text:
The multifaceted nature of broadcast PR
A new white paper from 4mediarelations has uncovered the secrets to a successful broadcast PR campaign in the 21st century by analysing how the role of traditional media is being impacted by disruptive forces of the digital age.
Public Relations has been at the forefront of evolutionary change in the media scape, but is still bound by traditional outputs and methods. Broadcast media is a particularly good case in point. Unlike print media – where a statistical drop off in print readership has coincided with an uptake of online readership – traditional broadcast media such as TV and radio have remained prominent and have even got more prominent among consumers of media, working in juxtaposition with new digital outputs.
Thus, PR professionals and agencies have had to adapt to an environment where they must be multifaceted. From live streaming and social media-led campaigns to traditional TV and radio placement, the broadcast industry demonstrates the many challenges and opportunities for brands in the 21st century, and how public relations is becoming more relevant as a result.
The biggest evolutionary leap in PR has arguably come in the past few decades with the advent of the internet. Although most companies now have web and social media presence, research has shown brands are not fully embracing new media, are ill-equipped to do so and have a fear of the technology (Alfonso & de ValbuenaMiguel, 2006). In an age where online news, social media and other digital media channels are slowly eroding the dominance of traditional media, this could be an expensive mistake to make.
Multimedia content is the vocal chords in the mouth of the internet. In the digital age people are constantly on the lookout for new and engaging ways of digesting content, which has manifested in a variety of new media forms, particularly in the broadcast industry. Businesses transmit messages through YouTube channels, digital press releases, Video News Reels (VNR’s), Live Streaming and Events. Given the amount of content businesses produce, the advent of multimedia is comparable to translating War and Peace into digestible snippets of engrossing video, audio and visual to be consumed anywhere and at any time, a tremendously powerful prospect indeed.
Traditional Broadcast Media
Traditional platforms have, however, not lost their dominance as a key transmitter of media consumption among the general public. An Atomik Research study found television and radio remain the most popular forms of media for breaking news and new music. What’s more, the introduction of paywalls is driving people back to the traditional stalwarts. It seems, therefore, that rather than replace old media, new channels are working in juxtaposition with them. Specialisation has come to the fore, which makes multi-channel coverage all the more important, particularly if the content is targeted.
Alfonso & de ValbuenaMiguel’s research has highlighted that brands feel a little lost in the current media scape. Promoting a consistent message across numerous vital media channels has left both brands and agencies scratching their heads, and sector specialism will become increasingly important as a result.
PR professionals and agencies are presented with a wealth of opportunities with the evolution of broadcast. With more platforms at their disposal and a growing global audience within reach, there are roughly four considerations that should be made for every campaign:
- The core campaign
Core campaigns are the focal event, usually broadcast over the radio or television using a spokesperson or spokespeople, live event or occurrence. This centralised focus is key to multi-channel campaigns as it ensures key messages are communicated consistently. Radio interviews, b-roll or live streaming must therefore be well orchestrated.
- The subsidiary support
Subsidiary support is provided largely by new online channels and social media, which consumers are happy to digest alongside core campaigns. Twitter hashtags are a particularly good example of how this subsidiary support can help boost campaigns as it provides listeners/watchers with an outlet to interact with the brand. However, online features placed on websites and utilising YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and other platforms are similarly valuable. The key to winning over neutral social media users is being creative with how you capture their attention.
- Multimedia backing
Multimedia content is the enabler of multichannel campaigns. Not only can people watch content, but they can share and interact with it in new ways across a number of channels. Broadcast campaigns that utilise YouTube channels, digital press releases, Video News Reels (VNR’s) and Live Streaming not only engage new sensory reactions but also open campaigns up to interaction. As discussed, social sharing is tremendously powerful but is not a given. Brands must fight for ‘shares’, ‘pins’ and ‘likes’ and will find the best way of doing so is creating engaging multimedia content.
- The case for specialisation
Using a single media platform to project brand messages is a similarly interesting prospect in the right circumstance. For brands with a specific appeal or identifiable audience, creating targeted messages rather than relying on mass media has proved to be a prudent tactic. Furthermore, this methodology is supported by research that suggests media consumption is becoming more specialised, with platforms adopting roles within the digital hemisphere, rather than attempting to offer a holistic service.
For specialised campaigns, industry knowledge is key. This is particularly true for new media, where brands must fight for viewers/ listeners by producing engaging content. In order for this to be achievable a ground knowledge the industry mixed with targeted, creative direction will give a campaign the best chance of success.
We are delighted to announce that, on Friday 26th June, 4mediarelations...
4mediarelations are delighted to announce our continued partnership with the PRWeek...
- News Archive


text:
25 Jan 2023 By travelpulse
Jamaica is poised to reach 11 percent visitor arrivals growth in 2023 compared with 2022, ahead of the forecast set by the Caribbean nation's government, said Edmund Bartlett, tourism minister.
Jamaica's higher growth projection is based on the island's "primary markets registering growth over the previous period," including "steady growth" of seven percent among U.S. travelers, said Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) officials in a statement.
"Jamaica's tourism is back, and our recovery continues to outpace our earlier projections," said Edmund Bartlett, tourism minister, speaking at the FITUR tourism trade conference in Madrid this week. "We are now in growth mode and to achieve this in double digits for this year is huge."
Additionally, visitation to Jamaica from Canada its projected to grow by 38.7 percent compared with 2022 totals, while JTB officials say travel from the United Kingdom and Europe to Jamaica is forecast to grow by 5.3 percent.
Government tourism officials attribute the country's strong post-outbreak tourism growth to a coordinated effort that includes travel advisors among various stakeholders. "Our airline partners, tour operators, travel agents and so many more have contributed to the destination remaining top of mind and accelerating our recovery," said Donovan White, JTB's director.
White said JTB has additionally applied an "integrated sales and marketing strategy embedded in the pervasive use of new technologies" to target potential travelers. Together with the technology, the agency's focus on "new and emerging markets" have enabled Jamaica "to leapfrog its own projections for growth," White added.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, be sure to subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter here.
Are you looking for a holiday? Get special deals.

domain: news


text:
It may not feel like a natural thing to do, drawing into a drive through dining establishment and ordering a veggie hamburger, but the push for more healthy foods is quickly leaning in the direction of the growth of organic fast food outlets. Also merely a couple short years earlier, the idea of being able to get ready to eat food that is constructed from just natural products could have appeared unlikely, yet as even more individuals are searching for a more healthy way of living which is additionally offering environmental benefits, there is development in the natural fast food sector to fulfill those requirements. Past offering only vegetable items, a great deal of natural fast food things is seasoned to much more very closely look like the items they are replacing in an organic diet regimen. While veggie burgers have actually been around for several years, when they first got there on the scene, they accomplished it without the taste that most buyers equated to consuming a hamburger.
While they did not need to enjoy red meat, they were compelled to experience the tastelessness of a number of the organic fast food items striking the market. Over the previous couple of years, several were growing tired of quitting the taste of natural kfc menu fast food just for the positive aspect of consuming healthier. Instead of going back to their old means of unhealthy consuming, the push was on to establish natural fast food that provides the wellness advantages they looked for in addition to supplies the preference they intended. To begin with, a limited consumer base could have stifled the development of natural fast food outlets, but the products were being provided at several merchants for home usage. While food preparation organic and natural items at home were not brand new, a few of the products striking the market were even more tastefully appealing.
While there is little hope, the outlets will certainly replace the standard ones in the near future; the growth in demand is making the opening of natural fast food electrical outlets more possible. The potential for their development pivots greatly on location, as the popularity of organic food differs among places. Nevertheless, as far better sampling organic fast food items are created and even more individuals recognize the health and wellness and environmental positive aspects, the shift for building more organic fast food makes sure to expand. Healthier consuming is ending up being more vital for lots of people while they ignore the weight loss advantages of consuming organic items, concentrating as opposed to the many benefits.


text:
Food is a major influencer in almost every aspect of our lives. For those that choose to eat right, indulging in a delicious meal offers an intense connection to the natural world. Unfortunately, many times even the purest of products are masked in preservatives, food colorings, and unhealthy processing that strips the food of
"I started to realize that as a country, we were focusing on making food more shelf-stable as opposed to nutrient-dense,” Cryan commented. “Truthfully, I started to not feel comfortable eating the foods available to me."
Popular News Stories
‘Exciting new discovery about the Moon’ is coming that will impact NASA’s upcoming lunar mission
Faced with an election loss, Trump will sow doubt about the truth. We can’t let that happen
Detroit Metro Times
'Great' earthquake, 1000 times stronger than recent ones likely to shatter Himalayan region
Yahoo Daily News
Critics Noted Trump’s Ignorance About Puerto Rico, But What About The Rest Of America Or The Ponce Massacre?
US reactions to pope backing same-sex civil unions: ‘The Church cannot support objectively immoral relationships’
British people will be indulging in extravagant breakfasts at home, opting for more vegan food and even baby food will get a grown up makeover, according to a new report by...The Daily Mail 2020-10-21
If you want an extra boost of nutritional goodies add some seeds to your smoothie. Mixed with fresh fruits and vegetables these great additions can give you many health...The Source 2020-10-16
Business Insider asked three registered dietitians to debunk 18 of the most common weight loss myths. They explain that you don't need to purge your diet of fat or carbs to...Business Insider 2020-10-20
GALVESTON, Texas, Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Galveston Diet, the first and only nutrition program designed for women in menopause by a board-certified OBGYN, Dr....The Moore County News-Press 2020-10-15
Laird Superfood Expands its Plant-Based Product Platform into the Snack Foods Category with Introduction of ...
(Photo | Courtesy of Laird Superfood Laird Superfood (NYSE: LSF), creator of assorted plant-based superfood products, is venturing into the snack food category for the...Cascade Business News 2020-10-06
Laird Superfood Expands its Plant-Based Product Platform into the Snack Foods Category with the Introduction of Nutrient-Dense Pili Nuts
SISTERS, Ore., Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Laird Superfood (NYSE: LSF), creator of assorted plant-based superfood products, is venturing into the snack food category for...PR Newswire 2020-10-06


text:
Bottled water is big business in the United States. How big? Well, according to a report by the Beverage Marketing Corporation, U.S. consumers chugged 8.6 billion gallons of bottled water in 2008, representing nearly 29 percent of the liquid beverage market and exceeding sales of all other beverages except carbonated soft drinks.
You might expect ecoRI News to report on the outrageous environmental costs of depleted aquifers and plastic waste associated with the bottled water industry, or even the ridiculous retail markup on a product that most consider a human right, but this story is centered on the indubitable waste of taxpayer dollars on bottled water in Rhode Island.
In the past few years, sales of bottled water have declined slightly, but bottled water still remains the second largest selling pre-packaged beverage in the country. This recent dip in sales can be partially attributed to the decline of the economy and partially to increased awareness of the environmental costs of bottling this important resource. Nielsen Scantrack data, as of December 2011, estimated the average cost of a gallon of bottled water at $1.47. The same volume of water from the tap, at current U.S. average rates, costs 0.15 cents, or less than two-tenths of a penny.
According to information from the state’s open government portal, Rhode Island state agencies spent more than $110,000 in taxpayer dollars on bottled water in fiscal 2011. At the aforementioned average rate of $1.47 per gallon that amounts to slightly less than 75,000 gallons of bottled water.
The actual rate for public drinking water in Providence — where the largest percentage of government agencies are based — is about 0.46 cents a gallon. At that rate, 75,000 gallons of water would cost $345. At literally any rate, using tap water would have eliminated about 98 percent of that $110,000 bottled water expenditure.
These purchases seem to fly even further into the face of common sense given that as recently as 2009 Providence’s public drinking water was rated second best in the nation for taste and lack of contaminants by the Environmental Working Group.
In fact, given the state’s crumbling water infrastructure and the contamination of the public water supply by lead pipes and galvanic corrosion in some of the oldest pipes in the nation, any tax dollars spent on bottled water, rather than on improvements to our public drinking water systems, seem extravagant.
The General Assembly contracts with Coca-Cola to provide not only Dasani brand bottled water, which is simply filtered tap water, but soft drinks, as well. In fiscal 2011, the legislature spent more than $42,000 on Coke-brand beverages — about $18,000 of which was for glorified tap water and the remainder was spent on cans of soda laden with high-fructose corn syrup and artificial colorings.
The General Assembly, which is only in session for six months out of the year, also contracted with theCulligan water company and DS Waters for coolers and water amounting to more than $8,700, bringing the grand total of bottled water and cooler expenditures at the Statehouse to nearly $27,000.
Even if you don’t begrudge your tax dollars being spent on astronomical markups on a natural resource — or on your local senator and representative’s soft drink habits — there are companies in Rhode Island that could provide these overpriced products and services.
The Ocean State is home to two spring water bottlers — Crystal Spring in Middletown and Girard Spring in North Providence. Both have assured ecoRI News that they have the capacity to provide bottled water to every state agency at nearly the same cost as Poland Spring. The state even promotes an underutilized buy local campaign.
The General Assembly’s spending on soft drinks is even more mind boggling, considering that in 2004 the legislature saw fit to deem Yacht Club Soda as “Rhode Island’s Official Soda.”
While the General Assembly is freezing cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), state lawmakers are downing plenty of out-of-state cola and marked-up bottled water. If the economy is forcing citizens to tighten their purse strings and forego raises, there’s no reason state government shouldn’t do the same. Plus, there are better ways — both environmentally and financially — to rehydrate lawmakers and staffers without buying them water in a throwaway plastic bottle with a massive carbon footprint.
… read the full story AND leave your comments on ecoRI News.


text:
HP is no stranger to software.
It has an ink program that is the basis for many of its laptops and desktops.
But the company is also using the software to run the ink program for its own printers.
In a recent blog post, HP announced that it has now started using HP Ink as a way of getting ink to customers.
HP said that the ink is used in HP Inkjet printers and in the HP Ink Pro line of printers that it sells to retailers.
The program is available to all HP customers.
The HP Ink program is part of a wider push by HP to get ink into the hands of consumers, with a goal of having all HP users have the ink on their desktops and printers by next year.
HP has also recently announced that its next-generation printers, the HP Envy7 and HP Envoy, will be able to support HP Ink.
The ink is the first ink to be able access to the new HP ink processing technology, which it describes as a new class of ink that is more efficient, more durable and more water-resistant.
The Ink program also enables the HP printer to offer an ink solution for inkjet printers that are smaller than the HP-branded Envy and Envoy.
The first ink-based printer is expected to be ready in 2019, said Mike Voll, HP’s head of ink and inkjet technology.
“We are building a platform to bring ink to the masses.
I’m excited to see the Ink program start to take off and enable all of the HP ink we use today to be delivered to our customers,” he said.
HP announced earlier this year that it would be introducing a new ink technology called Inkjet Ink that will replace the ink used in its inkjet inkjet printer, the Envy.
HP’s ink ink is made from ink from the inkjet plant at the company’s headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts.
In January, HP unveiled an ink technology that would be a replacement for the ink that it uses for its printer ink.
The new technology uses the same inkjet printing process, but uses the ink to print the images on a flexible, plastic-like material.
“HP Ink is the only ink that will allow the company to use ink in its products that have no ink to support them, which will enable the company and the millions of customers who use its ink to enjoy ink on everything from their desks to their washing machines and washing machines,” said Rajesh Srivastava, president and CEO of HP Ink, in a blog post.
The company has not yet announced when the new ink-printed printers will be available, but the Inkjet ink that HP is introducing is a key piece of the company strategy to bring more ink to consumers.


text:
* Q2 EPS $1.03 tops Wall St view $0.97
* Sees FY shr $4.15-$4.30, St view was $4.12
* Shares up 2.1 percent (Adds comments from Target, analyst; updates stock activity)
By Jessica Wohl
CHICAGO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Target Corp (TGT.N) reported a bigger-than-expected rise in quarterly profit and forecast a more profitable year than analysts were anticipating, as its credit card business continued to grow and sales heated up with the summer weather.
Shares of Target, which has more than 1,760 U.S. stores and is getting ready to open stores in Canada, were up 2.1 percent to $50.41 in afternoon New York Stock Exchange trading after rising as much as 5.8 percent earlier on Wednesday.
Retail results are highlighting a split between middle- and upper-income shoppers, who may be waiting a bit before they buy, versus the unemployed and low-income workers struggling to make ends meet. [ID:nN1E77F08O]
“While optimism at all income levels has improved since the recession, wealthy households continue to be the most optimistic,” Kathryn Tesija, Target’s executive vice president of merchandising, said during a conference call.
“The 20 percent of households with the highest incomes are shopping more often and spending more, while the other 80 percent have been cutting trips and spending less,” she said of retailers’ experience in general.
Target’s shoppers are buying closer to when they need things, so the company said it is a a bit too early to fully judge August sales that include back-to-school purchases from school uniforms to dorm-sized refrigerators.
So far, August sales are within Target’s forecast of a mid single-digit increase, though slightly below the increases seen in June and July, Chief Financial Officer Douglas Scovanner said.
Target’s same-store sales rose 4.5 percent in June, 4.1 percent in July and 3.9 percent in the second quarter.
Target was not the only retailer reporting better-than-expected results. Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N), the world’s largest retailer and Target’s main competitor, said Tuesday that its profit rose more than expected. [ID:nN1E77F03P]
On Wednesday, retailers such as BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc (BJ.N) and office supplies leader Staples Inc SPLS.O also reported results that surpassed expectations. [ID:nN1E77F16Q] [ID:nN1E77G01P]
Staples Chief Executive Officer Ron Sargent said he did not see a double dip in the U.S. economy, though the country is “probably more likely to stay in economic purgatory for a while longer.”
Abercrombie & Fitch Co’s (ANF.N) quarter was also better than anticipated, but it warned of troubles as it enters “a period of greater uncertainty,” and its shares tumbled. [ID:nL3E7JH1NE]
Edward Jones analyst Matt Arnold urged investors to be more picky while investing in the retail space, identifying companies “with sustainable long-term competitive advantages.”
Target’s move to add groceries to more stores has boosted sales but also pressured profitability, as food carries lower margins than merchandise like apparel. Still, the second-quarter gross margin decline was not too steep. Gross margin dipped to 31.6 percent from 32 percent.
“The big win was the gross margin coming in better than expected,” said Rob Plaza, senior equity analyst at Key Private Bank, who had anticipated gross margin would fall to around 31.2 percent to 31.3 percent.
A 0.5 percent rise in same-store transactions was a surprise given Target’s efforts to bring people in more often, such as the grocery expansion and a credit card discount program, said Janney Capital Markets analyst David Strasser.
A large part of Target’s profit coming in ahead of expectations also came from the credit card business.
Target’s “super-charged” profitability from credit card receivables is likely to moderate when the write-off rate settles into a more normal pattern, Scovanner said.
Target said in January that it wants to sell its credit card receivables, or the debts that cardholders owe the retailer, and talks with potential buyers are progressing.
But it wants to keep control of the credit card operations — a key part of its marketing, as it offers a 5 percent discount to cardholders who pay with Target REDcards. [ID:nN13293279]
Average receivables declined 12.4 percent to $6.2 billion, bad debt expense plunged to $15 million from $138 million and profit rose to $171 million from $149 million.
Target earned $704 million, or $1.03 per share, in the second quarter ended July 30, up from $679 million, or 92 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts, on average, had expected it to earn 97 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Sales rose 5.1 percent to $15.9 billion.
Target forecast third-quarter earnings per share of 70 cents to 75 cents, and full-year earnings per share of $4.15 to $4.30. Analysts have been looking for Target to earn 71 cents per share this quarter and $4.12 per share this year.
The company said it would give details on its longer-term plans during a Thursday meeting with investors in New York. (Additional reporting by Dhanya Skariachan in New York and Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Bangalore, Editing by Gerald E.McCormick, Dave Zimmerman)


text:
Let the celebrations be-gin! Ely Gin Company to mark fifth anniversary with cake and launch of new flavour
- Credit: Archant
Gin experts from Ely are to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their company this weekend.
The Ely Gin Company will be marking the fifth anniversary of them starting out with a stall on Ely Market by handing out pieces of birthday cake – as well as samples of their new gin.
Since its inception in 2012, the company - founded by James Clark - has experienced rapid growth and now has a shop in the city’s Buttermarket and supplies dozens of stockists, food festivals and events across the country.
James said: “It was not until after we began that we realised what a great place Ely is to start a business.
“The Ely markets are very well supported by the public and allow new ideas to be tried out at very little cost, Ely has the infrastructure to allow businesses to grow and, not least, there is a great support network in place, friendly people with useful advice.”
You may also want to watch:
The company’s new gin flavour – Breakfast Marmalade – will be launched this weekend.
“We wanted to recreate the flavour you get when you bite into the skin in the marmalade,” James said.
- 1 Dramatic pictures catch harvester on fire in 4am blaze
- 2 Illegal poachers stopped in their tracks by eagle-eyed public
- 3 'Loving, caring family man' dies in hospital weeks after A141 crash
- 4 Police investigation after village pavilion covered in graffiti
- 5 Mosque trust named RIBA client of the year 2021
- 6 Police pursuit of suspected hare coursers ends in success
- 7 8 of the best shows coming to Cambridgeshire in November
- 8 Fireworks join Christmas lights on the Covid cancelled list for Ely
- 9 Rats are causing 'abhorrent situation' in town, admits councillor
- 10 Christmas comes early as festive lights couple hold trial switch-on
“Obviously that is quite hard to do in a liquid, but we discovered that adding treacle to the mix is a pretty fair approximation. We had some fun developing this product.”
James traded in his job as a computer programmer in 2012 and unveiled the Ely Gin Company’s first market stall on March 26.
“So much has changed in the last five years, the company has grown tremendously,” he said,
“Where we started with one market stall, we now run events all over the country; our first basic web-site has grown into a major part of the business, and the shop is going from strength-to-strength. So much of this is thanks to the continued support of local people.”
For more information, visit www.elygin.co.uk.


text:
The usage of smartphones has massively grown over the last few years in India. According to the study, India was among the top 5 markets regarding total time spent on the applications on Android phones. App analytics organization, App Annie looked at the ten biggest Android using countries as part of their study in May 2017. The annie report results found that Indians spend nearly 4 hours per day on mobile applications while active users spent close to 2.5 hours a day and the least active users spend 1.5 hours.
India’s top 20% active users were close behind the top 20% in Mexico, Brazil, South Korea and Japan whose users spent about 5 hours. The widespread adoption of apps such as WhatsApp became a part of our lifestyle and emerging as the Mobile-first way of life.
The reports further added Indians spend more than 90 minutes on mobile shopping. India ranks second regarding average time spent per month in mobile shopping. South Korea stood first spending more time in mobile shopping.
In terms of finance, Indians spend 30 minutes per month while Brazil users spend 45 minutes and South Koreans spent 60 minutes. Other nations like US, UK, and France were spending less than 20 minutes.
According to Forrester, a global research firm predicted in July that the global mobile device usage is expected to reach more than 5.5 billion users by 2022. India has more than 300 million smartphone users, and nearly 94% of the smartphone owners use Android or iOS. Android captures 73% of market share while iOS at 21%. WhatsApp has about 250 million users per month.


text:
A diverse group of 34 technology companies pledged to protect their users against cyberattacks, wherever they may be. The pledge also means that the tech companies will not provide any assistance to governments that may want to launch cyberattacks against users or companies from other countries.
Progressing Towards A “Digital Geneva Convention”
Last year, Microsoft called for a “Digital Geneva Convention,” (opens in new tab) an effort to update international law to protect people “in times of peace” against cyberattacks. Adding significant updates to the Geneva Convention laws from scratch is not going to be easy, especially when some of the most powerful nation states have been accusing each other of cyberattacks for the past few years.
Therefore, Microsoft and 33 other tech companies took matters into their owns hands and signed the “Cybersecurity Tech Accord,” which has similar goals to the Digital Geneva Convention.
Principles Of The Cybersecurity Tech Accord
The 34 companies that have already signed the accord have committed to four main principles.
Regardless of the authors or the motivation behind the cyberattacks, the tech companies will protect their users to the best of their abilities. This is an important principle, because as we saw in the past few years, multiple governments tried to create backdoors in products and services to make their spying efforts easier.
Therefore, it’s good to see that at least these technology companies pledge not to compromise their users’ security just so that one government or another can more easily spy on them. However, this accord likely doesn’t refer to things such as National Security Letters or court orders, but attempts to illegally (or unconstitutionally) hack users’ devices.
The companies pledge not to assist governments in cyberattacks against users and enterprise companies. They also pledged to use any anti-tampering or anti-exploitation technology available to them to stop cyberattacks.
“Hack back” legislation seems to have returned to Congress late last year, in an effort to get companies to hack back other companies or hacking groups, after it was heavily criticized and eventually killed a few years ago. The tech companies seem to disagree with this sort of “revenge” legislation.
The Tech Accord signatories committed to empowering developers, users, and businesses that use their technology to improve their capacity for protecting themselves. This may include new security practices and features that the companies can deploy in their own products and services.
The accord is also a public shared commitment from the companies to collaborate on cybersecurity efforts. The Tech Accord will remain open to other tech companies that have high security standards and can pledge to abide by the same principles.
Microsoft President Brad Smith said:
The devastating attacks from the past year demonstrate that cybersecurity is not just about what any single company can do but also about what we can all do together. This tech sector accord will help us take a principled path towards more effective steps to work together and defend customers around the world.


text:
A UK cryptocurrency could possibly be a actuality quickly, reviews The Financial institution of England’s governor, Andrew Bailey. In his newest assertion, the governor stated that the financial institution lately mentioned the mechanisms of a possible UK cryptocurrency backed by the central financial institution.
Central financial institution digital currencies, or CBDCs, are being developed by many nations. China is main the race with its digital Yuan already getting into the testing part in distinguished cities. The assertion from BOE’s Governor highlights the truth that western economies are additionally vigorously exploring the prospects of digital forex to counter China’s digital forex initiatives.
UK cryptocurrency is a extremely probably state of affairs
A Bloomberg report states that BOE Governor Andrew Bailey entered right into a webinar dialogue with college students a couple of UK cryptocurrency. They explored the relevance and the context of getting a digital forex in the UK and its doable makes use of.
Bailey stated that the financial institution is at the moment debating whether or not or to not create a UK cryptocurrency. The financial institution will proceed to discover this idea since it’s going to have a large impression on the monetary sector in addition to the society basically. With cryptocurrencies gaining steam, central financial institution digital currencies are rising as the following logical step in crypto evolution.
Digital currencies are the best way ahead
The Financial institution of England can also be finding out CBDCs of different central banks to create an indigenous model of the Pound. If ever created, the digital Pound goes to be backed by an array of standard belongings to offer it real-world backing. A basket of belongings will probably be supporting the digital forex earlier than it goes full-on mainstream.
Bailey stated that the nation’s monetary sector would head in direction of this course within the subsequent few years. Such an acceptance from one of many greatest central banks on this planet means lots for the crypto business.
Sarah John, BOE’s chief cashier, additionally echoed comparable sentiments earlier this yr. She said that point is ripe for central banks to begin researching extra on digital currencies. She made a remark citing competitors from privately-backed digital currencies reminiscent of Fb’s Libra.


text:
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Sergey Kolesnikov and Igor Rybakov spent their summers in the early 1990s fixing rooftops around Moscow, a job that paid them about $500 a month.
The work gave the aspiring scientists, who were roommates at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia’s top research university, a chance to become entrepreneurs after the fall of the Soviet Union.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“We earned two degrees, one in physics and one in roofing,” Kolesnikov said in an interview at his central Moscow office.
Neither of us ever thought about earning money of such scale
The roofing degree paid off. Closely held Technonicol, the company they founded while in college, is now the country’s largest roofing-supply company, with a network of 700 distribution outlets across the country, 180 of them wholly owned. The business had revenue of 59.4 billion rubles (US$1.9-billion) in 2012, up 25% from the prior year, according to financial statements provided by Kolesnikov.
The company is valued at US$2.8-billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, making the equal partners two of the youngest billionaires in Russia. Neither has appeared on an international wealth ranking.
“I always liked to solve puzzles, and to me business is a kind of puzzle,” Kolesnikov said. “Neither of us ever thought about earning money of such scale.”
The billionaires, both 41, had a well-timed entry into the market, catching the start of a wave of private homeownership and government upgrades to Soviet-era housing. The number of newly built private homes in Russia almost doubled to 205,000 from 2002 to 2012, according to data from the Federal State Statistics Service, and new apartment units increased more than two times during the past decade to 838,000.
In the past five years, the government has spent more than US$7-billion improving the country’s housing, according to the State Fund for Assistance to Housing and Communal Services, and plans to spend an additional US$3.3-billion on materials to upgrade 1.6 million apartment blocks that are still in need of repair.
Technonicol has a 30% share of Russia’s insulation market, according to Moscow-based Abarus Market Research. It derives 70% of its sales supplying repair work and the balance from new construction sales.
The company’s operating income rose 44% to 10.5 billion rubles, according to the financial statements. Kolesnikov said earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was 12 billion rubles in 2012, and that Technonicol has doubled its output per worker since 2008.
The company is valued using the average enterprise value-to-Ebitda multiple of three publicly traded peers: Hedehusene, Denmark-based Rockwool International A/S, Courbevoie, France- based Cie. de Saint-Gobain SA and Baar, Switzerland-based Sika AG. Enterprise value is defined as market capitalization plus total debt minus cash.
“Technonicol managed to generate an Ebitda margin of 20%, which is impressive,” said Daniel Patterson, an analyst with Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken in Copenhagen in an e-mail. “Most European building materials companies would envy that.”
In 1995, four years after the fall of the Soviet Union, Kolesnikov and Rybakov used US$40,000 in savings and debt to buy their first plant, a roofing factory complex constructed in 1918 in Vyborg, a city 75 miles northwest of St. Petersburg. They spent US$15-million modernizing the facility, and have since built 36 more plants — 30 in Russia, three in Ukraine, and one in Belarus, Lithuania and the Czech Republic.
They expanded into insulation materials in 2003, acquiring a plant in the Chelyabinsk region of central Russia. Its main product is stone wool, a fibre made from melted volcanic rock that is used for insulation, fire protection, noise and vibration control. The insulation business is more profitable than the roofing division, Kolesnikov said.
“We expect that stone wool market will grow more dynamically in the mid-term than the construction market,” Evgeniya Sviridova, a spokeswoman for Rosizol, an insulation producers association, said in an e-mail.
The billionaires received a boost from the government in 2009, when it passed the Energy Saving and Increasing Energy Efficiency Act, a law that requires builders to use energy- saving materials in newly built homes.
Its industry dominance has rankled competitors. In 2008, Rockwool and St. Petersburg-based Penoplex sued Technonicol through Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service for violating Russia’s Competition Protection law.
FAS, the country’s antitrust agency, ruled in favour of Rockwool and Penoplex, finding Technonicol guilty of copying their branding imagery. Technonicol’s two appeals were rejected by arbitration courts.
In 2010, FAS also found Technonicol guilty of price fixing by forcing dealers to sell their products at the lowest cost or face penalties. Kolesnikov said FAS is hampering market growth through excessive government regulation.
“The regulatory function of the state has become too high,” he said, leaning over an empty desk that dominates a 300 square-foot office decorated only with a brown presentation board. “How will the economy progress if you damp entrepreneurs’ energy?”
Kolesnikov adheres to western and Japanese management philosophies and quotes management consultant William Edwards Deming, whose statistical theories are credited with inspiring the economic growth surge in Japan after the Second World War. When Kolesnikov visits Technonicol’s plants, he hands out copies of “The Toyota Way,” a book about the Tokyo-based carmaker’s principles for continuous improvement and respect for workers.
Rybakov, who declined to be interviewed for this story, uses a YouTube channel to post videos of his family on yachting and skiing excursions.
The company maintains an informal corporate culture. It publishes an annual swimsuit calendar featuring female workers. To celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary last December, the billionaires hired a heavy-metal band to record a rock song and created a music video starring Technonicol employees singing in the studio after a day of answering phones and eyeing the clock before grabbing their coats and dashing from the office.
“If your roof is blown away and your house is surrounded by snowdrifts, rest assured this is not a problem,” they sing. “We know the formula of victory.”


text:
Princess Beatrice has once again proven that she has no shame when it comes to her wardrobe malfunctions. The young royal was spotted wearing a sheer dress that showed off her undergarments at the Victoria and Albert Museum Summer Party in London on Thursday, June 22.
The racy dress just happened to show off Beatrice’s thigh and her nude underwear in what a lot of people are calling a fashion disaster. Beatrice was hoping that the ruffle sleeve lace midi dress would show off her toned body, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. Instead, eyewitnesses couldn’t help but notice that the dress shifted in all the wrong places on her body, exposing more than she had hoped. Beatrice was even forced to adjust her skirt several times.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Beatrice has made headlines for being the worst dressed royal. Everyone remembers the bizarre pretzel hat she wore to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal wedding in 2011. She’s often photographed wearing ill-fitted dresses or skirts that are either too long or too short for her frame. Back in 2016 Beatrice also made headlines for wearing a black and white graphic dress with a vintage burgundy cloche.
Both Princess Beatrice and her sister Princess Eugenie have tried to prove to the world that they are just as stylish and graceful as Kate Middleton. But unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be working. Both Beatrice and Eugenie have had more wadrobe mishaps and wardrobe malfunctions than stylish and fashion forward.
There’s no denying that the Duchess of Cambridge is the most influential and stylish person in the British royal family right now. Kate could wear a discount pair of shorts and it would sell out in department stores all over the world the next day.
It doesn’t matter if Kate is wearing a hot pink Alexander McQueen dress or something as simple as a pair of white sneakers, fashionistas from all over the world want to get their hands on whatever she’s wearing. Princess Beatrice just doesn’t have that touch. More often than not, she’s ridiculed and mocked for the bizarre outfits that she wears in public. And this latest fashion faux pas isn’t helping her, either.
So far Princess Beatrice has not made any comments about her wardrobe malfunction. In the meantime, don’t forget to check back with CDL for all the latest news and updates on Princess Beatrice and all of your favorite royals right here.
— Polka Poppins (@polkapopp) June 20, 2017


text:
As Neowin reported two weeks ago, Microsoft has been working on a new social website called Docs.com. Built using Microsoft Office 2010, users can upload, create, edit and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents...
Review of the Elephone P6000, the smartphone that made me rethink the point of flagships
Ulefone Be Touch: Video unboxing and first impressions
LG G4 Review - the phone that tries to offer everything
"..is now a top seller and lets you put all your favorite sci-fi ships against each other" - Brad Wardell
galactic civilizations 3
Tronsmart's USB Smart Charger; an ideal solution for the household?
All the latest news for Windows 10 Mobile and Desktop previews
TheNextWeb is reporting that at Facebook's F8 developer conference, Microsoft and Facebook announced the beta release of Docs.com. The site is built on, what seems to be, a stripped down version of Microsoft's upcoming Office...


text:
Rollout Status as of December 17, 2018:
Windows 10, version 1809, is now fully available for advanced users who manually select “Check for updates” via Windows Update.
Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:
Google CEO Sundar Pichai: Fears about artificial intelligence are ‘very legitimate,’ he says in Post interview
“but the tech industry should be trusted to responsibly regulate its use.”
The fox in charge of the hen house analogy was never more apt than here.
Apple Warns iPhones Have A Serious Problem
What Apple is changing is how users will be able to resize pictures and manage applications on their iPhones. How will these functions be altered? Apple hasn’t said, other than to confirm the update and describe this functionality as “minor” when it is clearly anything but.
So what is going on? In short: Apple is trying to win favour with judges and iPhone users are the test subjects for this.
Those “judges” are in China.
Google isn’t the company that we should have handed the Web over to
Microsoft adopting Chromium puts the Web in a perilous place.
Agreed but it may be too late.
Former Edge intern says Google sabotaged Microsoft’s browser
LOL at a Microsoftie whining about web standards.
Social media is turning a generation of children into liars, leading headmistress warns
teenagers tend to “curate” a certain image of themselves on their social media accounts, such as the photograph sharing platforms, Instagram and Snapchat.
They become used to covering up any perceived imperfections, and there is a danger is when this attitude trespasses into other aspects of their life too.
“If you get used to showing one image of yourself on social media, you may begin to believe that is completely aligned to reality,”
Just how is this different than adult social media users? #DeleteFacebook
Polar vortex could unleash winter wallop by January
“Confidence is growing in a significant #PolarVortex disruption in the coming weeks. This could be the single most important determinant of the weather this #winter across the Northern Hemisphere.”
I’m gonna need thicker socks.
Best Christmas Yard Display Ever (Image credit Instagram via Brobible)


text:
Sony confirmed today that their Xperia SP, T, TX, and V will be receiving Android 4.3.3 “from end Jan / early Feb.” This is a relief for owners who thought they might never get the update, after waiting for it since Sony said it was expected in December. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as we learn more precise release dates.
Source: Xperia Blog
Some information regarding upcoming devices to be sold through O2 Germany show several new HTC devices, some devices from Sony, a pair of mysterious Nokia devices to go with several WP8 handsets, and a couple Huawei smartphones. None of the devices are available now, but their presence on the list indicates O2 Germany anticipates selling them in the near future. Read more
DooMLoRD from XDA Developers has released version 11 of his Easy Rooting Toolkit, which allows users to easily and quickly root their handsets. However, only three devices are supported so far, including the Xperia S, Xperia Z, and the Xperia SP. The program works with both locked and unlocked handsets. If you have one of the aforementioned phones and want to use Easy Rooting Toolkit, check out the download links after the break. Read more
Are you in the market for a mid-range smartphone, but don’t want to deal with crummy contracts and would rather get a new phone outright? If yes— then you’ll be happy at this tidbit of news as Sony has officially listed its unlocked Xperia SP smartphone on its website as available for pre-order. The modest device features a zippy Snapdragon dual-core processor, a 4.6-inch 720p HD Reality Display, 8MP camera and an expandable microSD slot. Additionally, the device will come equipped with a nice assortment of various cellular radios, so it will more than certainly be Ma Bell or Magenta-friendly. Not too shabby indeed.
The device will run customers a cool $489.99 and will start shipping devices sometime later this week. You can find more details once you hit the source link.
source: Sony Store
As Android smartphones become more powerful with each successive generation, more people are finding them capable of running games they enjoy playing. Depending on a device’s capabilities, it is easily conceivable that it can serve in the same role as a traditional game platform like a PlayStation, complete with a connection to a flat screen TV and dedicated controllers for players. We have seen many companies come to market with controllers for Android devices that replicate the controllers found with leading game systems in pursuit of such a setup. It appears that Sony has decided to get in on this market with the introduction of native support for their PlayStation DUALSHOCK 3 controllers on some devices. Read more
Those of you itching for a new mid-range device are set to have yet another option to choose from as Sony has introduced its Xperia SP smartphone to the masses. Just like we’d previously expected, the new device will fall in between the Xperia S and Xperia P smartphones, this device will come in at 4.6-inches and feature a dual-core 1.7 Snapdragon chip, 720p display, an 8MP camera utilizing an Exmor RS sensor, NFC and LTE capabilities. Oh and in case you were wondering, the device will indeed feature Android 4.1.2 running the show. Additionally, media aficionados will be quite pleased at the fact that Sony is tossing in its WALKMAN, Album and Movies apps which gives access to all sorts of awesome content like 18 million songs to listen to or access to over 100,000 movies— giving users tons of options to choose from.
The device will be available worldwide sometime in Q2. While you wait for the device to hit the stores, why not hit the break and check out the full press release and overview video?
We recently told you about a leaked mid-range Sony device, features above on the left. So far all we knew was that the Xperia SP had a slightly larger screen, probably around 4.5 or 4.6 inches, and had a Snapdragon S4 under the hood. The latest leaks confirm those rumors, and we now know that the SP will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro MSM8960T chip with a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor. The 4.6 inch screen will be built around an aluminum body with plastic back, that does indeed house a micro SD card slot, in addition to an 8 MP camera and 8 GB of internal storage. Pretty standard these days. Be sure to keep an eye out for more from Sony at MWC next week.
source: Xperia Blog
We recently reported that Sony will introduce a mid-level phone with the codename “HuaShuan” and that it would be called the Xperia SP. Recently images of it posing with the Xperia V were leaked, which tells us quite a few new things. While the currently available Xperia V sports a 4.3-inch screen, the leaks have shown that the SP will be slightly larger, possibly a 4.5-inch screen. The Xperia SP will sport a 1.7 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU according to previous rumors as well as a non-removable battery which has been noted from previous tips. Although you can’t see it in the picture, the tipster said the microSD slot is behind the back cover, which is sure to make Android users happy.
As the trend of bigger and sharper screens continues in mobile phones, the rumored Xperia SP falls under the mid-range spectrum which won’t necessarily impress but could be a viable option for those looking for a less expensive alternative. Check out the pictures below of the reported leaks and let us know what you think of the rumored Sony Xperia SP.
I think Sony gets the prize for using just about every letter in the alphabet. I dare anyone to rattle off all the phones they have released in the past two years. My family tree is less complicated than Sony’s chart of phones. It looks like Sony has no intentions of slowing down because word is they plan on adding Xperia SP and the Xperia L to the mix.
The Xperia SP will feature a transparent bar so it will be in the NXT series, and since there is an “S” in the name, it will be similar to the Xperia S. It will feature a 720p display, a 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, and Adreno 320 grahics. The codename is Huashan and the model is C530X (C5302, C5303, C5306).
The Xperia L is going to be a lower-end phone. It will feature a FWVGA (854 x 480) display, a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, and Adreno 305 graphics. No word on the codename, but the model is C210X (C2104 and C2105).


text:
Here is a must-read for Microsoft watchers. Two days ago a former design lead on the Office on Windows Phone team turned up on Reddit and said I designed the new version of Office for Windows Phone. Ask me anything.
The overall theme is that Microsoft did not get the design of Windows Phone
…continue reading Inside Microsoft: Ex design lead gives perspective on Metro, Office, iOS and Android battles
Windows 10 for phones is now available on preview; I wrote a first-look piece for The Register here. I like it better than I had expected; it is a bit laggy but pretty much stable and with some compelling new features.
The main interest of the preview for me though is the appearance of first-party
…continue reading Universal Apps: a look at Microsoft’s first efforts on Phone and PC
When Microsoft acquired Nokia in April this year, there was always a risk that the Windows Phone platform would lose momentum (yes there was some momentum).
Nokia was better at marketing, better at hardware innovation, and better at the all-important operator relations than Microsoft itself.
I consider the launch of Windows Phone 7 in
…continue reading Windows Phone wobbles: why users are losing heart
At IFA in Berlin, I spoke to Dan Dery, VP and CMO at Alcatel OneTouch, who told me of the company’s plans for Windows Phone OS tablets. Alcatel OneTouch is part of TCL Corporation, a Chinese global electronics company, though for historical reasons (a 2004 joint venture between TCL and the French company Alcatel-Lucent) it
…continue reading Alcatel OneTouch on plans for Windows Phone OS tablets
I could never make sense of Nokia X, the Android-with-Microsoft-services device which Nokia announced less than a year ago at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona:
If Nokia X is a worse Android than Android, and a worse Windows Phone than Windows Phone, what is the point of it and why will anyone buy?
…continue reading Farewell Nokia X? Not quite, but the signs are clear as Microsoft bets on Universal Apps
I attended an event in London which was a kind-of UK launch for Windows Phone 8.1. The first Lumia device running 8.1, the Lumia 630, is now on sale, though this was not the main focus. It was more about asking businesses to take another look at Windows Phone (and Windows tablets), following improvements Microsoft
…continue reading Having it both ways: can Microsoft equally back Windows Phone and “Any device”?
…continue reading Hands on with Cordova in Visual Studio
Microsoft has completed its acquisition of Nokia today, a milestone in the turbulent story both of Nokia and of Windows Phone, which Nokia adopted in the hope of establishing a “third ecosystem” to challenge Apple iOS and Google Android.
Rumour has it that the Nokia acquisition was controversial within Microsoft and a large factor in
…continue reading Microsoft completes Nokia acquisition: what now for Windows Phone?
It’s curious. Microsoft’s new CEO Satya Nadella has been in place for only a month which means that almost everything announced at Build, Microsoft’s developer conference which took place last week in San Francisco, must have been set before he was appointed; yet there was a sense of “all things new” at the event, as
…continue reading Microsoft Build 2014: what happened
At its Build developer conference in San Francisco, Microsoft has announced a new kind of Windows app: a Universal App. In fact, you can download the latest Visual Studio 2013 update (Update 2 RC) and
A Universal App runs on both Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 8.1. But what is it really?
…continue reading What is a Universal Windows App?


text:
The November 2023 Microsoft Windows 11 preview update brings improvements to Copilot. Microsoft also recently fixed a problem in Outlook that caused the application to crash.
In the tech giant’s recently released KB5032288 November 2023 Windows 11 preview update, Copilot received new functionality. The digital AI tool is now usable on multiple screens and can also be previewed as a thumbnail in the Alt+Tab dialog box. In addition, Copilot now loads faster from the taskbar.
Windows Copilot’s functionality is limited for users with a local Windows account. They can use the AI assistant for a maximum of ten times. If they want to use the tool more often, they must log in with an authenticated account.
Windows 10 users will also soon have Copilot. The AI digital assistant will roll out very soon with the KB5032278 November 2023 preview update for this version of Windows.
Other updates from the cumulative Windows 11 KB5032288 preview release include the introduction of Windows Spotlight as the default background. Furthermore, issues have been fixed for the File Explorer windows and problems that occurred when downloading apps from the Windows Store have been resolved.
All other security updates for all Windows versions are paused this month. In addition, cumulative preview releases for Windows 11 22H2 will be discontinued as of February 2024. However, this version will continue to receive security updates. The normal release cycle of updates and patches for Windows 10 and 11 will start again in January 2024.
Outlook client patch in a separate update
In a separate update, Microsoft also fixed an issue surrounding Outlook. This issue caused Outlook desktop clients to crash when emails were sent from an outlook.com account. Many Outlook users complained, as restarting, fixing and reinstalling Outlook also did not solve the problem.
The tech giant also indicated that users could use an older version of the Outlook desktop client as a temporary fix.


text:
Vancouver-based national operator Telus had 87,000 net mobile phone additions in the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to 70,000 reported in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Telus added a total of 253,000 new wireless, internet, TV and security customers in the quarter, according to to the report. This includes the 87,000 additions to the mobile phone network, 88,000 connected mobile devices, 44,000 Internet, 20,000 TV, and 23,000 security clients.
For context, connected devices are any device other than a mobile phone with its own SIM or IMEI number. These data-centric devices include tablets, internet keys, internet of things, wearable devices, and connected car systems.
“Our total wireless subscriber base of 10.7 million has increased by 5.2% in the last twelve months, reflecting a 2.5% increase in our mobile phone subscriber base to approximately 9 million, and a 21% increase in our connected mobile device subscriber base to approximately 1.8 million. “the carrier described in the report.
The operator’s mobile phone ABPU (average billing per unit) for the quarter was $ 70.07, reflecting a 3.7 percent decrease from the same period a year ago.
Telus notes that this decline reflects the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced roaming revenue, the temporary closure of about 90 percent of its stores, and a decrease in data usage charged to as people continue to download their mobile devices on Wi-Fi. networks.
“The mobile phone ABPU was also affected by the impact of the competitive environment that put pressure on the prices of the base rate plan in the current period and in the previous one,” the report states.
“The decrease in mobile phone ABPU was partially offset by growth resulting from our combined financing of Telus Easy Payment devices, Peace of Mind endless data plans and discount offers for the Telus family, with customers selecting plans with infinite data or bigger data repositories and higher value smartphones in the sales mix. “
Telus reported an ARPU (average revenue per unit) of mobile phones of $ 57.29, which is a decrease of five percent from the fourth quarter of 2019. The operator says that mobile ARPU was affected by the same reasons that affected ABPU .
The mobile phone abandonment rate was 1.09 percent, compared to the 1.20 percent reported in the same period a year ago. The churn rate is the percentage of subscribers who suspend their subscriptions in one month.
The airline says this reflects the impacts of changing customer behavior due to travel restrictions and reduced shopping habits at points of sale.
Telus’ net income for the quarter was $ 271 million, a decrease of 28.5 percent from the $ 379 million reported in the same period a year ago.
Its external wireless operating income and other income decreased by $ 42 million or 1.9 percent. Telus says this was due to lower network revenue and lower equipment revenue.


text:
Jan 17, 2019 ABBA, Avicii, Ace of Base, Swedish House Mafia, Roxette, Robyn, Zara Larsson, why Sweden has become one of the world's leading exporters of music. Many of the world's biggest pop acts also come to Stockhol
Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and Britney Spears dominated the top 10 in the US and UK with songs penned by Swedish songwriters. 2021-03-02 Next year, Postnord – the postal company run by the Danish and Swedish governments – will start issuing postage stamps featuring five of Sweden’s current biggest music exports: Robyn, First 2014-11-05 Sweden Exports By Country Value Year; Norway: $16.99B 2019 Germany: $16.43B 2019 United States: $12.25B 2019 Finland: $11.45B 2019 Denmark: $11.07B 2019 He is a country rock star whose biggest Japan, and other markets. Sweden is the world’s third-largest exporter of pop music Robyn, and Seinabo Sey—for “spreading Swedish music The Government’s award for extraordinary services to Swedish music exports in 2015 goes to artist, songwriter and lyricist Tove Lo. The Government’s 2015 Special Prize for long-standing contributions to Swedish music exports goes to composer Anders Hillborg. Robyn, a previous winner of the Government’s Music Export Prize, made a comeback in autumn 2018 with her first studio album since 2010. In terms of its impact, it was like nothing had happened in the meantime – in a positive sense. 2003-11-26 Top Sweden Exports to the World Sweden shipped US$166 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2018, up by 0.8% since 2014 and up by 8.4% from 2017 to 2018. Top 10 Swedish Exports to Germany 2011-03-14 2016-09-01 The Swedish heavy metal band Ghost, led by singer and songwriter Tobias Forge, receives the Government’s Music Export Prize in Stockholm, Sweden, on October Overview: In December 2020 Sweden exported SEK113B and imported SEK111B, resulting in a positive trade balance of SEK2.83B.Between December 2019 and December 2020 the exports of Sweden have increased by SEK2.5B (2.25%) from SEK111B to SEK113B, while imports decreased by SEK-2.46B (-2.17%) from SEK113B to SEK111B.
- 1 euro svenska
- Ovningar kroppssprak
- Capio sjukgymnastik sophiahemmet
- Öppettider posten ica maxi karlshamn
- Klinisk immunologi huddinge
- Skane fakta
- Bostadstillagg pensionar tillgangar
- Bestick sigvard bernadotte
… A new series of stamps is going to be released 15 January 2015, featuring Swedish pop Music exports Robyn, First Aid Kit, Max Martin, Aviccii and Seinabo Sey. 2020-10-09 An analysis conducted by Music Norway, based on the newly released Global Music Report, highlights Scandinavia’s impact in the global music market. Although three relatively small countries in size and population, Scandinavia, comprised of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, is one of the biggest markets in the world for recorded music. What is the biggest Swedish item of export? Swedish gender equality or maybe IKEA? Posted by Katja on Jan 24, 2013 in Culture, Current Events. Recently there was a one episode documentary broadcasted on Swedish television about stereotypes about Swedes and Sweden.
primitive Autopsy-a band that would have a huge impact on the Swedish made In Flames the first metal band to win the Swedish Export Award from the
Central Station. The third big name is the Swedish-influenced, enigmatic Carl Jonas Love the “Swedish music export wonder”, were increasingly noticed, and The Swedish pop vocalist Dilba makes a welcome return to the singles chart this week with “Try Her biggest hit to date is unquestionable “I'm Sorry.
Other attractions include literature, Swedish art, music, and modernism. The country has 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites . The majority of tourists visit the country, particularly in the summer when temperatures are relatively high, are destined to Skåne and the central and southern coast of the country which have beautiful sandy beaches.
Recently there was a one episode documentary broadcasted on Swedish television about stereotypes about Swedes and Sweden.
ABBA Sales 375 million Roxette Sales 75 million Ace of Base Sales 50 million Avicii Sales 30 million Europe Sales 25 million Spotnicks Sales 18 million
Jan 9, 2020 But please let people know that Swedish music has moved on since their heyday. Since 1997, the Swedish government has awarded its Music Export Prize in recognition of international Top 5 biggest selling Swedish act
Nov 1, 2013 In 2011 the nation of 9.5m produced music exports worth more than Abba's greatest hits compilation Gold is the UK's second best-selling
Dec 15, 2015 ABBA set the standard for what Americans expect from Swedish pop music, and that is saying something. After The Beatles, they are the greatest
Sep 30, 2013 Consider these facts. Sweden is the largest exporter of pop music per capita in the world. In fact, regardless of population, Sweden is currently the
Nov 26, 2020 rupted until 2003 (Export Music Sweden. 2006).
Frenchi uppsala dagens lunch
order to promote an increased Swedish export. The biggest musical export in the history of Swedish music and one of the most renowned pop groups ever, ABBA mesmerized audiences and dominated music All four of these are among the ten biggest selling brands on the Belgian market.
In 2017 Swedish exports of goods amounted to a total value of 58 billion SEK, a year-on-year increase of 27 percent. Exports to China constitute 4,5 percent of all Swedish exports, which makes China Sweden's eight largest export market.
Leon uris trinity
visma fortnox konkurrensverket
longer screws for handles
First published Sweden 25 February 2010 got the opportunity to witness, close at hand, how our country's biggest music export finally conquered America.
Swedish singer and songwriter, born in Stockholm on 12 September 1984. was nominated for the Government's Music Export Prize 2008 in Sweden for selling The biggest musical export in the history of Swedish music and one of the most renowned pop groups ever, ABBA mesmerized audiences and dominated music Covid-19 has hit most industries hard, and the music industry not least of them.
Lediga jobb for seniorer
2/3 of Sweden’s land area is covered by forest. Most people are probably aware that Sweden has a …
That is, countries that imported the most Swedish shipments by dollar value during 2020. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total Swedish exports. Norway: US$16.4 billion (10.6% of Sweden’s total exports) Germany: $16.1 billion (10.4%) Top Sweden Exports to the World Sweden shipped US$166 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2018, up by 0.8% since 2014 and up by 8.4% from 2017 to 2018.


text:
I remember, when the current EIC of Comics Alliance (and previous Google employee) Andrew Wheeler and I got into a discussion a few years ago about the possibility of Google Comics ever existing as a thing.
They didn't. But Google Play seem to be playing catch up more by launching launching new features in Play Books, designed specifically for digital comic book readers who use Play Books.
These include a new vertical scrolling experience in landscape mode that make following a comic book story easier.
And new "curated series" pages for the top comic books to make browsing and finding easier, from volume to volume and series to series.
Of course, this is already available on other digital reading platforms.
But with DC, Marvel, IDW, Image and more are on board preparing their files in this fashion for Google, they are launching the upgrade with a bunch of free comics next week, including issues from IDW's The X-Files and Jem and the Holograms and Image Comics' Lazarus, Those links will work soon, I am promised…
The upgrade will roll out to Android users in the next few days (with iOS soon to follow in the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, India, Singapore, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa.


text:
Google rebrands some of its apps currently under G Suite, to ‘Google Workspace’. The tech behemoth will consolidate Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and Meet as a packaged service offering, complete with new feature updates in the coming months.
Google is winding up the G Suite identity for its range of productivity apps. The company originally launched G Suite, which includes Gmail, Drive, Meet, Docs, and Calendar, in 2016 and has been consistently adding new feature upgrades and integrations in accordance with user needs. With COVID-19 changing the definition of ‘normal’ work and workplaces, Google has been quick to respond with a modernization cum rebranding move that is set to give Microsoft a run for its money.
G Suite’s new moniker, Google Workspace, will aim to convey its suitability for the present work environment, whether remote or hybrid. Under the rebranding, Google has introduced an entirely new brand identity, not just changed the name. It packs a refurbished visual punch, complete with brand new logos, new tools announced a few months ago, and handy new integrations. With Workspace, Google is essentially aiming to consolidate the brand and functional aspects of multiple productivity applications under one umbrella.
Currently, Microsoft dominates the office productivity app space with its Office 365 suite of apps. Speaking at Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in February 2020, Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft 365, Marketing said they had 200 million monthly active users. For comparison, Google Docs potentially has over two billion users. The operative distinction being the number of individual and business users. Google’s productivity apps are mostly leveraged by free individual users with only 6 million paid customers while Office 365 is mostly used by businesses, which facilitates greater revenue generation.
With the rebrand, Google is seeking to grab on to a wider market segment by diversifying its already diverse product/service offerings. In the long run, this can potentially reduce the Mountain View tech behemoth’s dependence upon website and advertising revenue from Google sites and its network.
What’s New and What Does it Mean to Business Users?
First off, Google has homogenized the visual identity of different apps under five new logos for Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar, and Meet. The change has kicked off a storm on Twitter, with users debating whether it was warranted or not.
Google scale: take 5 iconic, visually distinct logos and ruin all of them at once. pic.twitter.com/yttToio8NV
— Dan Romero (@dwr) October 6, 2020
The previous logos were widely recognized by the general public. Can this change potentially adversely impact Google’s future prospects? Well, considering the company’s goal is to onboard businesses, which seek a unified work experience, it doesn’t seem like a wrong move.
Javier Soltero, VP & GM of Google Workspace said, “5 iconic, visually distinct logos for products that are part of the same family, except that you can’t tell that from their shapes, sizes, colors, and then take them towards a place that makes it clear they are both Google products and part of a single, now more integrated set.”
Jules Ehrhardt, a Creative Capitalist at Creative Capital Studio FKTRY concurs. He said:
Does the job of bringing them together under the suite. It's not that important and we'll all forget about it within a week. They are fine.
— Jules Ehrhardt (@ezyjules) October 6, 2020
And as far as ruination of the logos’ aesthetic appeal goes, we’ll leave that up to the market to decide.
Google is introducing a host of new feature updates to G Suite (now Workspace). This includes service integrations of Meet, Chat and Rooms announced in July. Basically, Google wants you to carry out your daily tasks, functions, activities on a single unified browser window. This eliminates the need to alternate between multiple applications, thereby streamlining the way people work.
Gmail is where all apps are consolidated and where unified access will be available. Just a couple of months back, Google had already incorporated Meet within Gmail web and mobile app interfaces. It will now feature Chat/instant messaging, along with email and video calls, thereby bringing together all preferred modes of business communication under one roof.
Real-time collaboration will also mean something else entirely, as users will be able to conference in colleagues or clients through video, while editing or presenting online. Google will roll-out the Meet picture-in-picture to Docs, Sheets, and Slides in coming months. It is presently available for gmail and Chat.
Additionally, with file & link previews, Google is putting a stop to files opening in new tabs. It may not seem like a huge deal in theory, but previews certainly can ease the user activity/workflow. Further, hovering over a user tagged within a document will generate a smart chip that will display contact details and actionable options for greater efficiency.
New security features in Google Workspace are being inculcated with the intention to curb abuse, secure communications, keep data secure and augment privacy protocols, etc. Google has therefore included new classification, audit logging, and detection capabilities for Workspace.
Classification differentiates users based on abusive display names, previous track record on abuse, and disallows them to join a call on Meet.
Audit logs help admins to keep track of messages in Chat and identify malice, spam or abuse.
Google is also launching Data Protection Insights next week ‘proactively create reports that help admins understand the sensitive information that is stored in their organization’, to help admins take more informed decisions.
Google Workspace is ISO/IEC 27701 certified for data privacy in accordance with international privacy laws frameworks.
Greater access controls; centralized rule discovery, its creation and management for administrative tasks through a single console.
It will also feature a new Vault for eDiscovery and data retention. Vault will be available only in the upper editions of Workspace.
Workspace Plans and Pricing Structure
Google Workspace’s pricing structure will vary from G Suite. Recognizing the different needs of smaller businesses and large enterprises, the service will be segmented into different plans (Google calls it editions now). The Workspace pricing structure is available here.
Workspace updates along with the new brand identity will roll out to free and education users in coming months, according to a Google release.
Microsoft’s dominance in the enterprise email and document market was nearly monopolistic. Even as Microsoft makes strides for its Office 365 offerings, Google is well poised to eat away a big chunk of the market. From an aggregated point of view (i.e., paid and free users combined), Google is already ahead.


text:
High-end denim makers in the U.S. might have found a way to sidestep a controversial EU tariff on denim.
In April, the European Union announced a more than 200% increase in the duty on women’s denim imports from the U.S., from 12% to 38%. The move had a particularly deleterious effect on the premium denim segment, and sent shock waves through Southern California, where around 75% of American high-end denim, from brands like Hudson Jeans, Paige, True Religion and others, originates.
For six months American apparel makers and supportive industry lobbyists have been hard at work trying to overturn what they consider to be an unfair duty. The aggressive hikes are seen as retaliation for the US failing to comply with the WTO’s ruling against the Byrd Amendment, which allowed the US unchecked discretion to impose duties on goods it deems “unfairly traded,” or dumped, on the U.S. market. Even though Congress repealed the Byrd Amendment in 2006, its effects continue. Some U.S. companies continue to collect monies deemed to be due them based on its provisions.
Last week, the UK Customs and Tax Department rendered a decision that might be a turning point in the situation, however.
California-based Hudson Clothing LLC claimed in a legal argument to the UK Customs authority that the 38% tariff should not apply to its products because they do not fit the definition of denim set out by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule under which EU tariffs are administered. According to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, denim is: “fabric of yarns of different colors, of three-thread or four-thread twill, including broken twill, warp faced, the warp yarns of which are of one and the same color and the weft yarns of which are unbleached, bleached, dyed gray or colored a lighter shade of the color of the warp yarns.” Since Hudson jeans are processed differently, the argument contended, they should be classified under the tariff provision as cotton pants. The UK Customs and Tax Department eventually agreed.
Elise Shibles, an attorney at Sandler, Travis and Rosenberg (ST&R) who represented Hudson, said, “We were able to convince Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs that the jeans should fall under the tariff classification for cotton women’s trousers other than denim or corduroy and, as such, should be exempt from the increased tariff. Hudson jeans are definitely made of denim as the term is used in the apparel industry but they don’t fall within the legal definition of denim within the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. They are properly classified in the EU under Tariff Code 6204.62.3990, which means they are not the type of garments subject to the tax hike.”
According to Tom Travis, managing partner at ST&R, the ruling could be a bellwether for a future rescission of the EU duty. He said, “The UK ruling is a step in the right direction in fighting the retaliatory tariffs imposed by the EU last spring. We are now working with Hudson and other west coast blue jean companies to seek refunds for overpayment of taxes and obtain rulings on other items that should have been exempt from the tax all along.”
Shibles feels that the ruling will be cross-honored by the other 27 European Union countries, who recognize each other’s binding rulings.
Industry lobbyists are also seizing upon the ruling as a catalyst for change. Steve Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, said, “We’ve been using the process to pretty loudly and forcefully talk to the U.S. and European negotiators about the problems that occur as a result of this punitive tariff that got put on us.”
At least thus far, the tariff has not had a significant effect on denim sales for U.S. exporters. Many U.S. brands and European retailers have had to absorb some or all of the cost increases without having to raise prices to the consumer. Samuel Ku, creative director for AG Jeans, said, “The tariff has not really affected our European business from a gross sales standpoint. The tariff has, however, affected [our] profitability and [that of] our European partners.”
However, the long term effects could be substantial. Ku added, “If the tariff continues, we may have to strategically place production of certain product outside the U.S. That would be worst-case scenario.”
Ilse Metchek, president of the California Fashion Association, also pitched a gloomy appraisal of the damage that could be wrought by the tariff in the future. “The timing [of the tariff] couldn’t be worse for the ‘Made in the USA’ push,” she said. “On the heels of this tariff, it is quite easy to turn on a dime and make it elsewhere. This just chases work offshore.’’


text:
Nigeria’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) e-Naira is failing because of low adoption rates while the government is trying to drive adoption higher, Bloomberg News reported.
The E-Naira was launched in October 2021 and has been live for 14 months as of December but the adoption rate remains low.
Current numbers indicate that only one in 200 people are using the e-Naira, which equates to less than 0.5% of the population. Within the first eight months after its launch, only 700,000 users created an e-Naira wallet.
According to the report, the government is trying to drive adoption by offering a 5% discount on e-Naira payments in Keke Napep, the country’s most widely used transportation system.
Talking about the desired future of the e-Naira, Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele said:
“The destination, as far as I am concerned, is to achieve a 100% cashless economy in Nigeria,”
Meanwhile, the country’s central bank has taken a hands-off approach toward crypto. Nigerian financial institutions are banned from creating and managing crypto-related accounts but trading and owning crypto remains legal in the country.
However, in a recent turn of events, the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission said on Dec. 19 that it is set to recognize crypto as an investment class.


text:
SpaceX and X owner Elon Musk has taken aim at Google following the controversy over its AI image generator, Gemini. The image generator was generating historically inaccurate images of Vikings, American founding fathers and other significant white figures and groups as non-white, prompting an apology and pause from Google.
“The problem is not just Google Gemini, it’s Google search too,” Musk wrote in an X post shortly after the image generator was paused. The post was referencing Google’s “frequently asked questions” page, where the tech giant admits that its search engine is engineered to create “equity” and prevent “algorithmic unfairness.”
“In some cases, it may be appropriate to take no action if the system accurately affects current reality, while in other cases it may be desirable to consider how we might help society reach a more fair and equitable state, via either product intervention or broader corporate social responsibility efforts,” Google explains.
The answer to the question is "yes".
Google was manipulating its search results to advance "equity" as far back as 2018. It described in an online FAQ how it prioritized "algorithmic fairness" over factual accuracy. https://t.co/cWZh91O0Ar pic.twitter.com/Hyd9hLglwO
— i/o (@eyeslasho) February 22, 2024
In another X post, Musk stated that Google “overplayed their hand” with Gemini.
“I’m glad that Google overplayed their hand with their AI image generation, as it made their insane racist, anti-civilizational programming clear to all,” he wrote.
Musk has frequently criticized Google, Facebook and other major social networks for meddling with algorithms and shadow banning undesirable content, meaning that posts will be hidden and suppressed. In 2023, 63 percent of articles featured in Google News came from left-wing news sites, while right-wing outlets were featured just 6 percent of the time.
For all search terms except “immigration,” stories aggregated from progressive outlets accounted for over half of the results, the media company AllSides found in its latest bias analysis.
“Out of curiosity, I looked at the Google news page. The so-called “news” either misses the point or is flat out wrong,” Musk said of Google’s news page back in December. “One is left depressed and misled.”
In response to Google’s bias, Musk teased plans for a rival search engine and email service that will not include pre-programmed racial biases in results. “It’s coming,” Musk said of his plans for “XMail” when asked by an X user.
The tech mogul has long expressed plans to evolve X from being just a social media site into an “everything app” that includes payment processing, shopping and much more. Such apps have gained popularity in China and other emerging markets around the world, though a similar company has not yet emerged in the United States.
It is unclear whether “XMail” and Musk’s planned search engine would be integrated into X.
BREAKING: Elon Musk says he’s creating XMail, an alternative to Gmail.
Will you use this over Google? pic.twitter.com/IAQZRPkIBm
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) February 23, 2024


text:
Samsung Hopes to Sell 390 Million Smartphones Next Year
December 27, 2012 10:50 AM
comment(s) - last by
Samsung aims high for 2013
With the final days of 2012 upon us, many companies are looking forward to “great success” in 2013. Samsung is expecting to sell 510 million mobile phones next year, which would represent a 20 percent rise compared to 2012.
Of the 510 million mobile phones it expects to sell, 390 million will be smartphones with the remainder coming from the sale of feature/budget phones.
"There are some possibilities that smartphone demand will slow in general. But we are seeing new demand for devices using Long Term Evolution (LTE),'' said Kim Hyun-joon, an executive at Samsung's telecommunications division."
Samsung also announced that it intends to build 240 million devices at its Vietnamese factory, 170 million devices in China, 20 million in India, and 40 million devices at its Korean factory. Samsung also plans to spend $2.2 billion upgrading handset factories in Vietnam by 2020 to boost output.
"By offering better pricing to consumers in developing nations, we will find new growth. This will also enable consumers in developed nations like North America and Europe to buy our LTE devices at more affordable prices,'' said a Samsung official.
Analysts are predicting that Samsung will dethrone Nokia to become the top handset shipper in the world for 2012. Nokia has held that title for 14 years.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: A tale of two cities
12/30/2012 10:27:09 AM
??? The very definition of Cherry picking is to take the best points of data and ignore the rest, which is exactly what you do with battery life, but whatever.
"Your and many fans positions don't come from a place of practicality or objective analysis, it comes from some ridiculous ideological POV where "Apple is evil"."
I was j/k come now.
"you're getting literally double what other comparable products get. "
See, this is what I was talking about. Check the link below. I know we both trust Anandtech. Let me point out 2 things.
1. You keep comparing browsing time, which is one area Apple excels. Look at ALL of the charts. The iPhone 5 has even LESS talk time than the GS3, but you "cherry picked" that right out didnt you? Here is the full picture on this. The iPhone5 has LOWER battery life for talk time, better battery life for web browsing and comparable on other measures.
2. Even with the web browsing, you keep picking the GS3 as if its the only phone out there. For whatever reason, it has poor performance even against other Android phones on web browing. The HTX One X has almost double whathte GS3 has too. So you are cherry picking the best of the iPhone data and the worst of Android and calling it fact. Its not a fact. Here is the facts on web browsing. The iPhone 4 has the best web browsing of the phones tested, but only by a couple percent compared to the HTC OneX... NOT DOUBLE
Any more questions of cherry picking? I will be happy to answer them for you =)
"Young lady, in this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics!" -- Homer Simpson
Inspiron Laptops & 2-in-1 PCs
September 25, 2016, 9:00 AM
The Samsung Galaxy S7
September 14, 2016, 6:00 AM
Apple Watch 2 – Coming September 7th
September 3, 2016, 6:30 AM
Apple says “See you on the 7th.”
September 1, 2016, 6:30 AM
Apple sued because of iPhone 6 Touch Disease
August 31, 2016, 7:00 AM
Get Ready to wait in line – iPhone 7 due September.
August 18, 2016, 7:15 AM
Most Popular Articles
5 Cases for iPhone 7 and 7 iPhone Plus
September 18, 2016, 10:08 AM
Laptop or Tablet - Which Do You Prefer?
September 20, 2016, 6:32 AM
Update: Samsung Exchange Program Now in Progress
September 20, 2016, 5:30 AM
Smartphone Screen Protectors – What To Look For
September 21, 2016, 9:33 AM
Walmart may get "Robot Shopping Carts?"
September 17, 2016, 6:01 AM
Latest Blog Posts
Who is in Risk of Getting Oral Cancer?
Sep 23, 2016, 6:02 AM
France Bans Plastic Eating Utensils in Restaurants
Sep 18, 2016, 10:49 AM
Progress Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Sep 17, 2016, 5:30 AM
Apple Watch Series 2 - Number 1 in the Customer Satisfaction.
Sep 7, 2016, 6:19 PM
First Self-Driving Car debut on the streets of Singapore
Aug 28, 2016, 4:10 PM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2016 DailyTech LLC. -
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information


text:
Fermob’s New Catalog Connects the Community through Interactive Elements and Personal Experiences
Fermob launches its 2020 Album featuring iconic, new products and colors photographed with real people, known as #FERMOBPEOPLE, their special community.
Not only is this catalog authentic, quirky, and visually stunning, but it also brings readers around the world into people’s homes, their lives and their towns.
More then just a brochure, it provides a digital journey of visual and acoustic experiences, demonstrating that shared values and common passions are universal.
The 2020 outdoor furniture catalog offers viewers the opportunity to scan the pages using their smart phone to dive deeper into the projects and people with fun videos, custom playlists and creative inspiration.
New and noteworthy:
Fermob USA launches an e-store on fermobusa.com
As we now stay safely at home, the need to reorganize our spaces with a home office, play areas for the kids, and essential outdoor spaces to unwind, become more important.
With the launch of this e-store, Fermob can add sparkle and joie de vivre to their customers, with a simple click.


text: BRUCE SCHREINERLOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) â¿¿ The recession-dented RV industry pointed Tuesday to modest gains atop last year's turnaround performance as another sign that the sector is on a slow road to recovery. RV makers, dealers and suppliers attending an annual industry trade show were told that 2011 shipments from manufacturers to dealers are expected to be up 2 percent from last year's 242,300 shipped units. The 2010 total amounted to a 46 percent gain from 2009 as the economy improved. "You guys sitting in this room today are all survivors in this industry, and I think that bodes very well," said Richard A. Coon, president of the Virginia-based Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. In 2007, shipments of RV units totaled 353,400 â¿¿ the fourth-highest figure in a quarter century. By 2009, shipments slumped to 165,700 units as older RVs parked on dealers' lots drew scant interest from cash-conscious consumers. Consumers remain jittery by stubbornly high unemployment, sagging home values and a volatile stock market. As a result, the industry is bracing for a projected 2.6 percent decline in RV shipments in 2012 to 240,600 units, based on a forecast by University of Michigan economist Richard Curtin. "It plays with the psyche of those people that are in our target market," said Bob Olson, chairman of RV maker Winnebago Industries Inc. Lackluster consumer confidence aside, he noted some favorable trends: dealer inventories have improved and consumer credit has become more available, especially for less-expensive towable RVs attached to pickups or hitched to the back of another vehicle. "A lot of tough decisions were made by everybody in that room in order to be here today," Olson said following the trade show's opening session. "You didn't find anybody in the RV industry getting a bailout. We did it the old-fashioned way, with some pretty tough decisions."


text:
Jack Dorsey’s announcement that Twitter will no longer run political ads because “political themes reach is due to be made , not bought” has been greeted as a astute and statesmanlike differentiate to Mark Zuckerberg’s and Facebook’s greedy acceptance of “political ads that lie.” While the 240 -character policy announces obliging, it’s both shortcoming in principle and, I dread, counterproductive in practice.
First: like it or detest it, the U.S. political method is drowning in coin. In 2018, a non-presidential year, it is estimated that over$ 9B was spent on the U.S. elections. And unless laws change, more will continue to flow. Banning digital ads will not reduce the amount of money in politics, and will simply shift it to less transparent directs. In an ideal world, it would be great if all “political words were made and not bought, ” but “thats really not” how our arrangement wreaks. Applicants, Super PACs, C4s and others already tolerate the majority of their budgets to be swallowed up by other, less noticeable, accountable and cost-effective, channels — including video, forward, dial, and radio.


text:
This article is more than 1 year old
Apple lags MS in security response
Fear of a Black Hat
Apple is trailing way behind Microsoft in security patch responsiveness, according to a study by security researchers.
Stefan Frei and Bernard Tellenback of the Computer Engineering and Networks Laboratory (TIK) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, analysed several years of vulnerability disclosures and patching processes from various vendors.
They found that Apple is getting worse at dealing with security problems while Microsoft is improving. Apple is experiencing more vulnerabilities, longer patching times, and more attacks on unpatched vulnerabilities, according to the duo.
Frei and Tellenback presented their findings at a presentation entitled 0-day Patch – Exposing Vendors (In)Security Performance at last week's Black Hat conference in Amsterdam. A copy of the presentation can be found here.
Colleagues of the duo reckon Apple's antagonistic attitude with security researchers is one of the reasons for its poor response.
"While I think that there are quite a few reasons why this is probably so, I’d be inclined to say that Apple’s biggest problem appears to be that they treat every new vulnerability as a potential PR disaster rather than an opportunity to visibly reinforce their work in securing their customers," writes Gunter Ollman of IBM's X-Force.
"In recent times this has most critically been reflected in the way Apple works with security researchers." ®


text:
New Delhi: Ever since PUBG Corporation ( that owns PUBG, PUBG Mobile, PUBG Mobile India, and PUBG Mobile Lite titles) has announced that it will be making a comeback to the Indian market with the creation of an Indian subsidiary and a new game, gamers across the country are eagerly waiting for the official launch of PUBG Mobile India. Also Read - BEWARE! PUBG Mobile Permanently Suspends 12 Lakh Accounts For These REASONS. Details Here
Taking to social media platforms and the official website, the company has teased the return of PUBG Mobile India. While some reports suggest that the battle royal game will be launched by the first week of December, other portals suggested that the launch of the game could be delayed. Also Read - PUBG Mobile Season 17 Royale Pass Released: Check Details About New Skins, Dresses, Emotes
Check out the latest updates: Also Read - Missing PUBG? Now Play The Battle Royale Game With This 5-second Trick | Read Details
PUBG Mobile India Yet to Get MeitY Clearance: Sources in the Ministry of Electronics and Information technology (MeitY) has claimed that the game is yet to receive the government’s nod to operate in India again. “Any banned entity can’t operate just by floating a new company. This even Tik Tok or anyone else can do. They will have to get permissions from MEITY to operate once again in India”, an unnamed ministry official affiliated with MeitY told Inside Sport.
PUBG Mobile India Registered in India: It was reported that PUBG Corporation has floated a new company to launch the battle royale game to India. Reports had claimed that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has approved PUBG India Private Limited. Besides, it was also said that the company has already been listed on the ministry’s website with a valid Corporate Identity Number (CIN) and the registered office is in Bengaluru.
PUBG Mobile India to be Launched in December: Contrary to the reports of Inside Sport, various web portals had reported that the makers will officially launch the game in India by the first week of December.
Exclusive Features For Indian Gamers: As per updates from the PUBG Corporation, the Indian version of the game will feature some changes and would be slightly different from the global version of the game.
KRAFTON Signs Deal With Microsoft Azure: If reports are to be believed, Krafton Inc, the parent company of PUBG has signed a deal with Microsoft Azure to host the former’s (PUBG) multiplatform products–including all versions of the battle royal game. This partnership was aimed at reducing the Chinese connection for which the game was banned by the Narendra Modi-led government.
Notably, the immensely popular PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile app was among the 118 Chinese apps that the Indian government banned in September over national security concerns. To get the ban lifted, PUBG Corp made the decision to no longer authorise the PUBG Mobile franchise to China-based Tencent Games in India.