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Square Enix and Dontnod Released Demo of Life is Strange 2
Bart Swiatek, 27 March 2020, 11:53
Developer Dontnod Entertainment and publisher Square Enix have released a demo version of the adventure game Life is Strange 2. The demo can be downloaded on all platforms on which it was released - PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Resident Evil 3 Demo Available for Download
Bart Swiatek, 19 March 2020, 13:39
Capcom has already released the console demo version of Resident Evil 3. The PC demo will appear today. The developers have also made it possible to download the beta client ot Resident Evil: Resistance, the game's online mode - it will be used in beta-tests, which will start in just over a week.
Capcom Unveils Resident Evil 3 Remake Demo Release Date
Mathias Zulpo, 16 March 2020, 16:03
Resident Evil 3 Remake demo is coming on March 19 to PC, PS4, and Xbox One, Capcom revealed. Additionally, open beta for Resident Evil Resistance will begin on March 27.
Steam Game Festival - Game Demos May be Released in March
Czarus, 16 March 2020, 11:59
It's possible that we got to know the starting date of Steam Game Festival - it's Wednesday, March 25. Such date was revealed by Nodding Heads Games studio, the creator of Raji: An Ancient Epic.
Drug Dealer Simulator Demo Released
Bart Swiatek, 06 March 2020, 13:33
Polish companies Byterunners Game Studio and PlayWay have released a demo of Drug Dealer Simulator on Steam, which enables us to take on the role of a, well, drug dealer.
Builders of Egypt Demo Released
Agnes Adamus, 02 March 2020, 23:47
Builders of Egypt: Prologue, a demo city builder set in the realities of ancient Egypt, is now available on Steam and GOG.com. Strategy Labs is responsible for the title, and the publisher is PlayWay.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo Available on PS Store
Mat1K, 02 March 2020, 14:12
Square Enix released a demo version of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Anyone interested can test the upcoming jRPG before buying the full version.
Gameplay Footage From Resident Evil 3 Remake; Demo Inbound
Christian Pieniazek, 25 February 2020, 23:05
Just over a month before the release of Resident Evil 3, a lot of new materials appeared on the web, presenting the game in action. What's more, we got to know fresh details about the title, and learned that there is a demo version on the way.
Final Fantasy VII Remake - PC Version Almost Certain
Adrian Werner, 03 January 2020, 13:26
Thanks to a leak of the Final Fantasy VII Remake demo, fans were able to dig through the game files and found elements suggesting that a PC version is planned.
RE 2 - New Demo With no Time Limit and Easter Egg From Resident Evil 3
Bebop, 13 December 2019, 22:30
The survival game Resident Evil 2 has received a new demo, without a time limit. What's interesting, inquisitive players can encounter an iconic character from the third installment of the series.
How to Get Gothic 1 Remake Demo on Steam?
Maciej Pawlikowski, 13 December 2019, 19:22
The beans were finally spilled and THQ Nordic informed that they have been developing the remake of the 1st part of the legendary Gothic series. And you can access the Gothic 1 Remake demo on Steam!
The Steam Game Festival Features System Shock Remake Demo
Adrian Werner, 13 December 2019, 02:59
The Steam Game Festival has launched. As part of the project, demo versions of a number of long-awaited games, such as System Shock Remake, Carrion, SkateBIRD, were made available until tomorrow evening. Carrion or Spiritfarer.
Steam Will Offer Numerous Temporary Demos For The Game Awards
qjin, 12 December 2019, 00:18
Geoff Keighley, the organizer of The Game Awards, has announced that a special event will take place on this occasion on Steam. It will be The Game Festival, where the players will be able to test on PC time-limited demos of such games as System Shock, Eastward or Carrion.
PS5 Owners Will Make Their Own Demos? Intriguing Sony Patents
Jacob Blazewicz, 22 November 2019, 13:56
News of another Sony patent, most likely associated with PlayStation 5, are making rounds on the internet. The company has registered a feature that enables gamers to send their friends game states saved in the cloud as de facto demo versions. Another patent application suggests that we will get access to these 'mini-games' even without the console, directly through the new controller.
Football Manager 2020 Demo Available on Steam
Milosz Szubert, 20 November 2019, 12:04
Football Manager 2020 received a demo version on Steam. It enables us to lead a football team from one of the biggest leagues in the world for half a season.
Detroit: Become Human PC - Release Date and Demo Announcement
Milosz Szubert, 19 November 2019, 22:06
Quantic Dream has announced that Detroit: Become Human will be released on PC on December 12, 2019. On the same day, a demo of the game will also appear, offering the game's opening scene.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Trial Still not on EA and Origin Access
qjin, 18 November 2019, 21:03
EA Access and Origin Access subscriptions still lack the trial version of last week's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Electronic Arts had previously explained its decision with spoilers, which it wanted to avoid at all costs. However, nothing chaged even after the launch.
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Without Trial in EA and Origin Access
Konrad Serafinski, 12 November 2019, 12:09
EA Access and Origin Access subscribers will not be able to play the 10-hour trial version of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. EA explains its decision with wanting to avoid spoilers, but players are starting to worry about the actual length of the game.
Free Battlefield 5 Weekends With Campaign and Multiplayer are Coming
Paul Wozniak, 09 October 2019, 21:29
On the occasion of the upcoming release of the fifth chapter of BFV, Electronic Arts, will make various multiplayer modes available for free in October. During free weekends we will also be able to play the story campaign.
MediEvil Remake Demo Announced [Updated]
Milosz Szubert, 25 September 2019, 12:20
During the State of Play stream, a demo of MediEvil, a remake of a popular action game from 1998 developed by Other Ocean Interactive, was announced. It should appear on PlayStation Store within a few hours and will only appear on PlayStation 4 on October 25.
A Plague Tale Innocence Gets Demo Version
Bart Swiatek, 13 September 2019, 14:09
A Plague Tale: Innocence - the successful action adventure game from Asobo Studio - received a demo version. The demo can be downloaded by users on all three platforms on which the production was released.
NBA 2K20 Demo Now Available on PS4, Xbox One and Switch
Frozen, 22 August 2019, 16:03
You can now download the NBA 2K20 demo announced last month, coming from the latest installment of the basketball series from Visual Concepts and 2K Sports. The demo version of the title is available only on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
PES 2020 Demo - Mod Unlocks Over One Hundred Teams
Jacob Blazewicz, 12 August 2019, 23:06
A very curious mod appeared on the web, unlocking additional content in the demo eFootball PES 2020. After installing it, we get access to more than a hundred more teams.
PES 2020 eFootball Demo Available on PS4 and Xbox One [Updated]
Bart Swiatek, 31 July 2019, 12:30
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users can now download the eFootball 2020 demo announced earlier this month. The demo version will soon be available on Steam as well.
Street Fighter 5 Will Get a New Trial on the Occasion of Evo 2019
Milosz Szubert, 30 July 2019, 14:39
For the Evo 2019 tournament, Capcom will provide a free PC (Steam) and PlayStation 4 trial of Street Fighter V. From August 1 to 11, everyone interested will be able to check out the basic version of the game and the characters who were added in the third season.
Console Demo of NBA 2K20 in Second Half of August
Bart Swiatek, 26 July 2019, 11:52
2K Sports announced on Facebook that the demo of the latest installment of the NBA 2K sports series, NBA 2K20, will be available in the second half of August. Only console owners will be able to play the demo version.
eFootball PES 2020 Demo at the End of July; Content Revealed
Bart Swiatek, 01 July 2019, 17:52
Thanks to GameReactor, we learned when the demo version of eFootball PES 2020 will be released. We also know what will appear in the demo - we will be able to play as one of 14 teams and an get an editor to modify team rosters.
Beyond Two Souls PC - Demo Version and Hardware Requirements
Christian Pieniazek, 28 June 2019, 09:35
Quantic Dream Studio has released a demo version of Beyond: Two Souls on Epic Games Store. In addition, we have learned about the hardware requirements of the game. .
11 Bit Studios Releases Demo of Children of Moria
Agnes Adamus, 19 June 2019, 23:10
In the summer, Children of Morta - an RPG action with elements of adventure from Dead Mage studio - will launch. The publisher - 11 Bit Studios - released a demo. Until June 22 everyone can test the game for free.
Ubisoft Announces Roller Champions; Demo Version Available
Christian Pieniazek, 10 June 2019, 23:23
Roller Champions is a new PC sports game from Ubisoft. You can check out the game at this very moment, as a demo version just got released.
Playable Demo of Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 on PDXCON 2019
Christian Pieniazek, 07 May 2019, 21:14
Paradox Interactive has announced that in October gamer will be able to check the demo version of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. The condition to be met is to take part in the PDXCON 2019 event in Berlin.
Try ESO Plus For Free In The Elder Scrolls Online
Konrad Serafinski, 03 May 2019, 19:20
ZeniMax Online has announced that players can take advantage of the free trial period of the optional ESO Plus subscription to The Elder Scrolls Online MMO. The offer is valid until 6th of May.
New Pathologic 2 Demo Released
Milosz Szubert, 24 April 2019, 14:55
A new demo of Pathologic 2, a remake of a surreal horror from the Russian developer Ice-pick Lodge, was released on the web. The title will debut on PCs on May 23, this year.
Russia 2055 - Paid "Demo" and Hardware Requirements
Konrad Serafinski, 17 March 2019, 00:02
An early alpha demo of Russia 2055 has just surfaced on the web. At the same time, Invictus Volition shared the game's hardware requirements. What's interesting, the demo can be downloaded only after we pay the developers at least 5 dollars.
Free Version of Dead or Alive 6 is Now Available
Michael Kulakowski, 16 March 2019, 23:21
The free version of Dead or Alive 6 - a fighting game released only two weeks ago, has just launched on PC and consoles.
Mutant Year Zero Road to Eden Demo Released
Adrian Werner, 28 February 2019, 11:06
The Bearded Ladies has released a demo version of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, the warmly-received strategy game set in a highly-unusual post-apocalyptic setting.
Hitman 2 Starter Pack Available For Free
Christian Pieniazek, 27 February 2019, 14:47
For all those interested - you can now play the first mission of Hitman 2 for free. IO Interactive shared the free Hitman 2 Starter Pack, which can be tested both on PC and consoles.
Anthem: Pre-Load, Trial, and HDD Requirements
Christian Pieniazek, 15 February 2019, 10:41
Electronic Arts have shared some information concerning Anthem's launch, mainly the server launch hour, the game's HHD requirements, and some info on pre-load.
New Devil May Cry 5 Demo on Xbox One and PS4
Konrad Serafinski, 07 February 2019, 16:07
Capcom released the second demo of Devil May Cry 5. The demo can be downloaded by Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners.
Plans for a Free Edition of Dead or Alive 6
Milosz Szubert, 01 February 2019, 16:06
Yohei Shimbori, the producer and director of Dead or Alive 6, revealed that there are plans to release a free, limited edition of the game.
Steel Rats Gets a Demo
Milosz Szubert, 01 February 2019, 14:16
Steel Rats, the game from the developers of Kao the Kangaroo, has just got a demo version that can be downloaded on Steam and GOG.
Anthem demo deviates from the full version
Adrian Werner, 22 January 2019, 10:03
Mark Darrah, one of the producers of Anthem, the upcoming MMO shooter from BioWare, has revealed that the game's demo will feature a modified setup.
Resident Evil 2 demo completed by only 28% of players
Adrian Werner, 15 January 2019, 12:17
The recently released Resident Evil 2 demo has been completed by only 28% of players, according to Capcom.
Resident Evil 2 demo live on PCs, XONE and PS4
Adrian Werner, 11 January 2019, 14:36
The demo version of Resident Evil 2 remake is now available on PCs, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Resident Evil 2 - demo version just around the corner
Christian Pieniazek, 09 January 2019, 15:54
Capcom has announced the imminent release of Resident Evil 2 demo, entitled 1-Shot. Playing the role of Leon S. Kennedy, for thirty minutes we will face the dangers lurking at the police station in Raccoon City.
Devil May Cry 5 will receive a new demo
Konrad Serafinski, 07 January 2019, 19:40
Capcom decided on a rather unusual solution. After releasing the Devil May Cry 5 demo on Xbox One last December, the developers decided to remove it and instead they want to release another trial version - this time on PlayStation 4 as well.
Unreal PT: the free remake of P.T. goes live
Adrian Werner, 07 January 2019, 12:15
The latest fan remake of P.T., the legendary horror demo, was released.
Resident Evil 2 demo will be available before the game release
Bart Swiatek, 20 December 2018, 15:54
TrueAchievements has received new information about the Resident Evil 2 demo. The sneak peak version of RE2 is expected to appear on 11th of Janury, 2019.
EA Sports has a FIFA 18 demo and PC requirements for you
luckie, 12 September 2017, 13:51
Fans will get to try FIFA 18 out later today thanks to a demo that EA Sports has prepared. PC players can also check if their hardware meets the system requirements.
Mass Effect: Andromeda free 10-hour trial available
luckie, 14 July 2017, 13:49
You can now try Mass Effect: Andromeda for yourself on any platform. A 10-hour trial of the game on Origin, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will be available until November 1, 2017.


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Small and medium-sized enterprises are not as aware of the principles of the Data Protection Act as larger organisations, according to the Information Commissioner's Office.
Only 22 percent of SMEs surveyed were aware the Act requires them to keep customer information accurate and up-to-date, according to research commissioned by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Furthermore, only around half of respondents said they recognised the importance of keeping personal information secure.
The information commissioner, Richard Thomas, said these findings are a "considerable concern", when the increasing risk of identity fraud is taken into account.
Thomas added that, while individuals are being urged to protect their personal information, businesses also have this responsibility and must take it seriously.
Thomas said most organisations know it makes business sense to comply with the Act — according to the research, 94 percent of businesses feel the legislation is needed.
The ICO has published official guidelines aimed at the SME sector, suggesting how they should train their staff to handle personal information properly.
Thomas added the ICO will not hesitate to take action against businesses that fail to protect customer information effectively.
The research was carried out in August and September this year and covered 813 organisations in the UK.

domain: news


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Own a Japanese region 3DS and haven’t tried Corpse Party yet? Today is your lucky day!
MAGES., the publishers of the Corpse Party 3DS game in Japan, have announced a 74% off sale for the title on the Japanese eShop. Thanks to the 74% discount, the game now costs 1,620 yen (usual: 6,264 yen).
The sale begins on August 30, 10:00am Tokyo Time, and ends on September 13, 2017, 9:59am.


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Shares of Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) are lower by 1.23% to $36.06 in morning trading on Monday as the struggling internet giant is seeing the number of prospective suitors make an early exit, according to reports, leaving Verizon Communications (VZ) as the lead bidder for the former Internet darling ahead of today’s deadline for preliminary bids. The Wall Street Journal reported Monday morning that a number of potential bidders have decided not to participate, pointing to Alphabet (GOOG), Time (TIME) , Comcast (CMCSA) , AT&T (T) and IAC/InterActiveCorp. (IACI)
Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) shares plunged 2.09% to $109.18 in early trading on news that e-commerce giant Amazon.com (AMZN) will offer its own streaming service, “Prime Video,” making it a more direct competitor withe the streaming video pioneer. Amazon’s service will cost a dollar less per month than that of Netfix.
Shares of Taser International Inc. (TASR) are down $0.72, or 3.76%, at $18.42, on reports of LAPD body camera initiative plan to equip nearly every Los Angeles police officer with a body camera by the end of 2016 is being postponed due to cost.
Calumet Specialty Products (CLMT) is seeing a big move Monday, as the company’s shares are plunging in early trading by over 46%. On Friday Calumet announced that it was suspending its $2.74 annual dividend and that it was adding debt to stay afloat.
Morgan Stanley (MS) reported first- quarter 2016 EPS of $0.55 before the opening bell Monday, compared to the consensus estimate of $0.47. Revenues declined 21.3% from last year to $7.79 billion. Analysts expected revenues of $7.63 billion. The stock is currently flat at $25.75 on 9.61 million shares.
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Aeroflot seeks damages from Swiss chemicals maker
Russia's flag carrier Aeroflot on Thursday claimed some three million euros ($4.1 million) in damages from a Swiss chemicals company that allegedly failed to supply it with enough de-icing fluid last month.
The disruption caused the airline to cancel hundreds of flights during the busy holiday travel season and resulted in the dismissal of Aeroflot's deputy CEO Vladimir Smirnov.
Aeroflot said in a statement that it would seek 2.9 million euros in damages from the Swiss firm Clariant for a "failure to deliver de-icing fluid at the end of 2010."
The Russian airline did not specify when the delivery disruptions occurred or which court would handle the claim.
The Sheremetyevo airport travel disruptions occurred between December 24 and 28.
The Swiss firm notified Aeroflot that it would be interrupting regular shipments on December 30.
Aeroflot's problems occurred during a broader Russian air travel shutdown that affected both of Moscow's main international airports following unseasonable winter rain.
© 2011 AFP


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GENEVA — Swiss flavors and fragrance supplier Givaudan posted first-quarter 2004 sales of $548.3 million at current exchange rates, or 701.6 million Swiss francs, up 2.4 percent year-on-year.
In local currencies, sales registered a 4.1 percent rise in the period ending March 31.
Excluding sales of discontinued fragrance ingredients, Givaudan’s business grew 4.9 percent in Swiss francs and 6.7 percent in local currencies.
The firm’s fragrance division rang up sales of $217.6 million, or 278.4 million Swiss francs, up 4.2 percent in the quarter versus the same year-ago period. In local currencies, the branch’s business posted a 5.9 percent uptick.
Givaudan said its fine fragrance division boasted a double-digit increase in local currencies thanks to the launch of some prestige scents. It also noted its consumer products branch showed gains.
The company’s fragrance ingredients division’s sales in the quarter “developed in line with Givaudan’s objective to focus on proprietary specialties, which showed double-digit growth,” the company said in a statement. “However, overall sales declined due to discontinued sales of commodity ingredients, which in the first quarter of 2003 had accounted for 18 million Swiss francs [$14.1 million].”
In other company news, Givaudan is showcasing its scent savoir-faire in a CD-ROM called Perspectives, destined for the company’s clients.
The CD-ROM is divided into six parts, which are connected electronically through hyperlinks. The sections include “horizons,” which gives an overview of women’s and men’s scents; “chronology,” which provides a look at fragrances from 1889 to the present; “olfactory architecture,” which outlines scent families; “trendsetters,” which highlights eaux that kicked off fragrance movements; “genealogies,” which offers a study of scents’ lineage, and “paths to the future,” which presents a glimpse of what’s to come.
— Jennifer Weil


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Unilever Ghana, as part of its campaign to increase public awareness on the need for people to wash their hands and maintain personal hygiene, will today, Thursday, April 7, 2011 launch its popular brand, the Lifebuoy soap at the College of Surgeons & Physicians.
The New Advanced Lifebuoy, described as the world’s number one germ protection soap, contains an Active5 Germ Protection Formula which has been lab-proven to tackle both bacteria and viruses.
According to a statement issued by Unilever Ghana, the product will now come in a new and improved shape, packaging and different variants that produces 30% more lather.
“Let us all remember that simple everyday habits like washing hands with Lifebuoy soap before every meal and most important of all, after visiting the washroom will help improve lives considerably,” Mr David Mureithi, Managing Director of Unilever West Africa remarked.
Globally, Lifebuoy is noted as one of the oldest brands and has been the No. 1 selling health soap since 1894 when it first hit the market. It was first launched in the UK, and has travelled across the world reaching Europe, America, Asia and Africa, helping people leave a germ-free life over a century.
“Today, more than 1.6 billion people around the world trust Lifebuoy products to give them 100% germ protection,” Mr Mureithi said.
A MayUNICEF report indicates that 2.2 million deaths of children are preventable through improvements in the provision of safe drinking water, basic sanitation and hygiene practices.
Human hands are the principal carriers of disease-causing germs and washing one’s hands regularly with soap could avert one million deaths a year.


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Glenmark Pharma's consolidated revenue stood at Rs 2,344.78 crore for the April-June quarter. The company had reported Rs 2,322.87 crore consolidated revenue in the year-ago period.
Glenmark Pharma share price jumped 7 per cent to Rs 508.5 apiece in early trade on BSE, after the company’s consolidated net profit more than doubled to Rs 254.04 crore in the April-June quarter. The company had reported a net profit of Rs 109.28 crore in the corresponding quarter of preceding fiscal. The stock price is over 11 per cent off from its 52-week high of Rs 572.70 touched in June this year. Earlier this month, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals became the first company in India to have received the regulator’s approval for 400 mg dosage form. The company announced that it will introduce a 400 mg version of oral antiviral FabiFlu®, for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in India.
Around 10.30 AM, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals shares were trading 2.36 per cent higher at 486.60 apiece, as compared to a 0.29 per cent rise in the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex. Glenmark Pharma’s consolidated revenue stood at Rs 2,344.78 crore for the April-June quarter. The company had reported Rs 2,322.87 crore consolidated revenue in the year-ago period. While Glenmark Pharmaceuticals’ earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and ammortisation (Ebitda) rose 39.8 per cent on-year while margins rose to 20.4 per cent from 14.7 per cent last year.
Glenmark Pharma’s sales from the formulation business in India for the first quarter was at Rs 779.89 crore as against Rs 752.21 crore in the previous corresponding quarter, recording growth of 3.68 per cent. “It has been a challenging quarter across all markets due to the ongoing pandemic. Despite the difficult operating environment, we managed to record sales growth for the organisation. We focussed on controlling costs on all fronts and will continue with these efforts for the remaining part of the financial year” said Glenn Saldanha, Chairman & MD, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd.


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The former HMV store in Southport town centre, which has been empty for the past three and a half years, is being converted to become a new Barnardo’s charity shop.
The shop has been closed since February 2019 when the chain was sold to Canadian firm Sunrise Records & Entertainment.
Barnardo’s has confirmed that it is carrying out work in the building, but doesn’t have a confirmed opening date yet or other details that it is able to share at this stage.
The British charity was founded by Thomas John Barnardo in 1866, to care for vulnerable children. As of 2013, it raised and spent around £200 million each year running around 900 local services, aimed at helping these same groups.
It is the UK’s largest children’s charity, in terms of charitable expenditure.
The work is the latest in a series of work taking place to rejuvenate a series of empty buildings on Chapel Street.
Earlier today, Stand Up For Southport revealed how priority building work at the former BHS department store on Chapel Street will begin this September.
The JSM Group will convert the upper floors of the 19th century building into 30 self contained apartments, with a pub, a cafe and new retail units on the ground floor.
Sefton Council has also committed £400,000 to improving Cambridge Arcade.
Earlier this week, Waterstones revealed that it is moving into a vacant unit directly opposite Southport Train Station.
Last year saw the opening of new businesses on Chapel Street including One Below, The Fragrance Shop and Hugo Lounge on Chapel Street.


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Huawei sub-brand Honor has launched its latest smartphone, the Honor Play 8 in China. The new smartphone seems to be a rebranded version of the previously launched Honor 8S. The smartphone maker seems to be taking on entry-level and budget smartphones with this new smartphone. The company revealed that it is has priced the new smartphone at an impressive 599RMB or Rs 5,960 at the time of writing. Honor seems to have gone for a modern design that is still new for such entry-level smartphones. This includes tall 19:9 aspect ratio display along with a waterdrop notch. Also Read - Honor 9X Pro to reportedly feature triple rear cameras and a pop-up selfie camera
Honor Play 8 features, specificationsAlso Read - Honor Band 5 teased, may launch alongside Honor 9X on July 23
The Honor Play 8 sports a 5.71-inch LCD display with thick bezels on the edges. As mentioned above, the display also features a waterdrop notch at the top around the front camera sensor. Honor 8 Play also comes with a 19:9 aspect ratio with HD+ resolution. Moving to the internals of the device, we are greeted with MediaTek Helio A22 SoC with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. Honor has also added a microSD card slot in the device so that users can expand the storage if and when they require more storage space. Honor Play 8 users should know that the smartphone can support microSD card with a capacity of up to 512GB. Also Read - Honor 10 Lite, Honor 9N, Honor 9i available at lowest price during Honor Days sale on Flipkart
Talking about connectivity, Honor Play 8 features three slots, two for the usual nano-SIM cards. The third card slot is meant to house the microSD card slot. This means that this device can support Dual 4G coverage at any given time. Now let’s take a look at the camera features on the smartphone. According to the specifications of the device, we get a single 13-megapixel sensor on the back with f/1.8 aperture. Moving to the front, we get a 5-megapixel sensor for selfies with f/2.2 aperture.
Moving to other features of the device, we realize that the device does not come with a fingerprint scanner for proper biometric authentication. As noted in a report by GSMArena, the device uses the front camera for face unlock feature. On the software end, the device is powered by Android 9 Pie-based EMUI 9.0. Honor has also added a 3,020mAh battery in the device that it still uses a microUSB port for charging. Honor confirmed that given the price and features, the smartphone does not come with any fast charging solutions.


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By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Investment Weekly News -- Fundation Group LLC Co-Founder and CEO Sam Graziano represented the small balance commercial lending industry on Friday, June 13(th) at the US Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Graziano served on a panel titled "Accessing Alternative Capital" where he discussed the competitive landscape for small businesses seeking debt capital. He highlighted the stark differences between firms that deliver a value add product designed around borrowers building a more sustainable capital structure versus those that are consuming a disproportionate amount of small businesses' cash flow.
"Alternative lending is really a misleading catch all phrase for non-bank lenders in the small business financing category," Mr. Graziano said. "Alternative lenders are stepping in to areas of small business finance to extend credit where banks cannot or will not. However, when you dig a little deeper and get beyond the blanket term, you realize that not all of these lenders are filling the void in a way that is beneficial to business owners."
Mr. Graziano is an expert in the technology-enabled lending market, having specialized in strategy and corporate finance for banks and specialty finance companies for more than a decade prior to establishing Fundation. With Mr. Graziano's leadership, Fundation has become a market leader in the online business lending market.
Fundation has separated itself from the crowded field of 'alternative lending' by offering a first of its kind direct-lending product that enables borrowers to access longer-term loans at affordable rates.
Co-Panelists included Ami Kassar, Founder and CEO of Multifunding and Gina Harman, CEO of Accion U.S. Network. The panel reviewed lending practices including SBA loans, alternative lending, and crowd funding.
The US Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit brings together over 800 business owners and chamber executives.
For additional background on Sam Graziano or Fundation, contact Victoria Lewis at email@example.com.
Keywords for this news article include: Fundation Group Llc, Investment and Finance.
Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2014, NewsRx LLC


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2016 Thanksgiving on track to break $2B in online sales
With Thanksgiving Day in full swing, manyare turning to the internet to get theirholiday shopping started. Adobe is tracking e-commerce transactions in real time, and it said that by 5pm Eastern time online retailers had clocked up $1.15 billion in sales, up 13.6% on a year ago. Of that, $449 million was spent onmobile devices($322 million smartphones; $127 million tablets), a record amount and up 58.6% on 2015.$702 million was purchased viadesktop sites.
Earlier today, Adobe said Thanksgiving Day would break the $2 billion mark for money spent online. Now, its modified that somewhat: spending isnow on track to either hit or come close to $2 billion.
Why the change? It seems that even ifsome, like Visa, were projecting more people than ever before shopping online this year, collectively retailers have put their chips on deeper mark-downs to keep both interest and transaction volumes up.
Adobe writes that heavy discounting seen in the early hours of the day has slowed revenue growth. Tablets, for example,were marked down by more than 25% on average compared to last years 12%; and that TVs, toys and pet care items are seeing much larger discountsthan last year. Portalslike RetailMeNot have playeda key role in promoting those discounts.
Thisyear is continuing the trend of people turning to their mobile devices to start their browsing perhaps using these smaller, handheld computersas a way of doing this more subtly and without being too antisocial around family and friends (thats assuming you have agreed on a moratorium onany political conversations).
Some54% of visits came from mobile devices (44% smartphone; 10% tablet), but mobile accounted for only 39% of purchases meaning some are still turning to their desktopcomputers to seal the deal. Conversions on smartphones have increased since the morning, averaging 1.7%; Desktop 3.4% and tablets 3.2%, Adobe noted.
As in years past, so far iOS devices are bringing in higher value purchasesthan Android devices, at $144 versus $119. In all, 55% of visits to retail sites and 38% of online purchasesfor Thanksgiving Day are coming from mobile devices, according to Adobe.
Meanwhile, IBM is not releasing its bigger Benchmark updates this year, which in the past tracked some 17,000 different online retailers. But it still appears to be doing some of this tracking online.
Its numbers are even more positive for mobile than Adobes. IBM notes that nearly 60% of all e-commerce traffic right now is coming from mobile devices, but that smartphones and tablets are only accounting for 44% of actual sales. Desktop sales continue to bring in higher-value sales compared to mobile, it notes: $134 versus $118.
Still, drilling into specific product categories, it seems that some of the most popular categories have been seeing declines in average spend per order. That may be in part because of the discounts, but perhaps also because people are spending more conservatively. Video game consoles are down 13% compared to 2015; toys are down 14%; televisions are down 7%; jewelry is down 20%; and computers are down 15%.
Adobe said its figures come from tracking 21 billion aggregated and anonymised visits to retail websites, covering some 80% of all online transactions for the top 100 U.S. retailers.
Well continue to update these numbers as the day goes on and more people stumble away from tables in food comas that allow for very restrictedactivities (shopping online being one of them), and well continue to cover how people are buying online through Black Friday and the weekend.
As people finish up their Thanksgiving Day meals, were expecting eager shoppers to jump online and snag the hottest products and best deals,especially as several physical locations will be closed today, writesBecky Tasker, managing analyst, Adobe Digital Insights.
So far this month, Adobe said that weve seen $27.2 billion in sales, but while Thanksgiving sales are likely tosee a double-digit boost this year, the same cant be said for the month overall, where the rise is just 4.28%.
This makes some sense: Thanksgiving is not traditionally a shopping day Black Friday (tomorrow) is usually seen as the start of the holiday sales rush. That means that there is a lot more growth to come, from a smaller starting point, for today. On top of this, physical stores tend to be closed on Thanksgiving, which means that in theory there should be even more of a push for online sales from those eager to jump on sales, and stores promoting offers to those consumers.
Unsurprisingly, so far top products for online sales have been consumer electronics, including iPad tablets, Samsung 4K TVs, PlayStation 4 consoles, and electric scooters.
Updated throughoutthe latest figures.


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The Huolala incident has brought back existing safety concerns regarding ride-hailing apps in China.
"Daddy, you're back!" - Jack Ma reappears after three months of silence.
Public sentiments on Jack Ma have shifted, but the fans still defend their idol.
Pinduoduo's '996' culture is the talk of the day after the sudden death of a 22-year-old female employee.
"Did Trump buy up the trending lists?", some Chinese web users wonder.
The bizarre story that went trending this week involves China's tech giant Tencent and China's undisputed sauce queen Lao Gan Ma.
With the rapid digitalization of China's healthcare, Chinese patients now have more ways than one to receive medical assistance.
This week, Didi announced it would allow users to 'hitch' a ride again, but the proposed curfew for female passengers stirred controversy.
Party-building 3.0? Didi has got it covered.
V-sign selfie pictures could disclose personal information about your fingerprints, security experts warn.
Jack Ma's late-night snack means overnight success for this Zhengzhou skewer place.
Some users just found out they could've bought a house with the money they've spent on Taobao.
Today marks the start of an unexpected 'romance' between Huawei and China Post, as the two just announced their strategic cooperation.
"My next phone will definitely be a Huawei."
Victor Gevers says it is his mission to "report vulnerable systems."
China's popular "Douyin" app is known as "TikTok" in markets outside of China. But is it really one app?
Alipay, oh, Alipay, wherefore art thou Hanbao now?
Apparently, all it takes is to be an American to get your deposit back from Ofo?
These are the top ways in which netizens' high Sesame Credit scores can be used in daily life.
In many international media, China's nascent Social Credit System is presented as a gloomy sci-fi storyline with clickbait titles. In Chinese mass media, the story is...


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(Reuters) - Ministers from around 30 countries are meeting in Geneva to seek a breakthrough in negotiations on new global free trade treaty, known as the Doha round.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) talks were launched in the Qatari capital 2001 with the aim of bolstering the global economy by boosting trade and helping poor nations export more.
The ministers meeting this week are not seeking to clinch a final Doha round agreement, but are striving for the outlines of a deal that trade diplomats would then flesh out.
But basic accord on some of the talks’ most sensitive issues would be a decisive step forward for the WTO free trade push.
Here are the main results to watch out for:
1 - FORMULAS FOR TARIFF AND SUBSIDY CUTS
Ministers are seeking “modalities” — or the parameters of an agreement — in talks over reducing barriers to trade in agricultural and industrial goods.
This would include the formulas for cutting tariffs and subsidies on goods like cotton, rice, shoes, and cars, and designations of what products can be shielded from cuts. Those exceptions are especially important for developing countries.
Diplomats have agreed on the shape or “architecture” of the formulas. Ministers are discussing the numbers to go into them.
Agreement in the core areas of farming and manufactured goods would open the door for deals in other parts of the Doha round, including cross-border services and rules on how to treat unfairly-priced imports.
2 - DEADLINE FOR COMPLETING CALCULATIONS
Once the formulas for agriculture and industry are agreed, officials will have to calculate their impact on thousands of different products or “tariff lines.” This detailed, painstaking process, which would take months, is known as scheduling.
Only when those calculations are complete — and the WTO’s 153 members can see what their partners’ future import duties will look like — will it be possible to sign off on a deal.
So agreement among ministers on when that scheduling should be finished would set an important milestone for the Doha round, and give negotiators in services a clear target to aim for.
3 - CALL FOR PROPOSALS IN SERVICES TALKS
Services make up 70 percent or more of rich countries’ economies and a growing share of developing country output.
Many WTO members are keenly interested to see cross-border banking and telecoms opened up under a Doha deal, despite its main focus on farming and industrial markets.
Interested countries will hold a “signaling conference” this week to express their intentions on liberalizing services, without going into details or making firm commitments. No one has tabled new offers in services since late 2005.
One outcome of that conference may be agreement on a new deadline for revised offers on opening up the sector.


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A $2,855 fine won't break the bank, but the ruling is just the latest in a series of regulatory crackdowns against collecting users' location data. By Jemima Kiss
Student discovers hole in iPhone app that shows what tablet version will look like. By Jemima Kiss
Publishers now able to report smartphone and tablet figures as well as website and print statistics. By Josh Halliday
Jemima Kiss: It won't cause as much a stir as the first generation iPad launch but it could iron out some irritants and be worth an upgrade
The next generation 'Jesus tablet' reportedly will be announced next week – quashing rumours of a setback
Apple's move to take a greater share of cash from newspaper app subscriptions may instead allow Google to take a bite. By Josh Halliday
Josh Halliday: Corporation's new app for Apple's popular tablet device is a hit, with some minor annoyances
Matt Webb of Berg explains the new "attention economics" of digital publishing. By Jemima Kiss
The 'iPad newspaper' that has been Murdoch's pet project for the best part of a year will be revealed next week – how much do we know about it?
An up and down year for both Google and Apple, 2010's big games and significant political developments in the tech world all feature in our annual review
Emily Bell: The News Corp boss will probably lose the $30m he's rumoured to be investing in a post-print collaboration with Apple
Dan Sabbagh: Digital devices such as the Kindle and the iPad have media companies quivering with excitement – but will people really use them to read newspapers and magazines?
The US title takes us back inside the newsroom for All The President's Men revisited (2.0?)
Want to break free of Helvetica? We've got just the app you need. By Jemima Kiss
Pew has found tech coverage favours Steve Jobs' empire, with 42% of pieces praising the company. By Jemima Kiss
A peek at official figures shows what BBC is missing by not supporting older Android devices


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Following a strategic review Moore Large has told Pacific Cycle of the US it has resigned as Schwinn distributor for the UK.
Moore Large MD Nigel Moore says: "The decision was taken based on both the difficulties we faced with developing Schwinn brand.
"Despite achieving international distributor awards for the last two years the sales penetration achieved during our tenure fell well short of our aspirations. We have been frustrated with the lack of any inspirational development of the brand and product and disappointed with the rising price structure that has now distanced us from the competition."
Schwinn stock will be cleared out with special offers.
Moore Large will now devote more time to Haro, especially its line-up of new MTBs
"The most exciting development in years for Moore Large will be the reintroduction of the Haro 26-inch," says Moore.
"Haro has made magnificent advances in their comprehensive offering and will add significant credibility to any outlet. Haro has a long history of premium level products with a clear identity and is recognised globally as an IBD-only brand. We have worked with Haro for many years and have found the company dedicated to brand building, development of the product and committed to their distributors."


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Leading economic indicators rise again in July, point to slow recovery
The Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose 0.6 percent in July -- its fourth straight monthly increase, the Conference Board announced Thursday. The Board reported that composite indexes suggest the U.S. recession "is bottoming out and that economic activity will likely begin to recover soon."
Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected the index to rise 0.7 percent in July. The index rose 0.7 percent in June, 1.2 percent in May and 1.1 percent in April. The LEI index now stands at 101.6, using 2004 as the base year at 100. During the six-month span through July, the leading economic index increased 3.0 percent -- a 6.2 percent annual rate, according to the Board.
What's more, comparing the 3.0 percent gain in the most recent six months to a decline of 2.8 percent in the previous six months suggests an increase in economic activity.
LEI uptrend is clear
In July, three indicators -- interest-rate spread, initial unemployment claims, and the average workweek -- made large, positive contributions to the index, more than offsetting the negative contributions from three other indicators: consumer expectations, real money supply, and building permits.
Three other indicators of the 10 comprising the LEI increased in July: index of supplier deliveries (vendor performance), stock prices, and manufacturers' new orders for non-defense capital goods. The 10th indicator, manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials, held steady.
The LEI Index forecasts likely economic conditions six to nine months ahead; economists caution that it's a general, multivariable indicator, vulnerable to revisions. Investors should use it as a rough gauge of overall macroeconomic trends, not as a metric that precisely pinpoints economic cycle turns.
Four months in a row: yet another mildly positive data point regarding the July LEI, and one that supports the "green shoots" recovery thesis. If the LEI metric continues to rise and does not suffer a prolonged setback, then a recovery is underway; it's at least hard to argue the recession is not bottoming.
The four-month LEI trend is a positive for the economy, but investors -- particularly those investing in U.S. stocks -- should maintain perspective. There have been enormous cutbacks in manufacturing, housing, financial services, and the auto sector, with large layoffs. The nation needs a long, strong expansion to make up for the losses to output, earnings, and jobs.
An incredible amount of economic work remains for policymakers and business executives alike. Chief among them: identifying and creating new engines of economic growth and job growth to compensate for the millions of manufacturing and related jobs lost due to globalization.


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By Anusha Ashwin
The recent report by Nasscom-Zinnov on ‘Indian Start-up Ecosystem Maturing’ released at the Nasscom Product Conclave in October 2016 revealed that tech startups in India are expected to grow by 10-12% to over 4,750 by the end of 2016.
The same report predicts that India will become home to over 10,500 start-ups by 2020, employing over 2,10,000 people. Ventures in fintech, health-tech, edutech, data analytics, B2B commerce and artificial intelligence are seeing interest, predicts the report.
Evidentially, new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Beacons are evolving at an accelerated pace for startups to build their products. In today’s world, AI has a larger than life role. AI is required to make computers think and act like humans for any given solution. Currently, there is a pressing need for automating the process of data interpretation and executing automated communicating insights to satisfy end consumers. And, startups have realized that there is enormous potential in AI and its associated technologies that can change the way data can be understood and interpreted in every sphere of consumer service.
AI-based Chatbot is one associated service that startups do not want to ignore. Entrepreneurs believe that Chatbots aid better customer engagement and are also preferred over apps in certain e-commerce portals as it solves immediate solutions.
Apart from AI, few other technologies that are bringing a paradigm shift in the startups are Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain and Beacon. Blockchain is considered as the central and the most important technology for a successful fin-tech startup. This technology is waiting to be explored at large and has the potential to reshape the digital wallet and financial startup space in enabling absolute secure transactions.
Beacons are next in line. Beacons are said to reshape the retail industry in the near future. Brick and mortar retail stores use the beacon software for mobile commerce, offering customers special deals through mobile marketing, and can progressively enable mobile payments through point of sale systems.
A recent report released in August 2016 from market research firm Tractica forecasts that the annual global revenue for artificial intelligence products and services will grow from 643.7 million in 2016 to $36.8 billion by 2025, a 57-fold increase over that time period. As such, it represents the fastest growing segment of any size in the IT sector.
AI gives massive opportunity for startups especially in the e-commerce vertical. It is implied as a technology that is essential in understanding the importance of customer interaction and a necessity in analyzing human emotions, and more importantly a tool that enables customers to take quick and informed decisions. AI tools, offered as modules in language, vision, speech and reasoning, have all been exploited by global startups and inevitably Indian startups have been at the forefront of adopting and offering these technologies in their startups.
Management consulting firm, Zinnov recently released a report on AI. The report reveals interesting figures on investor funding in AI startups. Globally, funding in this sector had notably increased more than 10-fold over the past five years, from $94 million in 2011 to $1,049 million in 2016. In India, 170 AI startups were identified, with total funding of $36 million. Bengaluru leads the list with 64 startups that have raised $27 million so far, followed by Delhi that has 26 startups which has raised around $330 million.
Startups deploying AI also envision an untapped potential in other key sectors such as healthcare and automobiles. Healthcare startups are building their products around AI, knowing that the technology can help learn from thousands and even millions of patient data points and images to make more accurate diagnosis. AI, on the other hand, is also transforming the auto industry too. Startups that are engaged in driver-less vehicles are set to disrupt the market in the years to come.
Beacon has been in buzz since 2013, since tech giant Apple introduced its iBeacon technology. Beacon is considered as the latest and innovative way of connecting with customers, more specifically in the retail industry. Beacons use low-cost devices that communicate with smartphone apps indoors through a Bluetooth signal. Beacons help big retailers collect data, push coupons, and generate billions in in-store sales. Beacon technology, when combined with other enabling technologies like mobile wallets and apps, can deliver tangible benefits for the consumer and for the retailers.
In 2015, Business Insider released an in-depth report on Beacon technology. The report indicated that about 60 million iBeacon units by Apple are expected to be shipped by 2019. Between 2015 and 2016, 100 retailers in the US have been testing Beacons. According to the same report, the beacon installed base will see a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 287%. There will be about 4.5 million active beacons overall by December 2018, with 3.5 million of these in use by retailers. Also, the beacon installed-base should continue to double every six months through 2016.
Blockchain is now a favorite technology among fin-tech startups. It is best defined as a network of computers that verify and approve transactions. The transactions are then recorded on a distributed public ledger. Anyone on the network can see what transactions have occurred. The advantage with blockchain is that it makes transactions safer, simpler, faster, and cost-effective. KPMG in association with NASSCOM 10,000 Startups says that Blockchain is being perceived in India as a game changer. Though it is at a very nascent stage and is yet to mature into a mainstream application, the technology is receiving encouraging reviews from market players in the country. Quoting an example, KPMG said that Zebpay in India launched a Blockchain lab to develop proof of concepts and innovative services. The company has received about $1 million in funding from equity investors to build talent and accelerate the company’s Blockchain-based services.
Reserve Bank of India has also set-up a committee to understand the possibility of using Blockchain technology and to determine appropriate regulatory policies. In December 2015, RBI had released a ‘Financial Stability Report’ detailing the possible impact of Blockchain technology. RBI in its report has indicated that Blockchain has the potential to transform the functioning of the back offices of banks, increase the speed and cost efficiency in payment systems and trade finance. A number of major IT players in India are piloting projects that implement Blockchain in financial processes. This obviously means that large IT companies will partner with startups to outsource their backend services with Blockchain implementing capabilities.


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Coinstar Inc. (NASDAQ:CSTR), parent of DVD-rental firm Redbox, is expected to report slightly lower fourth-quarter earnings as the company has had to grapple with a new federal law requiring higher fees for small debit-card transactions.
The Bellevue, Wash.-based company is expected to report net profit of $20.93 million, or 65 cents a share, down 7.1 percent from $22.42 million,or 68 cents a share, in the year earlier period, according to analyst estimates provided by Reuters. Analysts expect revenue of $496.41 million, up 25.1 percent from $396.76 million in the year-earlier period.
Coinstar reports Monday after the markets close.
Unlike most retailers, Redbox, with 28,000 U.S. kiosks accounting for about 84 percent of Coinstar's revenue, was hurt by a provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which became law in 2010. That provision raised charges on small debit card purchases, such as DVD movie rentals. The effect on Redbox was that it had to pay 27 cents on each rental made by debit card, up from nine cents before Dodd-Frank, according to D.A Davidson analyst John Kraft.
While Dodd-Frank became law in July 2010, the provision in question did not come into effect until Oct. 1, 2011. In response, Redbox raised its rental fee to $1.20 from $1 -- but waited to do so until Oct. 31 for rentals of DVDs and Jan. 31, 2012, for online rentals. That left a big part of the fourth quarter in which movie rental margins were severely compressed.
Quarter Four will not be a good reflection of what their (Coinstar's) margins will be because of that, Kraft said in an interview.
He believes there was probably some attrition of customers due to the price hike, but not a large amount.
Fortunately for Redbox, the move to raise prices happened while people were still upset with rival Netflix over its price hikes and attempt to separate its DVD-by-mail service from its streaming service. Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter in a research note estimated that Netflix lost nine million DVD subscribers in the second half of 2011, which gave Redbox the opportunity to snag new customers.
In addition to Redbox, Coinstar provides kiosks where customers can redeem coins for a cash voucher. The service accounted for 16 percent of Coinstar's revenue in the third quarter of 2011, down from 20 percent in 2010. Pachter believes the service will account for an even smaller share of revenue in upcoming quarters.
Competitors such as Netflix are increasingly turning their focus towards online streaming services as customers shy away from DVD sales, Pacific Crest analyst Andy Hargreaves said.
But although there have been reports that Redbox will soon enter the streaming business, it hasn't done so yet. Hargreaves said Redbox kiosks should get pretty good business for the next several years, but eventually the company will need to rely on other Kiosk businesses in order to grow.
Shares of Coinstar fell 41 cents to $49.96.


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In the land of excess, there was a distinct lack of bling at this year's Los Angeles motor show.
Instead, it was a mix of family cars and summer funsters that stole the headlines. Here's our top five picks.
Fiat 124 Spider
More Mazda than Fiat, the 124 Spider is built alongside the Mazda MX-5 in Japan and shares its basic architecture.
But the tiny two-seat, rear-drive roadster that revives one of the marque's most iconic nameplates gets unique exterior styling and a subtly different interior to the loveable Mazda sports car.
Under the bonnet, too, the Fiat gets its own 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, with 119kW of power – 1kW more than the maximum output of the car it's based on.
It's also slightly longer on the outside – check out those bulging headlights – and has a larger boot, in part because of the squarer tail that is all about playing to the 124's heritage.
Fiat says there will likely be a more powerful Abarth version, too, for those looking for more zing.
New engines and a new body are the big stories for Hyundai's new Elantra. Stretched 20mm and with 25mm more width, the Elantra is one of the larger small cars on the market, with decent rear seat space.
Despite the newness the new Elantra – which arrives in Australia about February 2016 – its interior is more of the plasticky greys we've seen recently from new Hyundai arrivals (think Sonata and Tucson).
Under the bonnet is a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine good for 110kW and 179Nm, barely better than the 110kW/178Nm from the existing car's 1.8-litre engine. However Hyundai claims the new engine, which uses a more efficient Atkinson Cycle combustion process, is more efficient, reducing fuel use.
There will also be a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo engine that uses less fuel again and makes 95kW and 211Nm.
As with the current car the Elantra is a sedan only, with the hatch version – known as i30 in Australia – expected to arrive some time in 2017.
Also expect a high performance version, to be known as N, through the life of the new Elantra and/or i30. Hyundai says it is targeting the impressive Golf GTI.
OK, so it's a car that will never go on sale in Australia and doesn't push any major boundaries. But it's what's under the LaCrosse that is most significant; it rides on General Motors' new large car platform, which is expected to underpin the next generation Commodore, to be based on the next generation Opel Insignia that has been caught testing but not officially revealed yet.
Due by 2018, the new Commodore will switch from its traditional rear-drive layout to a mix of front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
It's been a long time coming – the original CX-9 went on sale in 2007 – but the second generation of Mazda's seven-seat SUV appears to have been worth the wait.
It's the first in its class to ditch the six-cylinder engines that have been the norm for most and replace it with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo. While it drops power to 169kW, the new 2.5T SkyActiv engine focuses on low-rev torque to give the impression of having more power in everyday conditions.
It's also claimed to be 20 per cent more fuel efficient, suggesting average consumption of below 9.0 litres per 100km.
Inside, the CX-9 gets a classy and spacious interior, as well as child seat mounting points in the third row – the first of its direct competitors to do so.
Range Rover Evoque Convertible
Proof of just how far the niche luxury SUV bug has spread comes in the form of the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. Utilising the same basic body and mechanicals of the sleek three- and five-door SUVs that have proved popular around the world, the Evoque Convertible gets rid of that sleek metal roof in favour of a folding hard-top for what is the world's only drop-top SUV (Suzuki previously offered plenty with the Vitara and Sierra, while Toyota sold a convertible version of its original RAV4).
The extra strengthening required to keep the sizeable four-seat off-roader from flexing and shaking around corners and over bumps is reported to have added about 280kg to the weight.
So performance from the four-cylinder engines on offer will be dulled somewhat.
Still, the latest addition to the growing Land Rover family is more about cruising the suburbs and enjoying some rays, something it appears well credentialed for.
The Convertible arrives in Australia about September 2016.


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There’s nothing new about the notion that many people respond to economic uncertainty by trying to live more economically. This week, one research company reaffirmed that notion with a take on the market for energy-efficient products and clean-technology services. Another research firm, meanwhile, has been examining consumers’ thinking behind these green purchases.
On Tuesday, Pike Research, based in Boulder, Colorado, announced results of a study, titled “Energy Efficient Homes,” that indicates recovery from the recession will be accompanied by solid growth in three energy efficiency categories: the market for home energy audits, which Pike expects will almost triple in size, from $8.1 billion in 2009 to $23.4 billion, by 2014; the retrofit market, with a 31% increase, to $50.2 billion from $38.3 billion, by 2014; and purchases of Energy Star certified refrigerators and clothes washers, generating $21.9 billion in revenue from 2009 to 2014.
“Energy efficiency is stepping into the light after a long period of obscurity,” Pike’s managing director, Clint Wheelock, said in the release. The principal market drivers, he noted, include “increased environmental awareness among consumers, government incentives, utility energy efficiency programs, and new offerings and rebates from product manufacturers.”
Getting real with marketing
Back in December another green-trends researcher, Knoxville-based Shelton Group, presented a list titled “Six consumer trends to watch for 2010.” The list noted in-house survey results showing that while consumers respond favorably to the prospect of saving money through green behavior, they even more strongly embraced the “don’t waste” motivation to conserve. The trends list also pointed to consumers’ increased disenchantment with energy efficiency measures that don’t live up to expectations created by the marketing – and the need for marketers to better manage expectations. Also, the list notes, the prospect of saving money will play a somewhat lesser a role in motivating consumers to go green than the prospect of increased comfort and convenience.
As for climate change, Shelton Group surveys show fewer and fewer people believe that it is happening and is caused by human activity – a consequence, in part, says the company, of Climategate. (Pennsylvania State University climatologist Michael Mann, a Climategate figure and major contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was this week cleared of scientific misconduct in three claims against him; a fourth claim is being reviewed separately.)
Dissecting consumer motivation
Overall, though, the kerfuffle over Climategate and the apparent drop-off in the number of global-warming believers aren’t having the expected effect, according to the researcher’s preliminary reading of data it collected for its 2010 Eco Pulse study of consumer trends in the green sector. “It appears that green purchasing behavior and propensity is actually up,” Shelton Group says in a blog post. “We’ve been advising our clients and our blog readers for years that most folks don’t go green to save the planet, and this is just more data to that effect. We’re seeing comfort and convenience continue to take precedence over the environment, and we’re seeing health and safety concerns continue to gain ground in priority in some categories.”
We’ll keep our eyes peeled for a summary of the final report.
Get building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.


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About three-quarters of Americans plan to don an apron and grab a spatula to grill their favorite proteins this summer, according to a recent Cargill Feed4Thought survey, which polled more than 1,000 people in the U.S. this April. The results show 94 percent say they trust the meat they buy for grilling is safe to eat. The survey also found nearly 80 percent believe food producers are taking the necessary steps to ensure their meat is safe for grilling. Additionally, 87 percent believe an animal’s diet can have an impact on food safety.
Why do people grill? Besides the fact that it is a time to be outdoors and gather with friends and family, consumers simply enjoy the taste of grilled foods. Almost three-fourths (72 percent) of grill/smoker owners use their outdoor cooking appliance for flavor, according to the State of the Barbecue Industry Report from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Assn., Arlington, Va. More than half (52 percent) say it’s a lifestyle choice. Forty percent of respondents said grilling is a form of entertainment, while a third said it’s simply convenient.
Beyond holidays, 49 percent of grill or smoker owners report barbecuing for birthday parties, 24 percent on a camping trip, 21 percent at a vacation home party and 11 percent during tailgating activities for sporting events. And they like to grill a variety of items, often at the same time.
The Feed4Thought survey results have 72 percent of Americans saying they grill on a regular basis, with 41 percent grilling at least once a week. Their favorite grilling options: steak leads at 42 percent, followed by hamburgers (25 percent), chicken (25 percent) and pork chops/ribs (12 percent). Plant-based products are slowly making their way onto outdoor flames.
Foods to Focus On
Smithfield Seasoned is now more than pork. Smithfield is expanding its portfolio with grill-ready fresh steak products. Sold in refrigerated 14-oz packages containing two USDA Choice Beef steaks, these quality cuts are perfectly seasoned for a hassle-free grilling experience. The initial offerings are Carne Asada and Steakhouse Seasoned. The beef joins an extensive line of seasoned and marinated pork chops, filets, loins and spareribs.
Mighty Spark Food Co. is on a quest to disrupt the refrigerated and frozen meat cases with the debut of nearly 50 items made from beef, chicken, pork or turkey. Hand-crafted and made in small-batches, innovative offerings include Queso Fresco & Jalapeño Turkey Patties and Waffle & Maple Chicken Breakfast Links. There’s Prosciutto Loaded Italian Sausage, and Sirloin, Brisket & Short Rib Beef Patties. The brand further sets itself apart in the crowded meat category with its signature square box with premium touches like a silver foil logo and soft-touch packaging.
The Kellogg Co., grows its veggie burger brand MorningStar Farms with grillable vegan options. The Veggie Lovers variety contains 10 vegetables, grains and seeds, including onions, carrots and mushrooms, for a variety of grilled plant flavor with each bite. The Meat Lovers offering infuses juicy plant protein with flame-grilled flavor to deliver an eating experience that tastes just like meat. Both burgers feature 27g of protein, the most of any MorningStar Farms burger yet. The 4-oz. burgers are sold frozen in boxes of eight.


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Jobs ads worldwide that featured the keyword “hybrid work” soared 464 percent in the third quarter ended September 2021, according to a study by GlobalData.
Positions mentioning “remote work” climbed 23 percent in the period from the prior quarter, the data and analytics firm said in the report.
“Remote and hybrid working models are the future of work as job seekers look for flexibility,” Ajay Thalluri, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, said in the study. “These models are also beneficial to companies, removing spatial boundaries in terms of finding talent and potentially increasing the number of job applicants. Further, flexible working could be useful in countries where the impending threat of another wave of COVID-19 cannot be ruled out.”
“Compared to jobs related to ‘remote work’, ‘hybrid work’ was the star of the show in Q3 2021. This model has grown exponentially – particularly since June 2021,” Thalluri added.


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For the past two months, the broad-based S&P 500 and technology-dependent Nasdaq Composite have endured their steepest corrections in about two years. It's a not-so-subtle reminder that the market doesn't go up in a straight line, no matter how much we will it to as investors.
The good news is that these dips in the market serve as ideal buying opportunities. Remember, it's not just about buying game-changing companies. Allowing your investment thesis to play out over many years is the secret sauce that turns an investment into a life-altering sum of money.
Right now, there's a trio of growth stocks patient investors can buy that have the tools necessary to turn a $250,000 investment into $1 million or more. If you want to be a millionaire, my suggestion is simple: Buy into this trio and wait eight years (i.e., until 2030).
The first innovative company that can turn a $250,000 investment into $1 million (or more) by 2030 is cloud-based lending platform Upstart Holdings (UPST 6.90%).
Interestingly enough, Upstart already performed this feat in a matter of months last year, with its share price climbing from around $100 to $400. Since hitting its peak, shares have retraced as much as 80%. Wall Street appears to be concerned about how an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven lending platform will perform in a rising-rate environment.
The good news is that any knee-jerk reactions lower in Upstart are likely to be short-lived. That's because the company brings clear competitive advantages to the table. For instance, its AI platform is significantly reducing the time needed to approve or deny a personal loan applicant at a bank or financial institution. That's saving Upstart's clients quite a bit of money, as well as opening doors to loan applicants who might not otherwise qualify for a loan under the traditional vetting process.
Long-term investors will also appreciate how Upstart generates the bulk of its revenue. During the fourth quarter, a whopping 94% of revenue derived from fees and services tied to its banking partners. In other words, there's no credit exposure for Upstart. Even though a rapidly rising-rate environment could reduce the record loan activity at financial institutions, there's nothing to suggest it would adversely impact Upstart's already very profitable operating model.
But what'll really have long-term investors salivating is the opportunity for Upstart to push into new verticals. For the moment, the company is almost entirely focused on personal loans. However, buying Prodigy Software last year opened the door for Upstart to deploy its AI-lending platform in the auto loan space. Auto loan originations are a $727 billion market, compared to $96 billion for personal loans. If all goes well, Upstart can push into the $4.6 trillion mortgage loan origination market and $644 billion small business loan arena. That's a $6 trillion origination opportunity -- and the company generated "only" $849 million in sales last year.
According to Wall Street forecasts, Upstart is expected to quadruple its sales over the next five years to close to $3.2 billion. If Upstart can maintain or surpass this estimate, it shouldn't have any trouble making millionaires out of its patient investors by 2030.
Planet 13 Holdings
While pot stocks were all the buzz to begin 2021, they've cooled off considerably over the trailing 12 months. The expectation had been that a Democrat-led Congress, coupled with a Joe Biden presidency, would lead to federal cannabis reforms. But these federal reforms never panned out, and Wall Street, once again, soured on the industry.
What investors should recognize is that federal reforms aren't necessary for many of the larger multi-state operators (MSO) to thrive. With 37 states having legalized cannabis in some capacity, and the Department of Justice maintaining a hands-off approach and letting states regulate their own weed industries, MSOs like Planet 13 have a clear path to the green.
Whereas most MSOs have approached the retail side of the equation like a game of Monopoly (i.e., planting their proverbial flag everywhere they land), Planet 13's differentiator is its focus on the experience. The company has just two operating dispensaries at the moment, but they're massive and unlike anything else in the United States. The Las Vegas, Nev., and Orange County, Calif., SuperStore's span 112,000 square feet and 55,000 square feet, respectively. In Las Vegas, customers can relax in an indoor café, watch cannabis be processed on-site, or simply enjoy the nation's most diverse selection of pot products.
Aside from the size of its locations, Planet 13 is utilizing other tactics to grow its business. For example, the company is using self-pay kiosks in its Las Vegas SuperStore, as well as offering personal budtenders for shoppers. This way repeat customers can save time, while tourists and enthusiasts can get a uniquely tailored experience. Planet 13 is also promoting its own line of proprietary vape and edible products, too.
Considering Planet 13's ties to tourist-heavy locations, it's no surprise that Chicago, Ill., and Miami and Orlando in Florida, are next on the list. Assuming the company can replicate its success in Las Vegas in other markets, it shouldn't have any trouble returning 300% or more for investors over the next eight years.
As is pretty much the case with virtually all growth stocks at the moment, Nio's share have been stuck in reverse. Since hitting an all-time intra-day high of nearly $67 in January 2021, shares have fallen by 68%. The prospect of rising interest rates has fueled multiple compression throughout the stock market. That's been especially true of the auto industry, where price-to-earnings ratios have traditionally hovered in the single digits.
But among the upstart EV makers, Nio stands out to me as having the most promise. In particular, the company has executed admirably in the wake of ongoing supply chain issues and persistent semiconductor chip shortages. In the final two months of 2021, Nio was producing at an annual run-rate of around 130,000 EVs. Management has forecast that it could hit a yearly run-rate of 600,000 EVs by the end of 2022, if supply chain issues ease. This works out to approximately 50,000 deliveries per month.
Another thing to like about Nio is its multiple aspects of innovation. For instance, the company is planning to drive demand by building on its already successful line of EVs. This includes the rollout of the all-new upscale ET7 sedan and the mid-sized ET5 sedan. The company claims that both offer a range of up to 1,000 kilometers (with the Ultralong Range battery pack), which translates out to 621 miles. If accurate, these new EVs would put some serious pressure on Tesla Motors in China.
Beyond new vehicles, Nio also introduced its battery-as-a-service (BaaS) program in August 2020. With BaaS, owners can charge, swap, and upgrade their batteries, as well as receive a discount off the initial purchase price of their vehicle. In exchange, buyers pay a recurring monthly fee to Nio. The company has effectively given up some lower-margin near-term revenue in order to secure the future loyalty of its buyer base.
I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention that Nio is based in China, the leading auto market in the world. With China's EV industry still nascent, there's plenty of market share up for grabs.
If Wall Street's estimates are correct, and Nio pushes to recurring profitability by 2023, a 300% gain by 2030 might prove conservative.


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Universal Partnership & Licensing’s franchise-based business model is driving big returns for the company, both in brand loyalty and revenue.
Disney has announced Sofia the First as the newest member of the "Color & Play 3D" app family.
Art brand Hank & Sylvie, created by New York artist Lou Patrou, has partnered with Ikase for a line of art cases featuring the brand.
Modern homewares brand DwellStudio has entered two new licensing partnerships with Klaussner Home Furnishings and Magnussen Home Furnishings.
Robin Zingone has teamed with Buckledown for a line of fashion accessories featuring the artist's designs.
This holiday season, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends will appear on a line of USPS Forever stamps.
Total online retail spending in November and December across desktops, smartphones and tablets will reach $61 billion, representing a 16 percent gain over last year, according to the ComScore 2014 holiday season forecast.
Nerd Corps Entertainment has extended its contract with toy partner Jakks Pacific for the boys’ action property Slugterra.
FAO Schwarz is celebrating the holidays with one-of-a-kind gifts and festive décor and is offering shoppers the chance to give back.
Konami Digital Entertainment has released a large assortment of new Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game products for beginners and veterans.
RJM Licensing has signed on to represent professional photographer Lara Jo Regan’s collection, Dogs in Cars.
Warmer spring weather spurred continued consumer spending this March, according to the National Retail Federation.
NBCUniversal has launched an original video programming initiative that will be featured across its digital platforms.
Perry Ellis International has signed with Parigi Group to develop children’s apparel for its Perry Ellis and Original Penguin brands.
The Collegiate Licensing Company, the licensing affiliate of IMG College, has named Nicole Armentrout as senior director, marketing.
Candlewick Press is planning a yearlong program of celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the children’s book Guess How Much I Love You.
National Geographic has partnered with Live Prepared to launch a line of preparedness products for natural disasters and unexpected events.
Actress, author and entrepreneur Nicole Richie will deliver The Big Interview keynote address at Licensing Expo in June.
Canadian animation studio Mercury Filmworks is opening a new production studio in Europe with former Teletoon content chief Alan Gregg at the helm.
Casual dining chain TGI Friday's has extended and expanded its partnership with Inventure Foods in a new agreement that will grow the brand’s snack food line.
Time Home Entertainment has reintroduced the iconic Time-Life Books brand, with new content and packaging designed for today’s readers.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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For Didion Milling, increased pressure from cereal manufacturers to develop a whole grain flour made from corn led the supplier to roll out HarvestGold, a whole grain corn flour, this month at the IFT 2014 show in New Orleans.
“Cereal was the main reason that we added whole grain corn flour to product line,” Katie Dogs, public relations manager for Cambria, WI-based Didion, told Milling & Grains, adding that 30% of whole grain product launches in 2012 alone were cereals. “RTE cereals are a huge application we’re seeing, but we see a lot of possibilities on the horizon, especially around some of the changing whole grain requirements in K-12 school meals, which are going to more whole grain foods in breakfasts and lunches.”
Consumers more accepting of whole grains
To qualify as a whole grain, all parts of the kernel—starch, protein, bran and germ—must be present. Beginning next school year, all grains and breads in school meal programs must be whole grain rich, meaning whole grains are listed as the primary ingredient by weight. (Cereals currently served in the program must carry at least 10 grams of whole grains per serving, with an ultimate goal of 16 grams per serving.)
Not only that, but in the FDA’s proposed updates to Nutritional Facts labels it has included an increase in the Dietary Reference Value of fiber from 25 grams to 28 grams. Despite their benefits, most consumers have long had trouble incorporating enough whole grains into their diets given their negative taste associations, but that could be changing. More than a third (36%) of consumers said they enjoy the taste of whole grain foods in 2009, compared to just 13% in 2006, according to Food and Health Surveys.
“In the past, it has been difficult to meet the organoleptic criteria that the marketplace puts on whole grain products,” Todd Giesfeldt, mill R&D senior manager, told us. “People like the taste of these very refined products, like refined wheat flour and refined corn flour. They like the light, fluffy texture white bread brings, and it’s been difficult to formulate a product that is exactly like a piece of Wonderbread in whole grain.
“We had to reeducate the consumer to accept the mouthfeel, texture and taste you get with whole grain products. But frankly the marketplace has changed over last few years, such that we don’t have to formulate trying to match a piece of white bread anymore.”
Given corn’s role as an economical staple of American diets (going back nearly 7,000 years to Central America) and its growing popularity in today’s market as Hispanic foods become more mainstream (sales of tortilla chips grew at a faster clip than potato chips in 2013, according to retail tracker InfoScan Reviews), the time may be just right for whole grain corn.
As with most whole grain products, the primary challenge of whole grain corn flour is shelf life due to the oils present in the bran. Didion had to create a customized corn milling process when it began developing whole grain corn flour in 2013. “Because increased fat content in whole grain products can lead to rancidity, certain enzymes active in the germ have to be deactivated to prevent staling or off flavors.”
Calling the rest of the process fairly straightforward, Giesfeldt noted that Didion can grind the flour toalmost any particle size, though most customers favor finer material, which he says is more mouth-friendly. “They don’t want to get fiber so big that it gets a gritty taste.”
Inexpensive, good nutritional profile and gluten-free
Whole grain corn is high in total dietary fiber, which is rich in the micro ingredient ferulic acid, an effective antioxidant. Soluble corn fiber is fermented into short-chain fatty acids, which are involved in numerous physiological processes promoting good health. Insoluble corn fiber can help regulate blood sugar, improve laxation, add bulk to the stool, provide satiety and stimulate intestinal fermentation production of short-chain fatty acids, which may reduce risk of colorectal cancer.
Corn flour is also high in protein (approximately 8%, compared to 11-15% for wheat flour). Moreover, corn fiber oil can block the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the body and potentially lower serum cholesterol by 10-15%.
Because corn is gluten-free, Didion also sees some potential incorporating the ingredient into gluten-free flour blends into formulas that might otherwise rely on starch for bulking, given that corn offers “a more healthy, wholesome cereal component that starch per se is lacking,” Giesfeldt said, adding that its subtle nutty flavor, particularly attributable to the germ, complement other grains well. But due to its short protein structure, it could never replace wheat gluten one to one, so Giesfeldt recommends adding hydrocolloids to get the desired characteristics in baked products.


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» Foto Indri Giana Dan Dinda Kirana
Foto Indri Giana Dan Dinda Kirana
Foto Indri Giana Dan Dinda Kirana on Technology News and Updates AdmaTechnology.com at Friday, April 18, 2014
Through a practical point of view, Asus (7/5) in the Grand Ballroom Grand Indonesia, Jakarta, Asus launched Fonepad.
Fonepad is a combination between a tablet and a 7-inch phone, with 3G mobile data and an Intel Atom Z2420 processor.
“Looking at [...]
Toshiba Singapore Digital Products and Service Group (DS) today introduced the Canvio Portable Hard Drive Slim, with a capacity of 500GB.
In a press release received AdmaTechnology, Saturday (2/2), Canvio Slim is one external 2.5-inch hard drive form [...]
News of the warm coming from two future Samsung products mentioned in this release, the Galaxy Tab 3 and Galaxy Note 3.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Thursday (21/3), both rumored to appear first on IT exhibition IFA 2013 in Berlin, Germany.
This event is scheduled [...]
There are interesting from Firefox OS related use HTML5 methods in the operating system.
According to Viking Karwur as Mozilla Indonesia Community Manager, an application was made for Firefox OS could run on all platforms, with a note, there are browser [...]
Electronic Arts announced Saturday game four-person co-op shooter called Fuse, which will be launched on May 28 in North America and May 31 in Europe.
Fuse is the first multiplatform game from Insomniac Games for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, but not [...]
The workings of the technology they have is to change the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the air and make it as synthesis gas.
A genius engineer from England middle pioneered a new technology that can produce fuel (gasoline) made of [...]
Many people who do not want to buy a ring tone as their smartphone. But not a few who complained about the use of the song into ringtone is quite disturbing.
The most easy and free way to make ringtone for your iPhone is using iTunes as reported from [...]
Map of Japan and Korea also did not show up.
Among users of Bing Maps in a number of countries, was shocked by the disappearance of the map of the three influential countries in the world, Japan, Korea and Israel from the map application.
Microsoft has officially announced the successor to the Xbox 360 and named Xbox One. The next question that arises is, what games are ready to present at the console.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Wednesday (22/5), here are some games that are determined to [...]
The use of female anime characters are cute.
On Monday (10/29), Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said that since its launch last week, the rate of sales of Windows 8 exceeds the rate of sales of Windows 7, which is the top-selling version [...]
Besides Z10, BlackBerry also launched Q10 series is still equipped with its flagship QWERTY physical keyboard. What is interesting about the BlackBerry Q10?
BlackBerry Q10, The design is quite pleasing to the eye with four curved corners are not rigid. [...]


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Emma Watson has replaced Heidi Klum as McAfee's 2012 most dangerous celebrity to search for online. For the sixth year in a row, McAfee researched popular culture’s most famous people to reveal the riskiest Hollywood actors, athletes, musicians, politicians, designers, and comedians on the Web. The McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities™ study found that women are more dangerous than men, with Jessica Biel taking the number two spot and Eva Mendes coming in third. Latina women have proven that they are on fire and make up five of the top ten spots. After Mendes, Selena Gomez, Shakira and Salma Hayek take the fourth, seventh and ninth spot and Sofia Vergara rounds out the top 10 list. Funnyman Jimmy Kimmel is the only male to make the top 20 list this year.
Cyber criminals follow the latest trends, often using the names of popular celebrities to lure people to sites that are actually laden with malicious software that are designed to steal passwords and personal information. Anyone looking for the latest videos or files to download could end up with a malware-ridden computer along with the trendy content. This year, searching for a celebrity name with “free downloads” and “nude pictures” as part of the search term resulted in the highest result of risky sites.
“In today’s celebrity culture, consumers expect to be able to go online to catch up with the latest photos, videos, tweets, and stories about their favorite celebrities. Due to the richness of the data and the high interaction, often times consumers forget the risks that they are taking by clicking on the links,” said Paula Greve, director of web security research at McAfee. “As the sophistication and expectations of consumers with respect to their online experience has increased, so has the level and ability to deliver malware either by malvertising, exploiting the user’s browser without their awareness, or masking malicious URLs behind shortened URLs.”
During this time of year, people make more online transactions than usual, so it's essential to be extra careful when sending financial and/or personal information. ... More >>
The holidays are upon us -- children are making their lists, families are pulling out the holiday decorations and hanging their stockings with care and, unfortunately, cyber criminals are trying to steal your presents. ... More >>
McAfee recently released its eighth annual study revealing the most dangerous celebrities to search for online. The study found a mix of comedians and musicians among the most dangerous. ... More >>


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Boosting Awareness of Air Purifiers in a Time of COVID-19
When the world retreated inside in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency helped Chicago-based NuWave, a leader in innovative consumer home appliances to launch and promote its OxyPure Smart Air Purifier, the first air purifier proven to remove 99.999% of coronavirus particles from the air in 6 hours.
The Pollack Group’s outreach secured hundreds of millions of media impressions for the brand, with placements in Business Insider, TechHive, The Spruce, and MarketWatch. In addition, the agency arranged for the OxyPure to be tested by LA Parent, which later awarded the product with its National Parenting Product Award.
The agency complemented this work with drumbeat media relations for another NuWave product, the NuWave Brio Air Fryer, for which it secured placements in Forbes, Elite Daily, MSN, and NBC News.


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The rate of crypto adoption in Nigeria keeps growing. Beyond being the second-highest country in the world in terms of the number of Bitcoin transactions, Nigeria currently has the highest per capita rate of crypto ownership in the world at 31.9 per cent. The country also has the largest portion of retail crypto traders carrying out transactions below $10,000. Young Nigerians have turned to crypto as a means of investment and even employment – considering the rising number of crypto-focused start-ups in the country.
Unlike other countries such as the US, however, Nigeria is still behind in terms of crypto payment usability. While some companies like Helicarrier (formerly BuyCoins) pay their staff in crypto, there are even fewer companies that accept crypto payments.
In a New Payment Index survey carried out by Mastercard, about six out of ten Nigerians are willing to use cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as payment. The index discovered that the adoption of digital payment channels has grown such that 96 per cent of Nigerian consumers will consider using at least one emerging payment method, such as crypto.
If so many Nigerians don’t mind using crypto as payment, why then are more companies not leaning towards accepting crypto payments? I spoke to some business owners operating in Nigeria and the reasons can be summed as the following:
Unlike the naira, cryptocurrency is subject to unpredictable changes in the market, aka volatility. For businesses, a 3 per cent drop in bitcoin’s value can be big enough to generate a massive loss, and that’s a risk business owners are not willing to take.
The policies by the government put in place to stifle crypto transactions in the country are affecting payment usability. There are severe sanctions for breaking the laws around crypto usage in the country and businesses are trying to avoid that. Last week, it came to light that the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) imposed a fine of N800 million ($1.9 million) on three banks for allegedly facilitating crypto transactions. Three days later, it fined three more banks N514 million, bringing the total amount to N1.3 billion($3.13 million) for six banks.
The government is unrelenting in its attack on crypto, and this directly affects the usability of digital currencies in the country. The CBN has ignored pushback against this crypto ban and has advised Nigerians to adopt its CBDC, the eNaira.
In a piece detailing the lack of regulatory framework for crypto usability, writer, Bitenge Ndemo, Kenya’s brilliant technologist, wrote, “Blockchain technologies are the future, and any effort to ban them—or even excessively intervene in their operations—would meet the same fate as other state attempts to circumscribe behaviour. Moreover, restricting cryptocurrencies at the moment, when they are facilitating innovations and brimming with potential, would undermine financing of critical sectors like MSMEs, affordable housing, and remittance payments right when Africa needs these options most.”
Considering the challenges, it’s clear Nigerian businesses do not have the backing to promote crypto usability. Maybe in the future, crypto will sufficiently replace the fiat currency, but all it can do for now is complement it in secret, away from the prying eyes of the CBN.


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Apple Inc. has formed a subsidiary, Apple Energy LLC, which has now asked for authorization to sell energy and ancillary services at market-based rates over broad areas of the United States.
In a June 6 filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Apple Energy sought permission to sell excess renewable energy — produced at Apple’s solar and other generating plants — on the wholesale power market at market-based rates.
According to the Public Power Daily, Apple Energy seeks to sell ancillary services, also at market-based rates, over broad regions overseen by most of the nation’s regional grid operators. The company wants authorization to sell these services such as regulation service, spinning reserve capability and/or voltage support services in the electricity markets overseen by the California Independent System Operator, the New York ISO, Midcontinent ISO, ISO New England, PJM Interconnection and the Southwest Power Pool.
If FERC grants Apple’s request, the company could begin selling electricity and related services in August, Public Power Daily reported.
Apple already owns some electricity sources in the West, including the Ft. Churchill Solar Array, a solar photovoltaic generating facility in Lyon County, Nevada. Apple also owns and controls Bonnybrooke PV, a 50-MW solar facility located in Pinal County, Arizona, that is currently under construction.


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Canadian inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.2 per cent in February year-over-year, down from a 2.4 per cent increase in January. Excluding the impact of gasoline prices, national CPI rose by 2.0 per cent year-over-year, matching last month's increase. Gas prices rose less on a year-over-year basis as a result of lower global demand following the COVID-19 spread, and tensions between oil-producing countries. The Bank of Canada's three measures of trend inflation was unchanged, averaging 2.0 per cent in February. Prices rose in seven of eight major components, led by transportation (4.4%) and shelter (2.3%).
In B.C., CPI grew to 2.4 per cent year-over-year, slightly above last month's increase of 2.3 per cent. Notable increases in prices were for recreation (2.0%) and gas (1.7%), where the increase for gas was largely due to the regional Pacific Northwest market. In contrast, prices for food was the only componenet to report a price decline (-0.5%).
Given recent events around the spread and containment efforts of COVID-19 (e.g., temporary closure of stores and service providers), continued tensions between oil-producing countries, the lowering of interest rates, and disruptions to global supply chains, we expect significant impact on prices going forward.
Copyright British Columbia Real Estate Association. Reprinted with permission.
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) Heres one Houston Astros fan whos putting his considerable money where his mouth is.
Jim McIngvale, a 68-year-old mattress store owner from Houston who calls himself Mattress Mack, plans to put down at least $1.5 million on the Astros in New Jersey today.
The bets could offset potential liability his store might have from a promotion that refunds mattress customers their money if the Astros win the World Series.
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deltatre, ChyronHego Team Up on Coverage of Top Soccer Tournaments
Sports digital and broadcast firm deltatre has announced its innovative technology partnership with ChyronHego, designed to develop further advancements in next-generation sports services. Under the deal, the two will explore new frontiers in soccer data exploitment, enhancing the coverage of the ongoing — and next two — UEFA Champions League seasons, as well as the coverage of the UEFA EURO 2016 finals in France, set to kick off in June.
“We are excited about our technical and commercial partnership with deltatre: the combination of our tracking technology with deltatre’s sports services brings football data to the next level,” says Rickard Öhrn, COO at ChyronHego.
Both companies are strongly committed in the search for innovative digital and broadcast solutions, and will remain devoted to the creation and development of new products, such as visualizations of Tracab Optical tracking data, and VistaCam for panoramic HD video displays: a visually stunning “video wall” backdrop solution for in-studio show which will offer new ways to leverage content from the venue.
“The smooth integration of the ChyronHego technology with ours will add complementary value to deltatre’s offering. It will also bring new disruptive solutions to the market, leveraging the R&D efforts from both sides,” says Gilles Mas, Director at deltatre.
“I am particularly interested in this partnership as it will expand our innovative integrator role into the world of sports data and production,” says Carlo De Marchis, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at deltatre.


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It added that unless trading picked up on the high street, profits could fall below last year’s £4 million. Analysts had forecast that the retailer would pull in between £5m and £7.5m this year.
The company said in a statement: “While we expect to report a profit for the year, our ability to achieve the same level as last year depends on an improvement in the general retail environment in the UK over the next three months.”
French Connection said like-for-likes at its wholesale business in the UK and Europe had fallen, but added that its forward orders for spring 08 were ahead of last year.
The company added that despite a “volatile period”, its womenswear sales continued to increase on a like-for-like basis.