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ProtonVPN launches unlimited free VPN service for Android
ProtonVPN’s free VPN service got off to a very rocky start when it launched 7 months ago. Demand was such that free users got put on to a waitlist, where they languished for months before even seeing an invite. The company did sort things eventually, and today it expands ProtonVPN further, by bringing the service to Android.
If you’re concerned about using a free VPN, the company says you shouldn’t be. The free service is funded by paid subscribers and subsidized by ProtonMail, meaning there are no ads and user data won't be sold to pay for it.
"It is important to make the tools that protect online privacy and freedom widely accessible," says ProtonMail Co-Founder Dr. Andy Yen, "for this reason, we are releasing ProtonVPN on Android for free, without bandwidth limits or other data caps."
ProtonVPN draws upon the firm's security experience and features a Secure Core architecture which routes traffic through multiple encrypted tunnels in multiple countries to better defend against network based attacks. It also features seamless integration with the Tor anonymity network.
"Strong encryption and privacy are a social and economic necessity. Not only does this technology protect activists and dissidents, it is also key to protecting democracy in the digital age," says Yen. "There are 2 billion Android users worldwide, and being able to provide each and every one of them access to secure Internet is a major milestone in our mission to make online privacy a reality again for all Internet users."
You can download ProtonVPN for Android from Google Play now.


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RICHMOND, Ind. - Ottawa's American Legion baseball team had a successful opening day at a weekend tournament in Richmond, Ind.
Post 63 opened the tournament in fine fashion as they belted Troy 11-4. Ottawa is now 8-5 on the season. No other details of the game were available.
Post 63 is back in action Saturday with two games. They play at 1 p.m. and again at 4 p.m.

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By Adrian Flores
The Alabang Country Club, located inside the posh Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa, will stage the 35th Mango Tee with a bang as it stakes around P36-million worth of prizes, giveaways and more early next year.
Set from January 30 to February 4, the Member-Guest Mango Tee tournament will have four cars at stake such as Mercedes-Benz GLB 200, Mitsubishi Xpander Cross, Toyota Raize and MG for those who will hit a hole in one in any of the designated holes.
Other hole-in-one prizes include P100,000 cash from G&W Clubshares, four golf carts and five motorcycles.
Aside from that, another two cars – a 2022 Nissan Kicks E-Power VE electric car and 2022 MG ZS 1.5 Alpha AT – will be raffled off to lucky participants.
Major prizes include business-class tickets for two to Europe via Emirates and Asia via Starlux, jewelry worth P500,000 from Jewelmer, Samsung Bespoke Air Dresser, a pair of Samsung 70-inch UHD television sets, Apple Watch Ultra, Samsung QLED TV set, Breville Barista Express coffee maker, iPAD 10th gen 256GB and Apple Watch Series 8.


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Amazon announced their entrance into the mobile smartphone market back in mid-June with the announcement of their seemingly innovative Fire Phone. Having had great success selling their line Kindle Fire tablets, they thought they had what it takes to play with the big boys and compete in an entirely new market, a decision that ended up costing them heavily.
The first red flag came when sales figured emerged stating the device had sold a measly 35,000 units after 32 days of being on the market. While that may seem like a lot to some readers, Apple sold 7 million iPhone 5s units Samsung pushed 5 million of their flagship Galaxy S5s in the same timeframe.
Just a week after the sales report went public, Amazon was in damage control and slashed the price from $200 on-contract to a mere $0.99 for anyone who signs a two-year commitment. Such a heavy discount in a two month span spelled real trouble for the future of the Fire Phone and the device has been proven to be an utter failure.
How much did the Fire Phone cost Amazon in the end? The answer is more than you probably think. Due to a poor decision to buy a large surplus of inventory ahead of launch, Amazon is in deep as they still have tens of millions of dollars in unsold inventory that had virtually no demand.
Exactly how much unsold stock are they stuck with? A whopping $83 million worth.
You know it is bad when Amazon customers are giving the Fire Phone an average rating of 2 out of 5 stars with 3,100 reviews:
As a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and our Managing Editor, Colt loves testing out the newest tech products/services. His goal is to help better educate other consumers to ensure the most satisfying purchases decisions on consumer electronics and services. When he is not working on creating new content, Colt enjoys spending time with his two Australian Shepherds, Mia and Zoey.


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First it was flatscreens; then it was high definition – now the must-have TV technology is 3D. Sitting in a cinema or, manufacturers hope, your own living room, will once again involve wearing special glasses. Avatar may be making all the headlines, but that last bit feels more like Back to the Future.
So the key question for consumers is a simple one, in two parts: what’s the big deal about 3D TV, and is it worth spending money on?
This week four major manufacturers have unveiled the British versions of their flagship sets. LG, Samsung, Sony and Panasonic are betting the house on this new technology eventually becoming ubiquitous. And long-term they’re probably right to do so – who now goes out to buy a TV and can even find one that isn’t at least HD-ready? But a recent survey suggested that Britons have paid for £52 billion’s worth of features on their gadgets that they’re not using.
Anyone who has watched Avatar, James Cameron’s 3D blockbuster that was nominated for nine Oscars, or Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton’s reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel, knows that a 3D image can be remarkably impressive. Sky, who will launch a service in pubs next month and a broadcast channel later this year, demonstrates startlingly good footage of sport in 3D. There should be no doubt that, in the right circumstances, 3D can provide the best TV experience currently available, though some people have complained of headaches and tired eyes after watching a 3D movie.
But the country’s biggest TV shows are some way off being filmed in 3D – and few argue that X Factor in 3D will be enhanced immeasurably.
Documentaries, drama and more could, in some circumstances, look better, but the most important feature remains clarity. Sharp’s new range, for instance, focuses not on 3D (although the company has 3D technology) but on delivering 2D images that simply look stunning. Avatar, after all, won its Oscars in only technical categories.
The debate about wearing glasses to watch TV, meanwhile, is something of a sideshow – millions of people wear glasses every day, and if the 3D experience is good enough, few will complain. But it is emblematic of the problems this technology currently faces – there aren’t enough programmes, it demands viewers jump over hurdles to watch it, it’s expensive, and it’s best watched on a larger TV set than most people currently own. Unless there’s £2,000 burning a hole in your pocket, consumers are well advised to wait before splashing out on 3D tech.
But in time, most people will find a 3D set in their living room, whether they’re using its features or not.


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With the growing popularity of virtualized health tracking apps, Apple is sure to have something coming down the pipeline soon not only to compete, but to surpass.
9-to-5 Mac released details on Monday regarding their new project, and is projected to be “a tipping point for mobile healthcare”. They’re calling it Apple Healthbook and it’s designed to track blood sugar (huge factor for those with diabetes!), heart rate, breathing rate, weight, hydration, sleep, nutrition, physical movements, and health test results, among other stats.
How will this app stand out from the rest? One company, for example, offers over 40 health and fitness iPhone apps alone. It is said that virtual health tracker and resource apps can significantly reduce healthcare costs and are predicted to one day be subsidized by healthcare providers to promote their usage.
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The UK government’s efforts to stamp out console scalpers is gains momentum – as scalping bots come under fresh scrutiny.
British Member of Parliament Douglas Chapman, who represents the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons; has been taking the fight to scalpers for months.
Last month, Chapman proposed the government ban scalping bots to make the games console market a fairer place. The idea is to prevent retail bots from enabling scalpers by banning the software used by them.
It’s an unrealistic idea, and Chapman himself has admitted the bill he proposes is unlikely to pass into law. This is mostly because retail bots are legitimate tools, just misused by scalpers for opportunistic and unethical gain.
Banning the software outright isn’t the answer and is unlikely to be supported in the Commons. However the UK government has been successful in the past when it comes to stopping ticket scalpers. For live performances for example.
Speaking about ticket scalpers, Chapman said; “We’ve proposed that a similar legislative process be brought forward to ensure that consumers can purchase gaming consoles and computer components at no more than the manufacturers’ recommended price. And that resale of goods purchased by automated bots be made illegal.”
While the second part of Chapman’s comment is unlikely to happen anytime soon, he has a point in the earlier half. The UK government has stopped scalpers before – and could do again.
How to Realistically Battle Scalpers
Appearing on a live BBC radio broadcast last month, Chapman exposed his lack of understanding of why banning scalping bots simply wouldn’t work. But he should be commended for his commitment to creating a fairer marketplace.
Chapman now hopes that even if his bill fails to become law, that he’s raised awareness for an important issue. He also hopes that now more MPs know about the scalper problem, a future bill may gain more support to find a solution.
Let’s just hope it’s one that is more realistic and less draconian than banning software. Instead, the UK government should work with online and high-street retailers to help them identify scalpers – and cancel their orders.
The key to beating scalpers also lies with increasing the PS5 and Xbox Series X stock. As more stock becomes readily available, scalpers lose their appeal, and their efforts become pointless.
But large retailers also need help to detect and disable any loopholes scalpers use to make their large orders. If the world’s governments can install measures to help with the above two things, then scalpers will indeed be put out of business – and soon.
The best place to keep updated with all of the PS5 stock drops is our UK PS5 Stock Tracker. It’ll let you know when the PS5 goes on sale at all of the major UK retailers.
A new PS5 and Xbox Series X restock at GameStop is imminent, so be ready – unless you’re a scalper.


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While still unconfirmed, Porsche boss Matthias Müller is said to be favoring a Porsche 911 Hybrid but only in the next generation.
“There is no reason against it and we will see whether we have some reasons to do it. We are doing some studies to see whether it can work, whether it will work. We will see.”
Just like BMW, Porsche is thinking about the brand reputation and how to best package a high-performance hybrid sports car.
“We have to take care for our 911 customers and the image of the car because that is a very important decision and we have to do a lot of analysis before we decide,” Müller said.
The rumor is that the 911 Hybrid has been on the drawing board for at least a year as Porsche tries to figure out how to deal with the challenging fuel economy regulations.
“This hybrid technology has two reasons,” Mueller said. “One is the CO2, but another reason for this technology is the sportiness.
“As we have proved with the 918 Spider, with a supersports car it can work, and that could also be a solution for 911.”
BMW is also pushing forward their hybrid technology and a new generation hybrids will arrive starting next year. An i8-like car with the new eDrive, either dubbed i8S or i9, is expected to be unveiled next year.
The hybrid system in the Cayenne, Panamera and Macan uses a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 petrol engine coupled with an electric motor with a lithium ion battery pack, but it remains unknown if a similar setup will be used in the 911 Hybrid.
Müller also hints at a Cayenne Hybrid and a Panamera hybrid car next year.


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As if we didn’t think that the Burger King In Yellow was creepy enough (see a short story on this subject) Burger King has decided to take the uncanny and weird to a totally new level:
A Burger King cologne.
Just in time for the festive season, the company has released its very own men's body spray, Flame.
Not recommended for vegetarians, Flame is being promoted as "the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat".
While the smell itself might not inspire confidence, the price will.
Flame is on sale for the credit crunch-busting sum of just $3.99 (£2.65), suggesting the Burger King promotions department has realised their contribution to the fragrance market might work best as a novelty stocking-filler.
Flame, a body spray for men, was launched this week online and in a selection of US stores – it is sadly not available in the UK, and now even has its own website, the appropriately named firemeetsdesire.com.
I like meat as much as the next elf on the street, in fact being an entire race who love the thrill of the hunt, it’s rather in our blood, but—there is a point at which I do draw the line. That’s generally when I smell like meat. Not just the sweaty, rushing, blood-throbbing meat that we fell in the woods, but the succulent, cooked food that sits on a plate waiting for a fork to stab into its juicy center.
Yes. I do have a badge that asks people to please not eat me!
So this isn’t high on my list of scents that I would want to wear.
Link, via the Telegraph UK.
Afterthoughts: So, when is Burger King coming out with a scent that smells like French fries?


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Usage of the photo-sharing service bought by Facebook in 2012 jumped 25 percent in the past year, with most of its users based outside the US
Even more people are using Instagram.
The photo-sharing service tallied 400 million people who use its app at least once a month, a jump of 25 percent fromDecember, the company said Tuesday. That’s also more than the 316 million people who use Twitter.
Instagram said more than half the new users who have joined since last year hail from Europe and Asia. Overall, Instagram said 75 percent of its users live overseas.
For Instagram, the growth marks another milestone supporting Facebook’s efforts. The Menlo Park, California-based social-networking giant surprised investors when it purchased Instagram in 2012 for $ 1 billion. At the time, the app was notching little revenue and counted just 30 million users.
Since then, the site has become a case study of Facebook’s acquisition strategy. The company has since bought other high profile companies, like messaging service WhatsApp and virtual reality technology maker Oculus VR, and allowed them to run as somewhat independent subsidiaries.
Instagram has slowly begun offering advertising options as well, and so far the company has said it’s pleased with results.


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Gaming provider Zitro announced Thursday it has brought its new Double Link multi-game, featured in the Glare cabinets family, to Casino Gran Canaria. The Spanish gaming property is managed by Automáticos Canarios and Grupo Orenes.
Featured on the exclusive Illusion Glare 43″ Ultra HD curved screen cabinet, Double Link includes “a very special bonus round” that doubles the bonus, “offering players double the excitement and double the prizes,” according to Zitro.
¡Double Link llega a Casino Gran Canaria! Presentado en el exclusivo mueble Illusion Glare, de pantalla curva de 43″ Ultra HD, este video slot ofrece una experiencia de juego única.???#ZitroSureBet https://t.co/eA6dLOQ92m
— Zitro (@Zitrogames) October 6, 2022 Miguel Alemán, CEO of the Casinos de Canarias, said: “The great variety of Zitro products allows us to renew our gaming offer with the latest in the market, as is the case of Double Link, which has an unbeatable presence on the Illusion Glare cabinet.”
Jaime Aníbal-Alvarez, Zitro’s Director of Casinos España, added: “It is a privilege to be able to offer for the first time in the Canary Islands our most recent product in the casino segment, to the delight of its customers. We are sure that this great bet of Casino Gran Canaria, adding a new Zitro product to its offer, will result in benefits for all.”
— Zitro (@Zitrogames) October 4, 2022 Earlier this week, the company confirmed its attendance at the upcoming G2E Las Vegas, which is set to be held October 10-13 at The Venetian Expo. At booth #4449, the company will showcase its products and solutions.


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MITM Americas and the Keys to its Success
By Jorge Coromina
There have been already 23 editions by now and success grows with each and every edition. This view is shared by a large part of the exhibitors and buyers who attended the latest MITM Americas fair, held between October 14 and 17 at the National Hotel of Cuba in Havana.
For this 2019 edition, the fourth that takes place in Cuba and the second in a row held in Havana, there were more than 600 executives from international associations, organizers of events and fairs, business travel agencies, wedding planners and companies linked to luxury tourism from 65 countries, of which only 80 with the greatest business potentials were handpicked to meet with 50 exhibitors associated to the MICE segment.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba, Gran Caribe Hotels & Resorts, the National Hotel of Cuba, Cubatur -the event’s official incoming agency- and Iberia Líneas Aéreas, in addition to Meliá Hotels, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts and Muthu Hotels for the post-tours, the event once again proved its worth and strength as the top fair dedicated to MICE travel in the Americas.
“Right now, we can no longer speak about what we think. There are facts and the facts say that this 23rd edition of MITM Americas has been a resounding and absolute success, in the words of the exhibitors, and above all, it’s been a tremendous satisfaction because there were new exhibitors from Cuba and overseas. Even here we had exhibitors who only sell Spain and they decided to come down here to sell Spain in Cuba,” said Mrs. Charo Trabado, CEO of MITM Events, in an exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital.
The ever-growing success of MITM Americas lies, in the first place, in the level of organization the fair is planned with. Indeed, more than 600 companies signed up to attend and only 80 of them made the grade to have appointments with buyers. This filtering system guarantees that each exhibitor can meet with twenty buyers from several countries in a single work session.
And then there was a B2B system with 15-minute appointments that went like clockwork. Everyone respected their timeframes for each meeting and a constant flow of attendees to the stands of the exhibitors was ensured.
“For me, someone who has worked in the tourism industry for a long time, this event has further met my expectations. The appointments have been of great quality and have been organized in a spectacular way,” says Gustavo Rodríguez, contracting manager with Jumbo Tours, who has been around in the travel industry for over 30 years. “Thanks to this level of organization, we have managed to see, in a single day, twenty people from ten different countries. An event like this justifies the time spent and the financial resources invested to participate in it.”
But even for Charo Trabado herself, a woman accustomed to holding successful fairs in several countries and cities, this twenty-third edition in Havana exceeded all her expectations as well.
“This is the 51st fair we organize and when everything is said and done, it’s what the customers have to say what really counts. The fact that these customers, who have attended this event for the first time, come up to you and congratulate you and tell you that they have never been in such a fair; people who are used to attending MICE events all over the world, and they tell you that they have never been to a fair with so many appointments, that they have been able to close deals, to take business deals back home and, above all, to complete their meetings with rigorous schedules, in addition to the warmth of the Cuba people, the pickups, the airport transfers, the hotel service, the professionalism of the waiters, is extremely encouraging,” Mrs. Trabado told Caribbean News Digital.
Much has been speculated about the 2020 edition of MITM Americas and, although it is not known exactly where it will be held, the possibility that Cuba will repeat as its venue of choice is not ruled out. The reasons for continuing to bet on the Caribbean island are many, as so are the acknowledgments.
“I’d like to thank all the entities that have been involved here. First of all, the Hotel Nacional, by the way it has hosted this event, how prepared it is to receive this type of customer with the highest quality, how prepared this destination is with wonderful hospitality and an incredible gastronomy,” the CEO of MITM Americas said with a beaming smile.
“The other intrinsic part has to do with the Cuban people, who have always been so hospitable, their affection, their joy, their empathy with the tourists, the treatment they give to tourists and how they bend over backwards to make them feel at home, which is the first and most important thing of all. And then we also want to thank the Gran Caribe Hotel Group for all that it has contributed to the success of this event; to the Cuban Ministry of Tourism for continuing to rely on MITM as an ally to develop MICE tourism throughout the island; to Meliá Hotels who has always been with us; to Iberostar and to Muthu. And we also want to highlight Cubatur, our official incoming travel agency, because it has done a great job for months and we are very grateful to what it’s done. And as far as Cuba is concerned, I love coming here because I like as if I were home. They treat me with a lot of love and I am happy here,” Charo Trabado concluded.
With these arguments, we asked her whether Cuba will definitely be home to next year’s edition once again, especially Havana.
“It may be in Cuba, but if it were, it would be in another destination.”


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(Featured photo: Matthew Gilley, Dustin Holcomb, Donna Lewis, Norman Lewis, Nerissa von Helpenstill)*
Iconic Fashion Boutique Celebrates a Milestone and Revamped Interiors while Looking Forward to the Future
Iconic Dallas fashion house Tootsies announced the reopening of their location in The Plaza at Preston Center as they celebrate 30 years in Dallas. The retailer unveiled the newly renovated store with a Grand Re-Opening event to welcome shoppers back into the shiny new space in December 2021. Music was provided by Dallas music-scene staples DJ Blake Ward and DJ Sober, with bites provided by Yardbird and custom cocktails by Painted Donkey Tequila. The Tootsies team was thrilled to celebrate a monumental 30 years in Dallas and the store’s grand re-opening, all in one event.
Earlier last year, the unforeseen Winter Storm Uri swept through Texas and added the beloved Tootsies store to its list of victims. During the storm, a pipe burst and filled the two-story fashion house with 400,000 gallons of water. The months following the storm were devoted to remodeling the Preston Center location to both fix the damage caused by the storm and give the store a design facelift.
David Droese, current Principal at Droese Raney Architects, had a hand in the original design of the Dallas store’s space 25 years ago, working alongside Tootsies’ founder Mickey Rosmarin. Naturally, Tootsies commissioned David to lead the new design of the store for this project as well. Tootsies is celebrating 30 years in Dallas, but 25 years specifically in the existing space on Preston Road.
“Mickey’s Bar,” the tribute to Mickey Rosmarin located within the store, was co-designed by David Droese and Matthew Gilley, Tootsies Visual Director, who were both close with Mickey before his passing in 2016. The bar features festive, seasonal cocktails complimentary to shoppers year-round.
Even with the obstacles thrown its way, one thing remains irrefutably unchanged – Tootsies’ dedication to genuinely personalized, concierge-style service, styling, one-on-one interaction, and consultation remains unwavering, fundamentally standing the test of time. They look forward to continuing to provide their signature customer service to their clients now and into the future.
Fashion, philanthropy, and the highest commitment to customer service are woven into the fabric of Tootsies’ DNA. For more than four decades, Tootsies has served customers in Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta, giving them the best in luxury ready-to-wear, handbags, jewelry, and accessory offerings from the world’s most exciting and exclusive designers.
Styles, colors, and trends change from season to season, but Tootsies’ commitment to their customers is unwavering. From buyers and stylists to the corporate office and front desk, every decision made is based on what their customers desire. Visit tootsies.com, or 8300 Preston Rd, Ste 200, Dallas, TX 75225. Tootsies is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find them online at tootsies.com.
*Photo credit: George Fiala
(This Philanthropy Lifestyles eBuzz courtesy Tootsies.)


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It is generally agreed that the first videowalls appeared in the early 1980s. Back then, they comprised arrays of CRT monitors – and, as such, there was almost as much visible gap between images as there was picture. Beyond this, the computer technology needed to split an image across multiple screens was both rudimentary and expensive.
Fast forward 30 years, and what’s changed? “The most significant change has been the introduction of the ‘super-narrow bezel’ class of LCD videowalls,” says Steve Seminario, who is a senior director of product marketing with Planar Systems. “All the other related technologies have been secondary contributors by comparison.”
Certainly, super-narrow bezel – SNB – displays are helping transform the videowall market. For the past decade and beyond, users wanting a seamless display with almost no visible gap between screens have turned to projection cube technology, which delivered (and continues to deliver) leading-edge image quality – but at the cost of expense and bulk. With SNB flatpanel displays, the perceived image is almost as good – and comes at a lower price while being easier to install. Those factors are helping the videowall market grow rapidly.
“Rear projection is still by far the dominant technology in the control-room sector – and will remain so – but SNB LCD display walls are gaining popularity, particularly in training rooms and crisis suites,” notes Peter van Dijk, business development manager at Mitsubishi Electric Europe. “LCD is not so suited to mission-critical facilities, but it’s a practical and cost-effective technology for many data visualisation and monitoring applications.”
“We also see excellent growth opportunities for SNB tiled displays in public display, retail and transportation,” he continues. “Their compact profile is a far more practical proposition compared to rear projection. We’ve seen strong growth here in Scandinavia and Russia over the past 18 months.”
“Many of our projects have been coming from the retail sector, with the use of SNB displays increasing over the past year,” says Chris Bartram, managing director of Crystal Display Systems, which designs, distributes and integrates flatpanel display solutions. “Samsung’s 40in and 46in SNB LED panels have become more affordable compared with the standard bezel displays.”
For many, the introduction of LED illumination in flatpanel displays has been no less significant than the development of SNB, given the impact it has on depth and weight, and thus the number of locations in which videowalls can be installed. NEC’s corporate sales manager Guy Phelps notes that LED illumination also consumes less power and generates less heat, making it a greener solution – a position reinforced by the need for less packaging.
“Interestingly,” says Phelps, “for large-scale tenders, the customer will request that the product is delivered with minimal packaging with no manuals or booklets included in order to reduce waste, often paying more per unit upfront to achieve these requirements in order to save the cost of disposal.”
Evolution – or revolution?
But, as Eric Hénique, director of marketing and international sales at eyevis, points out, the majority of changes in the videowall market have been evolutionary rather than revolutionary. “There has not been too much new in terms of technology in recent years,” he says. “It’s been more about improvements to existing products, such as the change to LED for cube light sources, smaller rear-projection devices, narrower bezels, higher resolutions, larger diagonals, more uniform appearance and so on.” He notes the advent of products such as eyevis’s omniSHAPES and squareTILES, although most consider tiled display technology as serving a different market to the videowall market.
If there is an exception to the incrementalism that Hénique believes he sees, it’s Prysm’s LPD (Laser Phosphor Display) technology which was launched as recently as January 2010 and which is already making inroads into the videowall market – notably, as the company’s vice president for EMEA, Steve Scorse, claims, with the largest videowall in the US. The installation in question is at IAC’s HQ in New York, and is 120ft wide.
But slim, lightweight, seamless displays count for nothing without the ability to drive them – a point well made by Barco’s Peter Bussens, who is market director, control rooms. “The capabilities of a display wall system are mostly determined by the controller infrastructure driving the display and the software that allows interacting with the visualisation system,” he says. “Videowall management software is growing from software intended purely for organising content on a large screen into a fully networked visualisation and collaboration solution.”
“Graphics cards are more powerful and provide higher resolution at higher frame rates over modern, high-rate interfaces such as HDMI and DisplayPort,” adds Arndt Schrader, product manager at RGB Spectrum. “The need for security is increasing, as is the need to display more information in the same space. Lastly, there is also a need to display more video at higher quality, especially in verticals such as transportation and security. All this leads us to believe that embedded, high-capacity display processors are perfectly positioned.”
“What that means is that control of videowalls is also undergoing a fundamental change,” he continues. “Technology allows a given operator to take on more responsibility while making higher-quality decisions – for example, control a larger geographic area of the power grid or control more computer sources. However, technology is only effective if it doesn’t get in the operator’s way. Consequently, RGB Spectrum developed its MultiPoint Control Room Management System, MCMS, which allows any operator to intuitively control any source and display it anywhere on the system, in a collaborative environment.”
For Mitsubishi’s van Dijk, modularity has been an important development: his company’s Seventy Series is specifically designed to make it easier and more cost-effective for integrators to deliver and support display wall systems in a wider number of applications. He also notes that Mitsubishi’s OLED technology has been gaining ground.
And while it’s not a technology trend as such, Prysm’s Scorse notes the growing significance of energy efficiency. “A 40sqm videowall such as our installation at Burberry [the retailer’s recently opened London flagship store] would typically consume 30kW of power using LED rear-projection cubes and would need another 10kW of HVAC to provide cooling,” he says. “The Prysm LPD tiles use around 6kW and produce a dramatically lower heat output due to the high efficiency of the technology.”
Cubes: not dead
It would be easy, given all the excitement about SNB flatpanel displays and their growing popularity, to believe that the rear-projection cube – for so long the mainstay of the videowall market – is dead. Not so, according to Bussens.
“Yes,” he says, “we do see growing interest for narrow-bezel tiled LCD videowall solutions – including for control rooms. But the control-room market is by far the biggest market for rear-projection-based videowalls and we expect this to stay for years to come – and in control rooms, rear-projection cubes still offer the best solution for 24/7 operation in mission-critical applications, thanks to their robustness, stability over time, redundancy features and the complete absence of any latent images or burn-in.”
eyevis’s Hénique sees a similar picture. “For certain applications cubes are still the first choice for videowall technology,” he says. The almost non-existent bezels, their perfect 24/7 operation without any danger of burn-in, as well as their availability in a wide range of sizes and resolutions make them the ideal solution not only for control rooms, but also for any other application that requires a zero bezel videowall, such as TV newsrooms.”
Scorse is also a believer. “Cubes are having something of a renaissance,” he claims. “Four years ago, when smaller seamed tiled flatpanel displays were introduced, everyone wanted this technology. Now that users have understood the limitations which such displays have, and their unsuitability for extended usage in a tiled environment due to uniformity changes, they have switched back to cube-based or LPD-based videowalls in applications where performance is more important than cost.”
“The technologies are different, so it is hard to compare like for like,” says Mitsubishi’s van Dijk. “Each display offers specific advantages in different applications and I don’t think one will ever completely replace the other. We prefer to look at both technologies as just different tools to enable our system integrator partners to deliver what the customer wants, cost-effectively, while maintaining our high quality standards.”
The effect of all these developments, however, is that the videowall market is unquestionably expanding.
“Customers have started deploying videowalls in places and in numbers far beyond the traditional videowall market,” notes Seminario. “From stairwells on yachts to floor-mounted interactive exhibits to what seems like nearly every university student union, there’s demand for videowalls. The reasons are obvious. With products like Planar’s Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall System, videowalls are now easy to install, easy to maintain, take very little space and are significantly less expensive to buy.”
“The most active markets for eyevis are still control rooms of all types; it seems to be a very stable market,” says Hénique. “Where we’re seeing growth is in retail, in visitor attractions such as museums, in passenger hubs and in digital signage. What’s changed here is that videowall technology has become more affordable and customers see the opportunity to make their shops, for example, more attractive, more modern and allow them to stand out in the competitive landscape.”
Phelps also sees retail as being an increasingly significant market for videowalls. “Retailers with an existing network of signage are beginning to refresh with higher performance screens, getting cleverer with videowalls,” he says. “Often, there is no longer a discussion over justification – just a decision to add more and get bigger. Where retailers with established digital signage networks are refurbing or opening new stores, digital signage is now part of the design, not a retrospective add-on. The enquiries are therefore coming earlier in the process with the store design incorporating the screens and pre-empting space for videowalls.”
“Yes, retail is still the largest market we see, with many brands embracing videowalls in flagship stores,” adds Scorse, “and it will remain the most significant future market as retailers further embrace videowalls to provide larger scale experiential marketing.”
“But,” he continues, “corporate applications using videowalls are the big new thing, with companies replacing multi-projection and single-screen projection displays in auditoriums, VIP meeting rooms, lobbies and customer centres with videowalls. We are also seeing government and education embracing Prysm LPD videowalls due to very low operating costs and eco credentials.”
Inevitably, as videowalls proliferate, confidence and expertise with them also rises. “I would say the main difference from a year ago is the increased level of creativity facilitated by a general improvement in knowledge of display technologies and processing,” says Paul O’Reilly, managing director of PSCo Technical Distribution. “Our channel partners, including resellers and consultants, are becoming more confident in specifying larger and more complex videowalls for end-client installations.”
3D: for some, not all
But what of future developments in videowalls – 3D, for example? It depends who you talk to. Planar’s Seminario is bullish. “Our Clarity Matrix 3D Video Wall System has received rave reviews and significant interest from discriminating 3D customers, such as the Electronic Visualization Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago,” he smiles. “For academic, scientific and commercial applications, this passive-glasses, continuous stereo experience provides excellent results.”
For the broader market, however – where 3D is ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘must have’ (Bussens notes how, in markets such as oil and gas, research and design and higher education, 3D enables the discovery and study of unparalleled amounts of data) – Crystal Display Systems’ Bartram’s view seems representative.
“Demand for 3D has dropped off over the last year,” he says. “First-generation public 3D lenticular displays undefined did not live up to market expectation, and the use of glasses in a public environment has somewhat limited the application of standard polarised 3D displays. We don’t see a great demand for these at the moment.”
It seems, though, that the videowall market doesn’t – yet – need innovations such as 3D or interactivity in order to continue its growth. By definition, it won’t even see much benefit from the arrival of 4K resolution displays: videowalls already have as many pixels as they need. The fact is that narrower bezels, slimmer and lighter displays, improved image quality and, perhaps most importantly, lower prices are taking videowalls into places that could only be dreamed of 30 years ago. n


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Today in Africa, there are opportunities for mobile operators and startups to collaborate. A new report by GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator programme dives into these collaborations and the synergies they can yield.
Although African startups have been at the forefront of innovation across the continent, many struggle to reach scale. Their struggles often stem from a combination of factors, such as the dearth of investment capital, lack of payment infrastructure, difficulty to reach unconnected users, a shortage of market insights and limited government support, among other challenges.
Likewise, mobile operators in Africa have touched the lives of hundreds of millions and reached impressive scale across all population segments. Nevertheless, they face a plethora of challenges. Sustainable competitive advantage in the telecommunications sector is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. Digital disruption has made it difficult for mobile operators to keep up with the accelerating pace of innovation.
Today in Africa, mobile operators have reached the scale that startups lack, while startups have the local innovation mobile operators need.
Identifying synergies between mobile operators and startups in emerging markets
Based on the premise that mobile operators and startups are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful partnerships, our latest report outlines a framework that will help both parties identify potential areas of collaboration.
When it comes to scale and innovation, mobile operators and startups have certain “haves” and “needs” which can complement each other. As we looked at examples of relevant collaborations (including two featured case studies of collaborations between Safaricom and Eneza in Kenya and between MTN and Jumia across Africa), it became clear that these “haves” and “needs” primarily determine the potential synergies, or opportunities for collaboration.
Our analysis of the synergies between mobile operators and startups in emerging markets yielded four main takeaways:
1. Any collaboration between a mobile operator and a startup needs to be balanced. Both parties need to benefit from the collaboration for it to make sense and be sustainable. Therefore, before going ahead with a partnership, mobile operators and startups need to clearly assess their haves and needs, and then use the framework above to identify specific opportunities for collaboration.
2. Mobile operators have a range of tools to accelerate a startup’s growth. Financial support is only one of these tools. Mobile operators can also support startups with customer acquisition and market insights, brand exposure and trust, advisory and mentoring, and providing access to customer touchpoints, mass communication, and payments channels.
3. Mobile operators are uniquely positioned to create additional value across a range of industries. For example, in education (Safaricom and Eneza in Kenya), transportation (Orange and Mtick in Cote d’Ivoire) or energy (MTN and Nova Lumos in Nigeria). The ability of mobile operators to drive scale across other industries gives them an edge over other potential corporate partners.
4. Startups can help to address some of a mobile operator’s key challenges. In the face of decelerating revenues and increasing competition in the telecommunications sector, startups can provide a way for mobile operators to stay relevant.
Download the full report: Building Synergies: How Mobile Operators and Startups Can Partner for Impact in Emerging Markets
GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator programme
The GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator programme focuses on bridging the gap between mobile operators and startups, enabling strong partnerships that foster the growth of innovative mobile products and services. These partnerships bring impactful mobile solutions to the people and places that need them most, generating the greatest socio-economic impact. In particular, the programme operates an Innovation Fund which supports African and Asian startups with direct funding, technical assistance, and connections with mobile operators.
The programme is supported by the GSMA, its members, and the UK Department for International Development (DFID). For more information: http://www.gsma.com/ecosystemaccelerator or get in touch at accelerator [at] gsma.com


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Pressure mounting for privatization of port of Cape Town
While it is clear that privatization is the only solution to the challenges in the Cape Town port, Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing has welcomed steps taken by the Western Cape government to mitigate risks for the current fruit harvesting season.
“I am positive about the future of our industry. There is a new generation of producers with energy, passion and the mindset to overcome challenges, but the one thing that we cannot fix ourselves is the port,” said Calla du Toit, pome fruit producer from Ceres and procurement manager at Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing.
“I believe the South African food industry is at a point where we can be truly competitive in the global food business, but we are frustrated and we need help to solve the issues in the Cape Town port,” Du Toit said, adding that time is running out, and that industry can’t afford another three to five years before they see results.
Stakeholders from Tru-Cape, Ceres Fruit Growers, Two-a-Day Group, Dutoit Agri and Link Supply Management recently met with Alan Winde, premier of the Western Cape, Mireille Wenger, Western Cape provincial minister of finance and economic opportunities, and other government officials to discuss the road forward for Cape Town’s port, which was recently ranked 344th out of 348 ports in the Container Port Performance Index, published by the World Bank in collaboration with S&P Global.
Inefficiencies in the port
At this meeting, held at the offices of Dutoit Agri in Ceres, Chris Knoetze, managing director from Link Supply Chain Management, pointed out that the inefficiency of the port of Cape Town is costing the economy billions of rands every year.
“There is no investment in infrastructure. There are no rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTG’s), straddle carriers, terminal trucks and chassis on the ground to move the containers and get a flow of the containers into the vessels and get it loaded from the vessels.”
Other problems include the poor maintenance of equipment and the loss of specialized skills in Transnet, impacting on the organizational capability to adjust and make plans when wind cause delays.
According to a benchmarking study recently published by the Port Regulator of South Africa, anchor waiting time (time vessels spend outside the port) increased by 500% between 2016 and 2022. During the same time crane moves (productivity queue side) reduced by 50% and the turnaround time of vessels takes 150% longer.
The consequences of inefficiency is directly impacting on ocean freight rates.
“Research shows global rates reduced world wide by 30% since 2021, but South Africa did not see the same sharp reduction in ocean freight rates. Our competitors benefit from these lower rates, reducing our global competitiveness,” mentioned Knoetze.
Acceleration of pressure for privatization
Min. Wenger said 55% of agriculture exports come from the Western Cape, so being able to get those products to market is an essential part of growing exports. She described several steps her department undertook in the past few months to bring the urgency of the matter under the attention of national government. She recently reported the port of Cape Town to the Port Regulator of South Africa, as she believes the regulator has a role to play in the efficiency of ports.
Glen Steyn, economist tasked with the ease of doing business for the port of Cape Town, called for the acceleration of pressure on private sector participation.
“We developed a framework which was given to the National Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana,” he said, adding that identifying the right partner for the particular situation in Cape Town, is critical.
“Cape Town is a cool port and we need to focus on the cold chain and refrigerated containers. We have to select our private sector partner accordingly.”
Min. Wenger mentioned that her department successfully argued for an agriculture leg of the National Crisis Committee on Logistics. According to Steyn this will be crucial for selecting the right private sector partner.
Steyn also announced that four diesel mechanics and mill wrights were appointed for the season to maintain heavy lifting equipment in the port.
“We also got a commitment for seven new RTG’s and they should be in the terminal during the first week of December.”
Premier Winde commended the agricultural sector for the growth and investment that still takes place, despite massive uncertainty.
“If you unblock the blockage (in the port), it probable means thousands of jobs in the whole value chain, from planting to processing and logistics and transport. We have to get the narrative right.”
For more information, please contact Lucille Botha at email@example.com or visit www.tru-cape.com. Follow Tru-Cape on X (@TruCapeFruit), Facebook (@Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing) and Instagram (@trucapefruit).
After a meeting about the dire situation in the port of Cape Town, industry stakeholders and members of Western Cape government visited Dutoit Agri’s cherry packhouse in Ceres. From left to right: Francois Malan, managing director: Ceres Fruit Growers, Jacques du Preez, general manager: trade & markets at Hortgro, Willem Coetzee, chief executive officer: Dutoit Agri, Alan Winde, Western Cape premier, Roelf Pienaar, managing director: Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, Mireille Wenger, Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Gysbert du Toit, head: marketing at Dutoit Agri, and Attie van Zyl, managing director of Two-A-Day Group. Photo: LUCILLE BOTHA


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With another month of solid sales under its belt, it looks as though Activision is proving that its budding Skylanders franchise has staying power, and that’s hopeful news for videogame developers and retailers alike.
Skylanders has sold just under $200 million at retail in the U.S. since being introduced in October 2011, according to market researcher NPD Group. That figure counts both sales of videogame software and the collectible character packs that interact with the videogame.
“To put that in context, it puts Skylanders in the top 10 properties during that timeframe in terms of revenue generated at retail,” said Anita Frazier, an industry analyst at NPD.
While others have tried to pair videogames with physical toys, few have been successful.
“This property has really caught me by surprise,” said Sean McGowan, an analyst at Neeham & Co., who covers the toy industry. “Not because I thought it wasn’t a good idea or that the game wouldn’t be popular, but almost every other attempt to combine a physical toy with a virtual game had failed, and there had been attempts over many years.”
It also comes at a time when videogame sales have been struggling. Last month, sales of videogame hardware, software and accessories fell 25 percent from a year earlier, according to NPD. That marked the fourth month of decline for the industry.
Although there is no way to predict how successful Sklyanders will be in maintaining its current sales growth, the brand “has already broken the typical decay curve realized with new items launched at retail,” Frazier said.
“With careful management of the brand, there is no reason to believe that it can’t be an entertainment property with true staying power,” she said.
Activision appears to be nurturing the franchise by keeping it fresh and interesting. Skylanders recently made its debut on Apple’s iOS mobile platform, and CNET said the new game has rocketed to the top of the most popular paid apps list on iTunes. The 99-cent app is called "Skylanders Cloud Patrol" and is an arcade shooter-style game for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
The company also releases new character packs throughout the year, including ones that are exclusive to retailer partners such as Toys ‘R Us.
Then, in the fall, Activision will release a new videogame, “Skylander: Giants.” Like its debut game, “Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure,” the next version will interact with the collectible toy figures though a game portal. Figures from the earlier game will work with the new title. Like “Spyro’s Adventure,” “Giants” also will be compatible across video console platforms.
Toys ‘R Us has been a big supporter of the brand, with its CEO Jerry Storch speaking at the launch events for both editions of the game. At the end of last year, Toy ‘R Us identified toys that combine videogame play with physical toys as an emerging trend. At the moment, none of the products in this category work quite like Skylanders. However, there is a raft of toys that combine apps for smartphones and tablets with physical toys.
Accessories clearly will continue to be an important part of the videogame business. In the latest month, NPD said accessory sales were higher as measured by units sold but down in dollars because of the decline in the average retail selling price. But Frazier notes that among the top ten accessory SKUs for the month, only three were “traditional” accessories, while the remainder were either point or subscription cards, or Skylanders character packs.
Frazier expects other games will be introduced to the market with a similar concept.
“Since new physical retail sales have been on the decline, I think innovation and creativity and thinking outside the typical software ‘box’ will be more and more evident,” she said.
McGowan said Skylanders’ success is a “very important development” for several reasons.
“First, it shows, once again, that ‘you never can tell.’ Second, it shows the marriage between physical and virtual can work. Third, it gives retailers something real to sell,” he said. “The biggest threat to retailers is that consumers will get all their gaming fun without ever having to go into a store.”


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Cayman Chemical, a biochemical products manufacturing and research company based in Ann Arbor, today laid off 15 percent of its 184-person workforce, company officials announced.
The firm said in a news release that it was temporarily laying off 28 workers due to unexpected shortfalls in revenue attributed to the loss of a few key products. Cayman still expects revenue growth in coming months and years. But the layoffs bring the company's personnel count to 156, 35 percent below its total of 240 two years ago.Cayman CEO Kirk Maxey could not be reached for comment this afternoon.
"The difficult decision to lay off valued Cayman employees was made after an exhaustive review of our entire organization, and with the greatest reluctance," Maxey said in a news release. "With Cayman's revenue stagnant in the near-term, these actions were necessary to responsibly stabilize our finances and allow Cayman to remain financially strong and able to continue serving its 1,500 customers in a manner to which they have become accustom."
Cayman Chemical in 2007 acquired a 10-year, $3.1 million state tax credit to invest about $9.7 million in a multi-phase, 40,000-square-foot expansion. The company said it would hire 208 workers in connection with the expansion.
"This is unfortunate news, but not an anomaly given the state of the national economy. We hope the market will soon improve, making these layoffs temporary," Michigan Economic Development Corp. spokeswoman Bridget Beckman said in an e-mailed statement.
Elizabeth Parkinson, director of marketing and public relations for regional economic development organization Ann Arbor SPARK, said Cayman's layoffs served as a reminder that the economic crisis is far reaching.
"Cayman's been a real strong presence in the community, and we're very optimistic that they'll continue to be so," Parkinson said. "It's one of the sign of the times that no one's immune to a tightening financial market as well as performance issues."
Contact Michigan Business Review's Nathan Bomey at (734) 302-1725 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Covering a planned area of 50 square kilometers, the Baoying Economic Development Zone (江苏宝应经济开发区) was among the first batch of Jiangsu's provincial-level development zones.
It has formed an industrial cluster with the intelligent electric transmission and transformation devices and photovoltaic manufacturing industry as the lead sector, and the intelligent manufacturing and auto parts industry as a supplement.
A total of 675 projects have entered the zone, with gross investment of more than 70 billion yuan ($10.6 billion). The general output of Baosheng Group exceeded 20 billion yuan and its branch company, Baosheng Science and Technology Innovation Co, was listed and increased issues in stocks.
The zone has two provincial-level and four municipal-level academician workstations, one national and four provincial post-doctoral workstations, 36 provincial-level research and development (R&D) centers, and one industrial design center. Five enterprises among the Fortune Top 500 and 54 high-end new technological enterprises have settled in the zone.
With the approval of the Jiangsu Provincial Government, Yangzhou and Shanghai joined hands in 2016 to build the Shanghai Xinzhuang Industrial Zone Baoying Industrial Park.


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Supermarkets failed to beat last year’s bumper summer, according to new figures which show that grocery sales were flat during the last three months.
Asda notched up sales growth in the second quarter, despite a challenging retail market and tough competition from last year’s bumper summer.
Sales of plastic carrier bags in England’s largest supermarkets have fallen by 90% since a 5p charge was introduced in 2015, according to Government figures.
Supermarket giant Asda has vowed to ditch plastic carrier bags for online shopping.
Asda is teaming up with Just Eat to offer customers the chance to order groceries to their door in just 30 minutes, the supermarket said.
Bosses of the UK’s three biggest supermarkets have warned the next prime minister that setting up a potential no-deal Brexit for the end of October could hit shoppers’ Christmas celebrations.
Junk food ads from Asda, Kellogg’s, Marks & Spencer and McDonald’s have been banned after they were discovered on children’s websites and YouTube channels.
Supermarkets are cutting fuel prices amid a fall in wholesale costs.
Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe received a 40% boost to his annual bonus this year despite presiding over the supermarket’s failed merger with Asda.
Asda has praised staff who rushed to the aid of a customer who had reportedly gone into cardiac arrest.
Disturbing footage shows chickens on farms which supply Nando’s, Asda and Lidl being kicked and killed in squalid conditions.
All Asda workers in Dundee could be forced to take on a contract without bank holidays – or lose their jobs.
The reason for this letter is the amount of problems the people in Kirkton have to contend with regarding the number of Asda trolleys that are scattered around, more so in the Gillburn Road area.
A serial thief who flouted a driving ban for the fifth time has been locked up.
An application by Asda to build a new petrol station at its Milton of Craigie store has been approved by Dundee City Council.
A “store wars” spat has blown up again in Arbroath after the Co-op joined Asda in objecting to an £11 million proposal.
Dundee charities have been given amazing donations thanks to a supermarket in the city.
A smoothie thief who admitted his sixth shoplifting offence has been placed under supervision.
Downfield Primary has received a generous donation which will help to improve the growing outdoor spaces at the school.
A toddler was taken to hospital last night after she was injured in a hit-and-run near Asda in Milton of Craigie.


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In light of Xiaomi’s confirmation of a Redmi flagship smartphone with a Snapdragon 855 among other high-end specs, it looks like Realme is also gearing up to launch something to compete against Xiaomi’s offering — expected to be the Redmi 2 Pro in China, and the Poco F2 in India and global markets.
The leak comes from a listing spotted on TENAA, and while it doesn’t give away a lot about the phone, it’s expected that the upcoming Realme flagship will pack in the Snapdragon 855 SoC, which automatically puts it right next to whatever it is that Xiaomi will launch. Along with that, the Realme phone is also reportedly going to pack in a 48MP rear camera (with probably the Sony IMX586 sensor instead of the Samsung ISOCELL sensor) which should result in more detailed photos from the phone.
The TENAA listing does reveal that the phone will come with a 6.5-inch display, even though we’re not sure if it’ll be an LCD or AMOLED panel; and also that the phone will come with a 3,680 mAh battery.
According to leaked images of the phone, there’s no notch anywhere in sight, which hints at a pop-up selfie camera on the upcoming Realme flagship, similar to what Xiaomi has today confirmed in a teaser for the Redmi flagship. There’s also no fingerprint scanner to be seen in the photos either, which hints at an in-display fingerprint scanner on the phone.
Other than that, the Realme phone is expected to launch in China for 2,999 Yuan (approximately Rs. 31,000). At that price, the Realme phone will definitely compete against the upcoming OnePlus flagships, but also against the Redmi 2 Pro (or the Poco F2, when it launches in India). There’s currently no word on launch dates, but the device appearing on TENAA does hint that a China launch might be imminent.


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The final three months of last year were hugely successful for Samsung Electronics, which says it expects to see a big jump in profits over the period.
The success is largely down to record smartphone sales, after the South Korean firm overtook Apple as the world's largest smartphone manufacturer in the second half of 2011.
Samsung analysts said they expect profits for the fourth quarter to be 73% higher than a year earlier, at £2.9 billion. This year will be another year of growth, they say. The official results for the fourth quarter of 2011 will be published later this month.
Lee Seung-woo at Shinyoung Securities said, "Samsung is likely to continue record-breaking earnings this year as earnings from flat screens and memory chips will improve, making up for any potential slowdown in handset growth rates."
Samsung have also been locked in a number of patent battles with competitor Apple in recent months.
Copyright Press Association 2012


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EICMA 2014 – The new Matchless Model X
The “Matchless Model X” was born in London in 1929. A desirable object for many, and the proof of Britain’s artistic vein for handmade products. Almost a century later, in 2012, the Malenotti, an Italian family of entrepreneurs, bought the Matchless brand. Today, only two years later, they present the “Model X Reloaded” at EICMA 2014. The motorcycle combines old charm with modern technology, and has as many as 12 new patents.


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On Monday we revealed our Q1 2015 results and announced that Capgemini Group generated consolidated revenues of €2,764 million in the first quarter of 2015, up 10.5% at current Group structure and exchange rates compared to the first quarter of 2014. At constant Group structure and exchange rates, the growth of revenues is up 1.5%.
Paul Hermelin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Capgemini Group, commented: “In a slightly improved economic environment in Europe and despite the anticipated revenue decline generated by a major contract of the Group, Capgemini achieved a solid performance in the first quarter 2015. Capgemini has taken advantage of its excellent performance in North America, where its revenue grew 11.7% on a like-for-like basis and 33.8% at current Group structure and exchange rates.”
You can read more about it in our press release here.
We also announced our intention to purchase IGATE, a prominent US-listed technology and services company headquartered in New York, with customers across Europe and Asia-Pacific. This deal will strengthen our key businesses in application and infrastructure services as well as BPO and engineering services. Moreover, the transaction enriches our portfolio with new flagship clients such as General Electric and Royal Bank of Canada.
Read our press release for more details and comments from Capgemini’s and IGATE’s executives.
Media reaction so far
CITY A.M. – CapGemini to buy US services outfit for $4bn
“IGate, a technology and services company with strength in the financial services sector but also active in retail, manufacturing and healthcare, had 2014 revenue of $1.3bn, with double-digit growth and a 19 per cent operating margin.”
CBR – Capgemini opens the (I)GATE to North America market
“The deal, which has already been approved by the written consent of shareholders, will see Capgemini significantly expand its presence in the North America market.”
TechWeekEurope – Capgemini Buys IGATE For £2.6 Billion
“The move sees Capgemini ramp up its efforts against IBM and Accenture in the region, with an estimated 50,000 employees set to be working with Capgemini’s North American clients.”


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Dewey’s Bakery is steadily rising in the ranks of the specialty sector. Most recently, the company made a landmark move to acquire one of its French minority owners, gaining a new CEO, product brand, and more.
"Our expected growth will create new opportunities for our team members and new jobs in the community," current CEO Scott Livengood said. "It has also been gratifying to see (the) brand grow nationwide."
According to Winston-Salem Journal, Livengood stated that the investor is Eurazeo, which had a $25 million stake in the company. The investor is a massive industry force, playing a significant role in Dewey’s growth up until this point. The companies have not disclosed specific details of the transaction.
Mike Senackerib, Co-Founder of Farm and Oven Snacks, will be Dewey’s new CEO following the acquisition. The other Co-Founder of Farm and Oven Snacks, Kay Allison, will be the new CMO. The company’s headquarters will remain in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with plans for roughly 50 more employees in the pipeline.
"With the added help of Eurazeo’s deep resources and know-how, and (Senackerib's) and (Allison's) proven leadership, we aim to become a leader in our category in the years ahead,” Livengood continued. “They will add incredible value and significantly elevate the trajectory of Dewey’s possibilities."
Senackerib noted that he participated in the sale because "Scott and his team have created an exceptional product offering that we believe will garner continued success in the market as customers and consumers increasingly seek out authentic brands with high-quality ingredients and delicious flavors."
How will Dewey’s leverage this strategic acquisition? Stay tuned as we at Deli Market News investigate.


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Huawei is back to launching smartphones for consumers this week. The brand has announced the P Smart 2021 Android smartphone for the European markets. Unlike its flagship models, the P Smart series packs mid-range features, keeping its price below the $250 Rs 18,214 approx) mark. Also Read - Huawei files patent for another phone with under-display camera
The phone sports a 6.67-inch display with Full HD+ resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. The P Smart 2021 is the successor to the P Smart 2020 which launched earlier this year. It comes powered by the octa-core Kirin 710A processor with 4GB of RAM and internal storage of 128GB that is further expandable. Like most of the recent Huawei phones, the P Smart 2021 runs on Android version built over EMUI. And instead of Google apps services, you get Huawei’s App Gallery to download third-party apps. Also Read - Huawei MatePad 5G Launched in China
Watch: Realme Narzo 20 Pro Camera Review
The P 2021 features a quad rear camera setup. This includes a 48-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. The phone packs a 5,000mAh battery that supports 22.5W fast charging via USB Type C port. Other features include a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, dual-SIM support, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and more. Also Read - Huawei Mate 40 launch delayed to 2021, suggests leakster
Huawei Mate 40 Pro live images leaked
Some live images of the upcoming Huawei Mate 40 Pro have leaked online. The leaked image shows that the alleged Huawei Mate 40 Pro phone features a dual punch-hole cutout design at the top. This hole is elongated and serves to house the front camera sensors in the upper left corner. Along with the slim bezels, the phone also appears to have a curved display on its sides.
The upcoming flagship phone features a red-highlighted power button, as well as volume control keys housed on the right side of the device. This is in line with previous leaks related to the smartphone’s design. The device has a protective sleeve on top to avoid completely revealing its design in the leaked images.
- 18Sep 2020
- Huawei MatePad 5G Launched in China...


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Staying at the airport can lead to identity theft. This is the conclusion reached by experts investigating various cybercrimes. As it turned out, an ordinary USB port for charging a gadget can pose a significant threat.
Cybercrime experts warn tourists who charge their smartphones at public charging points should remain vigilant throughout their stay at the airport. The fact is that under such circumstances, the possible loss of data cannot be ruled out. Frequently, free USB ports are used for so-called “targeting” and verification of personal information.
Experts warn that the transport industry is emerging as the second most attacked sector. Back in 2017, she only ranked tenth. Today, hackers can install hidden malware in charging ports that quickly downloads to a smartphone. This often leads to the theft of important information.
“They are not controlled, they can be easily spoofed,” – emphasizes the Cybercrime Caleb Barlow specialist, whose words lead The Sun.
It is important to note that cables left in USB ports by other travelers are especially dangerous. They can carry malware that provides access to the connected smartphone. In this regard, experts strongly recommend using your own charger through an outlet.


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Gaming Laboratories International successfully audited three Vivo Gaming studios. It can now distribute certified products to Isle of Man Gambling Supervisory Commission licensees.
The live casino software provider will go live with its first Isle of Man-based operator, Ableton Prestige Global. It was all due to audit and subsequent strengthening of its regulated market footprint.
GLI, which provides suppliers, operators, and regulators with auditing services to meet regulatory standards with high confidence, audited Vivo Gaming’s studios across LatAm (Colombia), Europe (Bulgaria), and Asia (Cambodia).
Vivo Gaming’s head of account management, Nadine Thys, said, “We are glad to have successfully completed the audit process of three of our studios with flying colors.”
She further said, “This enables us to launch the Isle of Man’s first regulated live casino. It is a significant milestone for us as a company.”
“The Isle of Man is thriving as a jurisdiction. Hence I am confident that our package of globally focused content will appeal to customers.”
“GLI recognizes this marks an exciting time for Vivo Gaming and their live dealer enterprises,” said James Illingworth, vice president of EMEA sales at GLI.
“We hope that this will be the first step toward growth for Vivo Gaming and the Isle of Man’s jurisdiction. I also hope GLI will have the opportunity to assist both.”
In total, the provider has more than 60 live dealer tables in operation across three continents. It serves 150 customers and streams in Asian, Latin American, and European styles 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Baccarat, blackjack, roulette, poker, and Dragon Tiger are among the games available. They are also available in over 27 languages and 178 currencies, including multiple cryptocurrencies.
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TSG Consumer Partners has promoted Alex Gilmore and Kelly Pease to vice president. Gilmore joined TSG in 2020 while Pease came on board in 2018.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – August 30th, 2021 – TSG Consumer Partners (“TSG”), a leading private equity firm, today announced that it has promoted Alex Gilmore and Kelly Pease to Vice President. Mr. Gilmore and Ms. Pease are based in London and New York, respectively.
“Alex and Kelly have made significant contributions evaluating new investment opportunities and working with our partner companies to create value,” said Jamie O’Hara, President of TSG Consumer Partners. “They have proven to be valuable members of the TSG team, and we are proud to recognize them with these well-deserved promotions. We look forward to their continued success and growth in their new roles.”
Since joining TSG in 2020, Mr. Gilmore has worked with partner companies including BrewDog, Canyon Bicycles, Revolut, and REVOLUTION Beauty, and has been involved in the due diligence of new investment opportunities. Before joining TSG, Mr. Gilmore worked at Active Partners, where he invested in early stage growth companies across the consumer sector. Prior to Active Partners, he worked at Boston Consulting Group advising clients in the airline, hotel, and insurance industries. Mr. Gilmore received a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from The University of Oxford.
Since joining TSG in 2018, Ms. Pease has worked with partner companies including PowerStop, HUDA Beauty, Joe Hudson’s Collision Center and Mavis Tire Express Services, and has been involved in the due diligence of new investment opportunities. Prior to joining TSG, Ms. Pease was an investment banker at Jefferies, where she advised clients on mergers and acquisitions. Ms. Pease received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce with concentrations in Finance and Marketing from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.
About TSG Consumer Partners
TSG Consumer Partners, LP is a leading private equity firm that partners with founders and management teams to build and accelerate growth for best-in-class consumer-facing businesses. Since its founding in 1987, TSG has been an active investor in the food, beverage, restaurant, fitness, beauty, personal care, household, apparel & accessories, and e-commerce sectors. Representative past and present partner companies include Backcountry, Canyon Bicycles, Duckhorn, Dutch Bros, e.l.f. Cosmetics, IT Cosmetics, Mavis Tires, Planet Fitness, popchips, REVOLVE, Smashbox, Stumptown, and vitaminwater. For more information, including a complete list of current partner companies, visit tsgconsumer.com.


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When it comes to milk, don’t count cows out just yet.
Yes, real milk consumption continues to decline each year—particularly low- and no-fat varieties, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to data from shopper marketing and insights platform AdAdapted, the rate at which consumers added traditional milk to their shopping lists has decreased 19% month over month so far in 2021.
Still, there are some bright spots—distant though they may be.
“There is still noticeable and growing demand for cow’s milk and dairy products with premium distinctions like local, grass-fed, hormone-free and organic,” research provider The Hartman Group noted in a report this month.
Meanwhile, the main disrupters of cow’s milk—including almond, soy and oat—reached 40% household penetration in 2020, according to IRI.
Putting that in perspective, the Silk plant-based brand emerged in 1977 (think President Jimmy Carter and “Saturday Night Fever”).
What’s taken so long for consumers to embrace milk substitutes?
As with meat alternatives, taste remains a major hurdle to consumer trial and adoption.
The same is true regarding the consumption of cow’s milk.
“Higher butterfat and better farming practices are difficult ideas to market, but they make a big difference in how milk tastes,” Dan Horan, CEO of New-York-based Five Acre Farms, told The Hartman Group.
“Taste and quality are scalable throughout the country. It’s the single greatest opportunity to stop the decline of the American family dairy farm.”
While soy is credited with spurring the milk-alternative category, it’s being wildly outgrown by the oat.
“Oat has become the new darling for plant-based milk substitutes,” Innova Market Insights said in a report this month. The Innova Database, which tracks new product launches, found that oat was the #1 base ingredient for milk-substitute products from January 2020 through March of this year.
In the 52 weeks ended May 29, there was a 33.8% increase in oat-milk-buying households, according to NielsenIQ.
This helps to explain why Danone North America’s Silk brand—which pioneered soy milk when Silk was owned by WhiteWave Inc.—is revving up its oat platform.
Launched in January of 2019, Silk’s Oat Yeah beverage was phased out a few months ago. In its place comes Silk Oatmilk.
“We feel that one of the reasons consumers are gravitating toward oat milk is it does have that creamy taste and texture that consumers are looking for,” says Silk vice president Derek Neeley.
In that regard, Oat Yeah didn’t quite make the grade. “It’s not just a packaging and marketing change,” Neeley says of Silk Oatmilk versus Oat Yeah. “It’s a ground-up reformulation.”
A new marketing campaign for Silk Oatmilk derives from tests in March of Silk Oatmilk and four other oat milk brands with 415 people in eight cities across four major U.S. regions.
According to Neeley, the taste tests were conducted based on standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials.
“In every single city and region, we came out on top,” he says. “This was a huge win for us.”
Hence the “Greatest Of All Time”—GOAT for short—campaign theme.
Silk is partnering with what it calls “fellow GOATS” on Facebook and Instagram to promote Silk Oatmilk as the greatest oat milk ever.
There's British chef Gordon Ramsay—considered the GOAT for yelling in kitchens—90’s fashion GOAT Alicia Silverstone, and cheerleading GOAT Gabi Butler.
Not mentioned here is that of all the plant-based milk alternatives, oat-based products are easily the most environmentally sustainable. Also not mentioned here is the growth of organic oat-based milk as glyphosate is used as a drying agent on much of the conventional oat crop in the U.S. It's taken a long time, but consumers are finally starting to make these connections. Thankfully.


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Black women are launching businesses faster than any other group, yet receive the least amount of venture capital support. Mastercard recognizes this and wants to change it.
Upon the 1-year-anniversary of Strivers Initiative, Mastercard is expanding partnership with Black-owned venture capital fund Fearless Fund in its joint mission to fund and support Black women-owned businesses.
In an effort to offer ongoing support, they are also launching Priceless mentorship program, an updated suite of tools aimed at digitally fortifying their operations and a new digital marketplace where consumers can shop, share and support their businesses across the U.S.
“As Black women business owners look towards the recovery of the pandemic, Mastercard’s commitment to empowering this community of Strivers for long-term growth remains stronger than ever,” said Rustom Dastoor, EVP of North America Marketing and Communications at Mastercard in a news release. “Together with our partners, with tools and resources, data, mentorship, partnerships and brand power, the impact we’re able to make on individuals and in turn society at large, is truly Priceless.”
According to the company, Fearless Fund will be offering Black women small business owners $10,000 grants, digital tools and mentorship for the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest. One national winner will be announced every month through 2022. Additionally, city-specific grant opportunities for Black women small business owners will be launching shortly in Mastercard’s In Solidarity cities.
“We are thrilled to continue Fearless Fund’s partnership with Mastercard and host the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest for a second year,” said Arian Simone, Co-Founder and General Partner of Fearless Fund. “Women of color-led businesses continue to be one of the fastest-growing economic forces, and Mastercard’s commitment to help us create a more equitable playing field for these women is exactly the kind of support needed to ensure their success.”


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Edge is reporting that Microsoft's to announce the formal name of Project Natal at E3.
It was bound to happen, you know. Just when we've all gotten used to it.
According to a source close to the site, Microsoft will reveal the proper name during its pre-E3 event dubbed " The Natal Experience", and that the price for the peripheral will hit around the $149/£103/€121 mark.
The source also claims that a bundle with an Arcade 360 will be introduced for around $299/£207/€243, and both offerings will drop on October 26 following a media and advertising blitz.
"Microsoft expects to sell millions and millions of Natal units in its first year on the market so you can expect the software launch line-up to target non-traditional gamers," said the source.
"A major marketing campaign will also play a key role in attracting and educating the expanded audience about Xbox 360’s controller-free revolution."
The source also advised that the launch date could "shift by a few weeks", but it's still in line with the October time frame MS Saudi exec Syed Bilal Tariq confirmed earlier in the month.
Microsoft has said that it's hopeful that "Natal" will be available for the public to try out at TGS later in the year.
We'll mail MS about all this to be sure.


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However, not every short seller is so susceptible to infection, including Michael burry, the prototype of big short.
On Wednesday, burry tweeted his pessimistic outlook for Tesla and suggested that musk could use the current high share price to raise more cash.
So, @ elonmusk, yes, Im shorting tsla, but Im giving good people some free advice Seriously, its not dilution to issue 25% to 50% more shares at the current ridiculous price. Burry tweeted.
(by doing so) you can consolidate the current performance and the indescribable risk of options. If you have a buyer, sell this Tesla souffle. He continued.
The Tesla Souffle label seems to refer to a letter musk sent to Tesla employees on Tuesday, warning that if profit margins do not rise, Teslas shares could be smashed like Souffle under a sledgehammer..
Tesla shares fell 7.4% in early trading on Wednesday, then narrowed their losses to 2.73% in the end.
MichaelBurry is the protagonist of the movie big short. Its Scion Fund (ScionAssetManagement), which earned 750 million dollars for investors in the real estate bubble of 600 million dollars in 2007, became known as the legendary Wall Street legend in the first World War.
Burry tweeted a spreadsheet on Wednesday detailing Teslas financial performance relative to established automakers. The company claims to have the highest market value in the industry, but its total profits and revenues are far lower than those of Toyota, Volkswagen and other big car companies.
Subsequently, copal capital, an asset manager, forwarded burrys tweet and said, we are also shorting Tesla. For now, weve even allowed this short position to exceed our usual position.


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BERLIN, Nov 29 (Reuters) - German retail sales fell unexpectedly in October, the second straight monthly drop in the volatile indicator, with bookstores and jewellers seeing the sharpest declines, the Statistics Office said on Friday.
Retail sales fell a real 0.8 percent from September, the month Germany held an unsettling election, won by Chancellor Angela Merkel but without her own majority. Talks with the centre left finally produced a deal on a coalition this week.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected retail sales to increase 0.5 percent in the month. Compared with a year earlier, retail sales declined a real 0.2 percent. Economists had forecast they would rise by 1.3 percent.
Berenberg economist Christian Schulz said post-election uncertainty over issues such as taxation “may have played a role in spending behaviour in October”, though he noted that the data are volatile and often subject to later revisions.
“At this early stage of Q4 data, the series suggests some caution for the growth outlook,” said Schulz in a research note. “But we still expect a strong Christmas shopping season.”
In September, retail sales fell a revised real 0.2 percent for the month but rose a real 0.3 percent from the same month a year earlier. (Reporting by Stephen Brown; Editing by Larry King)


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(NECN: Julie Loncich, Salem, NH) - It's been a long day for the men and women behind the plows in Salem, NH.
It's winter's last hurrah - albeit, first hurrah in many parts of New England - and it's not exactly welcome, even to the guys who stand to benefit.
We haven't seen this in a while - salting and sanding, slushy and slippery roadways.
Frank Smith, a Salem, NH resident, found himself behind the wheel Thursday, not to earn some extra money, but to make sure the driveway of his auto body shop was clear so he didn't lose any money.
"Hate it," he said about the snow. "Just cramps the style of the business, slows everything down. Doesn't seem like anybody is in a good mood."
The buzz of snow blowers and laughter of children building forts - enough to leave many shaking their heads after a nearly snowless season. Yes, the signs of spring were starting to bloom - and many of us hope this stuff melts soon.
"I'm ready for spring. As mild as it has been, I'm still looking forward - we actually had flowers coming up already. So it's, it's on the way," said Jim Rhodes, a Salem, NH resident.


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Latest BioCurex Inc. Stories
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Oct. 3, 2008) - BioCurex Inc. (OTCBB:BOCX) today announced results showing that its RECAF test can detect cancer with high sensitivity and specificity using a small sample of saliva.
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 17, 2008) - BioCurex Inc. (OTCBB:BOCX) today announced that the Australian Patent Office has issued a notice of acceptance for a divisional application of our original patent filing.
BioCurex Inc. (OTCBB: BOCX) today announced that the Congress Scientific Committee has accepted its presentation to the ISOBM annual meeting.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - July 24, 2008) - BioCurex (OTCBB:BOCX) is pleased to announce it has retained the services of AGORACOM Investor Relations ("AGORACOM") (http:// www.agoracom.com) to provide online investor relations services, a Web 2.0 social network for current shareholders and Tier-1 awareness through the world's biggest websites for the purpose of attracting new shareholders.
RICHMOND, British Columbia, July 3, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- BioCurex Inc. (OTCBB:BOCX) is aware of the recent trading activity in the company's stock and notes that there has been no material change in the business of the Company to support this activity.
RICHMOND, British Columbia, Nov. 30, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- BioCurex Inc. (Pink Sheets:BOCX) BioCurex Inc. is pleased to report its findings on RECAF(tm) serum testing of Prostate cancer specimens.
- totally perplexed and mixed up.


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More of us Visit Turkey
It may not come as much of a surprise to you to know that more of us are visiting Turkey. As one of the “best value” destinations for us this year, it has drawn visitors away from usual places such as Spain and other countries inside the euro zone. 11% more of us visited it that we did in 2008 and with Istanbul being 2010 European Capital of Culture next year, the numbers will probably continue to rise.
Over 18.6 million visitors went in the first 8 months of the year which covers the main holiday period. The favourite Brit sun destinations of Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye attracted more of us than before whilst Istanbul attracted nearly a quarter more visitors from the UK than the previous year.
What attracted us to Turkey for holidays was really what attracted us to Spain in times gone by. That was a good currency rate, a range of accommodation, almost guaranteed sunshine (in the resorts at least) and the hospitality. There is one other thing. Flexibility. So that British tour operators could offer good deals to us, the Turks gave good deals unlike some destinations this year. And if that continues, Turkey will see more of us in the future in ever increasing numbers


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A Los Angeles trader on LocalBitcoins who goes by the name “Bitcoin Maven” is facing up to 30 months in prison for running an illegal money transmitting business. NBC Los Angeles claims fifty-year-old Theresa Tetley made at least $300,000 a year trading on the platform, with a transaction volume of $6 million to $9.5 Million between
The post LA Trader ‘Bitcoin Maven’ Faces Jail Time for LocalBitcoins Activity appeared first on CCN
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