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Your computer may be infected with a virus that will cause it to lose connectivity to the Internet in July.
For computer users, a few mouse clicks could mean the difference between staying online and losing Internet connections this summer.
Unknown to most of them, their problem began when international hackers ran an online advertising scam to take control of infected computers around the world. In a highly unusual response, the FBI set up a safety net months ago using government computers to prevent Internet disruptions for those infected users. But that system is to be shut down.
The FBI is encouraging users to visit a website run by its security partner, http://www.dcwg.org, that will inform them whether they’re infected and explain how to fix the problem. After July 9, infected users won’t be able to connect to the Internet.
Most victims don’t even know their computers have been infected, although the malicious software probably has slowed their web surfing and disabled their antivirus software, making their machines more vulnerable to other problems.
Last November, the FBI and other authorities were preparing to take down a hacker ring that had been running an Internet ad scam on a massive network of infected computers.
“We started to realize that we might have a little bit of a problem on our hands because … if we just pulled the plug on their criminal infrastructure and threw everybody in jail, the victims of this were going to be without Internet service,” said Tom Grasso, an FBI supervisory special agent. “The average user would open up Internet Explorer and get ‘page not found’ and think the Internet is broken.”
So what they did was install a couple of servers to provide correct DNS lookups to the affected computers, but in July those servers will be shut off and anyone relying on them will not be able to surf. You can go to http://www.dcwg.org to check and see if you’re one of the infected ones and get cleaned up if you are.
FBI officials said they organized an unusual system to avoid any appearance of government intrusion into the Internet or private computers. And while this is the first time the FBI used it, it won’t be the last.
“This is the future of what we will be doing,” said Eric Strom, a unit chief in the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Until there is a change in legal system, both inside and outside the United States, to get up to speed with the cyber problem, we will have to go down these paths, trail-blazing if you will, on these types of investigations.”
Now, he said, every time the agency gets near the end of a cyber case, “we get to the point where we say, how are we going to do this, how are we going to clean the system” without creating a bigger mess than before.
Keep an eye on this, because something like it is sure to happen again soon.


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Sybarite is a term that first appeared around 1600 and means “person devoted to pleasure.” In fact, Sybaris was an ancient Greek town inhabited by citizens who loved nice things.
Why am I referring to this unusual and little-known term? It is because I believe we live in an era when we demand instant gratification. We want everything now – cannot wait to have it tomorrow. No one these days wants to live within their means.
This has led to a North American economy that is hard to explain by typical economic models. We have an economy that is performing better than expected while at the same time debt levels are going through the roof. People have forgotten how to live without credit and debt, falling victim to an addiction that helps to sustain what is perceived to be a normal life. That includes racking up debt to help pay for everything from buying meme stocks on margin to overpriced vacations.
Consider that in the fourth quarter of 2023, household debt in the United States rose by US$212-billion to US$17.5-trillion, as consumers used credit to bolster their spending. In Canada, credit card debt reached a new high of $113.4-billion in the third quarter of 2023, an increase of 16 per cent from last year, according to Equifax Canada.
Recent economic data show that economic growth in Canada and the U.S. are exceeding expectations. The widely expected recession was highly exaggerated, to paraphrase Mark Twain. This is primarily because consumers in both countries continue to spend at a rate that is faster than expected. Employment growth and rising wages have contributed to it, but I believe it is more than that. It is a cosmic change of attitudes toward spending and borrowing.
At the same time, inflationary pressures are still an issue – not only in Canada and the U.S., but in most OECD countries – in the face of robust wage gains. In Canada, for example, average hourly wages rose 0.6 per cent in December and rose 5.3 per cent from a year ago. The figures are similar in the U.S.
What are central bankers going to do? Will they cut interest rates or not? The decision is becoming more difficult by the day.
They are in a Catch-22 situation.
If central banks start cutting interest rates to avoid economic and financial risks even though inflation continues to run hotter than 2 per cent, they risk reigniting more serious inflation. They may also not be able to convince the markets that they know what they are doing, as they are all relying on standard economic models that have not worked as well as expected.
If they are seen abandoning the inflation mandate to support the financial system, it may lead to financial markets and the economy weakening too quickly to bail out, given the amount of debt outstanding. Their credibility will be hurt.
In the long run, inflation is going to be higher than in the past. Globalization has come to an end. Wages are going up, and union power has returned. Taxes are going up, too. Nearshoring is in fashion, global trade is on the decline, cheap Chinese labour is over and productivity is down. And AI will not be the panacea everyone is expecting it to be. These are not good signs for inflation to cool.
And these shifts are not driven by cyclical effects, they are secular. Central banks cannot contain inflation beyond the business cyclical effect on it. They can try to contain inflation by causing a recession, but they will only combat cyclical inflation. It will have no impact on the long-run inflationary pressures built into the system. They may thus choose to live with higher inflation, which the markets will not like.
Alternatively, they can be stubborn enough to try to bring inflation back to their 2 per cent target by aggressively raising interest rates further. This may cause a recession, which given the large amounts of debt – not only at the government level but also at the personal level – will cause severe pain.
In the U.S., for example, the federal government has added US$20-trillion in debt since 2009. In the previous 15 years they added US$5-trillion in debt. Federal debt outstanding stands at US$33-trillion. Debt service charges currently stand at 14 per cent of revenues. Interest on debt outstanding was US$949-billion in 2022 – the sixth largest government expense for 2022.
In Canada, the federal government will spend $46.5-billion on debt service charges this year, much more than it will spend on child-care benefits. These numbers are unsustainable and can cause tremendous pressure on government finances and social upheaval. A recession will decrease revenues and increase debt service charges to an unsustainable level.
No matter which option central bankers choose, the outcome would be the same: a bursting of the bubble in equities and in consumption and borrowing. There will also be higher secular inflation and interest rates.
As a society, if we do not change our ways and our attitudes toward savings and investments, as well as borrowing and spending, we’re heading for trouble.
George Athanassakos is a professor of finance and holds the Ben Graham Chair in Value Investing at the Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario. He is the author of the recent book “Value Investing: From Theory to Practice”
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Japanese company Toyota has agreed to recall an unspecified number of Corollas manufactured in Brazil because of the risk of sudden acceleration according to a statement from the Brazilian Ministry of Justice website.
The measure applies to vehicles made since April 2008 and although no numbers were mentioned the news media O Globo mentioned that 55.000 Toyota Corollas were sold in Brazil last year.
Earlier last week the state of Minas Gerais, one of the country’s most dynamic and with a strong car manufacturing infrastructure, including Fiat and Mercedes Benz, banned the sale of Corollas arguing they are a safety risk.
An acceleration problem was “putting in danger the lives of occupants” said state officials. It added nine Corollas in the state had shown problems that Toyota said were caused by badly installed floor mats.
Toyota has a long relation with Brazil where it has been operating, assembling and manufacturing vehicles since 1958.
According to the Toyota-Brazil website the company in 2008 broke the annual sales benchmark of 80.000 units, mostly Corollas and in 2009 sales soared 32%. Toyota internationally has recalled more than 8 million vehicles. Accelerator and brake defects have been the main reason for the recalls.
In February, US authorities began an investigation into problems with the Corolla, amid complaints the car could accelerate suddenly. At least 34 deaths in the United States have been blamed on the problem.
More than 30 million Corollas have been sold since the model first rolled out of Toyota’s factories in the 1960s.
Earlier this week Toyota agreed to pay a record fine of US$ 16.4 million in the US for failing to report defects in some of its vehicles’ accelerator pedals.
The Japanese carmaker denied hiding the defects, but again acknowledged that it could have handled the issue better. Some 2.3 million Toyotas were recalled in the US in January amid reports the accelerator pedals could become stuck.
This week Toyota announced it was recalling about 34,000 Lexus GX 460 and Land Cruiser Prado SUVs worldwide.
The company said it would update the vehicles’ stability-control software program to reduce the risk of them sliding sideways when turning sharply at high speeds, partly because the fuel tank and the presence of the driver might make the left side of the vehicle heavier.
The move comes less than a week after the US consumer magazine, Consumer Reports, warned that the Lexus GX 460 was prone to roll-overs, prompting Toyota to recall nearly 10,000 sold in the US and Canada.
Toyota had earlier announced the recall of 600,000 Sienna minivans in the US. It said prolonged exposure to road salt might result in excessive corrosion of the spare-tire cable, and that the tire might fall off the vehicle.
Toyota overtook General Motors in 2008 as the world’s biggest carmaker, but has since blamed its quality control problems on its rapid expansion. Executives from Toyota were fiercely criticized in the US Congress and the company’s once high reputation has been left in tatters.


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Maserati fortuitously selected the hottest UK May afternoon since 2005 to invite a carefully pruned media crowd to a secret track and road testing location in Warwickshire for the UK Launch of their 2010 range. Robin Scott was there to represent The Global Herald as Maserati lifted the lid on their brand new ‘GranCabrio’.
Even without the thirty degree heat, which made it certain “cabriolet weather,” all eyes were on the GranCabrio machines Maserati had brought along, their first four-seater convertible, which launched in April this year.
These good looking cars continue Maserati’s focus on a certain sort of car – vehicles built, contrary to the popular adage, for both comfort and speed – the sort of car that suits the 500 or so UK-based “gentleman drivers” expected to opt to purchase a new Marserati in 2010 in the country, as well as the 6,000 others world-wide who feel the same.
Peter Denton, head of UK sales, told The Global Herald that Maserati had come a long way since the doldrums it had found itself in during the early 1990s, before Fiat rescued the brand which was producing only tens of vehicles for a hard core of die-hard Maserati men: the few for whom widely recognised reliability problems were all part of the joy of ownership.
It has been difficult, however, even for Fiat who, in the same UK office complex in Slough, house big-sister brand Ferrari, to shake off the “unreliable” tag. Few could argue with the looks of models from more than a decade ago, but owning a Maserati in the past was widely considered by many to be something of an ordeal.
Slowly but surely, Maserati is righting what is now simply a residual misconception, and they are doing so in a most subtle and class-filled manner. Maserati isn’t throwing money at ‘buying custom’; you’ll rarely see them courting attention with advertising or sponsorships; and they aren’t trying to product place their vehicles in the next big thing.
Maserati is instead working tirelessly on one thing, the product.


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Confessions DVD Art & Release Date Revealed on ICON first!
November 29, 2006
ICON members are the first to see the cover of the Confessions Tour DVD! And we are happy to announce that the wait is almost over! The DVD will be released on January 22, 2007 internationally, January 23, 2007 in the US. Keep checking the ICON site for more exclusive news about the Confessions DVD!
You are one click away from all of Madonna.com's news stories! Just select a year:
on this day...


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British drugmaker AstraZeneca topped second-quarter sales and profit estimates and backed the company’s 2020 forecasts, helped by strong sales in lockdowns of a diverse product range that includes a potential coronavirus vaccine.
Pfizer Inc. filed a lawsuit seeking to require the federal government to let it help Medicare beneficiaries afford two drugs to treat a rare and sometimes fatal heart condition, and which cost $225,000 a year.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Relypsa Inc’s drug to treat potentially fatal levels of potassium in patients with chronic kidney disease or heart problems. The drug, Veltassa, is designed to treat hyperkalemia, a chronic condition characterized by excessive potassium levels in the blood that could lead to dangerous changes in heart rhythm. Relypsa’s […]
Genetics company 23andMe announced the launch of a new consumer genetic test service on Wednesday that will show whether an individual carries genes associated with 36 different disorders, such as cystic fibrosis. The launch is a major step for the company, which in 2013 was ordered by the Food and Drug Administration to stop selling […]


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Two months ago a new source told me that there would be a new OMD camera in very early 2013. And before the launch of that camera the E-M5 would get price drops in winter time. And as you know a couple of days ago we wrote about a (low FT2 rated) OMD camera rumor having more advanced video features.
Olympus itself said months ago that there is room for new OMD camera above and below the current E-M5. If we connect the dots…than can we really expect a new OMD camera soon?
USA E-M5 price drops:
-$50 on the body only at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto (Click on store names to open the page).
-$50 on the body with 14-42mm lens at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
-$100 on the body with 12-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
Same price drops on different auctions on eBay (to check here via Slidoo).


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Users interested in adding Apple CarPlay to their car's dashboard have a new choice from Alpine.
Like the carriers and other retailers, Target will offer the new iPhone for preorder on September 12 -- a week before it officially goes on sale.
The new device, with a sapphire-crystal display and pulse-tracking sensors, starts at $349 and will be available early next year.
Apple is expected to post strong iPhone sales in its latest quarter despite stiffer competition, a slowing smartphone market in general, and a new iPhone still months away.
Up till now, Sharp had one 4K TV and a bunch of psuedo-4K models known as Quattron Plus. Now the company has announced a pair of new TVs with full-fledged 4K resolution.
Verizon is hinting that it may respond to the competitive offers in the industry, an indication that it isn't immune to the looming wireless price war.
CEO Tim Cook, speaking at President Barack Obama's cybersecurity summit, also says consumers will be able to use Apple Pay at government locations, like national parks, in September.
At a cybersecurity summit held on the Stanford University campus, President Obama outlines a plan for companies and the US government to share information and fend off cyberattacks.
Google wants to cement its position in wearable technology by taking on both the watch and glass markets.
The supersize version of the gorgeous One loads on a 5.9-inch screen, fingerprint scanner, and a microSD card slot.


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Justin Long and his wife Jenny Long just opened a new CBD shop in Ontario, OR last month. According to 670 KBOI, they also hope to add one in Boise Towne Square.
But it’s far from a done deal.
The Longs opened the Golden Nugget CBD store in Ontario on April 13th according to the Malheur Enterprise.
They also own a marijuana dispensary and coffee shop in Sumpter, a small town in Baker County.
Justin Long told KBOI he was ‘just waiting to hear back’ from Boise authorities and mall officials are on board.
“The Mall’s position was quite clear, if it’s signed off on by the Prosecutor or the BPD, that they didn’t have a problem with it,” Long told KBOI.
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No Boise Towne Square deal in place
But Darren Howard with mall owner Brookfield Properties, said no lease is signed and no decision is made.
“This particular entity has been in contact with our leasing team but just as BPD and the City of Boise are vetting this use, I too, am also going through a process to see if this is the right fit at the right time,” Howard told BoiseDev.
He said CBD shops are opening in some of Brookfield’s 161 centers across the country. A decision on such a store in the Boise property will be made with local needs in mind.
“Ultimately I will do what’s best for the center which boils down to evaluating if our shoppers really will benefit from this use or if the demand isn’t there yet,” he said.
BPD would not sign off
A Boise Police Department spokesperson said such approval isn’t something they would put forward.
“We don’t sign off on any type of business like this,” Boise Police Department public information officer Haley Williams said. “BPD has not given the Golden Nugget any type of approval or opinion.”
She said the department would get involved on the backside if the business opened and a complaint came in.
“If there is a reported problem with a particular product that someone is selling, we can investigate that report and will work with the prosecutor to determine what laws apply, if any, based on the results of the investigation,” Williams said.
CBD, THC and Idaho law
The Enterprise said the Longs’ Ontario shop offers items like hard candies, capsules, dog treats and other items. KBOI reports the Boise store would only sell products with 0% tetrahydrocannabinol. THC, as it is known, is the psychoactive substance found in marijuana. CBD products are made from hemp, a genetic relative of marijuana that has low or no THC.
A 2015 opinion from the Idaho Attorney General said to be legally allowed, CBD products “cannot contain ‘any quantity’ of THC.” Otherwise, they would be considered controlled substances.
A separate business has worked to open a CBD shop in Garden City, but has not received approval from that city.


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Examining America’s Vaping Crisis
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now confirmed what most cannabis industry stakeholders had long asserted: Vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent added to some cannabis vape cartridges, is the leading culprit in an outbreak of lung injuries that has reached 49 states and claimed 39 lives.
In early August, some of the first cases of vaping-related lung injuries, known as EVALI, began surfacing. Fast forward three months, and more than 2,000 EVALI cases have since been documented by the CDC.
CDC officials have stressed that vitamin E acetate might not be the only cause, nevertheless, many cannabis industry members have taken it upon themselves to alert consumers of the potentially harmful chemicals that could be lurking in their vaporizers.
Cresco Labs, one of the largest vertically-integrated cannabis companies in the U.S., was one of the earliest to address the issue publicly. In early September, the Chicago-based cannabusiness, which had been tracking the issue for weeks, took to social media to discuss vitamin E acetate and its possible linkage to the outbreak of vaping-related lung illnesses.
Cresco Labs believed in its rigorous protocols that tracked cannabis products from seed to sale. So on Saturday, September 7, Cresco tweeted a statement that laid bare its airtight production process, and how it avoided potentially problematic additives and cutting agents.
A message to our community. pic.twitter.com/q22Vo9OtV8— Cresco Labs (@crescolabs) September 7, 2019
“People were appreciative that we were being so forthcoming with what’s in our products, and what’s not in them,” Jason Erkes, Cresco’s chief communications officer told THCnet.
The tweet, which hinted at a need for stricter regulation, quickly became the company’s most popular social-media post.
In recent years, vaping has become an increasingly popular method of consuming cannabis. Cartridges and disposable devices account for around 15 to 30 percent of sales in legalized states including California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado, according to data from Headset, which tracks purchases in the cannabis industry.
The widespread appeal of vaping cannabis oil lies in its rapid vanishing act. Unlike smoking flower, vaping is discrete, odorless and packs a near-instant onset of THC.
Now, dark clouds have surrounded vaping. As of November 8, a total of 2,051 EVALI cases have been reported to CDC and the epidemic has stuck the cannabis industry in the crosshairs of public officials looking for a target to blame.
In September, Massachusetts initiated a ban on all tobacco and cannabis vaping products, while Oregon enacted a six-month ban on flavored cannabis vaping products in October. (The Oregon Court of Appeals placed a temporary stay against the ban for flavored tobacco products.)
Legal-cannabis states that lack bans have also seen sales slide. Vaping pens accounted for around 32 percent of California’s cannabis market in early August, dropping to 24 percent by mid-September, according to Headset.
“The initial national inclination is to start banning things,” Erkes said, “but it’s important for regulators and enforcement agencies to look at where the problem is coming from.”
Early reports suggested that additives and cutting agents such as Vitamin E acetate, which legalized cannabis companies have said are more often used by black-market producers as a way to dilute the finished product and cut costs, could be to blame.
In September, NBC News commissioned CannaSafe, a California-based testing lab, to analyze 18 THC cartridges — three acquired from legal dispensaries, the remainder from black-market sellers.
The legal cartridges contained no Vitamin E acetate, heavy metals or other contaminants. However, 13 of the 15 unregulated cartridges contained Vitamin E acetate and, troublingly, a fungicide called myclobutanil. It’s commonly used on wine grapes to prevent diseases such as powdery mildew.
The government deems the pesticide safe to ingest in small amounts. But when myclobutanil is heated to 400°F, it releases a stew of toxic gases including hydrogen cyanide.
As the news cycle filled with fearmongering stories such as “The Dangers of Vaping Doctors Want Everyone to Know,” the cannabis vaping crisis cranked the heat on another simmering health concern — teenage vaping. E-cigarette companies such as Juul were under fire for manufacturing flavored cartridges that proved wildly popular, and addictive, to underage teenagers.
Vaping tobacco and cannabis became intertwined, confusingly so.
“The real problem is illicit vaporizers,” said John Oram, the CEO and founder of NUG, a vertically-integrated cannabis company based in California. “It’s not the tobacco vaporizer.”
Oram is one of the industry stakeholders that believes black-market products are the issue.
“How do you stop the illicit market?” he asked.
In California alone, where authorities seized more than $1.5 billion worth of illegal marijuana during fiscal year 2019, it’s estimated that the illicit market is three times as large as the legal market. And not everyone possesses the scientific chops to package cannabis vape products.
“It’s one thing to grow weed in your closet and sell it, but it’s another thing to become a junior chemist in your closet,” said Max Simon, the CEO and co-founder of Green Flower Media, a cannabis education platform.
“Fake chemists are playing important chemistry roles,” he added. “Unfortunately, we’re seeing the repercussions of unregulated, untested, unverified products ultimately getting tainted and making people sick.”
Part of the blame goes to uneven, and even nonexistent, cannabis regulation. When America exited alcohol Prohibition, the government enacted a strict legal framework for the production, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. The decriminalization of cannabis, however, is occurring in a patchwork, state-by-state manner with no federal oversight.
Nationally, cannabis remains a Schedule I drug. In legal states, the regulatory onus largely sits on cannabis producers, who take seriously their roles in manufacturing safe products with dependable dosing.
“Our standards are higher than what you find in the organic food industry,” said Erik Knutson, the CEO and co-founder of Colorado’s Keef Brands. Around 50 percent of the Keef’s sales come from vaping-related products.
As a golden rule, Knutson cautions consumers against purchasing cannabis products from unregulated and unlicensed stores. In states where cannabis remains illegal, vape pens are likely not being produced in regulated facilities, he said.
So where does the cannabis industry go from here?
In a doom-and-gloom scenario, the ongoing crisis could block the bumpy road toward national legalization efforts, halting and even reversing hard-fought gains. At a minimum, cannabis has taken a serious reputational hit.
“This has associated the risk that cannabis can cause people to die,” said Simon of Green Flower.
Former Canopy Growth co-founder and CEO Bruce Linton, who was just named the executive chairman at Vireo Health International, recently told Bloomberg that national legalization of recreational cannabis is unlikely, but that federal laws permitting medical marijuana or “states rights” could be part of the 2020 political conversation.
In the meantime, cannabis companies hope the vaping crisis can help point toward a safer, healthier and even a fully legalized future. Licensed and fully accountable stores selling traceable products might be the necessary medicine to cure the ills of the black market.
“This very tragic experience is a very strong motivation to enact legalization efforts to ensure that unregulated products don’t cause more consumer-safety issues,” said Jeff Mascio, the chief executive officer of Cannabis One, a Colorado aggregator of cannabis retailers and manufacturers.
“Vaping technology is not going anywhere,” he added. “The only thing you can effectively do is regulate it.”


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The third quarter of 2014 was when Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone startup few on this side of the globe will have heard of, grabbed headlines by becoming the world's third biggest smartphone manufacturer, sitting on the podium next to major players Samsung and Apple.
Fast forward three months however, and the reality of the competitive smartphone market will be very clear to Xiaomi.
The company has dropped to sixth spot among smartphone manufacturers in the final three months of 2014 according to the latest results from Strategy Analytics, which places Samsung and Apple joint top having sold 74.5 million smartphones each.
According to research from CounterPoint however, Xiaomi only dropped to fifth place during the fourth quarter of 2014, but either way it will be a wake-up call to a company which was recently valued at $45 billion, making it the most valuable startup in the world.
What will be even more worrying for Xiaomi is the fact that CounterPoint figures show that Apple is now the number one smartphone brand in China, with a 17% share in Q4 compared to Xiaomi's 13% share.
Xiaomi surpassed Samsung last year to take the top spot in China, its home territory and the place where its most fanatical customers live.
As well as Apple, Xiaomi faces increased competition in China from Lenovo and its newly-acquired Motorola brand. Lenovo is now the world's third biggest smartphone manufacturer thanks to the inclusion of sales of its Moto-branded smartphones.
The company is making a renewed push in China, which it calls "the biggest and most exciting smartphone market" and just this week launched the Moto X, Moto G and Moto X Pro smartphones in the country, playing up the fact that these are the first phones to launch with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) installed.
"Golden age coming to an end"
"Lenovo-Motorola and Apple have rapidly upped their game in China and worldwide, and they are starting to chip away at Xiaomi," Neil Mawston, executive director of Strategy Analytics, told Bloomberg. "The 'golden age' of easy growth for Xiaomi is coming to an end."
2014 was a break-out year for Xiaomi. It saw its share of the smartphone market jump from 2.6% to 4.7% with smartphone shipments jumping from 18.7 million to 61.2 million.
This was in part thanks to its expansion beyond China, and the company now sells in more than seven other territories, with India being the second most important market for the company.
The question for 2015 will be whether Xiaomi can push on again and regain the ground it has lost to Lenovo and Huawei in the final three months of 2014.
To do this, Xiaomi launched its flagship smartphones for 2015 earlier this month - the Mi Note and Mi Note Pro - with initial stock of the Mi Note selling out in just three minutes when it went on sale this week.
What will also be key for Xiaomi is launching its smartphones in other territories. The company has said that its goal for 2015 is to launch its smartphones in emerging countries, with Brazil and Russia top of the list.
According to a report by Bloomberg this week, Xiaomi is close to finalising a deal with Russia's second largest network MegaFon according to a spokesperson for the carrier.
Russia could be a hugely lucrative market for Xiaomi, where the demand for low-price smartphones is growing. The ruble price of Apple's iPhone jumped a huge 70% on the back of currency problems earlier this month.
With over 50% of the country's 140 million population still using feature phones there is huge potential for growth for companies offering premium hardware at a budget price.
The big question is whether Xiaomi will be able to replicate the success it has had selling services through its forked version of Android - called MIUI - in another market, or whether it will have to rely on profits from hardware sales.


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With all the rumors going around that a new Crash Bandicoot game was in development, it has shown the world just how much we all want to see the series receive a revival.
During a recent interview with Playstation Magazine UK, Sony Computer Entertainment’s Jim Ryan was asked if the company was aware of the popularity of the series and asked if it’s possible that a new game could be released. Ryan replied..
“Um…we’re certainly aware of the considerable affection—even reverence—in which the mighty Crash is held. But nothing to update at this stage in that area.
One thing is clear: fans are hungry for a new Crash game, and they are making their voice heard. Hopefully some bit of information surfaces at E3 so that fans have something to chew on.”


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The Reliance group’s retail effort, Reliance Retail, is at the heart of consumer-facing businesses. It has established strong and lasting ties with millions of customers in a short period by offering them an unrivaled selection, great value proposition, superior quality, and unrivaled experience across all of its stores. Reliance Retail has democratized access to a variety of products and services across multiple segments for Indian consumers by operating a chain of neighborhood stores, supermarkets, wholesale cash & carry stores, specialty stores, and online stores.
The Reliance Retail IPO status
Reliance Retail’s unlisted shares have more than tripled in value since January last year, trading between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,550. The company is worth Rs 7.50 lakh crore at Rs 1,500 a share. Last year, RIL adjusted Reliance Retail’s obligatory share swap ratios and began selling stakes to global private equity groups.
Reliance Retail shares are currently trading between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,550 a share, according to Sambhav Aggarwal of Arms Securities, as quoted by the business daily. Arms Securities is a Delhi-based unlisted stock brokerage firm. Since the corporation sold stakes to raise money last year, the premium has more than doubled.
Reliance Industries launched a scheme of arrangement in December, when Reliance Retail shares were trading at Rs 900 apiece, in which Reliance Retail shareholders were offered one share of RIL in exchange for four shares of Reliance Retail. The shares of Reliance Retail were valued at around Rs 380 per share under this program. Reliance Retail’s stock dropped to Rs 400 per share as a result.
Later in January, during an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), Reliance changed the share-swap arrangement for retail venture shareholders from mandatory to optional. The stock has risen sharply on the unlisted market since then.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is preparing to conduct Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) of its retail and oil-to-chemicals (O2C) businesses to take advantage of the market’s IPO frenzy. According to a banker familiar with the situation, at least one of the IPOs will go public this fiscal year.
Reliance Retail operates a convenience store, supermarket, wholesale cash & carry, and specialty store chain. These stores strive to provide variety and choice, as well as convenience and great value. This corporation operates retail locations in a wide range of categories around the country, as well as a huge number of partner brand stores.
The company announced that it has been debt-free and has raised more than Rs 1.68 lakh crore in just 58 days, implying that it will have one of the world’s strongest balance sheets.
In terms of market capitalization, Reliance Retail has eclipsed listed blue chips such as HDFC Bank and HUL.
Reliance Retail has a topline of almost 2 lakh crore as compared to DMart, which has a market capitalization of 1.5 lakh crore and a topline of 25,000 crores. As a result, it is around seven times the size of the topline.
Reliance Retail has surpassed the $100 billion value milestone, becoming the fourth Indian business to do so.
Why invest in Reliance Retail
Reliance Retail has established exclusive partnerships with several well-known international brands, including Diesel, Superdry, Hamleys, Ermenegildo Zegna, Marks and Spencer, Paul & Shark, Thomas Pink, Kenneth Cole, Brooks Brothers, Steve Madden, Payless Shoesource, Grand Vision, and many others.
For FY21, the company is expected to report a net profit of Rs 5,570 crore on revenues of Rs 1,35,310 crore.
In the midst of a second wave of the virus, the company is seen as doing well, especially when citizens are searching for home deliveries.
The reliance industry is an independent channel and is into leading companies and thus one can think of investment in Reliance. To know more about it check out our blogs on Babli Investment and keep looking for more updates. Babli Investments always keep the client’s money safe and give useful updates regarding how to invest money safely.


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The hot air emitted from almost a century of White House Correspondents' Association Dinners has surely done its fair share to warm the Earth. So this year, Washington's journalistic community is going green. Cue the self-congratulatory pomposity.
Of course taking dramatic measures to reduce the carbon footprint of the nation's journalistic establishment is not without cost; "the most eco-friendly dinner ever hosted by the association" will cost $225 a head, up from $200 last year. Calls for attendees to offset carbon they emit on the way to the gala fit nicely with the Association's, er, shall we say affiliation with the liberal agenda.
Yes, it's all well and good that these folks want to help out the environment. But do they really need another reason to pat themselves on the backs while the President lavishes praise upon the Association and its members satisfy what the Weekly Standard describes as a "shameless and apparently indestructible need to give awards to one another, in a kind of daisy chain without end"?
In all, prices will be raised, the Association will be using paper products for the dinner, and attendees will be encouraged to carpool or buy carbon offsets.
The WHCA released this announcement on its website late last month:
...for the first time in its 96-year history, the association is taking action to reduce the carbon impact of its annual black-tie gala; these actions include using as much as possible renewable energy for the event, paper products, supplies and services that reduce the threat of global warming, deforestation, toxic wastes, hazardous chemicals and species extinction.
="This will be the most eco-friendly dinner ever hosted by the association,'' said Edwin Chen, the group's president and a Bloomberg News White House correspondent.
"And we encourage our members and guests to join in that effort, such as by car-pooling, using hybrid vehicles and, for long-distance travelers to Washington, buying carbon-offsets,'' Chen said.


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Tom Clarke, a prohibited cannabis dealership for 3 years, was amongst the very first to make a legal sale in Canada when his shop opened at midnight regional time in Portugal Cove, Newfoundland. He made his first sale to his daddy and a lineup of about 50 to 100 people waited outside his shop.The stores are
among a minimum of 111 legal stores anticipated to open on Wednesday, with much more to come.
“This is awesome. I have actually been waiting my entire life for this. I served my father,” Clarke said. “I am so happy to be living in Canada today instead of south of the border.”
Clarke, whose middle name is Herb, has been called THC for years by his buddies. His father, Don, said he was thrilled he was among the very first customers of legal pot.
“It’s been a long period of time coming. We have actually only been discussing this for 50 years. It’s much better late than never,” he said.In nearby St. John’s, Newfoundland, hundreds of consumers were lined up around the block at the private store on Water Street, the main commercial drag in the provincial capital, by the time the clock struck midnight. A joyful atmosphere broke out, with some consumers illuminating on the pathway and motorists beeping their horns in support as they drove by the crowd.Canada Marijuana Legalization
: A Guide to Marijuana Laws by Province Ian Power, who was initially in line, stated he prepares to
frame his purchase.The shops are among at least 111 legal pot stores expected to open across the
country of 37 million individuals on Wednesday, with much more to come, according to an Associated Press survey of the provinces.Canadians likewise can buy cannabis items through sites run by provinces or private merchants and have it provided to their houses by mail.Alberta and Quebec have set the minimum age for purchase at 18, while others have actually made it 19. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said it’s time for the U.S. federal government to
follow Canada’s lead.No stores will open in Ontario, which consists of Toronto. The most populated province is working
on its regulations and doesn’t anticipate stores until next spring.Ryan Bose, 48, a Lyft motorist in Toronto, said it’s about
time.”Alcohol took my grandpa and it took his youngest boy, and weed has taken no one from me ever,”he said.A patchwork of policies has spread out in Canada as each province takes its own approach within the framework set out by the federal government.
Some are running government-run stores, some are allowing private merchants, some both.Canada’s nationwide method has allowed for unconfined market banking, inter-province deliveries of marijuana and billions of dollars in investment– a sharp contrast with nationwide prohibition in the United States.7 Cannabis Strains to Commemorate Canadian Legalization (Yup, Including Beasters)9 U.S. states have actually legalized
leisure use of pot, and more than 30 have actually approved medical marijuana. California, the biggest legal market in the U.S., earlier this month ended up being the very first state with a law mandating expungement of criminal convictions for marijuana-related offenses that no are longer illegal.Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said it’s time for the U.S. federal government to follow Canada’s lead.A representation of
a cannabis bud hangs from the ceiling at a band plays at Leafly’s countdown party in Toronto Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, as they prepare to mark the legalization of Cannabis throughout Canada.(Chris Young/The Canadian Press by means of AP)”Now that our neighbor to the north is opening its legal cannabis market, the longer we postpone,
the longer we miss out on possibly considerable financial chances for Oregon and other states
throughout the country,”he stated in a statement.U.S. Custom-mades and Border Defense invited Canadian media to a conference call on Tuesday so authorities could reiterate that marijuana stays prohibited under U.S. federal law and that those who are captured at the border with pot are subject
to detain and prosecution.As Canada invites legalization, supply shortages might develop, as taken place in some U.S. states when legalization arrived.Yes, You Can Fly With Marijuana in Canada Trevor Fencott, chief executive of Fire and Flower, said his company has 15 Alberta shops staffed and ready to offer marijuana, but the province has actually supplied just sufficient product to open 3 of them Wednesday.”We understand some of the kinks or growing pains that feature developing an industry out of whole cloth in 24 months,” Fencott said.Brenda Tobin and her kid Trevor plan to open their pot
shop in Labrador City in Newfoundland and Labrador at 4:20 p.m. Wednesday– 420 is slang for the usage of cannabis. Tobin, a longtime convenience store owner, stated they will be cutting a ribbon and cake.”We are simply ecstatic, “she said.She does not anticipate to make much money off the pot itself, noting Newfoundland’s 8 percent cap on retail pot profits. She hopes to generate income from pipes, bongs and marijuana stuff.” There’s no money in the product itself,
“she stated.”You got to offer$ 250,000 worth of product in order to make $20,000. That’s not even paying somebody’s income.” TORONTO (AP)– Canada is now the biggest country with a legal national cannabis marketplace as sales began early Wednesday in Newfoundland.Cannabis Legalization Day in Canada: Leafly’s Live Coverage And there was more good news for pot fanatics: Hours prior to a handful of retail outlets opened in the nation’s easternmost province a federal
official informed The Associated Press that Canada will pardon all those with convictions for having up to 30 grams of cannabis, the now-legal threshold.A formal announcement was planned for later Wednesday. The official, who was not authorized to speak public ahead
of the announcement, stated those who wish to benefit from the pardons will need to apply.Canada has had legal medical cannabis because 2001 and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government has spent 2 years pursuing expanding that to include so-called leisure cannabis. The objective is to much better show society’s altering opinion about marijuana and bring illicit operators into a regulated system.


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Azure’s versatility makes it possible to play Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X/S without compromising.
According to the Microsoft Game Stack team, this should not be an issue. That Microsoft Flight Simulator, thanks to its Azure cloud architecture, will also work almost without compromise on devices weaker than consoles and mobile devices, since the game will of course be playable via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
“With the architecture of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the future is rapidly coming in the form of continuous product and platform improvements. Above all, this includes access to a wide range of devices.” “While the initial release of the product required powerful PCs, the Azure architecture will enable the Microsoft Flight Simulator experience on other devices as well – especially Xbox consoles and eventually mobile devices. The democratization of this hardware means that the product no longer needs more of power on the device for scalability, but rather just a bandwidth flow.
Jörg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, sagt ebenfalls, dass Azure „jedem Gerät erlaubt, über sein Gewicht hinauszuwachsen.” Er fügt hinzu: „Was Sie jetzt sehen, wovon die Leute auf eolinem-rate Swicht 3.000 beeDin times? It appears largely unchanged on a $500 console, and we’re working on making it available to less specific devices like phones.”
Microsoft Flight Simulator It will be released for Xbox Series X/S on July 27, 2021 and will run at 30 frames per second. From day one, the game will be included in your Xbox Game Pass subscription.


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Instagram users had been in frenzy over the contemporary exchange in Instagram’s algorithm, however optimistically they won’t miss the modern update quickly to hit the platform. Instagram is letting customers publish longer videos. No longer will you need to awkwardly crop your Instagram videos or make double posts to squeeze your highlights onto your friend’s dashes. The update will allow customers to put up movies as much as 60 seconds more in length, and to top the deal, they’re bringing again the multi-clip function that allows customers to crop a couple of Instagram videos into one post. The replace begins in these days, and can continuously get rolled out to other Instagram users.
Instagram influencers and users can now submit movies that are up to 60 seconds in Instagram video length which is greater from an earlier Instagram video length of 15 seconds.
The change is launching on iOS and Android nowadays and should be on hand to all users within the coming months. About two months in the past, Instagram made it possible for advertisers to publish videos as much as one-minute long. Nonetheless, at present, first time users and creatives have the equal capability on how long are Instagram videos.
“We wish to convey you enjoyable, bendy and creative ways to create and watch Instagram videos on Instagram,” Instagram stated in an ad. “Longer movies imply more various studies from the accounts you like”
Why does a 60-2nd restrict make experience? It’s all about optimizing viewership metrics, according to some critics. It’s about preserving users in the feed, not like YouTube wherein the users bounce from video to video. Unlike this, Instagram wishes the users to finish videos on how long are Instagram videos.
Some critics noted that among videos up to four minutes in Instagram video length, viewership quite often peaks at the one-minute mark earlier than trailing off. A study this by means of video analytics corporation Tubular Labs, discovered that the ordinary duration of a Facebook video is set 1.5 minutes. Instead of risking to lose a number of viewers after one-minute, requiring shorter videos helps ensure that users will complete them. The extended length additionally gives creatives and influencers more freedom to get their message across and influence their audience.
The update on Instagram video length can even reinstate the users’ capacity to create a video using multiple clips from their camera roll. Many customers had been turning to outside apps to stitch video clips together. The present update should encourage extra users to stay within the app from begin to conclusion.
Videos are more and more essential to Instagram, which recently hit 400 million monthly active customers. Over the past six months, the period of time users have spent staring at Instagram movies has multiplied by way of 40%, Instagram said. Because Instagram revamped its curated “explore” tab, the company has been serving the users more curated videos in collections built around accounts and places, similar to musicians, athletes, architecture and beaches. The longer Instagram video length could support the amount of time customers spend within the app and can make Instagram become extra valuable as a search instrument and on live events.
Instagram has hinted that users can count on to look for more new video features later this year. Although Instagram’s promoting industry is still young, it is anticipated to have mobile advertisement revenue of $1.37 billion in the U.S. and $1.48 billion worldwide this year. The influence of video advertisements on Facebook suggests that videos are additional keys to Instagram’s industry. In November, Facebook stated it sees 8 billion video views every day. Facebook has mentioned it is exploring to giving users a dedicated situation for watching videos via its flagship app.


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Glastonbury Festival officially kicks off today and we can't wait to see which of our favourite style stars will be knocking back the bubbly in the VIP tent. Earlier this year the likes of Alexa Chung, Solange Knowles and Katy Perry showed off their festival fashion at Coachella in LA, but no doubt with the temperamental weather we're currently experiencing in the UK, Glasto is set to be a very different kind of affair. Expect wellies ahoy and waterproofs-a-go-go.
Luckily a little bit of rain has never stopped Alexa and co from looking chic before. The presenter and model posted a flashback photo of herself wearing a hoodie from a Glastonbury gone by on Instagram, which also features a younger Pixie Geldof with bleached hair and a checked shirt. Here's hoping the two pals will definitely be there this time round - they’d join ‘Made In Chelsea’s’ Millie Mackintosh who yesterday revealed her messy packing antics as she prepared to support fiancé Professor Green who is performing this year. She could do with a little advice from festival pro Kate Moss. No word on whether the Glasto veteran will be heading down to Somerset yet. Fingers crossed!
Meanwhile Rita Ora is in Malta to perform a gig for MTV. The singer took advantage of the sunshine and did an impromptu Instagram photoshoot wearing her new TOMBOY bikini. You can shop the swimwear here.
Click through the gallery to see the best celebrity pics on Instagram today...


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Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign-up here.
Microsoft And OpenX Get Cozy
OpenX CEO Tim Cadogan has made a multi-year deal with Microsoft that will make OpenX technology more widely available and allow his company to leverage (what looks to be) Microsoft’s PubCenter contextual targeting for OpenX customers. Microsoft gets access to tons of publishers in its competition with Google AdSense. In a Reuters article, Alexei Oreskovic writes that OpenX gets access to more large customers (Or, perhaps it’s a potential acquirer down the road?). Read more.
So, where is Atlas and AdECN in all this? After all, ad serving and exchange capabilities are built into OpenX. AdExchanger.com inquired and according to a Microsoft spokesperson, “Microsoft continues to support the Atlas AdManager and AdECN products and their customers. This agreement does not impact our plans in those areas. On the contrary, we see this as a way to accelerate the delivery of ad serving solutions to a broad range of customers.”
What Display Needs
Russ Glass, CEO of Bizo, says that if you can’t beat it, join it (pretty much) in his piece on online display advertising in AdWeek. Glass offers three steps for the online ad industry to help improve display including “Getting Transparent.” Read more from Glass – including the other two steps.
DataLogix Now Serving Nielsen
This news should speak to some of the brand marketers out there that are in love with their offline data. Nielsen announced that it is making available its PRIZM custom audience segments through DataLogix which will allow advertisers to anonymously target consumers online based on offline data. Mike Shields has more in Mediaweek.
Gene De Libero from the BBC looks at the semantic web on the AdMonsters blog and how semantic tagging could positively impact the relevance of marketing messages for the consumer. Read more.
EyeWonder Addresses Visibility
As part of its rich media toolkit, EyeWonder announced the “Ad Visibility Suite” which – according to the company – will help advertisers understand “the actual real time an online ad is physically within the viewable area of a browser.” The new feature became available to EyeWonder clients as of November 1. Read the release.
IAB Lobbying And The FTC
With regulation looming, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) is lobbying Congress to make sure that the chief-ad-watchdog-in-charge, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), isn’t given the keys to the kingdom with a proposed new bill. Wendy Davis of MediaPost says, “the bill would effectively make FTC Chair Jon Leibowitz an ‘Internet czar.'” Read more.
With fourth quarter layoffs in-store for IPG, a steady shift of power is taking place within the holding company as DraftFCB is on its way up the charts in comparison to perennial powerhouse McCann Worldwide, which is struggling, according to Rupal Parekh of Advertising Age. With IPGs commitment to Mediabrands’ Cadreon, it will be interesting to see how Cadreon is rolled out within the wider holding company given some of the turmoil. Read more.
Field Tripping With Your VC
VC firm First Round Capital (investors in AppNexus, Invite Media, Demdex, Aggregate Knowledge among others) organized a summit between its portfolio companies and “over 100 Hollywood technology and media executives” in the L.A. area last week reports First Round’s Chris Fralic on the firm’s blog. Read about it.
Ad Network And Exchange Bill Of Rights
On Imedia Connection, Jay Friedman of Goodway Group who owns the Beep! automotive network reveals his “Agencies/Advertisers Verification Bill of Rights” as it relates to the use of ad networks. Friedman says he plans . IASH in the UK is already running with a verification-themed system. Friedman says he wants to present it to the Ad Network & Exchange committee of the IAB for adoption by its members. Read more.
Against The GRP
Razorfish’s Jeremy Lockhorn writes on ClickZ that even though it would make things much simpler to use a GRP metric so that buyers could better understand what they’re getting from online (video, in this case), he thinks there’s got to be something better. Lockhorn thinks the days of panel-based metrics are over as the core of media buying. Read more.
Serving Ads With Flies
From “Blogilvy,” a blog by peeps at Ogilvy, comes a link to a novel approach for online display advertising. Though non-digital in its implementation, it’s worthy of attention in that it’s the first time flies have been used to deliver ads. Really. See the video. (source: @OGILVY)


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Well, last year’s list of all upcoming PS4 games was such a success that we’ve decided to do you one better by creating a mammoth list of all known PlayStation games planned for release in 2015 in North America. The list is a real monster, comprised of games across PS4, PS3, and PS Vita.
The usual caveats apply. Development schedules sometimes shift, so this list can (and will) change as the months go by. But we’re planning to keep this updated all year long to reflect any changes, so feel free to bookmark it for future reference.
Today Sega released a new trailer with English voiceovers of the upcoming mainline Yakuza game Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.


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The Doctors are joined LaRayia Gaston, the founder of Lunch on Me, to discuss her mission to bring healthy organic food to people who need it the most.
LaRayia's nonprofit delivers healthy plant-based meals to the hungry and now she is opening La Bodega, a .99 cent organic food store in Los Angeles in order to make healthy food available to more people. She tells us the store's goal is "food justice and allowing organic food to be accessible by all."
She shares that 1 in 6 kids in America live in a home with an empty refrigerator and this inspired her to create more access to healthy food. She explains that more and more food is being purchased at discount stores due to prices and people's access to organic food, and La Bodega can help serve these people and give them the opportunity to buy healthy items.
"This condition is happening because it is reflective of how people feel about underserviced people," she says of the growing homeless crisis. "If people were loved, they wouldn't be in this condition... you have to love, respect and see people."
If you would like more information on how to donate or volunteer to Lunch On Me visit their website here.


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Home Hardware Stores Ltd. has announced its 2022 Virtual Spring Market will be held March 7-14, 2022, with the theme will be “Elevate.” This eight-day event will bring the Home Hardware community together and give retailers the ability to learn about new buying opportunities, innovative products and category trends.
“As we continue to reach new heights on our journey to become a dealer-owned integrated retailer, it is only fitting that the theme for our 2022 Virtual Spring Market is ‘Elevate’,” says Kevin Macnab, president and CEO of Home Hardware Stores Limited. “Home Hardware is focused on growth and investment to drive profitability for our close to 1,100 dealer-owned stores. Elevating the programs and services we offer will allow us to become an even stronger, more competitive retailer.”
Over the past two years, Home Hardware has been virtually hosting markets for dealer-owners and suppliers. While Home Hardware is eager to bring its community together, health and safety remain the priority, and it will continue to monitor the global pandemic and guidance from health officials.
Home Hardware Stores Ltd. is Canada’s largest dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials and furniture home improvement retailer with close to 1,100 stores under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners.
Read about Home Hardware’s 2021 Virtual Fall Market here.


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Google attempts to get a leap on Apple by Acquiring 'Raxium' a cutting edge microLED technology company for Mixed Reality Glasses+
It's being reported that Google has struck a deal to acquire "Raxium," a 5-year old startup that is on the cutting edge of MicroLEDs, enabling a new class of smaller and more powerful display products, ranging from augmented and virtual reality micro-displays to life-size panel-based light field arrays. The new displays will be aimed at AR and VR glasses.
The Information is reporting that Raxium hasn't released a commercial product, but its work revolves around Micro LEDs, which can make the kind of tiny displays AR devices need. Today, pretty much everyone buys their OLED display technology from Samsung, but Micro LEDs are expected to be the next big thing, and there's no clear winner in that market yet. Apple has been investing in the technology for some time and bought a Micro LED startup in 2014, while Meta is partnering with a company called Plessey for Micro LED tech. The juggernaut Samsung is also interested in the market and is already selling Micro LED TVs."
Google's latest wave of AR development involves job listings for an "Augmented Reality OS" that promises to reach "billions" of people and a "Project Iris" AR headset that could be coming to market in 2024. The hardware division also bought a company called "North" last June which specialized in AR glasses.
At least on paper, the acquisition of Raxium is going to be a major development for Google's move into the mixed reality headset and/or glasses market where Apple and Meta will be major competitors. Owning the very microLED technology for headsets could give Google an edge over their competition.
(Click on image to Enlarge)


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Trump Ruined His Brand and Now Ours - America’s Reputation Plummets
Hard to find adequate words at how awful this is.
(CNN)America’s brand has taken a major hit in the age of Trump.
At least that’s according to a survey that ranks the world’s best nation brands.
The United States lands with an overall No. 6 ranking in the Anholt-GfK Nation Brands Index, which measures 50 nations in multiple categories, including governance, exports, culture, people, tourism and immigration/investment. The United States was the overall No. 1 in 2016, but Germany took the top spot this year.
The source of America’s big drop? President Donald Trump, says Simon Anholt, a political consultant who developed the brand survey more than a decade ago.


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Oulu, Finland, September 25, 2017 – Bittium will exhibit its newest products and solutions for tactical communications at Defence Communications event in Krakow, Poland on September 26-27. At the event Bittium will showcase the recently launched Bittium Tough SDR product family, which includes Bittium Tough SDR Handheld™, tactical handheld radio for individual soldiers, and Bittium Tough SDR Vehicular™, tactical radio for vehicle installations. Also showcased will be the versatile Bittium Tough Comnode™ terminal.
At the event Bittium also has a speaker slot with the topic “Considerations for national certification of software defined tactical communications”. The presentation will cover software based products and solutions used in tactical communications and their possibilities for national certification. Bittium’s speaker is Mr. Ilkka Uhari, European Sales Director, Defense & Security.
Products presented at the event:
The products are compatible with all Bittium’s tactical communications products and solutions, combine the latest software and device technologies, and enable comprehensive broadband data transfer and IP calls across the battlefield. The products offer diverse connectivity options also to third-party equipment and systems.
More information on Bittium’s products and solutions for tactical communications: https://www.bittium.com/products__services/defense .
Senior Vice President, Defense & Security
Tel. +358 40 344 3507
Bittium specializes in the development of reliable, secure communications and connectivity solutions, leveraging its 30 year legacy of expertise in advanced radio communication technologies. Bittium provides innovative products and services, customized solutions based on its product platforms and R&D services. Complementing its communications and connectivity solutions, Bittium offers proven information security solutions for mobile devices and portable computers. From November 2016 onwards, Bittium offers its customers also healthcare technology products and services in biosignal measuring in the areas of cardiology, neurology, rehabilitation, occupational health and sports medicine. Net sales in 2016 was EUR 64.2 million and operating profit was EUR 2.5 million. Bittium is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.bittium.com .


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Svolt Energy, a battery supply affiliate of major Chinese light-truck maker Great Wall Motor Co., said it started to take orders for cobalt-free lithium ion battery cells.
The move was announced by Svolt President Yang Hongxin at an event at the battery supplier’s R&D center in the east China city of Wuxi on Wednesday.
Svolt will begin mass production of the battery cells in June 2021. The battery cells will first be used in an EV that Great Wall is due to launch in the domestic market in July, Yang said at the event.
In addition to Great Wall, Svolt has supplied its cobalt-free battery cells for tests at virtually all domestic and foreign automakers operating in China, he noted.
The battery cells are also being tested by automakers in Europe and the U.S., and the feedback is very positive, he added, without identifying the automakers.
Svolt, initially the battery unit of Great Wall, was spun off as a separate company in 2018.
Last month, the company disclosed a plan to spend $2.4 billion to build a battery module and pack factory as well as a cell factory with a 24 gigawatt-hour production capacity in Saarland in western Germany.
The battery module and pack plant will launch output in mid-2022 while the cell factory will start production in late 2023, according to Svolt.


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CBD—a purified weed extract that won’t get you stoned—is used to treat everything from breast cancer to stress relief, epilepsy to aching joints. VICE met up with David Bonvillain, who runs the CBD company Elite Botanicals, for an inside scoop on the extract’s “limitless future.”
- Judge Overturns Detroit Medical Cannabis Initiative
- Canada’s Alberta Sets Out Rules for Recreational Pot Shops
- Province of Newfoundland and Labrador Issues RFP for Cannabis Retailers
- Lawmakers Consider Lowering Number of Marijuana Plants Mainers Can Grow
- Unless You’re a Citizen, Legal Marijuana Isn’t for You
Connecticut lawmakers have put recreational marijuana back on the table — sort of. According to the CT Post, lawmakers are curious as to how they would successfully regulate the drug if it were ever to be legalized in the New England state.
While the locations for New Brunswick cannabis stores were only recently announced, the province is moving full steam ahead, completing design plans for the retail cannabis properties expected to open this summer.
Is alcohol worse for your brain than cannabis? According to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, the answer is yes.


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Meet the finalists in the Compact Hatch category of the 2020/21 #CarsAwards powered by WesBank!
Now in its 6th year, the #CarsAwards was conceived to be South Africa's definitive automotive awards programme and... Read More
Here are 5 of the most popular and most searched for used cars on South Africa’s most loved car website, Cars.co.za!
New cars are increasingly becoming prohibitively expensive for many South Africans,... Read More
The new Volkswagen logo is slowly being rolled out across the entire VW portfolio. Locally, the first model range to get the new badge is the Polo.
At the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. the German brand unveiled what it... Read More
Belgian tuners have given the Volkswagen Polo GTI Golf R-beating power and it sounds as insane as you'd think.
The Volkswagen Polo GTI is our current Fun Hatch champion in the #CarsAwards powered by WesBank, but... Read More
We list the most fuel-efficient, budget-friendly cars currently available in South Africa!
Fuel prices in South Africa have reduced drastically as a result of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the... Read More
Volkswagen has revealed the all-new Polo Sedan. Sadly, it's for the Russian car market only. Should it come to South Africa?
Volkswagen Russia has released the official details of its new-generation Polo... Read More
The Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank – celebrated its 5-year landmark when the programme’s 13 category winners and the recipient of the Brand of the Year title were announced during a... Read More


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Known as one of the best sports car on the market, the Nissan GT-R represents the dream of any tuning company. One of the Japanese top tuners, PowerHouse Amuse unveiled its latest tuning programme for the so-called ”Godzilla”. For those who don’t know the “standard” version of the GT-R has already 473 hp buy it looks like this didn’t sound too well for the Japanese engineers: the vehicle comes now with an astonishing 611 hp at 6200 rpm.
In order to improve the performances of the car the tuner added their new R1 Titan exhaust system, new suspensions, a front lip spoiler and rear wing. Now all we have to do is wait and see Mine’s response to this customization programme.


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Mobile phone manufacturer Motorola has announced it will be working with Dave Hakkens on his modular phone project Phonebloks.
More precisely, Motorola has been working on its own modular system in the past year called Project Ara, which is designed to be “a free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones. We want to do for hardware what the Android platform has done for software: create a vibrant third-party developer ecosystem, lower the barriers to entry, increase the pace of innovation, and substantially compress development timelines.”
The manufacturer will now be “engaging with the Phonebloks community throughout [Project Ara’s] development process.” The idea behind Phonebloks is to create a modular phone to combat electronic waste—instead of throwing out an entire phone because a component is broken, you swap out the broken component instead. Phonebloks is looking for manufacturers who want to work in their ecosystem.
Motorola was once a major player on the mobile phone market. It was recently acquired by Google. Dave Hakkens is a 2013 graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven.


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Streaming music service Deezer has announced its first US foray with a new lossless service called Deezer Elite available exclusively to Sonos users.
The minivan to make you forget (most of) the reasons you hate minivans.
The wild, weird social experiment that has enraptured Pokemon fanatics for the last two and a half weeks has succeeding in beating the game's final foes.
Sharon Vaknin hacks through endless cardboard and Styrofoam to reveal a single-serve coffee machine that delivers caffeine in a pinch
From Ellison to Musk to Bezos, technology's richest can't seem to stay away from wacky desires to live forever, colonize other planets, and recreate the plot line of "Deep Impact," minus the apocalypse.
Verizon's Hydro Elite packs an 8-megapixel camera, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and a 4.3-inch screen--all in a waterproof construction.
Take a dive with the Kyocera Hydro Elite, a waterproof handset from Verizon that's equipped with an 8-megapixel camera, Android 4.1, and 4G LTE.
The arrival of a new generation of well-heeled techies triggers laments about counterculture ruin in the Nevada desert. Sorry, but you can put a sock in it.
One of the world's finest creators of comic book horror has teamed up with The Pokémon Company for a special "scary" collaboration.
Already popular with professional athletes, this quirky vertical training modality is making its consumer debut in a sunny beach town where appearances are everything.


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Nespresso is one of four retail brands to achieve a perfect score of 100 for in-store customer service, according to a recent shopper study of 265 retail brands by brand strategy adviser, Be Brands. The score was based on six criteria, including the welcome or first approach, contact with the customer, ability to communicate why the brand is important, store design, staff commitment and functionality of the brand’s website.
Secret shoppers visited retail stores between February and August 2015 to engage with staff in three shopping centres in Victoria and NSW.
Be Brands founder Simon Hammond said the best brands trained staff to know why their brand existed and why it mattered, and ensured they were able to tell a story linked to all aspects of the brand.
“Australian-bred retailers have let international brands walk in and grab market share due to their investment in their brands, as much as buying power and economies of scale,” he said.


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You get a Ford Fiesta! And you get a Ford Fiesta! And 98 other bloggers, tweeters, and social media users get a Ford Fiesta!
The U.S. automaker reintroduced its Fiesta Movement campaign this week, which will provide bloggers and other high-profile individuals with the keys to 100 brand-new Fiestas for a six-month test drive. The only catch: They have to document the experience online.
Ford's head of social media, Scott Monty, called the move a "social remix" of a similar 2009 campaign, according to The Guardian, which reported that some undisclosed celebrities will take up a few of those 100 spots.
The photos and videos participants share via social media may end up in Ford's TV and print advertising campaigns, Monty said.
The Fiesta Movement launched four years ago, when the small hatchback first drove onto U.S. lots. The initial social media campaign resulted in thousands of applicants, and The Guardian expects even more to sign up this time.
Applications opened online Tuesday to anyone 21 and over; successful participants will get their cars in April or May. Anyone interested in snagging a sweet ride for half a year can sign up by creating an account, then sharing a video explanation of they should be a Fiesta agent. "Get creative. Surprise us," the site said. "And show us what we can't read about in your application."
Additional questions about marital status, children, employment, and driving history (transmission preference, valid driver's license) round out the questionnaire. But Ford is looking for more than a unique story and someone who speaks three languages. The application also asks participants to rate their skill level in the areas of audio/video equipment and software, social networking, blogging/vlogging, and photography.
A heavy social media presence is also a plus: Ford asks for your profile URL from a number of popular networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, and Reddit.
Those who snag a set of Fiesta keys will also be treated to six months of free gas, insurance, and "all the necessary tools you'll need as an agent," the site said.
Though the Guardian story mentions that "bloggers" will be eligible to become Ford agents, the Fiesta Movement website does not actually mention the word, instead putting out the call for "the most vibrant voices and talented storytellers."
Back in 2009, around the same time that the first Fiesta campaign got started, the Federal Trade Commission released disclosure guidelines for bloggers. Those guidelines required bloggers who received payment or goods from a company in order to write about a product to disclose that in their post. It also required them to disclose what the average consumer should expect from a given product.
Ford's 2009 effort gave the company a huge boost: more than 23,000 Fiestas sold in the second half of 2010, and more than 69,000 in 2011, The Guardian reported. But since sales slowed heavily last year, Ford is hoping the 2013 "social remix" can lift the manufacturer back up.
For more about the Fiesta Movement, check out Ford's video below.
For more from Stephanie, follow her on Twitter @smlotPCMag.
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Climate & Enviroment
World Wetlands Day: Preserving wetlands challenging
Kathmandu. The World Wetlands Day is being marked today. The wetlands that are considered fertile land for human life,...
Drying springs and shrinking streams in Gulmi
Santosh Mahatara/RSS.Govinda Bishwokarma from Malika Rural Municipality-5 of Gulmi remembers, “There were springs in his own land. In the...
Pay heed to high mountain biodiversity, experts suggest
In the wake of the UN Climate Conference, COP-27, where Nepal government actively participated and put forth mountain issues,...
COP-27: Achievement for Nepal
Kathmandu. The stakeholders and experts have said the UN climate conference, COP-27, held in Sharm el Sheikh city of...
As COP27 makes halfway, decisive negotiation is left to the political level
Narayan Prasad Ghimire/RSS. As the UN climate change conference, COP27, has come a halfway to the two-week-long event in...
Fast Fashion is destroying the World
Kathmandu. Looking at the current situation of Nepali fashion market, new fashion trends are coming almost daily. The number...
US lawmaker Bhojani in Nepal’s tourism promotionSeptember 24, 2023
Apple production declines in Dhorpatan areaSeptember 24, 2023
Midea launches its Dashain & Tihar Festive Offer 2080September 24, 2023
More than four hundred students graduate from The British CollegeSeptember 24, 2023
Unlock your Dream: eSewa offers for a Free HomeSeptember 19, 2023


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The new year will bring little to no traffic growth for the total U.S. foodservice market. Quick service restaurants, however, will increase visits by an estimated 1 percent, faring better than the flat growth achieved in 2016. The modest gain for QSRs will offset the anticipated 2 percent decline for full-service restaurants, resulting in no-growth traffic for the industry overall, according to NPD Groups daily tracking of U.S. consumers use restaurants and other foodservice outlets. Restaurant Loyalty Programs More restaurant operators are likely to develop loyalty programs in the new year to entice customers to visit their restaurants.
Published January 30, 2017


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Apple Watch has all its users awestruck from every perspective of technology owing to the health-related and trending technological advances added to the small electronic. The new series of the watch believes in taking health care to the next level that is by using an electrocardiogram-based technique to test whether the heart is functioning normally. Apple has its new version of a mobile electrocardiogram that is the ECG app ready to hit the market through the watch series with the permission to check to heart in every step without being confined to the hospitals. The regulators have already cleared its utilization across every city in Europe and the UK.
The general practitioners (GP) are already concerned as the pressure on the doctors is only going to double as they have to deal with patients believing more of their mobile obtained data rather than the doctor’s piece of advice and in the long run, lead to a number of heart-related abnormalities. The app works by noting the heart rhythm with the help of electrodes present on the circlet of the watch. After the reading is captured a PDF of the entire chart is sent to the user’s phone directly. According to Apple, the ECG app works with a lot of accuracies and also the capability of identifying irregularities if any in the rhythm.
Apple’s vice-president of health Sumbul Desai was the pioneer behind the development as she herself was a practicing physician and thus is quite stern that the data will remain secure and can be shared with the doctors when required. The product is definitely going to bridge the gap between the patients and physicians rather than widening it. In California at an event, Apple had its Apple Card Credit concept introduced. This new technology with the support of Goldman Sachs has been introduced to help users as there are places where the mobile payments are still not accepted. It is in-built in the Apple Wallet app and also integrates easily with Apple Pay. There is a laser-etched titanium card developed with no account number, CVV, or expiry date limited to the US for now and is expected to reach the UK soon.


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Apple Sales Surge as Pandemic Drives Software and Device Purchases
Topic of the day
Apple Inc. showed the technology industry's resilience amid the pandemic, reporting a better-than-expected 11% increase in quarterly sales from a year earlier as it benefited from strong demand for apps and work-from-home devices and avoided a downturn in its iPhone business. The tech giant posted revenue in its fiscal third quarter of $59.69 billion, even as a new wave of coronavirus outbreaks across the U.S. forced the company to again close stores. Profit rose about 12% to $11.25 billion, or $2.58 a share. The results exceeded analysts' expectations of $52.24 billion in revenue for the three months ended June 27. Apple and its tech peers have outperformed other industries upended by the pandemic because of their roles providing the goods and services people have turned to as they work remotely and spent less time venturing outside the home. Apple said its board also approved a four-for-one stock split, aiming to make the stock more accessible to a wider investor base. On Thursday, before the results, shares closed at $384.76. Shares rose 5% in after-hours trading. The company's stock price has risen more than 31% since the start of the year, adding more than $350 billion in market value.
For more analysis and market information, subscribe to the Themes Trading newsletter. The Themes Trading "China Online" is now available: https://www.swissquote.ch/investment_themes/IThemeDetail.action?id=43d2c...
The Swiss stock market took a sharp downturn on Thursday. The SMI lost 1.7 percent to 10,095 points. For the Nestle share it went down after mixed business figures by 0.7 per cent. Although the organic growth exceeded expectations by a tick, Nestle reduced it for the whole year thereafter. The results of the cement manufacturers were seen as "very respectable in view of the crisis". Both Lafargeholcim and Heidelbergcement came through the coronavirus crisis a tick better than expected, it was said. Lafargeholcim fell by 2.6 percent. CS Group shares fell by 1.6 percent. According to Morgan Stanley, the bank is in a good position. Thanks to strong trading results in investment banking, pre-tax profit at group level exceeded expectations by 38 percent in the second quarter. The revenue situation is also consistently strong. The equity ratio of 12.5 percent was also positive for the analysts - 90 basis points better than expected by consensus. UBS lost 2.3 percent and Swiss Re lost 4.4 percent.
European stocks decline on worries about a second coronavirus wave and after data showed the German and US economies contracted in 2Q. The Stoxx Europe 600 falls 2.2%, the FTSE 100 decreases 2.3%, the DAX slides 3.5% and the CAC-40 sheds 2.1%. "Thursday's German and US GDP readings have acted as something of a wake-up call for investors, reminding them exactly what the economic cost of this pandemic--which is far from over--actually is," Spreadex's Connor Campbell says. Inchcape falls 12% after the UK-based car dealership swung to a pretax loss in 1H. Bank stocks drop after the UK's Lloyds slumped to a 1H pretax loss after setting aside provisions for potential bad loans. Unsurprisingly, Airbus's second quarter results were poor, but free cash flow was flat on the quarter, which was a positive surprise, Citi says. "A350 production was trimmed from six to five [planes a month]; also not too bad considering Boeing's wide body cuts yesterday," the bank says. Shares in the European plane maker trade 5.2% higher at EUR65.40.
Quarterly results from dozens of high-profile companies were due after Thursday's close, including Alphabet, Amazon.com, Apple and Facebook. U.S. stocks finished off their worst levels of the day, with the Nasdaq eking out a positive finish as investors braced for a litany of quarterly results from behemoths of the technology and e-commerce world, which could influence trade to end a choppy week. Markets were under pressure at the start of Thursday's action, prompted by the worst GDP on record in the second quarter and a labor-market report that underscores a rise in COVID-19 cases. Lack of progress in talks between congressional Democrats, Republicans and the White House on a new coronavirus aid package also weighed on sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 225.92 points, or 0.9%, at 26,313.65, while the S&P 500 lost 12.20 points, or 0.4%, to close at 3,246.24, but had been down by as many as 550 points at the session's nadir. The Nasdaq Composite Index, meanwhile, gained 44.87 points, or 0.4%, to end at 10,587.81 after hitting an intraday low at 10,412.09. All three benchmarks closed well off their worst levels of Thursday trade.
On Friday, the East Asian and Australian stock markets are not showing a consistent trend. While Japan and Australia are seeing a sharp drop in prices after weak data from the U.S., Chinese stock markets are holding up quite well after the official purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector surprisingly rose. Technology stocks in the region are receiving a boost from the strong quarterly reports released by Apple, Amazon and Facebook on Thursday after the US close.
Government bond yields dropped in the U.S. and Europe after fresh data on Thursday showed the worst quarterly economic contractions on record for the U.S. and Germany in the second quarter. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note settled at 0.540%, compared with 0.578% Wednesday. It was the lowest close except for one extremely volatile day in early March when the yield settled at 0.501%. In Europe, German 10-year yields dropped to minus 0.544% from minus 0.500% on Wednesday, while yields also slid on government bonds from the U.K. to Italy.
Quirin raises Dürr target to 14 (12) EUR - Sell
IR downgrades Porsche target to 56 (59) EUR - Buy
SMC upgrades Naga to Buy (Speculative Buy) - Target 3,40 EUR
Warburg: VW cuts dividend less than feared - Buy
Produced by MBI Martin Brückner Infosource GmbH & Co. KG on behalf of Swissquote. All news is acquired with journalistic accuracy. No liability is assumed for delays or errors.


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Do you remember the game demos? While there are plenty of free titles out there these days, it seems most top tier games don’t allow players to try them out without paying the full price up front. This is not the case for Resident Evil Village, though an odd time-locked system made it frustrating for fans to dive into the game ahead of its release next week.
The good news is that Capcom has relaxed its policy a bit. The final demo will unlock tonight on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam and Stadia, and players can get a 60-minute taste of the game – Complete with – at any time during the next eight days.
– Richard Lawler
NASA says it could send Ingenuity on short flights before the rover to spot potential routes.
Friday, NASA he plans to transition the rotorcraft to an operational role once it has completed its remaining test flights. NASA says these flights will involve more precise maneuvers, greater use of its photographic abilities and, most importantly, greater risk. That’s a substantial change for a craft that was initially only supposed to show that flying through Mars’ atmosphere was even possible.
By reducing the revenue share of Xbox PCs to 12%.
Microsoft has long used a revenue-sharing model of 70% for creators and 30% for Xbox, but as of August 1, it jumps to 88% for developers and 12% for Xbox, at least as far as developers are concerned. PC versions. Xbox console developers won’t see a change in the existing revenue sharing model.
The reason these numbers stand out is that while Microsoft didn’t mention the words Epic or Apple when talking to Engadget about the change, the fact is that the old split mirrored Apple’s App Store, while that the new one conforms to Epic’s play. store on PCs.
40% off Amazon’s Echo Dot and more.
Amazon’s latest Echo Dot is barely and you can always save on Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphones. Fitbit’s Mother’s Day sale is in full swing, bringing record prices for many of its wearable devices, and May 4 sales began early this year with.
Here are all the best deals of the week that you can still grab today, and don’t forget to follow. on Twitter for more updates.
The multitude of Samsung Galaxy Book laptops
In this episode of the Engadget podcast, Cherlynn and Devindra chat about all of them of his latest Galaxy Unpacked fiesta, and why they matter (or not). They also talk about the company sneaking up by mentioning NVIDIA’s still unannounced RTX 3050 cards in the .
Listen on , , , or .
With references to films like “Edge of Tomorrow”.
Here’s what Devindra Hardawar has to say about the new PS5 exclusive: “Sometimes it’s extremely difficult, and its systems sometimes difficult to understand. But I just can’t stop playing.
But wait, there is more …
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through any of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.


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DENVER -- From day one, Trader Joe's was a hit. It took directing traffic to get everyone in to this store, and nearly two weeks later the novelty hasn't worn off. That is, except for those like Joanne Bader, who live near the store.
“Everybody is so excited, that's why there's a parking problem,” said Bader.
She lives in the north Hilltop neighborhood and said since Trader Joe’s opened at E. 8th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, her streets have been a mess, with shoppers parking in front of fire hydrants, and more.
“We've had lots of hit-and-runs where people sideswipe the cars, the cars are damaged, and no one stays around,” she said. “We even have shoppers parking in private homes’ driveways because they can't find parking.”
Thursday night Bader brought a petition with 148 signature on it to a town hall meeting with Denver city council president Mary Beth Susman, who said the city does plan to look into parking solutions, but not until the excitement over the store dies down.
“[We’re going to] take a look if there are signs that could be made, if there are traffic situations that we can make. We want to have it normalize first for a while so we know what the traffic is going to be like going forward,” said Susman.
Several neighborhood residents expressed their concerns at the meeting. But they're clear on one thing: they are happy the store is here.
“We want them here,” said Bader. “We just need some solutions to some of the impact that's been on the neighborhood so we're all happy they're here.”


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Boots Thailand to scale up presence
British pharmacy and beauty chain Boots plans to grow its network in Thailand to 300 stores during the next three years.
Boots, which recently merged with US-based drug store chain Walgreen, currently has 200 stores in Thailand.
The expansion plans were revealed at the British Business Embassy Retail Food and Drink summit organised by UK Trade and Investment.
Boots has also just become the first ever pharmacy chain in Thailand to have 100 per cent of its stores accredited by the Thai Pharmacy Council.
Another British retailer, Tesco, through its Thailand business Tesco Lotus, also announced investment plans for Thailand with three new state-of-the-art distribution centres. Tesco Lotus has more than 1000 stores in Thailand and the investment is expected to boost the company’s supply chain and create around 9000 new jobs.
“The (British) government is committed to working closely with firms in these sectors to stimulate growth and encourage new investment opportunities,” said Vince Cable, business secretary, UK Trade and Investment.


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PS3 FUSE BLES01724 EBOOT Fix for CFW 3.55 Released
Today a opossio83 has released a new EBOOT fix for CFW 3.55 for the newly released PS3 title FUSE BLES01724. Check out the release notes and the download link provided below.
BLES01724_Retail-Fix-341-355 by opoisso893.7z
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Move over Tesla…Nikola Motor Company has been making big strides since being founded just five years ago in 2015.
We all have heard about people ranting and raving over their electric cars.
But how about hydrogen-electric vehicles? There are a few companies out there like Tesla and Freightliner that are working on electric-powered semi-trucks, but Nikola Motors is the only one using hydrogen-powered technology.
Let’s get down to business and take a brief look at the important components that have led to Nikola’s short success.
The History of Nikola Motors
Nikola Motors is based in Phoenix, Arizona and designs and manufactures no-emission big rigs using hydrogen fuel cell technology.
You may have not seen many of these trucks on the road just yet. That is because it is much harder to find hydrogen fueling stations, especially compared to the number of electric vehicle charging stations that keep popping up. So, why choose Nikola’s semis over electric semis?
Efficiency of course!
For one, it takes much less time to fill up a tank than it does to charge a large vehicle electric battery. And in fact, the larger the truck, the larger the battery needed, making the truck heavier and actually less efficient in the end.
Just last summer, Nikola Motors announced they would be expanding with a $75 million headquarters in the heart of Phoenix.
The 3-story, 200,000 square-foot building is dedicated to their research and development. It is used to brainstorm new vehicle designs and test new features on their hydrogen-electric vehicles.
The headquarters is equipped with industrial-grade 3D printers, milling machines, and a laser metal cutting machine.
It is also home to a hydrogen-fueling station, making it the largest one in the country.
Nikola hopes to keep the momentum going by building around 700 new hydrogen-fueling stations across the United States and Canada in the next 10 years.
In 2018, Nikola teamed up with Anheuser-Busch, selling them hundreds of hydrogen-fuel semi-trucks.
Recently, they just announced a huge merger deal with VectolQ, making Nikola Motors a publicly traded company, receiving $525 million in new investment. And it happens to be the first zero-emission big rig company to do so.
The deal should officially close sometime during the 2nd quarter and their NASDAQ exchange name will be NKLA.
The Future of Nikola Motors
There seems to be no signs of Nikola Motors slowing down. The company has plenty of new designs in the works including an electric personal watercraft and a 4-wheeled electric off-road vehicle.
Nikola Motors recently announced their new pickup trucker, the Badger. The truck uses hydrogen fuel cell technology combined with lithium-ion battery technology and is expected to enter production in 2022. The company boasts that the truck is expected to travel a range of 600 miles on just one tank and charge.
From the start, Nikola has strived to transform the transportation industry and leave the world a better place. In just five years, they are already making their mark on the transportation industry and the entire world.
All photos courtesy of Nikola Motor Company


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A sponge may not be the most hygienic way to clean dishes, study suggests, but there is an alternative
Kitchen sponges harbor more bacteria than kitchen brushes, which may be a more hygienic way to clean your dishes, according to researchers in Norway.
“Salmonella and other bacteria grow and survive better in sponges than in brushes, the reason is that sponges in daily use never dry up,” said Trond Møretrø, a research scientist at Nofima, a Norwegian food research institute.
“A single sponge can harbor a higher number of bacteria than there are people on Earth,” said Møretrø, an author of a new study, which published online in the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
While many bacteria are not harmful, those that are — like salmonella — can spread from sponges to hands, kitchen surfaces and equipment and potentially make people sick, he said.
“The sponge is humid and accumulates food residues which are also food for bacteria, leading to rapid growth of bacteria.”
What surprised the researchers most about their findings was that it didn’t really matter how people cleaned their sponge or how often.
“That the way the consumers used their sponges did not matter much regarding growth of bacteria. It is very difficult for consumers to avoid bacterial growth in the sponges as long as the sponges are not replaced daily,” Møretrø said.
The research on the used sponges and brushes builds on a lab-based study published last year by the same team of researchers, which found that harmful bacteria survived better in sponges than in brushes.
In the United States, the USDA said that that microwaving or boiling kitchen sponges may reduce “some of the bacterial load,” however these measures alone are not adequate to ensure your sponge will reduce cross-contamination. It advised to buy new ones frequently.
The research was part of a European Union-backed project on food safety.