text:
At least 15 Volkswagen owners have revealed they experienced the same terrifying loss of acceleration that appears to have led to the 2011 death of 32-year-old Melissa Ryan on the Monash Freeway.
Volkswagen, one of the most popular manufacturers in the Australian market, is facing growing pressure to tackle problems with its cars that have led to overseas recalls.
A coroner this week investigated the death of Ms Ryan, who was killed when a prime mover with two trailers hit her Golf from behind. The truck driver and Ms Ryan's family believe her car dramatically and inexplicably slowed before the crash. After Fairfax's reporting of the coronial inquest, 15 owners of Volkswagens have spoken of frightening experiences when their cars, including Golf, Passat, Polo and Eos models, suddenly lost power on highways and, in one case, a train line.
"I did not feel safe driving a car like that. It was frightening," said Jean Lim, who was driving a 2007 Golf automatic that suddenly decelerated. VW replaced the gearbox but the issue returned. Another driver, who owned a 2008 Golf automatic, said she drove "in constant terror". "The light comes up, the car just dies and you just pray that you're not smashed into," said the driver, who declined to be named.
Fairfax can also confirm the federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport is investigating Ms Ryan's death. It is "liaising closely with Volkswagen Australia", spokesman Craig Stone said.
The coroner, whose decision is due in late July, will assess whether Ms Ryan's death was due to fault on the part of the truck driver, her own fault, vehicle malfunction or a combination of factors. Her car was a manual; most problems overseas with sudden deceleration in Volkswagens are found in automatics.
Volkswagen's expert witness Warren Chilvers told the inquiry the vehicle information showed no evidence to suggest the car was at fault. The truck driver, Ivan Mumford, insisted he never saw Ms Ryan's brake lights come on before the crash, but he had seen them working earlier. Fairfax is not suggesting Ms Ryan’s death is linked to a fault in her car. Volkswagen has this year issued recalls for almost 400,000 of its cars in China and 91,000 in Japan for problems with the high-tech automatic direct shift gearbox (DSG). The DSG problems have been connected to sudden power loss.
In the US, the company issued two minor recalls related to the DSG. Then, after a federal government investigation and bad publicity, in 2009 Volkswagen launched a service program that repaired or replaced the transmission components of about 43,000 Volkswagens and 10,300 Audis at no charge.
But the company has resisted calls – mostly made in online forums and in comments replying to motoring articles – to issue a recall in Australia. Volkswagen executive vice-president Ulrich Hackenberg said this month that the China recall related to a problem with Chinese-built DSGs. He said DSGs in Australia were made in Europe. But the company had not revealed where the faulty Japanese DSGs were made.
Volkswagen currently has a "campaign" – which is like a recall but driven by the manufacturer – to fix an injector problem with some diesel models. But online forums have pointed out Volkswagen has no way of getting in touch with owners who buy the cars secondhand.
David and Norma Levin had their 2007 diesel Golf booked in for the campaign service a week after they suffered sudden deceleration while driving to Adelaide recently. They blame the injector fault for the incident. But Volkswagen says the campaign is not about a safety problem. Volkswagen Australia declined to answer a dozen specific questions put to it by Fairfax Media about recalls and sudden deceleration.
But spokesman Kurt McGuiness said there were no plans for recalls. "Volkswagen conducts vehicle recalls in conjunction with the relevant federal government bodies. At this time we do not plan to announce a recall. Any recalls are conducted in accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Recall Guidelines issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission."
Mr McGuiness said service campaigns are "deemed to be non-safety related in accordance with federal regulations" and are carried out within dealerships when vehicles are brought in for routine services.
The "limp home mode" – where a car reduces speed to protect the engine from extensive damage in the event of an issue arising – was not unique to Volkswagen, he said.
"Rapid deceleration is not an issue widely observed or reported with any Volkswagen vehicles ... However, should any of our customers have cause for concern with their Volkswagen vehicle, we urge them to contact our customer care team .. We are dedicated to rectify any lost confidence our customers may have in our products."
Mechanic Dean Coutts, owner and manager of Volkspower, a Volkswagen specialist, said sudden deceleration was not a problem he had seen. "Yes we have customers who have their car go into limp mode, but that’s no different to any other manufacturer on the planet."
Fairfax also received complaints about sudden speed loss in a Ford Mondeo and a Mercedes ML 350.


text:
Amazon has inadvertently revealed what very well could be a reality for many Christians in the future.
Amazon, one of the world’s largest companies, locked a man out of his smart home after he was falsely accused of saying something that the tech giant did not agree with.
Brandon Jackson of Baltimore, Maryland, came home on May 25 only to find that he could not get into his own house. Brandon was using Amazon Echo, which controls many of the features of his home – including the locks to the doors.
He thought it was only a glitch in the system, but later learned that Amazon had taken control of his property by freezing his Echo Account when a delivery driver, dropping off a package, accused him of using racist language.
Brandon reports that he was not even home when the package was dropped off!
There was no proof, no trial, no remedial system for rebuttal. Amazon was the judge, jury, and executioner and Brandon was guilty without a trial. His punishment was to be locked out of his own home.
Brandon, who is black, contested that it is ‘highly unlikely’ he would have made racist comments to the delivery driver.
A review of the video footage revealed that the driver was wearing headphones when he delivered the package, making it even less likely that the he could have heard a racist comment, even if one were made.
This specific even should be highly concerning for Christians, because even though this incident was triggered by false flags of racism, it could easy be turned against Biblical beliefs.
Christians are increasingly releasing control over their lives to corporations that hold extreme disdain for their Biblical beliefs. In China, we have seen travel restricted, bank accounts frozen, and access to public places forbidden because of a person’s personal faith.
Now imagine if a company like Amazon could control access to your home like they did with Brandon Jackson and you make a private comment that is overheard by your phone, computer or other listening device about homosexual marriage, abortion, or gender transition for children. What if Amazon, or a company like Amazon, could lock you out of your bank accounts, car, grocery stores, or even deny you access to ‘energy controlled’ electric water faucets or refrigerators?
Could this actually happen? Can it be done?
Amazon just proved that it can.

domain: news


text:
Performance Food Group one of the nation's largest foodservice distributors, and Kansas-based IdentiGEN, a leader in meat traceability systems, have developed the first commercial solution to trace ground meat back to its origins using DNA technology.
Thousands of U.S. restaurants from coast to coast, including Blackstone Bar and Grill (Yorkville, Ill.), Oakes Farms Market (Naples, Fla.), and DeRango The Pizza King (Kenosha, Wis.), will serve Braveheart Black Angus Burgers from Performance Food Group (PFG) that are traceable by DNA TraceBack technology.
The collaboration marks the first time DNA TraceBack, previously used to trace cuts of meat, has been used to trace ground beef to its Black Angus origins. This deployment follows a collaborative effort, begun in January 2010, between IdentiGEN and the manufacturers of PFG's Braveheart Black Angus Beef hamburgers.
"This is an exciting development in meat traceability systems, because it enables us for the first time to trace a batch of ground beef back to its origins," says Steve Sands, PFG's vice president of protein.
"Our Braveheart customers demand the highest quality Angus beef that has been raised in the Midwest. DNA TraceBack is a critical tool to verify that Braveheart Black Angus ground beef is what they're getting."
IdentiGEN's DNA TraceBack system captures the unique DNA of the Black Angus cattle as they move through the production chain. Robust analytical and statistical techniques are employed, making it possible for individual beef patties to be traced back to their origins with precision that is unachievable with conventional tracking systems, said Dr. Ronan Loftus, CEO of IdentiGEN North America.
"This new aspect of our PFG partnership marks the first U.S. use of DNA technology to trace ground beef back through the production chain. PFG is an innovative and progressive organization on the cutting edge of offering traceability to their customers," notes Loftus.
PFG's adoption of DNA TraceBack for Braveheart Black Angus Burgers follows the company's adoption of DNA TraceBack for its steaks, roasts and other beef cuts in May 2011.
News and information presented in this release has not been corroborated by WTWH Media LLC.


text:
By Eric Auchard
Google Inc. is introducing on Thursday a free Web calendar service for consumers to schedule events and share them with others, opening a new level of competition with rivals such as Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
Google Calendar, available atoffers a variety of features to make using Web calendars as easy as desktop calendars such as Outlook, allowing users to "drag and drop" events from one calendar to another.
The feature allows users to type simple commands like "leave work today at 5 p.m." or "drinks Thursday with Elinor" that the system can interpret and automatically insert into the calendar. Events can be private, shared with friends, or made public on the Web, Google Calendar's product manager said.
"Google Calendar takes all the events in my life and keeps them in one place," Carl Sjogreen said in a phone interview.
"We enable the user to create multiple calendars, share them with other people and overlay Web calendars back on the user's own calendar," the Google product manager said.
Users of Google's free e-mail service Gmail may find the Google Calendar particularly useful. Google's software scours Gmail to recognize mentions of events and then automatically offers the user to add the date information to the calendar.
PRESSING OTHERS TO INNOVATE
Details of the long-rumored calendar, complete with screenshots of features and instruction guides, had leaked out in late February among Silicon Valley technology enthusiasts.
The calendar poses a direct challenge to Yahoo Calendar, the No. 1 Web calendar service in the United States, which was introduced in 1998 and has changed little in substance in recent years. But Google said it plans to "play nice" and allow users to share Google Calendar events with Yahoo Calendar.
While Sjogreen is careful to say that Google Calendar is not designed to replace corporate calendars, it could raise expectations among office workers that its features should be part of corporate scheduling systems like Microsoft's Outlook or IBM's Lotus Notes.
Sjogreen said Google is working to offer seamless connections to Microsoft Outlook, the Palm Treo smartphone and to various other mobile phone calendars in coming months.
The trial version of Google Calendar is being offered in English. Gmail users will begin being offered the service within the next week. In coming months, Google will translate the calendar into multiple languages, Sjogreen said.
The Sunnyvale, California-based rival of Google said in a statement that the company is working on updates to Yahoo Calendar, which it plans to release in coming months.
Last year, Yahoo acquired Upcoming.org.a social event calendar that helps users manage events, share them with friends and family, and post notifications to one's own or to other Web sites.
(Additional reporting by Tom Nguyen in New York)
Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited.
NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at. Hundreds of new articles daily. And, discuss this and other topics in our forum at (or) For more news from Reuters, please go to:


text:
Tuesday, 20 April 2021
A GARDEN designer is offering his services free of charge in exchange for a charity donation.
Rob Jones, of Manor Road, Goring, will either spend four hours tidying a garden or give a two-hour design consultation as part of the Garden Re-Leaf Day initiative on March 16.
Proceeds will go to Greenfingers, a charity which designs gardens for children’s hospices.
For more information, visit www.gardendesignco.co.uk
01 March 2021
POLL: Have your say


text:
If you are a die-hard Harry Potter fan, you know that Quidditch is more than just a game. It’s an essential part of the wizarding world, and fans have been eagerly waiting for a game that lets them experience the thrill of this magical sport.
After the recent release of the Hogwarts Legacy game, fans were disappointed to find that Quidditch matches were missing from the gameplay.
However, Warner Bros. Games has just announced an exciting new project that will focus solely on Quidditch: Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions.
Warner Bros. representatives, in collaboration with Unbroken Studios (known for Fractured Lands and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League), have revealed that the upcoming production is coming to both PC and consoles, though an official release date has yet to be announced.
As the teaser video above suggests, the registration for the test games of this upcoming production has started, and they will take place on April 21-22, 2023. The official website provides more information on how to apply for participation in these tests.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is another game under the banner of Portkey Games, the same as Hogwarts Legacy. However, this game is an online multiplayer game that allows players to compete with friends and strangers alike. It’s been described as the ultimate Quidditch experience, and the game has been in development for several years.
If you are wondering about the game’s features and gameplay mechanics, the developers have provided an FAQ section on the official website, where you can find answers to your queries.
Get ready to fly on your broomstick and compete with your friends in the ultimate Quidditch experience. We’ll keep you updated on any new information as soon as it becomes available.


text:
The international retailer Claire's Stores Inc. says it has completed additional asbestos testing on samples of its children's makeup and found no traces of the dangerous substance.
Toward the end of December, Claire's said it took nine makeup products off the shelves after a report by CNN affiliate WJAR that tremolite asbestos was found in the makeup. If swallowed or inhaled, tremolite asbestos can lead to lung damage and cancer, including mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly form of cancer.
The full list of products pulled by Claire's can be found here. In the statement this week, Claire's said it would continue to honor returns from customers who are uncomfortable with the products. The company said it's unsure whether it will put the products back on the shelves.
On December 29, Claire's released a statement saying that "initial testing found the cosmetics to be asbestos-free" but that "out of an abundance of caution, additional testing is underway." This week, it released the results of that testing in a statement:
"We are pleased to report that test results received to date from two certified independent labs confirm that the products in question are asbestos free, completely safe and meet all government requirements. Any report that suggests that the products are not safe is totally false."
It also said that it confirmed the source of a talc ingredient in the cosmetics and that the ingredient was asbestos-free.
But the scientist from the lab that said it found asbestos in the makeup products continues to question the company's procedures.
"They have not retested the same products," said Sean Fitzgerald, director of the Scientific Analytical Institute, a North Carolina lab that specializes in testing for toxic substances. Fitzgerald's lab did the original testing of 17 Claire's makeup kits at the request of a client. It found asbestos in 24 talc-based makeup items, including eye shadows, blushes and compact powders.
"The original products in which I found asbestos are still in my lab," Fitzgerald said, "so there is no way they have looked at those, because no one has asked me for them."
A Claire's representative told CNN it had tested products with the same SKU numbers as Fitzgerald tested, showing that the asbestos was not likely to be in additional products.
The company's statement questions the testing methods Fitzgerald used.
"We have made multiple requests for Mr. Fitzgerald's detailed test data, but it has not been provided to us," the statement said.
"I have sent images of the asbestos fibers and a lab summary," Fitzgerald told CNN. "The findings are summarized in the synopsis, and the images are proof of the asbestos fibers that I found."
™ & © 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


text:
Just months after moving into an $8.5 million mansion in Beverly Hills, Justin Bieber may already have plans to sell the colossal property — that is, if you believe a series of middle-of-the-night Instagram photos he posted Friday morning.
In the wee hours of Friday morning, the 25-year-old pop star posted more than a dozen photos of his 6,100-square-foot villa to his 120 million Instagram followers. He and model Hailey Baldwin had purchased the mansion, which they nicknamed “The Tropics,” for $8.5 million back in March, a few months after getting married in a much-publicized ceremony.
Listed then by Hilton & Hyland, the original ask was for $8.99 million.
“I think I wanna sell my home in Beverly Hills who wants it,” Bieber wrote under a photo of a living room and a kitchen.View this post on Instagram
In the late-night posting binge, Bieber then uploaded more than a dozen photos of the property, which is decorated in the pop star’s notoriously over-the-top style. Shots include a staircase lined with banana-leaf-print wallpaper, a wine cellar, skateboard decks, and a den with a hanging chair and a giant photo of the newlyweds.
“Home vibes, but I wanna sell it I think anyone interested?” Bieber wrote under a photo of his feet overlooking a staircase and an entertainment room.View this post on Instagram
“I’ll sell it with all the furniture,” Bieber wrote under another photo. “MAKE AN OFFER.”View this post on Instagram
But Bieber’s unexpected home-selling spree did not go over as well as the pop singer may have expected. Followers immediately started responding with wry comments — many suggested $1, $2 and $5 and one user wrote that “this is what happens when Hailey [Baldwin] isn’t home.”
“a crisp high five… final offer,” wrote Instagram user alyssawalker9.View this post on Instagram
At least one Instagram user suggested that Bieber get an agent rather than trying to sell the house on his own on Instagram.
“Get a Realtor my guy,” wrote user angieswift.View this post on Instagram
In the end, it is not clear whether Bieber was looking for some late-night laughs or is seriously planning to sell the home — but, as the comments indicate, the late-night real estate announcement has generated lots of attention around the property.View this post on Instagram
Source: click here


text:
Apple has recently published an article detailing three App Store developers and their apps.
The Cupertino-based company interviewed Annie, Dawoon Kang and Larry Liu, app creators of ‘HmongPhrases’, ‘Coffee Meets Bagel’ and ‘Weee!’, respectively. In the piece, Apple mentioned how these developers ‘combine technology with personal experiences to provide users a space to connect, share and learn’.
The app ‘HmongPhrases’ aims to preserve the Hmong dialect, while ‘Coffee Meets Bagel’ is a dating app designed to connect users with meaningful conversations. ‘Weee!’ is an app that allows users to shop for ingredients to make Asian dishes.
The app developers highlighted in the piece come from the Pacific Islander and Asian-American community and shared how their app came to be, as well as their respective experiences and aspirations that led them to completing the app.
The full interview can be seen on Apple’s official website and can serve as an inspiration for others who want to make an app.


text:
Lost Your Password?
Tata Tigor EV is a compact electric car that is available in India. It is manufactured by Tata Motors and one of successful electric car in INDIA.
Tata Tiago EV (electric vehicle) was formally presented and introduced in the nation, with a starting price of INR 8.49
Covers: electric cars in india, best electric cars in india, best car brands in india, 3 best electric cars in
In this article, get a glimpse of Upcoming electric cars in India 2022. With the increasing demand of Electric Vehicles,
In India, electric vehicles have become popular. It is clear with the new addition of EVs every year. Pirce of
In India, you have ten options to select from when you go for fully electric cars. It includes Nexon EV
India has recognized the futuristic significance of electric vehicles. Within a few years, the electric vehicle will dominate Indian roads.
Many countries around the world have switched to electric vehicles to protect theenvironment. India has started to understand the usefulness
Tata Tigor EV is one of the high-quality electric vehicles with a good reputation. The Indian-built quality has become popular


text:
43 Million Americans Expected to Travel Memorial Day Weekend
Planning to travel this Memorial Day weekend? Join the crowd. Literally. High gas prices aren't going to keep us from getting to where we want to go, at least not according to AAA who says an estimated 43 million Americans will travel this coming weekend.
According to AAA, there will be 3.6 percent more people traveling for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend than there were during the 2018 Memorial Day weekend. As a matter of fact, AAA is thinking that more people will travel this weekend than have in more than a dozen years.
If you're planning to hit the road this weekend, you might want to keep this in mind: INRIX is a global transportation company which specializes in transportation analytics and they say that traffic jams on major roads could be up to three times longer than they usually are. The heaviest days for travel are expected to be this Thursday, May 23rd, and Friday, May 24th.
The majority of people traveling will do so by vehicle, a staggering 37.6 million people. Over three million people are expected to travel by plane, and 1.9 million people will get to their destination via train, bus, or cruise ship.
Paula Twidale is the vice president of AAA Travel and she says, “Americans are eagerly anticipating the start of summer, and expensive gas prices won’t keep them home this Memorial Day weekend. Consumer spending remains strong, helped by solid job and income growth. Families continue to prioritize spending their disposable incomes on travel, and near-record numbers of them are looking forward to doing just that for Memorial Day.”


text:
You are here
Oxley Holdings awarded Vista Park collective sale at S$418m
THE collective sale of Vista Park in South Buona Vista Road has been awarded to Oxley Holdings at S$418 million, which works out to about S$1,096 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr), inclusive of an estimated S$72 million payable to the state to top up the site's lease to 99 years.
The site is zoned for residential use with a 1.4 plot ratio and allowable height of up to five storeys.
Vista Park, which is at the edge of Kent Ridge Park and faces the sea, is on a 319,250 sq ft site with a balance lease of about 60 years.
Teakhwa Real Estate, which marketed Vista Park's collective sale, said the tender, which closed on Wednesday (Dec 13), was "hotly contested" with five close bids and a few expressions of interest.
Vista Park comprises 209 units including 22 townhouses. Owners will receive sums of between S$1.39 million and S$4.18 million per unit - more than double what the units could have fetched if sold individually. This is based on the prices achieved for the 11 units in the project that were transacted this year, said Sieow Teak Hwa, managing director of Teakhwa Real Estate.
To date, owners controlling about 82 per cent of share value and strata area in the development have agreed to the sale. The transaction will be subject to approval by the Strata Titles Board.
The reserve price set by the owners for the collective sale is S$323 million. When the tender for the en bloc sale was launched in November, the guide price indicated was S$350 million.


text:
A move by Kenyan authorities to improve the country’s tourism numbers has resulted in a backlash. Kenya’s tourism sector has taken a nosedive following the spread of the COVID-19 and lockdown measures to contain the spread of the virus.
According to a report by Kenya’s Tourism Research Institute, tourists numbers have fallen by 72% between January and October last year. “The sector hence lost over 110bn Kenyan shillings [$1bn, £738m] of direct international tourists’ revenue due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the report noted.
To reverse the downward spiral, Kenya’s Tourism and Wildlife Ministry appointed British supermodel Naomi Campbell to become an ambassador for the industry. The 50-year-old model has 10 million followers on Instagram and Kenya is seeking to leverage this mass to revive its tourism sector.
“Supermodel Naomi Campbell has agreed to be Magical Kenya International Tourism Ambassador. She will help promote the marketing of Kenya as an ideal tourism and travel destination to the world,” a statement from the ministry read.
The agreement was reportedly reached over the weekend when the supermodel visited the East African nation. “We welcome the exciting news that Naomi Campbell will advocate for tourism and travel internationally for the magical Kenya brand,” said Najib Balala, the head of the ministry.
The appointment of Naomi Campbell has however caused an uproar that is playing out on social media. On Twitter, many Kenyans were outraged by the appointment of Campbell, saying there are Kenya celebrities who could be appointed to become ambassadors.
One Twitter user wrote: “Let’s address this because it’s clear it’s time for @tunajibu to retire..so Apparently Naomi Campbell is to become #Magicalkenya International Ambassador. #Kenya has International celebrities like Lupita, Debra Sanaipei, Christine Wawira, but he picked a Non Kenyan for this? How?”
Another user posted: “Ministry of Tourism taps Naomi Campbell, a tired model who has lost her mojo to be the Magical Kenya international Brand Ambassador and is to market Kenya as a tourism and travel destination. Why not @Lupita_Nyongo or one of our daughters of international repute? Lol”
“Lupita Nyong’o would have made a better Magical Kenya International Ambassador compared to Naomi Campbell. Well, It’s just what I think,” another Twitter user posted.
Many Twitter users did also express shock at the uproar that greeted the appointment of Campbell, particularly, comparing her with Kenyan model Lupita Nyongo.
“Look at Kenya’s International arrivals, the USA is first, contributing 12.9% followed closely by Italy with 12.0%. the UK comes in 3rd with a share of 9.5%, followed by Germany with 7.2%. Naomi Campbell appeals more to their citizens than Lupita Nyong’o does.”
“Kenyans should understand that these two top models Naomi Campbell and Lupita Nyongo pose and commands quite different niche markets when it comes to sponsor different entities,here the CS @tunajibu has something unique why he’s targeting Naomi Campbell and not otherwise!”


text:
Weaning ourselves off plastic is going to be one of the great challenges of the 2020s. Consumer demand, along with governmental action, is forcing action.
Billionaire exposes lie & comes out swinging for $15 minimum wage (VIDEO)
Billionaire Nick Hanauer exposes the plutocracy on the minimum wage as he excoriates supporters of trickle-down economics on Real Time w/Bill Maher.
Bernie Sanders slams Walmart as a welfare recipient (VIDEO)
Bernie Sanders used Walmart as the poster company that illustrates what a rigged economy looks like as the company pilfers the taxpayers.
Walmart’s Workers Write Open Letter to Wall Street Analysts in Response to Declining Stock Value (VIDEO)
Walmart workers released an open letter to Wall Street analysts that ties poor stock price to low wage and not the other way around. And they can prove it.
Walmart workers: An Open Letter to Wall Street Analysts
When Walmart’s stock dropped last month to a 15-year low, many Wall Street analysts/pundits critiqued Walmart for investing more in associates. Really?
Walmart Employee’s letter to CEO on Plummeting Stock Value
Lisa Pietro, a Walmart associate from Winter Haven, Florida responds to the news last week that the corporation’s stocks have plummeted to a 15 year low.
Costco vs Walmart – Humaneness more profitable than exploitation
Walmart chose a model of cheap prices, low wages, exploitation of workers, and decimation of small businesses within the communities they entered.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson caves to Walmart on Religious Freedom Restoration Act (VIDEO)
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and other politicians generally ignore the will of the people. They never ignore the will of corporations.
Walmart must not be allowed a win with this cheap PR stunt (VIDEO)
Activists forced Walmart to react with an increase in pay for their employees. See why this PR stunt must not stop activists from pursuing much more.
Popular activism works. Walmart is raising wages.
Walmart’s raise is just a small down-payment for the living wage all working Americans deserve. Activists will continue with the pressure on corporations.


text:
Just last week, Samsung began rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo to the Galaxy S8 and S8+ after a roughly three-month beta phase. However, according to SamMobile, it seems like Samsung has suspended the rollout, though the reason behind that decision is unclear.
The update had already been reaching devices in several countries, including Turkey, Norway, the UAE, India, Belgium, Germany, France, and Poland. According to a source who was in touch with SamMobile, Samsung is working on a new version of the Oreo update for the S8 and S8+.
Samsung halts Android 8.0 Oreo rollout to Galaxy S8 and S8+ was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
from Android Police – Android news, reviews, apps, games, phones, tablets http://ift.tt/2GdUJyg


text:
One of the most famous soap operas of the year 2016 comes to an end: as planned, Samsung unveiled tonight the causes of problems suffered by its unfortunate flagship Galaxy Note7.
Finally, and as it had been rumored for several weeks, the batteries are the cause of the explosions of the device. Surprisingly, Samsung has indicated that it was not one, but two remittances of different batteries, and both suffered completely opposite problems still being developed by different manufacturers.
We are not going to deny that we are not surprised by the causes of these problems. Moreover, during the last few weeks have come to light different reports that indicated to the battery as main culprit.
Still, Samsung has wanted to clarify all the existing doubts by offering an infographic in which you can clearly see what were the problems that forced the firm to withdraw the smartphone from the market and cease production.
If you look at the case of the first shipment of batteries, we will find a clear fault in its design. Due to this error, there was an abnormal compression in the upper right of the battery, because of Samsung’s intention to reduce the size of the device to the maximum, without sacrificing the capacity of the battery.
On the other hand, the problem suffered by the second group of batteries could be summed up that the rush is not good. And due to the impatience of Samsung to re-launch the device to market, the batteries had a welding error, in addition to the lack of insulation layer.
After providing the relevant explanations, Samsung has indicated that further tests and further testing will be carried out to check the quality of the batteries before integrating them into their devices. This system, will consist of 8 points that will be carried out before deciding whether a battery is safe, or not, for marketing.
In this way, one of the soap operas of 2016 – and part of 2017 – comes to an end, and although there are still users who refuse to return their defective Galaxy Note7, Samsung is confident that this problem is forgotten as soon as possible, and above all, that it does not affect its credibility and reputation as one of the leading firms in the smartphone sector.


text:
Canadian doctors aim to stem their country’s obesity epidemic in a radical new way: Copying anti-smoking campaigns. They have suggested slapping threatening labels on pizzas, soda drinks and other junk food, warning of the diseases they might cause.
The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) unveiled several mock-ups on Tuesday to promote their plan, including a pizza box with a picture of a liver discolored by fatty liver disease, a child’s juice box featuring a photo of a foot affected by diabetic ulcers and other similarly grotesque warnings.
“The recommendations… may appear radical to some, but the urgency of our situation demands aggressive action,” the OMA announced at the event. “The lessons learned from the strategies of the tobacco-control movement should be applied to the fight against obesity.”
Doctors proposed several other measures to control obesity rates: Higher taxes on junk food and lower taxes on healthy products; putting health warnings on vendor displays; restrictions on marketing and sales in stores visited by children.


text:
Thomarillion new releases and material change
Thomarillion have changed their casting material as well as releasing three new terrain pieces.
From their announcement:
Thomarillion have changed the material of many of their products from ceramic to resin. A lot of those items they had to take from their page due to damaged moulds are back again.


text:
Google Fiber is cutting jobs and prepping to shift to a wireless deployment model in new markets (though fiber will remain available in current markets). But will this create a product anyone actually wants to buy?
Apple’s new iPhone 7 has now been reviewed across the web. The overall conclusion is that it’s a very good device, but getting rid of the headphone jack requires compromises many users may not be happy with.
Netgear’s Orbi home Wi-Fi system is the latest to offer routing, range extension, and simple installation and administration in a stylish package — for a price.
Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our


text:
HTC is a 1997-founded Taiwanese OEM that was formerly involved entirely in making components for other phone producers until 2009 when the company started making products with it's branding on.
|October 21, 2015 - 1 Comment
Reasons why the HTC One A9 might be better than the iPhone 6S.
|July 14, 2015 - 1 Comment
You are bound to get an impression with this new phone. From the first impression, you would definitely have an urge to grasp the phablet in your hands and use its features.
|December 31, 2015 - 9 Comments
While some top phone brands like Samsung, Blackberry, Sony, HTC, Motorola, iPhone makers Apple are busy stealing headlines around the
|July 20, 2015
Chinese OEMS have lately learnt how to make good smartphone. Now, which of these beasts is a better buy (since the price tags are the same)?
|July 19, 2015 - 1 Comment
It's a showdown between two of the biggest Android flagships of 2015 -- Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Sony's Xperia Z3.
|June 26, 2015
Former Oppo VP left his company to a form a new one which promised to make “the perfect smartphone.” Did he succeed?
|June 22, 2015
How is Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia panning out in the budget smartphone industry? Let's find out.
|June 16, 2015
Unlike big players such as Apple, HTC and Samsung, Lenovo possesses an advantage which the big companies do not –
|June 14, 2015
And here comes the wide-acclaimed king of Samsung phones -- the metal-clad Samsung Galaxy S6.
|June 12, 2015 - 1 Comment
While many prefer renowned brands such as Samsung and HTC, others just look forward to smartphones that could offer everything required out of them while still not being heavy to their pockets.
|December 26, 2013 - 4 Comments
Some days ago, Finnish handset maker Nokia unveiled its first phablet, the much anticipated 6-inch Lumia 1520 in the Indian
|November 19, 2013 - 1 Comment
Google’s open source Operating System Android has become a great option for Indian manufacturers. Right from Micromax to Karbonn and
|November 1, 2013
In typical Google tradition, Larry Page and his brothers at Mountain View quietly took the wraps off the Nexus 5, alongside
|August 26, 2013 - 25 Comments
Perhaps if you have seen the Tecno L3 preview we wrote previously, you ought to know by now that Tecno
|August 12, 2013 - 7 Comments
Tecno recently added two phones to it’s portfolio, one is the Tecno M3, the other is the subject of the


text:
Foul drinks at Super Duck giving Taipei customers super diarrhea.
Many feathers were ruffled in New Taipei City after it was discovered that three out of four branches of the Super Duck, Super Drake) bubble tea franchise were using 112 kilograms worth of six kinds of expired ingredients, with some having past their expiration date as much as eight months ago, reported newtalk.
Once billed as the "Lukang Tea King," Super Duck has waddled into a quagmire after the New Taipei City Department of Health discovered that three branches of the boba tea chain had used expired tapioca pearls, which in some cases had passed their expiration date up to eight months ago.
New Taipei City councilwoman and Democratic Progressive Party member, Chiu Ting-wei, told newtalk that she received a report last month from a concerned citizen who said that their friend who worked at one the branches of the beverage chain was frequently becoming ill. The employee said that they often tried drinks from the store, after which they would frequently experience gastroenteritis and hives.
The employee inadvertently discovered that a variety of ingredients used in the shop had been stored past their expiration dates. Shockingly, the employee said that the boss's method of eliminating expired ingredients was plucking out moldy tapioca pearls and selling the ones that looked "normal" to customers.
Of the chain's four New Taipei City branches visited by Health Department inspectors on June 28, the ones in Xinzhuang, Sanchong, and Shulin districts were all found to have contained expired ingredients, such as "Super Q Caramel Pearls" and "Red Beans and Barley Water." Inspectors found a total of 6 kinds of ingredients which had expired, 112 kilograms worth of which were seized by authorities.
Yang Shu-chin, Section Chief of the Food and Drug Administration, said after the expired ingredients were discovered in New Taipei City, the parent company Super Drake was notified, but it denied using expired ingredients and inferred that the problem was with the individual franchises, reported Liberty Times. The government could fine the three franchises between NT$60,000 (US$2,000) and NT$200 million (US$6,600,000) for violating the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.
Director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Yen Tsung-hai, told newtalk that expired food can become contaminated with microbes and eating it can cause acute gastroenteritis, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, diarrhea and other symptoms. Yen reminds people to never consume expired food products and instead dispose of them right away.
|Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback|
|Publication:||Taiwan News (Taipei, Taiwan)|
|Date:||Jun 20, 2018|
|Previous Article:||UK plastic waste imports to Taiwan increase ten-fold.|
|Next Article:||Taiwan provides grant to Belize one day after Tsai meets Belizean delegation.|


text:
Customer Service Heaven
From a recent N.Y. Times article by Michael Barbaro, headlined “Less Risk Seen in Purchasing Clothes Online”: For the first time since online retailing was born a decade ago, the sales of clothing have overtaken those of computer hardware and software, suggesting that consumers have reached a new level of comfort buying merchandise on the Web. One of the merchants . . .


text:
- E-commerce companies can use plastic packaging for three more months
- The decision came after intense lobbying by multinational companies
- The plastic ban in Maharashtra came into effect on June 23
New Delhi: Maharashtra has eased a ban against single-use plastic, just over a week after it was imposed, following what sources said was intense lobbying by multinational companies and plastic industry bodies for softer rules and extensions. Maharashtra, home to India’s financial capital of Mumbai, has allowed e-commerce companies to use plastic packaging for three more months, according to a government order dated June 30, which was published on Tuesday.
During these three months, e-commerce firms will have to come up with a buyback plan to collect used plastic packaging material, ensure its recycling and disposal as well as source alternative packaging material. The ban, which came into effect on June 23, had threatened a sharp rise in costs for retailers, beverage makers and sellers of bottled water, among other companies that rely on plastic for packaging.
Representatives of companies including Amazon, H&M, Pepsi and Coca-Cola, as well as plastic lobby groups, met Maharashtra government officials days before the ban, urging them to implement the rule in phases and relax some norms, Reuters quoted four sources as saying on Friday.
A senior government official, who was involved in the talks and did not wish to be identified due to government rules, said changes to the ban had been made after considering the industry demands.
Maharashtra’s top environment official Anil Diggikar did not answer calls or texts seeking comment.
In its latest order, the government banned the sale of plastic bottles containing drinking water less under 200 millilitres. It also did not specify a buyback price for empty bottles used for selling beverages other than water, a move that could potentially help soft drink makers.
Amazon, Pepsi and Coca-Cola declined to comment on the modifications to the ban. H&M did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The latest rules also exempt the use of plastic packaging of medical equipment and drugs.
Plastic could be used for wrapping products by manufacturers, if the material used was thicker than 50 microns, comprised at least 20 percent recyclable material and had the manufacturer’s details and buyback price printed on it, the order said.
Maharashtra’s move to ban plastic, the first such broad action against the material by an Indian state, comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushes a plan to completely end the use of single-use plastic in India by 2022. Plastic packaging accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste globally, and much of it is thrown away within just a few minutes of its first use, according to the United Nations.


text:
NVBOTS Announces 3D Printing Educational Packages, Donates NVPro 3D Printer to Non-Profit Citizen Schools
NVBOTS has always been concerned about bringing more to the 3D printing market authentically, adding unique touches that offer true conveniences for users, and really making a difference.
With a 3D printer that offers — among a number of other features — the ability to produce batch jobs due to automatic part removal, they’ve hit the nail on the head again, expanding, as originally planned, to focus in the educational sector. NVBOTS has a clear vision for putting 3D printing tools into the hands of young innovators, and they understand that without the proper resources, a certain level of conceptualization never has the chance to come to fruition — not to mention the chance to take a project to the end.
It requires unique vision, stability, and generosity of spirit for a new company to have the desire and commitment for putting time and investment into nurturing the minds of the younger generations, in hopes of raising up the next brilliant minds. These are the future innovators and visionaries who, through learning about 3D design and 3D printing, will possess more of the necessary skill sets that the STEM curriculum sets forth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Again, while there are many 3D printers on the market which are basically providing the same basic features, the same issue goes for 3D printers and the level of direction going to schools. While NVBOTS has created a 3D printer that really does stand apart, they plan to do the same with the package they are offering to schools.
Not only does the NV Library give teachers a focused plan with lessons for students, the education geared toward 3D design and 3D printing is streamlined and easy for teachers to present to their students. Lessons are formulated adhering to educational standards and requirements, and projects offer the unique element of 3D printable components, which include modules offering work with spectroscopes and advanced learning about light, simple machines and inspiration to build a Rube Goldberg Machine (an elaborate device that usually provides something like a chain reaction), as well as CAD software so that students can produce original designs for 3D printing.
“Our dedication to inspiring students through 3D printing is unmatched in the industry and we are passionate about weaving 3D Printing into the fabric of learning experiences everywhere,” said NVBOTS CEO AJ Perez. “The release of the NV Library and the Citizen Schools milestone are just two examples of our commitment to education. 3D printing is motivating the next generation of innovators to create in ways never before thought possible and we are proud to serve as a catalyst in this area.”
NVBOTS is also connected with the Citizen Schools organization and is donating their first NVPro 3D printer to the non-profit organization. With the NVPro, students will enjoy not only being able to produce 3D prints in batches, rather than production of a single object, but they can also enjoy cloud-based slicing, 3D printing from multiple devices, monitoring of prints from any device, and can also enjoy the safety of the unique protective enclosure. The NVPro can run 24/7 from any device.
Partnering with public middle schools in low-income areas, Citizen Schools aims to see that students in need are able to receive further academic enrichment through time spent with adults who have expertise and time to spare for teaching as volunteers, spending time with students after school, and giving direction in many different activities.
According to Citizen Schools, “students in upper-income families spend 300 more hours each year with adults than do the three million students in lower-income families.” Their goal is to see that all kids are benefitting from specialized activities and one-on-one learning. With 32 partnerships, currently, and 4,700 volunteers giving their time to the organization, thousands of children are already benefitting.
NVBOTS’ plan is to make the first 3D printer they have donated to Citizen Schools “one of many” as they continue to work together. Development of the NVPro 3D printer was made by a successful crowdfunding campaign on Fundable, which received over $104K.
Their goal with 3D printing has always been to make it less cumbersome, while including features that really are innovative, and not just marketing spin. One other unique feature offered by the innovative NVBOTS is that they have a leasing program available so that schools are able to continually update their technology with the latest releases from NVBOTS.
What do you think of the latest innovations in 3D printing in education being created and offered by NVBOTS? Have you or anyone you know experienced use of a 3D printer in an educational setting? Tell us about it in the NVBOTS Announces Full 3D Printing Educational Packages forum over at 3DPB.com.
You May Also Like
3D Printing Service Hubs Appoints New CEO, Alex Cappy
Changes are taking place at Hubs since it was acquired by manufacturing service provider Protolabs (Nasdaq: PRLB). Not only has the subsidiary removed the “3D” from its name, but it...
New High-Density Stacking Redefines AM Plastics Productivity
Additive manufacturing (AM) is evolving beyond prototyping to enable end-use parts production across a range of applications. Much has changed to enable this, including the development of AM processes and...
AM Investment Strategies: CEOs, Analysts & Finance Experts Share Wealth of Knowledge with 3D Printing Community
Representatives from some of the industry’s most successful 3D printing businesses joined the SmarTech – Stifel AM Investment Strategies 2021 virtual summit on September 9, 2021, to talk about the...
U.S. 3D Printing Experience Center Opened by Massivit 3D
Israel-based company Massivit 3D (MSVT.TA), a leader in large-scale 3D printing systems, has announced the opening of their Americas Experience Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The center will be open to...
View our broad assortment of in house and third party products.


text:
Telegraph Media Group has launched a dedicated new online men’s lifestyle site.
Telegraph Men, which was unveiled today, will feature opinion and lifestyle pieces from existing Telegraph writers and a number of new contributors including actor Matthew Horne and doctor and broadcaster Phil Hammond.
The site, which has been given a tab on the Telegraph’s homepage, will be edited by former deputy features editor Paul Davies.
He said: “Telegraph Men is the next step for TMG as we build on our reputation for quality and originality, with a range of new writers and clickable, shareable content, aimed at a younger reader.
“As well as offering a wealth of practical advice on style, fitness and relationships, we’ll have provocative opinions and first-person accounts of extraordinary experiences. We’ll share the best writing and most entertaining virals on the web; we’ll tell you what you’ve missed on Twitter and what you should be doing this weekend. We’ll tell you which gadgets to buy, and what should be in your bathroom cabinet. Telegraph Men is an important new digital men’s magazine, and takes the Telegraph into an exciting new area.”
The launch comes alongside a Telegraph competition to find the Media Man of the Year. Nominees must answer five questions relating to the different sections on the Telegragh Men site and that describe their sense of style, fitness and personality.
Voting will begin on 7 October, with a trio to New York on offer for the winner.
Lori Cunningham, director of Digital Futures at TMG, said: "The launch of Telegraph Men is an excellent example of how we are constantly evolving our product, to both engage new audiences and better service existing ones. This initiative will bring a fresh voice to the Telegraph portfolio whilst creating exciting commercial opportunities for new and existing partners.”
But the new site has not been receieved with universal acclaim. Writing on Twitter, Guardian fashion columnist Hadley Freeman said:
Telegraph Men. For men who find the rest of the Telegraph too feminist.
— Hadley Freeman (@HadleyFreeman) September 12, 2013
TMG could not confirm whether or not any new editorial staff have been hired for the new site.


text:
Rack up all of guest blogger Kevin Townsend’s good points as he explains how online gamers have to outsmart hackers...in addition to their opponents.
Our newest guest blogger Byron V. Acohido lays today’s digital stakes on the line.
AI expert Garry Kasparov explains the ugly truth of data security today and how we can turn the tide.
Garry Kasparov explores Consumer Genomic Kits, the exciting new horizons in this growing industry, and how to make sure we move forward with common sense and integrity.
Protecting your data online requires a blend of regulation, standardization, and individual action. With round 1 of GDPR-compliant websites now in our past, consumers should now take the time to implement basic security practices to keep their online data and information safe.
Garry Kasparov explores how regulations can protect us and how important it is to develop good personal cybersecurity habits.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal and what we need to learn from it to assure internet freedom
We are now a few months into 2018 and the scope of malicious digital activities is already expanding.
Keeping up to date on technology will contribute to your security and privacy online
Watch human/AI interaction straight from the Web Summit in Lisbon.


text:
The tension between food safety in packaging on the one hand, and environmental protection on the other, is a longstanding dilemma that has been brought into sharper focus by Covid-19. Just how finely poised this tension has been, is unpacked by Tetra Pak’s latest global research undertaken in partnership with Ipsos, the Tetra Pak Index 2020: Covid-19 and the Food Safety-Sustainability Dilemma.
Tetra Pak’s research recorded 53% of respondents listing food safety as the top issue compared to 52% listing more sustainable packaging as their top issue. Ultimately, the research illustrated there was no conflict but rather an interdependence between the two issues – “What’s good for the consumer has to be good for the planet as well”’.
Food safety requires more packaging that also provides fully transparent health and nutritional data, which simultaneously permits food to last longer so as to improve food security. Finally, the packaging must be such that it doesn’t damage the environment.
‘This dilemma grows ever more acute as more people on the planet demand more and safer food. Consequently, this tension will only resolve through packaging innovations towards greater sustainability. The package of the future will play a central role in preserving both food and the environment,’ says Stefan Fageräng, Managing Director of Tetra Pak South Africa
Yet a third factor is raised by developing countries such as South Africa, where only a small percentage of consumers share these First-World concerns as their primary motivation. Among affluent consumers, clearly marked expiry dates, and clean undamaged packaging give confidence in the safety and hygiene of the food. Tetra Pak Index’s market research found that 58% of respondents reported that the outer packaging played a big role in their perceptions of food safety.
But the majority of South African consumers are less worried about such food safety issues as they are about food security – simply having enough food to eat by stretching their rand as far as they can. Packaging has to be slightly different in this market – the primary concern being packaging that enables the food to be stored as long as possible, given that on average, many lower-income consumers struggle to stretch their salary and millions of South Africans are battling to make ends meet.
‘Consequently, numerous consumers want long-life packaging, which is easy to carry and store, while retaining sufficient nutrition and Tetra Pak has identified the South African market as one in which it has to simultaneously address food safety and food security,’ says Francesco Francione, market insights manager for Tetra Pak for Central Europe based in Italy.
‘While food safety has always been a top concern, Covid-19 has driven the factor even higher in global concern ratings over the past year. Simultaneously, fears regarding climate change have increased considerably during this time. So, food packaging has to address three concerns in South Africa: long-lasting food; safe food; and environmentally sustainable packaging made from plants,’ says Francione.
The Index found that 67% of respondents (across nine markets) say urgent action is required to reduce the impact of packaging on climate change. This pressure will force companies such as Tetra Pak to step up on a number of fronts:
-Sustainable packaging – 70% of respondents say packaging made from plant-based material would be preferable to them. This represents a growing public voice which is demanding a quicker shift to zero emissions, within a decade or so. As part of this trend, consumers have become willing to actively avoid certain products solely because consumers feel they don’t meet their environmental expectations. For instance, 57% of consumers say they would avoid a product for excessive packaging.
-When it comes to recycling, 80% of respondents say companies should be obliged to assist with recycling the packaging they produce.
-Food waste is another issue arising from the Index, which is raised by 77% of respondents as requiring some urgency.
‘When consumers talk today of more sustainable packaging, I suspect that they are talking about more than recycling. The public has an interest in understanding how the package protects the food, while also reducing food waste, as there is a clear correlation between longer-life food packaging and reducing food waste. Radically reducing food waste is an imperative, as climate change may well make the growing of food more problematic.
‘As an example, at the outset of the pandemic, crops ripening on fields were left to rot. There will undoubtedly be further examples of the impact of climate change on food waste, which we cannot yet imagine. As a result, many companies such as Tetra Pak are setting targets for reduction of food waste.
‘Consumers are increasingly aware not only of the economic impact of food waste, but its environmental impact – food waste alone is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions, and this was aggravated by Covid-19. According to the Index, 47% of respondents believe that food waste is an area where they can personally make a positive difference, on top of what food companies can achieve.
‘This research is an invaluable aide in terms of insights into the food carton of the future,’ concludes Francione.


text:
Java coffee chain to spend Sh100m on new branches
Local coffee chain Java House is set to spend Sh100 million on opening two new branches in Nairobi and Mombasa in the next three weeks.
Java has booked space at Astrol Petrol station on Lenana Road in Nairobi and at Diani Centre Point, formerly Nakumatt building, on the Diani Beach Road in Mombasa.
The Diani Centre Point branch will be the first Java House outlet in Kwale while the Astrol Petrol Station branch will be the 41st in Nairobi.
“We will be opening one more branch in Kilimani area at Astrol Petrol Station just along the Lenana Road and at Diani Centre Point in Kwale in the next three weeks,” said Nairobi Java House group CEO Paul Smith in an interview.
“On average, each branch takes up to Sh50 million in order to get it ready and up to the standards we have set. The Astrol branch in Nairobi will accommodate up to 140 customers at a go while the Diani Centre Point branch will accommodate up to 64 customers.”
Java Group, in which an American private equity firm has bought a majority stake, is the biggest restaurant chain in the region with 64 branches.
It is followed by fast-food brand Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Art Caffe restaurant and Subway. KFC has 31 branches — nine in Uganda, five in Tanzania and 17 in Kenya. Art Caffe, on the other hand, has 12 branches in Kenya. America’s fast-food chain Subways has 12 branches — eight in Kenya, three in Tanzania and one in Uganda.


text:
BALTIMORE — A surge in demand for swimming pools during the pandemic has led to shortages and long delays, but customers of an online dealer thought they'd found a company who'd be able to deliver a pool before the end of summer.
Two Middle River residents contacted WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii after ordering pools from Pool Store and More in the spring. They waited months, but their orders never arrived.
Bill McDonald and his wife placed their order on May 3 and said they were given an estimated delivery date of 8-10 weeks. They figured it would come around mid-July, which would still give their grandkids time to enjoy the pool before fall.
“We have 12 grandchildren, 10 under 7 years old,” said McDonald.
McDonald first found Pool Store and More after searching online for a specific pool.
“The kit itself from them was $12,267,” McDonald said. “I called them at the end of June to ask how’s the status, we’re coming to the end of this, where’s everything? And I got a runaround.”
McDonald said in August, Pool Store and More sales manager Richard Tamberino, told him that there were manufacturing delays. They waited until September, but still hadn’t received an estimated delivery date or information about their order.
“This company had the pool I was looking for, not many options,” said Mark, who also lives in Middle River.
Mark and his fiancé, Wendy, said they tried contacting the company to ask about their purchase from April after choosing the company for its quick response in the beginning and turnaround.
“I did call another company out in North Carolina, but they told me they were so backordered with pools I probably wouldn’t get it until next year, so this company seemed like they would be able to provide it this year, which is part of the reason why we went with them,” Mark said.
On the “Above Ground Pool” section on their website, Pool Store and More also advertises they're "shipping every day unlike most of their competitors,” so Mark purchased the pool for a little less than $8,000 then waited for it to arrive.
“Initially, they said 4-5 weeks, but they said there were some issues with manufacturing and COVID so it could be a little bit longer,” Mark said.
In a Facebook message, the company wrote it should be ready by the end of May.
“Nothing in June, nothing in July, and after numerous calls and texts to [Richard Tamberino], I finally got a response in early August letting me know he was sick but he would have the office send me out a refund on Monday. Monday came and went and no refund,” said Mark.
Two other customers, one in North Carolina and another in Florida, shared similar experiences. They paid for the pools, were given delivery estimates of 5 to 8 weeks, but months passed and their pools still hadn't been delivered.
Sofastaii spoke with Tamberino over the phone. He declined an interview request, but said he tells customers whatever the manufacturer tells him and delays are out of his control.
There’s also a warning on his site that weather events and the COVID-19 pandemic “has caused nationwide stock-outs on many products. Items to be purchased by customers will ship when product arrives or is finished being manufactured, back-orders are industry wide. There are long shipping delays on certain products.“
Sofastaii asked Tamberino why he doesn’t warn customers about the possibility of an extended wait time. “They’re smart enough to know the whole world is screwed up,” he responded.
Tamberino’s attorney added that "Rich has always been committed to providing the best possible service and under the circumstances with supply chain issues, he believes he's doing the best he can."
A few local pool dealers told WMAR-2 News that orders could take five to seven weeks in normal times, but it hasn't been that way since the start of the pandemic.
Aside from the wait, these customers say it’s the poor customer service that pushed them to cancel their orders.
“You guys don’t do good business, you’re not returning calls, you’re not responsive, you’re not giving me answers,” McDonald said.
McDonald filed a dispute with his credit card company and received a temporary credit.
Mark paid using an e-check, however, Tamberino agreed to refund his purchase. WMAR-2 News is waiting on confirmation that the refund was processed.
Several of the customers also said they never received contracts or were sent the fine print after they purchased the pool, which is why it's important to understand the terms, cancellation policies, and to use a credit card for the most protection.


text:
Matt is the former News Editor for The Next Web. You can follow him on Twitter, subscribe to his updates on Facebook and catch up with him Matt is the former News Editor for The Next Web. You can follow him on Twitter, subscribe to his updates on Facebook and catch up with him on Google+.
Following the launch of Google’s latest Android Jelly Bean firmware, major smartphone vendors have indicated that they intend to update devices to the new operating system. Today, HTC has detailed the first Android smartphones to receive Jelly Bean, starting with its flagship One XL, One X and One S handsets.
In a statement to AusDroid, HTC said that it had plans for the One X and its international variant, also pledging to update the One S. However, the company didn’t indicate whether the One V would receive the same treatment:
“We know HTC fans are excited to get their hands on Google’s latest version of Android. At this point in time, we can confirm that we have plans to upgrade our HTC One X, HTC One XL and HTC One S to Jelly Bean. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Jelly Bean.”
If you own an HTC smartphone and are worried that your device won’t receive the latest variant of Google’s Jelly Bean software, the company will almost certainly confirm its final plans in the coming weeks.
It may be a case of waiting to see if your smartphone makes the cut.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.


text:
Atlanta-based NCR Corp. is showcasing its latest technology innovations for the travel industry at the Passenger Terminal Expo 2015 being held in Paris at the Porte de Versailles convention hall March 10-12.
Dennis Davidson, vice president of travel, said in a news releases that the company is facilitating the travel experience of airline passengers by helping airports and airlines around the world improve their systems for check-in, shopping and boarding.
“…we understand every aspect of airline and airport transactions and how to leverage technology to make the everyday easier,” he added.
Among the solutions that are being highlighted at the expo: self-checkout at the point of sale for retail outlets, personalized digital marketing, managed payment processing and real-time analytics and barcoded boarding passes delivered to a passenger’s mobile phone.
Additionally, NCR is promoting its airport check-in kiosk which allows passengers to check-in, change seats, add and update frequent flyer information and check in bags.
For more information about NCR, click here.


text:
Marketing Expert Reels Out Trends To Accelerate Brand Building Post COVID-19
The Group Marketing Director of Jotna Nigeria Limited (The La Casera Company), Emmanuel Agu has stated that neighbourhood stores, e-commerce and social media will accelerate the growth of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) in post COVID-19.
He made this known recently during the Live Instagram Chat of Brand Communicator, hosted by its Publisher, Joshua Ajayi, where he spoke on the topic, “FMCG and Brand Building in a Post COVID-19 Marketing World”.
Agu urged manufacturing companies to look into e-commerce to boost their marketing activities and as well look at neighbourhood stores because more people will prefer to patronise them than go far or to the open market because of social distancing and the new normal.
He explained further that with economic challenges looming as a result of the pandemic and its impacts on consumer purchasing power, he said consumers will be looking for goods that are affordable and manufacturers who source raw materials locally will be at advantage.
On a different note, he said the upsurge in social media traffic and engagement from brands at this period has to be done strategically. “Every brand has to have a very strong digital strategy where you can mimic what you have offline to online,” he stated.
Similarly, he said the new media is growing tremendously compared to other media. However, he explained that people now watch TV and listen to radio than before.
He explained further that the growth of social media has a lot of opportunities for marketing and that cutting of marketing budget is not the best thing to do. He therefore urged brands to develop contents that will assure consumers that they are with them during and after COVID-19.
Speaking on client-agency relationships, he said how flexible both parties are will determine how their relationship going forward in the post COVID-19 era, stating that agencies still operating in analog may find it difficult to operate and survive.
Similarly, he added that agencies and brands have to rethink their business models in line with the current realities.
On a different, he said that Outdoor-of-home (OOH) subsector which is one of the worst hit by COVID-19 in the integrated Marketing Communications industry will pick up once the lockdown is over across the country.


text:
Because apparently, there are a few people in London who think that “standing up to an apathetic government in order to affect change to support neglected neighborhoods” and “BREAK THINGS AND STEAL SHIT WEEEEEEEE” are interchangeable concepts, it really shouldn’t come as a shock that fans have already started stealing shit from Amy Winehouse‘s house.
Amy’s father is reportedly furious — claiming someone entered the home and swiped unreleased music, lyric books and letters belonging to Winehouse, According to The Sun, only two lyric books have been reported to police … but Amy’s people are concerned about other items that seem to have gone missing too … including guitars and lyrics penned for her third album. SOURCE
Oh come on, don’t be shitty about this guys. I’m fully aware that not every Londoner is participating or approves of these a-holes running around wrecking shit up, so these comments are only directed at a particularly small minority of the population giving the rest of you guys a bad name: don’t pretend that breaking into Amy’s house to rob it or stealing shit from stores or people in no way affiliated with the government means you’re honoring Amy’s memory or sticking it to the government. It just means you want shit for free and you’re being an asshole.


text:
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced the closure of its shopping services from the Chinese market today saying it’s offering was able to add enough value to the lives of its Chinese subscribers and was losing popularity among them. This is the second time in three months the company has decided to pull out of the world’s largest internet market. Its latest retreat was in September this year when it shuttered it’s free online music search facility for the Chinese users only after three years of its launch.
Google Inc.(NASDAQ:GOOG) will now shift focus towards non search related services including mobile advertising applications and desktop displays. According to an official statement of the company, it is always ready to “try big, bold things, and that won’t change,” however it can serve corporate users in China grow online far better by focusing its efforts more “effectively” on its “core mobile, display, and export ads products”.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which owns a larger part of the Chinese e-commerce market through its shopping search engine etao.com. Has been “Google Inc.(NASDAQ:GOOG)’s largest competitor in the Chinese e-commerce niche. According to a Credit Suisse analyst Wallace Cheung who is based in Hong Kong, the Californian Company stood no chance in front of a competitor like Alibaba “from day one”.
Commenting on the censorship policy issues between Chinese regulators and Google Inc. (NYSE: GOOG), Cheung said the choice of a non search related business like Ad Mob and mobile or desktops display is a better decision. Engaging in such businesses would help the company minimize friction and will also help reduce its “concern about their government relationship.”
The Chinese government very vigilantly monitors all online activities and web contacts made by its citizens. The same regulations had lead Yahoo Inc! (NYSE:YHOO) to disclose personal information. A “.cn” account of a Chinese journalist who was jailed for ten years under charges of letting out state secrets. The same year the company had wrapped its Chinese business for a 40% stake in to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, a move that was viewed as an attempt to avoid excessive heresy that could potentially impair its goodwill. The American companies face critique in global markets for playing soft over human rights’ violations.
This was the ethical dilemma that Google Inc. (NYSE:GOOG) chose to play differently when it simply abandoned its search engine business after declining to comply with the capitalist government’s censorship policies.
Google Inc.(NASDAQ:GOOG) had to cut off its Chinese users from its global search engine in January 2010 over disputes with the Chinese government’s regulations for self-censoring Web contents. Since then the company has limited its Chinese landing page to translation services and experimental uses while user searches from China are being redirected to a site based in Hong Kong.
The shares of Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) were up by 0.10% to close at $697.56, shares of Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) were down by 0.72% to $19.38.
For consideration of being featured on WallstreetPR, contact: email@example.com


text:
U.K.-based department store chain Primark has pulled an official Walking Dead t-shirt from its stores after the shirt was branded “racist” and “fantastically offensive” by a concerned customer.
The T-shirt in question features the phrase “Eeny meeny miny moe,” taken from the well-known nursery rhyme, alongside the spiked bat used by the popular AMC television show’s nefarious villain, Negan.
Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) uttered the phrase during The Walking Dead‘s sixth-season finale, as he contemplated which of the show’s protagonists he would murder.
According to the Sheffield Star, customer Ian Lucraft was shopping in a Primark store with his wife when he spotted what he called the “fantastically offensive” t-shirt. Lucraft told the Star that the original “Eeny meeny miny moe” nursery rhyme often featured a racial epithet in place of the word “tiger.”
“The graphic has a large American baseball bat, wrapped round with barbed wire, and covered with blood. This image relates directly to the practice of assaulting black people in America,” Lucraft said. “It is directly threatening of a racist assault, and if I were black and were faced by a wearer I would know just where I stood.”
Lucraft added that he assumed “no one in the process of ordering [the t-shirt] knew what they were doing, or were aware of its subliminal messages.”
In a statement Wednesday, Primark apologized for stocking the shirt and said it had removed the item from all of its stores.
“The T-shirt in question is licensed merchandise for the U.S. television series, The Walking Dead, and the quote and image are taken directly from the show,” the department store chain said in a statement. “Any offense caused by its design was wholly unintentional and Primark sincerely apologizes for this.”
As the BBC notes, many social media users found Primark’s decision to pull the shirt to be an overreaction, including Negan himself, the actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Holy crap people are stupid. 'Walking Dead’ Shirt Pulled From Stores After Complaint of Racism https://t.co/cpeIqcxTwJ
— Jeffrey Dean Morgan (@JDMorgan) February 22, 2017
That Walking Dead shirt isn't racist. Bring it back.
— Bobby Lawson (@BLawson92) February 23, 2017
In the wake of the store’s decision, at least one Walking Dead fan has launched a petition to convince Primark to re-stock the shirt.
“I, as a consumer and fan of the Walking Dead feel that this is not the right response,” wrote the petitioner, one Jasmine Williams. “The complaint called it ‘Racist’ despite the fact that those buying the shirt are buying it for the sake of the show as it’s an officially licensed product.”
As of Wednesday evening, Williams’s petition had gathered 483 signatures.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum


text:
SUFFOLK residents are being duped into thinking goods they are giving to charity are actually ending up helping the cause.
Instead, they are making money for commercial companies, the British Heart Foundation warned this week.
The BHF, which has shops in Bury St Edmunds’ Abbeygate Street and in King Street, Thetford, has seen takings plummet in the last two years.
As little as one third (30 per cent) of items donated to charity via letterbox charity bags stand a chance of ending up in charity shops, it claims.
New research by BHF Shops reveals that over two thirds (70 per cent) of charity bags an average householder receives are from commercial companies, working for financial gain, by selling items overseas.
Worryingly, three fifths (61 per cent) aren’t aware these companies exist and think profits go to the charity. The reality is that in some cases as little as 5 per cent is paid to a charity.
Eighty two per cent of people who are now aware of this activity say it makes them feel shocked, cheated and disheartened.
BHF says it is is releasing these findings in advance of its BIG Donation stock appeal this September because it thinks it is vital Suffolk people understand where their charity bag donations are going so they can make an informed choice when choosing which charity to support.
Its shops have seen a 36 per cent drop in household collections meaning a loss of £153,454 to the charity in the East of England alone in the past two years.
Retail director Mike Lucas said: “It is vital commercial companies act responsibly and be transparent on their charity bags – particularly around how much profit the charity will actually make from a collection.”
People should take donations directly to BHF shops, it says.


text:
PepsiCo has embarked on the construction of a new snacks factory in Russia.
The US giant said the facility, located in the eastern city of Novosibirsk, would be its third dedicated snacks plant in the country. The factory will have a capacity of more than 60 thousand tons.
PepsiCo said the first two lines at the plant will start operating at the end of next year, manufacturing Lay’s crisps and HrusTeam crisp breads. “We plan to have a two-stage launch of four production lines in total to manufacture Lay’s chips and HrusTeam crisp breads. The first two lines will be launched in 2021. We plan to launch the other two in 2022-2023,” a spokesperson for PepsiCo’s Russian arm said.
Products from the new plant will be sold across Siberia, the Urals and Russia’s Far East, as well as some CIS countries, with the spokesperson pointing to Kazakhstan as an example. PepsiCo’s two other plants are in Russia’s Moscow and Rostov regions.
Alongside the construction of the new factory, PepsiCo said it would invest in the local agriculture sector to build a supply of local potatoes for the facility.
The new plant is expected to create 900 jobs, PepsiCo said. It is already present in Novosibirsk with a dairy manufacturing facility.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below formBy GlobalData
“The construction of the new facility in Novosibirsk will increase the efficiency of the company’s logistics through localisation of production,” the spokesperson said.
Russia is PepsiCo’s third-largest market by net revenue. According to PepsiCo’s 2019 annual report, the company’s net revenues in Russia were US$3.26bn, up from $3.19bn a year earlier. The group said its snacks volumes grew at a “low-single-digit” rate. Drinks volumes were down at a “mid-single-digit” rate.


text:
On Tuesday, payments processing firm First Data reported quarterly earnings as a public company for the first time in eight years. The announcement came just 12 days after it raised $2.8 billion in the biggest IPO of 2015. Wall Street wasn’t impressed: First Data’s shares, purchased by underwriters at $16 a share, sank by 5.6% by the market close to $15.45.
The selloff was something of a surprise, as the results were mixed rather than highly disappointing. On the plus side, revenues rose by a strong 5% over the third quarter of 2014 to $2.9 billion. The rub was free cash flow, which was a negative $9 million; the deficit was caused mainly by gigantic cash interest payments, totaling $584 million for the quarter.
Indeed, it’s First Data’s towering debt burden that makes investors nervous. After deploying the proceeds from the IPO to repay high-interest borrowings, First Data will still hold $18.5 billion in debt. That’s 9.2 times its slender equity, about 18 times the ratio for most reasonably leveraged companies, which typically hold about twice as much equity as debt.
Still, let’s look past the debt and measure how well First Data’s new management, led by CEO Frank Bisignano, is running the basic business. To get an accurate picture, it’s important to examine how much cash First Data generates excluding interest and taxes. The size of those two items isn’t influenced by how well First Data operates its tech centers or how successfully it markets its payment services. Indeed, its big debt load is a legacy of its 2007 LBO, the sixth largest in U.S. history.
The best yardstick for drilling down to essentials is COROA, or cash operating return on assets, which was developed by Jack Ciesielski, the author of the Analyst’s Accounting Observer newsletter. In COROA, the numerator is cash from operations, plus cash taxes and interest. By adding back the latter two items, COROA eliminates the effects of leverage and tax payments, which have nothing to do with a company’s operations. COROA then measures how much cash is being generated from every dollar ever invested in computers, research centers, and everything else.
So how is First Data doing? In 2012, its COROA stood at just 6.6%. The Bisignano team arrived in the spring of 2013. They raised COROA slightly to just under 7% that year, followed by 8% in 2014. The company then achieved an annualized rate of 8.7% for the first nine months of 2015.
For a manufacturing company, a COROA approaching 9% would already be pretty good. But it’s below the norm for the payments processing business, which has lots of appeal because it’s both light on assets and growing rapidly, and competitors can add new customers with minimal additional investment in new computers, servers and call centers. So returns, including COROA, tend to be well above the average of most industries.
Last year, Vantiv, one of First Data’s principal competitors, posted a COROA of 11.6%. And rival Fiserv clocked in at 17.7%. First Data did almost catch a third player, Global Payments, which registered 8.9%.
Visa, which operates a big “payment network” that coordinates transactions between merchants, processors, and the banks, is one of America’s great COROA performers, as its $189 billion market cap attests. Last year, its cash return on assets stood at a stupendous 24.3%.
It’s now certain that First Data will substantially reduce its interest burden, since it’s both lowering the principal amounts and refinancing high-interest borrowings at far lower rates. So right now, First Data is a promising de-leveraging story.
The question is, can Bisignano keep First Data marching towards the industry norm, which is well over 10%, or even higher? Despite the recent stock selloff, the signals look good: First Data is growing again after three years of flat sales, and its new Clover terminal, which offers merchants a world of creative features, has the potential to quicken the pace.
How much First Data boosts COROA will spell the difference between a modest success and a triumph. So don’t yawn over COROA—or the “boring” world of payments processing. It’s an industry that’s ideally suited to adding piles of cash flow with dollops of new capital. And that just happens to be a prize Bisignano is highly qualified to capture.


text:
Xponential Fitness Inc. and Fitness International, LLC, operator of LA Fitness (LAF) and City Sports Club (CSC), announced an exclusive development agreement. The agreement lays out a minimum development of over 350 franchised locations over five years to add Xponential brands in more than 500 Fitness International locations.
This gives Xponential Fitness the opportunity to invite existing franchisees who own a studio with an LAF or CSC location within their protected territory to open an Xponential brand studio. A membership to an Xponential brand studio within an LAF or CSC facility will be available to existing gym members for an additional cost.
Xponential Fitness’ portfolio of brands includes Club Pilates, CycleBar, StretchLab, Row House, AKT, YogaSix, Pure Barre, STRIDE, Rumble, and BFT.
Studio development time and buildout costs of these locations will be less than those of a traditional standalone studio, and existing franchise partners will have an opportunity to drive additional revenues while operating these locations free of initial franchise fees and lower marketing fund fees. AUVs at these locations are expected to be lower than those of traditional studio locations; however, this opportunity provides for reduced operating costs than standalone studios.
“We are pleased to enter into an exclusive development agreement with Fitness International to further our mission of making boutique fitness accessible to everyone, increasing our total addressable market, and providing expansion opportunities to our franchisees,” said Anthony Geisler, CE, Xponential Fitness, Inc. “This provides a unique opportunity for franchisees to increase their reach and overall revenue generation within their protected territories. We look forward to delivering best-in-class boutique fitness to the LA Fitness and City Sports Club communities.”
“We are proud to welcome Xponential brand studios to our LA Fitness and City Sports Club locations,” said Jill Grueling, President, Club Operations of Fitness International. “Xponential will bring additional high-quality fitness experiences to our members. We are confident their boutique fitness brands will provide an excellent complement to our members’ existing workout routines.”
Development of Xponential Fitness brand studios within Fitness International locations is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022 and will not have an immediate impact on company revenues during the current calendar year.


text:
T-Mobile Again Accused of Fraud by Consumer Groups
A consumer watchdog group has filed a complaint with the FCC accusing T-Mobile of inflating customers' bills and misleading consumers through its advertising. The Change to Win Retail Initiative is asking the FCC to investigate T-Mobile's business practices. The organization alleges that T-Mobile enrolls customers in unwanted add-on services without permission, and that retail sales staff are pressured to tack on the add-ons (device insurance, unlimited data) in order to avoid poor performance reviews. The group complains that T-Mobile's "no contract" marketing is misleading, as service plans are paired with monthly device financing costs. Last, the group says T-Mobile misleads customers about its offer to repay ETFs, including "the method, timing and eligibility for reimbursement" of fees when switching from competing carriers. Change to Win's complaint follows a similar one lodged against the Uncarrier in December by several other consumer action groups. T-Mobile has not responded to the latest allegations, and the FCC has not publicly commented on Change to Win's complaint.
Jan 8, 2019
ROKiT is a new line of affordable unlocked phones accompanied by a unique range of health and life services for what it calls "transitionals", which means people between jobs, people struggling socioeconomically, and anyone without adequate health insurance. The lineup includes two very basic feature phones and three Android models.
Oct 24, 2017
Google today added support for add-ons to Gmail on the web and Android devices. Add-ons allows power users to bridge Gmail with other business apps for smoother productivity and workflows.
Nov 9, 2017
Google plans to add new safety features to its Chrome browser over the coming weeks that will address user complaints regarding several types of shady behavior. First, Chrome 64 will attempt to foil unwanted redirects.
May 1, 2018
Facebook today made a significant number of additions to its platform that will lead to more features for end users over time. For example, a new tool will allow Facebook users to post to their Facebook Stories directly through third-party apps.
Now I'm stuck owing Sprint over $1,300.00
Thanks T-Mobile for not being honest.
Just a way for the union to appear useful


text:
North America is expected to emerge as a key contributor in data center networking industry owing to the rising adoption of advanced technologies in the region.
Ocean View, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/08/2020 -- The advent of cloud computing technology has been a key impetus behind the growth of data center networking market. In the light of proliferating digital transformation waves, data center networks are required to not only exhibit high performance and scalability, but also agility, enhanced automation, and flexibility. Escalating volume of data traffic and increasing adoption of big data analytics has raised the need for data centers tremendously, which will overture growth opportunities to data center networking industry.
North America is expected to emerge as a key contributor in data center networking market owing to the rising adoption of advanced technologies in the region. The region is a frontrunner in the adoption of technologies, such as IoT, cloud, and big data analytics, especially the U.S. Several businesses transitioning to digital environments have given rise to the need for leveraging data center services, which has subsequently propelled the demand for data center networking services & solutions. Moreover, mushrooming of new businesses in Canada has augmented the need for data center services, thereby triggering data center networking industry demand.
Get sample copy of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2578
In addition, growth in the number of new businesses that use data center services across Canada is a major factor pushing the overall market of North America. Increasing use of connected devices and internet services has further led to rise in the need for data centers across North America, thereby driving the demand for data center networking.
Key industry players involved in the Data Center Networking business and promoting the growth of the global Data Center Networking Market are as follows:
- Arista Networks
- Delta Electronics
- Extreme Networks
- Fujitsu Global
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Huawei Technologies
- Intel Corporation
- Juniper Networks
- NEC Corporation
- Schneider Electric
- Berkshire Hathaway
- JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- NTT Communications
With reference to the component segment, ADC (Application Delivery Controllers) is estimated to be the fastest-growing segment across the data center networking market. ADCs are used to improve security, resource efficiency, and application performance. The mounting complexity in IT infrastructure, heavy and fast development in data center traffic are the major factors responsible for the segment growth.
Moreover, extensive adoption of cloud technology by large and small companies would proliferate the market outlook through 2026. By managing the data traffic throughout the network, ADC components help strengthen the communication channels.
Increasing adoption of all ADC components across the financial sector is likely to spur the segment growth in the future.
Speaking of the application segment, the government sector is predicted to witness the highest growth in the data center networking market. The companies are increasingly facing consistent pressure to deliver enhanced and fast services to reach the growing needs of constituents. Networking plays a vital role in offering reliable data center services in order to transform the digitalization.
Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2578
Moreover, as the state and local government agencies and services are going digital, employees are expected to monitor more highly complicated environments in lesser time, further boosting the demand for data center networking which would support high-speed data processing.
Growing applications in the government sector, rising ADC use, rising adoption across North America are few of the key determinants that would open up lucrative growth avenues for data center networking market players.
About Global Market Insights
Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.


text:
Zimbabwe introduces internet access technologyUPDATED: 14:02, June 23, 2007
Internet service provider Zimbabwe Online (ZOL)has introduced Internet access technology dubbed Wi-Fi and is set to change the face of surfing in Zimbabwe.
ZOL, in conjunction with various coffee shops and hotels that have been labelled ZOLspots, is now offering services through which customers can access the Internet using laptops and hand- held devices (cellphones) while enjoying a meal.
Wi-Fi stands for "wireless fidelity", referring to the global standard for local area networks using radio signals over very short distances.
ZOL chief operating officer Caroline Mugwanyo said Wi-Fi has generated a lot of excitement since its introduction. "We introduced Wi-Fi in the country two months ago. Initially, the response was slow but now it is overwhelming. We have a large number of establishments requesting to become partners," she said.
ZOL applauded Wi-Fi's high processing speeds as faster than normal dial-up connections.
ZOL account executive Harry Harrison revealed that Wi-Fi was also available to individuals intending to install it in their homes or offices.
|People's Daily Online --- http://english.people.com.cn/|


text:
After its launch by Royal Mail in 2013, the “Keep Me Posted UK” campaign have had a tremendous success thanks to a great media and press coverage, creating pressures on the government and on service providers to abstain from pushing consumers to accept e-invoicing.
Keep me Posted UK
In July 2013, the Royal Mail began a coalition together with nearly fourty UK charities, consumer groups and businesses under the “Keep Me Posted” UK campaign, a consumer’s right to choose how they receive important financial information such as bills an statements from banks, utility companies, media companies and other service providers without disadvantage. In just over 6 months the campaign was a great success in the UK and received support from other charities, pressure groups and politicians who share the interest of these groups to raise questions in their parliament. In turn, much media attention was generated raising the awareness of this issue with the public. The steering group appointed Judith Donovan as chairperson of the coalition and they published a large amount of research results on online invoicing vs paper invoices or online bank statements.
The results are surprising and worrying at the same time. A Keep Me Posted UK survey has found more than a quarter of mobile contract holders exceeded their tariffs on more than one occasion last year. One way of keeping on top of your costs is to have paper bills –research has found that people are far more likely to scrutinise and act on paper bills, and this could lead to a reduction in the monthly phone outgoings of households as people become more aware of what they’re being charged. Yet phone companies, more than any other sector, are the most likely to charge for paper bills!