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- According to Phil Spencer, the real strategy behind the Activision Blizzard King acquisition is to make Xbox relevant on mobile.
- The Xbox head said that the company wants to reach players everywhere and mobile is the biggest gaming platform.
- But, their studios don’t have any expertise in this department, but ABK is the largest mobile publisher outside China.
- Hence, the logic behind the deal stems from Microsoft’s aim to gain more players and capability on mobile according to Spencer.
While talking to Xbox On, Phil Spencer said the strategic angle behind the Microsoft-Activision merger is to gain relevancy on mobile devices. According to the Xbox head, it is the biggest gaming platform in the world and the company wants to gain users on it. But, the Xbox-affiliated studios have no expertise in this, making the platform foreign to them.
For us the logic really started from how do we gain more capability on mobile, both creatively as well as having users. But also obviously, the stuff we can do with Game Pass will be great for the people on Xbox. But, the real strategic angle behind this was we need to get relevant on mobile. And, it turns out that Activision Blizzard King is the largest mobile publisher outside of China,” says Phil.
Hence, the main logic behind the deal stems from Xbox and Microsoft’s aim to reach players everywhere. Feel free to start watching the following from the 12:56 mark for relevancy.
Call of Duty is considered the main reason for Microsoft‘s purchase of Activision last year. It is also one of the causes of Sony opposing the acquisition, as the company considers the FPS irreplaceable. The Japanese industry giant has also said the franchise will give Xbox an unfair advantage.
Microsoft has had to agree to deals with Nintendo and Nvidia to prove it won’t withhold the franchise. The American tech giant also offered a similar deal to Sony, but the latter hasn’t accepted it yet. Even the UK CMA’s formal opposition to the deal suggested that it could happen if Microsoft sold Call of Duty.
But, as it turns out, the Activision FPS series is not just the main reason Microsoft is interested in Activision Blizzard King. Spencer said that at Xbox, they want to make a gaming platform where creators can build games users anywhere can play.
It doesn’t matter if the player is using a console, PC, Smart TV, or smartphone. While he was going through this logic, he realized Xbox doesn’t really have the capability to deal with mobile.
Xbox has never done work for mobile games. The company also doesn’t have many players on the mobile platform, making it quite foreign to Xbox.
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The Chinese market is always ripe with cryptocurrency news every passing day. Less than a year ago the country’s authorities put a ban on all cryptocurrency trading activities and Initial Coin Offerings in the country. This, like all other cryptocurrency restrictions in other countries, led to a serious plummet of cryptocurrency transactions within the Chinese ecosystem and greatly affecting the prices of cryptocurrencies globally. Bitcoin was affected the as the number of people in China who own and/or are interested in and trade in the crypto have always been enormous since the digital token’s start in 2008. This hostility to cryptocurrency subsequently led to the banishment of Binance from China, a move which ended up in the exchanger’s favour – much more than expected.
Like that wasn’t enough a new set of draft rules released this month indicate that blockchains are also going to be regulated to the point of there being no anonymity on the network. The ban also led many to believe that all sorts of cryptocurrency related activities were banned in the country, even to the point of owning digital assets like cryptocurrencies.
Contrary to previous notions held by many, a court in Shenzen has ruled that Bitcoin transactions can go on – seemingly – which means that we can expect to see Bitcoin transactions take an upward graph plotting and a reflection in prices in the coming weeks.
CnLedger mentioned that there were ongoing court proceedings regarding the fate of Bitcoin in the Chinese market earlier this year at the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration. CnLedger now via a Twitter post claims that the court has ruled in favour of Bitcoin in that Chinese law itself actually allows bitcoin transactions in that they (cryptocurrencies) are intrinsically “property” and have “economic value”.
One major concern of many is that since Shenzhen is an economically geared court its ruling may have been in favour of the financial asset. However, the court also made it clear that the cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) isn’t a legal currency like fiats either. It mentions that Bitcoin “can bring economic benefits to parties” and shouldn’t be thrown aside without appropriately considering the benefits it could be to the financial sector.
What is most important to note here is that Shenzhen’s ruling is just a tiny light in the dark for cryptocurrency transactions in the Asian country. Beijing has in recent months gone hard on cryptocurrency exchangers and it doesn’t look like this ruling by Shenzhen alone will revert their stand. Nonetheless, this could be a step to re-establishing a booming cryptocurrency market in China.
Featured Image of gavel via Bloomberg
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- Shenzhen Court Rules For Bitcoin Transactions In China - Oct 26, 2018

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Saturdays are always big at #C2E2 and 2013 is no exception. Check out some of the ridiculousness and awesomeness from the show floor, including PoP! Double Dare and a slew of panels hosted by the PoP! stars.
Whether you went to #C2E2 or not, you’ll want to check out these pics of the best cosplayers (including the costume contest!), booths, guests and more from the show floor on Friday! The crowds were manageable, but everyone there pulled out all the stops.
C2E2 is less than a month away, so reserve your ‘PoP! World Tour 2013′ shirts featuring PoP! Fangirl art by Kristin ‘Foxy’ Allen and PoP! Fanboy art by Adam Hicks today! All profits from the sale of the shirts go straight to the artists! 4 Days Only!
Check it out, PoP!ulation! The great people at ReedPOP have decided to keep The 11th Hour around for yet another C2E2 commercial! Have you bought your tickets for the best fan-convention Chicago has to offer? Go to C2E2.com for more info!
Based on the third season of the animated series Transformers Prime, Transformers Prime Beast Hunters finds the Autobots facing off against both the Decepticons and an unprecedented new foe: the dragon-like Predacons, lead by the spectacular Predaking character! Hasbro’s 2013 Transformers Prime product line will be based on the new Beast Hunters story and will feature many of the new Predacon [...]
Inspired by Nickelodeon’s new hit show, the CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Playmates Toys unveiled the next generation of action figures, vehicles, and playsets that will keep Turtle fans reaching for their wallets.
Rolling out with prints of The Hobbit this weekend comes the second trailer from Zack Snyder’s forthcoming Superman reboot, Man of Steel. Will we see Kal-El doing less fishing than he was in the previous teaser trailer released this past summer? Well…see for yourself.
Check out our first PoP! t-shirt design for Teespring.com! Pledge to buy your “Mean and Green” PoP!ulation T-Shirt today for only $15.99 +shipping! 7 Days Only! Help us reach our goal of 25 shirts sold!
Experience Young Justice like never before in the action packed, RGP styled game based on the Cartoon Network series! Assemble your team, level up and take on cunning villains in Young Justice Legacy! Check out the new teaser!
In a surprise to many the nerd world exploded with news that George Lucas has sold Lucasfilm Ltd. to The Walt Disney Corporation. No plans yet of Jar Jar Binks/Goofy crossover but they did announce Star Wars: Episode 7 (photo courtesy of ToonBarn.com)
Marvel continues to dominate to comics-to-screen market, and there’s no signs of slowing down. Check out the first trailer for next year’s ‘Iron Man 3′, starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, and Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin!
Before ReedPOP takes Manhattan, prepare to have your face melted by the New York Comic Con 2012 Television spot, produced by PoP!’s own Tag Team Champions, The 11th Hour, featuring music by Jared Whittaker (jfx316) with a Voice Over by Mat Weller!
The annual book trade fair known as Book Expo America (BEA) was held this past week in New York City. For those who’ve never attended think comic con but for book readers. There were big booths and signings going on as well as lots of swag.
At the 3rd annual C2E2, PoP!-Star (and Minimate enthusiast) Jason Kerouac caught up with Diamond Select Toys’ Marketing Supervisor, Toyfare alum, and poster child for muttonchop awareness, Zach Oat. Check out the new swag coming from Diamond Select!
This year’s C2E2 had a very special guest in the form of one Shia LaBeouf (yes, the same Shia LaBeouf), who forewent the traditional signings and panels, instead opting to camp out in the heart of C2E2, Artist Alley, to generate buzz for his self-published work with ‘The Campaign Book’.
****SPOILERS BELOW**** The story began all the way back in Avengers: Disassembled, and now – nearly 10 years later – it’s finally playing out. At first, it seemed pretty clear what was happening here: pitting two sales forces like the Avengers and the X-Men against one another was a sure-fire way for Marvel to strike [...]
Everyone likes free stuff, and comic fans are certainly no exception. Beginning in June, Marvel will try to capitalize on this by giving away free digital copies of their $3.99 titles. Is this another step in the digital revolution?


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While everyone knows that Clash of Clans has been a major success on mobile devices, this new statistic that has just been released really puts it all in perspective. Developer Supercell has revealed that Clash of Clans now brings in over 100 million players per day, making the free-to-play game one of the most successful mobile games of all time.
While 100 millions players per day is certainly a lot, it shouldn’t have come as too much of a surprise when the developers revealed they were earning $654,000 per day from the game a couple of years ago. One can only imagine how much they’re making off of it now.
Supercell has enjoyed major success with several of its games so far, with Clash of Clans joining Clash Royale, Hay Day and Boom Beach in their repertoire of hit games. Clash Royale is the latest game from the developer and launched last month.
Supercell also released a thank you video titled 100 Million Thank Yous, which further puts into perspective how many players the game gets each day. You can check out that video below.
- This article was updated on:March 8th, 2018


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Mumbai to host India Bridal Fashion Week from Nov 29
Mumbai: The dates of the fifth edition of Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week (AVIBFW) have been finalised. The six-day event will start Nov 29 at Grand Hyatt here.
The designers, who will be part of the fashion extravaganza, are Falguni & Shane Peacock, Gaurav Gupta, JJ Valaya, Jyotsna Tiwari, Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla, Pallavi Jaikishan, Raghavendra Rathore, Rohit Bal, Shantanu & Nikhil, Suneet Varma and Tarun Tahiliani, said a statement.
IBFW is considered one of the high profile fashion events in India and showcases the best of the trends and designs in bridal couture by leading fashion designers.
While showcasing the trends and designs of the upcoming season by leading fashion designers, IBFW also provides a platform for business opportunities.
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Stocks rose on Wednesday, buoyed by earnings reports from consumer bellwethers like Target.
Energy shares gave an extra boost to Wall Street as crude futures jumped more than 2 percent after a drop in gasoline stockpiles and as the euro rose versus the U.S. dollar. The S&P energy sector .GSPE rose 1.6 percent.
Earnings beats and strong forecasts from retailers Target and Staples shifted the focus to the U.S. economy and away from Europe's debt crisis, which has driven U.S. trading of late. Consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity in the United States.
"Consumers may not be very confident, but they're still spending money," said Al Kugel, chief investment strategist at Atlantic Trust. "For Target to make that comment is a confirmation of that," he said, referring to its bullish profit outlook.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI added 96.04 points, or 0.84 percent, to 11,501.97. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX gained 13.44 points, or 1.13 percent, to 1,206.20. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC rose 23.32 points, or 0.92 percent, to 2,546.77.
The S&P 500 is up nearly 10 percent from a nearly 1-year low hit last week as sovereign debt and economic growth worries pressured equities.
European shares .FTEU3 bounced back from earlier losses to gain 0.7 percent, even as financial shares .SX7P fell as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy made clear joint euro zone bond issuance was not on their agenda.
"There was a consensus agreement that we'd like to move closer to a euro bond," said Art Hogan, managing director of Lazard Capital Markets in New York. "But falling short of that, you've got a very strong signal from Germany that they're going to do whatever it takes, and that's bleeding into the strength of the euro, and as that happens we see a commodities rally."
The euro jumped 0.7 percent against the U.S. dollar, while U.S. crude futures advanced 2.5 percent, boosted by a larger-than-expected decline in U.S. gasoline supplies.
Weighing on the Nasdaq, Dell Inc (DELL.O) fell 8.4 percent to $14.48, a day after its quarterly revenues came in below estimates and it forecast flat current-quarter sales.
Target Corp (TGT.N) posted higher profit as back-to-school sales perked up toward the end of the quarter. Its shares were up 4.1 percent to $51.41.
Staples Inc (SPLS.O) jumped 2.1 percent to $14.52 after the office supply retailer raised its profit outlook and posted better-than-expected earnings.


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Spotify has officially launched in South Africa, offering brands a new platform to connect with local consumers in an exciting, targeted and impactful manner.
The music streaming service allows music fans to discover and enjoy more than 35 million local and international tracks, thousands of human-curated playlists for every mood and moment, and personalised music tailored to their own music tastes. Starting today, users can visit spotify.com to download the Spotify app and use the free, ad-supported service.
In attendance at the launch that took place in Parktown were SA’s well-known movers and shakers, such as Shekhinah, who performed a set of some her well-known songs, which included: ‘Hey Mr’ and ‘Suited’.
“You can now have an offline mode, which means you can take all your music with you, and it can be offline and available on your phone so you don’t have to consume a lot of data,” said Claudius Boller, Spotify’s managing director of the Middle East and North Africa region.


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Amazon has announced plans to expand its same-day shipping programme, which it suggests could help it reach its 2040 net zero goal.
The online retail giant suggests the expansion of same-day deliveries requires distribution centres to be built closer to customer locations – this reduces the requirement for air freight and long delivery van journeys.
It notes up to three million items are currently available to be ordered and delivered on the same day.
The company said: “The faster delivery speeds enabled by these facilities actually help us lower carbon emissions in line with our ‘Climate Pledge’ to be net-zero carbon by 2040 – 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.
“This is because these new facilities are in close proximity to customers, reducing the need for aircraft transport and generally decreasing the distance drivers have to travel to deliver packages to our customers.”


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|By PR Newswire||
|December 17, 2012 04:39 AM EST||
LONDON, December 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
As Christmas shoppers prepare to buy smartphones, SquareTrade research shows high cost of repairs and replacements
Lifestyle choices like tattoos, pets and even which newspaper you read linked to higher risk of accidents
SquareTrade, the top rated warranty provider, today releases a new study showing that damage from iPhone® and Android™ devices has cost UK smartphone owners a staggering £1.2bn since 2007. The research also reveals that 23% of users have accidently damaged their handset in the last 12 months. If repeated in 2013, it could leave some Christmas shoppers facing hefty repair bills in the New Year. Based on a study of more than 2,500 smartphone users, the results combined the cost of repairs, replacements and insurance excess for accidentally damaged Android and iPhone devices.
SquareTrade's study shows that smartphone owners were nearly 10 times more likely to suffer from accidental damage than loss or theft. Some consumers were forced into "desperate" measures if they couldn't afford to pay for repairs with 8% of owners admitting using phones with cracked screens and 4% resorting to taping up their phone.
Your lifestyle may increase your risk
The study also highlighted how lifestyle choices and habits make smartphone owners more likely to have had an accident:
- People who use public transport to commute - 66% more likely
- People who trade stocks frequently - 60% more likely
- People who read the Daily Mirror - 47% more likely
- People who are part of a big household - 46% more likely
- People with tattoos - 37% more likely
- Pet owners - 15% more likely
Where and how accidents happen:
48% of smartphone accidents occur around the home according to SquareTrade's study. The top 5 most common accidents were:
- Smartphone fell out of someone's hands (26%)
- Smartphone fell off a lap when standing up (15%)
- Smartphone immersed in a liquid (14%) (toilet, bathtub, swimming pool)
- Liquid spilled onto smartphone (10%)
- Smartphone was knocked off a table (9%) /fell out of a pocket (9%)
"Deloitte LLP predicts Christmas smartphone-related sales will reach up to £3.5bn in the UK this year - but few can predict how their shiny new devices might meet their demise. A hefty repair bill is something people can easily avoid with a little foresight," commented Vince Tseng, managing director of SquareTrade UK.
He added: "According to this research, if you are a tattooed, pet owner who reads the Daily Mirror - you are highly advised to protect your smartphone!"
Data Sources: (1) SquareTrade's UK 2012 Smartphone Accident Survey, conducted December 2012. This survey collected 2,500 responses from iPhone and Android users in the UK using the world's largest panel provider, Survey Sampling International. Demographic quotas were used to collect a representative sample of smartphone owners. (2) Overall spend estimate was created using market share estimates published by comScore MobiLens, May 2012.
SquareTrade is the top-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers for its fast and exceptional service. SquareTrade protects mobile devices, laptops and tablets, and other consumer electronics and appliances from malfunctions, accidental damage and life's frequent mishaps. Unlike old-fashioned warranties, SquareTrade is designed for today's consumer and uses innovative technology to deliver a zero hassle claims process. SquareTrade has more than 180,000 fans on Facebook, consistently wins industry awards and receives thousands of 5-star reviews for its legendary customer service. Top retailers around the world offer SquareTrade, achieving a 200% increase in sales on average and happier customers. SquareTrade's rapid transformation of the warranty industry attracted one of the largest private capital raises in 2012, with a $238 million round led by Bain Capital and Bain Capital Ventures. Headquartered in San Francisco and London, SquareTrade is privately held. For more information, go to http://www.squaretrade.co.uk
SquareTrade is a registered trademark of SquareTrade, Inc. iPhone is a trademark of Apple, Inc. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Fifty billion connected devices and still no winning protocols standards. HTTP, WebSockets, MQTT, and CoAP seem to be leading in the IoT protocol race at the moment but many more protocols are getting introduced on a regular basis. Each protocol has its pros and cons depending on the nature of the communications. Does there really need to be only one protocol to rule them all? Of course not. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Matthieu, co-founder and CTO of Octoblu, walk you through how Oct...
Oct. 1, 2016 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,433
There is growing need for data-driven applications and the need for digital platforms to build these apps. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Muddu Sudhakar, VP and GM of Security & IoT at Splunk, will cover different PaaS solutions and Big Data platforms that are available to build applications. In addition, AI and machine learning are creating new requirements that developers need in the building of next-gen apps. The next-generation digital platforms have some of the past platform needs a...
Oct. 1, 2016 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,964
Smart Cities are here to stay, but for their promise to be delivered, the data they produce must not be put in new siloes. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Mathias Herberts, Co-founder and CTO of Cityzen Data, will deep dive into best practices that will ensure a successful smart city journey.
Oct. 1, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,714
Businesses are struggling to manage the information flow and interactions between all of these new devices and things jumping on their network, and the apps and IT systems they control. The data businesses gather is only helpful if they can do something with it. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Witeck, Principal Technology Strategist at Citrix, will discuss how different the impact of IoT will be for large businesses, expanding how IoT will allow large organizations to make their legacy ap...
Oct. 1, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 648
Adobe is changing the world though digital experiences. Adobe helps customers develop and deliver high-impact experiences that differentiate brands, build loyalty, and drive revenue across every screen, including smartphones, computers, tablets and TVs. Adobe content solutions are used daily by millions of companies worldwide-from publishers and broadcasters, to enterprises, marketing agencies and household-name brands. Building on its established design leadership, Adobe enables customers not o...
Oct. 1, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 523
SYS-CON Events announced today that Tintri Inc., a leading producer of VM-aware storage (VAS) for virtualization and cloud environments, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Tintri VM-aware storage is the simplest for virtualized applications and cloud. Organizations including GE, Toyota, United Healthcare, NASA and 6 of the Fortune 15 have said “No to LUNs.” With Tintri they mana...
Oct. 1, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,026
Just over a week ago I received a long and loud sustained applause for a presentation I delivered at this year’s Cloud Expo in Santa Clara. I was extremely pleased with the turnout and had some very good conversations with many of the attendees. Over the next few days I had many more meaningful conversations and was not only happy with the results but also learned a few new things. Here is everything I learned in those three days distilled into three short points.
Oct. 1, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 5,457
SYS-CON Events announced today that Numerex Corp, a leading provider of managed enterprise solutions enabling the Internet of Things (IoT), will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo | @ThingsExpo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Numerex Corp. (NASDAQ:NMRX) is a leading provider of managed enterprise solutions enabling the Internet of Things (IoT). The Company's solutions produce new revenue streams or create operating...
Oct. 1, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,123
24Notion is full-service global creative digital marketing, technology and lifestyle agency that combines strategic ideas with customized tactical execution. With a broad understand of the art of traditional marketing, new media, communications and social influence, 24Notion uniquely understands how to connect your brand strategy with the right consumer. 24Notion ranked #12 on Corporate Social Responsibility - Book of List.
Oct. 1, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 516
Major trends and emerging technologies – from virtual reality and IoT, to Big Data and algorithms – are helping organizations innovate in the digital era. However, to create real business value, IT must think beyond the ‘what’ of digital transformation to the ‘how’ to harness emerging trends, innovation and disruption. Architecture is the key that underpins and ties all these efforts together. In the digital age, it’s important to invest in architecture, extend the enterprise footprint to the cl...
Oct. 1, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 757
Why do your mobile transformations need to happen today? Mobile is the strategy that enterprise transformation centers on to drive customer engagement. In his general session at @ThingsExpo, Roger Woods, Director, Mobile Product & Strategy – Adobe Marketing Cloud, covered key IoT and mobile trends that are forcing mobile transformation, key components of a solid mobile strategy and explored how brands are effectively driving mobile change throughout the enterprise.
Oct. 1, 2016 01:45 AM EDT Reads: 510
As ridesharing competitors and enhanced services increase, notable changes are occurring in the transportation model. Despite the cost-effective means and flexibility of ridesharing, both drivers and users will need to be aware of the connected environment and how it will impact the ridesharing experience. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Timothy Evavold, Executive Director Automotive at Covisint, will discuss key challenges and solutions to powering a ride sharing and/or multimodal model in the a...
Oct. 1, 2016 01:15 AM EDT Reads: 721
In his general session at 18th Cloud Expo, Lee Atchison, Principal Cloud Architect and Advocate at New Relic, discussed cloud as a ‘better data center’ and how it adds new capacity (faster) and improves application availability (redundancy). The cloud is a ‘Dynamic Tool for Dynamic Apps’ and resource allocation is an integral part of your application architecture, so use only the resources you need and allocate /de-allocate resources on the fly.
Oct. 1, 2016 01:15 AM EDT Reads: 3,045
DevOps and microservices are permeating software engineering teams broadly, whether these teams are in pure software shops but happen to run a business, such Uber and Airbnb, or in companies that rely heavily on software to run more traditional business, such as financial firms or high-end manufacturers. Microservices and DevOps have created software development and therefore business speed and agility benefits, but they have also created problems; specifically, they have created software sec...
Oct. 1, 2016 12:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,428
In this strange new world where more and more power is drawn from business technology, companies are effectively straddling two paths on the road to innovation and transformation into digital enterprises. The first path is the heritage trail – with “legacy” technology forming the background. Here, extant technologies are transformed by core IT teams to provide more API-driven approaches. Legacy systems can restrict companies that are transitioning into digital enterprises. To truly become a lea...
Sep. 30, 2016 11:30 PM EDT Reads: 774


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Glaston RC350 helps aim for the top
“Glaston’s RC350 opens up new opportunities for the architectural market. This furnace is part of our major multimillion-pound investment project for a prestigious new factory that will enable us to serve our customers with larger pieces of processed glass, better toughened lamination quality and a wider portfolio of coated glass,” says Graeme Hawes, Managing Director of Peterlee Glass Company Ltd., Peterlee, County Durham, UK.
The timing for the investment couldn’t be better. Peterlee Glass has experienced many exciting changes in its four decades in the glass business. Still, 2017 is going to be one of its most exciting years to date with a multimillion-pound investment relocation to Mill Hill, on the North West Industrial Estate in Peterlee.
The investment will give PLG a prestigious 60,000 ft² facility equipped with a new Glaston RC350 tempering furnace and processing machinery capable of producing safety glass up to 6,000 mm x 2,800 mm. Other new equipment includes a CNC, cutting and washing machinery.
Before placing the order with Glaston, Graeme visited other glass processors to see another two Glaston furnaces in operation. “I was convinced by the owners that Glaston’s service and availability of the service personnel in the UK was exceptional,” Graeme says. “Although I have never seen the Glaston RC350 in action, I have high expectations.”


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The zombie theme is still very present in the video game industry. Great sagas like Left 4 Dead or The Last of Us, among many others, made the love for this genre skyrocket, and one of the games that are still actively reaping successes is DayZ.
The Bohemia Interactive shooter can be played for free on PC through Steam starting today at 7:00 p.m. and until Monday, May 25 at the same time. In addition, the free weekend is accompanied by a significant offer of up to 40% discount, along with a 20% discount on your DLC, Livonia.
PlayStation 4 users will also be able to take advantage of these discounts until May 27, while Xbox One players will also receive offers if they are Xbox Live Gold members until May 25.
And speaking of the success of Bohemia Interactive’s work on the Microsoft console, DayZ managed to break records after its first week on Games Pass making it one of the most popular titles on Xbox One. The game reaped important sales figures last year 2019 and aims to continue adding in 2020 thanks to offers like this one.


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Many conservative groups are up in arms about the perception that stores are not giving proper recognition to the word “Christmas” when it comes to their advertising. And the boycott seems to be their weapon of choice. Never mind that the real doctrine of Christianity has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas. It is a holiday melded together from ancient pagan traditions, that the church “borrowed” to give a sense of legitimacy to their faith among the masses. That is fact, and to not recognize it as such is folly. The claims of a holiday to honor the birth of Jesus by mass rushing Black Friday
sales and spending your family into mountains of credit card debt don’t honor the memory of Christ at all. “What Would Jesus Do?” I can’t say, except that I doubt he would be so concerned with spending.
In response to the perceived injustice wrought by the so-called “Christmas Haters” action groups sprang to life to defend their day. One of the most troubling was the boycott call against retail giant Wal-Mart, began on November 10th. It was began in response to an internet searcher not being satisfied with the number of hits the word “Christmas” got them on the Wal-Mart website. The searcher apparently sent an email to Wal-Mart, and got a response from an associate describing the retail giant as a world wide company that had to acknowledge many viewpoints. He correctly explained many of the pagan roots of Christmas, an act that got him fired the next day. The call for boycott was lifted, as Wal-Mart caved in to most of the concerns of the boycott call. The company explained that the fired employee was a temp, and the views were in no way those of Wa-Mart, and so forth…..what one has to wonder is why a temporary so out of line with the views of Wal-Mart would be placed in a position to respond to customer emails. That such a quick response happened shows the growing influence of the Radical Right.
Target stores was also the “target” of a boycott because of dissatisfaction concerning holiday advertising. The American Family Association claimed that Target didn’t use “Christmas” nearly enough in ads and store signs. They stated that “When you take away ‘Christmas’ and replace it with a generic term like ‘holiday,’ you take away the very essence of what is being celebrated.” Once again, the retailer caved in. It shouldn’t matter what anyone calls their own holiday, but to threaten boycott because they don’t call it what you want them to is silly. To bully organizations with your numbers if they don’t subscribe to your particular point of view is wrong.
As is the case whenever there is a hot button issue, there are many who are willing to take up the cause in an inflammatory manner. One such example comes from FOX News anchor John Gibson, whose book “The War on Christmas” came out just in time to inflame the debate, and to sell alot of books. And another FOX News pundit, Bill O’Rielly, claims that the “War” on Christmas is part of a “secular progressive agenda” that also includes “legalization of narcotics, euthanasia, abortion at will, gay marriage”…..a little paranoid, eh Bill? In closing, does it really matter? Let everyone have their own religious holidays. Make the Federal day non-sectarian and secular. And allow everyone to have a “Happy Holiday.”


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DELHI- The government of India launches an inquiry regarding lobbying practises by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. after reports that Walmart lobbied US lawmakers in its favor to gain access overseas.
Wal-Mart disclosed in a report to the U.S. Senate it had paid $25-million (U.S.) over four years to lobby American lawmakers, in part to help gain access to overseas markets including India.
The report spurred opposition lawmakers, who oppose Wal-Mart’s entry into India, to call for an inquiry into whether any money was spent there, even though the disclosure filing only referred to lobbying activities in the United States.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told parliament that a retired judge would be appointed to lead an investigation “pertaining to Wal-Mart’s lobbying.”
No further details were available about the inquiry.
Government officials have said privately there is nothing to investigate since Wal-Mart’s lobbying activities in the United States were not illegal.
Wal-Mart has labelled as false allegations that a routine U.S. lobbying disclosure form reflected improper conduct on their part in India.
“This disclosure has nothing to do with political or governmental contacts with India government officials,” said a Bharti Walmart spokesperson.
“It shows that our business interest in India was discussed with U.S. government officials along with 50 or more other topics during a three-month period.”
In its filing with the U.S. government, Wal-Mart lists several topics of domestic and foreign trade discussed in its lobbying effort, including supply chain security issues, investments overseas and Wal-Mart exports. One of the topics it discussed was foreign direct investment in India.
All organizations that spend more than $11,500 annually on lobbying activities and employ at least one lobbyist must register and file the quarterly reports, the spokesperson added.
The government wants to resolve the matter as quickly as possible so that parliament can pass important financial bills before the winter session ends on Dec. 20.
Wal-Mart has found itself entangled in a fight between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s fragile minority government and political opponents determined to thwart supermarket reform which, they say, will destroy the livelihoods of millions of small store owners.
Opposition parties have sought to portray Mr. Singh’s government as the pawn of powerful foreign companies ahead of national elections due in 2014.
Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart has been the most active among foreign supermarket operators keen to push their way into India’s huge retail market.
Reported by Globe and Mail.


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Super Fishing Market planned for 2009 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show
New Zealand’s favourite boat show is about to get even better with the addition of an expanded “Super Fishing Market”.
The Super Fishing Market is likely to be one of the true highlights of the 2009 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show.
With the biggest range of fishing products in New Zealand ? including over $2m worth of new fishing equipment! ? this will be a real “must see” for all those with an interest in fishing. Not only will there be all of the latest fishing equipment from all of the major brands, there will also be guaranteed “show super specials”.
These will be popular leading brand products available only at the show at super low prices.
The show’s popular how-to fishing seminars will also be expanded.
Those planning on visiting the 2009 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show with friends and family will also be able, for the first time, to make group bookings on line, through the show’s website: www.boatshow.co.nz.
The show’s informative and entertaining Toyota Marine Finance Discover Boating InfoCentre will also be further expanded in 2009 with more interactive displays.
These are designed to help people discover everything they need to know about getting into and enjoying boating. The Hutchwilco Pool will again be a centrepiece of the Discover Boating InfoCentre with demonstrations, displays and entertaining activities for both adults and children.
As always, leading boat manufacturers will use the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show to showcase their latest models, many displaying these to the public for the first time. The very latest outboards, electronics and marine accessories will also be on display, often having arrived in the country just days before the show opens.
New Zealand’s most popular boat show will also again be supported by some of New Zealand’s leading marine and media companies. These include Hutchwilco, The Radio Network, The New Zealand Herald, Yamaha and Toyota Marine Finance.
Organisers expect the show to have a fresh and exciting feel with a number of new exhibitors planning to display at the show for the first time and several existing exhibitors looking to expand their stand areas.
The 2009 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show will again be held at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane, Auckland. It will open on Thursday May 14 and run through to Sunday, May 17.


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Airbnb, an American online hospitality marketplace, released a progress report at the end of 2017, including its ambitious goals. According to the report, Airbnb has 100,000 listings in Africa.
“There are 44,000 listings in South Africa and the next biggest after that is Morocco with just over 20,000. Then there’s a big gap and you get Kenya with 6,000. We’re seeing the business become more and more significant and I’m excited by the opportunity Africa presents. We want a world where anyone can belong anywhere,” Velma Corcoran, Southern Africa regional marketing consultant said.
The report also highlights that the typical Airbnb host makes $1,500 annually and a listing is shared for 18 nights every year. The typical age of hosts in Africa is 43, with 49 percent men and 51 percent women. Nigeria has 739 active listings with hosts making about $1,000. The average listing on Airbnb is shared for 13 nights every year.
“In some markets, the key to building trust is the quality of the listings and the quality in Lagos and Nairobi has improved considerably over the past year. The other thing that builds trust is the review system which is relevant to the platform,” Corcoran added.
The company launched Airbnb Experiences in 10 cities in 2016, including Nairobi and Cape Town.
According to Airbnb, 97 percent of accommodation charges remain with the listing owner while 42 percent of what guests spent circulates in the local neighbourhood. In the past five years, there have been more than 2M visitors and host have made $139 million.
Corcoran said Airbnb has created its own niche where 40 percent of guests in South Africa would not make the trip without the company.
Airbnb hopes to concentrate on inclusive tourism in the future. […] We are focused on long-term growth and I like to think of South Africa as an incubator for other (African) markets.”


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After suspending the sale of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones and recalling the devices post reports of faulty batteries, Samsung surely will need to implement stronger marketing strategy to revive its popularity among users.
In a similar effort, Samsung is expected to add new colour variants for Note 7 after the recall ends. As reported by Korea Herald, Samsung could be releasing additional colours including Onyx Black for the Note 7 device in order to win the customers back.
This isn’t the first time Samsung tried implementing different colour strategies. They have carried out similar attempts in US and China before. They even launched the Coral Blue variant, which gained immense popularity in Korea.
Samsung is expected to start the recall on September 19 in Korea. The company also offers full refunds to customers and they will be getting replacement devices in the days to come.


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- Tejas Networks would acquire 64.40 % stake in Saankhya Labs
- Sankhya has a patent portfolio of 73 patents
- Tejas Network will be able to expand its customer base in India and internationally as a result of the acquisition
Tejas Networks, a Tata Group company, would pay Rs 283.94 crore for a 64.40 percent ownership in Saankhya Labs Pvt Ltd, which is in semiconductor and wireless technology business. Tejas stated in a statement that the initial acquisition of Saankhya shares is likely to close within the next 90 days.
Tejas Network will benefit from the acquisition of Sankhya by obtaining access to world-class products and solutions backed by cutting-edge technology for serving consumers in the domestic and international markets. Sankhya has a patent portfolio of 73 patents (41 granted, 32 pending), as well as hardware and software design. The addition of 5G O-RAN, 5G Cellular Broadcast, Wireless services and Satellite communication products will enhance the existing product basket of Tejas Networks, by the acquisition of Saankhya.
The promoter of Tejas Group Firm does not have any interest in Saankhya and hence transaction does not fall within the purview of related party transactions.
Tejas Networks will be able to designate majority directors to the Saankhya Board of Directors under the conditions of the acquisition, as long as it owns at least 50% of the company’s stock or is the single largest shareholder. Under the direction of the Board, Saankhya’s management team will oversee the company’s day-to-day operations. Saankhya’s Board of Directors will appoint one of the Company’s nomination Directors to serve as chairman.
Saankhya was incorporated in 2006. It made a consolidated revenue of Rs. 73.22 crore in the nine months ended December 31, 2021. Regulatory approvals will be required for the transaction. If the merger transaction is not completed, Tejas Network will buy the remaining 35.60 percent of Saankhya’s shares from its existing owners in a secondary acquisition, making Saankhya a completely owned subsidiary of the Company.
Tata Group has already stated its intention to enter the semiconductor industry. The company is in talks with a number of states about investing up to $300 million in a semiconductor assembly and testing facility.
On the Software side Tata Elxsi is working in the Semiconductor space. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing (NLP) are driving growth in the semiconductor and electronic device markets. At this juncture of technological innovation and convergence, companies have realised value from software and services linked with chipsets that enable OEMs to swiftly adopt hardware platforms. The AI chipset industry is rising, thanks to applications and related technology stacks that are promoting greater acceptance and a faster development cycle.
Tejas Network will be able to expand its customer base in India and internationally as a result of the acquisition, as well as bring in-house fabless semiconductor chip design capabilities for specialised applications. Saankhya has approximately 250 engineers with world-class competence in wireless communication, software, algorithms, and fabless chip design, which will help Tejas Network speed up the development of its wireless products.
Staff Galactik Views


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This could very well be the biggest year for recreational cannabis in the history of the United States. There will be at least 6 states with legalization on the ballot in 2016, which could potentially more than double the number of states with recreational cannabis. As of now, the four states that have legalized are Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. California is one of the most promising looking states for legalizing in the upcoming election. Over 60 percent of Californians surveyed said they support Prop 64 to legalize recreational cannabis, but many are wondering why it took so long to legalize cannabis in a state that seems so 420 friendly. A big part of that answer has to do with the old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Since California has had such lenient medical marijuana guidelines since 1996, and the state decriminalized the possession of small amounts back in 2011, many believe that cannabis in California has essentially already been legalized. Unfortunately, there’s some new data on cannabis arrests in California that tells a very different story.
While many people in California have found that the medical marijuana scene makes it very easy for them to slide under the cops’ radar, others have not been quite so lucky. Decriminalizing the possession of under an ounce of cannabis in 2011 has certainly greatly reduced the number of marijuana related misdemeanors, but there’s still a startling number of people that are getting arrested for cannabis in California. In fact, according to a new report from the Drug Policy Alliance, thousands upon thousands of people are still getting busted for pot in California each year. Misdemeanor charges may have plummeted, but they are still fairly prevalent and marijuana felonies haven’t decreased at all. This has led to nearly 500,000 people still being arrested for cannabis in the last 10 years. Misdemeanor charges are certainly still happening on a fairly regular basis, for things like possession of concentrates, possessing over an ounce, or supplying someone else with cannabis. Felony charges are usually for when someone is caught growing or selling cannabis outside of the legal medicinal industry.
Cannabis in California is certainly working well for the majority of people that want to partake right now. Which is why many people would prefer to keep things as they are, rather than risk letting the greed in politics take a swing at legalizing recreational cannabis and have it come back to bite us in the ass. This new report shows that there are still plenty of people in our state that the medicinal system is not working for, and it appears to be affecting some groups disproportionately. Despite the fact that white people and black people both use and sell cannabis at similar rates in California, black people are arrested for cannabis charges 4 times as often. If Prop 64 passes, many of the things that people are still getting in trouble for in California will finally be legalized. Growing up to six plants in your home, possessing concentrates, and giving weed to your friends would all become perfectly legal. So while many of us Californians don’t expect to see our lives change too much whether it passes or not, there are thousands of others that have much more at stake.


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By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The agriculture reform policy of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration received a further boost yesterday when the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh, commissioned a 30 Metric Tonnes per day processing facility in Kaduna.
Since assuming office in May 2015, this government has made it a priority to diversify the nation’s economy, which solely depends on crude oil to earn revenue.
Various policies were put in place to help other sectors of the economy become vibrant and one of them was the agricultural sector.
On Monday, the Minister commissioned the tomato factory established by GB Foods in Kaduna State. Over N2 billion was used to set up the business, which will benefit Nigerians, especially tomato consumers and farmers.
The pilot tomato farm which sits on a 30 hectares space is growing over 15 varieties of tomatoes with an expected average yield of 40-50MT/ha
Speaking during the event, Mr Ogbeh, who was in the accompany of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, said federal government was committed to encouraging local production and processing of tomato and would place a ban on the importation of tomato paste to encourage massive local production.
He added that Nigeria is targeting the next two years to attain self-sufficiency in tomato production.
He said government will continue to provide a business-friendly environment to investors in Nigeria.
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Blue Peter Badge set to Honor Sir Jonathan Ive
Apple Designer, Sir Jonathan Ive, Honored for his Trendsetting Innovation
The internationally based programme, Blue Peter, through BBC has presented their selective gold Blue Peter Badge to Sir Jonathan Ive, Design Chief at Apple.
Ive’s many accomplishments under his belt have helped steer Apple to the powerhouse it stands today, but even more impressively Blue Peter has only presented 1,000 badges with other recipients in the likes of David Beckham and famous author JK Rowling. Apple’s executive is prominent in his iOS and Mac OS design, which they hope can help them recover from their relatively unproductive sales percentage as of recent. According to IDC, iPhone received an annual gain of 29.2% in 2012 with 47.8 million sold. This is compared to 88% gain of Android devices in 2012, their sole competition. Apple seeks interior help and has found it in Sir Jonathan.
Ive will be the lead in creating Apple’s major products, the iMac and iPhone. He has recently assumed the role of the design for Apple’s software interfaces, which includes both mobile and computer apps.
Ive’s expertise has an emphasis on uniqueness, which is a little foreign to Apple’s usual design being that they put effort into making their design seem realistic. This relatively exotic approach may bring Apple a new perception and increase their yearly gain to what it once was.
Gold Blue Peter Badge
Sir Jonathan Ive’s interview on BBC will appear on a special broadcast this Saturday. Ive will speak on his gadget based field and give useful advice to aspiring specialists who hope to follow his admirable path.
Ive will be giving his evaluation on designs submitted by children in respect to their innovative creations. Blue Peter has referred to him as an “inspiration to children around the world,” which sounds like the program is a must-watch especially with a subject of such prowess.
Blue Peter’s segment will broadcast in the UK on the CBBC channel at 10:00 GMT tomorrow, the 16th.


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Samsonite net takes 47 per cent nosedive
Samsonite's first-half net profit plunged 46.62 per cent to US$16.39 million, but the luggage-maker said its full-year profit target of US$64.2 million was still feasible and might even be surpassed.
'The [fall in net profit] was mainly due to the non-recurrent listing costs and our debt restructuring scheme, but ... I am confident we will not only maintain [the target] but better the profit for the whole year,' said Ramesh Tainwala, president for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
The US-based company raised HK$1.43 billion, after expenses and fees, upon its listing in Hong Kong in June. It priced its float at HK$14.50, the lower end of its indicative price range of HK$13.50 to HK$17.50.
Shares of Samsonite closed up 1.77 per cent at HK$13.78 yesterday, compared with a 1.71 per cent gain by the Hang Seng Index.
Net sales for the first six months jumped 34.5 per cent year on year, to US$743.8 million. Excluding the effects of ending licences for clothing brands Lacoste and Timberland, net sales rose by 40.8 per cent.
Wages, inflation and higher sales volume have pushed distribution costs up 32.4 per cent to US$195.9 million, while advertising costs jumped by nearly 40 per cent, to US$60.4 million, on marketing strategies by new chief executive, Tim Parker. For every 10 yuan (HK$12.20) made in China, for example, one yuan was spent on advertising.
Much of Samsonite's future growth will bank on Asia, which overtook Europe as the group's largest money-spinner this year. Net sales in Asia jumped 56.2 per cent year on year over the first six months, to US$267.6 million, compared with 34.6 per cent in Europe and 33.3 per cent in North America.
Three of the group's top five markets are in Asia, and Tainwala said it was only a matter of time before Japan overtook Germany. That would make the United States the only non-Asian country among the top five.


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JAMESTOWN - On Tuesday, workers removed the sign above the entrance for the Glik's clothing store at the Buffalo Mall in Jamestown. There was no indication they were reinstalling it somewhere else in the mall. Wednesday, officials confirmed the retailer has pulled out of Jamestown.
The company's website listed the store as permanently closed on Tuesday night.
Buffalo Mall property manager Tim Perkins confirmed Wednesday that the company had chosen not to relocated within the mall to accommodate the arrival of Dunham's later this year.
Last week, the Buffalo Mall and Dunham's announced the sports retailer plans to open a 20,000-square-foot store in the summer of 2017. To facilitate the company's first store in North Dakota, the mall asked some current tenants to relocate within the facility.


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The outlets involved were described as "exposed stores" where there was a risk the group would not be paid for products. As a result of the cutbacks, group revenue fell by 21% last year and ADM Londis is now supplying just over 300 shops, down from 350 a year ago. Despite falling sales, the group made a 2.4m pre-tax profit last year, although this was half the figure for 2008.
A review had led to a 15% cost reduction across the group, said chief executive Stephen O'Riordan, with the loss of 10 jobs reducing staff numbers to 70.
"There has been price deflation on food of about 8%," added O'Riordan. "Consumer spending is down, people are shopping around and retailers have to compete on price. There was a premium being paid for convenience, but that is gone now."
He added that a recently signed strategic alliance with Nisa-Today's would be a key factor in driving future growth. He said the deal "has given us access to more than 6bn of buyer power and helped our retailers compete with the larger multiples".


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Irish News Archive
FTA Ireland (FTAI), the body which represents the country’s logistics industry has reacted positively to the draft withdrawal agreement presented by Teresa May to the UK Parliament, believing that its contents will assist the transition to a future frictionless trading environment, while boosting confidence and certainty.
The Volvo XC40 has been crowned as Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year 2019
The 2019 Irish Van of the Year Award winners were announced last Thursday night. The awards are presented in association with Continental Tyres, and the winner was the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
With the exception of the Volvo XC40 winning the ‘Compact Crossover of the Year’ and the overall Award, it fell to the Volkswagen Group Ireland brands Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen to enjoyed a triple Crossover success at the 2019 Irish Car of the Year Awards. Held in association with Continental Tyres in Dublin last week,
An Ashbourne, Co. Meath man has won a ZF Smart Service tool on his entrance ticket to the recent Auto Trade EXPO in Dublin. Andrew King of King’s Auto Clinic, in Ashbourne, Co. Meath is the lucky winner of the ZF Smart Service tool, an easy-to-use service gadget which is suitable for all car brands,
The Auto Trade EXPO in Dublin provided a stage for Federal-Mogul Motorparts to exhibit its array of well-known brands and products alongside the launch of Garage Gurus, a technical training and support platform. Federal-Mogul Motorparts also showcased significant steering and suspension innovations that underscore Moog’s long-standing commitment to engineering expertise and product differentiation. The company
Top Part celebrated 40 years servicing the Irish motor industry aftermarket, at the recent Auto Trade EXPO in Dublin, where it exhibited premium brands alongside its specialist garage programmes. Top Part’s market leading TopAuto garage management programme was very well received along with its MPM Oil specialist programme, which offers the best opportunity to future
Triska Energy, the multi-award winning Irish Distributor for Shell Lubricants, had a Ferrari F1 Simulator on its stand at the recent Auto Trade EXP) in Dublin with more than 160 participants racing around the Silverstone track. As the Irish Distributor for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), Triska Energy is responsible for the
Schaeffler showcased its expansive product portfolio, and its online knowledge portal REPXPERT at the recent Auto Trade EXPO in Dublin. As a trusted technical partner, Schaeffler designs and delivers innovative, advanced technology systems and components for original fitment by vehicle manufacturers around the world. These same components are made available to the professional workshop technicians
Search Workshop Supplies (SWSNI) used the recent Auto Trade EXPO in Dublin to launch its eagerly awaited Auto Trim Clip pre-pac merchandising range for Motor Factors. SWSNI manufactures individually tailored pre-pac merchandising ranges comprising Auto Consumables, Auto Abrasives, Auto Weld and Auto Wash. The latest addition is Auto Trim Clips, which made their debut in


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The latest in entrepreneurial technology news for Kiwis
These search results are from across the Techday network of sites
Rhipe named as first Wiise distributor in Oz
The cloud-exclusive distributor/aggregator has been bolstered by the addition of Wiise’s business management software.
KPMG, CBA and Microsoft partner to simplify SMB business management
The venture is the first time a professional services firm, a bank and a technology company have come together in Aus to start a fintech venture.


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Top high street retailer Marks & Spencer has injected a touch of glamour into Link 51’s high quality storage facilities range by featuring them in its 2010 Christmas television campaign.
Usually seen in education, retail, food and drink, leisure, healthcare and emergency services environments, Link 51’s stylish and durable three door steel lockers are featured in the new advertisement. Lining a school corridor, they are used as the backdrop to a group of children dancing in their Christmas M&S outfits.
The star-studded advert, which is currently being shown across the UK, also features Twiggy, Dannii Minogue, Jamie Redknapp and Peter Kay dancing to the classic Bee Gees disco track You Should Be Dancing.
Joeri Decae, Sales Director at Shropshire-based Link 51’s, said “We are delighted that M&S chose to use our lockers for its high-profile advertisement, It proves that robust and secure can look stylish, too.”


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Verizon has scored a $6.6 billion deal with Samsung.
The deal allows Samsung to provide network equipment to Verizon in order to boost its 5G network. According to the regulatory filing, the South Korean manufacturer will be the one to install and maintain 5G equipment for the wireless provider.
The order runs from June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2025. It was finalized last Friday, September 4, 2020. Samsung, however, did not reveal how much of the contract is involved with the 5G network equipment.
In a statement, a representative for Samsung said:
“With this latest long-term strategic contract, we will continue to push the boundaries of 5G innovation to enhance mobile experiences for Verizon’s customers.”
A spokesperson for Verizon also shared:
“Samsung has demonstrated their commitment to collaborating with us to drive innovation in 5G and we are excited to expand our relationship with them and benefit from a long-term strategic agreement.”
Wirefly Is America's Most Trusted Source For All Cell Phones, Plans, TV, and Internet Deals
Wirefly offers great deals on a large selection of smartphones, cell phones, tablets, mobile hotspots, and other wireless devices for the nation's most popular carriers. Use Wirefly’s innovative cell phone and plan comparison tools to ensure you are getting the best deal on the market. Shop with confidence knowing that Wirefly wants to help you find the best prices on cell phones, cell phone plans, TV, and Internet service.


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Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Pick anything up for Black Friday/Cyber Monday? (Poll of the Week)
Last week’s poll summary: Last week, we asked you to tell us what influences you the most when choosing your next smartphone. Out of all the votes on our website and social channels, the majority of voters said their personal preferences influence their buying decisions most often. The second most popular choice was basing their decisions on performance and speed tests, while hands-on videos and reviews came in third place.
In case you couldn’t tell, Black Friday and Cyber Monday were a big deal this year. Discounts on everything from smartphones to video game consoles were available from most major retailers, and a lot of those deals are still available right now.
Right now, you can save a pretty decent amount of cash on Chromebooks, smart home tech, a variety of Amazon Basics cables and accessories, basically anything on Target.com, and even our own Gary Sims’ Introduction to Android Development course.
Did you buy anything for Black Friday or Cyber Monday this year? Let us know by casting your vote in the poll below, and speak up in the comments if you bought something that wasn’t listed in the poll.


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In an ever-more competitive market for car manufacturers, Renault's campaign for the new Megane attempts to make consumers change their long-held preferences when shopping for a new car.
Renault is not the only car manufacturer to up its marketing activity in recent months.
Audi, as previously featured, has decided to raise awareness of the new Q5 by suggesting that it is "redefining the box", while VW's campaign for the new Golf boasts that the car-makers only have to beat themselves, as they are so far ahead of the competition.
The new Renault campaign features a man recalling all the things he said he would never do, but subsequently went on and did, such as kissing a girl and wanting children.
The ad finishes with a shot of the new Renault Megane as the narrator notes: "Remember when you said you'd never buy a Renault?", followed by the tagline: "It's time to change".
Unfortunately for Renault, there has been a backlash on the internet, with some viewers complaining that they find the ads patronising, with particular reference to the central character changing his mind about not wanting children.
However, despite the online dissenters, Renault has complemented this ad with similar campaigns for other Renault models, such as the Laguna, suggesting the company believes its marketing campaign is working. So, what do Renault's BrandIndex scores look like?
Following the first airing of the campaign on 21 November, the buzz score for the brand increased three points to +5 by 1 December.
In addition, the value for money scores and the corporate scores for Renault increased by two points and four points respectively during the same period, with the corporate scores for the brand peaking at +14 on 1 December.
As Renault continues to challenge consumers' existing attitudes towards its products, the company is attempting to position itself as a real contender in the car market.
However, with such weak trading given the dramatic decline in the number of buyers for new vehicles, Renault may have to do more than just suggest it is time for a change.
Methodology: YouGov interviews 2,000 people each weekday to form its BrandIndex, a daily measure of public perception of more than 1,100 consumer brands across 32 sectors. It is measured on a seven-point profile:
2 General impression
7 Corporate reputation.
In addition, we supply an index score.


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Deals growing for eye-care firms
By Beth Kutscher
Eye-care firms continue to be a hot target this year as pharmaceutical and medical-device firms see a growing market for ophthalmology procedures.
Abbott Laboratories, the Illinois-based medical-device giant, is shelling out $250 million for OptiMedica Corp., which makes technology for laser-assisted cataract surgery. The deal comes less than two months after Valeant Pharmaceuticals' $8.7 million buy of Bausch & Lomb.
Abbott and Bausch already compete in a number of areas in the eye-care arena. Both companies market intraocular lenses, laser systems and over-the-counter products.
Laser-assisted surgery is expected to be the wave of the future for cataract surgery, much like improvements in laser technology revolutionized LASIK several years ago. In addition, the demand for eye care is likely to increase thanks to an aging population as well as a growing middle class in developing countries that will be able to seek out technologically advanced eye-care procedures.
Abbott's latest deal adds OptiMedica's Catalys Precision Laser System to its portfolio; the technology platform automates some of the steps involved in cataract surgery—including the surgical incision in the eye and the removal of the clouded lens.
Abbott already markets a similar laser technology for LASIK surgery. Bausch & Lomb's Victus platform can perform both cataract and LASIK procedures, according to the company.
There are also at least two other companies with this laser technology—called femtosecond—for cataract surgery: Alcon, which markets LenSx, and Lensar, which has a product bearing its name.
Follow Beth Kutscher on Twitter: @MHbkutscher


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The first taxi company in Germany to adopt cryptocurrencies is Tesla Taxi Aschaffenburg. Specifically, it announced that it will accept Dogecoin, Bitcoin, and Ethereum as a means of payment.
In fact, Tesla Taxi Aschaffenburg became the first company in the taxi industry in Germany to accept Dogecoin. The fact that the company uses a Tesla vehicle model naturally brought to mind the relationship between Elon Musk and Dogecoin.
So, Tesla Taxi Aschaffenburg is a German-based company that offers taxi and car rental services. The city of Aschaffenburg, where the company is located, is located very close to the Bavarian region of Germany.
German taxis have the option of paying with Dogecoin
Ultimately, Dogecoin (DOGE) will be accepted as a payment method in a taxi company in Germany. Serving with Tesla model vehicles, Tesla Taxi Aschaffenburg has included Dogecoin in its payment systems.
«We are the first taxi in Germany to accept the cryptocurrency Dogecoin and others (Bitcoin, Ethereum)».
Additionally, the company’s website indicates that Tesla Taxi Aschaffenburg began accepting cryptocurrency payments as of May 30, 2021.
It should be noted that the taxi service has Model S and Model 3 in its fleet and offers a wide range of services in its region. Very importantly, the adoption of cryptocurrencies makes Tesla Taxi Aschaffenburg an even more interesting and innovative taxi service.
How does it work?
In this regard, Stefan Müller, the CEO of Tesla Taxi Aschaffenburg, stated: «The subject seems exciting to me and I am curious to know if cryptocurrency in everyday life or in life, in the taxi sector as a means of payment is viable. And if there is any interest from the clientele».
To enjoy this service, you must follow the following steps:
- Have possession of a cryptocurrency
- They install a Wallet application on the smartphone
- Then they can send the value of the trip to their currency before, during or after the trip
- The client will take care of the payment fees
Was Elon Musk the inspiration?
In particular, Stefan Müller, who enabled DOGE payments for his services, tells the story of how he got there. Oh, Elon Musk is involved.
Similarly, Müller explained that his son also inspired the movement. Who is excited about Dogecoin and has invested some money in it.
However, his son was inspired by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. He said who is possibly the most prominent supporter of Dogecoin. Also, it should be noted that the Dogecoin network consumes much less electricity than other cryptocurrencies. And as they say in the Dogecoin community: To the Moon!
Finally, Stefan Müller explained that the decision was initially just a “good marketing idea for our business.” However, the original Reddit post started trending, leading more and more people to want to use Dogecoin for their travels.
I close with this phrase by Henri Michaux: «When cars think, Rolls-Royces will be more distressed than taxis».


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"If information is the new gold, then we are sitting on 1/7th of the world's proven reserves.Because one out of every seven in the world is an Indian," he said at a panel discussion at the Raisina dialogue.
Verizon Media -- the media and digital arm of US-based telecommunications giant Verizon has launched a new privacy-focused search engine called OneSearch, with the declaration that it won't store records of what users search, create profiles of their usage or share their search data with advertisers.
Google has announced to phase out support for third-party cookies in Chrome browser within the next two years.
Backed by the Reserve Bank of India, it's an ambitious approach that combines privacy protection with credit reporting: if it works, it could unlock the credit market for millions of Indians while offering new levels of data security and consumer control.
"We continue to make good progress with our recovery and have already completed a considerable amount in the background," Travelex, owned by Finablr Plc, said in an email.
People throughout the Canadian province of Ontario awoke Sunday to a cellphone alert warning them of an "incident" at a nuclear plant just east of Toronto - only to later be told the message was a mistake.
More than 50 privacy groups including American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and UK-based Privacy International have called on Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai to take action against pre-installed 'bloatware' on Android devices as they pose security risk to customers.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Once a hidden and under-the-radar topic, privacy is getting more attention at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas this week. Startups now volunteer information about how they’re securing your data and protecting your privacy when you use their heart rate monitor or cuddly robot.
Guo Bing took the wildlife park to court, raising the temperature in a growing debate about privacy and abuse of personal data in an increasingly digitised society.
Modern cars roll out of factories packed with cellular connections, powerful processors and a growing suite of sensors, including cameras, radar and microphones. That’s turning them into the next information goldmine, rivaling the data-creating capabilities of smartphones.
Travelex did not immediately respond Tuesday to emails and a phone call from The Associated Press seeking comment.In a Jan.
Reiterating its commitment to safeguard the iPhone user's data at any cost, Apple has defended its stance on hardware encryption at the 'CES 2020' trade show here, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) asked the Cupertino-based giant to unlock two iPhones.
Global Internet companies on Tuesday said they have sent an open letter to IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, calling the government for improved transparency related to intermediary Guidelines (Amendment) Rules and allay fears like tilting the playing field in favour of large players, substantially increase surveillance and prompting a fragmentation of the Internet in India that would harm users.
EU countries will from Tuesday begin rolling out tougher laws against online operators who play fast and loose with consumers, including those harvesting personal data or deploying bots to snap up tickets.
California [USA], Jan 7 (ANI) Following concerns about kids' privacy online, YouTube has announced a slew of changes to its policy which includes a limitation on data collection from videos made for kids.
Facebook has updated its Privacy Checkup tool with four new features to help users improve account security and control how their information is used.
Cybersecurity firm Armis, which specializes in protection for the Internet of Things (IoT), is in talks to be bought by a U.S. tech firm for around $1 billion, Israeli financial media outlets reported on Monday
A wave of startups, law firms and consultants are looking to take advantage of that anxiety and to capture some of the $55 billion that companies are expected to spend on initial compliance with the law
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned Americans to be prepared for "cyber disruptions, suspicious emails and network delays" amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran after the killing of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani.
Giving each and every app access to personal information stored on Android smartphones such as your contacts, call history, SMS and photos may put you in trouble as bad actors can easily use these access to spy on you, send spam messages and make calls anywhere at your expense or even sign you up for a premium "service", researchers from cybersecity firm Kaspersky have warned.


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The Lenovo A6000 smartphone has been officially launched in India and instead of being priced at Rs 10000 as previously rumored, the handset will be much more affordable. Rs 6999 is what you’ll have to shell out to get LTE access and the benefits of a 64-bit processor, but there’s one small thing that you’re probably not going to be happy about.
Taking a page from Xioami’s marketing strategy, the Lenovo A6000 smartphone will be made available through weekly flash sales and Flipkart is put in charge of selling the handset in the country. Effective as this approach is, it has caused many issues for customers in the near and distant past. Also, the Chinese company could start offering the phone through other channels, but not until a few months go by.
Lenovo has scheduled the first flash sale for January 28 and Flipkart has already started accepting registrations. Both companies are yet to disclose what inventory will be initially available and that information will most likely arrive as the sale closes in.
The A6000 smartphone is certainly going to give the Redmi 1S a hard time in the market, but things could change when the Redmi 2 arrives. The new phone is powered by Qualcomm’s entry-level Snapdragon 410 64-bit chipset and it offers dual SIM card slots as well as LTE connectivity which is an important feature since operators in India are soon to launch their 4G networks across the country.
Key specs of the Lenovo A6000:
– Android 4.4 KitKat w/ Vibe UI 2.0
– 5-inch 720p HD IPS touchscreen
– 1.2GHz quad core Snapdragon 410 SOC
– 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 32GB expandable
– Dual SIM w/ 4G LTE
– 2MP front camera, 8MP rear snapper
– 2300mAh battery
– 128 grams weight
The Lenovo A6000 isn’t the only cheap 4G smartphone on the market as the Micromax Yu Yureka and Microsoft’s Lumia 638 also offer LTE connectivity with retail tags under Rs 10000.


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Perrigo Company plc PRGO, -0.38% said early Monday that chief executive officer Joseph Papa had resigned and left the company Sunday. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. VRX, -15.91% plans to name Papa as its next CEO, The Wall Street Journal has reported Friday. Perrigo appointed John Hendrickson as CEO in his stead, effective immediately. Hendrickson had served as president since Oct. 2015, and worked at Perrigo for 27 years, the company said. Perrigo also updated its 2016 guidance in light of reduced pharmaceutical pricing expectations "due to industry and competitive pressures in the sector," projecting adjusted EPS for the year of between $8.20 and $8.60, compared with the FactSet consensus of $9.52. The company said it may take an impairment charge within its branded consumer healthcare business acquired in March 2015 and set a May 12 deadline to determine if and to what extent an impairment exists.
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Survey: 80% of consumers want access to and control of their vehicle data
Modern vehicles generate literally thousands of data points that can be valuable to dealerships, finance companies and other service providers. It appears gaining access to that information is a growing concern for vehicle owners.
More than 8 in 10 U.S. vehicle owners and lessees believe owners should have full access to and control of their vehicle’s data, including maintenance and repair information, according to the results of a survey released by the Auto Care Association.
The survey, conducted in August by Ipsos, a global, independent market research company, found 86 percent of consumers said vehicle owners should have access to driver and vehicle data, also known as telematics.
Additionally, the survey found 88 percent of consumers believe a vehicle’s owner should decide who has access to this data.
The findings from this survey come at a time when there is continued debate over vehicle data. Each year, officials acknowledged that vehicles get “smarter” and infused with telematic technologies, which can enable real-time, wireless transmission of information related to driving behavior, such as steering, acceleration and breaking; and vehicle health, including fuel use, emissions and engine hours.
However, as this technology has advanced, the Auto Care Association cautioned that vehicle manufacturers are gaining exclusive access to vehicle data at the expense of consumers.
“These results should be a wake-up call to automakers,” said Bill Hanvey, president and chief executive officer of Auto Care Association, an industry trade group representing 4.6 million jobs from coast-to-coast.
“At a time when Americans don’t see eye to eye on many issues, the results of this survey revealed a large majority of consumers support their right to gain full access to their vehicle data,” Hanvey continued.
“Without the right to control where their data goes, car owners may face greater inconvenience, greater cost and fewer options for taking care of their vehicle,” Hanvey added.
Among the survey’s most notable findings was a low awareness of telematics, a form of wireless technology in vehicles that aims to make the driving experience safer and more convenient through monitoring and data collection, including maintenance and repair information.
Nearly 3 in 4 consumers (72 percent) said they had not heard anything about telematics. Once provided with a definition, 63 percent of respondents still said they were not very or not at all familiar with telematics.
The implications for this lack of awareness were also apparent, according to the Auto Care Association.
“Remote diagnosis of vehicle problems is one of the primary selling points of telematics; however, as of today, only vehicle manufacturers can take advantage of this information. As a result, vehicle owners have little to no choice when it comes to servicing their vehicle,” the association said.
The survey found 71 percent of respondents incorrectly assumed that the vehicle owner has access to driver and vehicle data, which was greater than the percentage of respondents who assumed the vehicle manufacturer and the dealership have access to this data (59 percent and 44 percent, respectively).
And nearly half of respondents (45 percent) incorrectly believed that vehicle owners own their vehicle’s data.
The survey’s respondents also reported mixed feelings about advancements in vehicle technology:
• Eighty percent agreed that the advancements in safety technology in vehicles make them feel safer on the road. However, 70 percent said they believe technological advancements in vehicles are making drivers too dependent on safety features.
• Fifty percent said they are skeptical of new technology in vehicles.
• Fifty-nine percent said they specifically look for new technology features in vehicles they are considering to purchase or lease, while 45 percent prefer vehicles with less technology features.
These are the findings from an Ipsos poll conducted August 22-30 on behalf of Auto Care Association. For the survey, a sample of 4,581 adults ages 18 and older from the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii were interviewed online in English. This figure includes 3,854 adults who currently own or lease a vehicle.
To view a summary of the survey results and get more information, visit autocare.org/telematics.


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Google confirms it will not launch its own Wear OS watch this year
- Google has confirmed it has no plans to launch its own Wear OS-based smartwatch this year.
- The report comes after posted rumors earlier this year, claiming the company was preparing to release a Pixel-branded smartwatch.
- The story says Google will focus on improving Wear OS while working with third-party smartwatch makers.
If you were hoping Google was finally going to get into the smartwatch hardware business on its own very soon, you will be waiting a while longer. A new report from Tom’s Guide, based on an IFA 2018 interview with Miles Barr, Google’s director of engineering for Wear OS, says that the company has no plans to release its own smartwatch this year. The story said the company later confirmed that piece of news, via a statement from an official Google PR representative.
A few months ago, some rumors posted by VentureBeat writer Evan Blass, and then later by WinFuture, strongly suggested that Google was indeed developing as many as three smartwatches and that they would use the same Pixel branding as their smartphones. The watches were reportedly targeting an official reveal alongside the upcoming Pixel 3 phones later this fall.
However, according to Barr, Google’s current smartwatch focus is on helping its many third-party device makers create products that use Wear OS. That includes companies like Casio, which announced a new Wear OS-based sports watch, the Pro Trek WSD-F30, at IFA 2018 this week. Another Wear OS partner, Diesel, also announced the Full Guard 2.5 smartwatch at IFA, with a big 1.39-inch display. Barr did hint during the interview that a future Pixel Watch could feature a heavy emphasis on Google Assistant to support AI and machine learning features.
It’s very possible that Google was indeed working on smartwatch devices behind closed doors, but that the team behind them might have decided they were not yet ready for a launch at the same time as the next Pixel phones. Google did announce a major update to Wear OS earlier this week at IFA, which should begin rolling out to most Android Wear-Wear OS devices in the next few months.


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21 dogs have died in Australia (61 reported poisoned) from pet meat sourced from Maffra Knackery, Gippsland, Victoria.
Indospicine toxicity from horse meat is being investigated as the cause, from a consignment of horses sourced from NT into Victoria.
Meat sold as “beef” or “kangaroo” by Maffra Knackery (also trading as Backman’s Greyhound Supplies) sold between 31st May and 3rd July fresh/frozen/cooked should not be fed, and it is advised any feeders of pet grade meat, particularly sourced in Victoria, investigate the source of the meat.
PrimeSafe and Agriculture Victoria continue to investigate. Indigofera toxicity, sometimes known as Birdsville disease, is known to affect horses in tropic/subtropic regions of Australia.
Many pet meats sold in pet stores are labelled as human grade and are safer to feed than pet grade meats sold without guarantees.
Please use caution.
Statement from Agriculture Victoria and PrimeSafe (30th July 2021)
PRIMESAFE AND AGRICULTURE VICTORIA STATEMENT INDOSPICINE IN PET MEAT – WARNING TO DOG OWNERS
Test results have confirmed pet meat processed at the Maffra & District Knackery Pty Ltd of Wombat Road, Boisdale, also known as Maffra District Knackery, as the source of indospicine, which caused the recent cluster of liver disease and dog deaths in Victoria.
Horse meat is emerging as the focus of the investigation into the indospicine toxin found in pet meat products.
Indospicine is a toxin to which dogs are especially sensitive.
PrimeSafe and Agriculture Victoria are now aware of a consignment of horses that came to Victoria to be processed for pet meat from the Northern Territory where the Indigofera plant that contains indospicine is known to grow.
Given the difficulties identifying indospicine in pet meat, dog owners are reminded that they should not feed their pet any fresh or frozen raw pet meat sourced from Maffra District Knackery between 31 May and 3 July.
All kinds of pet meat fitting that description should be considered at risk of indospicine contamination, due to the blending of pet meats, including products described as beef and kangaroo pet meat.
Pet meat that is contaminated with indospicine may still remain in circulation, despite voluntary withdrawals by the pet meat processing facility and recalls by pet meat retailers.
Businesses and dog owners are encouraged to check the source of their pet meat. If unsure, owners are advised to contact their pet meat supplier to check where and when their pet meat was sourced. Some products will be labelled as Maffra District Knackery and Backman’s Greyhound Supplies. After initial distribution, the pet meat could have been processed into a variety of products making identification of all affected pet foods difficult.
Since the end of May, government agencies have been made aware of 61 affected dogs, of which 21 have died. These cases are predominantly in Bairnsdale, Traralgon, Mornington Peninsula and eastern suburbs of Melbourne areas to date.
On 23 July, indospicine was confirmed as the toxin causing the illness and deaths.
Indospicine is a toxin found in native plants of the Indigofera species across Australia, but the species that produces high levels of the toxin is found in northern Australia. Indospicine has been previously shown to build up in the tissue of some grazing animals when they continue to eat these plants and dogs are especially sensitive to the toxin.
Indospicine toxicity had not previously been reported in Victoria but has been reported in northern Australia when dogs eating horse or camel meat were affected. In Victoria, horses may be transported to a PrimeSafe licensed knackery where they may be processed for use as pet food in accordance with the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production of Pet Meat.
Testing and gathering information continues, and is now focusing on identifying any further distribution of the indospicine contaminated pet meat, and on gathering lessons from this rare event.
Dog owners should always seek prompt advice from their private veterinarian if their dog demonstrates any concerning signs including sudden loss of appetite, lethargy or jaundice in a previously heathy animal.
Veterinarians seeking to report cases or for further advice should speak with their local Agriculture Victoria Animal Health or District Veterinary Officers or call the Customer Contact Centre on 136 186.
There are no indications of any risk to human health nor of human food safety issues associated with these cases to date. There are strong food safety regulatory controls in place to prevent pet meat entering the human food supply.
To contact PrimeSafe, visit www.primesafe.vic.gov.au/contact-us


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Wyndham snapped quickly back to profitability from pandemic losses, but there is still plenty of work ahead to get back to 2019 performance levels.
At least one comeback kid has emerged for the hotel industry during what many expect to be the worst year on record for the travel industry.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts posted a $27 million third quarter profit, the company reported after stock markets closed Wednesday. Don’t mistake profitability with a sign the pandemic is in the past, however. The global hotel industry continues to see major declines in occupancy compared to last year and faces the threat of second and third-wave coronavirus case surges around the world.
But Wyndham’s portfolio largely caters to the kind of travel guests still feel comfortable with during a pandemic: drive-to, leisure, and even critical business travel.
“As a lodging leader for these everyday business travelers, we are not reliant on air travel, international inbound, or large convention-based corporate travel, which is one reason why our business is uniquely positioned to continue to outperform,” said Wyndham CEO Geoff Ballotti on Thursday during an investor call. “Our drive-to, leisure business has never been better positioned for growth.”
The company’s weekend drive-to and leisure travel is up 26 percent since the second quarter, and mid-week business travel is up 19 percent, Ballotti added. Roughly 70 percent of Wyndham’s overall bookings come from leisure travelers while 30 percent stems from “everyday business” travel — largely on-the-road employees working within industries like infrastructure, construction, or logistics.
La Quinta was Wyndham’s best-performing brand for the quarter. But a Georgia Howard Johnson is routinely selling out every night from construction workers who are building a nearby battery warehouse for South Korean firm SK Innovations.
“Those are the boots in the bed we talk about on the infrastructure side,” Ballotti said.
The strong rebound comes after the company posted a $174 million second quarter loss, which many expect to be the worst financial quarter for the entire hotel industry.
Despite some suspended operations earlier this year due to low demand, nearly all of Wyndham’s U.S. hotels are now open. Roughly 80 percent of franchisees are running at occupancy rates over 30 percent — typically the financial breakeven point for a Wyndham property, according to the company’s chief financial officer Michele Allen.
“Our business has showed tremendous resilience through this unprecedented crisis,” she added.
Clinching a Full Recovery
While Wyndham saw some performance strength in the third quarter, there is still work to be done to notch a full recovery from the pandemic.
Global revenue per available room — the hotel industry’s key performance metric — is still down 35 percent compared to this time last year. U.S. occupancy peaked at 50 percent in July and dropped to 47 percent in September.
International average occupancy was 34 percent for the third quarter, but China is a bright spot, with October occupancies coming close to 2019 levels.
A new mobile app as well as customer data platforms and direct booking channels for business travelers are all meant to help drive bookings out of the crisis. The company continues to work with struggling operators by offering deferred fee payments and relaxed property improvement plans.
“Moving forward, what our franchisees are most interested in and what we’re spending the most time on is getting them more support on the federal level,” Ballotti said. “The biggest hope is they will have a second draw on [the Paycheck Protection Program loans]. I’m still optimistic that can get done by the end of the year.”
Wyndham’s improvement trajectory comes amid a surge in new coronavirus cases around the world, but Ballotti downplayed its potential impact to the company’s business heading into winter. A summer surge in the U.S. across the Sun Belt didn’t impede bookings.
“We’re not yet seeing any change, but it’s certainly of concern and something our teams are watching,” Ballotti added.
Pumping Up the Portfolio
Wyndham leaders have been among the most vocal in the hotel industry since the start of the pandemic regarding plans to appeal to independent hoteliers to sign a franchise agreement — a process known as a conversion. Those talks appear to be working.
Wyndham signed 152 hotel agreements in the third quarter, and U.S conversions were up 23 percent compared to last year. Conversion activity was significant in Sun Belt markets like Georgia, Arizona, Florida, and Texas. Brands like La Quinta, Baymont, and Travelodge (unrelated to the UK brand of the same name) were popular conversion choices.
Wyndham earmarked $20 million in what it calls development advance spend — money that can go toward attracting new properties into its system or retaining owners of properties considering leaving. The company could double that budget based on growth opportunities it sees heading into 2021, Allen said.
But Wyndham’s executives, like many investors in the hotel industry, say it is still a waiting game for owners of existing properties to fully accept a bigger brand may be their best option to get to the other side of the pandemic.
“There are so many independent developers that are out there that are realizing a brand could provide [revenue per room] premiums and lower distribution costs and operating cost savings, but they’re just not ready to make that decision,” Ballotti said.
Photo credit: Wyndham is back to profitability after posting a $174 million loss in the second quarter, believed to be the worst from the pandemic. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts