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Do you know that Indians want Google to name the next version of their Android software as Android 5 Ladoo? The announcement that Google has named its latest version of Android software as Android KitKat has given rise to a discussion on what will be the name for the next version of Android.
The web is full of punters who have their own versions of what Google will name its next version of Android. When so much is happening out there, how can you expect India to keep quiet? After all, we are a country that has given the science of astrology to this world but astrology has nothing to do with Google Android. However, it is due to the popularity and goodwill that Google been receiving from a huge population of India that Indians want Google to name the next version of Android as Android 5 Ladoo.
Another strong reason behind the plea of Indians to Google to name next Android version as Android Ladoo is the fact that Google is solely dependent on sweets when it comes to naming different versions of Android. This is clearly evident from the Android versions they have named so far. It started with Android Cupcake followed by Android Donut, and they released other versions in similar fashion naming them as Éclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, honeycomb, Ice cream Sandwich, and Android KitKat being the latest.
While some are rooting for naming the new update as Ladoo, some others have a different name suggestion all together. India’s most prestigious Indian Institute of Technology is requesting Google to name it as “lassi” while a group of Indian tech startups want the Google to name it as Android 5 Ladoo. Ladoo is an Indian sweet while lassi is a yogurt based refreshing drink. Given the popularity of the ‘ladoo’ in India, it does seem that the sweet will find more takers than the drink.
The seriousness of Android naming issue can be judged from the fact that students from IIT Kharagpur have written an open letter to Google’s Sundar Pichai, who hails from India and knows better about both Lassi and Ladoo. In this request letter, Indians have argued about their support to Android operating system and this is why they want Google to use an Indian dessert to name the upcoming version of the Android software. As Sundar is an alumni of IIT Kharagpur, students have also requested Sundar Pichai on grounds of taste and love he shares for the Indian Ladoo and lassi.
The one thing that everybody has forgotten is the fact that Google is moving fast towards corporatization of Android naming ceremonies in the near future. So, there are good chances that Google will come up with a special ‘L’ named product just to name their next Android version and keep the Android Frenzy going.
That’s for the Indian backing to having the Google Android 5 ‘Ladoo’. You can also extend your support and request Google to name the next Android update as Android 5 Ladoo by joining and becoming an active member of Android Ladoo Campaign.
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The Coronavirus pandemic has had a severe effect o... moreThe Coronavirus pandemic has had a severe effect on financial markets. Last week, the BSE and NSE had to halt trading for a brief period of time after a fall in the indexes triggered a 'circuit breaker'. Similar scenes were witnessed in the US. In such a scenario, how should you react? To find out, stay tuned for Money With Monika's next episode, where personal finance expert Monika Halan will explain how you should handle your investments when markets get choppy. Monika Halan is consulting editor, Mint and author of the book 'Let's Talk Money'.
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Burt Shavitz of Burt’s Bees dies at 80
In a statement, the company said he will be remembered as a “wild-bearded and free-spirited Maine man” and that “above all, Burt was always Burt – an uncompromising individual of his own invention – shaped by the moment and his curiosities rather than his ambitions or someone else’s grand plan.”
The company was started in 1984 after beekeeper Shavitz picked up hitch hiker and artist Roxanne Quimby. The two hit it off and Quimby began making candles with the unused wax from his beehives.
At their first craft fair, they made $200. Within a year, they had made $20,000. In 1991 Quimby began making the company’s iconic Burt’s #Bees beeswax lip balm, which is still its best-selling product.
Burt Shavitz, the co-founder and namesake of natural skin care product company Burt’s Bees, died on Sunday 5 July in Bangor, Maine. He was 80 years old.


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57in off-highway tire from Apollo Tyres
ERJ staff report (BC)
Kolkata - Apollo Tyres has launched XTRAX 40.00-57, claimed to be the largest tire produced in India, at the 11th International Mining and Machinery Exhibition (IMME) 2012 in Kolkata. Each of these tyres weighs 3500kg and is 3.6m high.
Used on 240 tonne dumper trucks for mining applications, each tire is manufactured using 1900kg of rubber, 750kg of carbon black, 350kg of nylon fabric and 500kg of other rubber additives.
The tires are being cured at Apollo's Limda plant in Gujarat, which the company says has one of the biggest curing presses available in Southeast Asia.


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Auto / Cars
- Published on Friday, 31 May 2013 06:50
- Written by aftermarket on-line
TYRE maker Bridgestone Corporation has announced that it has won a design right infringement claim in China against Qingdao Genco Industrial Group Co.
The rival tyre maker, which operates in China’s Shandong Province, was found to have included a tyre featuring Bridgestone’s registered truck and bus tyre tread pattern in its catalogue. Bridgestone filed and won the design rights infringement claim in Qingdao City Intermediate People’s Court.
Paul Foot, partner and patent attorney at Withers & Rogers, said: “This is a victory for manufacturing innovators, confirming that it is indeed possible to enforce your design registration and other intellectual property rights against Chinese manufacturers in China.”
“Bridgestone’s vigilance in terms of spotting the infringement and taking action against it will send a clear message to other producers in China that such copycat engineering will not be tolerated by leading corporates.”
According to the latest WIPO statistics, design filings in China rose by 23.8% between 2010 and 2011 and patent applications by 34.6% in the same period, indicating the country’s growing interest in and respect for intellectual property. In particular, design registrations are increasingly sought after by Chinese manufacturers, with 97.3% of all design applications coming from domestic applicants.
Earlier this year, Bridgestone Corporation successfully sued another Chinese tyre manufacturer, Guanghou Bolex Tyre Ltd, for trade mark infringement.


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Cryptocurrency users who often rely on mobile devices are prone to various potential security incidents. One recent discovery shows how millions of Android users were at risk of having to deal with PreAMo malware. This particular strain is nefarious for many different reasons, as it has the ability to bypass two-factor authentication methods linked to the infected device This is a big problem for cryptocurrency users, as most exchanges provide 2FA through SMS these days. The PreAMo Malware Threat is Real Every single time a new report surfaces regarding mobile device malware strains, it is ignored at first. This is
The post PreAMo Malware Poses a big Risk to Mobile Cryptocurrency Users appeared first on The Merkle Hash.
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Making chatbots your mouthpiece
Brands are using chatbots not only for better customer engagement but also to automate marketing and save time and money
Current trends show corporates have an increasing interest in chatbots, says Sahil Chopra, CEO and Founder, iCubesWire, a digital marketing company. As brands seek to increase customer engagement and retention they can achieve this by commissioning a chatbot, he says. Research firm Markets and Markets says the market for chatbots worldwide is expected to grow from $703.3 million in 2016 to $3,172 million by 2021, at a CAGR of 35.2 per cent.
What more they can do
Marketers are also investigating chatbots’ use in improving advertising performance, organic reach and automating marketing. To that end, iCubesWire recently conducted a survey on ‘Efficacy of Artificial Intelligence’.
“The survey indicates that marketers need to explore AI a lot more, even as they assure customers of data security. Brands should consider the statistics as an opportunity to enhance their chatbot reach. While the rate of integration is enormous, a wider scope is around the corner.” said Chopra.
Though Siri, Alexa, and Google Allo have been making their presence felt in most homes across the country, for marketers and brands a key impediment is interacting accurately with consumers and measuring the volume of customer engagement.
Digital marketers are now using chatbots as the newest tool to reach and maintain their target audience. For instance, the Starbucks Barista bot for Facebook Messenger has got it covered. It serves a very specific, very important purpose: it orders coffee. Especially when one desperately needs a cappucino fix, with minimal human interaction and effort, the bot gets down to work.
Chopra points out that as chatbots become more sophisticated, brands are relying on them a lot more.
Recently, Haptik, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot platform, teamed up with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a major cloud provider, to offer solutions that allow companies to use conversational bots to automate some of their most critical processes.
Haptik’s ad tech platform enables advertisers to engage users on its publisher network through chatbots. The company reaches 3 crore users through the publisher network. Some 90 per cent of the audience is based in metro cities, and most consumers are around 25 years old.
Aakrit Vaish, Founder and CEO, Haptik notes that the company’s tech infrastructure employs a blend of AI, natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning. Incidentally, the company’s bots learnt Hindi on their own, revealing the true meaning of machine learning where a machine can learn independently without any manual help.
Though Haptik focuses on building English-speaking chatbots,the bots can converse with users in basic Hindi. Vaish points out that bots tend to help enterprises reduce customer support cost, generate better quality leads and drive sales.
With the advent of deep learning technologies such as text-to-speech, automatic speech recognition, and NLP, chatbots that simulate human conversation and dialogue can now be found in call centres and customer service workflows, and even as personal assistants, says Vaish.
Haptik is now set to create these solutions on the AWS AI infrastructure. Navdeep Manaktala, Head of Business Development -India, Amazon Internet Services said Haptik’s chatbot platform would be built entirely on AWS. “The rich functionality within the platform leverages Amazon Polly, a text-to-speech service that uses advanced deep learning technologies to synthesise speech that sounds like a human voice,” he said.
The officials added that chatbots allow for highly engaging, conversational experiences, through voice and text that can be customised and used on mobile devices, web browsers and popular chat platforms.
The phone tops, still
The iCubesWire survey underscored that since the phone is still a favourite among consumers, AI-based solutions can bank on this opportunity.
“Though 90 per cent of consumers who have interacted with a bot tend to find it useful, in our survey, an audience of 59 per cent still prefer a phone as a medium to reach out for help,” said Chopra.
Stating that the data “would surely reverse with time and we can expect to see a lot more people preferring bots,” Chopra said, “This also indicates that marketers need to do a lot more work with AI.”
The rate of accuracy and instant solution imparted by chatbots is exemplary. Stating that the statistics are very encouraging and clearly shows people’s preferences, Chopra maintains consumers are perennially short of time, and want accurate solutions instantly. “With bots, the data and information provided is 100 per cent accurate and instant and there is no need for the users to be puton hold,” he said.
Interestingly, the survey showed that some consumers can’t differentiate between a chatbot and a human, which Chopra noted is a major thumbs up for brands which employ bots. “This is an eye-opener for marketers. Almost half of the audience that we surveyed said they cannot differentiate whether they have interacted with a bot or a human. This evidently points to the fact that the level of service and accuracy is far more important than who the consumers speaks with,” Chopra adds.


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Android Auto is a great way to play media, take phone calls, and get directions more safely than just using your phone while moving. Unfortunately, many of us are still driving vehicles that don't offer a built-in AA option. However, there are still ways to get Android Auto in your car, and installing a new head unit. Sony just announced plans to release a new model with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Weblink capabilities, and a 6.95" capacitive screen.
It's been a while since Sony introduced us to its 5G-capable Xperia 1 II — maybe the past 3 months have just been a huge mic check one, two for the company. However, that phone has come back into the spotlight at B&H Photo where the retailer is accepting pre-orders and displaying quite the dear price for it.
Sony makes some of the best noise-canceling headphones and earbuds money can buy — the WH-1000XM3 and WF-1000XM3 are widely considered to be the gold standard in each of their respective product categories. Not content in its dominance of the general-purpose market Sony has added a pair of fitness-oriented ANC buds to its lineup in the WF-SP800N (killing it with these names) and for $200 they offer almost everything you could ask for in a pair of gym earbuds.
The root/ROM fanbase has dwindled over the years, but there are still people out there dedicated to the craft. TWRP is the most popular custom recovery available by far, and since we last posted in late January, 11 more devices have been added to the roster.
Sony might not know how to give its products recognizable names, but it sure knows how to make excellent audio accessories. The Sony WF-1000XM3 earned our Most Wanted award for its great sound quality and best-in-class noise cancellation, and now you can get a pair for $65 off the usual price.
Sony released the mid-range Xperia 10 and 10 Plus phones slightly over a year ago, and the devices were set to receive Android 10 sometime in "early 2020." I'm not sure if May counts as early in the year, but regardless, Sony is finally rolling out the OS update to the Xperia 10 series.
Sony may have announced and discontinued a zillion truly wireless earphones since the category’s inception, but it seems nowhere close to being content. Each of its newer pairs uses a slightly different combination of the company’s proprietary sound and noise-canceling tech than the previous model and calls it a day. The latest to join the company's portfolio are the WF-SP800N earbuds that sit closer to the premium WF-1000XM3 — both in terms of features and price.
This story was originally published and last updated .
Long associated with compelling personal audio products from the Walkman to studio headphones, Sony's made something of a reputation on the back of its sound credentials. The same has quickly become true of its wireless headphone and earbuds portfolio, being well-known for their great sound (and terrible naming conventions) in premium products like the WH-1000XM3 and WF-1000XM3. With its $130 WF-XB700 true wireless buds, the company takes aim at a more budget-conscious product segment. I really like them — but stiff competition and a pronounced dearth of bells and whistles makes them tricky to recommend.
Sony's mobile division has made some curious decisions in recent years despite still making some decent hardware. Cinematic 21:9 displays are the Japanese OEM's current design differentiator, but it's last few models have failed to capture consumer imagination or claim much market share. The last thing you'd advise the company to do in this moment is launch a phone worthy of ridicule — but alas, that's what it has done.
LineageOS is the most popular custom ROM in existence, boasting official support for dozens of devices. The first Android 10 builds arrived earlier this month, and Lineage has continued to add to the roster of supported phones since then. The last time we covered the LineageOS 17.1, builds for the Nexus 6 and first-gen Pixels had just arrived, and there are even more additions now.


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The devices make our lives sweet and delicious with each Android version is named after a dessert now, like KitKat release mightn’t be a great deal, but with the Nexus 5 also part of the equation, which could be reason to be excited. Today’s Google+ event doesn’t prove to be faithful to those looking to buy Nexus 5 or to install Android 4.4 KitKat update.
Instead of announcing the Nexus 5 release date or Android KitKat 4.4 update, Google indeed made big changes to its Google+ (Plus) socil network. Expected strictly that the update that was originally announced in September was to be unveiled, as the Google+ invitation said!
Leaving the Nexus 5, Android 4.4 KitKat update and Nexus 10 from Asus for another event. The Vic Gundotra event was really about Google+ and only Google Plus.
Today, the official KitKat YouTube channel has been given an update with a new video entitled “Magic,” and though it doesn’t given too much of information regarding the software’s features. Check out after this fold!
Re-cap once again about the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean – only out for a couple of months and recently reached some of the market’s foremost smartphones and tablets. Considering 4.4 Jelly Bean in this short timestamp between these two releases, nobody expecting a great number of new features, but its still enough within the candy treat to render it a noteworthy update.
Although the main event of the Google Nexus 5, made by LG Electronics. The Nexus 4 is well over a year old now, still holds its own against some of the mid-tohigh-end-smartphones available today. Press an leaked images are more indicative of a handsome aesthetic upgrade, and with a variety of new hardware within, it’s no wonder the Android faithful are eagerly anticipating its release.
The official announcement of both Android 4.4 KitKat and the Google Nexu s5 expected in the very near future and with always been managed to keep its Nexus brand of smartphones and slates within the budget of most customer, Google have to look forward to those in the market for a reasonably-priced handset availability.
The imminent official unveil date, November 1st is the day to look forward to if reports are to be believed, and hopefully the rumor and speculation also suggest Nexus 5 pre-orders begin on Nov. 3rd, which can be soon be put to rest.
Planning to buy a Google Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat running smartphone? Or thinking about yet another upcoming smartphone gets a bigger upgrade? Thoughts!


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Samsung's latest Galaxy Note 9 has a nifty new feature: for the first time, the S Pen stylushas Bluetooth and can be charged instantly using a supercapacitor. Sticking the S Pen into the phone for 40 seconds gives it enough juice for 30 minutes of use, so battery life should no longer be a worry. But how exactly does this technology work? And what else could we use supercapacitors for?
Supercapacitors (or ultracapacitors) store energy and, in some ways, are the opposite of batteries. Batteries can hold a decent amount of energy but take a long time to charge, explains Thomas Miller, a materials scientist with the Electrochemical Innovation Lab at University College London. Supercapacitors charge so fast it seems instantaneous, taking just seconds or minutes versus hours. But they hold only a tiny amount of energy. Imagine getting shocked by static electricity — it happens very fast, but there's only a little bit of shock.


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Farhad Monjoo, The New York Times tech reporter, discusses the atmosphere for technology companies right now.
Spiegel is building Snapchat into the new communication experience and the world seems more than happy to conform, Recode reports.
CNBC's Dominic Chu and Mark Spoonauer of Tom's Guide discuss Twitter's role in denying government agency access to its analytics via Dataminr.
Some of the names on the move ahead of the open.
The Fast Money traders share stocks with the highest odds including Twitter, FireEye and BlackBerry.
Shares of Square plunged about 20 percent, putting it on track for its biggest daily loss ever.
Microsoft's mobile business has been counted out by skeptics. The company is leaning on Windows 10 to revive developer excitement.
Twitter and Square had disappointing quarters. Morris Mark, President of Mark Asset Management, shares his thoughts on what's behind the numbers.
Mindfulness and meditation help Google, Facebook and others' employees do their best work, says Happify CEO Tomer Ben-Kiki.
Square co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey addressed operating expenses up 72 percent year-over-year; GoPro is delaying the launch of its drone product; and a check on the health for tech stocks, with Kara Swisher, Re/code executive editor.
Josh Elman of Greylock Partners discusses the challenges facing Twitter and Square with Jack Dorsey at the helm of both companies.
Live streaming app Periscope is testing a feature to allow users to permanently save their broadcasts in a bid to attract more advertisers.
Donald Trump stands to clinch the Republican nomination and here’s what Jim Cramer thinks it could do to stocks.
Twitter's user base is stabilizing, but the company's new ad products are cannibalizing its old ones, says James Cakmak of Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co.
I think Twitter will remain an independent company, says James Cakmak, Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co., sharing his thoughts on Twitter's troubles and whether it's ripe for a takeover. And Cakmak weighs in on the social media space.
Apple and Twitter have stumbled recently, and "Fast Money" traders on Tuesday debated whether they could recover.
The Fast Money panel discuss Twitter and Goldman Sachs in their "Top Trades" segment.
The "Fast Money" traders give you 5 ways to trade 2 tech companies.
Twitter's stock hit a new all-time low Tuesday, continuing a downward slide after reporting quarterly results last week.
CNBC's Bertha Coombs reports about how big tech names are dragging on the NASDAQ.


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Industry Updates: Food Service
AFC Enterprises(dba Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen) named Greg Vojnovic as Chief Development Officer.
Ameristar Casinos, Inc. announced that Sherri Summers will serve as Senior VP and General Manager of Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk, CO. Andy Hamblen transferred to Cactus Pete’s Resort Casino and Horseshu Hotel and Casino, Jackpot, NV, and will serve as Senior VP and General Manager.
Bennigan’s Franchising Company announced the following appointments: Mike Understein is the VP of Catering Operations. Mike Gabriel is Director of Construction and Design, and Scott Foster is Chef of Record.
Caribou Coffee Company, Inc. announced that Leigh Anne Snider is joining the company as its Senior VP of Retail Operations.
CiCi’s Pizzaannounced Bill Spae has been promoted from Chief Development Officer to COO.
Daphne’s California Greek announced the following changes: Volker Schmitz becomes VP of Operations, Christy Geiling has been promoted to VP of Marketing and Brand Development, Craig Meunier advances to the newly created position of VP of Brand Execution, Nicole Jones will serve in the newly created position of VP of Food and Beverage, and Ricardo Camberos becomes VP of Treasury and Cash Management.
Denihan Hospitality Group announced that Julie Purnell has joined the company as Senior VP Acquisitions and Development.
DineEquity, Inc. announced that Jean M. Birch, President of IHOP, will leave the Company effective 8/27/12.
Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. announced the appointment of Jack Clare to the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO). The company also announced that Cicely D. Simpson has been promoted to the position of VP of Government Affairs.
Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc. named Lynn Schweinfurth CFO/VP.
Hersha Hospitality Trust announced that two of its executives were promoted to Senior VP: Robert C. Hazard III was named Senior VP of Acquisitions & Development and William J. Walsh was named Senior VP of Asset Management. In addition, Charles Paloux was named Senior Director of Asset Management.
Homestyle Dining LLC (dba Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouse) named Thomas A. Sacco as COO and executive VP.
Interstate Hotels & Resorts announced the promotion of Samuel E. (Ted) Knighton, formerly COO, to President and COO.
Johnny Rocketsnamed Steve Devine as the President of its new International division.
Loews Corporation announced the appointment of Mary Skafidas as VP, Investor and Public Relations.
Loews Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Shawn Hauver as VP of Operations.
Massachusetts Restaurant Association appointed Patricia Bando as Chairman of the Board.
MTR Gaming Group, Inc. announced that it has named Troy J. Buswell to the position of VP and General Manager of Scioto Downs Casino & Racetrack in Columbus, OH, effective immediately. The casino is currently under construction and slated to open in the second quarter of 2012.
Papa John’s International, Inc. announced the promotion of Tony Thompson to COO and President, PJ Food Service. The company also announced Lance Tucker, CFO and Treasurer, will assume the additional role of Chief Administrative Officer, and the promotion of Tim O’Hern to Chief Development Officer.
Pate Dawson Company announced three new leadership appointments: Art Quinn has been named VP of Human Resources, Tim Cipiti has been named VP of Operations for Pate Dawson-Southern Foods, and Rick Stapleton has been named VP and General Manager of Sales for Pate Dawson-Southern Foods.
Pyramid Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Paul Sacco as Senior VP of the Business Development Team; Sacco joins Pyramid from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
Quiznosannounced the appointment of Stuart K. Mathis as the Company’s new President and CEO and Susan Lintonsmith as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Lintonsmith was most recently at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers.
Red Lion Hotels Corporation announced Ron Burgett has joined the company as Executive VP, Brand Development.
Red Lobsterpromoted Chip Wade to the position of Exec VP of Operations. Wade succeeds Doug Green and was previously Senior VP in the company’s NC-based Liberty Division.
Sage Hospitality announced that it has promoted Rick Johnson to Director of National Corporate Sales and that Michael Everett has joined Sage as Chief Investment Officer.
Shula’s Steak Houses LLLP named Scott Nietschmann as the President of Shula Burger and Matt DeBusk as VP of Franchise Development for Shula Burger. DeBusk was most recently at Moe’s Southwest Grill.
Sysco Corporation announced that Ajoy H. Karna has been named Senior VP of Finance
The Plamondon Companies named Melanie Dyer Director of Marketing for Roy Rogers Restaurants.
Vail Resorts, Inc. announced the appointment of Michael Barkin as VP of Strategy and Development.
Waterford Hotel Group has appointed David Rebich as CFO.
Wyndham Hotel Group announced the appointment of Kevin Kobishop as VP of Operations for the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand.
Buffets, Inc. announced that it has completed its restructuring and that it has emerged from Chapter 11 reorganization.
Frisch’s Restaurants reported sales of $205,083,000 for the year ending 5/29/12.
Nathan’s Famous Inc. reported total revenues of $66,222,000 for the year ending 3/25/12.
Ruby Tuesday Inc. reported total revenue of $1,325,836,000 for the year ending 6/5/12.
The Marcus Corporation reported total revenues of $413,898,000 for the year ending 5/31/12; F&B from hotel operations was $54,465,000 and concessions from theatre operations were $74,478,000.
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Cineplex Inc.announced it has completed the acquisition of four theatres from AMC Entertainment Inc.
Darden Restaurants, Inc. announced that it has agreed to acquire Yard House USA, Inc. The brand will become part of Darden’s Specialty Restaurant Group, and closing is subject to certain conditions, including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
DineEquity, Inc. announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with TSFR Apple Venture LLC for the sale of 65 Applebee’s company-operated restaurants located in MI; closing is subject to regulatory processes related to liquor license transfers and other closing conditions. DineEquity also has separate agreements to sell 39 Applebee’s in VA and 33 Applebee’s in IN and MO; these transactions are expected to close in the third or early fourth quarter of this year.
McLane Co. Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, has entered into an agreement to acquire Meadowbrook Meat Co. Inc.; the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the termination of the applicable waiting period.
MTY Food Group Inc. announced today that it has signed a deal to buy the 13-unit Mr. Souvlaki chain; the sale is expected to close by Sept. 25.
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc. was acquired by Centerbridge Partners LP; the transaction privatized the company.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc. and European holding company Joh. A. Benckiser (“JAB”) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which JAB will acquire Peet’s; the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of shareholder and regulatory approvals.
SK USA, Inc. has agreed to purchase Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.; no closing date was announced.
US Foodsannounced it has agreed to acquire Hawkeye Foodservice Distribution, Inc. of Iowa City, IA; the transaction is expected to close in early August.
Arby’s is re-franchising some of its restaurants, beginning with 51 units in the Dallas-Fort Worth market to Sun Holdings.
Cinnabon and Carvel opened a co-branded restaurant in Libya.
Denny’s Corporation announced that it has signed an agreement for the development of 50 new Denny’s restaurants in southern China over the next 15 years.
Dunkin’ Donutsannounced that it has signed agreements that call for 38 new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in Chile, 70 additional locations in Colombia and 25 new shops in Peru.
East Coast Wings & Grill and US Foodsannounced a formal alliance for servicing East Coast Wings & Grill’s growth plans.
Famous Dave’s of America, Inc. announced that the company opened its first Canadian restaurant in Winnipeg, MB.
Johnny Rocketsannounced a franchise agreement to open 30 restaurants in Brazil.
Romacorp, Inc. (dba Tony Roma’s) announced the signing of an agreement for the development of up to 10 new Tony Roma’s restaurants in Brazil.
Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem founder, Sylvia Woods, passed away.
Another Broken Egg Café announced the signing of a multi-unit franchise agreement for 10 restaurants in the Atlanta market over the next five years.
CKE Restaurants, Inc. announced its intent to develop new Hardee’s restaurants throughout the Minneapolis, MN, area. The company is seeking to expand its Minneapolis footprint over the next several years and sees the potential to develop more than 59 new restaurants in the market.
East Coast Wings is expanding its operations into GA, SC, and TX in 2012, and into AL, FL, KY, and VA thereafter.
Hurricane AMT LLC (dba Hurricane Grill & Wings) announced a new development agreement, adding a minimum of six locations to North Atlanta.
Jamba, Inc. announced expansion plans into new markets with new franchisees including Long Island, NY; Wayne, NJ; Pittsburgh, PA; Milwaukee, WI; and Toledo, OH. Store expansion with existing franchisees is also planned in CA, OH, KY, IN, and CT. These eight franchise agreements represent a total of 32 new Jamba Juice stores to be developed over the next five-to-seven years.
Krispy Kreme is planning to return to Charlotte, NC, with plans to open five company-owned shops. The expansion plan includes sites near the UNC-Charlotte campus area.
McAlister’s Deli has signed a multi-unit store development agreement calling for new restaurants in central MI. McAlister’s also announced the signing of three multi-unit store development agreements with new and existing franchisees for 10 new restaurants in the Greater Tampa, FL area, and five new restaurants in Lincoln and Omaha, NE.
Zaxby’ssigned a multi-unit development agreement to open 32 Zaxby’s restaurants in the Norfolk and Richmond VA areas within the next seven years. Zaxby’s also opened its first location in LA, its 18th state. The company plans to have approximately 575 locations in its system by the start of 2013.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. released its inaugural Environmental Report; the company highlighted its significant investments in state-of-the-art green technologies, including solar panels, nano-filtration systems and advanced building management systems.
A new Taco Bell restaurant opening in August in Kenova, WV, features numerous green elements including::
•Comfort E2 glass, which insulates during colder months and helps cool during the summer;
•LED lamps in the dining room, in the menu boards and in the parking lot;
•Solar tubes, a system used to harness daylight;
•Occupancy sensors in the restrooms;
•Dyson Airblade touch hand dryers;
•Energy Star appliances;
•Tankless water heaters;
•A roof with white rubber interior that deflects the sun’s heat to reduce energy use;
•A concrete parking lot, which reflects heat unlike asphalt; and


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Sales tax holiday for guns, hunting supplies
BATON ROUGE - Hunters and other sportsmen won't have to pay sales tax when they buy guns, ammunition and an array of outdoor supplies.
Louisiana's annual "Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday" runs from Friday through Sunday.
The legislature created the sales tax holiday in 2009 to exempt eligible purchases of guns, ammunition and hunting supplies from all state and local sales taxes.
However, as amended during the 2016 First Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the state sales tax exemption for 2016 and 2017 is now two percent, meaning eligible purchases are subject to only three percent state sales tax instead of the full five percent. Eligible purchases remain fully exempt from all local sales taxes.
Items exempt sales taxes include hunting accessories, firearms, ammunition, animal feed, clothes, binoculars, knives, decoys and other outdoor items.
Desktop NewsClick to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
New $22M manufacturing plant coming to Ascension Parish
Denham Springs homeowners apply for federal flood relief
Local non-profit organization hands out toys, food to those in need
Military veteran, 83, to receive Ph.D. from LSU
Flood-damaged roadways in Denham Springs finally getting repaired


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Physical closeness despite distance - that's what a new, admittedly bizarre invention from China promises. A kissing device with silicone lips is said to allow long-distance "real" physical intimacy for couples. Videos of the roughly hand-sized device have gone viral beyond China in the past few days and, in addition to amusement, have primarily triggered repulsive reactions.
The idea for the kissing machine came from a university in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. Jiang Zhongli, the inventor of the machine, had a long-distance relationship when he was a student. "So we only contacted each other by phone. That's where the inspiration for this device came from," Jiang Zhongli told the Chinese daily Global Times. The kissing machine can be connected to the smartphone via the charging connection. Couples can use an app to connect with each other, start a video call - and make out with the help of the machine.
According to "CNN", sensors and actuators that convert electrical signals into mechanical movements ensure the lifelike kissing experience. If a person puts their lips on the silicone pendant, it should register the pressure, movement and temperature and transmit it via an app to the artificial lip on the other side, which should use it to imitate a kiss. The corresponding noises should also be reproduced. In addition, the app has a dating function. If there is a match, you can ask the other person for a kiss. The "Global Times" points out that the silicone smooch does not only benefit partners at a distance. The device "also allows people with oral diseases to kiss".
A similar invention was launched in Malaysia in 2016. Equipped with a silicone pad instead of artificial lips, the "Kissinger" was a simpler version of the kissing machine and hardly gained any notoriety. Jiang Zhongli had his variant patented by the Vocational Institute of Mechatronic Technology in 2019. 288 yuan - about 41 US dollars - costs the kissing machine.
The invention triggers mixed reactions online. For people in a long-distance relationship, the device actually seems to be generating interest. Dozens of customers have left reviews on China's largest online shopping website Taobao. A man writes about the "best surprise" he ever gave his girlfriend. "Her jaw dropped when she used it," CNN quoted the review as saying.
For the most part, however, one can read disgust and incomprehension from the comments on social media. Users on Twitter and Weibo, a Chinese network, describe the kissing device as "simply embarrassing", "totally weird", "vulgar" and "creepy". "I don't understand this, but I'm deeply shocked," one comment summarized the general attitude towards the silicone lips.
Others make fun of the invention. Some users want a model with a tongue for even more intimate kisses. "You won't just use that for kissing," speculates another user. Even the inventor is surprised that the kiss device has become so popular. Jiang Zhongli hopes that interest in his invention will help expand and perfect the design.
Quellen: "CNN", "Global Times", Twitter (I), Twitter (II)


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Enesco has signed a license agreement to be the worldwide manufacturer and wholesale distributor for Designs by Lolita glassware. Beginning July 1, Enesco will offer Lolita products to retailers worldwide, with the exception of Europe, where orders will begin in January 2016.
“Lolita has been an admired brand for many years and is enormously popular with consumers and retailers alike,” said Kathi Lentzsch, president of Enesco Gift.
“The engaging, fun, artistic designs and giftable products make Designs by Lolita a perfect complement to the Enesco family of brands. We look forward to working with Lolita and her team and are delighted to offer these great products to Enesco’s customers,” Lentzsch added.
Known for its festive and sassy designs, Lolita features hand-painted wine glasses, pilsners and other glassware. Designs by Lolita has sold over 14 million glasses since its inception in 2004, according to the company.
“I am thrilled to partner with Enesco,” said Lolita Healy, CEO/founder, Designs by Lolita.
“When I started out, just a gal with some hand-painted martini glasses, I never imagined how much the brand would grow. I am excited about the potential that lies ahead and confident Enesco can help us take Lolita to new heights while delivering fabulous products to our fans,” said Healy.
Enesco will show the glasses at the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market at AmericasMart in Atlanta and as the Las Vegas Market this summer.


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Utilities in the United States were once commonly large regional monopolies; however, the growth of the renewable energy market has gradually caused a breakdown of the traditional model. The reduction in the price of renewables and energy storage, the establishment of carbon regulations, and the increase in distributed energy resources are further accelerating this change. Many utilities have begun to become more involved in the solar industry, with California based PG&E holding the largest solar power capacity of all such U.S. companies. Utilities are also looking into offering rooftop solar installations and providing consumers with community-shared solar options. In light of these emerging trends, traditional utilities have been heavily criticized for their aging infrastructure, and new distributed capacities are forcing companies to upgrade their transmission and distribution grids. As such, operating expenses for transmission and distribution of major investor-owned electric utilities have increased annually in the past few years and surpassed 16 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. Meanwhile, fossil steam and gas turbines remain the power plants with the highest operating costs.
As the traditional electric utility industry has been described as being in transition, several new supplier segments have begun to emerge. Network operators sell retail service providers access to their grid, while marketers sell energy futures and derivatives to businesses. In most areas across the United States, service providers and retailers that have bought power at competitive prices from the market can be selected directly by the consumers.
In 2018, Florida Power & Light Co was the leading retailer of electricity, having sold 59.11 terawatt hours of electricity to residential customers. It also held the largest residential client pool among electric utilities, closely followed by Southern California Edison Co.


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DUBAI — The Cunard ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 has been sold for $100 million and is to become a floating hotel and museum to draw tourists to one of Dubai's man-made islands.
State-owned private equity firm Istithmar is buying the QE2, the longest-serving ship in the Cunard line, which belongs to Carnival Corp.
The liner will be anchored off the Palm Jumeirah, the smallest of three islands shaped as palm fronds that government-owned developer Nakheel is building off Dubai's coast.
The QE2 will arrive in Dubai in 2009 as part of a drive to turn the island into a tourist destination, Nakheel spokesman Charlie Taylor said. About 6.5 million people visited Dubai last year, more than any Arab destination except Egypt.


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Small business financing company CAN Capital has surpassed the $6 billion mark in working capital provision to more than 70,000 small business owners. More than 170,000 fundings have taken place.
Over the past five years CAN Capital’s transaction count has increased by 29 percent (CAGR) and revenue by 24 percent (CAGR).
Part of that growth can be attributed to two new products. TrakLoan calculates daily repayments based on payment card sales volume. A monthly installment loan product comes with longer terms and higher transaction sizes.
“Eight years after the financial crisis, many small businesses still have trouble accessing working capital.”CAN Capital CEO Dan DeMeo said. “We are committed to using technology to offer a variety of fast, efficient financial solutions for the full spectrum of small businesses, including those that are too small to get capital from other types of financial organizations, and those for whom a traditional bank product doesn’t fit.
“Small businesses are the engine of America’s economy and we are proud to support their growth.”


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April 24th, 2017
Sask. leads pack in equity crowdfunding activity
CJME News Talk 980 | by Karin Yeske | May 28, 2014
A Philadelphia CEO is so excited with Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurial spirit that he’s moving to Saskatoon to foster the province’s crowdfunding activity.
Les Schaevitz, CEO of Holistic Funding Systems Corporation, said Saskatchewan is blazing the trail in equity crowdfunding thanks to a new exemption announced in December 2013.
“Saskatchewan is the only province in all of Canada that has made regulations to allow this to actually happen,” Schaevitz said after speaking on a panel presented by the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada and the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce. Highlights from the Saskatchewan Equity Crowdfunding Event here
The new portal allows entrepreneurs to raise capital by selling equity over the Internet to non-accredited investors.
Pending the acknowledgment of the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority (FCAA) later in June, Schaevitz’s Equity Crowdfunding Venture Exchange and Equity Crowdfunding Enterprise Exchange will be soon be active in the province.
Equity crowdfunding is different than simply crowdfunding, where businesses or projects raise money through donations. Equity crowdfunding involves individuals investing in a company, product or service.
Before the new exemption, startups had to pay to deal with expensive rules before they could sell a stake in their company. Entrepreneurs can now skip the red tape with the exception to certain rules.
The business and the investor must be located in Saskatchewan. The entrepreneur can raise up to $300,000 a year (two, six-month offerings of $150,000 each), and no investor can give more than $1,500 in an offering.
There are 225 equity crowdfunding portals worldwide. British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are all looking at models similar to Saskatchewan. Ontario is proposing to allow companies to raise a maximum of $1.5 million in a year and individuals would be able to invest no more than $2,500 in a single offering to a maximum of $10,000 per year.


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New York Times has recently announced that it is raising the price for Kindle subscriptions from $13.99 to $19.99 – a rise of whopping 43 percent. There is some respite for current Kindle subscribers, who will continue to be billed at $13.99 for the next six months. The Kindle edition of New York Times app has been very popular and allows readers to get news coverage of exceptional depth and breadth, as well as opinion that is thoughtful and stimulating.
The timing of this announcement is very interesting and coincides with the launch of Apple iPad in United States. In a related move, an iPad application for New York Times hit the iTunes App Store yesterday. The current NYT iPad app is free and offers a limited selection of automatically updated news, features, videos, etc. laid out with a newspapery feel and offline reading capability; it’s sponsored exclusively at launch by Chase Sapphire. It is expected that a full-fledged paid NYT app for iPad would be launched soon.
The New York Times subscription on the nook is also going up from $13.99 to $19.99. Like with the Kindle, existing nook subscribers will get 6 months at the old price. Many print media veterans have argued that digital subscriptions should be less than their analog counterparts, however the prices for digital editions continue to rise. I wonder if the Kindle vs. iPad battle will help the customers or will it further aggravate this pricing war?
Though Amazon Kindle and Apple iPad are touted to be arch rivals in the e-Reader segment, it hasn’t stopped Amazon from building a Kindle app for iPad. Amazon previewed the Kindle iPad app a couple of weeks ago and yesterday, the app made its way to the Apple iTunes Store. The Kindle app for iPhone has been around for a while now and is very popular amongst iPhone users. The iPad Kindle app is a logical extension of the iPhone Kindle app and its release was on the cards after Apple announced the launch of iPad on April 3. However, there’s one major limitation of using Kindle on iPad – Books bought through Kindle app must be read within the app itself. These books will not be viewable in Apple’s iBooks app.
The Kindle app for iPad lets people enjoy the best of both worlds – easy to use Kindle app interface and supreme performance of the iPad. Further, it gives the users a choice to read books from either Amazon or Apple. Customers always want more choices and e-Readers are no exception to this rule. I’ve come across many voracious readers who are addicted to kindle interface and therefore, they are reluctant to try out the iPad. The Kindle app for iPad is welcome news for all such readers.
While a lot of people have been debating the fortune of Amazon Kindle after the launch of Apple iPad, I believe that Amazon will emerge as the major e-Book provider for iPad. Since iBooks is not pre-installed on Apple iPad, many users might prefer to install Kindle app for iPad as compared to iBooks.
I’ll publish a review as soon as 3G-capable version of iPad hits the stores that I intend to get for myself.
Amazon Kindle is gaining immense popularity in China these days even though Kindle and Kindle 2 are not officially shipped there. While buying a Kindle online on Amazon Store, if you enter the location as ‘China’, it shows a regret message – ‘Unfortunately, we are unable to ship Kindles or offer Kindle content in China’.
However, Chinese are known to be avid technology lovers and true gadget freaks. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that Kindle is selling in large volumes in Chinese Gray Markets, stalls in Beijing electronics bazaar and other Chinese websites including Taobao.com, an auction site similar to eBay. PC World reports that Kindle 2 was on sale for 2,600 yuan (US$380) and the Kindle DX for 4,300 yuan ($630) at the Beijing bazaar. In fact, many people in China get the Kindle through their friends and family in United States by ordering the Kindle online, having it delivered to an address in United States and then having it mailed to them in China. e-Readers are quite popular in China these days and it is expected that sales of e-readers could reach 3.5 million units in China this year, up several fold from around 400,000 last year. Though there are numerous Chinese e-Readers in the market, Amazon Kindle stands its ground against one and all.
It is not hard to imagine that as and when Amazon Kindle starts shipping in China, it is bound to be a monumental success.


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After nearly a decade of strategizing, iterating — and false starts — 2020 looks to be the year Amazon steps onto the runway, and into the luxury fashion limelight.
According to industry sources, the retail giant is preparing to launch a luxury proposition in the first half, a digital shopping platform with big-name brands operating concessions similar to those in high-end specialty stores. A spokeswoman for Amazon said she couldn’t “comment on rumors or speculation.”
Sources said the platform will be available in the U.S. only, for now, with plans to roll out internationally.
It is understood Amazon has been inviting brands to join the platform, and it is working with about 12. They will be introduced one by one.
According to sources, Amazon had contacted brands owned by luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and was rebuffed.
The French group, which controls mega names such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, and smaller ones including Emilio Pucci and Nicholas Kirkwood, operates its own online retailer, 24 Sèvres. That site sells many LVMH-owned labels that don’t have a wide e-commerce presence.
With the new platform, the web giant is understood to be taking a different approach, giving the brands full control over the look and feel of
More related articles: Luxury goods are like the new consumer staples in China, Fashion? They’re over it, How licensing is helping to redefine modern luxury.
MadeTrends is a fashion trend forecasting agency based in NYC. For your industry-specific 2020 forecast, please contact us.


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Revolution Bars Group – the nationwide operator of premium cocktail bars and restaurants – has scooped the City of London’s ‘Safety Thirst’ award for Revolution Leadenhall Street, making it officially the safest bar in the capital.
The ‘Safety Thirst’ scheme has been running for the past 12 years and is open to all licensed premises in the City of London. It aims to promote high standards in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, whilst also helping to ensure a safe and pleasant environment for the general public to socialise in. There are over 600 licensed premises within the City and Revolution came out triumphantly in joint first place.
Zolly Branch, General Manager of Revolution Leadenhall Street, comments: “It’s an honour to collect this award from the City of London as it’s great to see our values and efforts recognised by our peers and neighbours. Our bar has had a record-breaking year for sales so far, and this award affirms our all-round business success. We put our customers at the heart of everything we do and safety is – and always will be – our number one priority.”
Revolution Leadenhall Street opened in July 2007 and has proved to be a popular dining and drinking spot for city workers, tourists and locals over the past 10 years. The Revolution brand is driven by a premium proposition of experimental cocktails, coupled with a menu of contemporary British and Stateside classics including pizzas, burgers and wraps.


text: Brown County Judge Robert Docherty on Monday ruled in favor of Marktplatz Mall Co-Owner Randy Danielson in the three-year civil lawsuit between the owners of the New Ulm mall. The northern side of the mall is owned by a company called New Ulm Retail and Development, which filed a lawsuit against Danielson in March of 2012. Danielson owns the southern half of the mall, and his business, SEK Financial, owns the mortgage on the northern half. New Ulm Retail and Development alleged that Danielson was giving inaccurate accounting on the total owed on the mortgage, and of the company’s rent payments. Danielson denied the charges, and the judge ruled that he is owed over $945,000 for the mortgage and more than $111,000 in attorney fees. Judge Docherty cited New Ulm Retail and Development’s failure to appear for the lawsuit’s trial in late May, and their failure to present support evidence, and all of the complaints against Danielson were dismissed. Danielson is now reportedly looking into selling the entire mall. He is also still facing criminal charges for allegedly stealing equipment from New Ulm Retail and Development’s staff.


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On Tuesday, details of the Lloyds Banking Group's rights issue will be announced.
Nick Raynor, investment adviser at retail stockbroker The Share Centre, said: "We are currently suggesting shareholders sell ahead of the announcement and buy back in after November 27."
On the same day Severn Trent will unveil interim results. Few surprises are expected from the utility company with eyes focused on the industry regulator OFWAT's review at the end of the month.
On Wednesday, chemicals company Johnson Matthey puts its results out to the market. Raynor said:"The strong Rand is currently having a negative impact on Matthey's operations, and with utility costs accounting for nearly 30 per cent of overheads, this is going to affect the results.
"An increase in electricity prices of 45 per cent over three years are expected but with platinum prices starting to increase, we may see some reflection of this in these figures."
United Utilities will send out its interims the same day.
Raynor said: "United Utilities has been under the same pressure as all the other utility companies and more. The yield on offer has traditionally been higher than most, but with the uncertainty of the OFWAT review still looming, the figures issued may seem irrelevant."
Mining and rail company Antofagasta will update with its quarter three figures on Thursday. Raynor said: "A production report was released recently noting that copper output had fallen in the last three months but that costs were still rising.
"This release will hopefully show what the company is doing to make up the falling production rate and if any improvements have been made."


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HTC M10 smartphone is the best smartphone with amazing feature and specification – YouTube. Amazing and best iPhone apps/ IOS APPS April 2016 – YouTube .
THE HTC M10 is finally official, following months worth of speculation and rumours surrounding the One M9 successor.
The smartphone sets its sights firmly on the likes of the Huawei P9 and Galaxy S7 with its premium design and ‘market-leading’ camera set up, and HTC is no doubt hoping that the handset will boost its fledling position in the smartphone market.
We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about picking up the HTC 10. If you’re still unsure, check out our HTC 10 hands-on review.
Following its unveiling on 12 April, the HTC said the handset will be available in the UK later this month.
While HTC says that the handset will start shipping later this month, Carphone Warehouse has said that orders will be dispatched on 6 May.
HTC has started taking pre-orders for the smartphone. It’s only offering…


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emt Distribution META has announced a partnership with Safetica for Africa and Levant. Both companies have also highlighted the integration between Fortinet and Safetica solutions.
African governments are harnessing digital technologies to support ongoing reforms and better serve the interests of citizens, according to industry experts at the Global Business Forum Africa 2019 in Dubai.
H3 Dynamics, a Singaporean start-up has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Avaya to deliver a suite of aerial …
Mara Group has recently launched two smartphones in Rwanda and touted them as the first “Made in Africa” models.
Airtel Africa and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated have signed a partnership which will allows millions of Airtel Money and Ecobank customers across Africa to improve their access to mobile financial services.
The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has collaborated with RiseUp, to launch ‘African App Launchpad Cup’ – the first pitch competition in Africa.
Freshworks and Redington Gulf Partner to Bring Powerful, Refreshingly Easy to Use Customer Engagement Products to Exploding Middle East and …
emt Distribution has announced expansion of its activities with Progress to the Turkey and Africa.
Dell Technologies has appointed Vangelis Lagousakos as the Senior Director, Channel for the Middle East, Russia, Africa and Turkey region.
Under the distribution agreement, FVC will market, deliver and support Avaya’s industry-leading range of solutions in Africa & Egypt.


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LONDON — Burberry Group plc sent a clear signal this week about the scale of its ambitions in the digital media arena.
On Thursday, in a shake-up of top management, Burberry named former BBC executive John Smith chief operating officer, a new post. He will report to chief executive officer Angela Ahrendts.
From 2005 to 2012, Smith served as ceo of BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC that broadcasts to 350 million subscribers in more than 100 countries.
At the BBC, Smith turned the popular British TV shows “Doctor Who,” “Top Gear” and “Dancing With the Stars” into global franchises. According to Burberry, he also brought the Web site bbc.com into profit a year ahead of schedule and launched the BBC’s new commercial Global iPlayer, an on-demand playback facility, in 16 countries.
Smith has served as a non-executive director on Burberry’s board since December 2009, and he will continue in that capacity until he takes up his new role as an executive director on March 4.
“This is a hugely exciting time to be joining the executive team at Burberry,” Smith said. “From my three years on the board, I understand the significant opportunities that exist for the business globally and the unique culture that drives its performance. Having had the chance to develop one great British brand on the global stage, it is my privilege now to begin a new chapter at another.”
An industry source said it was not surprising that Smith landed the job. “He was always spoken of reverentially within Burberry, and he was the one board member you really heard talked about,” said the source.
Another industry source said, “Burberry has always been very keen on being more than a fashion and luxury company. It is a FTSE 100 company that aims to be an innovator in the digital space and produce content that sells merchandise.”
Burberry has been at the forefront of digital technology innovation in the luxury space, live-streaming its men’s and women’s fashions shows; allowing customers to order online immediately following the runway shows; launching an in-house social networking site, Art of the Trench, and seeking to fuse the online and brick-and-mortar shopping experiences.
Burberry is also in the thick of setting up an in-house beauty business, and digital and mobile media innovations will no doubt be crucial to its success.
Burberry said separately that Stacey Cartwright, the company’s chief financial officer and a prominent, well-regarded member of the brand’s executive team, will step down after nine years to pursue new interests.
She will be succeeded by Carol Fairweather, who has been named cfo-designate with immediate effect and will become cfo after Cartwright’s departure following the annual general meeting in July.
Fairweather has been with Burberry for six years, most recently as senior vice president, group finance.
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews
“Stranger Things” is getting a new cast member for season 2. Meet @sadiesink_, the 15-year-old who will be joining the Netflix series for its new season. You may recognize her from “The Glass Castle” with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, but the Texas native’s next role goes in an entirely different direction. She describes her character, Max, as “a rough and tumble skater girl [who] becomes friends with the boys at school.” The second season debuts on October 27. (📷: @jgreenery) #wwdeye
Amid the Harvey Weinstein controversy, there’s another sector that’s being put under the spotlight for sexual abuse: the modeling industry. While rumors about abuse and sexual harassment of female and male models — and the photographers, agents and others who perpetrated it — have circulated within the fashion world for years, model @cameronrussell started posting stories from models on Instagram last week about abusive situations they’ve encountered — from sexual harassment and molestation to attempted rape. Over 75 have weighed in so far. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews
To celebrate its 16th anniversary, @dylanscandybar tapped designers and celebrities to create mosaics out of candy. The mosaics will be auctioned off to support the philanthropic cause of each participant’s choice. Pictured here is the mural created by @aliceandolivia's Stacey Bendet. For a first look at some of the other artwork being unveiled tonight, go to WWD.com. #wwdeye
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye


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A top hotel boss has called for the UK to add Spain to its green list of destinations with thousands of holidaymakers ignoring official advice and jetting to the country.
A successful rollout of international vaccination certificates was also needed to kickstart the country's recovery, said Gabriel Escarrer, chief executive of Majorca-based Melia Hotels, which has transformed its properties to comply with Covid-secure regulations.
Since Britain classified Spain as an amber list destination, meaning returning travellers must self-isolate on arrival, the global hotel chain has seen more cancellations than reservations from Britons, Mr Escarrer said.
"We know there is a lot of pent-up demand," he added, pointing to Portugal, where Melia bookings from UK holidaymakers surged 187 per cent after the country was placed on the green list.
Though arrivals from Britain - Spain's most important market - would not reach the nearly 19 million recorded in 2019, the hotel boss predicted up to four million would come if restrictions were eased.
But internationally accepted vaccination certificates will be the most important "detonator for the recovery," for Spain and at a European level.
He added hotels would set aside areas for those who have been vaccinated, with some resorts only accepting guests with proven immunity or a negative Covid-19 test.
In the meantime, Melia has been adapting its hotels with better ventilation, more outdoor dining spaces and standardised safety protocols to make guests feel more secure.
"Whether or not we bring the pandemic under control, these are trends that are here to stay," Escarrer said.
Meanwhile, it has been suggested some 16,000 UK holidaymakers will have jetted to Spain by this weekend, according to latest airline figures.
Flights are expected to increase by 200 per cent in the coming days as Britons make light of the amber quarantine restrictions, despite UK Government pleas not to travel for non-essential reasons.
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The first big test for the UK's coronavirus travel traffic light system could come during the late May Spring Bank Holiday when foreign holiday bookings surge.
Johan Lundgren, chief executive of easyJet, described the amber list travel advice as “very confusing to say the least”.
He said customers are going on holiday to amber tier countries as many people see an overseas break as a “top priority”. The UK is “falling behind” other European countries which are “opening up at large scale”, Mr Lundgren warned.
He added: “We urge the Government to look at this data again and make sure that they also are following the rules and the conditions that they set up themselves.”


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Poshmark wants to be more than just an online marketplace for used clothes and purses.
The retail resale platform announced Tuesday it's getting into home decor, taking on the likes of Wayfair and Rent the Runway, which also recently started renting home goods like throw pillows and blankets.
"As we launch into home goods, a lot of that is centered around the fact that our community is leading us there," CEO and founder Manish Chandra said. "Our vision is to become the social commerce platform of choice."
The expansion comes as more and more shoppers are turning to secondhand marketplaces like Poshmark, Rebag and TheRealReal to buy used Louis Vuitton handbags or Nike sneakers at lower prices.
The secondhand apparel market in the U.S. was worth $24 billion in 2018, compared with $35 billion for fast-fashion companies like H&M and Zara, according to data compiled by ThredUp and GlobalData Retail. But by 2028, the used fashion market is set to jump in value to $64 billion, while fast fashion will only reach $44 billion, the firms said.
Poshmark's new home vertical will be for things like wall art, pillows, candles and other smaller home goods, but not bulky furniture, Chandra said. Poshmark is still working on perfecting its logistics to be able to handle and ship heavier items, he said.
Founded in 2011, California-based Poshmark allows users to create an account and then either buy items from other users or try to sell unwanted items — apparel, handbags, shoes, jewelry and even makeup — themselves. Last May, the company said sellers on its platform had earned a total of $1 billion since Poshmark's inception, a major milestone. It said it was targeting annual revenue of nearly $150 million. It keeps 20% of each transaction. The company declined to comment on how Poshmark ended 2018.
In being a budding platform for "social commerce," Poshmark allows users to chat among themselves about items. It even holds meet-ups in bigger cities like New York, called "Posh Parties," where users can come together over snacks and drinks, meet in real life and show off items they're trying to sell.
One of Poshmark's competitors, Mercari, went public in a $1.2 billion debut in Japan last year, sparking a greater conversation around Chandra's company one day pursuing an IPO. TheRealReal filed for an initial public offering last month.
Tennis superstar and fashion icon Serena Williams notably recently joined Poshmark's board.
"We've been seeing the momentum for the last few years ... with the scaling of our business," Chandra said. "I think there's a major ... shift in how consumers are interacting with everything."
Poshmark has raised almost $160 million. Its last round, a Series D in November 2017, was for $87.5 million and valued the company at nearly $600 million. Major investors include Mayfield, GGV Capital, Menlo Ventures and Union Grove Venture Partners.


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- FashionUnited |
Fashion professionals interested in fashion retail should prepare for the upcoming Pure Hangout “Economies of Scale, and Uniqueness, the next steps for large and small retailers” on January 14th, 2016 at 2pm (GMT). Lennard Minderhoud, FashionUnited CEO as well as UK editor Vivian Hendriksz, will share their insights on the industry together with Sophy Searight, Pure London Content Producer, during the Google + Hangout session. The hangout makes it possible for anyone anywhere in the world to follow the interview.
Pure London’s #PureHangouts connecting industry influencers live online
With the #PureHangouts, Pure London has created an innovative format to share industry knowledge of handpicked key influencers in real-time. Although Pure interviews take place at the Air Street studios in Soho, London, Lennard Minderhoud and Vivian Hendriksz will connect live from their headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where they will be answering various questions on “Economies of Scale”.
“At FashionUnited we strive for more Fun & efficiency in fashion,” says FashionUnited founder, Lennard Minderhoud. Being part of #PureHangouts is exactly that. We engage with fashion professionals around the globe every day, providing industry news, exciting fashion jobs of top fashion companies as well as business intelligence. We are honored to be sharing our knowledge and years of experience during the Hangout session”.


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Making their way to the stage next is the team from Hypori.
In conjunction with a Fortune 100 financial services company, Hypori has added support for remote access to Bluetooth peripherals such as barcode scanners, card readers, and receipt printers. The use case is point of sale (POS), and the goal is to improve security for credit-card transactions from mobile devices by moving the POS app off the mobile end-point to a locked-down, instrumented operating system running in a secure data center: POS as a Service. Hypori is demonstrating a mobile credit-card transaction leveraging remote Bluetooth peripherals for the first time on the Finovate stage.
Presenters: CEO Justin Marston; Joel Schopp, senior software developer; Phil Kumnick, SVP, global acquirer processing
Product launch: September 2015
Metrics: $13.9 million raised; 48 employees
Product distribution strategy: Licensed
HQ: Austin, Texas
Founded: August 2012


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New store to open in Centre Court shopping centre
WHSmith, which moved out of its Wimbledon Bridge shop last year, have announced a return to the town centre.
They will be opening a store in Centre Court shopping centre in the late Summer.
The unit will shortly be undergoing a major refurbishment to create a modern store which will offer the usual WHSmith range, including stationery, cards, books, creative crafts and confectionery.
Helen Clark Bell, Business Improvement District Manager at Love Wimbledon, said: “We’re absolutely delighted WHSmith has come back to Wimbledon.
"We have received a lot of queries from people asking when they would return, and we’re very pleased they have found a new home at Centre Court.”
Kevin Hall, Stores Director, WHSmith, said: “We’re thrilled to be re-opening a new store in Wimbledon. As one of the biggest supporters of the UK high street it was really important for us to find another suitable premises locally. We would like to thank all of our former customers for their support and look forward to welcoming them back to our new store in Centre Court later this summer.”
A spokesperson for Centre Court Shopping Centre, commented: “It’s great to see that Centre Court Shopping Centre continues to attract great brands such as WHSmith.”
And Merton council’s cabinet member for regeneration, environment and housing, Councillor Martin Whelton said: “Through all the great work of Love Wimbledon, we will now see the return of the much missed WHSmith to our town centre. This follows hot on the heels of Waterstones announcing their return to Wimbledon too, which I know will make many people very happy.”
June 17, 2016


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The first official portrait of Kate Middleton was unveiled this morning in London ... and yes, that's supposed to look like her now.
Prince William and Duchess Catherine were there for the big reveal and while she reportedly said the portrait was "absolutely brilliant," it's been taking a beating online.
One reporter called it "an aesthetic disaster" while a Twitter user said it looked "worse than the touch up of Jesus!!"
"Kate Middleton's new portrait painting looks like the before picture on a miracle anti-ageing [sic] skin cream advert," wrote another.
And our personal favorite: "Kate Middleton's new portrait looks like that creepy painting from hell that can stare into your soul in Ghostbusters 2."
What do you think? The artist, Paul Emsley, says Kate wanted to "be portrayed naturally -- her natural self -- as opposed to her official self" in the portrait.
And while the portrait is questionable, the real Duchess looked amazing at the unveiling ceremony.
Sporting a belted red dress, the pregnant Middleton didn't show even a hint of a baby bump.


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Inga Beale, chief executive of the Lloyd’s insurance market, has called on the UK government to share data about cyber attacks as the industry is struggling to collect enough information about new digital threats.
Cyber insurance is one of the fastest growing parts of the industry as high-profile attacks — such as the one suffered by Tesco Bank earlier this month — drive up demand from companies for cover.
The market generates premiums worth about $2.5bn per year and is expected to grow to $7.5bn by 2020.
New EU regulations due to come into force in 2018 will make it compulsory for companies to report details of cyber attacks to the authorities, much as companies in the US do already. Ms Beale hopes that the industry can use anonymised versions of those reports to help with pricing.
Ms Beale said the lack of available data about past attacks was a problem for insurers who want to provide cyber coverage.
“We’d love to have the data to build up a fair pricing model,” said Ms Beale. “We’d very much like to be able to work with the government in 2018 and beyond to get a flavour of the types of breaches and the cost of them.”
Insurance experts expect the new rules to drive demand for cyber insurance as companies seek to cover the reporting costs and remedial work associated with an attack. Companies that suffer data breaches could face fines of up to €20m under the new rules.
Ms Beale says that Lloyd’s, which has a 25 per cent share of the global cyber market, has introduced 15 new products in the past year, and now offers coverage for the costs of reporting attacks, regulatory costs, liability for third party costs and business interruption coverage.
Buyers of cyber insurance have in the past complained that the policies on offer are too limited as they do not cover the damage that an attack can cause to a company’s reputation or brand.
Ms Beale says that policies at Lloyd’s now cover the lost sales that can result from reputational damage. “This is an opportunity [for the insurance industry] to build trust and prove that it can play the role we say it should.”
New data from AIG shows that ransomware and extortion cause the largest number of claims on cyber insurance policies in Europe, rather than higher profile data breach incidents. The US-based insurer says that ransomware accounted for 16 per cent of claims between 2013 and 2016.
Noona Barlow, head of liabilities and financial lines claims for AIG in Europe, said: “While ransom demands typically remain small, this form of extortion is a lucrative and relatively straightforward way of accessing ‘fast cash’ for cyber criminals and we can only see it growing in the future.”


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Baby boomer Jane recognised with award
THE DIRECTOR of a Kibworth company which produces outfits and bedding for babies has been recognised for her worldwide success with an industry award.
Jane Albon founded her business, Natures Purest, about eight years ago in Kibworth and initially specialised in selling organic bedding for newborn babies before beginning to produce clothing and other lines about five years ago.
Less than a decade on, her products are now exported to and sold in more than 30 countries and shops bearing her firm’s name can be found in places as far flung as Brazil and Hong Kong – although shoppers living in the Harborough area only need to travel to the Natures Purest store in High Street, Kibworth.
Jane’s efforts in exporting her brand name across the globe saw her receive the East Midlands International Business Director of the Year award from the Institute of Directors – which means she is now in the running for the national award at a ceremony in London later this year.
Jane said: “When I set up Natures Purest I never thought in a million years it would be as big a success as it has been.
“I established Natures Purest because there was no-one else offering organic baby products.
“Prior to that I had been working in a similar industry but producing items for the high street.”
Natures Purest has links with a number of large retailers, including John Lewis. Mothercare, Selfridges and even Harrods.
Jane said she was delighted to be nominated for the Institute of Directors award. She added: “I was nominated after someone from the Institute saw a talk I gave at the Leicester Tigers ground where I was talking about how businesses can begin exporting.
“They liked my story so much that they nominated me.”
Jane is originally from Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, but set up home in Kibworth about 12 years ago.
Natures Purest employs about 13 people in Kibworth, as well as a team in Hong Kong, but Jane says she cannot even guess how many people are kept in employment by the company on a worldwide basis.
For more information about Natures Purest, visit www.naturespurest.co.uk.
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Monday 20 May 2013
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How does an energy supermajor help to supercharge global growth in electric vehicles? First, you take BP’s world-leading global fuels retailing and convenience expertise. Then, you combine it with DiDi’s unrivalled platform for ride-hailing, car sharing and other services, connecting more than half a billion users. Then, together, you create a brand-new charging network in the country that is home to more than half of the world’s EVs.
BP opened a pilot site in May 2019 in collaboration with DiDi. It’s already powering motorists on their way in Guangzhou, in the south of China. The JV plans rapid expansion of the network across China.
Tufan Erginbilgic, BP’s Downstream chief executive, said, “As the world’s largest EV market, China offers extraordinary opportunities to develop innovative new businesses at scale and we see this as the perfect partnership for such a fast-evolving environment. The lessons we learn here will help us further expand BP’s advanced mobility business worldwide, helping to drive the energy transition and develop solutions for a low carbon world.”
Cheng Wei, DiDi’s chairman and chief executive, said, “We look forward to combining our strengths to create a robust EV charging network for China, promote the growth of the new energy automotive industry, and provide a better experience for car owners across the country.”
The ambition is to become China’s leading EV charging provider, and this latest move by BP follows a series of investments with Chinese partners in hardware, software and infrastructure to support the development of the country’s electric vehicle ecosystem.
Xiaoping Yang, BP China chairman and president, said, “China offers tremendous growth opportunities for BP. Partnering with DiDi enables BP to actively contribute to China’s fast-growing EV charging market and also to further expand our business footprint in the country.”


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When classifying cars, the Insurance Institute considers weight as well as size. That's why, for example, the Buick Verano appears in this list even though it's the same size as the Chevrolet Cruze, which is 200lbs lighter and listed as a "Small car." (With electric cars, like the Chevrolet Volt, the added weight of the battery might not be considered.)
Chrysler 200 4-door
Some are the only ones of their kind, others are one of a few, but all are expected to sell for a lot of money.
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New Delhi: In a latest, Google Photos has added a new feature that can create albums on its own without users involvement in the art.
The new feature will be helpful for users who find themselves difficult in picking out the best pictures of a trip or an event for making an album. Because after an event or trip, Google Photos app will suggest new albums to users curated with just your best shots.
In addition, Google Photos will also add maps to show how far you traveled and location pins to remember where you took the pictures.
Watch how it works here:
Announcing the new feature in its official blog post, Google says that users can add text captions to the album to describe the view from the small hill huge mountain you climbed, and turn on collaboration to let others add their own photos.
“Or if you want to create one yourself, any existing album can now be customized with maps, location pins, and text. Voilà: You have a beautiful album ready to share,” wrote Google in a blost post.
Google Photos, which has more than 100 million monthly active users, was first launched in April 2015, and since then it has been doing a lot of things automaticallly.
The new album experience in Google Photos has been rolled out on Android, iOS, and the web.


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Apple will remove the female voice as the default for its Siri assistant, according to TechCrunch. The change is effective as of today’s release of the sixth iOS 14.5 beta. Once this latest update is publicly released to all customers, iPhone and iPad users will be prompted to choose their preferred Siri voice during device setup. Previously, Siri defaulted to a female voice, and users could pick between other voices in settings after the fact.
Alongside this change, Apple is also introducing two completely new voices for Siri that, according to TechCrunch, “use source talent recordings that are then run through Apple’s Neural text to speech engine, making the voices flow more organically through phrases that are actually being generated on the fly.” Those new voices are available to English speakers globally.
The news is the latest example of big tech companies trying to remove any gender associations from their digital voice assistants. Studies have found that when assistants use a female-sounding voice by default, it can reinforce bias and negative stereotypes. Some embarrassing mistakes have been made along the way as these technologies develop, but Apple’s latest step is one of the most significant yet.
“We’re excited to introduce two new Siri voices for English speakers and the option for Siri users to select the voice they want when they set up their device,” Apple told The Verge in a statement. “This is a continuation of Apple’s long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, and products and services that are designed to better reflect the diversity of the world we live in.” Siri takes on over 25 billion requests monthly across 500 million devices, according to TechCrunch.


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The continent grows most of the world’s raw cashews but only processes a fraction of them, missing out on a wealth of opportunity offered by booming global demand.
The global market for cashews is booming, but the African countries growing more than half the world’s supply aren’t cashing in, an UNCTAD report says, due to their lack of processing industries.
Between 2000 and 2018, world trade in raw cashew nuts more than doubled to 2.1 billion kilograms, and African producers – led by Côte d’Ivoire – accounted for almost two-thirds of the growth.
But the continent’s farmers and exporters get only a fraction of the final retail price, according to the report, Commodities at a Glance: Special issue on cashew nuts.
“Countries that grow cashews but don’t process them at a significant scale retain only a small share of the value created as the nut travels from the farm to store,” said Miho Shirotori, who leads UNCTAD’s work on trade negotiations and commercial diplomacy.
“African farmers, exporters and workers are missing out on a wealth of opportunities,” Ms. Shirotori said.
How Africans are missing out
Cashews thrive in the tropical climates of 20 western and eastern African nations, where about 90% of the raw cashew nuts traded in the global market are grown. Behind Côte d'Ivoire, the main producers are Tanzania, Nigeria, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Ghana.
But less than 15% of the continent’s nuts are deshelled on African soil. The rest is exported mainly to Asia, where 85% of the world’s cashews are deshelled, which adds value to the commodity. Just two Asian nations – India and Viet Nam – accounted for about 98% of the world’s raw cashew imports between 2014 and 2018.
Even more value is added in Europe and North America, where 60% of traded kernels are roasted, salted, packaged and consumed as a snack or an ingredient in a drink, bar or other product.
The cost of limited processing
Although it’s challenging to calculate how much Africans are losing, the report provides indicative calculations.
In 2018, for example, the export price of cashew kernels from India to the European Union was about 3.5 times higher than what was paid to cashew farmers in Côte d'Ivoire – a 250% difference in price.
And after secondary processing in the EU, the price of the cashew kernels was about 2.5 times higher than when exported from India – and about 8.5 times more than when they left the farm in Côte d’Ivoire.
“This shows the potential for value creation in African cashew-growing countries, 14 of which are classified as ‘least developed’,” Ms. Shirotori said. “And value creation can lead to better wages for workers and more money for the local economy.”
Cashews can help reduce poverty
The report highlights the potential for cashews to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the one on poverty reduction.
“Since production typically takes place on smallholdings in rural areas, there is a direct link between value addition in the cashew sector and the achievement of poverty reduction,” the authors write, highlighting that cashews are a source of income for an estimated 3 million smallholder farmers in Africa.
Although cashews’ untapped poverty reduction potential is greatest in Africa, it’s also valid for the other nations where it’s grown in Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The report highlights that all 46 countries producing cashew nuts “on a significant scale” are developing economies, 18 of which are classified as “least developed countries” (LDCs).
“Africa isn’t the focus of the report,” said Stefan Csordas, the report’s lead author. “But given that the continent produces more than half of global supply and is where 14 of the LDCs producing cashews are located, Africa features prominently in the analysis.”
A dozen of the other countries growing the nut are Asian (four are LDCs) – accounting for 43% of global production – and 14 are in the Latin American and the Caribbean region, which produces 5% of the world’s supply.
Figure 1: Raw cashew nut yields, selected countries
New market opportunities
A range of market trends mentioned in the report open opportunities for African processors. These include global consumer’s growing taste for healthier snacks and their increased preference for food products that are more environmentally friendly and ethically sourced.
“The traceability, transparency and sustainability of food supply chains is becoming increasingly important for consumers and suppliers,” the report says, highlighting that this could benefit African processors, who source their nuts locally rather than through long supply chains.
African processors that can meet the increasingly strict food quality and safety standards in global markets, could take advantage of growing demand for organic products, which in the EU grew, for example, by 121% between 2009 and 2019.
Better policies needed
While the backbone of the African cashew industry must be a stable supply of high-quality raw nuts, the report says processors also need a policy environment “that enables them to operate with competitive transformation costs and facilitates access to the main export markets.”
Policies aimed at supporting the cashew sector in African nations must therefore consider the entire cashew value chain: production, processing and trade. According to the report, this would include:
- Ensuring farmers have access to quality seedlings, technological know-how and market information.
- Increasing training for farmers on entrepreneurship and farm management, including harvest and post-harvest practices.
- Supporting public research that helps identify agricultural practices and technologies that work best in local environmental and economic conditions.
- Improving rural infrastructure, including secondary roads, to better connect cashew farms and processing sites.
- Facilitating market entry through technical skills development and better access to market information.
- Strengthening capacity among cashew processors to meet quality standards in prospective foreign markets.
- Promoting the development of cashew byproducts, such as beverages based on cashew apples, which are normally discarded as waste.
- Fostering cooperation between cashew-growing regions to improve market stability, limit supply bottlenecks and reduce incentives for cross-border smuggling.
Such policy action and support would ultimately strengthen African countries’ productive capacities – the productive resources, entrepreneurial capabilities and production linkages that determine an economy’s capacity to produce and add value to goods and services.
UNCTAD Productive Capacities Index tracks how well countries have developed their productive capacities, allowing policymakers to trace their country’s performance over time.


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Will Apple's Ping go boom or bust?
Ping! It's the sound of the microwave announcing your Netto meal-for-one is heated through, apart from the bit in the middle. Ping! It's the ying to pong's yang. Ping! It's the new social network from Apple that nobody seems to like.
When Steve Jobs announced Ping at Apple's keynote on Wednesday, the emphasis was on unifying a social network that already existed. Specifically, Ping is built on top of iTunes, and iTunes has 160 million users. Of course the two statements don't equate to the same thing; Ping doesn't have 160 million users, and judging by the tepid response from the tech media and users, it's unlikely to anytime soon.
The execution has already stalled; Apple has removed existing social features such as Facebook Connect from iTunes, making it more difficult to find existing contacts. It certainly seems to be Facebook that Apple are gunning for; Jobs endlessly reiterated that iTunes had 160 million active users, an attempt to muscle in on Facebook's limelight and its 500 million global users.
Peer recommendation is a powerful sales tool, and that's the reason Apple wants to give social structure to iTunes. But iTunes customers use it for very functional behaviour; managing content, sometimes playing content and occasionally buying content. Many don't don't spend hours inside iTunes, and they don't necessarily care about anyone's musical tastes other than their own; Ping isn't a community that has been grown by individuals with a common interest, it's just there, expecting you to be part of it.
For example, compare Ping to the likes of Share My Playlists, a third party website that allows Spotify users to share playlists and engage one another. It's the users that have organically grown the community because they care to - a point well made by the site today:
So all there's that, and the fact that Ping is already filling up with spam and scams according to Web User magazine.
Will Ping ever be popular? Of course it will; it's bound to find hundreds of thousands of user simply by existing - but simply bolting on social tools to a functional piece of software feels like a massive mis-step by Apple.


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SafteyKleen has taken delivery of 53 Euro 5 Iveco Eurocargos – one of the biggest orders for the new medium truck range to date.
The Eurocargo 75E16S rigids, which feature automated EuroTronic transmission as standard, are being taken on a five-year contract.
Each truck is to be mounted with 14ft box bodies and tail-lifts and will be joined by a delivery of 25 Daily 35S12 chassis cabs with box bodies and tail-lifts, and two Stralis’.
Lee Hosier, operations director at Isleworth-based Safetykleen, said: “The introduction of the two-pedal EuroTronic gearbox in the new Eurocargo is ideally suited to our business and the reaction from drivers has been very positive.
“Switching from a manual to an automated gearbox will help to offer enhanced driver comfort and safety – particularly as our vehicles are increasingly operating in urban areas where routine traffic congestion means stop/start driving is commonplace,” he adds.
The Euro 5 SCRs feature 3.9 litre tector engines.