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Should the penny still be minted?
Debate Rounds (3)
http://www.economist.com..., that explains that the Canadian government has stop creating pennies. The article they posted said, "The Canadian penny has been eliminated because it is a waste of both money and time. Inflation has reduced its purchasing power by 95% since it was first minted domestically in 1908: back then a cent could buy goods that would cost C$0.20 today, in other words. Once a small coin can no longer be used to buy individual items, but is used only to make change, it becomes more trouble than it is worth. Canadian pennies cost 1.6 Canadian cents to manufacture, and the government expects to save C$11m a year by eliminating them. But that sum, equivalent to 0.0006% of GDP, is small change. The real reason to eliminate pennies is that their feeble purchasing power means dealing with the coins, and making change to the nearest cent, is a uneconomic waste of time for consumers, retailers and small businesses. People instinctively recognize this, which is why pennies pile up in drawers, in jars and on bedside tables. The mint then has to issue more of them. "Pennies take up too much space on our dressers at home," said Mr Flaherty. "We will, therefore, stop making them." The article also briefly explains how pennies are still circulating, but are not being produced. An issue that people find on this topic is also addressed, "The same arguments apply to the United States penny, which costs 2.4 cents to make. But eliminating it would result in greater use of the five-cent coin, the nickel, which costs 11.2 cents to produce. So the American penny survives, at least for the time being." The topic can extend further to removing all forms of coin currency. This would create less metal consumption, cost less for governments, and advance our country into the future with the use of online currency. The topic can be debated further, but advancement is necessary for the success of a nation, and we only get one environment to take care of.
Although coins are more classy, they could still be kept as collector items and thus boosting the antique market. Exactness is confirmed and other various boosts are possible with this strange, but thoughtful method.
With the new penny bills the penny would degrade more making it less circulated and less useful. Pennies are the most circulated physical currency. They would most likely not be accepted by stores and companies because they are a new bill. The Sacajawea coin wasn't accepted by most salesmen because it was a new type of coin. A penny bill probably wouldn't be accepted either because it would be a new bill
1 votes has been placed for this debate.
Vote Placed by Jonbonbon 1 year ago
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Reasons for voting decision: Con showed how the metal coin penny is replaceable by several cheaper alternatives to provide exact change. Pros only defense was that he thought it would drive up the price of cotton, and he didn't think stores would accept a new type of official US currency. Because pro didn't back up his rebuttals, the resolution could not be affirmed and is thus negated.
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Former Trade and Industry Minister, Dr. Ekwow Spio- Garbrah is proposing that the Finance Ministry collaborates with Trade Ministry with regards to tax issues in the country.
In an interview with 3FM92.7 he stated that the Trade Ministry should be involved in discussions on tax policies.
“The Trade and Industry Ministry does not get involve, does not get invited to discussions that deals with taxes and levies when it ought to be”, he stated.
Dr. Spio- Garbrah believes made-in-Ghana products are likely to face competition from imported ones following the cut in taxes by the government.
Government has since 2013, intensified its campaign to increase patronage of locally manufactured goods in a bid to increase production and reduce imports.
Dr. Spio- Garbrah said, “ it’s one thing to abolish taxes on imports but it also means you are encouraging more imports of a particular goods, so we must also appreciate the impact of the decisions that are being taken.”
He observed that some sectors may laud government for the cut but this would have a negative impact on locally manufactured goods.
The former minister said taxes and levies may be disagreeable to most individuals in the business community however they tend to build the country if used for its rightful purpose’s.
According to him, taxes are dues people pay to enjoy numerous vital benefits that government provides.
“Even though some businesses and communities may disagree with the payment of taxes, it’s a question of what do we use those taxes for. The benefit of taxes is to build the nation”, he stated.
By Kyerewaa Agnes Amparbeng |3FM92.7|3news.com

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Facebook’s Zuckerberg Visits Alibaba, Sina.com SaysMark Lee
Facebook Inc. founder Mark Zuckerberg visited the offices of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in China and met the e-commerce company’s Chairman Jack Ma, Sina.com reported on its website.
Zuckerberg also met Jonathan Luk, head of Alibaba’s Taobao.com online shopping unit, during his visit to the offices in the eastern city of Hangzhou today, according to the report. Sina.com posted a photo of Zuckerberg with Ma and Luk that it said was taken at the meeting.
Alibaba spokesman John Spelich declined to confirm Zuckerberg’s visit when reached on his mobile phone today. Alibaba is China’s biggest e-commerce company.
Zuckerberg, who said yesterday he’s on holiday in China, visited the Beijing offices of Baidu Inc. and Sina Corp. earlier this week.
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We’ve been wondering when Toyota would finally jump in the electric car game in the US and now we have our answer. Toyota has announced that it will unveil two new electric vehicles for the US, this year. That’s in addition to a new plug-in hybrid as well.
The new electrified vehicles are part of Toyota plans to have 40% of its new vehicle sales be electrified by 2025. By 2030 it expects that percentage to grow to 70%.
Toyota hasn’t announced any other details about the new EVs, but last year it did teaser a new electric compact crossover that it’s working on with Subaru. The new EV is slated to launch in Europe first, but it could be one of the new EVs that we will get in the US later this year.
Both new electric vehicles will be based on Toyota’s e-TNGA platform.
We also don’t have any details about the new PHEV, but it could be a plug-in hybrid version of the Venza, Sienna or Highlander.


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Los Angeles –Today, the Metrolink team, including CEO Stephanie Wiggins, surprised dedicated riders at Los Angeles Union Station with free ice cream scoops to celebrate National Ice Cream Month and to thank them for choosing Metrolink as their preferred mode of getting to work.
"We partnered with our good friends at Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream in L.A. Union Station to cool off our passengers on their short ride home to celebrate National Ice Cream Month," said Wiggins. "We love having fun at Metrolink but we really like thanking Southern Californians for riding our trains."
Every year, Metrolink riders choose to leave their cars at home and use safe, efficient and dependable commuter rail instead. Metrolink riders account for 8.7 million car trips not taken, resulting in saving 13.7 million gallons of gasoline.
The treat was a result of a partnership between Metrolink and Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop at Los Angeles Union Station.
“With high temperatures this summer, we thought National Ice Cream Month would be a great time to surprise our fans at L.A. Union Station with free scoops on the train platform,” said David Bernstein, owner of the Ben & Jerry’s franchise at Union Station, located near the Amtrak ticketing counter.
In addition to receiving Metrolink keepsakes, passengers also took photos with Wiggins and Ben & Jerry’s mascot, Woody the Cow.
For more information on getting there by Metrolink, go to www.metrolinktrains.com.
Metrolink is Southern California's regional commuter rail service in its 26th year of operation. Metrolink gets Southern California's workforce to their workplace. Metrolink is governed by The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), a joint powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Metrolink operates seven routes through a six-county, 538 route-mile network. Metrolink’s passengers travel approximately 441 million miles each year making Metrolink the second busiest public transportation provider in Southern California. Metrolink is the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on directional route miles and the eighth largest based on annual ridership.
ABOUT BEN & JERRY’S
As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's believes in a greater calling than simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2015 the company completed its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully source Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben and Jerry's products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry's became a certified B Corp (Benefit Corporation) in 2012. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation's employee-led grant programs totaled $2.5MM in 2016 to support economic and social justice, environmental restoration, and peace through understanding. For the inside scoop on Ben & Jerry's visit www.benjerry.com.


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Lao government set its target of economic development in 2017 at seven percent, one of the highest among regional countries. In an article titled "These Are The Fastest Growing Economies In East Asia In 2017" by Ralph Jennings released on the website of Forbes Magazine in late March, Laos was mentioned in the first place.
So, what is the momentum that drive the economic growth of Laos?
POSITIVE GROWTH OF OVERALL ECONOMY
According to a report by World Bank, despite global economic uncertainty, Laos managed to record economic growth of seven percent in 2016. However, Lao government has to work further on management of macro-economy, commodity price, promote investment and improve business environment, among others.
Forecast and judgment are unable to reflect the overall situation of a country and are only based on main aspects of an economy, while the state budget is basic financial plan of an economy and reflects the country's national directions, policy and development situation, as well as maps out the government's directions and activities.
Expenditure plan of Laos in 2017 is still based on moderate deficit to drive growth. At the same time, due to imbalance in revenue growth of high spending and low collecting, Laos has emphasized the policy of thrift and fight against extravagance and waste, and ensured the reduction of unnecessary spending in government bodies.
Laos has set a target to achieve fiscal revenue of 23.801 trillion Lao kip (some 2.89 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017 with budget expenditures of 32.262 trillion Lao kip (some 3.917 billion U.S. dollars). As a result, the Southeast Asian country is forecast to suffer from deficit of 8.464 trillion Lao kip (around 1.027 billion U.S. dollars), equivalent to 6.52 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
PROMISING PROSPECT FROM ENERGY GROWTH AND ASEAN INTEGRATION
Laos is sparsely populated country with total land area of 237,000 square kilometers and a population of around seven million people. On the one hand, Laos has relatively small market and small labor population which is unsuitable for development of processing industry; on the other hand, the per capita possession of natural resources is relatively high with abundance of mineral, hydropower and land resources.
According to statistics by World Bank, Laos' GDP grew at an average rate of seven percent over the past decade, with industries using natural resources (mainly water, minerals and forests) contributed one third of the growth.
In 2016, Laos' GDP reached 13.76 billion U.S. dollars, poverty rate accounted for about 23 percent of the total population, and life expectancy of Lao people was 66 years old. Lao economy significantly depended on natural resources, causing great suffering for the economy in the past while commodity price declined.
In recent years, Laos witnessed little fluctuation in national commodity prices while price of forestry and mineral products increased together with elimination of negative factors. At the same time, the strong development of energy industry has provided great support for the national economic development.
The World Bank assessed that the development of energy industry with the operation of a series of new power plants and acceleration of ASEAN integration shall open a bright prospect for Lao economic development while fiscal deficit, trade deficit and foreign debts shall gradually narrow.
In fact, the Forbes article also focuses on the above points when mentioning Laos' economy, saying the economy will grow seven percent this year because of investment in the power sector and deeper integration with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The landlocked country of about seven million people is improving its power network to provide electricity to 10 percent of households by 2020 and possibly export it as well.
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION OF "CHINESE FACTORS"
Over the past years, the availability of Chinese factors in Laos has significantly increased, which means that the economic ties between the two countries are becoming increasingly close, and there have been a considerable contribution of Chinese momentum in the high development level of Laos in recent years.
For example in engineering contract, despite the fact that Laos is a small economy of over 10 billion U.S. dollars, engineering contract value of Chinese contractors in Laos have amounted to 6.71 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, an increase of 30.1 percent over 2015, ranking third after Malaysia and Indonesia among ASEAN nations.
In terms of trade, according to Lao state-run media Vientiane Times on Dec. 3, 2016, total bilateral trade between Laos and China would surpass two billion U.S. dollars in the year. Statistics by the Department of Import and Export under Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce showed that in the first nine months of 2015-2016 fiscal year, Laos-China bilateral trade exceeded 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, of which Laos exported some 950 million U.S. dollars worth of goods to China and imported some 570 million U.S. dollars worth of goods from the northern neighbor. China became the second biggest trade partner of Laos after Thailand.
Regarding investment, China is the biggest capital sources of Laos. As of May 2016, China invested over 6.7 billion U.S. dollars in 760 projects in Laos, covering a wide range from energy and minerals industry to agricultural and service sector.
In addition, it is forecast that there will be not much changes in international economic and domestic socio-economic development situation in 2017 compared to the previous years, while there is no obvious negative factor but plenty of positive factors, especially the construction of China-Laos railway, together with the increase of investment in infrastructure industry. All these are undoubtedly good news for Lao economy.


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'ISIS' fashion retailer in China forced to rebrand after pictures of the signage shared online caused owner endless harassment
- Clothing shop in Shenzhen, China, attracted attention for its ISIS branding
- Owner received numerous harassing phone calls and decided to rebrand
- Police have confirmed business had nothing to do with the terror group
A shop owner in Shenzhen, south China, was forced to rebrand after receiving endless phone calls about her business 'ISIS'.
The entrepreneur, named as Chen Hong, claims that she hadn't heard of ISIS when she established her brand. However, when photographs of her shop surfaced online, she received a lot of negative publicity and harassment.
Rebrand: Shop in Shenzhen, China, was rebranded after its owner was harassed about the signage 'ISIS'
Change: Owner took down the signage. Police have confirmed she has no connection to the terror group
Local police issued an official statement on November 18 confirming a clothing shop that was branded ISIS had indeed been in their jurisdiction.
It read: 'A clothing shop in our jurisdiction, at 105 Long Chang Street, has signage and branding that said ISIS.
'Our branch director Sun Weiping took the matter very seriously when he was alerted to the situation. He immediately took a team to the shop to investigate.
'The shop owner has already removed the signage herself at 14.00 hours today.'
Investigators also brought the shop owner back to the police for further questioning.
Police have identified the woman as Chen Hong, 35, from Guangdong, south China.
The ISIS branding is intended to mean 'Yisi Yisi', or a gesture of goodwill.
She was not found to have any connections with the terror group of the same name. However, the police have promised to actively follow up on the situation and has asked for anyone with additional information to come forward.
Terror: Three Chinese citizens died in Mali during the attacks on a Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako (above)
Chen Hong has revealed to reporters that she did not know of ISIS when she branded the business three years ago.
The brand is supposed to stock high-end clothing for women and has no connection with the terror group.
At present, Chen Hong is not sure what her new brand will be.
China declared war on ISIS last week after four Chinese citizens were killed by the terror group.
One of the men killed was held as a hostage by ISIS while three others died during the hotel attacks in Mali last week.
The topic is closely followed by Chinese citizens.
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US NEWS FEEDS
The Resource name will disappear Monday after 36 years in Columbus, but the digital marketing agency’s role is expanding within parent IBM Corp.
Resource/Ammirati, the latest incarnation after half a dozen name changes, will fold its identity in with seven North American and 28 international digital and interactive studios under the IBM iX brand.
Kelly Mooney, longtime Resource CEO, now is a co-leader of iX North American studios, overseeing about 600 employees. The former Resource is the largest…
Columbus Business News - Local Columbus News | Business First of Columbus
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Farewell, Resource – digital agency taking on new name with expanded role at IBM


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If there’s one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us, it’s that our global supply chains are in desperate need of fortification. As Anshu Siripurapu, writing for the Council on Foreign Relations, so deftly noted while recapping the story of supply chains in 2021:
“The pandemic triggered a dramatic shift in consumer behavior. Almost overnight, an economy defined by going out became one defined by staying in. Instead of going to the movies, the gym, or a concert, people bought electronics, home workout gear, musical instruments and studio equipment like the ones at Bring in the Noise. This increased demand for goods has persisted even as businesses have largely reopened and spending on services has recovered.”
It has revealed that things aren’t as efficient as many thought them to believe, and at any moment, something unexpected like the pandemic can sweep in and completely change the landscape. To safeguard the future, businesses will need to determine how they can best shore up their supply chains, and it turns out reshoring could hold at least part of the answer.
Reshoring, if you were unaware, is like the opposite of offshoring. Jobs that were once sent overseas (because of cheaper labor costs and greater potential profits) are brought home again due to new incentives that make the domestic option more attractive.
Think, for instance, about something like machining by a cast technologies machining shop. They can as well look for these burn table manufacturers if ever they need so. Instead of relying on foreign workers, a business could instead opt to align with a domestic manufacturer like Fictiv, then take advantage of their CNC machining services to keep costs manageable while enjoying faster lead times and superior precision compared to a strictly-human machining operation.
Now, how could this reshoring apply to supply chain shortages? The reasoning goes that reshoring will help simplify certain supply chains and make them more resilient to disruption. It’s easier to move goods around if they’re manufactured domestically, after all, and reshoring could help further bolster the economy in other ways while bolstering the supply chain.
There’s some evidence to suggest that reshoring may help entice younger workers to pursue manufacturing, which could help address skills gap and workforce shortage issues, and the reshoring process can also help improve the quality of products at lower costs. And this is also because of the benefits of globalised long-distance supply chains.
It’s important to note, however, that reshoring is a long-term process, and as a short-term solution it’s not going to solve supply chain issues on its own. Though some 80% or more of North American manufacturers plan on reshoring (and governmental policy is shifting to help encourage reshoring efforts), it will still take years (perhaps even a decade) to counteract the many years of offshoring that have led businesses to their current position.
In addition to moving supply from overseas locations to domestic ones, businesses should also be looking for ways to modernize their supply chains with technology, improve their ability to adapt to unexpected changes, and minimize risks by diversifying supply chain options and opting for sustainability. Implementing these strategies will help businesses to weather the pandemic, and should provide a foundation upon which they can build back in a post-pandemic world.


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Waiting for your shiny new Nexus 6P to show up in the mail? Then you might be the lucky winner of $25, courtesy the fine folks at Google!
There’s a downside, though. If you’re one of the future Nexus 6P owners that Google is sending a refund, like Phandroid’s Rob Jackson, then it means your phone isn’t going to be arriving quite as soon as you hoped it would.
The unexpected money? Good. The delay? Bad, but not really all that bad. Originally, Jackson’s Nexus 6P was scheduled to arrive Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. His ETA has now been pushed back to the second week of November. Google is not being quite as precise any more, either. Instead of a two-day window, Jackson was given a seven-day spread.
Still, shipping delays are something that happen all the time. Most of the time, seller’s don’t throw money your way to say sorry — they just update you with the new arrival date and maybe remind you that they appreciate your business.
Even though Google doesn’t process your payment until the device you ordered actually ships, it sounds as though they’re still charging the full $649 and issuing the refund a little while later. The email Google sent out says that they’ll refund the $25 “soon after your phone ships.”
It should go straight back where it came from, which is nice. They could’ve opted for a $25 Play credit instead and locked you into spending the money in their store again. At least this way you can spend it on whatever the heck you want… or save it for a rainy day.


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KOCHI: Neera, a nutritive drink derived from coconut palm, will be the star attraction at The World Coconut Day 2015 that will be held at Vijayawada on September 2. Organised by Coconut Development Board, the event will be based on theme “Coconut for Family Nutrition, Health & Wellness”.
Around 500 farmers from all coconut growing states are expected to attend the function and out of which 75 per cent farmers are from Andhra Pradesh. An exhibition has also been arranged at the venue showcasing latest technologies in coconut sector and various value added coconut products including Neera. Neera and value-added products are being promoted through farmer producer organisations formulated in the country.
Four coconut producer’s companies from Kerala would be showcasing their products at the exhibition. Andhra Pradesh occupies the first position in coconut productivity (14997 nuts /hectare) and the fourth positions both in area (1,21,920 hectares) and production (1828.46 million nuts) among the major coconut growing southern states in India.
September 2 has been designated Coconut Day by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC), an inter-governmental organisation of 18 member countries headquartered at Jakarta, Indonesia. The celebration is aimed at creating awareness about the importance of coconut and its potential in alleviating poverty, encouraging investments and promoting the development of coconut industry in the member countries.
Metro has been operating its nationwide chain of 31 cash-and-carry stores since 2003 but intense competition and large investments to sustain operations forced the Dusseldorf-headquartered multinational to first undergo a detailed business review and then choose to give the sell mandate.
As the two global giants poured a combined $24 billion into India and captured 80% of the online retail market with aggressive discounts and promotion of preferred sellers, the kirana shops are fearful of an uncertain future.


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Can new wireless-upgrade plans boost iPhone, Galaxy sales?
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The shift among U.S. wireless-service carriers to make it easier for customers to upgrade their phones could provide a boost in sales for smartphone makers such as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Bloomberg reports.
Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and T-Mobile US Inc. are all offering plans that give customers the option of changing devices after six months rather than two years. And with more than 60 percent of U.S. mobile-service users already owning a smartphone, speeding up their ability to upgrade to the latest technology could be critical to improving flagging sales growth of Apple's iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy S4 phones, according to the report.
Both Apple and Samsung have seen their market share shrink in recent months as competition increases and the market becomes saturated, according to the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
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A SHARP drop in tourism figures, with some 4,250 fewer tourists visiting our shores every day, has prompted calls for the excessive costs of holidaying in Ireland to be tackled.
Figures show some 641,400 fewer visitors came to Ireland in the first five months of 2010 compared to last year.
Tourism chiefs need to shake up their marketing plans while the Government’s departure tax needs to be axed to boost falling visitor numbers, it was claimed yesterday.
Figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) yesterday show that trips to Ireland by overseas residents plummeted by nearly a quarter in May this year compared to last year.
The traditional beginning of the summer tourism season saw 502,500 visitors compared to 657,000 in the same month last year.
The biggest fall-off in visitors was from Britain (30%), followed by other parts of Europe (19.8%) and North America (16.7%).
Fine Gael Tourism spokesman Jimmy Deenihan said: “As more and more and more tourists stay away, it is no exaggeration to say that Irish tourism is tumbling into a void from which it is difficult to emerge. Today’s CSO overseas travel figures confirm that the sector is in crisis.”
The huge drop of more than 91,000 British visitors coming to Ireland was disturbing, said the deputy.
Overall the figures showed a fall of 24% in visitors for the year up until May.
Tourism chiefs yesterday blamed the dramatic fall-off in visitors on the volcanic ash bloom that descended over Europe from Iceland.
Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland added, however: “It is important to remember that more than 50% of holidaymakers to the island of Ireland arrive between July and December and right now Tourism Ireland and industry partners are out in all our major markets fighting for business, capitalising on the later-than-ever booking trend.”
Tourism promoters have just begun a new €1 million campaign for Dublin “Europe’s friendliest city” in Britain, which will run into the autumn, he said.
“Our top priority remains the restoration of growth from Great Britain and other markets and all our energies are focused on that goal,” added Mr Gibbons.
Other CSO figures released yesterday showed the Irish are still keen to holiday abroad.
Despite the recession and travel disruptions in May, Irish trips overseas only fell by 29,400 during the month.
Irish residents made some 580,900 trips abroad in the month, a fall of just 4.8% compared to the last year.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved


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29th Annual Bluebonnet Brew-Off to be held at Irving Convention Center
The Bluebonnet Brew-Off, which in the past few years has grown to be one of the largest home brewed beer, cider and mead competitions in the world, will be holding its 29th annual Commercial beer tasting and Homebrew Awards Ceremony this year on March 20th and 21st. This is the first year that the event will be held at the Irving Convention Center, a move necessitated by recent growth of interest in home brewing and local craft beer. The change in venue should allow many more visitors to enjoy the event, along with greater participation from both local and national craft breweries and beer related vendors. Lodging will be available at the nearby Dallas Marriott Las Colinas, with special Bluebonnet rates that can be reserved until March 4. Justin Crossley, Founder of The Brewing Network internet radio station, will be the Keynote speaker on Friday evening. Other featured events include a Commercial beer sampling and a People’s Choice Homebrew competition(Club Members) on Friday evening, and a variety of technical discussions and multiple Pub Crawls on Saturday leading up to the Competition Awards Ceremony that evening. The Best of Show winner in this prestigious homebrew competition will also have a commercial batch of their beer brewed and released by the Rabbit Hole Brewing, the Official Brewery of the 2015 Bluebonnet Brewoff, later in the year. A commemorative tasting glass and program to accompany the Friday evening Commercial beer sampling and keynote event is $25, and can be purchased in advance or at the event on the 20th. A full weekend ticket, which also includes most Saturday activities, can be reserved online for $35. Details can be found at www.facebook.com/
BluebonnetBrewoff or www.bluebonnetbrewoff.org.


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The Hong Kong government announced Wednesday that the economy has deepened its recession during the second quarter of 2020 due to the negative repercussions of the Coronavirus, as well as the political and economic instability in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's economy contracted by 9.0% in the second quarter of the year, according to the GDP, after the previous reading was revised to witness a contraction of 9.1%, as the Corona pandemic greatly affected consumer spending, trade and tourism.
This is the economic contraction for a fourth consecutive quarter, as the economy was hit hard by anti-government protests in the past year, alongside the recent shock of the global health crisis.
The GDP reading during the second quarter witnessed a slight improvement from the previous contraction of 9.1% in the quarter from January to March, which was considered the worst quarterly contraction since records began in 1974.
Moody's credit rating agency expected the Hong Kong economy to shrink by 11.9%.
On a seasonally
adjusted quarterly basis, however, the economy contracted only by 0.1%,
compared to the revised contraction of 5.5% in the previous three months.


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LG has a lot riding on its flagship the G6 after the G5 failed to garner profits. LG G6 was launched at this year s MWC 2017, and the company went for a complete change, keeping its focus on the 5.7-inch display with tiny bezels. LG G6 has launched its first ever TV commercial, and the timing of it is anything but a coincidence. The advertisement was released a day before Samsung unveils its most anticipated Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones. Also Read - Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go powered by Intel Jasper Lake Celeron processor revealedAlso Read - Samsung Odyssey G3, Odyssey G5, Odyssey G7 gaming monitors launched: Details here
The LG G6 has already gone on sale in South Korea with 20,000 units sold on the first day itself. LG will launch the G6 on March 30 in the US, while the Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to go on sale globally on April 28 with pre-orders likely to start by April 10. Considering the timeframe for both the LG G6 and the Galaxy S8 are similar, it will surely be a battle of the fittest.
Coming to the LG G6 s TV commercial, the smartphone s key features are boasted in a 30 second video clip. The commercial begins with the smartphone s screen peeling off showing the new display design of the LG G6. The LG G6 features a 5.7-inch QHD+ display with resolution of 2880×1440 pixels, aspect ratio of 18:9, and pixel density of 564ppi. LG calls it a FullVision display using the tagline, The Big Screen that fits in your hand. LG shows off the G6 s water resistant capability along with the weather report displayed on the screen. The LG G6 comes with IP68 certification making it both water and dust resistant. Continuing with its display, the ad shows one purchasing an item on online shopping website Gilt and playing Temple Run while easily rejecting a phone call at the same time.
The ad continues with showing the Dolby Vision technology of the smartphone for which LG worked with the company to bring HDR on the G6. The camera of the G6 is also shown for a split second which is another highlight for the smartphone as it sports a dual rear-camera setup. The LG G6 features a pair of 13-megapixel rear cameras — one being a wide-angle lens with field of view of 125-degrees, and the other is standard lens with field of view of 71-degrees, aperture f/1.8 and OIS. Up front, the smartphone houses a 5-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture. The last segment of the ad shows the LG G6 held in different hands so as to show that it actually fits in your hand. ALSO READ: LG G6: From 18:9 FullVision display, Google Assistant to dual-rear cameras, here are top 8 features
LG G6 specifications, features
As for the remaining specifications, the LG G6 is powered by Qualcomm s Snapdragon 821 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM. The smartphone comes with 32GB and 64GB onboard storage, with an option to further expand it via a microSD card. Keeping the smartphone ticking is a 3,300mAh battery along with Quick Charge 3.0 technology. Connectivity options available on the smartphone include 4G LTE with VoLTE support, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi and GPS. The smartphone also features Google Assistant and a fingerprint sensor which is placed below the rear camera lens. On the software front, the smartphone runs on Android 7.1 Nougat out-of-the-box with a layer of UX 6 on top. ALSO READ: LG G6 hands-on and first impressions
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KALUGA, July 27. /TASS /. Moscow-based Krasin pencil factory, one of the oldest Russian producers of writing materials, plans to build a plant in the Kaluga region.
The relevant agreement between the factory and the regional government was signed on Monday.
Investments in the project will amount to about 300 mln rubles ($5.063 mln).
"When the new plant reaches its full production capacity, which is to take about 7 years, the plant’s turnover will amount to 1.5 bln rubles ($25.3 mln)," - the factory’s general director Pyotr Golubev said at the signing ceremony.
He added that the new plant will use only Russian raw materials (woods, paints and lacquer) in production.
The new enterprise will be located on the territory of the Lyudinovo special economic zone.
It will take 3 years to build the new plant, he said.
The products will be sold on domestic market.
According to the factory’s marketing director Alexander Medovikov, when the new plant starts operating at full capacity its products may substitutes 50% of imports on the Russian market of writing materials.
"This means $70 mln, which is a quite realistic task for the enterprise," - Medovikov said.
At present Chinese writing materials account for 79% of the Russian pencil market, Medovikov said adding that these products are not certified.
European and Turkish products account for 15% of the Russian market of writing materials while the hare of the Krasin factory is only 6%, he said.
"Our strategic task in economic development is to develop production diversification. The Kaluga region produces cars, TV-sets, construction materials, food products and soon it will also make pencils," - the Kaluga region’s acting governor Anatoly Artamonov said at the signing ceremony.
The new factory will also create about 600 working places including 300 for people with disabilities.


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Cambodia’s rich and powerful have long used automobiles as a means to demonstrate their wealth and influence, but Phnom Penh’s new owners of some of the fastest and most expensive cars in the world are a tad shy.
In a river of small motorbikes, towering SUVs, lumbering Hummers and the ubiquitous Toyota Camry, the recent appearance of Lamborghinis and Porsches can’t help but catch the eye, though their owners are seeking a profile far lower than that of their vehicles.
It’s not known how many high-performance sports cars are now owned in Phnom Penh, but at least three Lamborghinis, a couple of Ferraris and Porsche 911s and even an Aston Martin have been spotted around the city.
Sokleng, the 37-year-old owner of not one, but two 2008-model Porsche 911s, a Carrera GT and a Cayenne, said he spent about $400,000 on both vehicles, though he said it wasn’t something he liked to brag about or even discuss.
Letting it be widely known that he owns such extravagant cars could be a disadvantage in doing business, Sokleng said over the telephone.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t want to appear as being an equal to the tycoons,” said Sokleng.
First approached beside his Carrera GT while it was parked on a side street in Daun Penh district, Sokleng would only reveal his first name when interviewed.
Later by telephone he said, “We work hard to earn money, so we should spend it to fulfill our lives.”
“I drive the Carrera GT on weekends for entertainment in Phnom Penh,” he said, adding that he drives the Cayenne on weekdays.
Sokleng declined to describe his line of business.
One owner who was not too shy to discuss his supercar was Royal Group Vice President Kith Thieng, the owner of a black 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo.
For Kith Thieng, the supercar world is split between the Italians: Lamborghini and Ferrari.
“In the world there are two kinds of super sports cars. One is the Ferrari and another is the Lamborghini. But Lamborghini is the top,” he said. “Today, people consider cars as a kind of jewelry. Women like diamonds. It’s something that makes us happy,” he said.
Still, Kith Thieng said he generally chooses to drive his Lamborghini outside the city’s limits, where it can easily cruise at 200 kph and where it can’t get scraped so easily.
“I am afraid of scraping or damaging my car while on the street,” he said. “As we know, in Phnom Penh there are many motorbikes on the street, and [the drivers] do not know how expensive my car is.”
Also in the local Lamborghini owners’ club is Prime Minister Hun Sen’s nephew Hun To, who years ago bought one of the first Lamborghinis in Phnom Penh.
Contacted by telephone, Hun To said he rarely drives his supercar these days.
“I have it in my garage and haven’t driven it for a long time, so there is no need to interview me,” he said.
Khan Soveat, deputy managing editor of the monthly Khmer-language car publication Automobile Magazine, said reporters at his periodical also rarely have an opportunity to interview Cambodian supercar owners.
“It’s weird,” Khan Soveat said, adding that in other countries supercar ownership is no secret.
“[The owners in Cambodia] are hesitant, I assume because of security or the threat of kidnapping,” he said.
But there might also be questions of where a person’s wealth arises from if too many people learn of their superexpensive wheels.
So, for now, the owners prefer to share their supercar secrets with friends, Khan Soveat said.
“They just want to show their fancy cars among rich society,” he said.


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They say imitation is the highest form of flattery however when it comes to Kate Middleton's wedding dress that is not the case. A Hertfordshire-based bridal designer is suing the British fashion house Alexander McQueen for allegedly copying her designs to create the gown that the Duchess of Cambridge wore to marry Prince William.
Designer Christine Kendall is claiming that the stunning lace gown created by Sarah Burton for the April 29, 2011 nuptials originated from her sketches, which she says she submitted to the palace five months prior to the royal wedding.
The bridal designer has claimed that the fashion house copied her sketches Photo: Getty Images
"Proceedings have been issued because our client is certain that her company's design was unfairly taken and copied," Christine's lawyer said. "The claim is not against the Duchess and there is no allegation of wrongdoing against the palace."
In response, the fashion house released a statement firmly denying the claims.
Alexander McQueen has denied the claims, branding them 'ridiculous' Photo: Getty Images
"We are utterly baffled by this legal claim. Christine Kendall first approached us almost four years ago, when we were clear with her that any suggestion Sarah Burton's design of the royal wedding dress was copied from her designs was nonsense," reads the statement.
"Sarah Burton never saw any of Ms. Kendall's designs or sketches and did not know of Ms Kendall before Ms Kendall got in touch with us – some 13 months after the wedding.
The British house shut down the claims Photo: Getty Images
They concluded the statement saying, "We do not know why Ms Kendall has raised this again, but there are no ifs, buts or maybes here: this claim is ridiculous."


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In the wake of the Office of Fair Trading’s announcement that it will be investigating payday advance lenders, many instant cash loans industry experts have begun to take a closer look on the leading causes of the move by the watchdog agency.
The OFT has said its review was caused by fears that some Brits facing financial difficulties may be falling afoul of rogue instant cash loan firms who seek to prey upon the misfortune of these individuals. There are four main issues the OFT is focusing on in its investigation, among them the practice of granting loans to borrowers that may not be able to repay the cash, targeting particular classes of people in an inappropriate manner with clearly unaffordable or unsuitable credit, escalating charges by rolling over loans and leading to unaffordable debt, and treating borrowers that get themselves into financial difficulty in an unfair manner.
The director of consumer credit for the OFT, David Fisher, said that the watchdog has concerns that there are some lenders that have been breaching the Consumer Credit Act by taking advantage of those facing financial difficulties. If these firms are indeed neglecting to meet the OFT’s standards it has set out to curb irresponsible lending, this is an unacceptable outcome, Mr Fisher added.
The OFT is committed to working with trade bodies to drive up lending standards, remarked the consumer credit director. However, Mr Fisher remarked that the watchdog is not afraid to take enforcement action such as the revocation of licences to operate for firms if the OFT deems it necessary to put an end to the practice.
There has been considerable growth in the payday lending sector since 2010, when the OFT last conducted its review of the industry. This makes it the perfect time for an additional review, said Mr Fisher, especially in light of the current economic conditions.


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Parts giant Bosch has discovered a fault with its common rail pumps, which has caused production at a number of factories to halt while it is rectified, with worst-case estimates suggesting the delay could be ‘several weeks’ for cars to be delivered, with Mercedes-Benz the hardest hit.
A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz confirmed that four cylinder C-and E-class, five cylinder E-class and six cylinder E and S-class were all affected, while BMW said the unit has been fitted to six cylinder diesel engines, which would affect about 600 cars in the UK, although it had not decided whether to issue a recall yet.
Audi also uses the pump in some of its cars, but none had reached owners yet, and any delay is thought to be minimal.
However, production at Mercedes-Benz Vitoria plant in Spain, which produces the Vito van, has been suspended ‘until further notice’ the spokesman said.
Bosch claims to have rectified the problem and all cars fitted with the faulty unit will have a replacement when cars come in for a service, Mercedes-Benz said.
There is unlikely to be a recall as the firm believes there had not been a single instance of a failure ‘in the field’, but evidence of the problem occurring would be rough running. If this happens, fleets should get the car to a dealer immediately.
Mercedes-Benz in the UK said it would offer a temporary replacement vehicle for any customers left inconvenienced by the delay in the arrival of their new car.


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Google is working on a new technology called VP10 that will allow it to squeeze higher-quality video over broadband and mobile networks. And thanks to patent issues with a rival standard, it has a chance to catch on.
Cuisinart's $149 blender-and-food-processor-in-one is sure to cut down on countertop clutter.
The Zweissen Manual Food Processor is an affordable kitchen tool that likes to explore. And since it requires no electricity, the gadget can be used anywhere.
The alliance, which includes Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Netflix, pledges to build next-generation video technology -- and offer it for free.
The company highlights new Windows 10 devices using its new processors -- including an updated Intel Compute Stick -- during a press conference at the IFA electronics show in Berlin.
The sixth generation of the chip maker's processors will feature four processing cores and up to eight graphics cores.
One of the biggest players at Computex, Intel is packing a punch with the promise of better performance in its new range of fifth-generation Intel Core Processors.
The hardware platform, which Samsung will reveal next week during a San Francisco event, will be called Artik, CNET has learned.
The HTC E9 smartphone will be thinner than the M9, with a bigger screen running at a much higher resolution, if leaked specs and images are to be believed.
Some MacBook models make the leap to Intel's new CPUs.


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When the coronavirus arrived on American shores, we heard some people dismiss this pandemic as overhyped. A few pundits claimed it only affected older people and those with underlying conditions, who should gladly give up their lives.
TPA Member Services Director Ed Sterling is retiring July 22 after 28 years of service to the Texas newspaper industry. “His value to the industry cannot be measured and his absence will be glaringly obvious,” Executive Director Mike Hodges said.
We are in those hot summer days when many thoughts turn to cool refreshments. One particular item that comes to mind is watermelon. There are many places where these sweet treats can be procured, but one of these places is here in Briggs.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court voted to place the county under a burn ban on Friday, July 10. It will stay in effect until further notice. Temperatures will hover around 100 for the next few days and drop to the mid to high 90s next week. Unfortunately there is no rain in sight.
Bats Did you know bats can eat up to 600 mosquitoes hourly? If you are thinking about putting up a bat house, here are a few suggestions. Bat houses should be 12’ – 15’ high facing east to southeast for morning warmth.
As the fight against COVID-19 continues, we must demonstrate that we can confront the challenges of the virus while still taking deliberate steps to safely reopen the economy. There is no substitute for restaurants filled with patrons, classrooms full of children, or retail storefronts packed with American consumers.


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Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Multiplayer Community Reactions
E3 attendees report on Call of Duty: Black Ops III‘s multiplayer demo.
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The current month will continue to be a busy one for the primary market, as two companies --Tarsons Products and Go Fashion (India) Ltd -- are set to float their IPOs next week to collectively raise Rs 2,038 crore.
Here are the details:
Company: Tarsons Products
Issue Open Date: 15 November
Closing Date: 17 November
Price Band: The company has fixed a price band of Rs 635-662 a share for its Rs 1,024 crore initial share-sale. Investors can bid for a minimum of 22 shares and in multiple thereof.
About the issue: The initial share sale comprises fresh issuance of equity shares worth Rs 150 crore and an offer for sale of 1.32 crore equity shares by promoters and an investor.
Offloading by promoters: As a part of the OFS, promoters Sanjive Sehgal will offload up to 3.9 lakh equity shares and Rohan Sehgal will sell up to 3.1 lakh equity shares and investor Clear Vision Investment Holdings Pte Ltd will divest up to 1.25 crore equity shares.
Objective of the issue: Proceeds from the fresh issue will be utilised towards paying debt, funding a part of the capital expenditure for the new manufacturing facility at Panchla in West Bengal, and general corporate purposes.
Company: Go Fashion (India) Ltd
Issue Open Date: 17 November
Closing Date: 22 November
Price Band: The company has fixed a price band of Rs 655-690 apiece for the issue, and at the upper end of the price band, the IPO is expected to garner Rs 1,013.6 crore.
Objective of the issue: Proceeds from the fresh issue will be used to fund the rollout of 120 new exclusive brand outlets, to support working capital requirements and general corporate purposes.
Under the OFS, PKS Family Trust and VKS Family Trust are going to offload 7.45 lakh equity shares each, Sequoia Capital India Investments will sell up to 74.98 lakh shares, India Advantage Fund S4 I will divest up to 33.11 lakh shares and Dynamic India Fund S4 US I will sell up to 5.76 lakh shares.
Currently, PKS Family and VKS Family Trust hold 28.74 per cent stake each in the company, Sequoia Capital holds 28.73 per cent stake, India Advantage Fund has a 12.69 per cent stake, and Dynamic India Fund owns a 1.1 per cent stake in the firm.
This development has come after eight firms have successfully concluded their initial public offerings (IPOs) in November so far.
These eight firms are -- One 97 Communication, owner of Paytm; FSN E-Commerce Ventures, which runs online marketplace Nykaa, Policybazaar's parent entity PB Fintech, Fino Payments Bank, Latent View Analytics, Sapphire Foods India, SJS Enterprises and Sigachi Industries.
So far in 2021, as many as 49 companies have floated their IPOs to raise Rs 1.01 lakh crore, according to an analysis of data with exchanges.
(With PTI Inputs)


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Over at Milan Fashion Week, Bergdorf Goodman’s fashion director of men’s wear, Tommy Fazio, was “unceremoniously asked” to give up his front-row seat at Saturday’s Versace runway show. Why? Because of Beyoncé, of course!
According to a dispatch posted on T Magazine’s Web site today, Mr. Fazio was forced from his seat by a “clipboard Nazi,” who needed the chair for a member of the 26-year-old diva’s entourage. In apparent protest, the fashion director immediately refused to buy anything from the show and canceled his upcoming showroom appointment. (Considering Donatella Versace’s seemingly unconventional managerial methods, extensively profiled in a recent, riveting New Yorker profile, one can assume that heads will likely roll.) Then, after the show had ended, Beyoncé and her “boo,” Jay-Z, burned rubber out of a GQ party because there was no V.I.P. room at the affair.
In related news fresh out of the Italian city, the Spice Girls are expected to show up at the Roberto Cavalli runway show today. At a concert in London last week, Victoria Beckham reportedly sent up several shout-outs to the Italian designer. Because of Posh’s ability to fit into small boxes normally reserved for, say, a pair of shoes, she could pop up at any moment.


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[COLOR=royalblue]The most recent exploit, launched last week, gave a hacker full access to Merlin, AOL's latest customer database application. As a security measure, Merlin runs only on AOL's internal network, but savvy hackers have found a way to break in.[/COLOR]
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Breaking pre-market news on Wednesday,
– HSBC sells US credit card and retail services business to Capital One; post tax gain of $2.4bn — statement.
– Nestle increases guidance after strong H1 — statement.
– E.ON slashes outlook — statement.
– Micro Focus maintains guidance; remains in offer talks — statement.


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On January 27, 2021, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a report titled “Complaint Handling and Redress System for Retail Investors” that sets forth practices aimed at assisting its members in developing and improving their complaint handling procedures and mechanisms for retail investors. The report notes that access to independent, affordable, fair, accountable, timely and efficient redress mechanisms is critical for investor protection. Effective mechanisms for addressing financial misconduct that harm financial consumers can also promote investor confidence in financial markets.
The report sets out nine practices including taking steps to raise investor awareness of various available complaint handling systems, making available as many channels as possible for retail investors to submit complaints, encouraging financial service providers to offer a wide range of resolutions to retail investor complaints and using complaint data to identify areas for new or enhanced investor education initiatives. AUM Law will monitor developments in this area and keep you informed.
January 29, 2021


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Company / division: AT&T
AT&T has pre-announced some figures for its third quarter results in an SEC filing, including nearly 300,000 DirecTV Now streaming subscriber additions in the quarter, but around 90k traditional pay TV losses. Assuming that latter number is reported on the same basis as in the past and therefore excludes the DirecTV Now customers, it would represent a significant improvement, as the company lost over 300k subs in Q3 2016, and over 200k subs in Q2 this year. But losses are losses, and although the company through hurricanes into the mix as a driver, it’s clear that the underlying drivers that caused previous declines are still big factors too, and those include competition (and have in the past included the challenge AT&T faces of not being able to provide broadband-TV bundles in big chunks of the US).
Two wireless items in the filing are also worth noting. Firstly, the company said it saw 900k fewer postpaid phone upgrades in the quarter, a continuation of a long-standing trend at AT&T of lower upgrades over time, which has seen it fall to by far the lowest upgrade rates among the big four US carriers. Secondly, it’s breaking out certain prepaid IoT connections – notably those associated with connected cars – in its reporting for the first time, and it sounds like it has just over half a million of those as of the end of the quarter. That’s a tiny fraction of its overall connected car connections, which stood at a cumulative 13 million connections as of the end of Q2, the vast majority of which are low-revenue telematics connections sold to car manufacturers rather than directly to end users.
Online Pay TV Streaming Services Have Few Subscribers (Oct 4, 2017)
In a blog post I wrote in August about cord cutting in Q2 2017, I noted that there were likely around 3 million online pay TV streaming subscribers as of June, compared to around 4 million subscribers that had cut the traditional pay TV cord during the period those services had been available. The Information today reports that there are around 3.4 million of those online pay TV subscribers, including 2 million at Sling, half a million at AT&T’s DirecTV Now and slightly less than that at Sony’s PlayStation Vue, with just 200k at Hulu’s new live service, with a few more at YouTube. The Information uses this information to suggest that these services haven’t yet been all that popular, and that’s certainly one way to look at it, but given that until this year they mostly either came from unknown brands like Sling or were heavily limited in terms of their mainstream device support like PlayStation Vue, I’d bet we’ll see some faster growth going forward with the entry of Hulu and YouTube into the market, and I’d argue that AT&T’s rapid growth to the same scale as Sony in a much shorter period is evidence of that. With both Hulu and YouTube gearing up for big promotions in the coming weeks for their services, that growth will accelerate further. Meanwhile, cord cutting is also accelerating, and that acceleration is likely to be exacerbated by this growth in streaming options, leaving cable networks with fewer subscribers as users both cut and shave the cord. None of this is great news for the traditional TV industry.
via The Information
AT&T Launches Own-Brand Tablet with DirecTV Front and Center (Aug 21, 2017)
AT&T today announced Primetime, an own-brand LTE-enabled tablet which it will sell under an installment model and allow customers to add on to their shared data plans. The device puts the DirecTV services AT&T also sells front and center, meaning that this is not just an opportunity to sell more connected tablets but also another push to connect its wireless and entertainment offerings in bundles. History here throws up some worries: Sprint and Verizon have seen terrible tablet subscriber growth in the past year because they’re passing the two-year anniversary of when they gave away lots of free tablets on two-year contracts, and customers are now churning in big numbers. This tablet from AT&T carries its own brand, and it’s not clear from AT&T’s press release what sort of specs the device has, but there’s a risk that AT&T sees the same churn in 20-24 months when customers have paid these things off. Overall, I’d also argue that AT&T’s bundling of wireless and entertainment hasn’t worked all that well either for its TV business or its wireless business, both of which continue to bleed subscribers, while Verizon bounced back in a big way in Q2 thanks to its big push around unlimited. That, and not TV/wireless bundles, seems to be what’s selling in the US wireless industry at the moment, and AT&T is the odd one out among the major carriers in not promoting the unlimited offerings it re-introduced earlier this year. I’m not sure this tablet changes any of that, and it feels like another attempt to shoehorn DirecTV into a wireless proposition rather than simply leading with what customers are looking for.
NBCU to Shut Down Seeso Comedy Subscription Service (Aug 9, 2017)
Huawei Smartphone Reportedly Coming to AT&T (Aug 4, 2017)
I’ve had a few items recently about Huawei, including an item earlier this week about global smartphone market share, and you’ll hopefully have sensed that I think it’s a fascinating company to watch. But one of the other consistent themes about Huawei is that it’s been successful in much of the world with one big exception: the US, where the major carriers haven’t sold its phones. Fellow Chinese smartphone maker ZTE has been more successful in getting its phones ranged by US wireless carriers, especially in the prepaid space, but Huawei has been absent. And it’s worth noting that when it comes to the postpaid market that dominates the US, there are really just three big brands: Apple, Samsung, and LG, in that order. Every other vendor has under 5% of the total US smartphone installed base, with Motorola and HTC rounding out the top five. With all that as context, the fact that The Information is reporting Huawei is working with AT&T for a launch, possibly built around its next flagship, is kind of a big deal. Given the flagship focus, this almost certainly means it’s coming to AT&T’s postpaid service, which is arguably an even bigger deal, and follows on from earlier reporting that AT&T was certifying Huawei’s chipset. Between this and the availability of the Motorola Z2 Force on all four major carriers, we’re potentially entering the first real phase of expansion in the US smartphone lineups offered by major carriers in quite some time, following a period of simplification and focus. That’s yet another sign of both maturing smartphone markets and a maturing wireless market in the US, which is going to force carriers to get creative in how they attract and retain customers.
via The Information
In a somewhat bizarre (and brazen) move, AT&T is “joining” the day of action due to take place tomorrow in protest at the FCC’s proposed changes to net neutrality rules, even though AT&T is entirely supportive of the FCC’s policy. AT&T’s argument for doing so is that, if the protest is about preserving an open internet, it’s all for that, but just sees what that means and the ways to achieve that goal differently. But it’s predictably spurred a backlash from the organizers of the events and others who see AT&T not as an ally but as the enemy in this cause. As I’ve argued from the beginning, and as an earlier piece from Tony Romm makes fairly clear, the odds of the protest succeeding in changing anything are very slim indeed, and the organizers seem to concede that – they’re talking more in terms of “not going down without a fight” than in terms of not going down at all. And that’s realistic because FCC Chair Ajit Pai has the votes he needs to push this through and he’s been a consistent opponent of the rules from the time they were voted in over his objections, in stark contrast to his predecessor Tom Wheeler, who seemed taken aback by the opposition to his first proposals on net neutrality. We’ll see what actually happens tomorrow when the protest takes place, but I suspect AT&T would have been better off quietly sitting this one out rather than pulling this stunt, which seems far likelier to get it lots of negative publicity than to do itself any good. There are certainly reasonable arguments to be made that the net neutrality rules go too far, or that it should be regulated differently, but a move like this does little to advance the argument.
AT&T More than Doubles DirecTV Now Live Local Channel Lineup (Jun 30, 2017)
DirecTV Now Struggling to Grow, Says Bloomberg (May 26, 2017)
AT&T-Straight Path Deal Becomes Verizon-Straight Path Deal (May 11, 2017)
★ AT&T Reports TV and Wireless Subscriber Losses in Q1 2017 (Apr 25, 2017)
AT&T reported Q1 2017 results today, and it looks to have been a grim quarter across its consumer business. It reported net adds of 2.1 million, but in reality saw a drop of 641k subscribers in the quarter due to the disconnection of 2.3 million subscribers as it decommissioned its 2G network and a removal of 400k reseller subs due to an unspecified “true-up” of its reporting. On the TV side, AT&T lost a total of 233k subscribers, a worsening of the past trend, which had been close to zero on a net basis between significant U-verse losses and good DirecTV gains. Those losses mostly came from those customers taking standalone DirecTV service without a bundle, and that’s worrying because although AT&T has been offering wireless-TV bundles since the merger closed, it can’t offer a national broadband-TV bundle, which is the one consumers mostly care about. That, in turn, is going to make it hard to turn that trend around, especially given that AT&T is already offering strong incentives for customers to bundle TV with wireless, including a $25 bill discount for TV and free HBO.
On the wireless side, connected devices (such as connected cars) continue to be the salvation for its overall subscriber numbers, because its postpaid business actually shrank in the quarter for the first time ever (as did Verizon’s), while its reseller numbers dropped like T-Mobile’s (possibly because big MVNO Tracfone disconnected 1.3m subs in the quarter). The re-introduction of unlimited plans was, however, a hit, with around 4.4 million new subscribers since the change, a more than 50% increase in that base. However, AT&T characterized its position now as being more or less the same competitively as at the beginning of the quarter, suggesting it doesn’t see any kind of permanent lift from the change. Financially, things overall were a little better – AT&T has been holding costs down in wireless which has allowed its margins to expand despite revenue challenges, and although equipment revenue is dropping rapidly due to much lower phone upgrade rates, that’s effectively zero-margin revenue anyway.
AT&T Starts Using 5G in Marketing for LTE Services (Apr 25, 2017)
AT&T announced today that it’s bringing what it calls 5G Evolution to over 20 metro areas by the end of the year, starting with Austin. However, as I’ve said before, 5G itself hasn’t been standardized yet, so the best anyone can claim to have today is pre-5G technology. But what’s more worrisome about this AT&T announcement is that it’s actually using that 5G Evolution brand as an umbrella term that includes some technology that has nothing to do with 5G, notably the faster LTE technology in the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+. What we’re starting to see is the same marketing-led muddying of the water over a new wireless generation we saw with 4G a few years back, when Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T all used the term 4G to describe non-standard 4G network technologies (WiMAX and HSPA+ specifically). We’ve also already seen the gigabit LTE label thrown around, and though it’s technically accurate in terms of maximum throughput, it’s likely to disappoint consumers who actually use it. While carriers might want to steal a march on competitors, this does nothing for consumers, who will likely require significant education when real 5G does launch without being further confused by labeling non-5G technology with a 5G-related moniker. It also means that when 5G does launch, consumers will wonder what they’ve been using all this time, making it hard to develop strong marketing messages around real 5G. I’m hoping this doesn’t spread, but past experience suggests it will.


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New York — The Anti-Defamation League’s National Consumer Technology Industry divisio
Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart said net income rose 7.9 percent to $5.6 billion and net sales increased 3.9 percent to $127.1 billion for its fiscal fourth quarter, ended Jan. 31.
Same-store stores edged up 1 percent, thanks partly to CE comp and share gains in the U.S.
For the full year, profits increased 7.8 percent to nearly $17 billion and net sales rose 5 percent to $466.1 billion.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.
Bentonville, Ark. — Higher payroll taxes, delayed income tax refunds and the sluggish economy are taking a toll on Walmart’s sales.
According to internal emails and minutes of an officer’s meeting obtained by Bloomberg, sales were disappointing in January and February, although the company continues to gain market share.
Las Vegas - Tablets, digital content and the new generation of display technologies are keeping Walmart keen on electronics in general and its own CE business in particular.
That’s the word from Kevin O’Connor, electronics VP/general merchandise manager for the world’s largest retailer, who shared his outlook and insights with TWICE during International CES. Here’s what he had to say:
With the virtual content locker system known as UltraViolet scheduled to pop up in various companies’ announcements throughout this week’s International CES, discount store chain Walmart got the jump on the crowd by revealing that its Vudu movie streaming service is expanding its UltraViolet- enabled Disc-to-Digital activations from at home.
Walmart also said it will be launching a new Facebook app that will give people access to exclusive movie content.
Charleston, S.C. – Walmart had the highest level of customer retention over the holidays while Barnes & Noble had the worst, a new retail survey shows.
According to a poll of 1,000 shoppers conducted Dec. 22-23 by America’s Research Group (ARG), Walmart retained 93 percent of its customer base while Barnes & Noble lost nearly 48 percent of its customers.
San Francisco – Walmart.com reported its best day ever on Cyber Monday (Nov. 26).
Top sellers included Double Power’s T-711 touchscreen tablet with Wi-Fi, Garmin’s Nuvi 50 5-inch portable GPS portable navigation device, and an Element-branded 32-inch, 1080p LCD TV, the company said.
Walmart also received a big boost from mobile customers, with online traffic from its mobile apps rising 280 percent year over year.
Suwanee, Ga. — Hisense USA said Tuesday its K366-series standard 2D LCD TVs with smart-TV functionality are now available at Walmart stores.
The series includes models in the 40- and 50-inch screen sizes.
The K366 series builds on the 2D features of Hisense’s K360 series, adding smart-TV functionality, with social media networking, movie and TV streaming, music streaming, photos and other multimedia applications into any room.
Bentonville, Ark. – Organized protests by Walmart workers nationwide on Black Friday did little to dampen Thanksgiving period sales, the discount chain said.
Walmart reported 22 million customer visits on Thursday, more than last year, with many shoppers responding to a 10 p.m. CE sale Thanksgiving night. That promotion guaranteed in-stocks on three doorbusters – an iPad 2, Emerson 32-inch LCD TV and an LG Blu-ray player – and garnered an “amazing” turnout, the retailer said.
Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores said cost reductions and productivity improvements contributed to a 9 percent increase in its fiscal third-quarter profits.
Earnings topped $3.6 billion for the three months ended Oct. 31, while net sales increased 3.4 percent to $113.2 billion, including a $1.7 billion negative impact from unfavorable currency exchange rates.
Bentonville, Ark. – Walmart has revealed its Black Friday plans which, like last year, include a phased rollout of post-Thanksgiving promotions.
CE will be the focus of its own special one-hour sale, which will commence at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening.
But unlike past Black Fridays, which garnered notoriety when customers and staff were injured and even killed by deal-seeking throngs, Walmart is guaranteeing availability of select CE doorbusters to customers who are on in-store queues during the electronics sales event.


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Indonesia Pavilion’s Creative Display Wins Expo Award
[SHANGHAI] – The Indonesia Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai received the Bronze World Expo Award for Creative Display in a ceremony attended by hundreds of representatives from participating pavilions at World Expo Center on Saturday evening, October 30th, 2010.
Indonesia Pavilion was represented by Pavilion Deputy Commissioner General Ms. Hesti Endah Kresnarini and Pavilion Cultural Deputy Director and Exhibit Display Designer Ms. Pincky Sudarman. “This is totally unexpected, a big surprise for everyone of us,” Ms. Sudarman said as she delivered the trophy to other members of Indonesia Pavilion team. “We thank the Shanghai World Expo organizers, all the visitors of our pavilion, the partners and supporters of the pavilion, for making Indonesia’s presence a remarkabe success,” added Ms. Hesti Endah Kresnarini.
The selection of the best Creative Display is based, among others, on thecriteria of pavilion’s interior design, exhibit presentation, and narrative relevance to the World Expo 2010 overall theme of “Better City, Better Life”.
An award panel of juries — consisting of nine experts in architecture, urban planning and expos — led by the International Exhibitions Bureau Awards Committee has selected the best pavilions of official participating countries and participating inter-governmental organizations during the six-month event, which began on May 1st and closes on October 31st, 2010. The award scheme comprises of Gold, Silver and Bronze winners respectively for Theme Development, Creative Display and Pavilion Design in four categories; 4,000-meter Self-built Pavilions, Smaller Self-built Pavilions, Rented Pavilions, and Joint Pavilions.
Complete list of winners in Indonesia Pavilion category of Large Self-built Pavilions (4,000 meters plot of land):
- Theme Development
- GOLD – Germany Pavilion
- SILVER – Russia Pavilion
- BRONZE – France Pavilion
- Creative Display
- GOLD – Saudi Arabia Pavilion
- SILVER – Japan Pavilion
- BRONZE – Indonesia Pavilion
- Pavilion Design
- GOLD – United Kingdom Pavilion
- SILVER – Korea Pavilion
- BRONZE – Spain Pavilion
In total four pavilion categories (Large Self-built, Small Self-built, Rented, and Joint), there are 36 winners. Indonesia is one of 198 countries participating in record-breaking World Expo in Shanghai which has drawn more than 72 million visitors. According to the organizers, the event closes without fireworks or carnavals. It will be a quiet good bye. :: photos/Desi Harahap


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Big boys will love this robot toy
- From: National Features
- April 24, 2013
IF ROBOTS really are plotting to take over from humans, they're recruiting the young ones first.
The Attacknid could be part of a early robot strikeforce, such is the sophistication of its movement and attacking prowess. It also looks menacing enough to instil fear.
This six-legged robot is, however, at least pretending to be a plaything and recently claimed the Boys Toy of the Year award at the Australian Toy, Hobby and Nursery Fair.
It's the creation of Wow Stuff and Canadian inventor Jaimie Mantzel, who is creating a 3m version of the same robot.
The small-scale version is designed for home robot battles. Clip-on plastic armour is available for each of its six legs, while a weapon turret sits atop this robot.
Players load round foam discs into this weapon to fire at an opponent, be it a stuffed toy, the family pet or, as designed, another six-legged robot.


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Case Western Reserve University will be the epitome of innovation as its first-ever U.S. trials involving new 2D code cell phone technology highlight an international conference of the wireless telecommunications industry April 1-4 in Las Vegas.
Sponsored by CTIA-The Wireless Association—an international, nonprofit organization representing service providers, manufacturers, wireless data and Internet companies—the CTIA Wireless annual trade show is the premier event representing the world's $500 billion wireless industry. Case Western Reserve and 2D codes are expected to be one of the main attractions this year.
Popular in Asian and European countries, 2D code "scanning" provides mobile device users with the opportunity to immediately interact with information over the Web using the cameras in their cell phones.
After downloading special software to their mobile devices, students at Case Western Reserve have been taking pictures of—or scanning—these two-dimensional barcodes, which can be placed on any flat surface from clothing to billboards. Instead of revealing the price of an item like traditional barcodes, these printed symbols link directly to mobile content in the form of news articles, pictures, music, videos and other interactive media.
"We are excited for our students to participate in this revolutionary campaign. They not only get to learn about this new, groundbreaking technology in the classroom but also engage in the experience all over campus," said Lev Gonick, Case Western Reserve's vice president of information technology services.
The university started using the 2D codes as part of an experience-based learning project in its Master's of Engineering Management program. The curriculum includes a two-semester course on product design, and collaborative ventures with private industry are a routine part of the class. One of the projects for the course this year is the 2D code pilot program, sponsored by Mobile Discovery.
In addition to reading the codes, Mobile Discovery's software provides students with a Web portal for building and managing their own cross-carrier 2D code mobile messages.
As part of their infusion through campus, the codes were first introduced last fall as part of a campus scavenger hunt for new student orientation. The codes also are being used as a means for students to track campus shuttle buses, take class quizzes in real-time and make reservations or get event details about social functions. The university's student newspaper, The Observer, is utilizing the codes to add digital content, including advertising, to its weekly print edition.
"Case Western Reserve is dedicated to innovation and has a unique mix of science and arts programs, making it the ideal community in the United States for this trial," said Founder and CEO of Mobile Discovery, Inc. David Miller. "And QVC is widely known for its entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to its hallmark traits—quality, value and convenience. This new mobile technology promises to change the way we live our lives and seek information. That said, we couldn't think of better partners to help demonstrate this new technology's capabilities."
In addition to already incorporating the innovative technology in educational programs, the university will be the site of the QVC-sponsored "The Q Code: Make It or Break It" campaign March 31 through April 21.
The new QVC "The Q Code: Make It or Break It" campaign on campus includes a two-pronged sweepstakes. Students can "make it" by creating their own codes and campaigns, using the Mobile Discovery technology, and encouraging others to scan to enter to win daily prizes, ranging from high-end electronics to brand-name beauty products and designer jewelry. Students "break it" by scanning specific codes themselves to enter to win, including a grand prize 40-inch HDTV.
Case Western Reserve University is committed to the free exchange of ideas, reasoned debate and intellectual dialogue. Speakers and scholars with a diversity of opinions and perspectives are invited to the campus to provide the community with important points of view, some of which may be deemed controversial. The views and opinions of those invited to speak on the campus do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration or any other segment of the university community.


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ASA Participates in Connected Car Panel
April 13, 2016—The Automotive Service Association (ASA) announced Tuesday its participation in last week’s Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) panel on connected cars.
The purpose of the panel was to discuss the future of vehicle-to-vehicle communication and how the aftermarket can prepare for the advancements.
- Nat Beuse, associate administrator, Vehicle Safety Research, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
- Donny Seyfer, AAM, chairman, Automotive Service Association (ASA) and co-owner of Seyfer Automotive Inc.
- Xavier Mosquet, senior partner and managing director, Boston Consulting Group
- David Williams, senior planning manager, Marketing & Strategic Planning, DENSO
“Emerging vehicle technologies continue to generate a high level of interest from industry leaders and policymakers alike. I’m encouraged by the cooperation exemplified during today’s discussion and look forward to continuing to work with these organizations in the future,” Seyfer said following the panel.


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The Republic of Indonesia as the largest economy in South East Asia is one of the most important trade partners for the State of Qatar.
At the most recent webinar titled “Qatar Indonesia Business Dialogue and Matchmaking” and jointly organised by the business councils of the countries, it was revealed that the trade volume between the countries increased by 11% per year from 2015 to 2019 from QAR 3.00 billion (USD 828 million) in 2015 to QAR 4.01 billion (USD 1.10 billion) in 2019.
The trade volume between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Indonesia reached QAR 3.65 billion (US 1.00 billion) in 2020. Over the last five years, bilateral trade between the countries has grown steadily across a wide range of sectors.
The State of Qatar already holds investments in the Republic of Indonesia through organizations, institutions and entities such as Qatar Investment Authority, Ooredoo, Qatar National Bank, Nebras Power and Others.
Indonesia`s population is more than 270 million, mostly young, urban and educated. The levels of income are rising and a middle and upper class is growing. Tourism is a priority for the country with five main tourist destinations currently under development. It provides the private sector with a perspective to engage or involve in travel or transport, retail, entertainment, food and beverage and many other areas.
The country has recently introduced new laws and reforms to old laws in order to improve the ease of doing business in Indonesia and is committed to simplify the procedures for foreign investment.
Similarly, the major sporting events in the State of Qatar, most notably the FIFA World Cup 2022, will present new opportunities for Indonesian businesses across a wide range of sectors inside and outside of the free zones and the special economic zones in the country.
Other possibilities for foreign investors in Qatar include agriculture, health, education, travel and tourism, culture, sports, energy, industrial, distribution, imports and exports, information and communication technology, finance and financial services and others.
Business Start Up Qatar is working with business councils and the relevant stakeholders in the countries to raise awareness of the possibilities and opportunities in Qatar and Indonesia. Please click on the link and reach out to learn more about the initiatives and Business Start Up Qatar.
M7 and Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) have announced a partnership to strengthen Qatar`s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The agreement provides for M7, an affiliate...Read more
A Qatar International Centre for Conciliation & Arbitration (QICCA) webinar discussed...Read more
The Bedaya Centre for Entrepreneurship & Career Development recently concluded a series of workshops as part of their ongoing foundation program.
The workshops were delivered online with the object...Read more
Qatar FinTech Hub (QFTH) recently held the virtual Demo Day for the second wave of the incubator and accelerator program.
The major FinTech event hosted key players from Qatar’s ecosystem as well...Read more
Qatar`s venture capital market has proven to be resilient despite the pandemic according to the most recent data and information.Read more
The Josoor Institute held a webinar discussing the circular economy, an economic approach aimed at minimising waste, very recently.
The Josoor Institute is...Read more
The State of Qatar has revealed an ambitious National Tourism Strategy which aims to position the country as a leading destination for tourism and travel.Read more
The Qatar Economic Forum concluded very recently and demonstrated the country’s position as an important centre for business, trade and investment. The virtual event provided a platform to exchange views,...Read more


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Mexico to boost output of staple foods in plan to curb inflation
MEXICO CITY, May 4 (Reuters) - Mexico will increase production of staple foods such as corn, rice and beans as part of a plan agreed with business leaders to control consumer price inflation which is at a two-decade high, Finance Minister Rogelio Ramirez de la O said on Wednesday.
Ramirez was speaking at a news conference alongside President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said the plan aimed to ensure fair prices for a basket of staple foods. Mexico was not planning to apply price controls, Lopez Obrador said.
The plan would be in place for six months and could be renewed if necessary and agreed with business leaders, said Ramirez, adding he expected a near-term impact on inflation expectations for basic goods.
Mexican annual inflation reached 7.72% in the first half of April, an over-20-year high that could prompt more interest rate increases by the central bank.
Goldman Sachs economist Alberto Ramos called increasing the supply of food and grains, reducing import tariffs and staying away from coercive measures and outright price controls "positive developments."
But Ramos underscored that it was unclear how food supply would increase significantly in the short-term, and said any additional local food and grains supply was likely to still be more expensive due to rising fertilizer and production costs.
"The international and LatAm experience with price controls and 'voluntary price agreements' is not positive since they tend to be very ineffective beyond the very short-term to keep inflation under control, create distortions in relative prices, and repressed prices usually lead to larger increases later on," said Ramos.
Still, some of Mexico's most important businesses backed Lopez Obrador's anti-inflation plan.
Billionaire Carlos Slim, Mexico's richest man, had told the government his Mexican telephone businesses Telmex and Telcel, units of America Movil (AMXL.MX) would not raise prices for the rest of 2022, according to Ramirez.
Lopez Obrador said Mexican supermarket chains such as Chedraui (CHDRAUIB.MX) and Soriana (SORIANAB.MX) supported the anti-inflation plan.
Breadmaker Grupo Bimbo (BIMBOA.MX) also backed the initiative, and is set to maintain its white bread prices for six months, company executive Liliana Mejia told the news conference.
Lopez Obrador's anti-inflation plan will likely not influence interest rate decisions by the central bank, which is set to vote on a potential interest rate hike next Thursday, J.P. Morgan analysts said in a note to clients.
The analysts expect Mexico's central bank, known as Banxico, to raise rates by 50 basis points at next Thursday's meeting, reaching a 200-basis point hike through year-end.
"The limited and likely transitory effect on prices implies that inflation expectations should be only modestly affected, at best," the JP Morgan analysts said.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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One of the most important jobs for Japan, and for the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is to boost private-sector productivity. Japan has been a productivity laggard for years: Outdated business practices are endemic, especially among companies that serve the domestic market and are shielded from international competition by trade barriers.
Abe just announced a new raft of measures to boost productivity, but they don't look very significant. The new corporate governance code, however, is more encouraging. Shareholder capitalism is already making inroads in Japan, and there is an increasing focus on profitability. The Economist has a great rundown of the ways in which Japanese corporations are finally starting to act more like corporations in the rest of the world. One promising sign is that many companies are finally looking to unwind their cross-shareholdings, which discourage corporate shakeups and lead banks to prop up zombie companies.


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According to CNBC, the allure of turning WeWork around wasn't enough to sway John Legere from his magenta throne.
Sources who asked not to be named claimed that Legere "has no plans to leave the company." Furthermore, he was never the first choice for the job, they say. Given the intertwined nature of SoftBank between Sprint and WeWork and the upcoming T-Mobile/Sprint merger, it's possible that a move between the two companies could be seen as a potential conflict of interest — not that it matters now.
About a year ago, Google announced the Android Enterprise Recommended program. It includes a list of Android devices that are ideal for business use and comply with certain guidelines (running a recent version of Android, supporting zero-touch enrollment, etc.). For companies looking to deploy a large number of phones, Google also now has a set of recommended Enterprise Mobility Management providers.
Sprint and T-Mobile weave a complicated relationship. For years they've desired each other, drawn inexorably to that most corporate copulation: the merger. In a landscape run by AT&T and Verizon, the two star-crossed lovers have struggled separately to carve a little chunk of the world (including the US telecommunications market) for themselves. And, according to a report by Reuters, after a long and conflicted courtship, their paths and profits may soon be joined.
A few days ago, some users started receiving update notifications on their Pixel 2 and were wondering what was happening since, according to the official documentation, they were seemingly on the latest build number. Now Google's official pages have been updated to include these new factory images and OTA files for specific devices on certain carrier versions.
First, the Pixel 2 on Verizon is getting a bump to build number OPM2.171019.016. Then the Nexus 5X on Telstra and Softbank is getting an update to build OPM5.171019.014. And finally, the Nexus 6P on Softbank only (no Telstra) is getting the same build number as its smaller sibling: OPM5.171019.014.
After the "will they or won't they" mess of negotiations between Deutsche Telekom, the reluctant owner of T-Mobile US, and SoftBank Corp., the owner of Sprint fell apart once again, SoftBank has announced their intent to increase their ownership stake in Sprint. This change would increase SoftBank's control of the US's 4th largest mobile network operator from 80% to 85%.
Masayoshi Son, the founder of SoftBank, has made no secret of his plans to become "the biggest investor in technology over the next decade". Last year the Japanese corporation acquired ARM Holdings, and it already had a controlling stake in the US carrier Sprint. Son has even set up a special Billion Vision Fund, which aims to raise $100 billion for the purpose of making strategic technology investments. It's now come to light that SoftBank has used some of the capital to amass a roughly $4 billion stake in the chipmaker Nvidia.
Look at your smartphone. Odds are very, very good that it's running a chip with ARM-designed components, or at least the ARM instruction set. UK-based ARM Holdings has become an integral part of mobile computing, and Japan's SoftBank wants a piece of that. The companies announced today that SoftBank will acquire ARM Holdings for about $32 billion.
Things haven't been looking up for Sprint ever since the rumored T-Mobile merger failed to happen. There's a new CEO and the carrier has been slashing prices, but it continues to lose cash. Now, Sprint's Japanese parent company SoftBank has announced plans to cut several thousand jobs at Sprint in order to reduce costs.
Sources are saying that Sprint will soon offer a Sony smartphone in the US for the first time. We can't tell you who these sources are, but they're the kind that have spoken to Reuters and The Wall Street Journal in two separate reports. And the device apparently won't be cheap either. We're talking about an upcoming Xperia flagship. With Sony expected to unveil the Z3 at IFA next week, well, you can fill in the blanks from here. The phone will reportedly be available in time for winter holiday season.
Our hands-on look at the Xperia Z2, which we don't expect the Z3 to deviate from all that much
Sprint will carry the handset in the US, while its owner SoftBank will provide the phone in Japan.
Phones produced for the Japanese market are usually so radically different than the ones we're used to that you don't really feel like you're missing anything. However, the new Sharp Aquos Crystal may pique your interest. The difference is that you might have a chance to buy this one soon. This device comes in two sizes—5-inches and 5.5-inches. Both of them have teeny tiny, miniscule bezels. Almost none of the body peeks out from the edge of the screen.
The 5-inch version is a mid-range device with 720p resolution, a Snapdragon 400, 1.5GB of RAM, and Android 4.4. The 5.5-inch device is a premium offering packing a Snapdragon 801, 2GB of RAM, Android 4.4, and steps the resolution up to 1080p.