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YouTube turns five today, and with 2 billion daily users to celebrate the birthday, is safe to say the video site is having a good life. Still, the road to the big "zero five" -- that's a long time in Internet years -- wasn't without potholes. Here's...
Sharp revealed its first 3D camera for mobile devices this Wednesday, detailing that they plan to start production of the module before the end of the year.
Sony Australia today announced a new HD camcorder that will use interchangeable lenses. The yet-to-be-named prototype records video in the AVCHD format and will incorporate key technologies from Sony’s new interchangeable-lens compact stills camera r...
While text-based search services such as Google's and Microsoft Bing now come pretty close to consistently serving up what users seek, video search services remain inexact at best, said video archiving experts who spoke on a panel at last week's WWW2...
Cisco finally announced the newest member of its Flip family, the Flip Slide HD. This newest Flip camcorder sports a three-inch resistive touchscreen for viewing your home flicks as well as 720p video, and 16GB of storage for recording up to four ho...
Considering the TV series House centers around an unorthodox doctor, it isn't too surprising that the production crew took an unorthodox approach to filming the Season Six finale.
French search specialist Exalead thinks it's cracked one of the big challenges of search, making video searchable, and has landed a high-profile customer to prove it: the Web site of France's President.
Wal-Mart Stores is taking another swing at the online movie business with the acquisition of Vudu.
The parents of a Pennsylvania high school student have asked a federal judge to bar school district personnel from switching on cameras in school-issued MacBook laptops, calling the security feature "peeping tom technology."
Despite playing a soft hand in terms of new cameras, Canon went all-in with its high-definition camcorder announcements at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Milan prosecutors Wednesday sought prison sentences ranging from six months to one year for four Google executives accused of violating Italy's privacy laws over the posting of a video showing the bullying of a handicapped teenage boy.
Boris FX has announced that its entire product line has been updated for used with the new Apple Final Cut Studio 3.
Google has reached an agreement to buy video compression technology vendor On2 Technologies in a stock deal worth about US$106.5 million, the companies announced.
Pixar Animation Studios has debut RenderMan Pro Server 15 and the brand-new Tractor 1.0 render management software, and announced that owners of its RenderMan rendering software will soon be able to use the product across all processor cores on a sin...
Kodak has announced a new high-definition pocket video camera, the Zi8, which captures video in 1080p HD. The Zi8 is a step-up in video resolution over its predecessors, the Kodak Zi6 and the weather-resistant Zx1, which both maxed out at 720p. Along...
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“The Sony USM-CA1 OTG pen drive has a USB Type-C port on one side and a Type-A port on the other side”
Sony has introduced a new USB OTG pen drive that comes with the both standard USB Type-A and the latest Type-C connectors. Called the Sony USM-CA1, the device sports a USB Type-C connector on one side and a Type-A connector on the other. The device comes with a one-inch metallic body that weighs around 5 grams.
The new Sony USB OTG drive supports USB 3.1 Gen1 connectivity, and offers data transfer speeds of up to 130MB/s. The drive comes bundled with a silicon cover that has lanyard eyelets. It will go on sale in key markets later this month in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage capacity variants. However, there’s no word on the pricing yet.
While there are several USB Type-C smartphones available in the market, Sony is yet to release a device sporting the new USB standard. However, if this flash drive is anything to go by, it shouldn’t be too long before the brand launches its first smartphones with USB Type-C.

domain: news


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Toronto, Canada – June 18, 2015 /MarketersMedia/ — Zarr Tech (www.ZarrTech.net), a leading IT support company in the GTA that solves and diagnoses business technology problems and offers local IT consultation, is weighing in on Microsoft’s latest announcement of the Windows 10 minimum hardware requirements.
The new Windows 10 is set to be released next month. The build-up is leading to some anticipation and predictions on all of the operating system’s possible new features.
“Anytime Microsoft comes out with a Windows upgrade, everyone gets excited,” says Matthew Zarrillo, IT specialist at Zarr Tech. “The anticipation for Windows 10 is no different. Experts will have their predictions and some of the facts are already known, but we’ll have to wait and see like everyone else for the precise look and function once it actually comes out.”
Though little is known about the unveiling of Windows 10 in July, what has been revealed are the minimum hardware requirements in order for users to operate the system. Microsoft announced in a recent presentation that “it will require a minimum resolution of 800×600, 1GB of memory for 32-bit machines or 2GB for 64-bit, 16GB of storage space for 32-bit or 20GB for 64-bit, and DirectX 9 support.” (Source: Williams, O., “Here’s what you’ll need to run windows 10,” The Next Web web site, March 18, 2015; http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2015/03/18/heres-what-youll-need-to-run-windows-10/.)
“It sounds a bit complicated, but if you just read each of these requirements based on what you’re currently operating, it’s pretty straightforward,” Zarrillo continues. “This is more about storage space than anything and you just need a certain amount of GBs depending on your device.”
Physical power buttons and volume buttons will be required, according to Microsoft. There will also be some operating systems such as Windows 7 that can upgrade directly to Windows 10 with an ISO file.
“Microsoft will try to make the transition as seamless as it can for current Windows users. Allowing Windows 7 users to easily upgrade systems is part of helping that transition,” Zarrillo concludes.
The expected launch date for Windows 10 is July 29. Zarr Tech will be offering computer support in Oakville, both remotely and onsite, to all of its clients or any other businesses looking to utilize the new Microsoft operating system following its release. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.nuwsstaging.com/zarrtech.net.
For more information about us, please visit http://www.zarrtech.net/


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With the convention industry facing an uncertain future, it could take several years for San Antonio hotels to climb out of the hole caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Some conferences have been canceled or shifted online. Planners handling in-person gatherings are figuring out how to adjust spacing and transportation to meet social-distancing guidelines.
Meanwhile, hotels struggle to fill rooms.
But the city’s appeal to day-trippers and vacationers from nearby areas could help the hotel industry’s recovery, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE.
“San Antonio is positioned very well for a turnaround,” said Jeff Binford, managing director of CBRE Hotels South Central Division.
Occupancy at local hotels is forecast to plunge about 35 percent by the end of the year, compared with 2019 levels, and return to a mid-60 percent range by 2022. That would be close to last year’s relatively high rate of 66.4 percent.
CBRE predicts revenue per available room — a key measure of hotels’ performance — will decline by more than 50 percent this year. It’s not expected to exceed 2019 figures until 2023 because of modest rate increases.
However, San Antonio has been stable market — at least it was before the pandemic — and hotel supply and demand are generally in lockstep, Binford said. The area may bounce back faster than other major cities such as Houston, which may not recover until 2024, according to CBRE.
Few hotel projects broke ground in San Antonio this year, which is “good news,” he said.
Hotels already under construction are likely to open. But developers, their debt and equity partners, and hotel brands are reconsidering projects in the planning stages, Binford said.
Some properties, particularly those that are older or under-capitalized, are expected to permanently close.
Nevertheless, San Antonio’s location is a boon for hoteliers because it’s easily accessible from other major metropolitan areas and home to a host of attractions, Binford said.
“There are lots of great reasons for leisure travelers to go to San Antonio,” he said.
After shutting down in March and laying off or furloughing thousands of employees, hotels and attractions are starting to reopen and visitors are trickling back into the area. The Alamo remains closed but some restaurants and bars along the River Walk are open again, and Go Rio Cruises recently resumed its boat tours.
Museums and theme parks in the area have also restarted, and hotels — including the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa, La Cantera Resort & Spa and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa — have reopened.
READ MORE: Historic Hot Wells Hotel in San Antonio receives some love on TikTok
Occupancy hovered around 31 percent in May, down about 51 percent from the same month last year, according to STR, a firm that tracks the hospitality industry. Revenue per available room was $20.57, a drop of about 71 percent.
There are signs of improvement. Last week, occupancy stood at 42 percent and revenue per available room at $33.17, STR reported.
Visit San Antonio recently launched a marketing campaign aimed at locals and visitors driving to the area. Hotels, restaurants and attractions are offering special deals and discounts.
“When the travel industry does begin to open up again, we feel that most folks will be making their initial trips very close to home,” president and CEO Casandra Matej said recently. “We know that year after year more than 70 percent of the leisure travel to San Antonio comes from inside the state of Texas.”
The campaign focuses on “those folks who will be avoiding the busy transport hubs and instead stay closer to their own backyards,” she said.
Business travelers are expected to return after leisure travelers, but conventions and meetings will take more time to come back.
“People are just not ready to be in group settings yet,” Binford said said.
Another set of projections suggests travel for conventions and business may pick up by the end of the year, though attendance will probably be lower.
But it may take until 2022 for the number of travelers going through San Antonio International Airport to return to pre-pandemic levels, economists Jon Hockeynos and Steve Nivin recently told City Council members.
Room rates could take six to eight years to rebound. Because of lower rates and fewer convention-goers, revenue from hotel occupancy taxes could bounce back in five years.
“The pandemic’s just not going away,” Nivin said. “So it’s going to take time for consumer confidence to come back.”
The national hotel industry’s recovery depends on how long the pandemic lasts and when a vaccine will be widely available.
Texas is seeing a spike in coronavirus cases, and hospitalizations have increased about 190 percent since Memorial Day.
Health officials in San Antonio have warned that the area is entering a second wave of COVID-19, and urged residents to wear face coverings, practice social distancing and wash hands frequently.
On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered four of the state’s largest counties, including Bexar, to postpone elective surgeries to preserve hospital beds for COVID-19 patients.


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Protest groups target Starbucks in Liverpool over tax avoidance
Boycott Workfare, UK Uncut and North West Anti-Cuts targeted branches of Starbucks in Liverpool, UK over tax avoidance. Demonstrators went to two branches of the coffee shop, occupying one and closing another.
I was there taking photographs of this - Starbucks Liverpool protest
At the first branch on Bold Street, the store closed and a policeman stood guard at the door, while protestors gave out leaflets. They explained the Corporation Tax avoided by Starbucks over the past three years would have easily paid for the current cuts to a variety of women’s support and resource groups and services. A branch of Costa Coffee across the road seemed happy with the boosted business and distributed free coffees to the protestors.
Then everyone moved to Liverpool One retail area, where the protestors managed to occupy another branch of Starbucks and eventually close that as well. Again leaflets were handed out and the campaign received majority support from passers-by.
Starbucks is one of the largest coffee chains in the UK, and the second largest café or restaurant chain in the world after McDonald’s. Yet, in the last three years they’ve paid no corporation tax at all, despite making sales of £1.2bn. Over the last 14 years they’ve only paid £8.6m in corporation tax.
Starbucks managed to pay no taxes by shifting money around between Starbucks companies in different countries, so that its accounts show it made a loss in the UK. Because of the way they’ve done this inside their global corporate empire no one knows exactly how much tax Starbucks should have paid. Comparing Starbucks to other similar US based multinationals, McDonald’s had a tax bill of over £80m on £3.6bn of UK sales. Kentucky Fried Chicken, incurred taxes of £36m on £1.1bn pounds in UK sales.
For more information about images contact me via my Liverpool photography website
- Posted by: David J Colbran at 8:17am on 10 December 2012
- Website: www.djcdesign.co.uk
(Abusive or off-topic comments will be deleted)


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Merriam-Webster was the real winner of last night’s presidential debate
The presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump may have been held on the Hofstra University Campus, but there was another battle raging between brands on social media.
A polarizing political race may not be an ideal place for brands to be selling stuff. But many still couldn’t seem to resist getting in on the conversation, despite several executives within and outside the industry warning against it in advance. At the end of the night, there were over 5 million tweets around the hashtag #DebateNight and over a million tweets around the hashtag #DebateNight2016, according to Amobee.
Here are our picks for winners and losers of the first presidential debate, candidates notwithstanding:
Audi’s new ad “Duel” featuring a male and female hotel valet duking it out to get behind the wheel of the Audi RS 7 aired last night on all channels broadcasting the debate as well as on social media. According to social analytics platform Talkwalker, Audi got significant engagement on YouTube and Facebook, netting over 551,000 YouTube views and 4.1 million Facebook views. The brand also gathered its social team online to respond to people commenting on Twitter and Instagram, with #audiduel getting 428 mentions on Twitter. It’s top tweet got 321 retweets and 567 likes.
— Audi (@Audi) September 26, 2016
Whoever ran the dictionary’s Twitter account deserves a prize. When Trump called Clinton “braggadocious,” the publisher sent out this tweet:
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) September 27, 2016
The dictionary confirmed that the word is one of its top lookups this morning.
Furry animals FTW. While talking about cybersecurity, Trump brought up the hack of the Democratic National Committee. When Trump posited that the DNC hack could have been the work of “somebody sitting on their bed who weighs 400 pounds,” Barkbox responded with this tweet, which got it over 4,000 retweets and 6,000 likes.
— BarkBox (@barkbox) September 27, 2016
The condom brand couldn’t resist thrusting itself into the conversation. This tweet got nearly 500 likes.
— Trojan Brand Condoms (@TrojanCondoms) September 26, 2016
The cupcake chain painstakingly put together montages of both Clinton and Trump — using only its desserts. It documented the process on Instagram in a series of posts, with this picture getting over 11,000 likes.
Donald Trump claimed in his opening remarks that Ford was moving production of their small passenger vehicles to Mexico — which is true. But he also claimed that American workers would be losing their jobs, which isn’t quite accurate. The American worker’s roles will just be shifting to making larger-sized passenger vehicles. Ford was prepared, sending out this tweet in its defense.
Ford has more hourly employees and produces more vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker. pic.twitter.com/fRXlKecTvQ
— Ford Motor Company (@Ford) September 27, 2016
The brand was also talked about on Twitter, according to Amobee, with 4,000 tweets mentioning both Ford and Donald Trump.
Patagonia has long stood for sustainability, but went a bit overboard just trying to further its agenda throughout the night on Twitter. While climate change did feature in the debate, it was far from the only thing the candidates talked about. Pantagonia’s incessant — and humorless — tweeting on a single issue felt like overkill.
— Patagonia (@patagonia) September 27, 2016
Yes, pizzas, wings and beers probably featured prominently at most people’s viewing parties last night. But when the future of the country is at stake, it’s hardly a time to be trying to run a parallel debate online about whether people prefer draft or bottled beers or buffalo wings, meatballs or ribs.
— TGI Fridays (@TGIFridays) September 27, 2016
We get that business was probably booming last night, but luring people with competing #Imwithher and #Imwithhim discount codes feels forced and overly personal.
Honda took clear sides with this tweet, which was perhaps a gaffe by one of its social media managers — and was later recalled.
Cheat Sheet: Pinterest’s new rules hold creators accountable for posting brand-safe content
Pinterest's "Creator Code" mandatory content policy guidelines will keep its content creators in check, ensuring Story Pins adhere to the tone and brand-safe messaging Pinterest wants to market.
‘Seeing the shift’: As theaters open up, studios are starting to promote theatrical movie marketing again
Some agency execs, who work with major movie studios, are bullish about a return to theaters as well as a resurgence of marketing of the theatrical experience.
This Gen Z agency ‘eliminates the learning curve’ to connect brands with its generation
CarsonDoyle is an agency built by Gen Zers and is pitching clients on working with them to authentically connect with their generation.
SponsoredDeep Dive: How AI steered The Ad Council’s campaigns during crisis
The past year transformed the way audiences respond to advertising. The pandemic, quarantine and social unrest radically altered consumers’ sensitivities, and real-time news cycles made every campaign message fraught with potential pitfalls. As NPR reported in 2020, organizations raced to keep up with the public’s changing perceptions of marketing and what resonated — or fell […]
‘Throwing spaghetti against the wall’: Why marketers are expanding experimental budget testing
Consumers are spending significantly more time online to shop, stream and connect with others, forcing marketers to be flexible and diversify their media spend.
‘There’s no stopping work’: Confessions of an agency exec on lack of boundaries, time off amid the pandemic
In the latest edition of our Confessions series, in which we trade anonymity for candor, we hear from an agency exec about the need for more boundaries and time off for the sake of mental health.


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If you’re a NASCAR fan, then you know the racing association certainly has its share of ‘Green’ sponsors. Well today, the racing association announced that it’s added a new partner to that list: Green Earth Technologies – also known as GET.
The Florida-based company makes pressure washers and environmentally-safe cleaning products.
Since 2008, NASCAR Green and its stakeholders have helped fans discover the advancements that have been made to reduce the sport’s impact on the environment.
The association says that NASCAR fans are more than 20 times more likely than non-fans to associate NASCAR as being environmentally responsible and are twice as likely as non-fans to describe their own households as very green (source: Toluna, custom environment-related study, 2012).
“NASCAR is synonymous with high performance and partnering with them will allow us to reach millions of consumers who desire to keep their homes clean and green without giving up product performance or value,” said Jeffrey Loch, President and CMO of Green Earth Technologies. “We are proud to deliver American-made environment-safe outdoor cleaning solutions and we look forward to having a growing presence in the sport.”
In 2012, GET established a partnership with the U.S. Environment Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment program (DfE). The program certified its products as safer for human health and the environment. Earlier this year, NASCAR entered into a broad, voluntary collaboration with the EPA to raise awareness about the benefits of green products and solutions that have earned the DfE label.
“Our NASCAR Green platform has been dedicated to integrating environmentally sound practices within the sport because it is the right thing to do for our fans, our business and our planet,” said Jim O’Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer. “Through its cutting-edge development of environment-safe consumer goods, Green Earth Technologies has positioned itself as an innovator in the green marketplace. We will work together to create additional ways to reduce our sports’ impact on the environment.”
Over the years, NASCAR’s transformative efforts in Green have established the league as the leader in sustainability across all of sports.


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Venture capitalist Matt Witheiler, general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners, has been sharing his thoughts on funding data within the wearable tech realm; a sector that received a shot in the arm with the announcement of the Apple Watch.
Crowdfunding figures are always going under the microscope, but Withelier has been combining data from the likes of Kickstarter and IndieGoGo with money that's been raised by products and brands post-campaign from more traditional investors.
The result, he says, is 'leverage,' and it's wearable technology that seems to have the most.
This leverage is calculated by comparing the amount a product raises via crowdfunding relative to how much investors then put into them afterwards. Or, how many dollars an investor puts in for every crowdfunded dollar.
Of the various crowdfunding categories, wearable tech came in second place to entertainment (gaming, music and such), and the crowd pledged a fairly even split between head-mounted wearables, wrist-mounted, and body-mounted.
No huge surprises there, given the known popularity of smartwatches, virtual reality headsets and systems such as motion capture or technology-equipped clothing.
But when this investment leverage is applied, the capital landscape changes shape.
For example, for every dollar the crowd ploughed into smartwatches, venture capitalists added around the same amount. One dollar.
Around three investment dollars were put on top of the crowd's note for head-mounted hardware and virtual reality.
Yet VCs dropped a whopping $10 for every $1 of crowdfunding money pledged to body-mounted wearable tech, suggesting the money men see a bright future for a sector that the crowd isn't (yet) paying particular attention to.
(To be clear, the red dots on the graph show the percentage of crowdfunded projects that get additional VC funding.)
On a broader level, the data also shows that the entire technology sector - both crowdfunded and venture capitilists - are excited about the future of wearable tech, and that future is just around the corner.
[source: Bits of Cents]


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MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - The currency exchange rate is making it hard for Canadians to travel to the United States. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is looking to put the Loonie on par with American dollars to continue to attract Canadians to the area.
Many snowbird Canadians are penny pinching this year; they are looking to save money. Peter White, a snowbird Canadian living in Myrtle Beach, said it has been hard since he came to visit in December.
"Well our dollar in Canada has dropped fairly quickly. So I don't think at the start we realized what the impact would be," White said. "Basically what we've done here is probably doing less going out to restaurants, attractions, that sort of thing."
Brad Dean, President of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, said Canadian tourism is very strong in the area, particularly because Canadians find this destination more reasonably priced.
Dean says the exchange rate and currency evaluation could make an impact on the local economy. "Unfortunately due to the exchange rate and currency evaluation it's more expensive for Canadians to travel to the U.S. now than ever, and that's making it more difficult for local businesses to attract Canadian visitors, and when those visitors arrive in the Grand Strand they can't spend nearly as much money as they would because of that currency value," explained Dean.
John Forde, a visitor from Canada, arrived in January and plans to stay in Myrtle Beach until March. He says he has been spending a lot of his time looking for deals and bargains to help offset the costs. "I multiply the rate of 1.5, so like I paid $80 for groceries, so generally I multiply that by 1.5 and I paid $120 for about $80 worth of groceries," Forde explained while using the calculator on his cell phone.
Forde, like other Canadians, is trying to take advantage of the deals that are being offered in the new 'Dollar For Dollar Deals' promotion. Canadians can save up to 60 percent on hotels, resorts and other lodging. They also can save up to 35 percent on restaurant and attraction deals.
Dean said, "We're working with local businesses to make it more affordable so those Canadians can continue to come to the Grand Strand."
Dean said the exchange rate, and currency evaluation is making it difficult for local businesses to attract Canadians; he hopes the promotion will help overcome the financial hurdles the exchange rate has created.
"The fact is if you are living in Canada and the currency evaluation is 25 to 30 percent off, nothing is as affordable as it used to be," stated Dean.
However, Dean said MBACC will do everything they can to keep Canadian visitors coming to the Grand Strand.
Forder said he is not sure how much of a help the deals will be for those, like him, that are on a fixed income. "$25 for two is not bad, but $38 in Canadian funds is getting a little steep," said Forde.
The Dollar for Dollar Deals is timely. It runs through April 30. It also allows visitors to take advantage of the 55th Annual CanAm Days Festival, scheduled for March 12 through 20, 2016. The festival celebrates Canadian heritage and the snowbirds that travel to the area this time of year.
However, some Canadians can't help to wonder what kind of impact the exchange rate will have on the economy. "The biggest issue is probably how tight people's finances are, there will always be people who come that are better off, but people on tight incomes will have to scale back or not come at all, " said White.


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Sriram GurunathanMay 30, 2011 23:09:52 IST
ViewSonic have officially announced the launch of the ViewPad 7x, which is to be the world’s first 7-inch Honeycomb Tablet. We told you about the possibility of the launch earlier this month, and it looks like that has now come true.
7x the fun?
Along with Android 3.0.1 Honeycomb, the ViewPad 7x will also boast of an NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU, a 7-inch 1024x600 display, dual-cameras, HSPA+ and increased connectivity options. The tablet will weigh 380 grams with a rather colourful back panel and will also support DLNA and HDMI connectivity for media output and also have SRW TruMedia support.
No other details have been revealed, including release dates or pricing, but we’re hoping to get some more information on that front soon.


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Much to customers’ expectations, the Nokia brand licensee HMD Global launched Nokia 2.3 smartphone in Cairo, Egypt on 5 December, 2019, according to reports. The Nokia 2.3 is an entry-level smartphone that comes with a 6.2-inch HD display (720×1520 pixels) and 19:9 screen ratio. The budget smartphone also houses a 4,000 mAh battery which comes with AI-powered two-day battery life, the company claims.
With this launch, Nokia is planning a tough competition for its Chinese rivals such as Oppo, Vivo, Realme and other, especially in the Indian budget smartphone market.
Nokia 2.3 price, availability in India:
Nokia 2.3 has been launched at a price of EUR 109 (approximately ₹8,600). The phone’s predecessor Nokia 2.2 was released in June this year with the price tag of ₹6,999, and it runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) and incorporates the Mediatek processor.
At the launch event, the company announced that the Nokia 2.3 will be available in three colour variants — Charcoal, Cyan Green, and Sand.
The details of the smartphone arriving in India and its launch date and price is yet to be announced by the company. However, we can expect the phone to be launched quite soon for Indian users as it is already listed on the Nokia India website.
Nokia 2.3 specifications:
The Nokia 2.3 comes packed with features, especially for budget smartphone users. Housing dual-SIM (Nano) slots, the smartphone comes with Android 9 Pie update. However, the company at the launch event added that the device is ready for Android 10 update. The smartphone is an Android One certified device, which means that users will get a pure Android experience with a streamlined interface and no bloatware.
Apart from this, the budget smartphone is powered by a quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 SoC and comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 400GB.
Coming to the cameras, the Nokia 2.3 houses a dual rear camera setup with a 13MP primary rear camera and a 2MP depth sensor that powers the Portrait Mode and multiple bokeh effects. On the front, the smartphone offers a 5MP camera.
The other specifications of Nokia 2.3 include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB (v2.0), and a 3.5mm headphone jack.


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If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
As part of the gig, the rapper stars in Champion’s new “Get it Girl” campaign, which uses Saweetie’s song of the same name to highlight 12 female collegiate athletes who are demonstrating the “confidence to play by their own rules and look good doing it.”
The girls were invited to a photoshoot with Saweetie for the campaign, where they showed off Champion’s latest collections (think: sports bras, T-shirts, tanks and leggings). The athletes were also named to the inaugural “Champion Circle,” which will feature the young women as brand ambassadors for Champion while also providing them with mentorship and access to Champion executives in the fields of sports, entertainment, media and marketing.
Saweetie, who posted about the new collaboration on Instagram, says she teamed up with the brand not only for their high-performance apparel, but also for the message behind the “Get it Girl” campaign.
“My relationship with Champion runs deep, as an athlete and lover of streetwear,” she says, in a press release. “It’s been a go-to brand since high school! This campaign and partnership hit me on a personal level and I couldn’t be prouder to help all my sporty-icy girls out there feel empowered with self-love and confidence. When you feel good wearing Champion, the sky’s the limit.”
View this post on Instagram
“We’re proud to name Saweetie as our first-ever Global Culture Consultant to help empower women to be their own Champion,” adds John Shumate, Vice President of Global Marketing, Champion. “Saweetie is an inspiration for self-expression and with her “Get It Girl” anthem, we want to unite all women with Champion athleticwear solutions designed for every body, every shape and every workout.”
See more images from the Saweetie x Champion campaign and shop all the pieces online at Champion.com.
“Get it Girl,” meantime is available as a digital download here. The song was originally recorded for HBO’s Insecure, and the hip-hop track appears on the Issa Rae series’ original soundtrack. Saweetie also teased the song in her commercial for the Beats Fit Pro earbuds last fall.
From Rolling Stone US


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Robotics Industry News
Robotic VISION Technologies Debuts New Product Suites at Automate 2017
Robotic VISION Technologies, Inc. Posted 03/30/2017
Leading machine vision software now available for collaborative and industrial robots
CHICAGO, Ill. — Robotic VISION Technologies Inc. (RVT) has announced major updates to its eVisionFactory® (eVF®) software for industrial robot applications and the new Collaborative VisionFactory (cVF) software for collaborative robot applications. RVT is a leader in vision software for industrial applications with its eVF ® product line-up, and plans to add market driven applications in the collaborative space for all robot brands.
eVF for industrial vision applications
The RVT flagship product suite, eVisionFactory® (eVF®), is a leading machine vision software for industrial applications. With hundreds of operating locations controlling more than $500 million of revenue critical capital, RVT will present dozens of currently installed applications utilizing the diverse eVF® product line-up. The eVF ® product lineup includes: Single Camera 3D, Random Bin Picking, Stationary Camera, Stereo Camera, Structured Light, Surround 3D, Tray Picker, Barcode Reading, CoBot, PartID/Line Tracking and Object Tracking.
cVF for collaborative vision applications
Debuting at Automate 2017 is RVT’s Collaborative VisionFactory (cVF), integrated on a Universal UR5 robot controlling an OnRobot RG2 gripper. Demonstrations for collaborative assembly, pick and place, handling and packaging will be on display on RVT’s UR5 cobot. Please go to this link.
Focused on the Technology
“Over the past several quarters, RVT has been developing and beta-testing a new and enhanced version of eVisionFactory®. Throughout, key RVT customers have tested this new version and have enthusiastically accepted it. In fact, last summer eVF® 6.5.8 won a significant 3D vision accuracy and repeatability competition held by a major OEM. Exhibiting at Automate 2017, an important event in the automation industry, will mark the first public disclosure of all the work we have been doing. We are excited to provide the opportunity for people to compare our products to all others,” RVT Founder and CEO Rick Weidinger said. “We will be using video to demonstrate current on-site installations of eVF and discuss our 10 vision guidance products. We will additionally have live UR5 cobot demonstrations at our booth.”
Visit Robotic VISION Technologies at AUTOMATE 2017 Booth 761
Both RVT Industrial and Collaborative product suites will be on display at the RVT Automate booth No. 761.


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The cool Price And Release Date 2021 Cadillac Elmiraj pics below, is part of 2021 Cadillac Elmiraj
Research New editorial which is classed as within Review and posted at December 19, 2019.
Cadillac just unveiled a flagship luxury sedan concept in …
2021 Cadillac Elmiraj
Research New : Price And Release Date 2021 Cadillac Elmiraj
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|Title||Price And Release Date 2021 Cadillac Elmiraj|
|Caption||Style 2021 Cadillac Elmiraj|
|Published Date||December 19, 2019|
|Latest Updated Date||December 19, 2019|


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North Dakota opens very first medical cannabis dispensary
Medical cannabis sales kicked down in North Dakota with all the opening regarding the very first dispensary within the state on Friday.
The Botanist exposed its doorways for company in a mini-mall in Fargo. The Botanist is operated by multi-state cannabis company Acreage Holdings.
North Dakota legalized medical cannabis in November 2016 and, under its medical cannabis program, you will find 17 problems that will qualify a client to obtain a license. These qualifying conditions that are medical cancer, chronic pain, and epilepsy.
Worldwide CBD Exchange
Their state, however, only started accepting applications for medical cannabis cards in October just last year. State regulators stated that, cbd oil to date, just 122 people were certified as of last week, but which they expect this quantity to rise into the years that are coming as much as 4,000.
Relating to Acreage spokesperson Howard Schacter, these people were satisfied with the sheer number of individuals visiting their shop despite a cold weather storm hitting Fargo. Continue reading North Dakota opens very first medical cannabis dispensary


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One metric tonnes of Arunachal orange (mandarin), cultivated by farmers of Dambuk in Lower Dibang valley of Arunachal Pradesh, was exported by a Jet Airways flight from here on Tuesday. It will reach Dubai on Wendesday, where it will be sold at Al-Aweer fruit and vegetable market. It provides the freshest produce not only to Dubai but also to the rest of UAE.
Arunachal orange has got a GI (geographical indications) tag.
The initiative was taken by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), an apex organisation under the ministry of commerce and industry, which promotes export of various agro products.
An Apeda official said, "This is the first air shipment from Guwahati and if the response is good, there is huge scope for exporting other horticultural produce."
He said the Apeda was trying to link remote areas of the Northeast with the international market for export of fruits and vegetables by air.
The exporter is Calcutta-based Kreamery Craft.
Proprietor of Kreamery Craft, Sibanath Bhattacharya, said the sample was highly appreciated in Dubai. "The mandarin is sweet and its shelf life is good. The place where it is grown is remote and no manure is used. This will be a good exposure for the farmers," he said.
The production of Arunachal mandarin was 2,369MT in Lower Dibang valley in 2015-16.
Another consignment of 0.5MT of pineapple produced in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district was also exported to Dubai on Tuesday.
The production of pineapple in Ri Bhoi was 44,000MT in 2015-16.
The export value of mandarin and pineapple is around $2,000.
In October last year, 1.05MT of Kew pineapple from Tripura was exported to Dubai via Delhi, which was very well accepted in the market. Following the success, a second consignment of pineapple was sent on December 14 from Agartala to Dubai via the same route.
By: Roopak Goswami | Source: The Telegraph


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The carrier was the most improved company across all sectors in YouGov’s Brand Index in 2011, which measures how consumers rate brands in terms of impression, quality, value, reputation, satisfaction and whether they would recommend them to others.
BA’s Index score was 22 at the end of last year, up 10.4 points from 2010 when the airline was embroiled in industrial disputes that reached an agreement last summer and the travel industry suffered the financial effects and logistical strains of an Icelandic volcano eruption.
Despite its dramatic turnaround in Index score over the year, BA was still behind rivals Virgin Atlantic and Emirates in 2011, which scored 29.4 and 23.6 respectively.
BA unveiled a new brand campaign with the motto “To fly. To serve” in September, which the airline said would be a “stake in the ground” for its future growth.
The airline said it would invest £5bn in improving its customer experience offering, including new technology for ticketing, an internal engagement programme to help inspire pride in the brand and the relaunch of its Executive Club loyalty scheme.
Abigail Comber, who was promoted earlier this month from head of brand engagement to head of global marketing, says the refocus on the customer has helped fuel BA’s turnaround.
“[Customers] are seeing our cabin crew using iPads, talking about their journey plans and engaging with them as real customers who we know. They are seeing us live up to the promise that they have wanted for some time. We are putting our [To Fly, To Serve] communications right next to it,” she adds.
BA parent company International Airlines Group, which also owns Spanish airline Iberia, reported revenues of €12.3bn (£10.2bn) in the nine months to 30 September, up 11.6% year on year. Operating profit rose 75% to €383m (£318m).


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25 Sep 2018
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Scandinavia House 58 Park Avenue, (between 37th and 38th St.) in the gallery
Posted on 17 Sep 2018
The Government of Norway and Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime would like to invite you to a high-level event on the margins of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly.
The nature of illegal wildlife trade is constantly evolving, in particular through emerging use of online platforms by illegal traders to connect with consumers worldwide and evade oversight.
This high level event will present new research analyzing the dynamics of diverse forms of online markets in wildlife and wildlife products, including findings from the Global Initiative of a project funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The panel will engage in a dynamic discussion on what innovations of technology could be effective in addressing them, by disrupting trade chains and displacing illegal trade from established platforms.
- H.E. Ola Elvestuen Minister of Climate and Environment, Government of Norway
- Mark Shaw Director, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
Moderated debate featuring:
- Tuesday Reitano Deputy Director, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
- Carl Miller Research Director, Centre for the Analysis of Social Media, DEMOS
- Felipe Thomaz Associate Professor of Marketing, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
- Amy Hinsley Research Fellow, Oxford Martin Programme on the Illegal Wildlife Trade
For further information or any inquiries, please contact Ms. Julia Stanyard at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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It won’t be long before My Pillow is the only advertiser left on Twitter, said author Stephen King on Tuesday.
The esteemed suspense-thriller writer’s remark came after half of Twitter’s 100 biggest advertisers stopped using the network 25 days after Elon Musk acquired the company, according to data from market research firm Media Matters.
Since 2020, these 50 businesses have given Twitter nearly $2 billion in advertising revenue, including $750 million just this year, according to Media Matters. Businesses including Chevrolet, Ford, and Chipotle have made public announcements about quitting Twitter advertising. According to Media Matter’s review of Pathmatics data, the corporations had long since stopped running advertisements, which led to other advertisers quitting discreetly.
Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, and Meta have already eliminated Twitter’s advertising budgets, states Media matters. According to the corporation, the reasons why the companies decided against using Twitter were “direct publicity, controversy, and warnings from media buyers.”
Mars Candy stopped running advertisements on Twitter as early as late September, way ahead of Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. According to earlier reports, Musk convened a virtual conference call following the acquisition to reassure advertisers that Twitter was secure.
The biggest ad buyer in the world, GroupM, will introduce a “high-risk” advertising platform on November 11 and inform consumers that advertising space on Twitter would be a debilitating move.
Following Yoel Roth’s rumored retirement as Twitter’s head of trust and safety, advertisers’ worries increased. Ross had made an effort to allay the worries of advertisers about false information and hate speech on the Twitter platform.
Since anyone may obtain a Blue Label for $8 with a Twitter Blue subscription, GroupM is also concerned about brand imitation. Impersonations of McDonald’s and Nintendo wreaked mayhem on Twitter and the 2 companies’ goodwill. Someone even purported to be Lili Pharmaceuticals and said, “Insulin is now free.” While Musk is on a quest for a solution to this dilemma, the premium verification feature is now on hold.
Twitter and Mike Lindell‘s bedding and mattress conglomerate, MyPillow, have made no comment yet on King’s statement yet.


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stinkymountain (962420) writes "At a launch event for MIT's new wireless technology research center, PhD student Swarun Kumar presented technology for a new autonomous vehicle that recognizes when it may be in danger of striking other cars and pedestrians." Link to Original Source
It was kinda like stuffing the wrong card in a computer, when you're
stickin' those artificial stimulants in your arm.
-- Dion, noted computer scientist


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Canon issues product advisory for Rebel T6i/T6s sensor problem
posted Monday, May 11, 2015 at 1:21 PM EST
Canon USA has issued a product advisory regarding a sensor issue with a number of Rebel T6i/T6s (750D/760D) cameras.
Last week, we shared a detail report on the aforementioned sensor problem, which left tiny white specks embedded within Rebel T6i/T6s (750D/760D) sensors. Canon has officially acknowledged the issue and stepped forward to promise free repairs for customers whose cameras are affected.
In the advisory, Canon notes 'white spots may exist on the optical layer which may result in the appearance of dark circular patterns on the captured image under certain shooting conditions.' This statement echoes our initial findings and is said to be caused by 'irregularities on an optical layer located in front of the image sensor.'
Per our earlier report, if your camera doesn’t currently have the issue, it’s very unlikely it ever will. Only certain production runs of the camera suffer from the problematic spots. To see if your camera could be one of the affected models, take a look at the first two digits of your T6s’ or T6i’s serial number. If the first two numbers are '01' or '02' your camera could be affected.
If your camera is potentially susceptible, you can either examine the camera for the spots yourself, or send it off to a Canon repair center where Canon will determine if a fix is needed.
If you’ve recently purchased a Canon T6s or T6i, your camera may already be healed of its ailments. To see if this is the case, you can take a look at the battery door of your camera. If there’s a black dot located near the hinge (as pictured above), the issue has been fixed.
Canon says all affected cameras will be fixed without any cost to consumers, but the specifics of the replacement process are still forthcoming.


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Revenant Dogma is the newest RPG from Kemco to land onto Android today. This is one of those games from Kemco that features the more retro style of visuals for when you are doing everything but the combat. When you actually are in combat, then everything takes a more modern 3D look to it.
Released by Kemco, Asdivine Menace is a new JRPG released on to the Android platform and is actually the third installment into the Asdivine series. Set a full century after the start of the Asdivine Dios peace, the world belonging to the deity Izayoi received a visit from a mysterious person from another planet, foretelling the destruction of the entire universe.
Kemco has been releasing video games for decades, and lately releases mostly JRPGs for Android. Much like other developers and studios, they are putting a bunch of their games on sale for Christmas. The normal pricing for these games is typically $3.99 and up, but they’re all being marked down to $0.99 for the sale, and should remain there until January 4th.
Kemco, the developers who specialize in releasing retro-style RPG titles onto mobile devices, has released their newest game onto Android today called Justice Chronicles. In this new game you will be taking control of Kline, who sets out to go undercover in the enemy territory called Laft because of planned invasion by his native lands called Illumica.
Last week Humble Bundle released a Kemco themed mobile bundle for Android gamers to consider getting. When it launched it had six games available for whatever price you wanted to pay for it. Today there is a new game added to the bundle, pushing the total number of games in this bundle to seven.
The newest Humble Mobile Bundle has arrived and this time it is a themed bundle featuring games from Kemco. The Humble Kemco Mobile Bundle has arrived and features six games to start off with, all for one singular price that you get to pick yourself. If you aren’t familiar with Kemco titles, they are all RPG titles.
For whatever reason today has a lot of Android games going on sale. It isn’t just a bunch of random games either. A few developers have put huge chunks of their catalog on sale for quite cheap, and Kemco is one of them. Today the company has put 12 games on sale for a limited time, all of which are now priced at a mere $0.99.
Released by Kemco, makers of a myriad of JRPGs for Android, has released translated another one of their Japanese games into English. Dubbed Legna Tactica, this game revolves around the idea of ending war altogether. The protagonists are two boys with this ambitious goal, and the question of hope to achieve it will be visited throughout the game.
Back in July of this year Kemco opened up pre-registration for Asdivine Dios, which is basically a sequel to their Asdivine Hearts game on Android. Since then the company has been working on completing Asdivine Dios and it is now done and available for download off of Google Play.
Usually Kemco releases retro-style RPGs onto Android but on occasion they tend to throw a curve ball out there with either a 3D games, or something that is a bit different than their norm. Tears Revolude is the company’s newest release and it falls into that category of a curve ball, mainly regarding the visual style of the game.


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The biggest advantage of e-commerce is the absence of geographical restrictions. So said Eric Chan, the recently appointed CEO of luxury e-tailer Secoo, in an interview with Chinese fashion news site No Fashion.
Chan also said that luxury brands can’t possibly open physical stores in every city in China, and that as the growing pool of middle-class consumers living in cities that are not first-tier upgrade their spending, online channels will be the only tangible way to reach them.
Why should we care what Chan says?
At a time when tech giants and fashion brands are regularly making ambitious strides in luxury e-commerce and upsetting the eco-system in which smaller outfits like xiu.com (whose CEO Ji Wenhong was arrested for smuggling luxury goods) are trying to stay alive, Secoo is considered a survivor.
The company, which was founded in 2008 and has over 15 million high-end customers (who spend, on average, between 3,000 and 4,000 yuan (US$430-$580) per purchase), recently moved into the spotlight after becoming Dior’s exclusive e-commerce partner for the brand’s Chinese Valentine’s Day campaign.
When Gucci and Louis Vuitton launched their own e-commerce platforms this year, many speculated that the move would cripple those brands’ presence on third party platforms such as Secoo. But Chan thinks of the brands as partners rather than competitors.
“For example, the way we work with brands is at both the online and offline level,” Chan told No Fashion. “If a customer makes an order on Secoo, they can pick up their order in the store. This is a natural way to direct customers to our clients, the luxury brands.”
Another value add for brands is the data they accumulate on the habits of Chinese consumers, which can help brands localize their China strategy. This data can help consumers personalize their offerings. He noted that the trend of personalization is growth engine for high-end e-commerce market.
As the former general manager of shopping mall K11, with over 20 years of experience in the management of high-end commercial properties in both mainland China and Hong Kong, Chan emphasized the importance for a luxury e-commerce platform to have a physical presence. “Chinese luxury consumers still want to have a five senses experience for the products they buy.” The retail veteran said in the next few months, Secoo will add five concept stores that could the form of a cafe or a teahouse.
Secoo opened its first offline luxury experience center and quickly followed suit with similar outlets in Milan, Hong Kong and Malaysia, as well as in other countries and regions.
According to Chan, luxury e-commerce, in fact, has just begun, the questions that many currently face are not whether this is an easy task to accomplish, but how to accurately grasp the customer and the market.


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Popular Solana-based NFT marketplace Magic Eden has raised $130 million in Series B funding, bringing the company’s valuation to $1.6 billion. The latest funding comes at a time when the global crypto market is experiencing a severe downtrend.
Magic Eden Raises $130M
The funding round was led by Electric Capital, Greylock Partners, and Sequoia Capital with participation from e-commerce company Lightspeed and investment firm Paradigm.
With recent outages that have been going on in the Solana network since the start of the year, Magic Eden’s creators plan to use the latest funding to reduce dependency on the Solana blockchain and explore other networks.
The fund also aims to increase its integration of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into blockchain games. According to its official website, the company has listed over 35 games, while garnering a total of 430,000 users each month.
Grasping the yield that can be derived from the combination of NFTs and games, co-founder of Magic Eden, Zhuoxun Yin, said:
“We realized that this is actually very similar to how people think about NFTs and what people were doing with them [. . .] When you combine the two, Web3 native and games, you get true ownership of these items. [. . .] There’s no better time to build than in a bear market”
Magic Eden Becomes Largest Solana NFT Marketplace
According to analytics platform Dune, Magic Eden is currently the largest Solana-based NFT marketplace with a daily trading volume worth over 10,530 SOL. This accounts for over 97% of daily NFT sales on the network.
Following Magic Eden is the multi-chain NFT marketplace OpenSea which holds a daily transaction of about 240 SOL.
Solana Launches $100M Fund for Web3 Startups
The funding round, led by Solana Ventures and the Solana community, is projected toward the expansion of top applications of blockchain technology such as GameFi, NFTs, and decentralized finance (DeFi).
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Our Notable Restorations
From the Jaguar E-Type Cut 7 to the first production Triumph TR TS01, we have been the choice for many notable restorations.
TR International Weekend, 2021
A superb event for Team JSM with multiple awards in various categories
TR4 Wins Perfect 100 Point Score
John Skinner’s proudly supplied Mark Macy of Macy’s Garage, (Ohio, USA) with a number of interior trim parts for his 1961 Triumph TR4 Surrey Top restoration, which went on to scoop Best of Show at the national meet of the Triumph Register of America (TRA) in 2018, achieving the first ever 100 Point Score awarded by the TRA.
Richard Hammond’s XK150 FHC
John Skinner’s was Richard Hammond’s interior trim choice for a sympathetic and meticulous restoration of his Jaguar XK150 FHC.
Sports Car Market – 40 under 40 – Jonathon Receives International Recognition
We were very proud to see our very own Jonathon Skinner awarded a position as one of Sports Car Market’s 40 under 40 honoree in 2021.
Skinner the Trimmer
In 2017, we were visited by motoring journalist James Page, who wrote an article on our company and our trim workshop that appeared in the March 2017 edition of the XK Gazette.
In 2017, we were visited by motoring journalist James Page, who wrote an article on our company and our trim workshop that appeared in the March 2017 edition of the E-type Club Magazine.


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REPORT: Small business in Australia 2021
25 November 2021
The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has today released its 2021 SME Lending Report, highlighting how important Australian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are to the country’s economic recovery.
The report was released to coincide with the inaugural Small Business Roundtable, a new bi-annual event attended by member banks and key industry bodies including the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) and the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO).
ABA Chief Executive Officer, Anna Bligh said the establishment of the Roundtable was timely.
“Partnering with small business is one of the most important roles a bank can play. Now is the right time for us to come together to have a shared sense of purpose in support of the nation’s economic recovery, with a particular focus on small business,” Ms Bligh said.
“The small business sector is already powering Australia’s economic recovery. In the three months to August 2021, $10 billion in new lending was made to small business.”ABA CEO Anna Bligh
“The SME Report provides a snapshot of the current economic position of the small business sector in Australia, an industry which can be further strengthened with the support of banks, stakeholders and governments.
“The small business sector is already powering Australia’s economic recovery. In the three months to August 2021, $10 billion in new lending was made to small business, a 26% jump from $7.9 billion in the three months to August 2020.
“Heading into 2022, we expect small businesses to further re-emerge from a hibernating economy and banks are here to support them,” she said.
Key highlights of the SME Report include:
- SME lending: Interest rates for loans to all business sizes are at record lows while there has been a recent uptick in new business loan commitments, with $17 billion lent to SMEs in June 2021, the highest amount on record
- Appetite for borrowing: Demand for borrowing by SMEs remained subdued throughout 2020 and 2021 with fewer than 15% of SMEs seeking finance, however the majority of those that applied for a loan were approved. Looking forward, only 4% of SMEs reported an intention to borrow more in the coming 12 months.
- Digital transformation: The number of businesses that received orders via the internet grew from 41% to 50% between 2018-19 and 2019-20. Online orders were less common in micro and small businesses (45% accepted online orders) compared with medium businesses (57%) and large businesses (60%).
The Small Business report will be shared with governments and relevant stakeholders as the banking industry continues to deliver innovative products and services to customers.
Banks worked with government throughout the pandemic to support initiatives such as the instant asset write-off, SME Loan Recovery Scheme and the Show Starter Loans.
“Australia has witnessed a phenomenal shift in customer banking and payment preferences in recent years,” ABA CEO Anna Bligh said.
The RBA continues to address the nation’s inflation challenge with today’s 0.25% increase in the cash rate target, to 4.10%.
Australian banks today launched a new digital platform that will facilitate the quick reporting of fraudulent payments en route or transferred to another bank.


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The case of Premier League’s victory over Wiziwig, a site which violated copyright infringement by providing illegal streams of English football games, highlights the difficulty faced by the former, which finds itself in a constant battle to remove the many streaming websites shared among football fans. The cost of accessing live coverage continues to rise, with media companies such as Sky and BT Sports looking to get a return on their investments in the TV rights, resulting in football fans being unable to afford live coverage at home and ultimately turning to unofficial streaming sites. What’s more, the rise in usage of social media enables fans to share stream details very quickly. As one is taken down, another replaces it just as quickly.
Free eBook: Modern Retail Security Risk – Get your copy now.
Supporters need to be aware of the legal consequences of sharing copyrighted content. The Premier League also needs to be wary of the risks streaming sites pose to their intellectual property. Links to infringing content can spread rapidly and divert revenue away from official channels. High profile cases such as this one help to warn consumers of the legal risks when sharing content online. However, ultimately the responsibility falls to businesses and organisations to monitor the web for intellectual property infringements so that illegal sites can be taken down.
By Stuart Fuller, Director of Commercial Operations, NetNames
With online channels becoming increasingly important for a corporate’s commercial and marketing activities, NetNames offers a single point of contact for management of internet domain names, in all locations, globally, and protection for brands across all online environments. NetNames offers expertise, infrastructure and service levels which are hard for corporates to replicate internally and enjoys long term relationships with large and mid-sized corporates.
Headquartered in London, NetNames’ global network includes offices in Cambridge, Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Zurich, Munich, New York, San Francisco, Melbourne and Singapore.


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The financial service provider First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has rewarded another set of 644 customers with cash and various delighted gifts at the third draws of the bank’s advancing reward scheme tagged, ‘’FCMB Millionaire Promo Season 6’’.
The electronic selection of the winners took place at the regional and zonal levels of the bank across Nigeria and was witnessed by officials of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), thousands of customers of the financial institution and other dignitaries.
It was explained that, four lucky customers were awarded with the sum of N1million each at the regional draws held in Lagos, Kano, Uyo (Akwa Ibom State) and Ilorin (Kwara State), 640 others smiled home with other consolation prizes e.g. LED televisions, generating sets, decoders, tablets and smart phones.
At the Lagos Regional draw, Hosny Mattar won the star prize of N1million, while Patricia Anya was rewarded with the same amount at the Abuja & North Regional draw.
In the same part, Orji Chinenye emerged winner of N1million at the South-East/South-South draw held in Uyo, just as Ajai Aderotimi smiled home with N1million at the South-West regional draw in Ilorin.
Alongside, the ‘’FCMB Millionaire Promo Season 6’’, which is still on until November 2019, was designed to provide extra empowerment, reward and value for customers of the bank, while encouraging financial inclusion and savings culture. The promo is targeted at all segments of the society, especially existing and potential savings account customers of the Bank.
However, it excludes salary and domiciliary account holders.
Commenting on the latest draws of the promo, the Executive Director, Retail Banking of the Bank, Mr. Olu Akanmu, guaranteed that, “we will continue to appreciate and empower our customers to fulfil their aspirations. This is why we encourage them to save through programmes like our promo. The draws are unique because they take place in several cities and zones across our branches nationwide. The chances to win are, therefore, quite high for our customers, many of whom have been rewarded today.
“The fact that the lives of thousands of many of them have been positively changed through the promo speaks volume about its impact. We are also committed to distinguishing our offerings in the retail banking space by delivering exceptional products and services that would ultimately ensure the growth and achievement of the aspirations of our customers’’.
In addition, he said that, it was the desire of FCMB to ensure that more customers (both existing and potential) benefit from the promo.


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People who booked flights with the company, now looking for substitute offers, told the news channel that in some circumstances costs for the flights have tripled.
Holidaymaker Angela Mills mentioned a flight from Glasgow to Rhodes, Greece, was £280 on Sunday, however, was now £1,000.
Analysts stated the prices reflected high demand on routes with few spare seats.
“People aren’t sitting there rubbing their hands with glee. If sales are available in rapidly on popular routes then prices go up,” stated John Strickland, an airline analyst at JLS Consulting.
Mr. Strickland mentioned September was a preferred time for people to take holidays outside the peak school holiday period and many flights had been already very full.
He mentioned the airlines might determine to halt price increases; however, stated firms had to be commercially driven.
“Thomas Cook has failed as a result of it had huge debts, and it was making a loss. It is a fragile industry. Higher than a dozen airlines have gone bust.
However, Mrs. Mills stated the increases have been bad for travelers already in “a state of shock.”
She was because of the fly from Glasgow to Rhodes on Wednesday on Thomas Cook flights. When she looked for options after the travel firm’s collapse, the most cost-effective value she could find for alternative flights for her and her husband was more than £1,000.
The company she booked her accommodation through – Jetline Holidays – eventually found her an alternate deal costing £600 extra.
However, she will now have to fly from Edinburgh, and on her return spend a night in Prague earlier than flying back from there.
Mrs. Mills mentioned she hoped to claim the additional cost of the flights from her journey insurance on her return.
Anyone who has bought a future package holiday with Thomas Cook is covered by the Air Travel Organiser’s Licence scheme (ATOL). This means they won’t be going away; however, the price of the holiday can be refunded.
However, ATOL protection doesn’t cover flight-only deals. The primary alternative for travelers is to claim a refund from the provider of the credit or debit card they used or make a claim on their travel insurance.


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More than five million people in the United States live with some form of paralysis and may encounter difficulties completing everyday tasks, like grabbing a glass of water or putting on clothes. New research from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute (RI) aims to increase autonomy for individuals with such motor impairments by introducing a head-worn device that will help them control a mobile manipulator.
Teleoperated mobile manipulators can aid individuals in completing daily activities, but many existing technologies like hand-operated joysticks or web interfaces require a user to have substantial fine motor skills to effectively control them. Research led by robotics Ph.D. student Akhil Padmanabha offers a new device equipped with a hands-free microphone and head-worn sensor that allows users to control a mobile robot via head motion and speech recognition. Head-Worn Assistive Teleoperation (HAT) requires fewer fine motor skills than other interfaces, offering an alternative for users who face constraints with technology currently on the market.
In addition to Padmanabha, the research team includes Qin Wang, Daphne Han, Jashkumar Diyora, Kriti Kacker, Hamza Khalid, Liang-Jung Chen, Carmel Majidi and Zackory Erickson. In a human study, participants both with and without motor impairments performed multiple household and self-care tasks with low error rates, minimal effort and a high perceived ease of use. The research team will present their paper, "HAT: Head-Worn Assistive Teleoperation of Mobile Manipulators," at the IEEE's International Conference on Robotics and Automation in London this spring.


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TCL Debuts New Quantum Dot and Roku TVs at CES 2015
New product lineup includes China's first-ever quantum dot TV
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TCL, China’s largest television manufacturer, took to CES 2015 to showcase a new Quantum Dot TV, the next generation of TCL Roku TVs, and the entertainment platform TCL TV+.
As TCL moves into 2015, they’ll be pushing their new TCL TV+ entertainment platform. TV+ allows users to navigate multiple content channels and move between cable, streaming video, online music, and interactive gaming. The platform will feature multi-media sharing, smart remote control, and an electronic program guide to give users the best, most intuitive entertainment experience.
In order to make TCL TV+ function at the level they want, TCL is working on building numerous partnerships with content providers across the globe—similar to their relationship with Roku Inc.
The general manager of OEM for Roku, Chas Smith, took to the stage to discuss their partnership and the latest innovations coming down the pipeline. In the first half of 2015, TCL will roll out three new series of Roku TVs that will total to 12 new models, which range in size from 32 to 55 inches. Additionally, they also announced the new 55” TCL Roku UHD TV, which will be the first 4K Roku TV.
Perhaps the biggest showstopper was the inclusion of China’s first-ever Quantum Dot television, the 55” 4K UHD Quantum Dot TV with Color IQ technology. Quanutm Dot is the latest buzz word in televisions, and plenty of companies are starting to incorporate the technology hoping to create the best picture possible. The Q55H9700 TV features booming built-in speakers that look similar to the Sony-designed speakers from 2013, and will have limited availability in North America later this year.
TCL capped off their presentation with their Guinness Record breaking 110” 4K UHD Curved TV. Even at this monstrous size, the 110” TV features glasses-free 3D effects and infinite black without reflection. Unfortunately, the 110” TV will not be going into mass production, so you’ll have to settle for something a little less enormous.


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Small businesses along the River Murray will be the focus of a new Brand SA campaign, encouraging South Australians to ‘Spend Their Support’ for flood-affected communities in the lead up to Christmas.
Spend Your Support, launched Thursday 8 December, uses a dedicated online marketplace to connect shoppers with local traders – allowing them to buy direct from the region at home and drive much-needed sales in the area over the festive period and beyond.
More than 50 businesses – including wineries, gourmet producers and tourism operators – have already signed up to the new campaign, with more stores set to come on board throughout summer.
Shoppers can use the online marketplace to buy products, experiences or gift cards from one of the listed businesses, injecting vital funds into River communities preparing for a historic flood event.
Brand SA’s new call-to-arms campaign is set to deliver a much-needed boost to businesses facing an uncertain new year, as rising floodwaters damage residents’ livelihoods and impact tourism.
Spend Your Support runs until March with scope to extend if needed.
Shop Local SA will be involved in the campaign to ensure River Murray businesses receive ongoing marketing, IT and hands-on support.
Various supports for businesses are also available as part of the South Australian Government’s $51.6 million initial financial assistance package.


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|Pallets haul London cuisine to please palates||Pallets haul London cuisine to please palates||https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/news/newstalk-texas/?Item=17569||2017-09-26T05:00:00Z||2017-09-26T22:40:00Z|
SAN ANTONIO – London-based Bakkavor Group Limited will open a new food processing facility.
The company will renovate 65,000 sf of warehouse space at 646 S. Main Ave.
The renovations will also include 11,000 sf of office space and a 7,700-sf addition to the loading dock area.
The renovation started summer 2017 and will end June 2018. Estimated cost of the project is $17 million.
Bakkavor employs more than 18,000 people worldwide across 43 operating facilities in the United States, U.K., Spain, China, and Hong Kong.
Bakkavor's customers include McDonalds, Starbucks, Tesco, Aldi, Harris Teeter, KFC and Pizza Hut.
|San Antonio Business Journal||San Antonio-New Braunfels||Industrial|| https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/08/22/international-food-supplier-building-new-facility.html|
What's happening in San Antonio Industrial Market Research.


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Twenty-five N.C. school districts were affected by the recent beef recall. This news has been on all the local news broadcasts all week. They has been describing how Wake County, one of the largest school districts in the state stands to lose as much as $100,000 unless they are reimbursed by the supplier. They say that there haven’t been any cases of children getting sick from the recalled meat. They also claim that none of the meat have been served to children. That is a bit hard to believe considering the recalled meat goes as far back to 2006. They probably just do not want to cause panic and undue worry, but I’m sure some of that meat has been cooked up and served.
While my children do not eat school food, they bring their lunches from home, it makes me wonder how much of the recalled beef I’VE served them at home. They never mentioned whether some of this same beef was ever released for public consumption or if they were only used for intitutional use. That is truly worrisome.
Do you know why the beef was recalled? Granted, we do eat dead meat. We prefer it that way. However, we do prefer the animals to be healthy before we slaughter them for food. You don’t have to be a scientist to figure out that when meat is unhealthy or dead (decaying), it can’t be good for you. A California slaughter plant violated this basic premise by serving up cows that are on the verge of death. They are prodded to stand and walk to slaughter just so they can say it was alive when slaughtered. There are even allegations that sick cows were fork lifted to slaughter so long as they were still breathing. This is sad and cruel and an apalling example of greed. That’s the bottom line.


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And there it is, folks. Fans of Samsung’s Galaxy Note series will only have to wait a little over a month before it’s unveiled. We received an invite today for Samsung’s Unpacked event in New York where they say they’ll be introducing their “newest mobile device.”
In case there was any question as to what that device may be, Samsung’s teaser image is pretty clear: the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will be officially unveiled on August 23rd at an Unpacked event in New York.
Of course for those unable to attend, Samsung will be live streaming the event so you can watch from home. We’re sure plenty more leaks about the device are still ahead of us, leading up to the Note 8’s official release, so stay tuned.


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Covenant University launched an app that serves as an educational platform for learning, obtaining academic information and also as a social platform for its students.With the rebranding of the institution which involves the provision of Samsung tablets to every student, the app seeks to foster an environment that encourages intellectual capacity building.
The EduSocial app was developed by Softcom, a technology company whose team comprises of alumni of Covenant University and therefore has an understanding of the vision of the institution.
According to the Registrar of Covenant University, Dr.Olumuyiwa Oludayo, this will provide an opportunity for aspiring student developers and programmers to develop applications and also have a ready market to test it and get feedback before launching it fully.
Mr Yomi Adedeji, an alumnus of Computer Science from Covenant University and the CEO of Softcom also pointed out that although available in only Covenant University for now, the partnership between Softcom, Samsung and Covenant University is just a step towards truly raising a new generation of leaders for Africa. Despite the challenges associated with students of the University not using mobile phones, the availability of internet and the introduction of the EduSocial app is a move towards conquering these challenges and also maximizing the opportunities presented by these challenges.
FCMB, via Passion Incubator‘s Collaborate.ng platform, is seeking an innovative payroll management solution for SMEs and MSMEs in order to position them for access to bank financing and government-led capital assistance programmes. Startups/businesses in Nigeria should apply here.
Techpoint is conducting research on mobile app usage for everyday internet needs in Nigeria. Please take out time to fill in this anonymous survey. Thank you.
Nigerian startups raised $35.5 million in Q3 2018, 52% less than in Q2. Find out more in the Nigerian Startup Funding report. Download.


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The results of last week’s HTC One Mini 2 against the compact smartphone legion poll is now ready and it’s time to see how you voted. Just as a reminder, we saw HTC’s latest mini smartphone face the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, LG G2 Mini, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and the new 4G version of the selling-like-hot-cakes Motorola Moto G.
Overall, the results aren’t all that shocking, for the most part. However, there’s a twist at the end, which we didn’t really expect. Read more »
This was bound to happen at some point in time, but what’s surprising is it has happened even before the actual market launch. The guys at UBreakIfix have got their hands on the Korean G3 and have given it a teardown treatment.
The teardown reveals that the LG G3 can be easy taken apart and according to the folks who ripped the G3, there are only 14 screws that hold LG’s flagship smartphone together. Read more »
When Blackberry announced that its popular messaging service was going to be made available for both iOS and Android, it received a lot of downloads and a few updates but…there hasn’t been much other news about the appl.
BBM hasn’t exactly been on the cell phone news radar as of late, but the latest update for Android may usher in a bunch of new users. Read more »
We’re hard at work on our full review of the LG G3, but in the meantime we’ve taken the 13MP shooter out for a spin.
The LG G3 features a proprietary phase/detection laser autofocus sensor, image stabilization, and dual tone flash. But is it all its hyped up to be? Take a look and decide for yourself. Read more »
The LG G3 is one beautiful device in person, but is not yet available in stores where you can experience it for yourselves. And there’s plenty to experience, like five different color options – Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Burgundy Red and Moon Violet.
While not as good as seeing them in person, here’s an image that shows all five colors doing the 360. Read more »
LG touts the camera on its just-announced G3 flagship as its best yet, thanks to its optical image stabilization, 2160p video recording, and even slow motion video recording.
We’ve got our own samples taken with our in-house LG G3, so you can get a firsthand look at just how capable the camera is. Read more »
There have been murmurs and mumblings about Microsoft’s smartwatch which has reportedly been in development since last year, and a new report indicates that the Seattle-based tech giant may make their upcoming wearable play nice with multiple platforms.
Big M’s smartwatch will purportedly work with Windows Phones, as well and Android and iOS devices and will also measure your heart rate and push the data to your handset of choice. Read more »
Three new short commercials popped up on Samsung’s official YouTube channel today. They are all about the Galaxy S5 flagship, but it is nowhere to be found in the videos.
The three short videos are quite different from the promos Samsung has been pushing lately. Instead of super expensive, out of this world videos, those look like they are made with a limited budget, but a lot of inspiration. Read more »
Blender-based ads have become a genre of their own over the past few years but Asus is trying to break the mold by advertising the products being blended rather than the blender itself.
So, what do you get when you blend together a smartphone, a tablet and a laptop? Read more »
Google is releasing info and video tutorials for developers to get them ready for the Android Wear platform. One of the recent tutorials details how notifications on a wearable will be richer than the ones in the notification area of your phone.
Android Wear notifications will feature pages – side-swipeable screens that will offer additional info and functionality. Read more »
Google recently updated the stock camera app in Android with a completely redesigned version. Unfortunately, the update got rid of half the features in the camera app, and it didn’t have a lot to begin with.
The latest update attempts to fix that but doesn’t really try too hard. One of the features that was taken away and is back now is self timer. You can now choose from 3 or 10 seconds timer options. The white balance option is still missing and you can forget about having things like ISO, shutter speed and metering options. Read more »
Uber’s social car service has become wickedly popular in a short amount of time and it seems like the company is always expanding.
In a move to get even more exposure and have more people know about Uber, the company has teamed up with AT&T to pre-install its app on the wireless provider’s smartphones. Read more »
Internet streaming services have been steadily changing the way people watch movies and TV shows. But what about Sports? If you want to catch the game, at least, in the US, you’ll have to resort to a television provider.
Well the NFL announced that they would be launching their own online viewing service, NFL now. The service won’t offer live game streams from the get go, but it will offer replays and other personalized fan experiences for users. The service will be available on Kindle tablets and Roku devices from the first day it is launched. Read more »
Fitness tracking on mobile devices aren’t anything new. Manufacturers have found interesting ways for you to track your weight loss and exercise progress. The new Galaxy S5 even has a built-in heart rate monitor. But it looks like Samsung has upped the ante with its new Simband and SAMI platform.
In conjunction, SAMI and the Simband from Samsung provide a fairly comprehensive, real-time update of your health status; it’s almost like being hooked up to a health monitor at a hospital 24/7. Hit the jump and you’ll be surprised by just how granular the Korean-tech manufacturer has gotten and its plans for the Simband. Read more »
Angry Birds Star Wars II is getting an update today. The new episode is called Rise of the Clones and brings over 40 new levels.
The first platform to get the update is iOS, but Rovio promises other platforms will join the fun shortly. Read more »


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It’s no accident that Coca Cola, McDonalds, and Red Bull have invested heavily in their Facebook pages. Currently, the Coke page has over 94 million fans; McDonalds has over 57 million; and Red Bull tallies over 46 million fans. A look at their pages shows constant updates, interesting content, and a variety of CTAs.
Businesses often have entire teams dedicated to social media marketing, and use multiple platforms and techniques to reach their target audience. If an advert hits that sweet spot and goes viral, it can totally transform a brand. That’s why marketers have started to cater specifically for the social media scene and no longer treat it as an after-thought. We’ve seen some impressive social media campaigns this year – but here are some of the best.
Following announcements from Facebook that they are going to limit overly promotional posts on newsfeeds, a report from Forrester says that brands might be wasting their time and money on networks like Facebook and Twitter.
As part of Facebook’s ongoing tweaks to what posts appear in your newsfeed, it has announced that it is to reduce the amount of “overly promotional” posts that we see. They want to reduce the extent to which organic posts by brands are, in essence, being used as ads.
Instagram is the only major social network lacking a click-through mechanism, but it sure has established itself as a game-changer in the retail world. Let's take a look at the retailers that have built communities and how they are doing it on Instagram.
No one wants to be friends with someone who always wants something from you… the same applies for a brand friendship. Building a relationship with niche audiences isn’t going to go very well, if all your content speaks to brand only.
Twitter CFO Anthony Noto’s recent mention of platform changes that could take hold in 2015 has many users concerned about the integrity of the channel we know and love. Would you embrace the Twitter algorithm change, or are you up in arms?
Brands need wider perspectives because the future of marketing won't look like advertising at all. Niche social communities can deliver personalized, experiential content and foster advocacy for the brands behind them.
Social media marketers want people to react to the content they develop, and we know that emotion is the secret sauce to making a connection. Here are 3 brands that use emotion to empower their audience while creating a bond to drive sales and brand loyalty.


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At IFFA 2019, Danish Technological Institute is launching 10 development goals that aim to help the meat industry to radically increase competitiveness. One of the goals is to achieve a maximum lead time of 17 hours before the meat leaves the slaughterhouse.
”The meat industry’s raison d'être is challenged by consumers all over the world. Competition is fiercer than ever, and consumer demands in terms of e.g. working environment, animal welfare and traceability are increasing every day. By launching the 10 development goals, we aim to help the industry to develop and implement the right solutions to overcome these challenges”, says Benny Sandersen, Business Development Director, Danish Technological Institute.
The goals are launched at IFFA 2019, and they all aim at either cutting costs, increasing quality or minimizing the environmental impact from the production processes of pork.
Maximum lead time of 17 hours
One of the goals is a maximum lead time of 17 hours which is a significant reduction from today’s up to 30 hours lead time before the meat leaves the slaughterhouse.
“To reach this goal, it is necessary to convert the cooling and production processes and cut the intermediate storage. The result is meat of higher quality, longer shelf life and increased traceability so the slaughterhouses and pork processors can sell their products at a higher price. Furthermore, it is possible to cut the production costs and thereby improve the competitive advantage”, says Benny Sandersen.
Demand for smaller productions series
It will be possible for the industry to meet consumer demands for specialized products e.g. from organic farming or with a high level of animal welfare.
“In the future, the industry has to be able to produce smaller amounts of different kinds of pork meat and this is very difficult today with the current production setup. By working towards the 10 development goals, the slaughterhouses can gear their business for the future demands and at the same time, secure their position in the market by staying competitive”, says Benny Sandersen.
Quality assured by the industry
Danish Technological Institute has developed the 10 goals in cooperation with the Danish pork industry, which is one of the largest exporters in the world and is widely acknowledged for high production quality.
“The Danish pork industry is facing the same challenges as slaughterhouses and pork processors in Brazil, the USA or any other market and therefore, the goals are relevant to the industry globally. Today, we do not have all the solutions to meet every goal but by keeping them as lighthouses in the innovation process, we will find new solutions to benefit the industry and the consumers”, says Benny Sandersen.
Meet Danish Technological Institute at the Pavilion of Denmark in Hall 9.1 Booth E41D.
About Danish Technological Institute
- We are a not for profit innovation and consultancy organisation with an entire division specializing in meat production.
- We have spearheaded innovation and worked closely with the international meat industry for more than 60 years.
- Danish Technological Institute provides research, equipment and consultancy services covering quality, safety and production of pork, cattle, sheep and poultry for meat companies all over the world.
Photo text: At IFFA 2019, Danish Technological Institute is launching 10 development goals that aim to increase competitiveness and help slaughterhouses and pork processors meet consumer demands.


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Fidelity Investments Experiments With Crypto Salary Payments
Cryptocurrency adoption is at the forefront of all blockchain ambition, with multiple countries, businesses, and individuals pushing for more in the fin-tech industry.
Fiat is seen by many as a dying currency, which should ask the question, why are staff and businesses in crypto-related fields, not paying workers in token form?
Fidelity Investments, have begun testing such a feat, by offering employee Ethereum based rewards for a number of reasons, incentivizing;
Use of crypto payment systems
Investment companies are not alone, many exchanges including Unidax have performed similar incentives, as those working in the industry should be encouraged to understand all elements of the blockchain, payment, storage, and processing. Offering rewards in token form certainly has shown growth, with an average of 90% of employees using the tokens for a lengthy period of time according to the internal staff of the crypto exchange.
Other examples have come from airdrop activities in the industry, with many crypto businesses using free giveaways to also incentivize similar goals;
The stats on employees in the crypto industry are very hidden, but if people working in crypto aren't adopting the technology, surely this bodes poorly for general mass adoption.
Fidelity and Unidax are one of a number of companies expanding awareness, but is it enough?
With a global push for blockchain, it is likely we will see more companies testing cryptocurrency usage and educating employees.
Offering salary based payments may be far away, but bonuses and incentives surely won’t hurt.
The only problem in crypto payments may come from tax and regulation, as this is still forming across each country and government. The UK recently outlined its stance on crypto taxes but everything is still in testing, and with blockchain being difficult to monitor, would fraud become a major problem?
Ultimately, only time will tell.
Image via Shutterstock


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A Lloyds Bank report suggests that firms have cut back their planned expenditure sharply post-Brexit.
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Inefficiencies in payment processing and cash management can make the difference between a company’s success and failure. As corporates seek new ways to effectively address complex global payment ... read more
The financial services sectors of Asia and Latin America are likely to see the best base pay increases this year, predicts Mercer.
Fragmentation and the shift from monetary to fiscal stimulus are among the themes that must be understood for investment success, says Mercer.
The volatility of the past year is “merely a foretaste of things to come”, warns risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft in its 2017 Outlook.
With less than 10 months to the November Go Live of the first Pan European Instant Payment Scheme, defining a successful business strategy to ensure the necessary flexibility to adapt to fast-changing scenarios is key to every Player in the Payment Industry.
Unique ID, full checkout in electronic commerce and marketplace settlements will all feature in the year ahead, says SIX Payment Services.
The most recent edition of the annual survey by consultant Strategic Treasurer and software provider Bottomline Technologies highlights current forecasting practices, data aggregation, SWIFT awareness and projected IT spend among corporate treasurers.
Welcome to the December edition of the Global Treasury Briefing.
An independent UK survey for Dun & Bradstreet of CFOs and financial directors finds many are hesitant in committing to future business plans.


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Do you want your kid’s Barbie doll or stuffed animal to spy on you? Probably not, and that’s why the FBI has warned consumers to consider their child’s privacy and cyber security before “introducing smart, interactive, internet-connected toys into their homes or trusted environments.”
A rising number of toys have been connected to the internet. Mattel actually made a smart Barbie doll, CloudPets made internet-connected stuff animals, and other companies have turned rudimentary playthings into Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The problems occur when companies don’t secure these products–that smart Barbie can be hacked, and CloudPets’ stuffed animals leaked private information and voice recordings.
The FBI said in a public service announcement that these toys “typically contain sensors, microphones, cameras, data storage components, and other multimedia capabilities – including speech recognition and GPS options.” Gone are the days of toys being expensive bits of molded plastic; now they’re basically miniature computers that happen to be shaped like toys. Parents are going to have to adapt to this change in playtime.
But how? Well, according to the FBI, by paying much more attention to everything about a toy. The agency said:
Consumers should examine toy company user agreement disclosures and privacy practices, and should know where their family’s personal data is sent and stored, including if it’s sent to third-party services. Security safeguards for these toys can be overlooked in the rush to market them and to make them easy to use. Consumers should perform online research of these products for any known issues that have been identified by security researchers or in consumer reports.
That’s a lot of research to devote to one toy. Many people will probably see something on a store shelf–or cave after their child sees something–and buy it without thinking to examine user agreement disclosures and privacy practices. These people are busy raising their children; they shouldn’t be expected to become security experts whenever their kid asks for the latest-and-greatest toy. Yet that’s what the FBI recommends.
This problem isn’t limited to toys. Many objects are being connected to the internet, and we’ve seen time and time again that companies don’t take the necessary precautions to secure them. Politicians, digital rights groups, and other organizations have pushed for change, but right now buying an IoT device is like walking through a minefield. You probably shouldn’t, but if you do, you’ll have to keep your wits to emerge unscathed.
You can find more information about protecting your and your child’s privacy when purchasing smart toys in the FBI’s public service announcement. The agency encouraged anyone who thinks an internet-connected toy might not be safe to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. (And if you think a toy is alive, you should probably lay off the “Toy Story,” just to be on the safe side.)
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