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Probiotic drinks 'don't do any good': Study finds 'good' bacteria in many products does not even reach the small intestine
- Scientists put eight probiotic drinks through three tests to asses health benefits
- Found that only one of them passed all three tests showing they aid digestion
- Study carried out by University College London used pig stomach fluids
- The probiotic drinks market is said to be worth £19.7billion worldwide
A new survey has revealed that many probiotic drinks and supplements are likely to have no health benefits
Many probiotic drinks and supplements are likely to have no health benefits, according to a survey.
In a number of them, the ‘good’ bacteria said to aid digestion barely even made it to the ‘target’ area, the small intestine.
Scientists at University College London put eight probiotic products through three tests and found only one passed them all. Study author Dr Simon Gaisford, of UCL’s School of Pharmacy, said: ‘Just swallowing them is no good if the stomach then kills everything.’
Researchers investigated whether products contained as many live bacteria as claimed, whether the bacteria survived passing through the acidic stomach environment and whether they then flourished in the small intestine.
Four – Align, Biobalance, Bio-Kult and Probio 7 – did not pass a single test. Yogurt drink Yakult contained enough bacteria but failed on the next two stages, while rival Actimel fell short on the number of bacteria surviving the stomach.
Only water-based barley drink Symprove passed all three challenges. Bacteria in the product VSL#3 survived the stomach and flourished in the small intestine. However, it contained fewer live bacteria than stated.
The study, using pig stomach fluids, will be published in the journal Beneficial Microbes. It adds to the debate about the benefits of probiotics. Research earlier this week suggested a daily dose of friendly bacteria could stave off colds.
Bio-Kult said its capsules have been comprehensively researched. Yakult said independent studies showed its bacteria survived through the human gut at a high level.
Six in ten UK households regularly buy probiotic drinks and supplements, which claim to be bursting with health-boosting ‘friendly bacteria’.
The probiotic market is estimated to be worth £19.7 billion globally.
Dr Gaisford, said probiotics in liquid form performed better than capsules and recommended anyone using a probiotic should take it on an empty stomach after waking.
Dr Rob Hicks, a GP and media doctor, said probiotics were a ‘phenomenon’ and the ‘astonishing’ results should help shoppers make better decisions
Waiting at least 10 minutes afterwards before eating will help reduce the chance of the beneficial bacteria being killed by stomach fluids, he said.
Dr Rob Hicks, a GP and media doctor, said probiotics were a ‘phenomenon’ and the ‘astonishing’ results should help shoppers make better decisions.
‘Some people take them as a form of health insurance and some take them for chronic disorders such as IBS and are often not particularly satisfied with conventional medicine,’ he said
‘Lots of products claim to work but the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have basically said there’s not enough scientific evidence for probiotics to make health claims.’
Symprove weren’t involved in the research but did provide funding to write up the results.
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gPhone: a software erector set
By: Scott Bradner
After a frenzied buildup Google did not announce the gPhone. Instead Google announced that there might be a gPhone in your future. The announcement was heavy on future potential and light on current reality. The basic announcement was quite simple: Google announced that a new "Open Handset Alliance" has been formed to create open source, Linux-based software for mobile phones and other mobile devices. With Google's clout this effort may fare better than previous efforts along the same line but we will not know for a while yet.
Anyone caught up in the preannouncement hype had to have been disappointed in what came out. The list of 34 current members of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) (http://www.openhandsetalliance.com) include some impressive names, including a few real mobile phone carriers and handset manufactures. But, as the Register pointed out, this is not the first announcement of a group aiming to create software for Linux-based mobile phones. (See LiMo arrives for mobile Linux http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/26/limo_founded/ and RM finds friends for mobile Linux http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/04/arm_linux/.) We should know more next week when the Alliance plans to post an "early look" at a software development kit. But even if everything works out like Google has publicly predicted this is still not a phone, it is at best a set of software pieces that can be assembled to be come the base that a phone manufacturer can build upon. It is a totally flexible platform with no restrictions on how dumb or smart the phone manufacturer wants to make the resulting phone.
Clearly the Google announcement must be viewed in comparison to the iPhone. Google got almost as much hype as Apple did and, like Apple, is a company that is not part of the traditional phone world. Both the iPhone and the OHA are not aiming at the simple end of the mobile phone business - they are both targeting the relatively small "smartphone" segment of that business. Given its iPod track record, Apple may produce products that compete in other parts of the mobile phone biz in the future but it's not clear what the OHA is thinking in this area.
Time Magazine tagged the iPhone as the Invention of the Year. (http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1677329_1678542,00.html) They said they did so for 5 reasons: the iPhone is pretty, it's touchy-feely, it will make other phones better, it's not a phone, it's a platform, and it is but the ghost of iPhones yet to come.
The OHA software by itself cannot be said to meet all of these goals. It's up to the phone manufacturer to make a phone using the OHA software pretty or touchy-feely. It can be done, but it's unlikely that most manufacturers are going to be able to get close to the iPhone in these areas. The OHA may be able to make other phones better by providing a solid platform for innovation that many, if the phone manufacturers can understand the concept, produce better phones far into the future. Three out of five is not too bad. (But, phone manufacturers take note, Apple will not be sleeping.)
One area that has not yet been explored in the OHA is the issue of patents. There are dozens of patents that cover just about all aspects of mobile phones. There is no reason to think that, just because a phone runs Linux and other open source software, that any of the patent issues will go away.
My verdict: Google orchestrated a big splash but it remains to be seen if the resulting ripples will rock many boats a year from now when products are supposed to be out.
disclaimer: While Harvard has been in the boat rocking business for a very long time, the university has not expressed an opinion on the viability of open source operating systems for mobile phones (in case you thought you missed it). Thus, the above represents my own doubts.

domain: news


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A study held by Cisco Systems, makers of networking equipment like routers, shows that 70% of the world’s population will have a cell phone, while 47.3% will have running water in the year 2020.
“Texas has been on a restricted water plan for a long while,” senior Caitlin Henson said. “We have learned to conserve water. Consumers will jump any height to get the latest new phone, but won’t think twice about how much water we use. We should be worried, we don’t need a device in our hand to survive. We need to rethink our priorities, and put what’s important first.”
The study shows that the United States is one of the leading countries in smartphone holders, being at 58%, with Chile and China not too far behind, while countries like Tanzania only having 8% of their population holding a smartphone.
“I think we should [be worried],” senior Aaron Campoy said. “Water is a basic need of life. Without water you will die. You can live without a cell phone.”
With that statistic, 32% of the United States’ population holds a non-smart cell phone. On top of the 58% smartphone holdings, the country now has a 90% mobile phone rate while only 10% of the population will not have one. In 2020, cell phones will take up more than 81% of total mobile data traffic, three fourths of that being video traffic.
“It brings society to a standard that’s really low,” Campoy said. “People aren’t as smart as they used to be.”


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Toyota is focused not just on its own work force, but on using its methods to encourage job growth generally in North America and for philanthropic efforts.
About 20 years ago, the company set up the Toyota Production System Support Center, a nonprofit that aims to help small and midsize businesses, as well as other nonprofits, like the New York Food Bank. The beneficiaries need not be in Toyota’s supply chain. Instead, the company hopes to help smaller companies throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico streamline their operations and, in the process, retain and perhaps increase the number of jobs.
Mr. Bonini, who leads the company’s North American efforts, said that the organization had worked with the furniture-maker Herman Miller, the theater-seating company Irwin Seating and Ace Metal Crafts Company, among others.
Jean Pitzo is the chief executive of Ace Metal, based in Bensenville, Ill., near O’Hare International Airport, which fabricates components for food-processing equipment.
Ace applied to the Toyota center and was accepted in 2014.
Mr. Bonini helped the company with the welding part of its business, which was often a production bottleneck. Together, they worked on streamlining, eliminating waste and improving employee engagement. As a result, Ms. Pitzo said, her business has grown “an easy 30 percent” and profits have gone up. The main reason is that we cut our lead time on new orders by 50 percent.”
But, Mr. Desloge advises, don’t try lean processes on your family. “When people understand lean, they will frequently bring it home, suggesting to their husband or wife that there’s a better way of loading the dishwasher,” he said. “That typically doesn’t go over very well.”


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For many, superyachts are a pipe dream, beacons of beauty that are admired from afar as they glisten like diamonds in marinas from Monaco to St. Barths. However, the superyacht industry is big business on an international level.
It has incredible economic benefits and an annual turnover of €24 billion. In the last decade, the superyacht fleet has more than doubled and the industry directly employs around 165,000 personnel worldwide, either at sea or on shore.
Superyachts are pioneering powerhouses when it comes to developing innovative design and technology as well as avant-garde sustainability practices. Times are changing at lightning speed; there is a new generation of superyacht owners who are redefining superyacht ownership. So what will this look like for the future of superyachts?
We spoke to a titan of the industry, Stewart Campbell, Editor-in-Chief of Boat International, the global authority in superyachting and Charlotte Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of the Super Yacht Life Foundation which champions the people, places and projects in superyachting to find out more.
Stewart revealed, “Nowadays comfort is king. For the first generation of superyachts owners, it was all about darker, heavier interiors – and a fair amount of bling. The new generation aren’t interested in that, they just want a place to escape that is comfortable for them and their families.”
Charlotte agreed, “Owners with unlimited wealth used design as a status symbol. They fitted as many gold taps as they possibly could onto their boat; thank god those days are over.”
Stewart added, “Owners are getting younger. More people have come into the industry in the last couple of years than have ever come in a single flurry before. The industry has been absolutely on fire.”
One of the most expensive yachts in the world is 162 metre Eclipse, which is reported to be owned by Roman Abramovich. It was designed by Terry Disdale and built by Blohm + Voss with two swimming pools, two helipads and many hot tubs. What is most impressive is its security system which reportedly includes bulletproof windows, an anti-paparazzi shield and a submarine which can transport guests 164 feet below the surface of the ocean.
The new dynamic generation of superyacht owners aren’t concerned with ostentatious displays of wealth; the gold taps are being replaced with an investment in avant-garde technology and more minimalistic designs.
Stewart said, “Owners are getting a lot more sensible with their choices, using fewer rare materials and wanting less formality.”
He added, “The people buying 50 metre boats aren’t princes or billionaires, they’re often just people who have done very well in business and want somewhere to escape with their families. Every superyacht owner will tell you that a yacht brings families together in a way a villa, for instance, never could.”
Stewart explained, “Superyachts this size also give you an opportunity to live in the closest possible proximity to the water, the new generation are embracing a more seamless design that brings water closer than ever before. This means lots of spaces that really blur the lines between the interior and exterior. It still incredibly luxurious, but it’s a bit more of a barefoot philosophy.”
Superyachts offer the opportunity to live in true harmony with the aquatic environment and the new generation are embracing a more seamless design that brings water closer than ever before.
Stewart explained, “It is the ultimate articulation, the inside, outside expression. Allowing you to get close to the sea whilst in a luxurious environment.”
Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design presented the ultimate yacht for the new generation in 2022. Poetry is a stunning 130-meter superyacht concept and a spectacularly beautiful home on water.
At the heart of Poetry is its deep connection with the water, through the decks which flow to the infinity pool, slowly descending towards sea level. The sea pool is a wonder, created by lowering one of the hatches under the sea level, extending a filtering bulwark to allow the seawater to rush in for the ultimate saltwater dip.
Many pioneering technologies are developed by shipyards and tech companies are rising to the challenge to enhance groundbreaking onboard entertainment and security features.
American computer engineer Bill Joy is one of those pioneers. He developed his sailing boat Ethereal around fuel cells when they were only used in spacecraft but not viable for everyday transport.
Charlotte elaborated, “The industry has a long history of brave owners who push boundaries, particularly with technological developments. Joy put millions of his own money into developing fuel cell technology. Now you can almost buy them off the shelf. They are going to be the future of transport.”
Michael Blake, president of Palladium Technologies developed AI for 40 years, he then retired and got bored so he developed bridge systems.
Charlotte explained, “His inspiration was the film Minority Report, where they’re moving things around with transparent screens. Now Minority Report style control systems are being installed on a couple of the superyachts.”
She exclaimed, “First the tech is on a yacht, then it’s in your home and your car, it’s so exciting.”
With so many emerging technologies developing, the superyacht industry seems to have secured a thrillingly innovative, responsible and sustainable future.
Charlotte revealed, “We are driving the future. Some of the technologies we are producing will revolutionise other sectors. This industry isn’t just about an oligarch and his $500 million yacht.”


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Time, one of the most influential magazines in the world, has released its latest issue, which discusses the world's 100 most influential companies. This is the first time that the magazine has released such a list as an expansion of its TIME100 franchise.
The unranked list highlights 100 businesses that make an extraordinary impact around the world. Included in Time's list are four automotive companies, namely: USA's General Motors and Tesla, Germany's Volkswagen, and China's BYD.
Gallery: 2021 Volkswagen ID.4: First Drive
General Motors is listed among the Titans category, with CEO Mary Barra gracing the magazine's cover. The company is included in the list for its contributions in engineering a greener future, employing a stark comparison with Tesla.
Tesla, on the other hand, is listed among the Disruptors category. Its status as a relatively young automaker and a leader in the renewable electric-energy sector cemented its position on the list.
Time lists Volkswagen under the Leaders category, which is cited for its efforts to lead the EV segment. Of note, the German automaker wants to overtake GM, Tesla, and other zero-emissions automakers in EV sales by 2025.
BYD Co. Ltd. goes under the Innovators category. The Chinese company, which means Build Your Dreams, has the backing of the American tycoon Warren Buffett and among the world leaders in making electric mobility possible in various sizes.
Time says that it used solicited nominations across various sectors to assemble the list, most notably from its global network of editors and correspondents, as well as from industry experts. These are then evaluated based on their relevance, impact, innovation, leadership, ambition, and success.
Time sees these companies and the leaders behind them shape the future and "chart an essential path forward."


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IBM said Tuesday it will pay $1 billion in cash to buy Informix Corp.'s database software business, bolstering IBM in its battle with rival Oracle.
IBM, the world's largest computer maker, is, with Oracle, the biggest maker of software used to manage massive corporate business operations. Menlo Park, California-based Informix, once a big competitor to Oracle, fell on hard times in the mid-1990s.
Informix gives IBM (IBM) one of the leading database systems used in data warehousing, business intelligence and transaction-handling systems used by more than 100,000 customers, including Verizon Communications, Deutsche Telekom AG, Sears and Sabre, the air reservation system.
IBM said that once it completes the deal it will integrate Informix software into the IBM database system, combine Informix's sales team with IBM's sales force and support existing Informix customers.
"This acquisition of Informix allows IBM to bring the benefits of leadership database technologies to more customers faster," said Sam Palmisano, IBM president and chief operating officer.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.
After the close, Informix will be renamed Ascential Software, reflecting the company's remaining database applications business.
The new company will join one of about 60 application makers and become one of IBM's strategic partners, participating in a joint-marketing relationship.
Ascential Software will use the $800 million after-tax proceeds from the sale to fund the company's growth and will use a substantial portion, yet to be calculated, for a stock buy-back plan.
Ascential will begin its life with $1 billion in cash and no debt.
In pre-session activity Tuesday on the Instinet stock brokerage system, shares of Informix traded at $6.81, down from its close Monday of $7.04. Shares of IBM were unchanged at $112.


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Indonesian Ambassador to Malawi, Tito Dos Santos Baptista, has commended bilateral and trade relations between his country and Malawi.
Baptista was speaking during the Indonesia-Malawi Business and Investment Forum held in Blantyre.
He said relations between the two countries continue growing stronger since establishment five years ago.
However, he said more needs to be done if trade between the two countries is to grow further.
Figures provided show that trade volume between the two countries increased from $27.1 million in 2017 to about $28.1 million in 2018.
Baptista said although there we are improvements, more could be done.
“Attaining these goals will require common efforts or synergy, not only from government officials of both sides, but active participation of business communities and other stakeholders,” Baptista said.
The forum was a follow up to the Indonesia-Africa Forum held in Bali, Indonesia, in August 2018 and the Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue in August this year.
Malawi Investment and Trade Centre Investment Promotion Manager, Modie Chanza, said Malawi is ready to partner with Indonesia to benefit citizens.
“Malawi has vast potential of investment in tourism, infrastructure development, energy and mining. So, as a country, we are ready to do business with all countries including Indonesia,” Chanza said.
She also described the forum, which brought together business people from the two countries as important, saying it will help them explore business opportunities available.
Indonesia is hosting the 34th Trade Expo in Jakarta City from the October 16 to 20 2019.
Eric Msikiti is a Senior Reporter/News Producer at Times Group. Though relatively young, Eric boasts years of experience in Malawi’s media industry.


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Month: January 2014
Nokia’s long-rumoured Android phone, believed to be dubbed Nokia X (codenamed Normandy) has been leaked again in live images, this time revealing design of the alleged device.
A French publication, No Where Else, has posted three images of the alleged Nokia X which purportedly show the device. One of the leaked images of the alleged Nokia X phone shows the front panel housing a Nokia logo on the top of the panel. Another leaked image shows the rear panel of the rumoured Nokia X, and appears to be made of plastic, similar to the material found on Asha devices, while the third leaked image shows the side panel housing a physical button for power and a volume rocker.
The alleged Nokia X aka Nokia Normandy is expected to be introduced at the upcoming MWC 2014 event held in Barcelona, starting from 24 February.
On Wednesday, a new leak via Browsermark 2 benchmark’s database purportedly revealed the alleged Nokia X phone to comes with model number RM-980.
Unfortunately, the listing did not reveal any details about the device, but includes an image that purportedly showed Nokia X wearing Nexus 5’s wallpaper and home screen icons. However, the current image contradicted earlier reports that claimed that Nokia, following the lead of Amazon, has been working on a fully-tailored or forked version of Android, like the software on the online retail giant’s Kindle Fire tablet range.
The alleged Nokia X was recently listed at a Vietnamese online retailer that revealed most of the specifications, including a 4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 480×854 (FWVGA) pixels; a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor; 5-megapixel rear camera; microSD card support and Android 4.4 KitKat. Further, the listing seemingly confirmed that the rumoured Nokia X would come with dual-SIM support, while connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPRS, EDGE, AGPS and Micro-USB. Other specifications include 4GB of inbuilt storage and Adreno 302 GPU. Notably, the listing claimed that the alleged Nokia X supports Google services like Google Play store, Google Search, Google Now, Google Maps, Calendar and YouTube.
Yahoo Inc’s shares fell 7.5 percent as the company’s declining revenue tempered investor confidence in CEO Marissa Mayer’s turnaround efforts, prompting several analysts to cut their price targets on the stock.
Yahoo’s shares nearly doubled in the past year as investors pinned their hopes on Mayer and surging growth at Chinese online retailer Alibaba, in which Yahoo holds a big stake.
At least four brokerages lowered their price targets on Yahoo’s stock, which fell to a low of $35.30 in early trading on Wednesday.
Yahoo on Tuesday reported a decline in online advertising prices and slower growth at Alibaba.
Yahoo’s overall revenue fell 6 percent in the last three months of the year to $1.266 billion, marking four consecutive quarters of eroding revenue.
The drop in revenue was largely driven by a 7 percent decline in ad unit pricing due to a shift to mobile, where ad rates were lower, and from the roll-out of a new ad format where volumes were strong but pricing was lower, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey analyst Robert Peck said.
Mayer, after taking take over in July 2012, moved aggressively to kick-start the company with product makeovers, acquisitions and big media hires. But the ad sales business continues to struggle when at a time rivals Google and Facebook are posting strong revenue growth.
Alibaba posted revenue growth of 51 percent during the July-September quarter, after setting a breakneck pace during the first two quarters of 2013.
“Alibaba remains the prime attraction, though its 3Q13 was perhaps a bit less robust than recent quarters,” CRT Capital analyst Neil Doshi wrote in a research report.
The brokerage cut its price target on the stock to $47 from $52.
But Doshi said Alibaba’s revenue growth could show signs of acceleration when Yahoo reports the Chinese company’s fourth-quarter results. That period will include Singles Day (November 11), one of the biggest shopping days of the year in China.
Yahoo reports Alibaba’s results one quarter in arrears as part of its own financial disclosures.
Analysts have estimated that Yahoo’s Asian assets – Alibaba and Yahoo Japan – comprise about three-quarters of Yahoo’s nearly $40 billion market valuation.
Some analysts raised their price targets on Yahoo’s stock, citing the growth potential of Alibaba and another Yahoo asset, blogging service Tumblr.
“We think Tumblr may actually be capable of creating as much value as Yahoo’s core (business),” Bernstein Research analyst Carlos Kirjner wrote in a note.
Samsung has announced plans to launch a new Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet, which according to the company is exclusively developed for education.
The company has revealed that the new Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet will be available for K-12 school deployments in April for the 2014-2015 academic year and will be sold through Samsung distribution and channel partners. Samsung has not yet announced any pricing details of the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet.
The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 has been launched as part of the Google Play for Education program and will come with access to curated educational content, and other features to support dynamic, digital teaching and learning.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 features a 10.1-inch display as the name suggests with WXGA (1280×768 pixel) resolution in an 16:10 aspect ratio. The tablet runs Android 4.4 KitKat, and will include Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity options. Samsung has not revealed complete specifications detail of the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet for students, though we assume that the device would come with identical innards as the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet launched in June last year.
Samsung has not revealed the complete specifications of the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet, as of now.
Samsung’s new tablet comes with Google Play for Education features which give educators access to a wide selection of teacher-approved apps, books, and videos. The tablet will also come with a web-based management console which is provided by Google that will allow schools to easily manage and configure their entire fleet of devices.
Commenting on the launch, Tod Pike, senior vice president at Samsung’s Enterprise Business Division said, “Samsung and Google for Education share a commitment to delivering innovative learning experiences to improve student outcomes. The new Galaxy Tab with Google Play for Education integration was created to specifically address the needs of today’s schools and support our vision for powering education by empowering educators.”
Apart from the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet, Google is also collaborating with other companies in its Google for Education initiative – with Lenovo for the ThinkPad 11e Chromebook series, and withToshiba for its Chromebook.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 key specifications
- 10.1-inch display with WXGA resolution
- Android 4.4 KitKat
- 16:10 aspect ratio
- Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity options
Lenovo Group, the Chinese technology company that earns about 80 percent of its revenue from personal computers, is betting it can also be a challenger to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc in the smartphone market.
On Wednesday, Lenovo said it would buy Google Inc’s Motorola Mobility handset unit for $2.91 billion in the fourth-largest U.S. acquisition by a Chinese or Hong Kong company ever.
“We are not only the number one PC company in the world but with this agreement we will become a much stronger number three smartphone company,” said Wong Waiming, Lenovo’s chief financial officer, on a conference call on Thursday.
Investors, however, took a dim view of the deal, which came less than a week after the company announced it was buying IBM Corp’s low-end server unit for $2.3 billion. The stock fell 8.2 percent on concerns Lenovo might have overpaid for a loss-making business and would dilute the value of shares by issuing new ones to help pay for the purchases.
Together with the IBM agreement, Lenovo has agreed in the last week to fork over as many as 800 million shares, representing about 7.7 percent of its outstanding stock.
With its acquisition of Motorola, Lenovo is emerging as the most viable contender to global smartphone leaders Apple and Samsung – albeit still a distant third-place player.
The deal will allow Lenovo to step outside its China comfort zone and firmly into other regions, including the United States, where Chinese smartphone makers have struggled, and Latin America, where Motorola remains a strong brand.
Google has the opposite problem. China is one place its presence is barely felt since it left the market in 2010 because of network security concerns.
Its search engine, which dominates in most of the world, recorded China market share by usage of just 1.6 percent in December, according to Beijing-based data firm CNZZ. Before 2010, its share reached 29 percent, according to Analysys Mason.
Even Google’s Android operating system, which Samsung also uses, has struggled in China. Only 3.5 percent of Android devices in China have its Google Play app store installed, limiting its profit potential.
Whether the Lenovo partnership might reopen the door to China remains to be seen. Programmes such as Google Maps and Google Plus, which is blocked by censors, would still be unavailable to most mobile users.
Lenovo’s global smartphone market share following the acquisition will be more than 6 percent, compared with Samsung’s 28.8 percent and Apple’s 17.9 percent as of December 31, according to Lenovo and IDC.
For Motorola, Lenovo will pay $660 million in cash, $750 million in Lenovo ordinary shares, and another $1.5 billion in the form of a three-year promissory note, Lenovo and Google said in a joint statement.
Lenovo will receive more than 2,000 “patent assets” as part of the transaction, the companies said, but it remains unknown which will change hands and whether they might be subject to extra scrutiny from regulators.
“This has a huge impact not only to the smartphone market but also the Android ecosystem,” said CK Lu, a Taipei-based tech analyst with Gartner. “Samsung dominates in the Android ecosystem but now they have a new challenger which is Lenovo.”
China would like to see a home-grown competitor to both Android and Apple’s iOS. Earlier this month, it launched its own “China Operating System”.
Wong said Lenovo has no “urgent need” to raise additional funds to pay for the IBM or Motorola acquisitions. The deals together require capital outlays of $2.8 billion, while Lenovo has on-hand cash of more than $3 billion, Wong said. Lenovo also raised $1.2 billion in loans in December.
Motorola Mobility lost more than $1.5 billion, after taxes and extraordinary items, since Google acquired the unit in May, 2012, according to a Lenovo filing on Thursday. Google will report its fourth quarter and annual earnings later on Thursday.
“It looks like Lenovo is acquiring the Motorola unit at a premium,” said Linus Yip, a Hong Kong-based strategist at First Shanghai Securities.
But Wong said he was “very confident” Lenovo can return the business to profitability. He declined to give a time frame.
Lenovo’s smartphone business generates about $4 billion in annual sales, said Wong, and with the addition of Motorola the company should approach $10 billion in revenues “within a reasonable time”.
“That actually gives us a much bigger scale platform for us to grow further,” Wong said.
The deal may not be about market share so much as markets.
“It’s not about entering the U.S. but about stepping outside of China,” said Gartner’s Lu. “They have the chance to compete with Samsung and Apple.”
An expensive mistake by Google could turn into a golden opportunity for China’s Lenovo Group as it expands beyond its success in the personal computer industry.
Google is ridding itself of a financial headache by selling Motorola Mobility’s smartphone business to Lenovo for $2.9 billion. The deal announced late Wednesday comes less than two years after Google bought Motorola Mobility for $12.4 billion in the biggest acquisition of Google’s 15-year history.
While Google Inc. is backpedaling, Lenovo Group Ltd. is gearing up for a major expansion. Already the world’s largest PC maker, Lenovo is now determined to become a bigger player in smartphones as more people rely on them instead of laptop and desktop computers to go online.
Lenovo already is among the smartphone leaders in its home country, but it has been looking for ways to expand its presence in other markets, especially the U.S. and Latin America. The company had been rumored to be among the prospective buyers for BlackBerry Ltd. when that troubled smartphone maker was mulling a sale last year.
“We will be going from an emerging-market player to a worldwide player in smartphones,” Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said in an interview with The Associated Press.
This marks Lenovo’s second high-profile deal this month. The company announced plans last week to buy a major piece of IBM Corp.’s computer server business for $2.3 billion.
For Google, the sale is a tacit admission that a company that prides itself on employing some of the world’s smartest people miscalculated how much Motorola was worth.
Google previously recovered some of the money that it spent on Motorola by selling its set-top operations last year to Arris Group Inc. for $2.35 billion.
And Google is holding on to most of Motorola’s more than 20,000 mobile patents, providing Google with legal protection for its widely used Android software for smartphones and tablet computers. Gaining control of Motorola’s patents was the main reason Google was willing to pay so much for a smartphone maker that was already losing money and market share.
The Motorola patents were valued at $5.5 billion at the time Google took over, according to regulatory filings.
Factoring all that, there’s a gap of roughly $1.65 billion between what Google paid for Motorola and what Google is getting from its sales to Arris and Lenovo, plus the original value of the patents. What’s not known is the value of the patents Google is keeping, as Lenovo is picking up about 2,000 Motorola patents in addition to the phone manufacturing operations.
It’s also unclear if Google will have to absorb a charge to account for its apparent miscalculation of Motorola Mobility’s value. The Mountain View, Calif., company may address the issue Thursday when it announces its fourth-quarter earnings after the market closes.
Most investors viewed Motorola as an unnecessary drain on Google’s profit, a perspective that was reflected by Wall Street’s reaction to the sale. Google’s stock gained $28.08, or 2.5 percent, to $1,135 in extended trading.
A cellphone pioneer, Motorola Mobility had its last big hit with the Razr flip phone, which came out in 2004. Its product line became outmoded after Apple Inc. released the iPhone in 2007, unleashing a new era of touch-screen phones. Motorola hasn’t been able to catch up yet, even as last summer’s Moto X received positive reviews.
Motorola’s losses are likely to dampen Google’s earnings at least for the first half of this year. That’s because it’s expected to take six to nine months before the proposed sale gets the necessary approvals from regulators.
Buying Motorola will enable Lenovo to join Apple Inc. as the only major technology companies with global product lines in PCs, smartphones and tablets, putting Lenovo in a better position to become a one-stop shop for companies to buy all their devices from the same vendor, said Forrester Research analyst Frank Gillett.
“This makes Lenovo a company to watch,” Gillett said in an email. “The personal device manufacturer business is consolidating – and manufacturers must compete in all three device markets, plus emerging wearable categories, or get left out of the next market shift.”
Oppo has entered the Indian market with the launch of its flagship smartphone, the N1 (16GB) at Rs. 39,999. The company has announced that its first smartphone in India will be initially available in 12 cities, including Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai among others.
The company unveiled the Oppo N1 globally in September last year. Oppo N1 comes with support for running CyanogenMod OS, which is an open operating system based on Android 4.3 and developed by Cyanogen Inc.
Oppo’s India twitter handle has also confirmed that the company will be selling a limited edition of the N1 with CyanogenMod OS in the country. The tweet said, “Oppo will be selling a limited edition of their latest flagship device, the OPPO N1, which will ship with CyanogenMod.”
The Oppo N1 runs Color UI which is Oppo’s proprietary OS based on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. Specifications on the Oppo N1 include a 5.9-inch full-HD (1080p) IPS display with 1080×1920 pixels resolution and 377ppi pixel density, 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB and 32GB of inbuilt storage. However, the company has not revealed the price details for N1’s 32GB model.
The N1 sports a 13-megapixel sensor with dual LED flash, which is the device’s major highlight, as the camera can rotate up to 206 degrees, and can lock at any angle. Connectivity options on the device include USB OTG, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, GPS, NFC and 3G. It packs a 3610mAh battery.
The Oppo N1 will be available in White colour and weighs 213 grams. It comes with dimensions 170.7×82.6x9mm.


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Most companies in the automotive industry are working to develop some element of autonomous driving or support for such a capability. However, we have a bit of a conundrum about our migration to an autonomous future. At this point it is fair to say that we are...read more
CR's evaluation of Tesla’s highly anticipated feature shows there’s a long way to go to get to 'Full Self-Driving' Consumer Reports tested Tesla’s recently launched Smart Summon feature on our Model 3, and we found that the automation was glitchy and at times worked...read more
Researchers are using 1/10th-size models to test self-driving technology more cheaply and easily than full-size vehicles. Over the next three years, Houssam Abbas will carefully send 80 modified Traxxas RC rally cars—the Ford Fiesta model—to research facilities around...read more
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AITD unveiled during IPF Awards 2018
The All India Textiles Directory (AITD)—a renewed attempt by the Indian Textile Journal—was unveiled by Ajit Chavan, Secretary, Textile Committee, Ministry of Textiles, during the 3rd IPF Excellence Awards 2018, which was held at National Stock Exchange on December 13, 2018.
Duty drawback rate cut upsets TEA
The Tiruppur Exporters’ Association (TEA) is dismayed on the reduction of duty drawback rates on apparel items. In this revised list, the government has reduced rates for value-added ready-made garments while improving rates for raw materials like cotton, yarn and fabrics.
Thai firm goes for aniline-free indigo dyeing
Archroma, a global leader in colour and speciality chemicals towards sustainable solutions, has announced that Thailand-based Absolute Denim will be the first denim manufacturer to switch 100 per cent of its production to aniline-free indigo dyeing.
R Randegger is Head of Rieter After-Sales
The Board of Directors of Rieter Holding AG has appointed Rico Randegger to the Group Management of the Rieter Group with effect from June 1, 2019. He will be responsible for the Business Group After Sales.
Pratibha Syntex bags 3 awards
Pratibha Syntex was honoured with Dare to Dream Award in an event recently organised in Bhopal by the Federation of Madhya Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FMPCCI).
Allcargo signs MoU with JNPT, CIDCO
Allcargo Logistics has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JNPT and CIDCO wherein Allcargo will set up the operations, maintenance and management of a Skill Development Centre in Bokadveera, Uran near JNPT.
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The Westchase Artists Society will host its fourth annual Westchase Holiday Market benefitting Autism Speaks Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Hollywood Venue in Tampa.
This new, expanded venue at 9210 Anderson Road in the AMC Veterans Plaza, will allow more than 65 local artists and vendors to bring holiday shoppers unique gifts and one-of-a-kind treasures.
The indoor/outdoor holiday market will feature original fine art, photography, pottery and jewelry along with handmade crafts and products from some well-known vendors.
One special feature of this year’s market will be a “Raffle-Palooza” offering a large assortment of gift baskets and other fine art items with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting Autism Speaks.
Special activities available during the day include:
* 10 a.m.–2 p.m.: Santa will be visiting for pictures with the kids
* 9 a.m.–11 a.m.: Live music from Singing Tree
* 1 p.m.–2:30 p.m.: Skits and book reading for the children by Mara Fernandez, author of “Torbeo, The Kingdom of Magical Words”
* 1 p.m.–2 p.m.: Face painting by Roddy Flores with My Party Entertainment
Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s Tribute Car will be on hand all day in the parking lot for pictures. A special raffle will be held to win a chance to ride in the actual track-driven Cup car that was last on the track in Sonoma, Calif., in June 2000.


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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam’s Club has tapped Sean Jackson to succeed Jill Turner-Mitchael as senior vice president for consumables and health and wellness. Jackson, who joined Sam’s Club in 2009 from Linens ’n Things, most recently served as vice president for home. He began his career at May Department Stores. Turner-Mitchael retired effective January 31.
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam’s Club has promoted Sean Jackson to the post of senior vice president and general merchandise manager of consumables and health and wellness. He succeeds Jill Turner-Mitchael, who retired from that role at the end of January. Turner-Mitchael joined Walmart in 1992 as a pharmacist in Lubbock, Texas. During her 26 years with the
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president and general merchandise manager for consumables and health and wellness at Sam’s Club, is retiring. A Sam’s Club spokeswoman confirmed that Turner-Mitchael plans to retire at the end of the fiscal year. The Walmart warehouse club chain has not yet named a successor, the spokeswoman said. Turner-Mitchael
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam’s Club is adding higi health screening stations to most of its more than 600 locations with a pharmacy. The Walmart warehouse club chain said Tuesday that the higi health kiosks enable customers to measure their blood pressure, pulse, weight and body mass index (BMI). In addition, consumers can track their health
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — This Saturday, free health screenings will be offered at more than 5,200 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores nationwide in what Walmart called its biggest screening event ever. The company said Wednesday that Walmart Wellness Day will be held on Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in over 4,600 Walmart stores
BENTONVILLE, Ark — This month, Sam’s Club plans to offer free men’s health screenings at all of its pharmacy locations. The Walmart warehouse club chain said Tuesday that the His Health screenings are confidential and will be held Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m at Sam’s Club’s 608 pharmacies. Valued at $250, the
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam’s Club has expanded its prescription drug savings program. As part of the initiative, five medications at specific quantities are available for free at all Sam’s Clubs with pharmacies in 35 states. The savings are part of Sam’s Club’s Extra Value Drug List (EVDL), which allows Plus and Business Plus members to
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam’s Club is offering some generic drugs free under an expanded prescription savings program. The Walmart warehouse club chain said Thursday five generic medications are now available in specified quantities at no charge in 35 states for its Sam’s Club Plus and Business Plus members. They include donepezil (for Alzheimer’s disease), pioglitazone


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With the pandemic transforming IAM Weekend 2020 into a live online experiment, Covid-19 was unsurprisingly a hot topic in many of the event’s sessions and workshops.
While many speakers predicted that an environmental and behavioural reset will follow the current landscape of fear and uncertainty, some shared messages of optimism. During Thursday’s Unconference – in which attendees could host their own remote discussion – many explored short-term solutions to help consumers deal with the Covid-19 crisis. Some suggested a new platform to digitally map WhatsApp volunteer groups, while others highlighted the free access to coronavirus information offered by Government Zero, which does not require an internet connection.
Others are developing more long-term plans. Engineer Daveed Benjamin is designing a tool that stems from his start-up Bridgit, which is described as a ‘map for the internet’. His upcoming Covid-19 Mapping Project aims to fight the information gap and spread factual awareness about the virus, allowing users to generate an interactive knowledge map.
With the travel and hospitality sector facing bleak prospects, Martin Rosengaard is reshaping his Human Hotel brand to prepare for an uncertain future. The platform was launched as a way to humanise the home-sharing model by enabling guests to stay with activists and artists all over the world. However, with social distancing in full operation, the brand is adapting to become a digital platform that connects diverse people for online conversations. ‘Our mission is not to get the most bookings,’ he says. ‘It’s to create the most meaningful meetings.’
In recent years, the UX designers and technologists of Silicon Valley have promoted a mantra of ‘human-centred design’. However, at IAM Weekend, multiple speakers were quick to challenge the cliché, citing its fluffiness, abstraction and general untruth as reasons for doing so.
Cade Diehm, a ‘tech pessimist’ and founder of The New Design Congress, explored the technology industry’s failings to interpret design ethics, resulting in what he calls weaponised design – ‘where an interface harms a user exactly as it was designed’.
Meanwhile, IF founder Sarah Gold proposed a solution – society-centred design. In her manifesto, she explained that brands are trying to solve problems only in the moments when people are consumers, rather than treating them as citizens.
While modern design is largely individualistic, Gold argues that brands must shift their focus to designing with a collective lens; for example, opening up their products and services for the common good, ensuring economic opportunity for vulnerable people and designing for people’s digital rights, such as privacy.
When it comes to building the apps of the future, digital designer Christina Chen believes designers must refocus from monetisation and repetitive sessions to more socially driven benefits. ‘For example, how can UX be designed so people spend as little time using it as possible, while fulfilling the app’s purpose?’ she asks. Brands should also consider new metrics of success, such as environmental wellbeing or the number of people who have learned new skills.
IAM speakers also took to the web to confront the homogeneous nature of the internet. While many digital platforms were once designed to broaden our horizons, giving us information and granting access to everything and anything, experts believe it has become a highly repetitive and restrictive tool.
Introducing her Fuck The Monoculture project as a spoken-word poem, Anushka Sani, founder of Thought Over Design, argued that consumers are using the internet to find a space of commonality in which we behave, act and express ourselves in similar ways, even though we are unique. She believes that we need to find new language, aesthetics and actions to embrace our distinct individuality online.
- Ted Hunt, critical designer
One of the weekend’s most solution-driven speakers was critical designer Ted Hunt, who believes that the hegemony of Google Search is feeding an online monoculture by condensing our universal knowledge. ‘Google is broken; it needs fixing,’ he told attendees. ‘Everyone is selling us better. But we’re living in an age in which ‘less bad’ becomes good.’
In response, Hunt has crowdsourced an alternative, This, a proposed new search engine with multiple algorithms to collectively imagine an internet with diversified outcomes. Rooted in different types of knowledge, these alternatives included a search engine based on grief, astrology, history and even another point of view – such as gender, age, culture and language.
During an interactive workshop session, Hunt also invited attendees to design their own search engine and find new ways to broaden our cognitive spectrum. By exploring the internet through new perspectives, such as indigenous knowledge and non-human realities, Hunt believes we can expand our consciousness and disrupt a linear way of thinking.
: Design is being redesigned. As Sarah Gold notes, brands must eradicate claims of purpose and human-centrality and instead shift their focus to designing for societal good. For more, read our new macrotrend Post-purpose Brands
: Humans are keen to view life through new perspectives. As explored by Ted Hunt, the internet has the potential to offer this, and brands must create tools to help expand our collective consciousness.
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Blog: Mum's not the word
Dean Best | 16 April 2007
Do fathers not care about the health of their children?
That seems to be the message from food companies when they trumpet the health claims of their products.
That a brand will “appeal to mums” or be “a big hit with mums” are assertions often made by food and drink producers when marketing their wares.
Come on – this is the 21st century – fathers take just as much care in the upbringing of their children than mums. And mothers are no longer merely concerned with being housewives and raising the kids.
Is there anyone else out there who finds this use of language just a little bit twee and patronising?
Today (23 December) is just-food's last day before closing for Christmas. We'll return, raring to go on Tuesday 3 January - but of course there's been plenty of top-notch content that has gone live in...
The plethora of food manufacturing associations in the UK has been argued by some to be an impediment to the industry coming to a coherent position on the aftermath of Brexit and on what the sector sh...
- 2017: three major drivers of M&A strategy
- The food market in 2017 - consumer trends and M&A
- just-food 2017 Survey - your thoughts on growth
- Food market in 2017: need-to-know US trends
- 2017 - what will shape the UK food sector?
- Premier Foods issues profit warning
- UK's Bakkavor plays down IPO "speculation"
- Kellogg to slash 250 jobs
- Ferrero insists Nutella not pulled from shelves
- Lindt sees FY sales acceleration on Europe growth


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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS 11)--Mall Saint Matthews is getting a new restaurant and entertainment center.
Dave and Busters are opening an entertainment complex at the mall in 2018.
The company's officials say they expect to hire more than 250 employees.
Dave and Busters is a national chain that features dining, a sports bar, and arcade.
Currently, the closest locations are in Florence Kentucky and Indianapolis.


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Time to blow up the tropics.
More fixes and improvements than you could shake a stick at.
Superb mech strategy game Battletech will get its first proper DLC expansion, Flashpoint, in November.
Paradox have just published their financial report for the period from January to June 2018, and things are definitely looking good for them. Here's a short summary.
Paradox have announced that they will buy Harebrained Schemes, the developers of Shadowrun Returns and Battletech.


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# apple - Yesterday’s News
They might not help your budget – but your home will look amazing.
# apple - Tuesday 28 April, 2015
The company is still a money-generating machine of course.
# apple - Monday 27 April, 2015
And it doesn’t seem all that durable.
# apple - Saturday 25 April, 2015
Unless you have a good friend in the UK, Japan or Germany?
# apple - Friday 24 April, 2015
Previous Apple launches have seen queues down the street – but stock of the new watch on the high street is limited.
# apple - Wednesday 22 April, 2015
# apple - Tuesday 21 April, 2015
The company is using geofilters to try reach the staff of its competitors.
# apple - Sunday 12 April, 2015
Everyone was talking about property prices, Greek debts and Dunnes reprisals.
# apple - Thursday 9 April, 2015
It’s coming soon, and some people can’t control themselves.
A disgruntled ex-employee has gone on record about his dissatisfaction with working for the tech giant, and confidentiality agreements be damned.
What about the fish and chips?
# apple - Wednesday 8 April, 2015
A range of racially diverse emoji have also been released.
# apple - Monday 30 March, 2015
But it involves having lots of money – or pretending to.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has hit out at religious freedom laws.
# apple - Wednesday 25 March, 2015
“Honestly, I would just sell it and go Microsoft instead.”
# apple - Tuesday 24 March, 2015
Just chilling in the toaster for months and months, NBD.
# apple - Saturday 21 March, 2015
We look at the cash-generating power of the company’s stores and where one might appear if Apple did come to Ireland.
# apple - Saturday 14 March, 2015
Plus: How many hours were drugs legal for in Ireland this week?
# apple - Friday 13 March, 2015
Jobs, according to a new book, reacted angrily to the offer to help extend his life when he was suffering from pancreatic cancer.
# apple - Wednesday 11 March, 2015
A number of Apple’s services including the App Store and iTunes went down, preventing users from downloading content.
# apple - Monday 9 March, 2015
If you have $10,000 (or $349) lying about, you’re in luck.
The Apple Watch is now a reality.
Apple is holding an event later today to announce the final details about its long-awaited smartwatch.
# apple - Wednesday 4 March, 2015
Hackers may be harvesting your sensitive personal information.
Opera’s specialised browser for iPhone and iPad has been praised for its speed and design, and will receive a big update soon.
# apple - Monday 2 March, 2015
# apple - Sunday 1 March, 2015
The Korean giant threw out a number of surprises at its press conference as it begins its aggressive fight for top spot.
# apple - Thursday 26 February, 2015
Remember, people were supposed to HATE their last album because it was put on iTunes for free.
# apple - Wednesday 25 February, 2015
A ‘black Santa’ is also included in new range of racially-diverse Apple Emojis.
# apple - Tuesday 24 February, 2015
And one has been sitting on its own service since 2011.
# apple - Monday 23 February, 2015
At long last, the tricolour.
The €1.7 billion investment in Europe was announced by the tech giant this morning.
# apple - Friday 20 February, 2015
The tech giant has been poaching staff from electric car company Tesla.
# apple - Saturday 14 February, 2015
Plus: How many gardaí have left the force over the past five years?
# apple - Friday 13 February, 2015
The plans are gathering pace.
# apple - Wednesday 11 February, 2015
The world’s most valuable company is determined to ‘make the world better than we found it’
# apple - Tuesday 10 February, 2015
World domination beckons.


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By Franklin Alli
THE Federal Government, yesterday, challenged Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to reposition companies in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sectors through quality certification of products in order to earn foreign exchange for the country.
Government also commended the agency for the seizure of N5 million worth of substandard tryes. Flagging off SON’s management strategy session for a diversified economy in Lagos, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, expressed the utmost desire of the Federal Government to build an export economy.
He also hinged the growth of a manufacturing economy on prevention of dumping of substandard products on the local market. He stated: “Recent feat achieved by the enforcement team of your organisation that apprehended N5 million worth of substandard tyres is commendable considering the safety implications on citizens.
“You must reinvigorate your strategies in the fight against the influx and distribution of substandard products as part of measures to protect the local industries from unfair competition and reposition them for export to earn the most desired foreign exchange. The global collapse of commodity prices undoubtedly provides a golden opportunity for Nigeria to develop its endowed domestic capacity in terms of production and consumption.”
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Aminu Bisallah, Enelamah added: “Government will continue to provide the agency the added support and encouragement to achieve its mandate in the overall interest of the nation and its people.”
The Director General of SON, Mr Osita Aboloma, said the strategy sessions were aimed at repositioning the SMEs to be in the front burner of the agency’s efforts at contributing to effective implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP.
“Closely related to this is the fact that the Acting President has already given us a two month ultimatum to galvanise the standardizations of all SMEs in the country,” he added.


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Coalition to oppose Google book deal
Yahoo, Microsoft and Amazon plan to join a coalition to publicly oppose a proposed settlement Google reached with book publishers last year.
The coalition is being put together by the non-profit group Internet Archive.
Organisation director Peter Brantley said the group was trying to raise public awareness of potential anti-competitive threats if Google's settlement received court approval.
Google reached a $125 million deal with authors and publishers that gives it the right to scan books from universities and libraries into digital formats.
The settlement is awaiting court approval as the US Justice Department looks into whether it discourages competition.
Mr Brantley said the coalition's goal was to intelligently intervene in the settlement process in such a fashion as to create a more competitive environment for digital books.
A catalogue of scanned books could make Google the main online source for millions of out-of-print publications.
That has raised antitrust concerns because it puts the distribution of those books in the hands of one company.
Before the settlement, publishers and authors fought the project, claiming it infringed their copyrights.
Google, based in Mountain View, California, began scanning books in 2004 from Harvard University, the New York Public Library and other sources. The project lets users search through books, bringing up pages or excerpts that contain sought-for terms.
The Internet Archive promotes access to historical books and publications stored digitally.
Cinthia Portugal, a spokeswoman for Seattle-based Amazon.com, declined to comment.
A spokeswoman for Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo confirmed the company's participation with the coalition as did a spokesman for Microsoft in Redmond, Washington.
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APPLE HIRES EXPERT ON VR/AR
In a new report by The Financial Times, Apple might be looking into a possible push into virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). The report revealed that Apple has now hired Doug Bowman, a researcher and professor at Virginia Tech.
Bowman, prior to his hiring, was a Professor of Computer Science and Director of Center for Human-Computer Interaction. He specialized in three-dimensional user interfaces and immersion in VR environments. He has also collaborated on a number of different articles on VR, such as "Virtual Reality: How Much Immersion Is Enough?" and "3D User Interfaces: New Directions and Perspectives".
More importantly, he was one of last year's recipients of a $100,000 research grant from Microsoft's HoloLens Academic Research Grant Program. The grant was for a study into how AR/VR could work in large spaces with multiple users all accessing or viewing a single object, such as in museums.
IS APPLE PUSHING INTO VR WEARABLES?
Apple might seem like a johnny-come-lately into the VR/AR field, but it has actually been holding various assets and patents on how it could utilize AR and VR in its technology. It has filed a patent for converting an iPhone into a VR display and bought AR company Metaio just last year.
But despite the presence of Google Glass (now named Project Aura), with the Microsoft HoloLens and Oculus Rift on the market, Apple might not be rushing into building a VR/AR headset of its own. Instead, the Financial Times might be building VR/AR interfaces for electric cars.
A previous Wall Street Journal report had sources stating that Apple is looking into building an Apple-branded electric vehicle. Last month, it was also reported that Apple might be developing an "adaptive" projector for home use, a projector which will allow computers to project information without a screen.
Considering the secretive nature of the company and its penchant for rumors, only time will tell what new developments will arise from this.


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A commemorative plaque from the opening of the collapsed investment bank's Canary Wharf office in 2004 by Gordon Brown was among the hottest items sold.
It eventually went under the hammer for £28,750, way above an original estimate of £1,000 to £1,500.
More than 1,100 bidders signed up for the event at Christie's, which was ordered by the firm's administrator, PricewaterhouseCoopers to raise cash for those still owed money.
The auction house said "fierce competition" resulted in a sale which lasted more than six hours and realised a final sum that exceeded pre-sale expectations.
Among the items sold was a work by Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco, which went for £99,560, and Gary Hume's Madonna, which made £73,250. The sign which adorned the company's office sold for £42,050 - a huge rise on its £2,000 to £3,000 estimate.
In total, some £1,641,613 was raised for creditors during the auction, close to the second anniversary of the bank's collapse, which was the biggest bankruptcy in US history.
Barry Gilbertson, partner at PwC, said: "The prices achieved demonstrate just how much interest there is in anything related to the collapse of Lehman Brothers two years ago. The chance to own a piece of history does not come up very often.
"The administrators were confident that, by holding their nerve for two years and waiting for the art markets to recover, they would be able to realise the optimum return for the creditors."
A further sale planned for next month will see photographer Andreas Gursky's New York Mercantile Exchange auctioned for a price expected to reach between £100,000 and £150,000.Reuse content


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Effects test draft bill proposed
The Australian Federal Government has today released its draft bill to change the Competition and Consumer Act and introduce the controversial ‘effects test’.
Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull announced in March 2016 that his government would be introducing the effects test, changing Section 46 of the Competition and Consumer Act which addresses misuse of market power by big businesses acting alone.
Under the current legislation, Section 46 stipulates that to be found guilty of misuse of power, a business with substantive market power must have planned and acted in a way to misuse its power in an anti-competitive manner.
Under the effects test the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) will only be required to prove the large business acted in an anti-competitive manner. It will not have to prove intention.
Since the effects test was first proposed, a number of organisations and individuals have spoken out against the effects test including the Productivity Commission and ex-ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel who thinks it will limit access to cheap groceries.
The ACCC has responded to the draft bill by releasing guidelines proposing how it intends to approach the legislation changes.
Chairman of the ACCC, Rod Sims, is calling for feedback on the proposed guidelines.
“In particular, the ACCC is inviting feedback from consumers, businesses, and other stakeholders about the issues and topics the ACCC can provide guidance on to assist them understand how the amended misuse of market power prohibition, and the prohibition on anti-competitive concerted practices are likely to operate and how we’ll approach those provisions,” Sims said.
The proposed frameworks can be viewed on the ACCC’s website. Feedback closes 3 October 2016.
Queensland University of Technology has launched a research project that will track Australian beef ...
Leading Australian and New Zealand children’s health research institutes are joining forces to bette...
A number of food and drink producers have taken out sustainability awards at the 2017 Australian Pac...
Australia’s total fresh food market, comprising meat, bread, deli, fruit + veg and seafood, now has ...
The introduction to Australia of self-service checkouts in 2008 promised faster checkout.
Murray Goulburn is in the middle of an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) trading halt as requeste...
Australia’s best Christmas hams for 2017 have been determined at the 2017 PorkMark Ham Awards.
Try as they might, Australia’s fast food outlets have not been retaining their visitation rates.


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Voice picking is making the mandate clear: automate, or lose the plot.
Australian retailer Kmart Australia, owned by the conglomerate Wesfarmers Limited, has become the first retailer in the country to deploy Android Voice across its fulfillment operations, the company announced in a statement on July 13.
The project facilitates voice picking at Kmart distribution centers (DCs) in partnership with German tech multinational Körber’s Cohesio Group, its corporate partner of six years and a provider of Android Voice software-as-a-service (SaaS) plug-and-play solutions.
The deployment is supported by tech corporation Honeywell’s Guided Workflow Solutions, an enterprise workflow solutions suite.
To meet growing customer demand, the technology will be deployed in Kmart DCs opening in July, the statement said, adding that the solution has already been deployed in four Kmart DCs across Australia.
With the deployment of voice picking technology, Kmart “will be able to meet faster and more efficient delivery and picking targets across its DCs, instore and online operations,” it said in the statement.
The Need to Automate
Automation has become the go-to enabler for sellers to increase efficiency at warehouses, thereby streamlining the fulfillment process and improving margins in the long-term.
A majority of supply chain professionals agree that companies need to automate their warehousing processes to stay competitive.
A prominent way this is happening is by integrating robots into the workforce, such as through Amazon’s deployment of hundreds of thousands of robots at its warehouses, or through startups such as Dorabot, an artificial intelligence (AI) robotic logistics company.
One of the goals for such companies is to optimize workflows at the warehouse, firstly by integrating with human labor, and further, by incorporating into warehousing operations without much renovation of process.
Voice technology fits well within this structure, and one of the places it is being applied is in warehouse through voice picking.
Voice and Warehouse Picking
Warehouse picking refers to the picking of specific order items for fulfillment from the maze of inventory at distribution centers or fulfillment centers. Traditionally, this is done through Radio Frequency (RF) barcode scanning, which replaced the older paper-based system.
It sounds simple enough, but picking can contribute to up to 63% of operating costs at a warehouse, the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) at Georgia Tech found.
At the same time, voice technology in the warehouse can reduce ‘mispicks’ by almost half, and increase productivity up to 30% as well.
Voice picking simply migrates picking to a headset and microphone, making the entire process hands- and eyes- free. It can also be called Pick by Voice or Voice-Directed Warehousing.
The entire system works on the basis of communication between warehouse workers and the technology application, such as Android Voice.
Warehouse workers navigate their way to specific pick locations in the warehouse for order fulfillment through a voice system facilitated by the headset. It also tells them which items to pick and in how many quantities.
The microphone allows workers to communicate back to the system, confirmed that they have picked the right product before moving on to the next order.
Research suggests that voice picking can help make picking time-efficient by as much as 15% to 20%, with increased productivity and decreased costs, the holy grail of warehousing. The use of voice in the warehouse also ties well with the theory that the next big stride in communications technology will be voice-driven.
A range of developments in machine learning technology is making this happen, including voice recognition for not only for consumers (Alexa, Siri etc.) but industrial users as well. Adoption of voice picking, for instance, grew by 20% from 2008 to 2018. Although a modest figure, it represents the biggest adoption increase among different DC technologies.
This is highly significant for supply chains, where improvements even in fractions can potentially compound into bigger benefits for companies.
Header image by senivpetro on Freepik


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Mobile advertising is still just a blunt instrument for most brands.
In fact less than half of advertisers — 49 percent — employed any targeting parameters at all when serving mobile ads, according to a recent analysis of 11 billion ad impressions delivered by the mobile advertising technology firm Jumptap.
Among the multitude of options available, Jumptap found advertisers most frequently chose to target campaigns to specific types of phones, such as smartphones. Far fewer looked to take advantage of mobile’s unique location based-targeting capabilities (26 percent, per Jumptap), or even more basic targeting factors like age (12 percent) and country (8 percent).
That’s in sharp contrast to a recent report on non-mobile campaigns by Corona Insights, which showed that more than half of the online marketers from leading agencies surveyed targeted local audiences in their ad campaigns.
More in Media
Lacking financial incentives, sustainability remains a hope, not a promise, in digital advertising next year
Reducing carbon emissions from the digital ad ecosystem is an important priority, but various players are skeptical that much can — and is — being done to practice sustainability.
Google’s vp of global ads is confident that cookies will be gone from Chrome by the end of next year, despite all the challenges currently facing the ad market.
Mythbuster: How the inconsistent definition of click-through rates affects publishers and their advertisers
Some email newsletter platforms’ click-through rates are actually click-to-open rates, which are measured against the number of emails opened rather than the emails sent. But buyers seem to prefer it that way.


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Sentiment towards a number of key trading instruments is seeing a dramatic shift as the US dollar index goes into hyperdrive and European indices start to move into price discovery amidst fresh all-time highs in local stocks.
Trading sentiment is most effective when retail traders are running counter trend, meaning that they are heavily leaning against established market trends and in increasingly large numbers. Additionally, once big sentiment skews build it can be a powerful sign that the retail crowd are being too one-sided.
Typically, market sentiment readings for an instrument that has reached around 75 to 80 percent is considered to be at an extreme level, while market sentiment readings over 80 to 95 percent is often a strong indication that the trade could be topping or about to reverse at any time.
I will now look at some the strongest sentiment bias amongst the retail crowd right now as the US dollar index cracks the 96.00 resistance handle and stocks hit fresh record all-time trading highs.
Crude Oil – Still bullish
According to the ActivTrader Market Sentiment tool traders remain worryingly long towards the Crude Oil, despite oil prices dropping by around $3.00 since the start of the week, as crude tests the $79.00 level.
The ActivTrader Market Sentiment tool shows that 85 percent of traders are expecting more upside in Crude oil prices. The large sentiment bias has actually increased since last week as oil prices drop.
If we start to see stocks in the United States correcting lower then oil prices are likely to suffer further. We should also consider the effect that tapering is having on asset price across the globe right now.
EURUSD – Bulls Getting Crushed
The ActivTrader market sentiment tool shows that traders are 81 percent of traders are bullish towards the EURUSD pair, despite its huge 400-point price drop over the last three trading weeks.
Traders could actually be correct about the EURUSD pair long-term, however, retail traders are not known for having deep pockets, and they also do not have the near or medium-term the fundamentals on their side.
While we see sentiment this extremely bullish sentiment we need to consider that the short squeeze could just be warming up, and it could be a warning sign that now is now the time to attempt longs.
Ger30 – Price discovery
Market sentiment towards the Ger30 or the German DAX is extremely bearish at the moment, which is strange considering that the leading German index is hitting new record trading highs on a daily basis.
The ActivTrader market sentiment tool showing that some 72 percent of traders currently bearish towards the index, despite the index remaining rock solid above the 16,000-support level.
Traders need to consider that the ECB are amongst the most dovish central bank, so traders should be mindful that European stocks may be benefitting from a fresh inflow from capital due to the shift from US to EU stocks.


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say what you will about the fox investment, but vice really is worth more than instagram or tumblr.
THIS summer a made-for-TV movie about a tornado carrying man-eating sharks was a surprise hit in America. The preposterous plot of “Sharknado” may strike a chord...
As our attention shifts to mobile phones—and their smaller screens—ads are becoming vastly less effective. And companies built on ad revenues, like Google and Facebook, should start to sweat.
Leaders in other industries may be well paid, but they earn far less than their media counterparts.
Serious money for funny stuff, like "Epic Rap Battles of History."...
Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have ushered in visual marketing as the breakout trend for 2012.
The social media bubble may be leaking air in the wake of the Facebook IPO, but the one around digital content companies still seems to be expanding -- provided they're the right sort of digital content companies.
Circulation revenue is above ad revenue for the second quarter in a row.
In May 2012, 189.3 million European internet users visited Sports websites and spent an average of 52.2 minutes on sites such as Yahoo! Sports, BBC Sport, or Marca.com.
The new owner of Spin magazine announced layoffs and canceled the November/December issue, putting the publication's print future in doubt.
"I’ve been getting a lot of “What the heck is curating?” questions"
BuzzMedia, which publishes Idolator, Stereogum, AbsolutePunk and KimKardashian.com, among other properties, plans to announce Tuesday that it is acquiring Spin magazine,...
Wall Street thought Reed Hastings was an idiot. Now Wall Street thinks Reed Hastings is a genius. Does Wall Street know anything about Netflix
An exclusive look at an internal presentation that tells the sports network: "Yes, we deserve to be the richest channel in your cable bundle."
Between the endless Euro drama and the Bitcoin brouhaha, currency has been much in the news of late. Most people would probably name the US Dollar as the dominant currency in this day and age.
Do people actually read the content? Will it keep them following you?
The company said it hoped to distribute content through partnerships with Yahoo, AOL and Twitter.
SpinMedia, formerly Buzzmedia, will introduce technological improvements to encourage readers to linger and to track them as they move from one device to another.
His affection for print isn't purely sentimental...
In her first couple months Laura Lang has convened senior executives to review each magazine and assess what each needs to thrive in a digital world.
"Share the art you love, follow posts by others, create your own social art network."
The Internet revolution visits...


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Nashville startup OverDog Inc., which provides a mobile app that helps align professional athletes and their fans with video game playing, raised $450,000 via a recent equity offering, the Nashville Business Journal reports. NBJ cites a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hunter Hillenmeyer, a former Chicago Bears linebacker and Nashville native who played college football at Vanderbilt, founded OverDog.
Changing how you go about doing your work is the type of decision that can mortally wound a successful small or mid-sized business. But it's one Emma CEO Clint Smith and his team felt they needed to make a couple of years ago. The New York Times this week wrote about the web marketing company's software overhaul, which was rolled out a year ago. Yes, it came with hiccups and glitches. But it has set up the company to take future growth in stride.
The principal operating guideline was to design a flexible system that would remove the need to do anything like this again. “We didn’t know what the marketplace would look like in five years,” Mr. Smith said. “Also, we didn’t know how databases would evolve in five years either. We couldn’t design for the future, but we could design something that could adapt to what the future will bring.”
Local software company Digital Reasoning announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued it a patent related to image resolution.
The patent (read more here), specifically for a "system and method for coreference resolution," is part of the Cool Springs-based company's portfolio that includes five issued patents and numerous other pending patent applications.
"We are now able to perform entity resolution at an unprecedented quality and scale,” Matthew Russell, Digital Reasoning chief technology officer, said in a release. “The benefit for consumers of our technology is that they'll be able to employ a machine to identify the unique identities for people, places, and organizations across millions of documents containing human language. Transforming digital human language data into actionable information is a monumental task that is difficult for even highly competent teams of subject matter experts to accomplish, and we can now use automated and customizable processes to do it in a scalable manner.”
The patent announcement follows the company’s recent addition of two enterprise software executives. (Read more here.)
Sitemason says it is going to take on Wordpress with the release of a new content management system that will get its formal unveiling next week at the Belcourt Theatre.
The new release, Sitemason 6, has been re-imagined, re-programmed and re-designed to be the preferred alternative to WordPress and Drupal for creatives. As an alternative to other hosted systems, Sitemason has built a fully-supported, hosted platform for creatives to build their web and mobile visions.
Byron Fanning, chief relationship officer, stated, “The creative population is ready for something that doesn’t require ‘workarounds,’ ‘themes,’ and ‘throttled web traffic’ solutions. With the insight, thoughtfulness and generous contributions of some of the most respected web developers we know, we’ve re-launched the most advanced version of Sitemason for a market that reaches far beyond Nashville. However, we want the Nashville community to be the first to see and experience the new Sitemason.”
Atiba Software is getting serious about the development of applications for mobile devices and promoted one of its strategists to oversee the new Atiba Mobile division.
Amy Rochelle, who has been with Atiba since 2007, has been named director of mobile development. At the firm, she also has been a developer, designer, project manager and strategist. Before joining Atiba, she worked at Ingram Book Co. and Digital Dog Media, among others.
“The entire Atiba family is excited to see the growth of Atiba Mobile,” said Craig Anderson, chief architect for Atiba Software. “Under Amy’s leadership, this mobile team will be able to focus on building the highest quality iOS, Android and Windows apps, as well as Mobile Device Management and Location-based services.”
Rochelle earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design from Austin Peay State University.
POSTDATA: WARRANTY DEEDS


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It’s impossible to count how many times I’ve passed department store counters displaying ReVive skin care products, never realizing the posh potions were originally formulated across the bay at Chiron (the biotech company in Emeryville, which since has been acquired by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis).
In retrospect, it makes perfect sense that the Bay Area would be as advanced in hi-tech beauty as it is in silicon chips and semiconductors. And that Northern California is one of the top markets for the prestige line, which is why its creator, Dr. Gregory Bays Brown, will fly in from Kentucky to conduct a master class at the San Francisco Neiman Marcus on Oct. 16. He’ll also introduce Intensite Fluide Superbe, the newest addition to the collection, which costs $400 an ounce and contains Epidermal Growth Factor, the company’s proprietary blend of 53 amino acids designed to accelerate skin cell turnover.
The formula is getting renewed attention because it is based on research that won last year’s Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine that shows how skin cells can be protected from damage. A ridiculously oversimplified explanation is that by protecting a particular enzyme — telomerase — cells are able to fend off degradation. (Also very cool to note: One of the three recipients, Elizabeth H. Blackburn, has been a longtime professor at UCSF).
“When we’re in our 20’s, our skin cells turn over every 21 days. By the time we’re 40, it takes six week and in our 70s, it can take up to three months,” explains Hylton Lea, the senior vice president of brand development, who will also attend the upcoming event. By stimulating faster cell renewal, he said, skin can regain a more youthful appearance.
He’s tight-lipped about how much EGF is in the products, and some critics are skeptical about whether an over-the-counter cream can actually deliver on such promises. But the fans are loyal, often coming back for years, even decades, he said, despite the three- and four-digit price tags. It’s an investment, he admits, but the prices are driven by the fact that one of the essential enzymes, made by a single Korean company, costs $7 million per gram.
Malvina Doroshenko has worked for the line for years, and was formerly a nurse in Ukraine. She says she is in her sixth decade, but her skin is jaw-droppingly smooth — almost as soft as my brand new baby neice’s behind. She works at the Neiman Marcus ReVive counter and gives client facials in a spa room just off the main floor — so maddeningly even her hands look younger than people many times her junior. So, while upgrading your entire skin care routine might cost you as much as a new computer set-up, the benefits may last longer.
If you’re interested in checking the products out for yourself,or signing up for the Oct. 16 session, give her a call at 415-362-3900 ext. 2122 for more details.


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Announcing the news on its website, Samsung has warned users that support for some Smart TV apps will end on December 1. The post says that many older TVs are not equipped with the technical capability to present Netflix’s latest more feature-rich interface.
The company said: “In the future, Netflix can be viewed from many other devices capable of connecting to your TV.”
The Samsung website does not provide a list of sets that will lose access to Netflix, and instead directs users to http://netflix.com/compatibledevices to see whether they own a compatible device.
The streamer evidently plans to roll out a new update around the beginning of December, with this Samsung announcement following similar news out of Roku in October.
Some users of older Roku streaming devices received a notification saying: “due to technical limitations, Netflix will no longer be available on this device after December 1, 2019.”
A spokesperson for the company confirmed that “the first two Roku Models” will be the only to lose Netflix, though it is unclear whether they meant the first two devices Roku released, or the first two generations of models. All of these were released prior to 2012, so it is likely that Netflix views them as not worth supporting anymore.
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25 November 2020 @ 18:30:00 UTC
Samsung Ads extends access to inventory digitaltveurope.com/2020/11/25/sam…
25 November 2020 @ 18:03:00 UTC


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Furniture from Southport’s former magistrates courts has been snapped up by Edge Hill University, with plans to build its own courtroom.
Access Point Ltd became the new owner of the former courts on Albert Road when the company purchased the premises in May.
The resort-based retail promotion company, headed by co-owners David and Amanda
Robertshaw and Jeanette Morgan, decided to sell off some of the American oak courtroom items that they were not going to need.
Now the legal benches, debating stand and judge’s desk from Court No 2 will be used to train solicitors and legal professionals after they were sold to Edge Hill University.
A spokesperson for the university said: “The reputation of Edge Hill University’s law degree programmes has been growing steadily.
“We are committed to providing students with practical and useful experiences to supplement their academic activities.
“This has led us to establish a pro bono legal advice centre where students, under expert supervision, provide free legal advice for the local community.
“The acquisition of the beautiful American oak furniture will enable the university to replicate a courtroom in which students can train and practise their mooting skills, increasing their confidence and enhancing their public speaking.”
Last month the wooden furniture from court rooms two and three was listed on Ebay at a sale price of £3,000.
Access Point bosses had hoped the items would be purchased by a local buyer.
The company will be keeping Court No 1 in its original state, with a view to renting it out to film companies.
Access Point co-owner David Robertshaw said: “I think it is wonderful that the furniture is being re-purposed and used to train the next generation of solicitors and lawyers coming through.
“It fits really well within the environs of where we are as a company and is not going too far away and will be used to train people who are in and around Southport – so we are really pleased.”
Edge Hill University will be picking up the furniture from Court No 2 this week and hope to have their own courtroom functioning within 18 months.
The resort-based advertising company have also come up with a novel way to use the surplus furniture from Court No 3 that they were unable to sell.
David added: “We are going to turn the judges‘ bench into a bar that we can use when we have events in the foyer.
“We will also be turning the other benches into a table that will be in our new meeting room.
“So everything is staying local and being repurposed.
He added: ‘‘We have an attachment to the area unlike the big national companies – and we did not want people losing this part of Southport’s history.”


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Columbus, OH (October 13, 2015) – Time Warner Cable today announced that its expanding its technical operations, inbound sales, direct sales and retail workforce by more than 75 at its Columbus, Ohio operations as part of its commitment to increasing customer satisfaction and delivering a much improved service experience.
Time Warner Cable highlighted some of the significant changes made over the last two years, beginning with an “open letter” to customers published in major newspapers across the country during “Customer Service Week” earlier this month.
In addition, the company launched a new television campaign, speaking directly to its customers about the significant changes made over the last two years and what’s still to come to provide them with an enhanced service experience.
“This significant increase in jobs in the Columbus, Ohio market is part of TWC’s commitment to increasing customer satisfaction and delivering a much improved service experience,” said Shannon Atkinson, Area Vice President at Time Warner Cable. “Over the last two years, we’ve made profound changes to better respect customers’ time, provide more value for what they pay us and deliver the kind of experience anyone would expect from a leading entertainment and technology company. The many changes we’ve made are just the beginning of the new TWC service experience.”
"Time Warner Cable's decision to expand new job opportunities in Central Ohio is a win-win for our community," added State Representative Michael Stinziano. “This announcement means new products and better services for our residents, providing a boost to our local economy and jobs for individuals looking for a career.”
A hiring event will take place Thursday, October 15 from 4PM to 7PM at Hyatt Place, 795 Yard St., in Columbus, to begin scouting potential candidates for the new positions.
During the event, candidates will have the opportunity to meet hiring leaders and assess the company culture, while learning about hours, pay, training and job responsibilities. Candidates who have successfully sold themselves will be invited for a final interview.
Field technicians are responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing residential equipment/ services. Inbound sales and direct sales representatives are in charge of selling residential cable, internet, home phone, and home management/security services. Retail associates assist customers in the selection, purchase, or upgrade/downgrade/disconnect of products and services, as well as processing payments and equipment pick-ups/returns.
Applicants must apply online and complete an assessment prior to the event at www.jobs.twc.com using the following job requisition numbers: Technical Operations Columbus West (170314), Technical Operations Columbus East (170442), Inbound Sales (169624), Direct Sales (171171) and Retail Sales (169868). Candidates will also need to bring a copy of their resume to the hiring event.
For more information on Time Warner Cable, visit www.timewarnercable.com.
About Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) is among the largest providers of video, high-speed data and voice services in the United States, connecting 15 million customers to entertainment, information and each other. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers data, video and voice services to businesses of all sizes, cell tower backhaul services to wireless carriers and enterprise-class, cloud-enabled hosting, managed applications and services. Time Warner Cable Media, the advertising sales arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.twc.com, www.twcbc.com and www.twcmedia.com.


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Good morning. Here’s what you need to know.
- Asian indices were down in overnight trading with the Shanghai Composite down 1.51%. Major European indices are closed and U.S. markets are mixed.
- US silver futures surged 8.2% to just under $50 this morning. Prices were boosted by an increase in physical demand for the metal and a weak dollar that hit a three-year low. U.S. gold futures also hit a record high. Don’t miss: Niall Ferguson’s new presentation on the decline of the West >
- The UK’s leading political parties are preparing for a nationwide referendum that could change how the country votes. The coalition government is divided on the issue which could create problems for its austerity program. Don’t miss: The 15 most expensive places to buy gas in the world >
- NYSE Euronext now expects cost savings from the Deutsche Börse merger to be about €400 million, up from earlier estimates of €300 million. NYSE and Deutsche Börse expect their biggest customers to save $3 billion through the merger.
- Civil unrest continues in the Mideast. Protests began again in the Syrian town of Daraa today. The death toll has increased to 100 in the last three days there. The Obama administration is reported to be drafting sanctions against Syrian officials. Meanwhile Libyan forces loyal to Qaddafi bombed residential neighborhoods in Mistrata. Now here are some incredible moments from Qaddafi’s 41 years in power >
- Nintendo’s annual profit fell 66% to $947 million for the fiscal year that ended March 31. Forecast sales for the fiscal year through March 2012 are expected to rise 8.4% to $13.4 billion and earnings are expected to increase $1.34 billion. The company also announced that it will release an upgraded model of the Wii in 2012.
- The Chinese government says inflation will fall in the second half of 2011 but prices will likely remain higher than the government’s 4% ceiling. Consumer prices are expected to rise 5% in the first half of the year. Don’t miss 17 facts about China that will blow your mind >
- B/E Aerospace reported Q1 net earnings of $50.3 million, or $0.49 a share, beating analyst expectations of $0.46 a share. The company raised its full-year earnings outlook to $2, just under expectations.
- New home sales came in better than expected. Read about it here >
- UK consumers have 3.3% more spending power than last year according to a new report from Lloyds. While UK consumers are paying down their debt, consumer confidence is weakening according to an independent survey carried out by the bank. Now here are the most unequal countries in the developed world >
- BONUS: Paris Hilton will testify against Nathan Parada who tried to break into the socialite’s Beverly Hills home last year.
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