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Zeiss, a company that made its name in optical and optoelectronic technology before moving into the realm of virtual reality, has announced its latest VR headset: the Zeiss VR One Connect at IFA 2017 in Berlin.
The Zeiss VR One Connect promises to bridge the gap between PC virtual reality, which offers impressive visuals and complex games, but comes with a high price tag for expensive headsets such as the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, and smartphone-powered VR, which costs a lot less, but doesn’t quite offer the immersive experience of PC VR. Zeiss VR One Connect does this by running SteamVR games that are powered by a PC, which does all the graphical grunt work, and transmitting the footage to the headset, using your smartphone as a screen.
The headset, with the smartphone slotted in, is connected to your PC via a USB cable, and the Zeiss VR One Connect uses the smartphone’s built-in motion sensors to provide head tracking.
The Zeiss VR One Connect system is compatible with many budget smartphone VR headsets, or you can use it with the Zeiss VR One, potentially keeping the entry price very low.
First of all, by controlling games using the 3DoF controllers, which send information to your smartphone, which then combines that data with information from its own motion sensors, before sending instructions to your PC, it could add an element of lag, which could make playing VR games difficult – or even nauseating.
If you already have a suitable smartphone and PC, then the Zeiss VR One Connect promises to be a very cheap way to get into VR gaming.
Releasing at the end of 2017, the Zeiss VR One Connect, which comes with two wireless controllers and a USB cable, along with the required software, will cost $129. A bundle which includes the Zeiss VR One Plus headset will also be sold for $199. While we do have doubts, there is a lot of potential here, so we’re looking forward to getting some hands on time with it to see if the Zeiss VR One Connect lives up to its promises.


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Founder | Steve Nash Enterprises
Although it's likely that 38-year-old basketball star Steve Nash will hang up his high-tops for good within the next two years, he won't find himself short of things to do. The starting point guard for the Phoenix Suns and two-time NBA MVP has a passion for business and philanthropy — and participation in myriad organizations to prove it.
Through his company, Steve Nash Enterprises, Nash has equity in a dozen entrepreneurial ventures — a film-production company, soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps and a skin-care startup among them. One of the most recent additions to Nash's portfolio is Liquid Nutrition Group Inc. of Oakville, Ont. In 2011, the smoothie, food, vitamin and supplement store concept inked a three-year deal with Nash that positioned him as an equity partner and spokesperson, with the mutual goal of franchising stores across selected markets in Canada and the U.S. Nash and a business partner are leading the rollout of 20 locations in B.C. "Nash isn't just a pitchman and a shareholder," says Glenn Young, president of Liquid Nutrition, which went public last May. "He has direct involvement in the company — and that involvement will grow when he retires from basketball."
But Nash surely will leave time to build upon his impressive body of philanthropic work. In 2001, he launched the Steve Nash Foundation, which helps underprivileged children in Arizona and his native B.C. improve their health, personal development and education. "I really feel the need to try to help people," says Nash. "As a professional athlete, you are in a position and given the opportunity to really have an impact on more than just your immediate surroundings. For me to be able to do that is something that's sometimes challenging but always worthwhile."
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KAYSVILLE — A book about gay parents has been removed from the shelves of an elementary school.
The book is called "In Our Mothers' House," and it's the story of two homosexual women raising children in a "non- traditional household." After her kindergarten student brought the book home, one more at Windridge Elementary worked with other parents to remove the book from library shelves, because they felt it promoted a gay marriage agenda.
Davis Schools Spokesman Chris Williams said state law forbids public school libraries to check out books pertaining to human sexuality.
According to Williams, the librarian at Windridge wanted to keep "In Our Mother's House" on the shelves because a student comes from a household like with gay parents.
The book now sits "behind the counter," according to Williams, in case other parents want their kids to read it. Students are required to bring a signed permission slip from their parents to check the book out.
"We understand that there's diversity out there, and we understand that not everyone comes from the same background, not everyone may be a native of this area and they could come from different countries," Williams said.


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This battery will let phones charge in seconds, last over a week (29 November 2016 15:34)
Flexible supercapacitor process brings phones that charge in seconds a step closer (23 November 2016 16:34)
Supercapacitor that can be charged by human body heat (23 November 2016 12:34)
Date: 3 October 2016 17:34A new device created by the company Qualcomm can charge any gargets several times faster than the original battery. Blitzwolf BW-S7 reduces charging time by issuing 20 volts to USB port instead of the standard 5 volts. The device is equipped with five standard USB ports, with the total capacity of 40 watts.


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HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – In Hattiesburg, Domino’s Pizza is hiring 30 new delivery drivers at its newly opened location on Highway 98.
The Director of Operations for RPM PIZZA of Mississippi, Steve Connell, said it is great to be able to open a new store and service the community. He said the growth of the business will expand job opportunities for those seeking opportunities and with more space their ability to reach more customers.
“We also hiring at this location but all locations throughout the state of Mississippi hiring from Assistant Manager to customer service representatives and specifically delivery drivers,” said Connell.


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Dmitry Moskalenko: ‘There will appear shopping malls that won’t be able to service their debts’
The president of the Russian Council of Shopping Malls about a tax moratorium for shopping malls and prospects of the industry without support
Owners of shopping malls asked the president of Russia for a tax moratorium till the end of the year, since the continuation of a business in the new reality is fraught with considerable difficulties. In these conditions, the tax burden plays “a destructive role” in the fate of shopping malls, notes the Russian Council of Shopping Malls. It is offered to deduce property and land tax from enterprises’ capital. Otherwise, a business cannot avoid a bankruptcy. As President of the Russian Council of Shopping Malls Dmitry Moskalenko told Realnoe Vremya, it is highly likely that shopping malls won’t be able to service their debts: “Then the scheme is simple: the bank takes the shopping mall as pledge.” Experts also assume that without support measures, a serious fall awaits the industry of shopping malls.
Profitability of the industry of shopping malls reduces
The Russian Council of Shopping Malls asks to change the tax system for malls. As the management of the council writes in an address to Vladimir Putin, the industry needs a moratorium on property and land tax till the end of the year, and in the future these mandatory payments are offered to be deduced from enterprises’ capital.
Up to 25% of commercial turnover of Russian shops is on the territory of shopping malls today. Nevertheless, every year the profitability of the industry reduces, the authors of the letter indicated. “Every year, the revenue and profitability of the industry decreases, but taxes don’t fall, while some even grow according to schedule, regardless of the state of the economy, both in the country (region) in general and in the economic entity, a shopping mall in particular.”
It is stressed in the address that property and land taxes, especially amid some tenants’ exist, seriously hit the pockets of shopping mall owners and some of them end up at a loss. “Nowadays property and land tax became key financially intensive and significant for the industry. Considering that they can hold up to 20% of the company’s capital, such taxes started to play a principal, if not a destructive, role in the financial and economic activity of companies.”
The address reads that the bankruptcy of big shopping malls too leads to the loss of jobs. Moreover, the specifics of cadastre evaluation that impede successfully running a business often lead to losses.
“The cadastre cost is defined in specialised subdivisions of regional administration (according to a mass evaluation, without considering individual parameters of each of the evaluated facilities/areas) and often don’t comply with the cost of facilities and areas. This brings to an obvious overuse of such a tax and provides ground for the operation of a series of companies and people ‘helping’ to make sure the cadastre cost goes down,” the council emphasised.
As a rule, it takes 2-3 years to reconsider the cadastre cost, as the council said, this doesn’t give the industry of shopping malls a chance for survival because the review has never brought to a fall in this cost in the last seven years. “Moreover, the real situation in the economy developed in different directions. As a result, the cadastre cost of shopping real estate facilities can significantly exceed the price the market offers and real deals are sealed with.”
Moskalenko: “This is a critical situation for shopping malls”
Shopping mall owners asked not to collect the given taxes till the end of the year to avoid mass bankruptcies and closures of shopping centres:
“To adopt a moratorium on organisations’ property and land tax until 31 December 2022 with the possibility of extending the moratorium to the next year (years) to determine its economic indicators at the end of 2022. When calculating property and land tax to determine them as percentage of enterprises’ capital in their key activity. To fix the upper cap on property tax to 4% and land tax to 1% of the capital.”
President of the Russian Council of Shopping Malls Dmitry Moskalenko told Realnoe Vremya that some shopping malls across the country already turned out in a tough situation.
“Regions group of companies’ Island of Dream indoor entertainment park is the epitome of how passed to a bank. There weren’t such landmark facilities because shopping malls started to recover after the pandemic. Anyway, they did differently in different regions. For instance, Volgograd has an example of a shopping mall where 70% of the tenants are companies that announced a suspension of operations in Russia. This is a critical situation for shopping malls. However, even if we compare today’s situation when some brands exited from Russia with the situation during the pandemic. The difference is that today shopping malls aren’t closed. They continue operating. The difference between a severe disease and death is that a severe disease is anyway life.”
In Dmitry Moskalenko’s opinion, if the measures offered in the address aren’t taken, the situation will get worse, owners of shopping malls won’t be able to repay credit.
“70% of tenants in some shopping malls announced suspension of operations in Russia”
The answer to the address to the president hasn’t been received yet, said the president of the council, however, they are looking forward to it. However, the general situation isn’t very pleasant for shopping mall owners, the Council of Shopping Malls doesn’t see prerequisites for a return of tenants who suspended their activity. Conversely, it is assumed the trend for brands’ exit will go on.
Earlier, Realnoe Vremya wrote that Polish retailer and clothing producer LPP managing five brands — Reserved, House, Cropp, Mohito and Sinsay — announced the sale of its Russian office to a Chinese consortium. The stores that had closed across the country resumed the work.
Director of Regional Service Development, Co-Director of CORE.XP’s retail department Mikhail Rogozhin stressed in his column for Realnoe Vremya that the brands that left don’t really want to lose the Russian market and will try to look for ways to return to it anyway.
According to him, it is hard to say how the situation will unfold if the moratorium isn’t adopted. “In the address, the owners provide some numbers regarding the facility’s budget, but this is the average. Perhaps they deliberately increased them to make it look scarier. The question here is for developers more who are aware of details more or management companies. I know that it is a significant burden, but I cannot say how significant.”
In any case, the experts admit that the industry of shopping malls needs support. Marina Malakhatko, senior director, head of CORE.XP’s retail department, thinks that preferential loans can help.


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Dow Up Slightly on Retail Sales, Fed Remarks
Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over daily movements, we do like to keep an eye on market changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
After a morning slump, the Dow Jones Industrial Average battled back to finish up modestly, gaining 31 points, or 0.2%. The blue chips were buoyed by a strong retail sales report and encouraging words from the Fed. Overall retail sales grew 0.2% last month, in line with expectations, but factoring in the volatile auto segment, sales grew of 0.5%, better than projections of 0.3%. June's retail sales were also revised up from 0.4% to 0.6%. The day's other major market mover came from Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart's assuaging the market's fears over the Fed taper as he said that there was still room for improvement in the labor market. He also downplayed the effects of the coming reduction in bond buying, saying it would be a "cautious first step" whenever it began.
Hewlett-Packard led all Dow stocks today, gaining 2.1%, after garnering positive reviews form Citigroup and Morgan Stanley. Citigroup analyst Jim Silva noted "identifiable positive catalysts" such as beliefs that the PC maker will beat estimates when it reports earnings next week. Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said that recent cost-cutting measures and increasing demand for enterprise services should also be a boon. Analysts are expecting earnings per share of $0.87 on sales of $27.3 billion when HP reports results next Wednesday.
Fellow tech component Microsoft wasn't as lucky, falling 2% as a class action lawsuit alleged that it hid poor sales of its surface RT tablet from investors, adding insult to injury as the software maker already a $900 million charge for it in its latest quarter. While the suit is unlikely to recoup much of the market value lost by the flop, it's yet another black eye for Microsoft. Earlier in the day, the Windows maker was also downgraded to hold by Stifel Nicolaus as the research group said that Windows' headwinds are "too much to ignore at current levels" and it sees a slide in average selling price for the operating system.
Finally, Boeing shares were up 1.9% as the CEO of supplier Spirit AeroSystems said production of the aircraft maker's 737 could go up by as much as 12% later in the year. Notably, Boeing shares gained after the Justice Dept. announced it was suing to stop the AMR-US Airways merger. Blocking the merger would benefit Boeing as it would sustain greater competition in the domestic airline industry and therefore greater demand for planes. The Justice Dept.'s action also indicates that it will be similarly vigilant against future mergers.
Boeing was one of three stocks The Motley Fool recently named as "Strong Buys for a Global Economic Recovery." Click here to find out what the other two are and how they're all set take off when the global economy gains steam.
The article Dow Up Slightly on Retail Sales, Fed Remarks originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Jeremy Bowman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Arcades: Pumping It Up For New Players
The number of arcades in Singapore is dwindling but arcades are reinventing themselves. Benjamin Wellesley finds out how these childhood icons stay relevant as he delves deeper into youths’ reminiscences.
July 7, 2020
Exhilarated screams, the zings of virtual bullets firing at zombies, a medley of jingles emitting from various machines… These are familiar sounds which evoke remembrances of the arcade.
“Arcades were where I spent the most time with my friends outside of school,” said Faith Goh, 19. “We used to go to arcades all the time to celebrate special occasions [and] the end of exams.”
Arcade franchises also plastered their premises with notices to restrict the entry of throngs of youths clad in school attire.
“I remember changing out of my uniform after school ended back in primary school. [My friends and I] would go down to the nearest arcade and play games with all the remaining pocket money we had,” said Faith, who is currently waiting for university to begin.
Arcade-goers could be seen virtually racing against each other, revelling in joy at receiving rare cards from a card-dispensing machine or even strutting their stuff on the dance floor.
With games catering to people with different interests, one was bound to find a game that captivated them. For Singapore Polytechnic student Sherwin Tan, 18, that game was Pump It Up.
Sherwin Tan poses on the machine of his go-to arcade game, Pump It Up. Photo courtesy of Sherwin Tan.
The dance floor simulator game first caught Sherwin’s attention when he was in primary school, but he wouldn’t play it because of his shyness. Sherwin elaborated: “After ‘O’ levels ended, I took up a part-time job in the arcade, and with free games at times, I decided to try it.”
Since then, Sherwin’s love for the game has compelled him to visit the arcade regularly. He said: “[Before the circuit breaker], I would go maybe once every two weeks, [spending] one to two hours inside.”
However, it seems that the days of glory are almost over for the traditional arcade. Amusement franchise Zone X had nine outlets across Singapore in 2010 but now only three still stand.
“It’s definitely becoming more pricey,” Faith said. “Each game [used to] cost us around S$1 [but] games these days range from S$2 to S$4.”
With the emergence of convenient entertainment sources like the Nintendo Switch and mobile gaming, arcades have been dethroned from the apex of the entertainment scene.
“As much as I would like to see youths hanging out physically in arcades, technology has already [taken] over [many] of the things that we do,” Sherwin conceded, further elaborating that the future of arcades seemed bleak.
“I doubt that arcades would flourish in the future, since playing games online might even be cheaper,” he added.
I doubt that arcades would flourish in the future, since playing games online might even be cheaper.
The SpongeBob coin pusher machine is a fan favourite game among frequent customers of Arcade 1998. Photo courtesy of Jones Ong.
With rising demands for different forms of entertainment, new arcade concepts have emerged in a bid to remain relevant.
Arcade 1998, a new business that opened in December 2018, stands out by deviating from the traditional style of arcades with their basketball machines and racing games. Instead, the modern arcade relies on retro themes and a ticket redemption system with a high win rate to capture its market.
The founder, Jones Ong, 22, started by operating HypeDrop, a game machine which gives players a chance to win ‘hype’ clothing from brands such as Off-White and Supreme.
“When looking around for a new business [idea], we found that many adults lacked avenues to de-stress,” explained Jones. “[Arcade 1998] was a natural progression of HypeDrop as we saw an exploding demand for ticket redemption arcades in Singapore.”
Featuring a variety of claw machines, the modern arcade places a high emphasis on low costs and attractive prizes ranging from iPhones to classic arcade prizes like giant plushies.
“We take pride that customers are able to get the most value for their money whilst walking away [content] that they were not cheated,” added Mr Ong, 22. “As customers of other arcades, we felt that we often left these centres feeling like losers as we were cheated of our money for a mere keychain or eraser.”
As customers of other arcades, we felt that we often left these centres feeling like losers as we were cheated of our money for a mere keychain or eraser.
Merging futuristic technology and the tangibility of a physical space is Sandbox VR, which utilises state-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) technology to provide its audience with an immersive gaming experience.
A group of arcade-goers donning their VR goggles and interacting within the virtual world projected within. Photo courtesy of Eugene Goh.
Launched in 2018, Sandbox VR’s Business Advisor Eugene Goh, 29, said that there is “an increasing demand for VR-related activities” locally, and that their “daily occupancy rate is approximately 75 per cent”.
Mr Goh elaborated: “I feel that the main allure is the novelty of the experience where the user enters a different world in a first-person perspective… It is a new take on the regular team-bonding activity and this fresh perspective helps bring in the customers.”
I feel that the main allure is the novelty of the experience where the user enters a different world in a first-person perspective… It is a new take on the regular team-bonding activity and this fresh perspective helps bring in the customers.
However, Mr Goh commented that while Sandbox VR taps on futuristic technology to delight crowds, there is a niche that traditional arcades fulfil and cannot be replaced. He explained: “[Our] experiences are more costly than your regular amount spent in arcades… I feel that traditional arcades provide a different experience than VR outlets, and there is no need to change the way they operate.”
Although the lifespan of the new arcade scene remains to be seen, one thing that can never be taken away from traditional arcades is the nostalgia they evoke; the authentic memories imprinted in the minds of its visitors that remind them of the good old days.
“Even though I operate a VR outlet, I love spending time in traditional arcades [and] going through the various interesting machines they have,” admitted Mr Goh.
Jones added: “We have had many customers explain that the amusement centre is an avenue for them to meet friends and unwind. In fact, it’s an entire community in these centres.”
“We try to provide customers with experiences that cannot be found anywhere else.”


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Number of results 1 for viber
20/07/2011 - Viber 3G VoIP Mobile App Coming to Android
Viber, a mobile application that offers users free phone calls and text messaging to other Viber users over 3G and Wi-Fi, announced the official launch of the Android version of the app, bringing Viber to millions of additional users. Viber also announced that it has acquired over 12 million active users (last 30 days) and has an impressive call traffic volume of over one billion minutes of calls per quarter.
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Posted 8 months ago | by Catoshi Nakamoto
Popular digital art or NFT (Non-Fungible Token) marketplace Open Sea, is investigating one of its executives for insider trading of NFTs hosted on the app.
Nate Chastain, the company’s head of product, was accused of buying and then flipping NFTs that were paid promotional features on the website. The Mark Cuban-owned platform confirmed the rumor that an employee had used inside information to profit from the sale of several featured NFT collections.
“Yesterday we learned that one of our employees purchased items that they knew were set to display on our front page before they appeared there publicly,” the company wrote in a statement. “This is incredibly disappointing. We want to be clear that this behavior does not represent our values as a team,” CEO and cofounder Devin Finzer wrote in a blog post on Open Sea.
Although the $1.5 billion marketplace failed to name the employee responsible for insider trading activity this follows accusations on Twitter that Nate Chastain, the company’s head of product, had used his position in the company to purchase NFTs right before they were advertised for promotion on the OpenSea landing page. According to users on Twitter, Chastain’s main wallet linked here, is linked to other “burner” wallets. Chastain is accused of using these “burner” wallets to facilitate the purchase and sale of various NFT collections before they were promoted on the website, giving him an unfair advantage to profit off the NFTs.
In a series of posts that have gone viral, Twitter user ZuwuTV traced all of Chastain’s public transactions to all of his wallets. Chinese blockchain and crypto news platform 8btc also posed on Twitter that its friend BlackBeatsChina had traced the sales which they alleged were tied to Chastain expressing that he made a collective profit of 18.875 Ether or about $67,000 at the time of this report.
Hey @opensea why does it appear @natechastain has a few secret wallets that appears to buy your front page drops before they are listed, then sells them shortly after the front-page-hype spike for profits, and then tumbles them back to his main wallet with his punk on it?
— Zuwu🟩 👻🎃🦇 (@ZuwuTV) September 14, 2021
About 8 minutes later, Wallet B buys 4 pieces from the "Dailydust Collection". One in particular for .25 ETH named "Spectrum Of A Ramenfication Theory"https://t.co/EO7bjbSxhU pic.twitter.com/AZacOYpuHi
— ricefarmer.eth 🍚 (@RiceFarmerNFT) September 15, 2021
It’s important to note that crypto since there is no regulatory clarity insider trading is not a thing unlike the traditional finance world as Ben Armstrong founder of Bitboy Crypto expressed today during the morning live stream. None the less employees of Open Sea are now forbidden from taking advantage of inside company knowledge for profit. However, the practice is still extremely unethical to abuse and is greedy as Ben said during the morning live stream.
The company is “conducting an immediate and thorough third party review of this incident,” Finzer said.
We have a strong responsibility to our community, and we take any breach of trust incredibly seriously.
We've taken additional steps to address this and are investing in policies that move the space towards greater transparency and openness.
— Devin Finzer (dfinzer.eth) (@dfinzer) September 16, 2021
As Bitboy Crypto previously reported a few months ago, Nate Chastain was the Open Sea admin that had announced that it banned PolygonPunks, a doppelganger clone project based on the widely popular CryptoPunks built on Matic’s chain. However, upon inspection of both Chastain and Dan’s wallets, they hold other clones of CryptoPunks themselves that are still being traded on the marketplace.
You can view their wallets showing the owned CryptoPunks NFT artwork here and here. There is also a double standard here as Chastain himself owns an NFT of PopPunks, another clone of CryptoPunks, according to his wallet. While Dan’s wallet also owns a different clone of CryptoPunks called Bastard Punks.
Today, Chastain appears to no longer be working for the company. His Twitter bio now includes the phrase “Past: @opensea.” Again, OpenSea has not publicly named Chastain as the involved employee in the incident. But CEO Devin Finzer said the NFT trading platform asked for and received his resignation the CEO told CoinDesk in an email. In addition, Chastain’s Linkedin page is now listed as unavailable.
Bitcoin is currently trading at [FIAT: $47,753.39] DOWN -0.8% in the last 24 hours according to Coingecko at the time of this report.


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This made the rounds of Facebook all day the other day. It's a little snippet about Gary Friedrich, Ghost Rider and who created what.
I couldn't trace it back to the original poster, so I apologize for not giving him or her their deserved credit, especially in a post about credits!
One of the issues between Marvel Comics and Gary is the issue of Gary's credit as the sole creator of Ghost Rider.
While it may not be definitive, this is an excerpt from Marvel's own Bullpen Bulletins page in August 1972.
Marvel says of Ghost Rider: "...this GR is a mad, mod, mystic hero who straddles both the world of motorcycles - and the supernatural! (And that's some job of straddling!) It's by the titanic team of Groovy Gary Friedrich who dreamed the whole thing up, and Madcap Mike Ploog, whose own Werewolf by Night series is scheduled to gain its very own mag in a month or two!"
Daniel Best, who originally broke the story of Gary's fight with Marvel, has an update separating fact from rumor.
[Artwork: Bullpen Bulletins, © Marvel Comics]
Unless you’ve been living in a hole for the last several days, you’ve no doubt heard about Marvel Comics' demand against one of their former writers, Gary Friedrich.
Friedrich sued Marvel for compensation related to exploitation of a character he created, Ghost Rider. He lost the first round, and Marvel’s coming after him. Here’s a round-up of just a handful of links and commentary to get you better acquainted.
Daniel Best at 20th Century Danny Boy broke the story about Marvel’s pushback against Friedrich, with a post that includes documentation.
Here’s an update with a note from Friedrich.
Mark Evanier has a sane and rational view of the situation.
One of the greatly appealing things about webcomics is that the creators managed to hold onto their rights and are free to exploit their work according to their own path. Gary Tyrrell at Fleen has some thoughts on Friedrich’s situation.
As patent blogger Florian Mueller noted on Saturday, Apple is pushing for a an injunction over Samsung devices to take place on September 8, claiming they rip off the look and feel of Apple iPhones and iPads. Meanwhile, Samsung has proposed a hearing date of October 14. Apple's original request for an August 5 hearing was denied by the judge as too soon.
Apple's aggression is an obvious way to make things as difficult as possible for Samsung, since the injunction would force Samsung to cease sales of four products: the Infuse 4G, Galaxy S 4G, Droid Charge, and Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Mueller thinks presiding Judge Lucy Koh will choose a hearing date sometime between the two proposals, skewed towards Apple.
A federal judge last week ordered Samsung to hand over several unreleased cell phones and tablets to Apple as part of the latter's lawsuit against Samsung claiming patent and trademark infringement, as first reported by Courthouse News Service.
"Apple has demonstrated good cause for some, limited expedited discovery," said Judge Lucy Koh last Wednesday in a ruling for Apple in its request for samples of five Samsung products earlier than would normally be granted in such cases.
At the time of the ruling, Samsung had 30 days to deliver product samples, packaging and package inserts pertaining to its Google Android-based Galaxy S2, Infuse 4G, and Infuse 4G LTE smartphones, as well as two tablets, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Samsung will not be required to provide Apple with testimony from its executives.
"Apple denies that, based on their common meaning, the words 'app store' together denote a store for apps," Apple said in a Thursday filing with a California district court.
Apple has been fighting several tech giants on this point lately. In March, Apple sued Amazon over its Amazon Appstore, arguing that Apple has the exclusive rights to the phrase because of its iTunes App Store. Apple has targeted Microsoft on similar grounds.
Last month, Amazon responded to the suit, arguing that the term "app store" is generic and that Apple should not be allowed to use it exclusively. Amazon cited the American Dialect Society, which recently voted "app" as the Word of the Year for 2010, noting "that although the word 'has been around for ages,' it 'really exploded in the last 12 months,' with the arrival of 'app stores' for a wide spectrum of operating systems for phones and computers.' Indeed the words 'app store' are commonly used among many businesses in the app store market," Amazon argued.
Apple is not buying it, at least not publicly. "Apple denies that the words 'app store' are commonly used among many businesses to describe mobile software download services and further denies that the term 'app store market' is used to describe the market for mobile software download services," the company reiterated in response to Amazon's filing.
Tesla Motors is suing the BBC show "Top Gear" for allegedly falsely representing the performance of one of its electric vehicles.
In a segment that aired three years ago, "Top Gear" showed a Tesla Roadster running out of electric charge during a race with the gas-powered Lotus Elise, a car that the Roadster is based on. Tesla claims that neither of the two cars it loaned to "Top Gear" for the segment dipped below 20 percent charge. The company contends there's no way the Roadster ran out of juice, and it wants the BBC to stop airing the segment.
"When 'Top Gear' reviewed the Tesla Roadster, the episode that aired contained lies and misinformation about the Roadster's performance, behavior, and reliability," Tesla said in a statement. "Tesla reluctantly took legal action after its repeated attempts to contact the BBC, over the course of months, were ignored."
A spokesperson for "Top Gear" defended the show's integrity. "We can confirm that we have received notification that Tesla have issued proceedings against the BBC. The BBC stands by the program and will be vigorously defending this claim."
Remember that AT&T iPad 3G data plan bait-and-switch that we were so upset about a few weeks ago? Well, it turns out that many people felt the same way as there’s now a class-action lawsuit filed against Apple and AT&T due to the situation. Specifically, the plaintiffs in the nationwide suit claim that both Apple and AT&T “deceptively promoted” that they could start and stop the iPad 3G plan at any time, and switch between the unlimited plan and the 250MB plan. Now customers who opt for the unlimited plan cannot switch back to a limited plan, or start and stop service at will, as originally promised.
Hit the link below to check out the details from law firm Lieff Cabraser, and if you have thoughts on the issue, you can submit them through their contact form.
Read More | Lieff Cabraser
Citing claims of privacy invasion and terrorisim, a one Dylan Jayne has filed a (handwritten) suit against Google. Mr. Jayne (who gives one of our favorite Firefly characters a bad name) seems a bit off his rocker on this one. He states that not only has Google failed to fight terrorisim, but they also seem to have invaded his privacy as indicated by the following statement: “I, Dylan Stephen Jayne, plaintiff, has [sic] a social security number that when the social security number is turned upside down in its entirety it is a scrambled code that does spell the name Google®.”
Last time I checked Google’s business model didn’t seem to cover stopping terrorism, leaving that job to the ‘professionals’ over at Homeland Security. His claims of privacy invasion also seem a little far fetched - it’s hard to think a fortune 100 company would pick it’s name based soley on the Social Security number of a lone loser from Pennsylvania.
In a way it’s a sad statement about the United States legal system that a case like this will even be heard by a judge. If Mr. Jayne can’t even be bothered to type up his Complaint can he really be considered compentent enough with computers to really even understand what exactly it is that Google does? Check out the Ars Technica article for more information on this weird little case and keep your eyes peeled here late breaking news as it percolates through the Justice system.
Read More | Ars Technica
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Ford is the world’s fifth-largest automaker and there is a reason behind it. One can argue the company’s strategic moves over the years, but there’s no denying that Ford knows what it’s doing. Now with the world moving towards electrification, Ford has decided to pick its battles carefully and position itself as more of an affordable EV maker than a premium one that sells cars with six-digit price tags.
The company’s CEO, Jim Farley, has promised that Ford will be making electric vehicles starting from as low as $20,000 and not go past the $70,000 bracket. It looks like Ford is going for volume over profits in this segment. Is it a smart move?


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How long are we going to be waiting for the Xbox 720? Absolutely ages. Years, in fact.
Xbox UK boss Stephen McGill has confirmed that we won't be seeing a next-gen Microsoft console until we've used up a few more diaries.
"This generation is here for a long, long time," he told Xbox Achievements.
"I think there's still a lot of legs left with the Xbox 360, so we're years away from contemplating what comes next."
"As you know, with Xbox 360 we constantly innovate with the current console you have, through extra services on Xbox Live that we can pump down the service, then obviously with Kinect; that's a massive game-changer for the industry, transforming what entertainment in games can be for friends and family."
McGill's stance comes as little surprise, considering that MS reckons Kinect will boost Xbox's lifespan by five years.


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Toyota recently revealed the brand-new 2022 Corolla Cross, a versatile subcompact SUV that’s designed to fit between the C-HR and the RAV4 in the brand’s lineup.
The new family-friendly model will boast a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which will channel 169 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque through a Continuously Variable Transmission. It’ll offer both front wheel drive and all wheel drive, and is expected to be capable of towing up to 1,500 pounds.
On the inside, it’ll resemble its sedan sibling. Its dashboard will be just as functional and ergonomic as the one found in the popular Corolla sedan, and it’ll also boast many of the model’s standard features, including a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system, rear-seat charging points, and Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ smartphone connectivity. Upgrade for available features, including a power-adjustable driver’s seat, an 8-inch touch screen, a wireless charging pad, and a moonroof to let additional light into the cabin. In terms of differences, the Corolla Cross will offer a power liftgate, which makes it easier to access the spacious cargo bay.
Much like the rest of the Toyota lineup, the 2022 Corolla Cross will boast Toyota Safety Sense driver-assist technology, making it ideal for families on the go. And if you’re looking to go green, you’ll be excited to learn that there’s a hybrid model on the way, too.
When it arrives, you’ll be able to find the 2022 Corolla Cross right here at Jordan Toyota.


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… or pick as many veggies and fruits as you’d like. Two farmers have brought markets to Frankford, optimistic that it’ll be a fertile area for produce sales.
A couple of Lancaster County farmers are bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to Frankford.
Every Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m., Quentin Shirk and Dave Fahnestock will sell their produce outside the Frankford Transportation Center, at Bustleton and Frankford avenues.
If you haven’t heard about the street-corner farmers market, that’s not surprising. July 26 was the first time in Frankford for Shirk and Fahnestock.
Fahnestock had tomatoes and peaches from the Hands On the Earth Orchard in Lititz, Pa. Toward the end of August, he’ll have some apples for sale, too.
Shirk, whose Quaff Meadows farm is in Christina, Pa., about 30 miles from Fahnestock’s, had lettuce, onions, carrots, potatoes and beans as well as a few heirloom tomatoes and watermelon. He also was selling floral bouquets, some of which included the hard-to-grow lisianthius.
Although both were selling in Frankford for the first time, neither farmer is a stranger to the city. They also sell in other city spots. On Thursdays, for example, they’re in Clark Park, at 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia.
Fahnestock has been coming to the city for more than 10 years. He said that locating in Frankford was suggested by the Food Trust, a Philadelphia non-profit that is promoting farmers markets.
The foot traffic that the transportation terminal would provide seemed attractive to him, and operating on a Tuesday also filled a need for his operation, Fahnestock said.
“I needed a Tuesday market,” he said, explaining that he wanted an outlet that would enable him to sell what he picks early each week.
He also thought the starting date was a good one. “It’s getting into the prime of the season,” he said. “It’s the best time.”
It’s also the start of the season for the Red Haven peaches he is selling. The Red Haven, he said, is the earliest freestone variety available.
Charles Johnson, a commuter from West Philadelphia, was surprised to see produce being sold outside the Frankford terminal. He bought some tomatoes and peaches.
“This is great,” he said. “If I had known, I would have brought more money. Next week, I will.”
Shirk, who has been coming to the city for four years, will sell an heirloom tomato called Brandywine in the coming weeks.
An heirloom vegetable is one that is not a hybrid developed for, say, its disease resistance. It also is one that might have existed in the 19th century or early 20th century.
Brandywines are not a deep red, but more like pink in color. The variety has a rich flavor.
Both farmers said they’ve developed bases of regular customers at their other city locations.
Fahnestock expects that Frankford will provide him with customers who will be in the area because they use SEPTA’s buses or the Frankford El.
On their first Tuesday in Frankford, Shirk and Fahnestock set up a little earlier than 2 p.m. and started doing business right away. They were still selling after 6 p.m.
Ben Bergman, a farmers market associate for the Food Trust, said customers’ comments ranged from “It’s about time!” to “Great location!”
“With a rare exception here and there, throughout the day, we had a constant customer presence,” he wrote in an e-mail to the Northeast Times. “Most of the customers who came were unaware of the market and pleasantly surprised.”
Nicky Uy, a Food Trust project manager, expects the farmers to be in Frankford every Tuesday until November.
“It depends on customer support,” she said.
She’s hoping commuters and residents find the market, which will be in front of the terminal.
Customers should find prices comparable to supermarket prices, she said, but in some ways, there is no comparison.
“We live near some of the best farmland in the country,” she said.
Not only is everything local — both farms are within 80 miles of Frankford — but there’s another plus.
“This is really a unique opportunity for the customers to meet and talk to the people who grow their food,” she said. ••
Contact John Loftus at 215-354-3110 or at email@example.com
You’re so fresh!
The Frankford farmers market will be in business until mid-fall, every Tuesday from 2 to 6 p.m., outside the Frankford Transportation Center, Frankford and Bustleton avenues.
The market is being promoted by the city and the Food Trust, a Philadelphia non-profit founded in 1992.
The trust tries to make healthful food available to all Philadelphians by working with grocers, farmers, policymakers and others.
Working with the city’s health department and using a federal grant, the Food Trust is encouraging recipients of SNAP/food stamps to use their benefits at city farmers markets. Through this Philly Food Bucks program, customers will receive $2 in Philly Food Bucks coupons for every $5 they spend in SNAP/food stamp benefits at participating farmers market. ••


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EASTPORT, Maine — Raye’s Down East Schooner Mustard received a gold medal, and the company’s Sea Dog Mustard won a bronze medal at the 2012 World-Wide Mustard Competition.
Karen and Kevin Raye, proprietors of the historic Eastport mill, were notified by Barry Levinson, curator of the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wis., that Raye’s Down East Schooner mustard once again earned top honors in the Classic American Yellow Mustard category. Raye’s Sea Dog Mustard, made with Sea Dog beer, took the bronze medal in the Spirited Mustard category.
The medals are the latest in a long line of honors and accolades for the Eastport-based company, which operates the nation’s only remaining traditional stone-ground mustard mill.
The World-Wide Mustard Competition is held annually with the world’s leading mustards competing for honors. Raye’s Down East Schooner Mustard has medaled in the competition every year since 2006 — winning six gold medals and one silver medal. In all, Raye’s Mustard has won more than 45 national and international awards in recent years.
“We are thrilled to bring home the gold again this year, and to win a bronze in the spirited mustard category,” Karen Raye said in a recent press release. “As a small family business, we and our hardworking employees take pride in the quality of our small-batch stone-ground mustards.”
“These medals are a testament to four generations and 112 years of our family’s continued commitment to the authenticity that is our claim to fame as America’s last traditional stone-ground mustard mill,” said Sen. Kevin Raye, R-Eastport, who serves as president of the Maine Senate, and marked the occasion by distributing jars of the award-winning mustards to his Senate colleagues.
“We are very excited to have this worldwide recognition for a great Maine product and our partnership with Raye’s Mustard,” added Fred Forsley, CEO of Portland-based Sea Dog Brewing.
A working museum, Raye’s Mustard Mill is North America’s only remaining traditional stone-ground mustard mill, using a process developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Kevin and Karen Raye are the fourth-generation of Rayes to own and operate the mill, which includes the Pantry Store, a full-service gift shop and take-out business. Free tours are available. For information, visit www.rayesmustard.com or call 800-853-1903.


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Restructuring continues at UTV – the New Media subsidiary and sister company Indiagames now have a single sales team. The joint sales team will pitch games and mobile entertainment content as a bundle to operators. The 5 existing sales employees from New Media have joined the new sales team, which will report into Indiagames.
Samir Bangara, COO, Indiagames told Medianama, “The sales teams have been synergised across the two companies. We will offer a single face to operators for similar pieces of content, while New Media will continue its licensing partnerships for content and new product development.”
Last month, UTV downsized its staff in subsidiary IT Nation (which owns TechTree, Channeltimes, CXOToday and Enterpriser.in) and announced teams would be made horizontal. UTV New Media reported a loss of Rs. 7.77 million in FY09. This leg up by its sister company will help it recover.
Leveraging Indiagames’ Carrier Partnerships
Indiagames has a larger breadth of partnerships with operators and carriers including BSNL, Airtel, YOU Telecom, MTNL and Tata Indicom for which it has also created gaming subsites. These partnerships will now be leveraged to push UTV@Play, its repository of music and video content.
But can Indiagames take this responsibility? It should be focusing on building its library of games and partner ecosystem. Rival gaming firm Zapak by Reliance ADAG has been on a rampage of partnerships with media and social networking firms off late.
True Games Sets Up New Studio
Another subsidiary of UTV Software Communications, the California-based True Games Interactive, has established a gaming studio at Austin, Texas and is preparing to launch an online game called Mytheon, Business Wire reports.
T.N.Prabhu Moves To Renewable Energy
Meanwhile, we see that T.N.Prabhu, ex-CEO of UTV New Media has shifted to the renewable energy sector, in what may come as a surprise to peers. According to his Linkedin profile, he has joined Vayugrid, a renewable energy company based out of Michigan, US with centres in Pune and Bangalore. It looks at the value chain in renewable energy, from agriculture to processing and downstream as well as micro-financing the supply chain.
Ex-CTO Lincoln Gada’s mobile data services start up is still in the silent mode but may be called ThinkWalnut.


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The pandemic isn’t over. New Yorkers are acting as if it were.
By Michael Wilson
Three sisters from three different boroughs shared the same bench on the Coney Island boardwalk and toasted with cups of beer — together again at last. Teenagers with baseball gloves and a bat sneaked through a hole in a fence at a closed-off diamond. A manager at a Brooklyn clothing store insisted to a reporter that no, they’re not open, since that’s not allowed, even as customers browsed inside.
Officially, New York City is still in Phase 1 of the long reopening process, a land of curbside pickups and closed playgrounds and takeout cocktails that aren’t supposed to be consumed in public. On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would enter the second phase next Monday.


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Unless you’ve been living completely internet-free for the past 24 hours, chances are you’ll have heard about the iPhone X’s facial recognition.
SEE ALSO: Apple unveils iPhone X, and you’ll never look at phones the same again
As soon as that slightly creepy FaceID screen popped up at the Apple event, though, people only had one thing on their minds…
“And now, to tell us more about the iPhone X and FaceID, Arya Stark…” pic.twitter.com/UPNr5NDigb
— Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) September 12, 2017
Yep: looks like Apple took some inspiration from everyone’s favourite fictional face-swapping assassin. …
More about Apple, Iphone, Uk, Game Of Thrones, and Arya Stark


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Following an investigation, it was concluded that the transaction would not adversely affect competition in the EU Single Market.
Before the proposal, ABP already held a non-controlling interest in Linden and proposed to increase its shareholding to 50% with the effect that, following the transaction, Linden will be jointly controlled by ABP and Fane Valley.
In a statement, the Commission explained that it conducted a “broad investigation in the markets where the activities of the companies overlap”.
ABP, Fane Valley, and Linden are all active in Ireland and the UK in the purchase and slaughter of live cattle, sheep and lambs, as well as the processing of their meat. The companies also have overlapping activities in the market for sale of fresh and processed meat, and the markets for animal by-products.
“On the potential impact on the markets for the purchasing of live animals for slaughter, the Commission assessed any potential increase of slaughterhouses' buyer power to the detriment of farmers,” the statement said.
“The Commission found that farmers in Ireland and the UK (including Northern Ireland) are able to switch slaughterhouses if they get better prices for their animals. Various slaughterhouses with spare capacity will continue to operate within reasonable distances to the plants of the parties. Therefore, the Commission found that the merged entity would not be able to offer farmers lower prices for their animals, since farmers will continue to have sufficient alternative buyers for their animals.
“On competition in the downstream markets relating to the sale of fresh and processed meat, the investigation found that a number of strong competitors will remain active after the merger and that buyers will be able to readily switch to other meat providers.”
By-products was also considered to be a non-issue by the Commission.
“On the collection of animal by-products generated by slaughtering activities, the Commission noted that Linden is not directly active in the processing of animal by-products. The Commission found that alternative providers with spare capacity exist in these markets so that the transaction is unlikely to have a negative impact on slaughterhouses or farmers.
“Therefore, the Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns on any of the markets concerned.”
In 2016, the Commission cleared the acquisition of joint control over Slaney JV by ABP and Fane Valley.
The competition authority had also been deciding on a merger deal between Dunbia and Dawn Meats. On this issue, and its potential impact on the ABP, Linden Foods and Fane Valley situation, the Commission said:
“The Commission has been in close contact with the national competition authorities in Ireland and the UK. Both authorities have reviewed a parallel transaction, the merger between Dunbia and Dawn Meats, two meat processors active in Ireland and the UK. The assessment of the present transaction by the Commission does not change, irrespective of the outcome of the assessment carried out by the two national competition authorities in relation to the Dunbia/Dawn Meats merger.”
Who’s Who in the deal?
Fane Valley is a farmer-owned cooperative society active in the slaughtering of cattle and ovine animals, meat processing and the collection and processing of animal by-products in Ireland and the UK.
Linden Foods is currently solely controlled by Fane Valley, and is active in the slaughtering and processing of cattle and ovine animals in the UK.
ABP Food Group of Ireland is active in the slaughtering of cattle and ovine animals, the processing of their meat and the collection and processing of associated animal by-products in Ireland, the UK, and other European countries.


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Microsoft just announced a new development for Windows 10 that could be a game changer for the company and its OS. As part of its WinHEC developer conference in China, Microsoft revealed a new partnership with Qualcomm that will allow its ARM-based mobile processors to run the full version of Windows 10. That includes legacy x86 apps as well as the new universal Windows apps that are native to the OS.
Microsoft showed off a demo of Windows 10 running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor to show that the device can handle x86 apps, such as Adobe Photoshop, with little to no lag. Microsoft is using emulation technology for these kinds of apps to run on Qualcomm’s ARM design. The demo also showed how the chip can run Microsoft’s full Office desktop apps with no issues, along with the game World of Tanks: Blitz.
Microsoft says the first Windows 10 hardware devices with Qualcomm chips will begin shipping sometime in 2017. In theory, this could allow for ultra-light 2-in-1 tablets and convertible notebooks to use Windows 10 at a lower price point. There’s also the potential for a true Windows 10 mobile phone to be released with an Qualcomm chip with no compromises.
The company also announced that future Windows 10 updates will allow users to buy data directly from the Windows Store. Also, hardware makers will be able to use eSIM technology to build devices without an exposed SIM slot. That should allow device owners to activate a data plan directly.


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UK Businesses Call For Simplified Bank Payments System
· Over half of UK businesses experienced payment problems in the last 12 months
· 44 per cent cite the time taken for payments to clear as the biggest barrier to trading overseas
· 20 per cent of UK businesses spend at least four days a month managing international payments(1)
· Revolutionary new online payment system could reduce the cost of international payments by up to 60 per cent
A staggering 52 per cent of UK businesses have encountered problems with foreign payments in the last 12 months causing them to spend as much as a month a year managing and reconciling funds, according to a new report released today by Travelex Global Business Payments (GBP).
The study, which was carried out amongst Finance Directors of UK businesses that trade internationally, reveals that some of the biggest barriers to international trade are caused by current banking payment systems.
The biggest barrier to trading overseas is the time payments take to clear, with nearly half of businesses (44 per cent) citing this as a priority problem and as having a major impact on cash flow which is one of the top business imperatives for over a third (37 per cent) of companies.
The lack of clarity over the true cost of international transactions was also highlighted as a key aggravation. Over one in three (35 per cent) cited hidden fees as a frustration and more than fifth of those questioned (21 per cent) expressed irritation that every intermediary bank involved in a payment using the SWIFT network takes a cut to process the payment so that the amount sent isn’t the amount received. This practice, known as ’beneficiary deduction’, makes reconciling payments hugely time consuming.
Other top payments gripes include: having to physically call their bank to track overseas payments (24 per cent); being left to negotiate a resolution by contacting their bank when a payment goes missing (51 per cent); the time required to investigate missing payments (24 per cent); and uncertainty over how long payments should take to be handled — nearly one in ten finance directors claimed to have no idea how long an international payment takes.
The research found that, on average, UK businesses trading internationally make and receive around 201 foreign payments and 669 domestic payments every month, meaning staff must continually input payment data and juggle multiple payment interfaces and multiple logins.
But these issues could soon be a thing of the past. Travelex GBP has today launched GlobalPay, a revolutionary online payments platform which provides businesses with a single secure point of entry enabling them to manage payments and reconcile balances in most traded currencies quickly and easily. The new system can deliver payments faster and could reduce the cost of international payments by up to 60 per cent by avoiding the fees associated with routing payments through multiple intermediary banks to reach the end beneficiary.
GlobalPay can be used by businesses of any size and is suitable for all types of payments – domestic and cross border, urgent and non-urgent. It can be integrated into most front end accounting or ERP systems and hence eliminates the need for rekeying payments into multiple systems, and the need to hold multiple foreign bank accounts. The system improves visibility of cash flow, currency risk, streamlines the international payment process and can dramatically cut the amount of time UK businesses currently waste reconciling and chasing payments.
Adam Tiberi, senior vice president of global product management, Travelex Global Business Payments comments: “We believe that making payments should be easy. Unfortunately, as our research illustrates, the stark reality today is that many companies have to cope with banking systems which lack transparency and cost them time and money. As a foreign payments specialist, Travelex has long recognised the needs of businesses and the ‘pain points’ that they encounter when making international payments and by listening to our customers we have developed GlobalPay to address these problems.”
Tiberi concludes: “GlobalPay is a simple, straightforward and transparent payments service which puts businesses in total control of all of their payments for the first time.”
“We have already trialled this with some existing clients and have received great feedback on the cost benefits — one of our clients is saving over 400 man hours a month.“
GlobalPay benefits include:
· A single payment platform for all domestic and international payment needs
· Automatic integration and reconciliation with leading ERP systems and accounting packages
· Availability of ‘Payment Tracker’ access by both customers and beneficiaries
· Complete transparency in, and reduction of costs associated with international payments — avoiding SWIFT means customers can avoid costly outgoing and incoming wire fees and beneficiary deduction.
The research is part of an ongoing study by Travelex Global Business Payments into the pain points caused to businesses by making international payments. Earlier research revealed that UK SMEs waste a whopping £100 million every year chasing foreign payments that are delayed or go missing in the banking network.
(1)UK businesses of 100 employees or more


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PORTLAND, Maine–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gift cards accept topped anniversary ambition lists amid Americans of all ages year afterwards year. A new analysis from CashStar reveals that a majority of consumers would like to accept allowance cards instead of concrete gifts, but abounding feel accusable acceptance that they appetite to accept them. The allegation of the CashStar analysis aggrandize on the National Retail Federation’s Anniversary Consumer Spending Survey, which indicates allowance cards are the best requested allowance account for the eighth year in a row.
According to the analysis of added than 1,100 U.S. consumers, 60 percent said allowance cards to their admired retailers, restaurants and brands are on their ambition account this year, jumping to about 70 percent amid 35-44 year-olds. Yet, 30 percent said they feel accusable allurement for them, citation several reasons: they don’t like allurement for annihilation (62%), it feels the aforementioned as allurement for banknote (61%) and it doesn’t feel claimed abundant (45%).
Allowance givers, on the added hand, adumbrated that actuality asked for a allowance agenda for the holidays makes arcade easy. Seventy-eight percent said their acknowledgment would be, “Great, that’s an accessible allowance to buy and analysis off my list.” This cardinal all-overs to 87 percent amid grandparents. Just 9 percent of all respondents said they would feel awkward affairs a allowance with
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CHRIS Hekeik elevates companies to the future in a stone cottage in Parramatta that harks back to our colonial past. A place of significant stories.
But that is an incongruity that says so much about Chris, the founder of Mode Media, which has become “the largest branding agency in Western Sydney”.
In looking forward, the son of immigrants has not forgotten his past, or Parramatta’s past either.
“My parents came from Lebanon and I am one of four boys, growing up in Parramatta,” Chris said.
“My parents instilled in us our passion and drive to succeed, they always have encouraged us to work hard and be the best.”
As a branding expert with a dream 22 years ago to give a range of companies a holistic solution to building their brands, Chris and his team have ridden the wave of ever-changing technology to sweep their clients to success.
“When I started out 22 years ago, I realized we had to provide a holistic solution to building brands that companies could find in one place,” Chris said.
“Back then, it was about brochures and print advertising, but with the worldwide web, we are now into digital media. But what has not changed is that it is all about story-telling.” They call him Mode Media’s “chief storyteller” and his team of creative people are imbued with the same gift.
They can deliver a range of services to advance brand awareness in the crowded marketplace for a slew of businesses, mostly in the corporate, retail, and hospitality sectors.
Apart from designing distinctive logos that bring brands to life, Mode Media puts the pizzazz into websites and are proudly ahead of the game when it comes to that essential tool of marketing and communication – the video presentation that tells a company’s story in a way that other media cannot.
As you would expect, Mode Media’s website is full of information and examples of their beautiful work, on an easy-to-navigate site.
The main message is that everyone has a story, but when it is told “spell-bindingly”, your story can cut through crowded markets.
“Every brand we cultivate has a story at its core – a tale of striving, struggle, creativity, and hope. This is where business branding intersects with the human factor – and creates something truly, wonderfully new, something memorable” the website reads.
It almost sounds like the story of Parramatta, Australia’s second city, where remnants of the colonial past intersect with the bright, busy present and future.
Even cities as great as Parramatta need a branding boost, so Chris’s team was happy to help with Parramatta Council’s recent Light Rail website and a video series that celebrates the past of the colony’s food bowl and, for a time, seat of government.


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Apple against the Galaxy: Appealing Lost Injunction Bid
Forget the world - Apple is taking on the Galaxy in its bid to block the sales of several of Samsung Electronics Co.’s products.
After losing its case for a preliminary injunction against four Samsung Galaxy devices, including its 4G smartphones and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer, the mega-company is taking its case to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
Apple filed its appeal six days after a federal judge in San Jose, Calif. ruled Apple didn’t show it would suffer irreparable harm to entitle it to injunctive relief, which she considered an “extraordinary remedy.”
"Indeed, given the evidence Samsung presented, it seems likely that a major beneficiary of an injunction would be other smartphone manufacturers," U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh wrote.
Some critics contend that Judge Koh set the bar too high for both preliminary and permanent injunctions, however, and it will be interesting to see if the Federal Circuit decides to overturn the denial of the preliminary injunction.
The suit is just one piece of a giant legal war being fought in 10 countries in at least 30 lawsuits between two of the most dominating providers of consumer electronics. The current battle began in April when Apple claimed that the Korean-based company's Galaxy products "slavishly" violated three of its design patents and one software patent. Apple is also appealing a ruling in Australia that ended a ban on Samsung's products.
Until the Federal Circuit weighs in, it looks like the four devices will remain on store shelves while the Goliath vs. Goliath battle continues in the courtroom.
- U.S. Judge Rejects Apple Bid to Halt Galaxy Sales (Reuters)
- Apple Sues Samsung for Copying the iPhone and iPad (FindLaw's Courtside)
- Judgment As a Matter of Law Improper in Amazon 1-Click Case (FindLaw's Federal Circuit blog)


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Since officially opening its new Fashion Avenue extension, The Dubai Mall has made headlines over and over again thanks to a slew of world-class stores opening in the space. Gucci, Saint Laurent, Prada and Delpozo are amongst the big name brands who have opened the doors to brand new stores, and they’ve just been joined by Rolex.
The luxury watch brand has just opened a three-level store in partnership with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons — the largest in the world, it covers 850 square metres of space. It has been designed with bespoke elements that reflect the design of the brand’s iconic timepieces, as well as the local culture. A detail highlight is the glass lighting installation on the first floor which was made by a Czech glass specialist and “is inspired by the Cyclops lens on Rolex watches that features a date supply and also has a magnifying effect,” according to a release.
In addition to the retail area, the store is also home to a dedicated space called ‘The Rolex Experience’ on the third floor. Here, guests can fully immerse themselves in what the brand has to offer. Transporting visitors from Dubai to Geneva via large digital screens, the space walks customers through the brand’s heritage as well as its manufacturing processes and philanthropic activities. There’s also a screening room that will show a film called The epic of the Oyster, the watch that defies time and elements that highlights key moments in the brand’s storied history.
The Rolex boutique is now open in The Dubai Mall.


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By Karen Bong
SIBU, April 22: Photocopy services, ornamental fish shops, pet shops, departmental stores, travel agencies, hardware stores, spare parts stores, optical stores, car spraying workshops, sawmills and those selling non-essentials are among businesses not allowed to operate in Sibu until April 26.
Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting warned that there is a high chance that the tighter restrictions currently imposed in Sibu will be extended for another 14 days if people do not comply now and the Covid-19 situation does not improve within the coming days.
With healthcare facilities currently stretched beyond capacity, he emphasised that there were photos going around social media showing children sleeping on the floor waiting for beds.
“Not only children but other patients who needed to be warded including old people and adults.
“A lot of people are saying this (situation) is bad but it will get worse if (the) Covid-19 (outbreak) worsens if we continue not to bother (with standard operating procedure compliance),” he said during a Facebook livestream session today.
Highlighting he understands the grim and unfortunate situation currently affecting businesses and other industry sectors affected by the restrictions, Ting however urged people to ponder the greater impact on the economic sector if the Covid-19 situation does not improve in Sibu.
“We have seen Covid-19 worsening in Sibu for three-and-a-half months now and if cases continue to go up until 200 due to lack of compliance to SOP (standard operating procedure), what kind of business can open in the near future?
“SDDMC (Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee) has mentioned yesterday that all affected sectors will be opened up slowly when the situation improves.
“So take a rest for a few days as we want to reduce movement of people and crowding for the next four days,” he said, urging people not to put their businesses first during this critical period.
Among essential services allowed to operate are all sectors related to the food supply chain including production, manufacturing and distribution, eateries and food stalls (for takeaways and deliveries only), computer repairs and services, book stores, stationery shops, motorcycle servicing, hotels, Airbnb or paid accommodation, agriculture, fishery, livestock, plantation, farming and any servicing services apart from sales. — DayakDaily


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Businesses will be considering dramatic changes over the next few days and weeks. The Government last week closed certain business such as pubs, theatres, restaurants and cinemas. Last night, the Government went further and ordered that all non-essential retail businesses and hotels should close and that people should not leave their homes to work unless it absolutely cannot be done from home.
Details of the businesses and premises which have been ordered to close can be found here.
It is not clear at present to the extent these new measures will affect the construction sector. The position appears to be that key construction projects will be allowed to continue but others will need to stop. Further Government guidance here is awaited.
The effect of these measures will be that many businesses’ income will stop but they will continue to face liabilities, such as wages and rent, that they may not be able to meet. To help businesses, new economic measures were announced by the Chancellor last Friday to alleviate those potential liabilities, including:
- a coronavirus job retention scheme, whereby HMRC will provide grants to cover 80% of an employee’s wages, up to £2,500 per month;
- the deferment of VAT payments between now and June;
- the Coronavirus Business Loan Interruption Scheme provided by the British Business Bank, introduced earlier this month in the budget now being interest-free for 12 months. Further details can be found here.
In addition, as 25 March is a rent quarter day, the Government also announced last night that there would be extra protection for businesses who are tenants under a commercial lease, namely that any tenant who is not able to pay rent due to the coronavirus measures will not face eviction. More information can be found here.
Further assistance for self-employed people is likely to be announced in the coming days.
The effect of these measures will require many businesses to cease to trade, potentially permanently, whilst there is likely to be some delay in businesses being able to access the financial assistance being offered by the Government. Our advice to directors of affected businesses remains as we set out in our KeyNote last week, namely keep everything under constant review and fully record and document all decisions that are taken during this difficult period.
Should businesses require specific advice regarding their position, they should not hesitate to contact professional advisers, such as those within Keystone Law’s Restructuring and Insolvency team.
Should you have any queries arising out of this KeyNote, please do not hesitate to contact Stephen Young or Mark Parkhouse using the below details.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. It should not be used as a substitute for legal advice relating to your particular circumstances. Please note that the law may have changed since the date of this article.


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Tesco and Carrefour announce joint purchasing tie-up
NamNews - Jul 3rd, 09:20
Tesco and Carrefour have announced plans to enter into a “long-term, strategic alliance”, with the aim of getting better deals from multinational suppliers, cutting costs, and combating increased competition in their domestic markets.
The two sides said the agreement will initially last for three years and will cover their “strategic relationship with global suppliers, the joint purchasing of own brand products and goods not for resale”. It is hoped the tie-up will be formally agreed upon within the next two months.
The groups said they expect the deal to help improve the quality and choice of products offered to consumers, at “even lower prices”. They also stressed that the deal will help strengthen their relationships with suppliers and “create significant opportunities for those suppliers”, adding that both sides will continue to work with suppliers at a local and national level.
Dave Lewis, Group Chief Executive of Tesco, said: “By working together and making the most of our collective product expertise and sourcing capability, we will be able to serve our customers even better, further improving choice, quality and value.”
Carrefour recently revealed an ambitious transformation plan to cut €2bn in costs annually by 2020. Its Chairman and CEO, Alexandre Bompard, commented: “This strategic alliance between Carrefour and Tesco is a major agreement as it combines the purchasing expertise of two world leaders, complementary in their geographies, with common strategies. This agreement is a great opportunity to develop our two brands at the service of our customers. This international alliance further strengthens Carrefour allowing it to reach a key milestone in the implementation of its strategy.”
The deal marks the latest purchasing tie-up between major European supermarkets in the face of heightened competition from the discounters and online players. It is also likely to be seen as Tesco’s reaction to the proposed Sainsbury’s-Asda merger.
Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets.com, said: “An entente cordiale between the two giants of British and French retailing is yet another sign that squeezing the cost base is the biggest priority for supermarkets as they seek to contain the discounters and protect margins."
“On both sides of the Channel, rising costs are putting pressure on margins. Meanwhile, every retailer is looking over their shoulder at Amazon and the potential disruption is could still cause in the grocery sector.”
Meanwhile, Patrick O’Brien, UK Retail Research Director at GlobalData, commented: “Tesco is obviously concerned by the increased potential buying scale of a combined Sainsbury’s and Asda, and both it and Carrefour are worried by the idea of Amazon making more ambitious moves in European grocery retail. However, it should be noted that a key focus of the tie-up is to reduce prices on own brand products, and this is more of a direct response to Aldi and Lidl, whose offers are heavily weighted towards own brand. Tesco and Carrefour have both struggled to match the discounters on quality and price, and the alliance should help it compete."
“For suppliers, this is another signal of battles ahead. Sainsbury’s and Asda have made it clear that it will target its largest suppliers for cost reductions by flexing their increased scale, and Tesco and Carrefour will look to do the same while reducing the number of branded products they sell as they increase their own brand ranges.”NamNews
Meat and poultry consumption on the rise in Africa
17/07/2018 - 14:54
The meat and poultry market in West Africa grew to 6.5M tonnes in 2016. In value terms, it stood at $16.1B, which was at the level of the previous year. Market size upturned from 2007 to 2014, with mild fluctuations, followed by an abrupt decline in 2015 and stabilisation in 2016.
Four ways mobile can unlock innovation in brick and mortar retail
17/07/2018 - 11:29
With the ubiquity of smartphones – particularly in the South African marketplace – local retailers have a great opportunity to boost in-store engagement.
Amazon rivals Walmart and Microsoft join forces in cloud partnership
17/07/2018 - 11:05
Retail giant Walmart said it entered into a strategic partnership with Microsoft for wider use of cloud and artificial intelligence technology, in a sign of major rivals of Amazon.com coming together.
Michelangelo Wine & Spirits Awards Joins Forces with Checkers to offer Consumers an award-winning Choice
17/07/2018 - 10:41
One of Southern Africa’s leading drinks competitions, the Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards, has entered into a partnership with Checkers which will give consumers greater access to the competition’s award-winning wines and spirits. The agreement will see Checkers offering a selection of Michelangelo winners in its general retail outlets and liquor stores after this year’s awards ceremony, which is to be held on 29 September.
DHL partners with MallforAfrica to deliver African-made products to the world
17/07/2018 - 09:30
DHL, the world’s leading international express services provider, today announced its partnership with e-commerce giant, MallforAfrica’s new platform, Marketplace Africa, to help online retailers bring African-made products to the US and global market.


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Audi has released technical details of its new R18, which will make its public debut in this week’s FIA World Endurance Championship Prologue test at Paul Ricard.
The new-generation diesel-powered LMP1 car, which features an all-new hybrid system, is the German manufacturer’s most efficient prototype yet, with a combined power output of more than 1,000 horsepower.
While the 4.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine remains relatively unchanged for 2016, Audi has gone to battery technology for its all-new hybrid system.
It also includes a step up to the 6MJ hybrid subclass, which will provide 50 percent more electric energy than its previous-generation R18 e-tron quattro.
As a result, the new car has 10 percent less fuel consumption, but partially due to a class-wide power reduction for 2016, which will include a further performance cut for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The car features all-new aerodynamics, most visible from the front, while Audi has modified the proportions within the maximum length limit of 4,650 mm.
The new R18 has an all-new monocoque, which has resulted in changes to the suspension mounting points. It also features 45 percent larger front wheel arches than the 2015 car.
“The result is a race car that manages energy even more effectively than before,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
Click Here for further technical details of the car.
Audi has already completed extensive testing with the new R18, including endurance tests at Sebring and throughout Europe, ahead of the 2016 WEC season.
Its driver lineup remains unchanged for this year, with Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler returning alongside Loic Duval, Lucas Di Grassi and Oliver Jarvis.
Like Porsche, Audi will only field two cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.


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BMW has published a teaser, showing the profile of the new representative of the 8-series. The Bavarians did not give more details about the upcoming new BMW, but the short caption to the picture says “Stay tuned. More to come in Geneva next week.” The new BMW will debut on March 6.
Looking at the teaser, you’ll notice there’s an extra cut line for a rear door, suggesting we’re looking at a potential Gran Coupe model, BMW’s name for coupe-like sedans. A steeply falling roof creates a rather attractive and dynamic appearance, but, possibly, will negatively affect the space for the rear passengers. But, since we have only a rendering, whose task is to give us the basic idea of the design of a new model, the car itself can be more practical.
Earlier this month, Motor1 reported that BMW M had a concept in store for Geneva, but it wouldn’t be the M8 coupe. Motor1 believed that it might be the M8 Convertible, but it seems that there aren’t any cuts along the roofline in this teaser, so it’s probably not that.
Although it has yet to be officially revealed, we know the production M8 models will use BMW’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine because the racing M8 that competed in this year’s Daytona 24 Hours was equipped with this powerplant. Without motorsport restrictions to worry about, the finished road car is expected to produce 608hp. This places it above the latest 600hp M5 and giving it more firepower than the Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupé, which has 585hp.


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Speaking at an investor meeting, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has said that he thinks it would take an investment of half a billion to a billion dollars to take on World of Warcraft - and even then, success isn't guaranteed.
"We don't think that even if we made the USD 500 million or billion-dollar investment to get a product out [to compete with WOW] that we would even be successful doing it," he said.
If you can't beat them, join them - hence the recent merger of Activision and WOW owners Vivendi, creating Activision Blizzard.
"When we first started looking at it, it appeared to us like a game in an insurmountable product category... EA, Microsoft, Sony and scores of venture capital investments had been put to work unsuccessfully in trying to develop massively multiplayer games as a product opportunity," Kotick said.
"When you... Look at all the money that's already gone to these businesses that have failed, there didn't seem a likelihood that even a well-managed company like Activision would have the prospect for profit any time soon in this category."
Kotick also paid tribute to the talent at WOW developers Blizzard. "They have a model that is very well-developed, they have a very keen understanding of their audiences, and they're just scratching the surface of opportunity in a lot of areas... These guys are among the best in the world of game development."
Kotick was speaking at the Goldman Sachs Technology Investment Symposium 2008 Conference on Tuesday this week.
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