needs of the live events industry.


text:
This is what even we are wondering in the case of recent resignation of Microsoft’s ex-employee Steven Sinofsky. Sinofsky resignation comes just two weeks after the Windows 8 launch, creating the more heated up environment that what’s exactly going on inside the software giant Microsoft, but what according to a report in ExtremeTech, the “internal tensions” which was building inside the company leads to exit of Sinofsky.
Microsoft’s chief Steve Ballmer said over Sinofsky resignation:
“I am grateful for the many years of work that Steven has contributed to the company,” Ballmer said. “The products and services we have delivered to the market in the past few months mark the launch of a new era at Microsoft. We’ve built an incredible foundation with new releases of Microsoft Office, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Microsoft Surface, Windows Server 2012 and ‘Halo 4,’ and great integration of services such as Bing, Skype and Xbox across all our products. To continue this success it is imperative that we continue to drive alignment across all Microsoft teams, and have more integrated and rapid development cycles for our offerings.”
(Image Source: Flickr @Featured Image)

domain: news


text:
HP spends $236 million on severance payments June 2005 – San Francisco
(CA): Hewlett-Packard spent $236 million on employee severance payments and
workforce rebalancing programmes between November and April.
restructuring charges of $177 million in Q1 and $59 million in Q2.
company has said that the charges will allow it to reduce its global workforce
by around 3,000 employees.


text:
Another top executive leaves Priceline.com
NORWALK, Conn. -- The head of Priceline.com's auto-services business left the troubled name-your-own-price Internet company on the same day its chief financial officer quit.
But Priceline didn't announce Maryann Keller's departure last week when it said CFO Heidi Miller was leaving.
Keller's departure was first reported by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. The former auto analyst told the newspaper she thinks the experiment of selling cars online has failed.
"For car buying, the Internet is an idea whose time has not yet come and may never," she said.
Keller said she left after she was asked to lay off half her 23-person staff. Priceline said last week it was cutting 16 percent of its 535-member work force.
A Priceline spokesman confirmed Keller's departure but said it "has absolutely no effect on our auto business." The division is being run by Pamela Caputo, vice president of automotive sales.
Priceline, which began offering name-your-own price airline tickets two years ago, has faced increased competition for its core business from other Internet travel sites and airlines themselves. The company's efforts to develop other markets have also faltered.
Last month Priceline's grocery and gasoline licensee, WebHouse Club, announced it was shutting down. The same day, Perfect Yardsale Inc., which offered used merchandise through Priceline, also said it was going out of business.
Priceline's stock plunged 38 percent as a result of those announcements, and it dropped further after the company warned last week that its fourth-quarter revenue would drop because of slowing demand for its airline ticket service.
It was the same story again in late morning trading Wednesday. Priceline fell 72 cents to $3.56 a share on the Nasdaq Stock Market, a tiny fraction of its 52-week high of $104.25.


text:
Ciara is a style chameleon! Today she revealed a fresh new look, just in time for summer! The “Level Up” songstress is all about a cropped 'do right now — and we are getting serious trim inspo!
“Chop it awf,” Ciara wrote, showing off her short pixie cut while wearing a red top. She later wore the same hairstyle to the ACE Awards to accept the 2019 Style Icon honor. The award was seriously deserved, as Ciara’s looks have been on-point all year. Ciara’s hair evolution is also noteworthy — she went from long locks to braids to curls in a matter of months!
We are feeling the chopped-off cut, seen on everyone from Teyana to Zoe to Loni! Take a look at some pixie perfection.
The street is Ciara’s “catwalk.”
Zoe Kravitz is a pixie pro!
No longer in Daenerys Targaryen’s shoes, Emilia Clarke opted for a stunning crop.
Loni has also tried a shorter style — such a cute look!
Zendaya recently went short in a ’20s flapper-like look for Vogue.
Look no further than Teyana Taylor for a swoon-worthy cut.
Jada just added some blonde!
Pink has been rocking a signature choppy pixie for years, and she went from pink to platinum!


text:
Aston Martin has deepened its fashion sector links with two big names joining its board. Net-A-Porter founder Natalie Massenet and ex-Harrods and Saks 5th Avenue exec Marigay McKee are among its new directors.
The B2B e-commerce platform has announced that it has raised $45 million in a funding round led by Brighton Park Capital and Imaginary Ventures, the venture capital fund co-founded by Net-A-Porter’s Natalie Massenet.
The ethical fashion retailer has announced that the Net-a-Porter founder has joined its board of directors, while Nike vet Sophie Bambuck has been appointed as the company’s first chief marketing officer.
The panel, which includes the likes of Carine Roitfeld, Elie Saab, Naomi Campbell, Pierpaolo Piccioli, and Yoon Ahn, will assemble in Doha, Qatar to choose five winners from five womenswear categories.
Following the inaugural edition of the Fashion Trust Arabia Prize this year, the organization has revealed its program for 2020, announcing the addition of an advisory board and a new award for young talent.


text:
V&A acquires Mae West Lips sofa by Salvador Dalí and Edward James
The V&A has announced that it has acquired one of the most important examples of British Surrealist furniture ever produced with support from Art Fund.
The Mae West Lips sofa was the joint creation of artist Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) and his most important British patron, Edward James (1907-1984). Dalí and James collaborated on the design after James suggested that they should create a sofa based on Dalí’s gouache (or drawing) Mae West’s Face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment,1934-35.
James had five Mae West Lips sofas produced in 1938 in different fabrics. A pink satin version has previously been on long-term loan to the V&A, appearing as a star object in the 2007 major exhibition Surreal Things: Surrealism and Design. The version that the V&A has now acquired is one of a pair designed specifically for James’ country home, Monkton House in West Sussex, originally designed by Edwin Lutyens in 1902.
Following its sale by the Edward James Foundation in 2017, a temporary export stop was placed on the sofa after the buyer applied to export it from the UK. Christopher Wilk, Keeper of Furniture, Textiles and Fashion at the V&A, said: “This is one of the most beautiful and important examples of modern furniture ever produced. Its provenance and the circumstances of its creation are exceptional in the annals of modern art and design in Britain."
Stephen Deuchar, director of Art Fund, said: “Salvador Dalí and Edward James’ Mae West lips sofa has become both an iconic piece of 20th-century design and a joyous expression of Surrealism. For the V&A to save this for the nation is an absolute triumph, and we’re delighted to play a part in its acquisition. I am sure that it will be a huge favourite with visitors from around the country and the world.”


text:
The light commercial vehicle range for Renault has performed above expectations the vehicle manufacturer announced today.
Of the 1028 units the brand sold in November the LCV range accounted for 293 of these.
According to an industry announcement, Renault confirmed that it had sold a total of 172 Trafics, 99 Masters 21 Master motor homes and one Cab Chassis.
Renault Australia Managing Director Anouk Poelmann said the growing demand for Master motor homes, in particular, and Trafic pointed to a strong December figure for Renault.
“The November result was the first time we broke the 1,000 unit monthly mark for the year and continues the steady growth we have seen this year,” she said.
“We have increased our market share each month in 2020. Our strategy is clearly working and with the exciting new Captur light SUV arriving early next year we are confident of greater success in 2021,” said Poelmann.
Renault Australia also announced a record sales figure for the Koleos SUV which headlined its outstanding November sales result.
With 620 Koleos sales reported for the month, it represents a new monthly watermark for the brand in Australia, and formed the lion’s share of the 1028 Renaults sold in November.
“It’s always a fantastic achievement to set a new local sales record,” said Poelmann.
“It’s an even greater accomplishment to set that benchmark in the toughest sales year the industry has experienced.
“The Koleos represents outstanding value for money with its mix of great price, performance, safety and the peace of mind that comes with a seven-year warranty.”
Renault Sales November 2020
Megane RS 23
Master M/home 21
Cab Chassis 1


text:
We're going from the cultured to the ridiculous today – and that's just in David Shrigley's new app.
Meanwhile, Google's efforts to make Google+ a thing are becoming increasingly desperate, while Amazon takes a leaf out of the Samsung marketing manual in its latest iPad-bashing advert. Sigh. Why can't we all just get along?
Ama-Zing! - Amazon's gone all Samsung on us with its latest advert that criticises the iPad for being more expensive than a cheapo Kindle and two Kindle Fires put together. If you buy an iPad, the ad implies, you're a tragic 40-something divorcee scamming on Kindle-toting yummy mummies. We polled iPad owners about what they think of this: 1% wept, while 99% said whatevs. [YouTube]
You sunk my franchise tie-in – Activision has snapped up the rights to the official Battleship videogame. That's right, it's the game of the movie of the game. META. [Gamezone]
Cup of tea for sale – Funny picture scribbler David Shrigley has only gone and done himself an app. Flick the light switch off and on and off and on and off and on and against all evidence to the contrary something could happen. There goes the rest of our afternoon. [iTunes]
App happy – 60 million people are now using apps to mess about on Facebook, on average using the apps around five times a month – which seems pretty low to us in these days of push notifications but hey, we're not going to argue with the 'book. [TNW]
Bossy boots – Ever desperate to make Google+ happen, El Goog now nags you to hop on over to the social network if you reach Gmail inbox zero. May we humbly suggest that you go outside and get some fresh air instead? [Google Operating System]
Image credit: Google Operating System
Konichiwa, Siri – Rumour has it that Siri's been hard at work learning Japanese, Mandarin and Russian and should be ready to showcase its new linguistic skills in March. [Do News]
ET Chrome home – There's a new version of Chrome in town and it's faster and more secure than ever before. It's got pre-rendering of pages and a handy whitelist to check your executable files against too. Tidy. [Mashable]
iPaul – Ole Sir Paul McCartney is playing a live show on iTunes/Apple TV at 3AM tomorrow morning (UK time). It's all to celebrate the release of his questionably titled new album, Kisses on the Bottom – we're surprised prudish Apple's on board with that, to be honest. [MacWorld]
Rotten Apple – Demonstrations are planned for Apple stores around the world as tech fans protest the working conditions of its manufacturers and components suppliers. Power to the people. [SlashGear]
He Disney like it – Disney chief Bob Iger has hinted that the company will hold back DVD and Blu-ray releases from services like Netflix and Lovefilm for 28 days after release. Yep, that's the way to combat piracy, make it harder for people to get their hands on your films. Genius. [LA Times]
Sign up to receive daily breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis, deals and more from the world of tech.
Former UK News Editor for TechRadar, it was a perpetual challenge among the TechRadar staff to send Kate (Twitter, Google+) a link to something interesting on the internet that she hasn't already seen. As TechRadar's News Editor (UK), she was constantly on the hunt for top news and intriguing stories to feed your gadget lust. Kate now enjoys life as a renowned music critic – her words can be found in the i Paper, Guardian, GQ, Metro, Evening Standard and Time Out, and she's also the author of 'Amy Winehouse', a biography of the soul star.


text:
“Fire, Fire, see fire everywhere” were probably the thoughts coursing through the minds of bystanders who watched as a raging fire destroyed at least 700 shops in Katsina Central Market on Monday morning.
It was learned that the fire which cause was yet to be ascertained started about 7:30 am.
Traders lost valuables which included household items, electronics, fabrics, food items, among others.
READ ALSO: Agitation For Yoruba Nation Soars
One of the traders, said hoodlums took an undue advantage of the situation by going on looting spree.
Federal, State Fire fighters and private individuals later combined to put out the raging inferno.


text:
Alibaba to bet big on logistics
Alibaba Executive Chairman Jack Ma has said that the company will invest billions of dollars to build the technical backbone of a smart logistics network.
“This network is not only national, but global,” he commented. “[We want to] connect every courier, connect every warehouse, every hub, every city and every house.” The target of Cainiao Network, Alibaba’s logistics arm, is to eventually ensure single-day delivery across China and 72-hour delivery to the rest of the world. The smart network should push logistics costs, which currently comprise about 15% of China’s gross domestic product, down to under 5%.
“If we can use data to solve the problem of low transport efficiency and high logistics costs, we can create huge profit margins for the manufacturing industry and logistics sector. I think this is what Cainiao and our logistics industry should do for the country,” Ma told an audience at an event in Hangzhou.
“This network was established by Cainiao, but it doesn’t belong to Cainiao. It belongs to all logistics companies. Logistics companies are Cainaio’s most important partners…we need to provide our partners with core technology and core products to make our logistics partners stronger.”
China’s logistics landscape has undergone massive change in recent years. Ma noted that the industry now delivers 130 million parcels generated by e-commerce per day. “12 or 13 years ago, I said we’ll see one billion packages per year. Nobody believed me. But today, weekly package volumes exceed one billion,” said Ma.
“We have to think clearly today. We must understand what infrastructure is needed to support one billion parcels a day. We can’t avoid the future. World trade will change because of logistics. Global trade will go from containers to packages, from trading between countries to trading between companies. All this change, we should be ready to prepare and fight today.”
Sign up for our free retail technology newsletter here.


text:
AN ESTIMATED 8% of businesses remain closed due to the current easier quarantine settings, which represents an improvement over the level of operations seen during the strict phase of the lockdown in the capital and nearby regions, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said.
The percentage of closed businesses rose to 16% when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was declared, he said at a virtual event on Wednesday.
After being placed under ECQ after a fresh surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections in March, lockdown restrictions on Metro Manila and nearby regions were gradually eased. The regions were placed under the more relaxed general community quarantine in mid-May.
Businesses were hardest hit after initial pandemic-related restrictions were rolled out last year. Several sectors were not allowed to operate on-site, while others saw their revenue decline as commercial foot traffic fell.
During the initial and strictest version of the lockdown in April and May last year, 38% of companies had shut.
The number of shuttered businesses had dropped to 4% by February 2021 as more businesses were allowed to reopen and economic activity rebounded.
“Dito sa inaasahan nating patuloy na pagbubukas ay marami pa uling makakapagbukas na negosyo (Our anticipated business reopening should gain momentum) moving forward into June,” Mr. Lopez said.
He added that he is hoping that the GCQ (general community quarantine) will be extended in June, but the final decision will be announced by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases. — Jenina P. Ibañez


text:
British Columbia has increased its funding incentives to $ 10 million to develop products to reduce plastic pollution.
Minister of the EnvironmentGeorgeHeyman, the state is the North American leader in plasticsrecycling, and the government's CleanBC Plastics Action Fund will further reduce It says it is seeking innovation. Plastic pollution.
Last year, the state had nine plastic reduction projects, including replacing old car batteries with new ones and using artificial intelligence to classifyplasticsat recycling facilities. He says he funded.
Read more: "Work as soon as possible": B.C. Spend more than $ 500 million on climate change strategies
Hayman says B.C. companies are already expanding plastic-related recycling opportunities for electric vehicle batteries, mattresses, medical equipment and more.
B.C.-based President of Plascon Plastics, Clark Chow, was the first to be funded by the government at a press conference. Said that he created the product. A child-safe cannabis container made of 100% recycled plastic.
The story continues below the ad
The project chosen for funding has the ability to reduce the use of new plastic or increase the use of posts. It is based on. Recycled plastic for consumers. The state
© 2022 The Canadian Press


text:
Renault’s all-new Zoe EV has been crowned electric car of the year by a publication dedicated to electrified models.
Alongside being awarded Driving Electric’s Best Small Electric Car, the French manufacturer’s new hatchback also won the top prize of Car of the Year.
Judges were impressed by the second-generation Zoe’s improved range, with the new model now able to travel an impressive 245 miles on a single charge, thanks to a larger 52kWh battery. Its improved interior quality and performance was also applauded.
Vicky Parrott, associate editor at Driving Electric, said: “The Zoe has always been affordable, but the real joy of the new Zoe is that it has all the comforts – particularly the range and equipment – of a big electric car, in an affordable and compact package. Even with the influx of new rivals, it deserves to remain one of the most popular electric cars in the UK.”
Renault recently announced that this second-generation model will no longer be available with an option to lease the battery pack, which was something the previous-generation version was available with from launch. It means that prices for the Zoe now start from £25,670 once the government’s £3,500 electric car grant has been deducted.
It’s available in Play, Iconic and GT-Line trim levels, with order books now open. First deliveries are expected at the start of 2020.See Available ZOE deals
Elsewhere in Driving Electric’s 2020 awards, the new Kia Soul EV scooped Best Medium Electric Car, with the Jaguar I-Pace winning Best Premium Electric Car. The awards also honour hybrid models, too, with two BMWs picking up plug-in hybrid awards – the 330e winning Best Medium Plug-in Hybrid Car and the new X5 xDrive45e triumphing in the Best Premium Plug-in Hybrid Car.


text:
China inflation slows to 2.3% in June
China's inflation slows to 2.3% in June from a four-month high of 2.5% in May, official data shows - by Wang Zhao
The country's consumer price index -- a main gauge of inflation -- also rose 2.3 percent in the first six months of the year from the same period in 2013, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement.
The result compared with the median forecast of a 2.4 percent gain in a survey of 21 economists by The Wall Street Journal, but is well below the 3.5 percent annual target set by Beijing in March.
It comes as concerns earlier this year over economic prospects for China -- a key driver of world growth -- have eased owing to a pick-up in key indicators in the second quarter and some limited steps by authorities to boost the economy.
China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 7.4 percent in January-March, weaker than the 7.7 percent recorded in the final three months of last year and the worst result since a 7.4 percent expansion in the third quarter of 2012.
But growth in industrial output and retail sales accelerated in May, with consumption increasing at its fastest pace since December, official data showed last month, in signs of renewed strength.
China announces second-quarter GDP results on July 16.
Authorities have since April introduced measures to boost growth, including tax breaks for small enterprises, targeted infrastructure outlays and incentives to encourage lending in rural areas and to small companies.
Economists have dubbed the steps a "mini-stimulus", in contrast to the massive pump-priming that took place in the aftermath of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, something leaders say is not on the cards now.
- Room for more -
But analysts said the tame price situation meant further steps could be be taken.
"The subdued inflation outlook provides room for the authorities to launch more targeted stimulus policies in the second half of this year," ANZ Bank economists Liu Li-Gang and Zhou Hao wrote in an analysis of the June data.
They suggested that "further monetary policy easing across the board will still be needed to help lift the confidence in China's economy".
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, in remarks on Monday at a joint news conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said China's growth improved in the second quarter but that more will be done to underpin it in the face of "downward pressure".
China will "not adopt strong stimulus" but rather "will increase the strength of targeted measures", Li said.
"We will further push forward reforms and opening-up and make more efforts to reform (the) government approval system and lower market access thresholds."
Food was the main driver of inflation in June, rising 3.7 percent year-on-year, according to the NBS data, with fruit prices up 19.8 percent. Still, food cost increases slowed from the 4.1 percent recorded in May.
The producer price index (PPI) -- a measure of costs for goods at the factory gate and a leading indicator of the trend for CPI -- improved to a decline of 1.1 percent in June, the NBS said in a separate statement, its highest showing in more than two years.
The result compared with a decrease of 1.4 percent in May and was the highest since a 0.7 percent decline in April 2012, according to official data. The last PPI increase was in January 2012, when it rose 0.7 percent.
Li announced in March that China's economic growth target for this year is "around 7.5 percent", the same objective as for 2013.
In the event, GDP grew 7.7 percent last year, the same as 2012, matching the worst pace since 7.6 percent in 1999.
"We expect Beijing to continue rolling out a slew of small-scale measures to deliver the around 7.5 percent annual growth target," Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists Lu Ting and Zhi Xiaojia said in a research note.
"But we believe Beijing will resist calls for universal measures such as cutting benchmark rates and cutting RRR for all banks," they added, referring to the reserve requirement ratio, the amount of cash banks must keep on hand.
MORE REGIONAL NEWS
Latest Photo Galleries on xinmsn
On the roof tops of Beaubourg, Iris Van Herpen brings the sculptural pieces of work to life.
Date 6 mins ago, Duration 2:23, Views 0


text:
After several leaked photos we have our first official look at the 2020 Hyundai Sonata, which is going to debut next month at the New York Auto Show.
Hyundai promised us that the 2020 Sonata would be a head-turner and they weren’t kidding. The boring seventh-generation is out and in its place, the eighth-generation Sonata is here to stand out in the crowded midsize sedan segment with its ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language.
“Sonata celebrates innovative coupe-like silhouette,” said Sang Yup Lee, senior vice president and head of the Hyundai Design Center. “A short overhang, sloping roofline and low deck lid create a balanced feel, and Hyundai’s signature chrome accent now goes all the way into the hood, making it look even longer. It also has LED lighting built in. These cues bring the Sensuous Sportiness design to life.”
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata takes designs cues from the Le Fil Rouge concept, which debuted last year at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show. Compared to the seventh-generation Sonata, the 2020 Sonata is 30 mm lower, 25 mm wider and 45 longer with a 35 mm longer wheelbase.
We’ll have all the details next month.


text:
Grains and livestock were a sea of red on Monday to start off the week with a lack of fresh news to drive the markets. We talk seasonality versus technicals in the grain markets and more with John Heinberg from Total Farm Marketing. Learn more online at https://www.totalfarmmarketing.com.
A mostly dry outlook for early harvest action this week with a chance for rain later in the week. Plus, how is South American weather shaping up for early planting? We discuss the latest weather models and more with Eric Snodgrass from Nutrien Ag Solutions. Learn more online at https://www.ag-wx.com and sign up for his newsletter: https://info.nutrien.com/snodgrass_weather
Today’s program is brought to you in part by Growmark/FS; learn more online at https://www.fssystem.com.


text:
The 2014 Spring Trials may have come and gone, but you can still check out all of Greenhouse Management's coverage.
EU plan would introduce unlimited list of species that cannot be introduced, transported, sold or released into environment.
The endowment will provide an opportunity for the study of world horticulture practices.
The company has designed a 45-minutes Arbor Day-inspired curriculum.
For growers and retailers, color is just as important as variety, and a focus on color can help boost sales.


text:
MARLTON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--During the height of holiday gift giving, most people aren’t thinking about product recalls. It’s definitely on the minds of manufacturers, though. Data such as serialization, lot and batch numbers prove invaluable in the event of a recall. In the excitement of unwrapping presents, however, UPC codes, product registration cards and other packaging information often get tossed in the trash.
Think about the hundreds of products you use, eat or otherwise rely on every day. Airbags and tires, cribs and children’s toys, peanut butter and packaged spinach -- even pet food -- are just a few of the products recalled in recent memory. How many products in your home already might have been recalled, but you don’t know it? If you assume you’d have heard about it on the news or the merchant would have alerted you, think again.
The truth is most companies aren’t ready for a recall, which can cost a manufacturer upward of $80 million per event, according to John DiPalo, Chief Technology Officer for Acsis, Inc., a leading solutions provider for product traceability and supply chain optimization. DiPalo, who has 25 years of experience developing product-tracking software, reveals five scary recall facts you need to know:
FACT #1: Recalled products are probably sitting on store shelves right now. Although manufacturers can get their products from the warehouse to retailers faster than ever before, pulling the products off the shelves can take days, weeks and even months. At the end of the day, it’s typically the retail store’s job to handle a recall. This often means the entire inventory of a recalled item must be inspected visually, then manually pulled from the shelves. That takes time.
Manufacturers commonly use an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software system that automates a company’s product data and resources. When ERP systems aren’t updated or are ill-equipped to handle a recall, a communication breakdown between manufacturers and retailers is inevitable.
“Most manufacturers don't deal directly with retail stores,” DiPalo said. “Instead, they rely on multi-tier distribution -- wholesalers, distributors and, quite often, sub-distributors. Once a product has left the manufacturing plant, it could be literally anywhere if it’s not being monitored throughout any given supply chain.
“I routinely speak with some of the world’s leading manufacturers who mistakenly believe their current ERP system has all the necessary components to track and trace a product once it has left their facility,” DiPalo said. “However, these complex systems often don’t work the same way in reverse.
“What’s worse, many companies have never performed a simulated recall, so they find out after it’s been tested in the real world that their system failed,” DiPalo continued. “Often, the realization comes too late and with a heavy price.”
FACT #2: Not all product recalls make the news. Although major recalls are headline-makers, there are just too many recalls for the media to expose each and every one. For example, when a recall does occur, government agencies ask major media to get the word out and notify wholesalers and retailers, but there’s no guarantee consumers will hear about it. Some companies post recall notices on their Web sites, but they are not required to do so. Translation: there’s a strong possibility unsafe food or products are lurking in your home.
“You’d be surprised how many recalls simply fly under the radar,” DiPalo explained. “You might see the occasional product recall flier at your local store, but hundreds of recalls go unnoticed -- and unreported on the news -- if they are not considered ‘widespread’ enough. Simply put, what you don’t know can hurt you.”
FACT #3: The government can’t police every product. Although federal agencies have mechanisms in place to monitor food and product safety, they are not foolproof. Many items make it to market without government approval. In addition, counterfeiting, piracy and diversion pose serious threats to product integrity, especially if products aren’t being properly tracked and traced.
“In any industry, monetary loss from counterfeit products reaches into the trillions,” DiPalo said. “Customers aren’t receiving the safe and effective products they’re paying for and are being put in harm’s way as a result.
“A government mandate requires pharmaceutical companies and their supply chains to identify and track products at the item level by 2015,” he said. “It is possible that food, chemical and most consumer products would not be far behind. Having the ability to identify and withdraw unsafe products in the supply chain will certainly help decrease the risks posed to consumers.”
FACT #4: Supply chains aren’t as well-controlled as you think. There’s always potential for human error at every step in the now-global manufacturing process, from raw materials to the packaged product. Products are coming in from all over the world at record pace, so product safety requires everyone in the supply chain to pay attention. Currently when an item is recalled, manufacturers often aren’t able to pinpoint exactly when and where the problem occurred.
“This is exactly the type of problem that happened with the listeria outbreak in cantaloupes a few months ago in which 29 people died,” DiPalo said. “In this case, the spokesperson for the company said their product often was sold and resold, so they didn’t always know where it went. When you can’t track and trace items completely through the supply chain, it becomes very difficult to recall products and protect consumers.
“The sad part is this recall was one of many that could have been greatly reduced in its scope,” DiPalo said. “Technology exists today that enables companies to track precisely where a product is in a supply chain 24/7, providing a manufacturer -- and every other operation in the supply chain -- all the data necessary to pinpoint and quarantine affected items. That way, if a recall is necessary, the company is able to identify the source and reduce the magnitude of the recall. This could mean the difference between recalling 500,000 items, or only 5,000. And as we’ve seen numerous times, a mismanaged recall can make the difference between life and death. So, why aren’t more companies utilizing this technology? That’s the question people should be asking.”
FACT #5: The real product watchdog is YOU. A company's motivation to "do the right thing" is brand protection, image, consumer safety, and (sometimes) survival. All very powerful influences -- the bigger the name, the bigger the brand, the more zealously it will guard its reputation. Most of the time, however, it is the public who acts as whistle blower. DiPalo says the best offense is a good defense.
“Protect your family by educating yourself about the recall process,” DiPalo said. “You can start by visiting government Web sites, such as recalls.gov, which lists recalls of all types and even has a mobile application. Remember that recalls do not expire.”
To find children's product recalls older than 2011 and for a complete list of product recalls, DiPalo recommends consumers visit the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission Web site and be sure to send in warranty registration cards as soon as possible.
“It’s important to remember that some companies don’t think there is an urgent need to change,” DiPalo cautioned. “They’re waiting for a government mandate or a devastating recall to force them to clean up their supply chain. It’s a huge gamble, with consumers losing out.
“People should demand that industries prepare now for potential breaks in their supply chains,” DiPalo said, adding that consumers can help encourage companies to join the Acsis, Inc. recall initiative by signing the company’s on-line petition.
“You can help send the message that an efficient and effective product recall is the only recall consumers want – and deserve,” he said.
About Acsis, Inc.
Acsis, Inc., is a leading solutions provider of products and services for supply chain optimization, visibility and traceability. Acsis solutions deliver brand protection, product risk mitigation, manufacturing efficiencies and corporate profitability to leading manufacturers and distributors in pharmaceutical and life sciences, chemical, consumer product goods, food and beverage, aerospace and defense and other industries. For more information visit Acsis at www.acsisinc.com or call (856) 673-3000.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50116033&lang=en


text:
Introduced on Wednesday: Ford Flex full-size crossover
Is it real? Cleared for takeoff.
What's the point? Ford has been searching for the lost chord it needs to hit with minivan, wagon and crossover buyers, a growing and increasingly important market where Ford has finally established a beachhead with its so far well-received Edge. But with Edge and the recently announced Taurus X (nee Freestyle), etc., did Ford need another crossover?
What they said: "We're raising the bar, cutting our own path, introducing the most unique and innovative crossover ever," said Mark Fields, president for the Americas of Ford Motor.
What they didn't say: The first incarnation of the Flex was at the 2005 Detroit auto show, where it was called the Fairlane concept. The Fairlane seemed to have more than dollop of DNA from models in Ford's Land Rover subsidiary.
What makes it tick? Nothing special – a V-6 with 260 horsepower, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
How much, how soon? Summer of 2008, priced above Edge and Taurus X.
How's it look? A mishmash. This boxy low-rider seems to have styling cues from Land Rover, Mini, Toyota FJ cruiser and 1970s Country Squire station wagons. Lost from the concept version of 2005: The unique center-opening or "suicide" doors.


text:
BMW Aiming to Sell 2 Million Units in 2014
With the BMW German luxury car manufacturer being on a constant growth, the company is aiming to sell around 2 million vehicles in 2014, planning to ship the vehicles to the United States and China. Norbert Reithofer, the CEO at the BMW Group stated in some reports at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show that for [...]
The post BMW Aiming to Sell 2 Million Units in 2014 appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:50 PM.|
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2016, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright © 2005-2013 UnitedBimmer.com


text:
The China International Consumer Products Expo currently underway in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, formally opens to the public on Monday, People's Daily reported.
A total of 50,000 tickets, priced at 20 yuan each, have been sold out, according to the Secretariat of the Organizing Committee of the expo.
In order to attract more buyers and audience, domestic exhibitors are showcasing time-honored eye-catching products, which have become highlights during the expo.
Miao Embroidery from Guizhou province, Xuan paper, a well-known handmade paper from Anhui province, Shanghai's White Rabbit candy, Beijing's Daoxiangcun snack and Tianjin's fried dough twists are attracting many visitors during the expo.
The expo, the first national expo focusing on consumer products held by China, has attracted 857 domestic enterprises showcasing over 1,263 brands, covering 20,000 square meters. Some well-known domestic brands such as Huawei, Gree, BYD Auto, Kweichow Moutai, TCM pharmacy Tongrentang, FAW Hongqi are attending the event.
The expo is a new platform to satisfy people's aspirations for better life, said Justin Yifu Lin, a senior economist and honorary dean of the National School of Development at Peking University. It provides new opportunities for Hainan's high-quality development, and help push the new development paradigm of "dual circulation" with quality consumption, he added.
The number of China's middle-income residents is expected to be 800 million by 2035, which is a huge opportunity for both China and the world, Lin said. "The growth of new consumers, plus the demand upgrade of existing consumers, is worth tapping for the world."
As the most important event for China's monthlong campaign promoting consumption in May, the expo running until May 10 builds exhibition and trading platform for domestic and global brands.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, Tianjin has organized 19 local enterprises covering food, clothing, drinking, bicycles and watches to attend the expo, helping time-honored brands and startup brands to develop domestic and global markets.
Henan and Fujian provinces also sent 26 and 30 enterprises respectively to attend the expo, driving local brands going to the world and promoting foreign trade cooperation.


text:
Oracle Corp. and Compaq Computer Corp. are collaborating on an Net appliance which is due to appear next month through distribution partners, Larry Ellison, Oracle chairman and chief executive officer announced here Monday at his keynote address and during an earlier press conference.
The Net appliance will be based on Oracle 9i Application Server and Compaq's ProLiant DL360 ultra-thin two-way server. The idea behind the device is that it will arrive on customers' doorsteps with its hardware and software preconfigured, pretested and preinstalled, according to Ellison.
At the moment, the appliance is aimed at "very small customers," but over time the device should be able to be used in large operations such as Oracle itself, Ellison said. He expects Oracle will start running the appliances within its own organization within the next few months, with the company fully embracing the devices in "a year or so," he added.
The appliance uses what Ellison dubbed an "anonymous operating system," though he did reveal it incorporates pieces of Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Solaris Unix operating and a version of the Linux open-source operating system. Ellison kept jabbing at Oracle's bitter rival Microsoft Corp., claiming that not even IBM Corp.'s MVS legacy operating system has as many lines of code as Microsoft's Windows 2000.
Ellison continued his age-old mantra of how the PC industry is the only one that permits such a degree of uniqueness that no system setup is the same as any other, making it difficult to support the devices. He claimed that every vendor, with one notable exception, is moving all their software away from the PC to the server. "The PC has morphed into a network appliance plus (Microsoft) Office," Ellison said. "The only thing keeping the PC alive is games." He explained the only reason why he continues to use a PC is to enable him to open Microsoft Word attachments he receives via e-mail.
Sun and Hewlett-Packard Co. are likely to shortly make similar Net appliances with Oracle, according to Ellison.
Oracle, in Redwood Shores, California, can be reached at +1-650-506-7000 or via the Internet at http://www.oracle.com/.


text:
Nokia's Maemo-based N900 smartphone has been hacked to run Google's latest Android 2.2 Froyo operating system.
Tech blog Engadget has posted a video of an N900 device running the Android 2.2 OS, codenamed Froyo.
The Nokia N900, launched in 2009, was the first Nokia device to run the MeeGo OS developed by Nokia and US-based chip maker Intel.
The device, which comes with a 3.5 inch screen and 600Mhz ARM Cortex A8 processor can be seen running Android smoothly, with a fast internet connection and apparently full support for the phone's hardware.
Nokia recently announced that it will be replacing the Symbian OS with its MeeGo operating system on all future Nokia N-series smartphones. The company said that Symbian will still be used in all of its cheaper smartphones.


text:
Thirsty Thursdays at the North Berkeley Farmers’ Market brings local wine, craft beer, food, live entertainment, interactive activities, local business participation, artisan and nonprofit vendors, and more to the The Ecology Center Farmers’ Market every Thursday (October 12, 19, 26; November 2, 9) from 3pm to 7pm. As a family-friendly gathering place, Thirsty Thursdays… Read more »
In an intriguing and exciting development, the North Berkeley Farmers’ Market plans to broaden its product selection and help foster small vendor inclusivity by removing its all-organic certified vendor requirement.
The decision to lift the all-organic certification mandate for agricultural vendors at the North Berkeley market comes as a response to challenges surrounding product… Read more »
Thanks to the support of many organizations, elected officials, and individuals, Ecology Center’s Market Match program has secured funding through 2028.
The California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), which funds Market Match, received $35 million in the 2023 State Budget, thanks to the hard work of many supporters.
Market Match enables CalFresh shoppers to double their… Read more »
City of Berkeley Proclaims Aug. 6-12 “Berkeley Farmers’ Market Week” to Celebrate and Support Local Agriculture
Berkeley, CA – Mayor of Berkeley, Jesse Arreguín, alongside Berkeley City Council members, signed a proclamation on Tuesday declaring August 6-12 as Berkeley Farmers’ Market Week at the July 25th City Council meeting.
Berkeley Farmers’ Market Week will be… Read more »
The well loved Market Match Program, led by the Ecology Center, which enables CalFresh shoppers to double their EBT food dollars for fruits and veggies at 270+ farmers’ markets (and other farm-direct sites), is at risk of losing funding.
That’s why the Ecology Center, Roots of Change, and a coalition of supporters are working to… Read more »


text:
[TechSparks 2020] Create a unique culture, unique products will come from it, says Sridhar Vembu of Zoho
“To have a product mindset, you have to embrace uncertainty. You can never plan a perfect product. Rigid ideas do not work. You have to be flexible and agile. This is the one know-how we have deeply developed in.”
With $6 billion valuation, 50 million users, 45+ apps in nearly every major business category, 9,000 employees, and around 11 offices globally, these words from Sridhar Vembu, Founder, Zoho Corp, are worth pondering.
One of the flag bearers of India's SaaS industry, Sridhar was speaking in a masterclass at TechSparks 2020 withFounder and CEO Shradha Sharma, as he deep-dived into building world-class products and future of technology.
The Chennai-based bootstrapped unicorn has seen a global success on basis of strong product suites. Even during the pandemic, Zoho came up with a slew of initiatives to help government, non-profits, and retailers. Under its new “Vertical Relief Plan”, Zoho launched several apps such as Zoho Creator, Zoho Desk, Zoho Classes, and Zoho forms, among others.
At TechSparks 2020, YourStory's flagship event, which has gone virtual for its 11th edition, Sridhar touched upon many interesting points. According to him, technology comes out of the human mind, and there has to be an organisational culture to push for that. Starting with a company in an era where product mindset did not even exist, he invented his own playbook.
Sridhar said, the culture at Zoho embraces a mix of philosophies from Japan, the Silicon Valley, and India. He also believes that one should synthesise a playbook for a specific context, and this context will then define your culture. He also emphasised on creating belongingness for the people in the company, which is the only way to ensure long-term commitment of employees.
“It is important to create a unique culture and then unique products will come from it,” said Sridhar.
Going ahead, Sridhar believes there needs to be an effort to strengthen the product mindset at the foundation, and this can only be achieved through education. With tech talent from small towns of India spanning across the globe, its time that India should focus on deep technology innovation.
As he rightly said,
“Today, we have a lot of startups. But 20 years ago, none of this existed. We are in a promising space. But now the companies need to focus on deep technology and not only the applied technology. We have to focus on building and inventing foundational technology.”
TechSparks - YourStory's annual flagship event - has been India's largest and most important technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship summit for over a decade, bringing together entrepreneurs, policymakers, technologists, investors, mentors, and business leaders for stories, conversations, collaborations, and connections that matter. As TechSparks 2020 goes all virtual and global in its 11th edition, we want to thank you for the tremendous support we've received from all of you throughout our journey and give a huge shoutout to our sponsors of TechSparks 2020.
Edited by Megha Reddy


text:
MasterCard has taken its serious “appetite” for innovation to new heights with its cashless vending machine initiative. Hungry patrons can use the MasterCard PayPass app on their mobile phone to buy a bite to eat at these futuristic food dispensers. (The Coca-Cola machine even blew up the image of the drink so the consumer could read the nutritional information). As you can see in the clip, when it comes time to pay, just tap and go!
MasterCard has been able to incorporate an unprecedented amount of both engagement and education at the point of sale, thanks in part to MasterCard Labs. A program to foster collaborative brainstorming around payments innovation, MasterCard Labs enables the company to execute new concepts in a quick and cost-efficient manner.
A resulting initiative has been the MasterCard Labs QkR App. The feature employs QR codes, QkR labels, NFC tags, as well as audio, voice and gesture reorganization, to bring increased levels of information and interactivity to the shopping process. The app can even be implemented to work with TV advertisements – to the delight of couch potatoes and wannabe couch potatoes everywhere!
“Taking the Paper Out of Payments” – Gary Flood, President of Global Products
Gary Flood explains how MasterCard’s global partnerships can help foster “a world beyond cash, taking the paper out of payments.”
Interview with MasterCard’s Chief Emerging Payments Officer Ed McLaughlin
MasterCard’s role in the Google Wallet may be its most well-known mobile collaboration, but the company is involved around the world in developing secure mPayment solutions.
Prepaid Innovation – One-on-One with Tim Murphy, Chief Product Officer
Call him the Card Guru. Chief Product Officer Tim Murphy oversees MasterCard’s consumer credit, debit, prepaid and commercial businesses around the world.
“Cash is…” – Execs Finish the Sentence Sentence (the Must-Listen Responses!)
PYMNTS asked MasterCard’s Chief Product Officer Tim Murphy and Chief Emerging Payments Officer Ed McLaughlin to finish the sentence, “Cash is…”
The Cashless Vending Machine and Interactive TV Ad You Have to See to Believe
MasterCard has been able to incorporate an unprecedented amount of both engagement and education at the point of sale, thanks in part to MasterCard Labs.


text:
October 29, 2012
Latest Cartridge World store to join National Breast Cancer Foundation fundraising campaign based in Florida.
Cartridge World Altamonte Springs has announced that it is the latest store to be participating in a fundraising scheme for the National Breast Cancer Foundation in a bid to raise $100,000 (€79,301) as the two-month campaign progresses.
While the franchise’s campaign “Round-up for Pink”, in which customers are encouraged to round up purchases to the nearest dollar with the proceeds going to the charity, has been successful across the globe, Altamonte Springs will continue the scheme.
The scheme aims to raise $100,000 (€77,400), with Cartridge World matching the first $25,000 (€19,350) donated.
Categories : Products and Technology


text:
The gauge of consumer expectations declined to 83.4 from 87.7 in August while the current conditions index rose to 113.9 from 110.9, the highest since November of 2000.
Americans expect the inflation rate to be 2.7 percent next year, higher than 2.6 percent in August. The 5-year expectation also increased to 2.6 percent from 2.5 percent in the previous month.
The two hurricanes had a greater impact on expected economic conditions. Across all interviews in early September, 9% spontaneously mentioned concerns that Harvey, Irma, or both, would have a negative impact on the overall economy. Among those who mentioned the hurricanes, the Sentiment Index was 80.2, while among those who did not spontaneously mention either hurricane, the Sentiment Index remained unchanged from last month at 96.8. Given the widespread devastation in Texas and Florida, it is not surprising to find these very negative initial reactions, nor would it be surprising if these negative assessments last longer than following most past hurricanes. While consumers anticipated slight increases in gas prices and a slightly higher overall inflation rate, those concerns were neutralized by the best assessments of their financial situation in more than a decade. Renewed gains in incomes as well as rising home and equity values have acted to counterbalance the negative impacts from the hurricanes. Given the current resilience of consumers, recent events are unlikely to derail confidence.


text:
MEXICO CITY — Volkswagen’s Mexico unit has agreed an increase in worker pay and benefits of 5.46% in a new collective contract, the local trade union for the German automaker said on Tuesday.
Manuel Aburto, spokesman for the Independent Union of Automotive Industry Workers (SITIAVW), said the deal comprised a salary hike of 3.62% and a rise in benefits of 1.84%.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Unionized workers at Volkswagen’s plant in the central state of Puebla, one of the largest auto plants in Mexico, had sought a 12% wage increase and threatened to strike over the demands by Aug. 18.
The new deal, which came after more than three weeks of negotiations, will go into effect at 11 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Volkswagen Mexico said in a statement. The company noted that the union would provide details of the deal. (Reporting by Sharay Angulo, Writing by Daina Beth Solomon, Editing by Dave Graham, Nick Zieminski and Paul Simao)


text:
Your credit card can be hacked in just six seconds: Study
02 Dec 2016
Nokia brand-phones poised for comeback as HMD takes charge
01 Dec 2016
Where has 'Freedom 251', world's cheapest smartphone, disappeared?
29 Nov 2016
Google honours 'Little Women' Alcott with doodle on her 184th birthday
For the company's 250-person research team, no phone on the market is impossible to crack.
23 Nov 2016
For about 15 minutes those trying to access Dorsey's account received a message stating that the account was suspended.
Apple has confirmed that there is a flaw in its iPhone 6 Plus that makes the display unresponsive.
22 Nov 2016
WhatsApp is a social community tool and these days it is becoming an opportunity for homemakers to earn as well as stand on their feet.
21 Nov 2016
Apple China will offer free battery replacements for faulty iPhone 6s that shut down unexpectedly.
Positioned to woo the upper-mid segment, the Rs 23,999 S6 Pro takes the Xiaomi Mi 5, Moto Z Play, and ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser head on.
The protagonist is Marcus Holloway, an Oakland youngster who's bent on taking down the state-run surveillance system
20 Nov 2016
Prime will likely expand to some 200 countries and territories, according to the Journal report.
18 Nov 2016
The admission came after the programme was exposed by a US cyber security firm.
17 Nov 2016
Twitter's Apple TV app has a unique feature that allows users to watch live video and Tweeted video clips, side by side.
De la Torre's app can help identify drowsy drivers, detect depression and improve avatars in video games.
Tech giant google has now made it a lot easier for its users to preserve old photographs and family portraits in old photo albums with the launch of its…
Facebook is promising better data to give ad buyers a clearer picture of how they are spending their money.
16 Nov 2016
The group had hacked the Twitter account of Evan Williams, the microblogging site's co-founder and former CEO.
WhatsApp has temporarily suspended giving parent company Facebook information about users in Europe for ad targeting, responding to concerns there over…
Google is promising that its widely used translation service is now even more fluent, thanks to an advance that's enabling its computers to interpret complete sentences.
Twitter said it was rolling out a new tool to help users filter out harassment and abusive conduct on the messaging platform.
15 Nov 2016
Catering to the requests of its over a billion users, instant messaging app WhatsApp launched its video calling feature.
Most of the smartphone players are trying to woo customers by offering massive battery capacity - and Coolpad is no different.
14 Nov 2016
A Samsung phone user in France says her Galaxy J5 smartphone caught fire and exploded on Sunday. The model is different from the Galaxy Note 7 that has been recalled worldwide.
13 Nov 2016
The new emojis are likely to arrive on smartphones next year
Castro ashes arrive in revolution's cradle for burial
Fire tears through Oakland dance party, killing at least 9
Huge cache of explosive materials found in Sabarimala forest
Protests in S. Korea call for President Park's resignation
Delhi cops pay 'shagun' to colleague via e-wallets, bank apps
Finance Department to conduct special audit of relief orgs: J-K government
Ex-DMK panchayat president murdered
Nepal move on statute an 'important step': India
Iran minister lashes out at US Senate as Sartaj arrives a day early
Chef credited with inventing General Tso's Chicken has died
Treatment of Indian Tamil issue set the tone for post-independence Sri Lankan political culture
RBI defers mandatory deployment of PoS devices till June
Key Indian equity indices trade lower during early session
BCCI has done a lot for game in country: Tendulkar
Spanish police arrest 34 in match-fixing probe


text:
Onstage at re:Mars this week, Amazon showcased a developing Alexa feature meant to mimic the flow of natural language. Conversation between two humans rarely follows some predefined structure. It goes
Alexa is learning to have more natural conversations. Amazon today announced it’s rolling out the new “Conversation Mode” feature to its Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen.) devices which allows
Amazon is preparing to roll out a trio of new features that will allow consumers to further personalize their Alexa experience by helping train the Alexa AI using simple tools. In a few months’
At its annual hardware event, Amazon today announced new capabilities for its Alexa personal assistant that will allow it to become more personalized as it can now ask clarifying questions and then us
Alexa just read me Monday’s baseball scores. It was great for two reasons. First, the A’s shut out the Mariners 9-0 in the second game of a doubleheader. And second, she did so in Samuel L. Jackso
You have a mere 48 hours left to join the first global Disrupt at the lowest possible price. Disrupt 2020 runs September 14-18 — five days packed with opportunity for founders, investors, entreprene
It’s hard to believe that Alexa was only announced in November 2014. In fewer than six years, the smart assistant has gone from consumer electronics curiosity to a nearly ubiquitous tech phenomenon.


text:
Bissell, a floor care products manufacturer headquartered in Walker (outside of Grand Rapids), has partnered with Grand Haven-based food designer HotLogic to launch a portable and heated meal tote bag.
Touted by HotLogic as a “breaktime breakthrough,” HotLogic mini totes allow consumers to warm their food without leaving their workstations, standing in line in the breakroom, or pushing buttons on a microwave. The portable device works in other places, as well.
“With HotLogic mini totes, associates can bring meals from home directly to their desks. This allows them to bypass the fridge and microwave and plug their totes into their workstations so their food is ready to eat when and where they are,” says Sean Regan, vice president of cleaning systems and COVID response team member at Bissell.
HotLogic products with SmartShelf heating technology are available in personal totes and breakroom appliances. The no-touch and low-touch solutions give employees a way to “heat healthier” in the new, post-COVID-19 work environment.
“We want to give companies a meaningfully way to welcome back their employees,” says Bill McKendry, chief marketing officer for HotLogic. “Employers are looking for a solution to the new world breakroom and providing healthy meals for their workforce. HotLogic not only provides options to enjoy fresh, reheated, or frozen meals faster, easier, and safer, but is prepared and heated by you, removing stress and fear.”
HotLogic products are energy efficient and not fire hazardous. They work with glass, plastic, paperboard, and metal foil containers.
Bissell is joining the list of HotLogic’s partners, which includes companies such as Google, Walmart, Intel, Ford Motor Co., Gordon Food Service, and Herman Miller.
HotLogic is offering limited time post-COVID-19 pricing. Their mini totes and breakroom appliances are marked down through Aug. 1. In addition, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a nonprofit organization.
More information on the products is available here.


text:
Which is the most Angelic Cereal?
Rude Health might be a little cheeky, but their ‘no added salt or sugar’ breakfasts aren’t in the
recently revealed Cereal Offenders line-up.
The latest Which? Report states that 31 out of 100 cereals surveyed contain more than four teaspoons of sugar per portion. Whilst the nation wakes up to the news that a number of popular cereals contain more sugar than a bowl of ice-cream, those tucking into a bowl of Rude Health cereal can feel smugly virtuous.
Rude Health’s range of organic muesli and porridge is angelically healthy, with no added salt or sugar, or any other nasty additives for that matter. Made with wholegrains and sustainably-sourced ingredients, Rude Health breakfasts are wholesome, yummy and lots of fun.
Camilla Barnard, Rude Health’s co-founder and marketing director says “The salt, sugar and fat levels in cereals are only part of the story. If you are eating breakfast for energy, to keep you going and for general health then you need to look at the benefits too. Many highly processed cereals will leave you hungry and tempted to snack. The best choices for breakfast are muesli and porridge.”
Sue Davies, Which? Chief Policy Adviser said in the report: “Breakfast is important, and some cereals deserve their healthy image”. Rude Health doesn’t like to boast, but their halo is looking rather well polished of late.


text:
Mattel has partnered with ToyTalk to bring "Thomas & Friends" to life in a new app that uses speech recognition to enable conversations with characters.
Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media has released the new app “Cars Daredevil Garage,” which lets fans scan Mattel diecast cars.
Mattel India has teamed with the on-demand retail platform GingerCrush.com to offer its brands on a range of lifestyle merchandise.
Mattel's American Girl brand of contemporary 18-inch dolls, accessories, girls' clothing and play-based content has been rebranded as Truly Me.
Mattel has launched a new app featuring its preschool franchise Fireman Sam.
Painting Lulu has signed its first licensing agreement with Mattel, to bring the Barbie and Hot Wheels brands to the digital coloring platform.
DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Mattel have joined forces to launch a new superhero brand aimed at girls.
Mattel has teamed with the online community Quirky to reimagine its portfolio of products and drive growth for brands including Barbie, Fisher-Price, and Hot Wheels.
Mattel has partnered with Autodesk to power a new toy line that will feature 3D printing technology.
Turner Broadcasting System’s Cartoon Network and Boomerang will air more than 800 minutes of new Mattel television content in Latin America.
HIT Entertainment has unveiled new content across its brands including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Monster High, Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Fisher-Price.
Here’s a breakdown of 15 trends to watch this year– five licensors, five categories and five properties.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered with a wide array of licensees to develop fan-favorite gifts prime for holiday wish lists.
Mega Brands, a member of the Mattel family, has announced a host of new partnerships for its Mega Bloks construction portfolio.
Universal Partnerships & Licensing has tapped Mega Brands to develop a new kids' construction line based on the Despicable Me franchise.
Mattel has collaborated with Google to re-imagine the iconic View-Master toy with a 21st century twist.
American Girl, a division of Mattel, is expanding into Mexico in partnership with the high-end Mexican retailer El Palacio de Hierro.
©2015 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


text:
In the Western world where mobile phone contracts are relatively inexpensive, mobile phone users are accustomed to using just one SIM card to power all their mobile communications; however, in places like the Middle East, Africa, Asia and India, mobile users are snapping up phones with multiple SIM facilities so they can make cheaper calls.
"We are already seeing triple SIM card devices being launched and this multi SIM behavior looks set to grow as a phenomenon, especially amongst the newer and more emerging markets," commented GfK Global Telco marketing director, Aaron Rattue in a study released on February 3.
"The multiple SIM facilitates the consumer-lead desire to utilize different tariffs throughout the week, depending on time and usage."
Users locked into one network may be charged more expensive rates when calling someone on a different network. With a device that supports multiple SIM cards, users have the freedom to choose the network that provides them with the cheapest calls.
According to GfK, one in ten mobile phones in the Middle East and Africa are now dual SIM capable.
Asian users have upped their consumption of dual SIM card devices from 13 percent at the beginning of 2010 to 16 percent.
Growth trends are even higher in Indonesia, Vietnam, Ghana and India where the market for dual SIM phones has increased from one in ten last year to one in four in the fourth quarter of 2010.
In January, a division of Japan's AKAI Mobile launched its first triple SIM phone in India, a feature phone, called "Trio."
The Rs. 3295 (€53) phone comes with some multimedia features, a 2" display, a 1.3 MP camera, GPRS, and WAP functionality for web browsing.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies


text:
HP and SCORE recently announced the second annual nationwide series of small business disaster preparedness workshops. If there’s one in your city, then it might be a worthwhile event for you to attend to learn a little about disaster recovery, disaster preparedness, and business continuity.
The “Small Business Wellness Workshops” provide small businesses with education and solutions to plan for and recover from disasters – both natural and man made.
Underscoring the necessity of disaster planning for small businesses, HP and SCORE also recently published a white paper, “Impact on US Small Business of Natural & Man-Made Disasters,” which highlights the consequences a small business could face if ill-prepared.
“HP has a long history of supporting small business and is excited to work with SCORE again to educate small businesses on how to protect themselves against unexpected natural and technology-related disasters,” said Lisa Baker, director, Business Marketing – Americas, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Our workshops were widely successful last year, and once again, we will aim to help small businesses focus on their bottom line, rather than on technology challenges.”
“With our mission to foster the growth and success of small business, SCORE understands that disaster planning is imperative, not a ‘nice to have,’” said Ken Yancey, chief executive officer, SCORE. “As today’s small businesses are increasingly dependent on their computer systems, these workshops combine SCORE’s scenario planning expertise with HP’s data protection knowledge to address the full spectrum of disaster preparedness.”
Workshops empower small businesses to protect themselves
Each year due to storms, fires or unexpected hard drive collapses, an alarming number of small businesses lose irreplaceable customer data, tax documents, employee records and other critical information.
During the Wellness Workshops, attendees will learn how to protect their core business information. Additionally, a bonus session on “greening your business” provides attendees with tips on making their businesses environmentally responsible.
The HP and SCORE Small Business Wellness Workshops will be held at the following locations:
· April 2 – Lions Gate Hotel, 3410 Westover,
· April 29 –
· May 13 –
· May 20 – Doubletree Hotel,
· May 29 – Crowne Plaza Hotel,
Workshops dates with locations TBD:
· June 4 –
· June 11 –
· June 25 –
· July 9 –
· Sept. 10 –
· Sept. 17 –
· Oct. 8 –
· Oct. 22 –
· Nov. 19 –
· Dec. 2 –
· Dec. 9 –
Business Matchmaking brings together buyers from all federal agencies and many Fortune 500 companies to meet with small businesses offering various products and services. Since its inception, Business Matchmaking has generated more than 52,000 one-on-one appointments resulting in more than $1 billion in contracting opportunities for entrepreneurs through regional events held all across the country and in online sessions.
Valuable data for protecting a business
The white paper published by HP and SCORE demonstrates the many types of disasters to which small businesses are susceptible, including large natural events such as hurricanes as well as those caused by human or mechanical errors, such as incorrect keystrokes or hard drive malfunctions.
The study shows how some businesses floundered after a disaster, and how simple steps in preparedness could have completely changed the outcome. With a few proactive steps, any company can safeguard its valuable data to ensure that if the unthinkable happens, the company will still survive.
More information about the white paper and the event, plus event registration for the Small Business Wellness Workshops, is available at www.score.org/HP_events.html.


text:
CHICAGO—Playboy Enterprises Inc. on Wednesday announced second quarter losses of nearly $9 million. The losses were the result of a one time restructuring charge of $9.1 million related to the closing of the company's New York office, the company said.
Excluding that charge, the lifestyle brand reported a small income of $0.4 million. In the same period last year, the company reported a net loss of $3.2 million.
According to the press release, Second quarter 2009 segment income was $3.6 million, which compares to a segment loss of $0.3 million in the 2008 second quarter. Increased profits in the Entertainment and Print/Digital businesses combined with lower corporate expense were responsible for the improvement. Year-over-year second quarter revenues declined from $73.4 million last year to $62.2 million in 2009.
"It is clear that the cost-reduction initiatives that we began implementing late last year are responsible for the improvements in both segment income and margins," Playboy's Chief Executive Officer Scott Flanders said. "Our accomplishments were most evident in the Print/Digital and Entertainment segments, which reported significantly increased profitability in the 2009 second quarter compared to last year."
Flanders was hired in June of last year after Christie Hefner, Hugh's daughter, resigned as CEO. Flanders was president and chief executive of Freedom Communications Inc., an Irvine, Calif.-based media company that owns eight television stations and more than 40 daily and weekly newspapers nationwide, including the Orange County Register.
At the time Flanders took the reigns, Playboy was already in the middle of a company-wide retrenchment that included wide scale layoffs, consolidation of departments and the aforementioned closure of the New York office, which had been the hub of the publishing arm of the company.
Rumors had already begin to circulate that the storied company was up for sale, and in February of this year, the company publicly admitted that it was "willing to listen" to offers. In a conference call Tuesday, Flanders declined to comment on the issue of a possible sale, preferring to focus on the company's intentions to build on the success of cost-cutting measures implemented over the past year.
"Efforts to better manage our cost structure while improving our customers' experience will continue," Flanders said. "I believe this company has taken many of the right steps in outsourcing or exiting unprofitable businesses and that those which remain are critical to our future. However, I also believe we can create a more effective operating and financial structure, and our goal is to do just that."
Thursday, PEI was trading around $2.40 a share, down from its 52-week high of $4.99.


text:
More shoppers are hungrier than ever for a five-inch smartphone.
Phablet – a phone/tablet hybrid – has become an industry term for a smartphone sporting a five-inch screen or larger, and IHS iSuppli says shipments of said devices will hit 60.4 million in 2013. That's equivalent to a 136 per cent year-on-year growth on the 25.6 million shipments made last year.
The data comes following last week's CES, which saw Huawei debut an enormous 6.1-inch Ascend Mate smartphone, just 2cm shy of measuring the same length as a Kindle Fire tablet.
Vinita Jakhanwal, director of small and medium displays at IHS iSuppli, said: "The move to offer larger-display smartphones reflects the efforts of both device and panel makers to differentiate their products.
"With consumers demanding more lifelike viewing experiences, the trend to offer such devices makes perfect sense, especially considering the increase in rich content that is being made available on smartphones."


text:
Facebook has launched a new platform for games, built right into the company’s existing apps. The feature, called Instant Games, builds a playable library of free games directly into the Facebook Newsfeed and the Messenger app via a new update.
Seventeen games are included in Instant Games at launch, but developers interested in bringing their game to the platform can register to receive more information now.
The biggest thing Instant Games has going for it is that the HTML5-powered service doesn’t require users to download or open any new apps to play. Players are able to go from seeing a game in their newsfeed to playing it quickly without ever leaving the Facebook App.
Because of its foundations in Facebook’s Newsfeed and Messenger, Instant Games is a very social experience and encourages different people in messenger groups and conversations to pick up games and compete for scores.
If the service takes off, this could potentially help games featured in the library to reach many of the more than 1 billion people that use Facebook and Messenger.
The closed beta is already showing up on iOS and Android devices, and Facebook has plans to bring the service to a total of 30 countries at this time.


text:
Burberry profits drop 21% as Gobbetti prepares to take over
By Ben Stevens - May 18th 2017, 13:50
Wavering wholesale demand in the US has hit Burberry’s margins as the retailer posts a five per cent dip in reported pre-tax profits to £394.8 million.
Its EBITDA dropped 21 per cent to £462m, however, this came in ahead of analyst’s predictions raising the company’s share price to the highest level in six weeks.
Total revenues were down two per cent to £2.8 billion in the year to March 31, but the weak pound saw the luxury retailers adjusted profits rise 10 per cent in reported exchange rates.
Despite this promising outcome, the impact of the weak pound is predicted to cost the retailer £30 million in the coming year.
The retailer said it was on track to achieving cost reductions of £100 million a year by 2019, reductions that partially offset the waning sales across the US.
“2017 was a year of transition for Burberry in a fast-changing luxury market,” chief executive Christopher Bailey said.
“The actions we have taken to lay the foundations for future growth are yielding early benefits and I remain confident that these will build over time."
“Marco Gobbetti assumes the role of CEO from July. With his extensive experience in the sector, we will build on these foundations to elevate and strengthen the brand further and take Burberry to the next level as a global luxury retail and digital business."
“I am excited to work closely with him in this next chapter.” Retail Gazette
Shoprite shares fall after lacklustre update
16/01/2018 - 13:42
Grocery chain Shoprite’s share price fell as much as 7% before recovering to trade 1.6% lower at R210 at 9.25am after reporting a sharp slowdown in interim sales growth.
Pick n Pay helps boost township businesses
16/01/2018 - 13:07
The launch of the two modernised spazas in Gugulethu and Nyanga marks phase 2 of the Pick n Pay's spaza innovative modernisation programme which seeks to revitalise township economy.
Pick n Pay, Shoprite, and Checkers are set for big changes in 2018
16/01/2018 - 10:29
The overarching theme for South African retailers in 2018 will be the pace and rate of change they are expected to undergo over the next year.
Woolworths down on poor sales
16/01/2018 - 09:46
The Woolworths share price dropped nearly 9% on Monday as the retailer reported poor sales in some of its businesses and lower headline earnings per share.
H&M must ‘invest in building bridges’ after racial blunder‚ says communication expert
15/01/2018 - 15:48
Swedish multinational clothing-retail company H&M would have to "invest in building bridges" after its blunder involving a racially offensive hoodie‚ says inter-cultural communication expert Jette Kristiansen.


text:
The cruise industry that is so important to the Solent region should start recovering as Covid-19 vaccines are rolled out, believes CSS Group, the Fareham-based provider of food, drink and consumables to the travel industry.
“It is evident that the cruise industry will slowly bring voyages back in service when restrictions on travel ease, country by country. However, one thing is certain, it will not be a global programme of reinstatement running in parallel,” said Frank Welkerling, CEO at CSS.
“Every country will re-emerge economically at a different pace. According to TravelPulse, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have further cancelled all sailings through February 2021, with full operations predicted to resume in March 2021.”
CSS said this was good news for a sector that has been virtually paralysed for over 12 months, with fleets mothballed and anchored in ports throughout the US and Europe.
“Crucially, as we witness voyages returning, will be consumer confidence and the need to focus on health and safety for guests, crew and the communities visited. The stark reality is that there will be an abundance of caution during 2021, with the cruise lines eager to return to some sense of normality, but tempered with the reality of returning to the seas under a phased plan,” said Welkerling.
“No question about it, the Covid-19 vaccines emerging are the start of calmer seas. However, I suspect the full recovery will be prevalent towards the end of 2021; what is encouraging is evidence of demand and the fact the industry continues to invest in the fleet.”


text:
Clothing sales in November were adversely impacted by the mild weather during the month and comparisons with 2008 when the high street was in the throes of a discounting war.
Total retail sales values rose 1.8% on a like-for-like basis in November according to the British Retail Consortium-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor - a worse-than-expected performance against a dire November last year when like-for-likes dropped 2.6% in the wake of the banking collapse.
Total sales during November this year rose 4.1%, versus a 0.4% drop in the same month a year ago.
Clothing and footwear sales growth slowed after a rise in October when total retail like-for-like sales showed the best growth since 2002.
Clothing sales in November dropped back below November 2008 levels, when sales were already weak. The mild weather this year impacted demand for winter coats, heavy knitwear, and warm accessories. Kidswear continued to outperform adult’s clothing although the rate of growth slowed during the month.
Womenswear was “just down” on a year ago with dresses, smarter tops and leggings driving performance. The year-on-year fall in menswear was the worst since 2008.
Footwear sales remained strong - driven by discounts and promotions - against a weak November 2008 but not as good month-on-month. Boots sold well during the month due to the wet weather and women’s footwear outperformed men’s and children’s. Ankle and high-leg boots were strong performers. Children’s footwear was up year-on-year but slowed after a good September.
Department stores were helped by Sales and promotions during November, with clothing and footwear showing robust gains for many. However, winter ranges continued to suffer during the mild weather.
Internet and mail order
Internet, mail order and phone sales were 16.9% higher than a year ago compared with 18% in October. The rate of growth was in line with the slowdown in store sales.
Stephen Robertson, BRC director general, said growth in November was not as strong as expected.
“We would have expected much stronger growth because the comparison is with very poor results in 2008 when November was the second worst performing month of the year,” said Robertson.“Growth was weaker than a strong October, but it’s not as bad as it seems”.
He added: “Discounts and downpours boosted boot and shoe sales – while the milder weather hit clothing sales. There was continued growth in non-store non-food sales.”
He added that consumer confidence remains “fragile” and has “taken a turn for the worse”.
He said: “We’re the only major economy still in recession. Uncertainty over jobs and future tax increases and Government spending cuts is making customers more cautious. Retailers are hopeful of a better Christmas than last year’s dire performance, but it’s still all to play for.”
Helen Dickinson, KPMG head of retail, was bullish about the outlook for Christmas: “Although regaining ground lost in the early run up to Christmas is difficult, if not impossible, many retailers will be quietly confident that their performance will not be anywhere near as bad as some may have expected six months ago.“


text:
Latest platform upgrade said to provide a level of visibility across BT systems to smooth integration of virtual machines and emerging microservices within infrastructure designs. Benefits for Consumer platforms particularly flagged. VMware products described as being at the core of BT’s design ethos.
Telefónica|Vivo joined the first meeting of the Microsoft Brasil‑germinated Brazilian artificial intelligence (AI) industry board.
Apparent pragmatic row-back on opposition to private spectrum allocation.
Attempt to kick out Huawei from UK infrastructure within three years fails to secure backing of Commons. Government considering tougher demands on HRVs to head off rebels, who are expected to return with reinforcements in the summer. Ex‑BT Chairman now lending his gravitas to Huawei as a senior advisor ...
Group‑wide commitments made to maintaining network capacity in light of changing demand. Cisco and Microsoft partnerships enabling additional enterprise customer support. Consumer benefits include temporary free content and information access, and leeway on data use. Cooperation with public administrations and local rivals seen across the Telefónica footprint.
Round‑up of recent activity among Telefónica-backed startup and venturing ecosystems.
Vodafone Germany partnered with interconnection provider Deutscher Commercial Internet Exchange (DE‑CIX) on Vodafone Company Net.
VdSA partnered with Microsoft on its Direct Charge to Bill (DCB) facility.
Telefónica talks-up connected home capabilities with new apps from partners, but with limited reach. ‘Home‑as‑a‑computer’ a technological focus for the Group, although commercial demand unproven, and early gloomy indications of Movistar Home performance. Latest announcement bolsters Microsoft position as key AI partner for Telefónica.
US and Finnish suppliers club together on cloud and SD-WAN. Azure‑Nuage combo could provide a more compelling alternative to Cisco in the BT Dynamic Network Services portfolio. BT Global wheels out IXOM as customer of the integrated solution.
Germany’s move for shared European cloud infrastructure backed. CEO laments lack of European rivals to tech giants from America, Asia. TDE announces upcoming campus network products. NatCo signs strategic partnership with Teradata. T-Sys unveils new public and private cloud propositions.
T‑Mobile US (TMUS) revealed it was working with Microsoft on the software giant’s beta release (or “preview”) of Project xCloud, an Xbox games-streaming service for smartphones and tablets.


text:
Tesla has outscored Volkswagen as the world's second most valuable automaker behind Toyota because the steep rise in the US EV maker's shares travels the global market.
Tesla's stocks have doubled in worth within the last quarter, with its market capitalization surpassing US$100 billion last week, a first for a registered US carmaker.
During the rally, its value has leapfrogged skilled global rivals: Honda, BMW, General Motors and Daimler. On Wednesday, it eclipsed VW's $99.4 billion value.
Toyota still holds the top position with a market cap of $233 billion.
The recent gains are fueled by a surprise third-quarter profit, progress at a replacement factory in China and better-than-expected car deliveries within the fourth quarter.
Many investors remain skeptical that Tesla can consistently deliver profit, income, and growth.
But the gains highlight growing confidence among investors about the longer term of electrical vehicles and Tesla's shift from a distinct segment car maker into a worldwide leader in cleaner cars.
A glance at its results shows it's an extended thanks to going before it can eclipse larger rivals.
As per annual forward business estimates, it isn't even in the range of the top 20 within the world. The automaker's sales worth will touch only US$31 billion, a slice of Toyota's whopping $276 billion, VW's $283 billion and Daimler's $191 billion, confirmed by Refinitiv data, a commercial analyst organization.


text:
Stories surrounding car hacking seem to be all the rage these days. The issue was first thrust into the spotlight a few weeks ago when famed hackers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek were able to take over Wired reporter Andy Greenberg’s jeep as it sped down the highway at 70 mph.
Such is the risk involved with connected cars. On the one hand, the technology that underlies modern vehicles makes driving more convenient, efficient, and enjoyable than ever before. On the other, expanded capabilities opens up the door for hackers to potentially wreak havoc.
That being the case, there’s one car company, above all others, who has their security game on lock down. Not surprisingly, that company is Tesla.
During a presentation at the annual Def Con Hacking Conference in Las Vegas last week, researchers Kevin Mahaffey and Marc Rogers detailed the endless number of roadblocks they encountered when trying to hack a Tesla Model S. Ultimately, they managed to find a key vulnerability by accessing Tesla’s VPN via a somewhat hidden Ethernet port located behind the drivers side dashboard. In turn, they were able to access a key piece of the car’s software which enabled them to “shut down a moving Model S at low speed” while also giving them control over the car’s windows, doors, and suspension.
Tesla, the researchers note, quickly patched the vulnerability.
So if Mahaffey and Rogers were, in fact, able to hack a Tesla, wouldn’t one assume that the Tesla Model S is far from secure?
Truth be told, the bulk of their talk centered on all of the dead ends they encountered in their effort to skirt around the Model S’ security. Indeed, the work that went into finding and exploiting the aforementioned vulnerability took place over the course of two years. What’s more, physical access to the car is needed for the hack to be effective.
The company also engineered the car to handle sudden power loss in a graceful way. If power to the car were cut while the vehicle was in motion, the hand brake would kick in, and the car would lurch to a stop if it was traveling 5 miles per hour or less. It would go into neutral if traveling faster than this. But the driver would still retain control of the steering and brakes and be able to pull the car over. The airbags also would still be fully functional.
“That in itself I think is a huge achievement that I’d like to call Tesla out for,” says Rogers. “This is a directly contrasting story to the Jeep story… Tesla had actually thought about the ramifications about what might happen and had designed the car to handle it gracefully and be safe… in such a way that catastrophic [failure] would not happen.”
Tesla’s over-the-air software updates were also praised by Mahaffey and Rogers as it enables them to immediately address and fix software vulnerabilities as they arise.
So is the Model S hackable? Sure, with enough time and resources it’s hard to say that anything is truly impenetrable. That said, Mahaffey and Rogers had no problem stating that the Tesla Model S is the “most secure car that we’ve seen.”
As a final point, and speaking to how seriously Tesla takes security, the company recently hired Chris Evans from Google’s Project Zero to head up its security team. Project Zero, if you’re unfamiliar, was a Google team comprised of hackers dedicated to finding zero-day exploits.


text:
U.S. President Donald Trump famously promised in his inaugural address that he would take on the world to improve the lot of American workers and families.
“We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs,” he vowed. “Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.”
He’s been good to his protectionist word, slapping tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of imports in the past two months and threatening hundreds of billions more.
But don’t count on Mr. Trump delivering prosperity to the victims of globalization spread across Middle America. New research by economists at New York University’s Stern School of Business suggests that the Trump administration’s mix of import tariffs and tax breaks skewed to wealthier Americans will produce the worst of all outcomes for U.S. workers.
“The worst policy mix is a regressive tax system with a high tariff,” economists Spencer Lyon and Michael Waugh conclude in a working paper for the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research.
Indeed, the two economists concluded that the higher the tariff, the worse off people are in terms of household income.
“We find no evidence that an import tariff is an effective approach to dealing with the costs of trade,” according to the study, Redistributing the Gains from Trade Through Progressive Taxation.
Quite the opposite. Mr. Lyon and Mr. Spencer found that making the tax system more progressive – taxing people at higher rates as their income rises – is a good form of “social insurance” that mitigates losses suffered by pockets of the population as a result of globalization.
A more regressive tax regime is exactly what Mr. Trump and the Republicans delivered last year. Under the plan, most households saw their taxes go lower. But the benefits were highly concentrated in the hands of the wealthiest Americans. The Washington-based Tax Policy Center estimated that Americans got an average tax break of US$1,610 in 2018. It was not spread evenly. The after-tax income boost for people in the bottom 20 per cent of earners was 0.4 per cent compared to 3.5 per cent for the top 1 per cent.
The tax reform package also included huge tax breaks for companies. In theory, if these incentives encourage companies to hire, invest and expand, it will boost overall economic growth.
Again, new research by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco casts doubt on that rosy scenario. The problem is that the tax breaks are being introduced into an economy that is already growing at a healthy clip: 2.3 per cent in 2017 and likely more than 3 per cent this year.
Many economists predicted that the tax cuts would boost GDP by as much as a percentage-point per year. But San Francisco Fed Economists Tim Mahedy and Daniel Wilson found that there could be little or no boost at all. That’s because when the economy is already hot, there is less excess labour, factory capacity and other resources to throw into action.
“The effects of fiscal stimulus on overall economic activity are much smaller during expansions than during downturns,” the authors conclude. “This suggests these forecasts may be overly optimistic.”
The actual boost from the tax cuts could be as small as zero, they say.
All of this suggests that the main elements of Mr. Trump’s economic plan – taxes and tariffs – get failing grades in terms of delivering results to the people he claims to want to help.
Mr. Trump’s version of inequality in America – as laid out in his inaugural address – is that “Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth.”
The irony is that as Mr. Trump wages trade warfare with the world, there probably isn’t a better place to be than Washington if you’re a trade lawyer, lobbyist or political consultant. Mr. Trump has been a boon for the influence business as exporters and importers alike scurry to limit the damage with every wave of tariffs and counter-tariffs.
Washington, it seems, is doing better than ever.
Everyone else? Not so much.


text:
Event Summary: BiOS & Photonics West 2018
Xenics booth at Photonics West
With the biggest photonics event in the United States happening in January, the stage is set for us to bring our best products at Photonics West 2018.
Held once again at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the spotlight is placed on the brand new XLIN-FC detector series from Xenics. This innovative SWIR linear detector defines modern age SWIR imaging by offering high speed, high resolution, and low noise. Available in rectangular or square pixels, the XLIN-FC should not be missed for anyone working in demanding spectroscopy and machine vision applications.
Photonics West 2018 was the first instance where visitors could see the XLIN-FC up close. Live demo of popular products such as the Tigris-640 MWIR cooled camera and the Xeva-2.5-320 were also presented during the event.
The PRISM Finalist
Apart from our presence as an exhibitor, this year, we’ve also participated in the SPIE PRISM Awards.
The product representing Xenics is none other than the XLIN-FC. Submitted for the category “Detectors and Sensors”, the XLIN-FC made its way to the finalist round against 2 other products.
Jointly organized by Photonics Media and SPIE, the Prism Awards for Photonics Innovation is a leading international competition that honors the best new photonic products on the market. The finalists and winners were decided by a diverse panel of 30 judges, each with a vast history and expertise in various industries.
The winners were announced in a black-tie gala award ceremony during the exhibition week. While Xenics did not come up on top (the award went to NKT Photonics), it has been a very exciting journey and we thank the judges for their consideration.
Rest assured: This would not be the last you hear about the XLIN-FC, keep reading!