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STEPHANIE OSWALD, Editor-In-Chief of TRAVELGIRL Magazine, Award-Winning International Travel Expert
Travelling is medicine for the soul. However, It can be tempting to feel stressed, overwhelmed and intimidated by the idea of leaving life’s comforts at home. But thankfully, TravelGirl Steph comes to the rescue. Travel reporter and Travelgirl Magazine Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Oswald is on hand with insider tips to help keep your mind, body and spirit in full working order and stay healthy while travelling.
In addition, Stephanie welcomes viewer questions, LIVE or e-mailed to her ahead of time. Stations with specific viewer questions should send them to firstname.lastname@example.org and include your station’s location and ID.
More About Stephanie Oswald:
As the Editor-in-Chief of travelgirl magazine, a Web Correspondent for The Weather Channel, and seasoned travel correspondent for CNN, she has reported on everything from stress-relieving spa treatments and unique escapes around the world to the human side of a hurricane. She is the co-founder of travelgirl — the first national travel magazine to launch after the events of 9/11. The travel and lifestyle publication was chosen by industry leader Mr. Magazine as one of the “most notable” launches of 2003. Oswald is a native New Yorker who spent 13 years globetrotting as CNN’s travel correspondent and host of the weekend program, CNN Travel Now. In 2003, she also launched a groundbreaking series called The Weather Channel Road Crew that showcased the “fun” side of weather. In 2004, she filed written and audio reports during Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne as the very first Web Correspondent for Weather.com. As anchor and correspondent for CNN Travel Now, a weekly program on worldwide destinations, travel trends and cuisine, Oswald specialized in adventure travel, filing reports from Europe, South America, Asia and the Caribbean. One series took her into the depths of Papua New Guinea for a rare and eye-opening look at the Huli Wigmen. Her reports also appeared on CNN Headline News, CNN in-flight programming for Delta Air Lines, CNN International and the CNN Airport Network. Immediately after 9/11, she filed human interest stories on the crisis for CNN, and covered the impact on the travel industry during live studio reports on CNN Headline News.
Stephanie’s website (www.travelgirlinc.com)


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Huami Amazfit T-Rex goes on sale: Check price, specifications, features
Amazfit T-Rex has 14 sports mode, 1.3-inch AMOLED display, and 390mAh battery. Check full specifications and features of the smartwatch.
Huami on Friday announced the availability of Amazfit T-Rex in India. Priced at ₹9,999, the smartwatch can be purchased online via Amazon India and the official Amazfit website. You can also buy the T-Rex offline via stores such as Croma, Reliance Digital and Poorvika Mobiles from next week.
Amazfit T-Rex is Huami's new rugged smartwatch. It complies with the US' military standard (MIL-STD-810) quality benchmark and can withstand extreme temperatures as well as damp, salt and any challenging outdoor conditions. Huami claims the smartwatch can survive for two hours under rapid temperature change from -40 to 70℃.
The smartwatch comes with a 1.3-inch AMOLED display with 360x360 pixels resolution. It has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Huami T-Rex is powered by a 390mAh battery which is said to deliver up to 20 days of battery life. The company claims the smartwatch can deliver up to 66 days of back up in basic mode. It can charge to 100% in up to 2 hours.
The smartwatch comes with a bunch of sensors such as geomagnetic sensor, ambient light sensor, and a 3-axis accelerator. There's also a BioTracker PPG optical heart rate monitor.
The rugged T-Rex smartwatch comes with 5ATM certification, which makes it water-resistant up to 50 meters. It has as many as 14 sports modes. Other basic features of the smartwatch include alarm, reminders and notifications for calls and apps.

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WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers are scrambling to put their mark on the Bush administration's $700 billion plan to save financial markets -- a fast-moving test of wills that could reshape one of the biggest bailouts in U.S. history.
There's no sign yet that Congress will delay or derail the proposal. Democrats are looking to add provisions that include beefed-up congressional oversight, aid for individual homeowners and changes to bankruptcy laws.
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EOS: WebAuthn to Enable Secure Authentication, Vote to Reduce Inflation From 5% to 1% and Top 10 Innovative Projects
Dear crypto enthusiasts,
It’s the first time we covers biweekly updates of EOS.IO, a blockchain-based, decentralized system that enables the development, hosting, and execution of commercial-scale decentralized applications (dApps) on its platform. EOS software uses Delegated Proof of Stake (DPOS) consensus algorithm as the only one capable to meet the performance requirements. Moreover, it will be lightning fast and able to compete by performance with non-blockchain apps. A lot will be worth observing in the near future as the EOS ecosystem is gaining ground.
During the last two weeks EOS.IO didn’t illustrate high social activity. Firstly, EOS.IO released a WebAuthn Example App to demonstrate the implementation of WebAuthn, a new World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard. This standard was accepted and pioneered globally by major technology companies like Yubico, Google, and Microsoft and enables secure authentication supported by all leading browsers and platforms. Secondly, EOS holders voted to reduce the annual inflation rate from 5% to 1%. However, just 2.6% of participants voted for that since poll has started 102 days ago. Finally, the list of top 10 most promising and original projects with the goal of showing the current potential of this blockchain was published. Stay tuned!
EOS.IO has released a WebAuthn Example App to demonstrate how it intends to implement WebAuthn support for EOSIO.
WebAuthn is a new World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standard accepted and pioneered globally by many major technology companies like Yubico, Google, and Microsoft, that enables secure authentication supported by all leading browsers and platforms.
EOSIO is the first blockchain protocol to adopt the WebAuthn standard. As a new security standard approved by the W3C, EOS.IO is excited to be pioneering its adoption within the blockchain community.
Bringing this standard to EOSIO opens up the possibility of more secure and seamless transaction signing for blockchain applications built on EOSIO. Rather than worrying about private keys, users will be able to sign transactions using their choice of standard hardware authenticators (rather than Chrome extensions or applications) such as the newly announced EOSIO YubiKey and built-in platform authenticators like fingerprint sensors and other biometrics.
More information about WebAuthn can be found at https://webauthn.guide.
The money will fund Azarus’ efforts to build out its game network “smart challenge,” a proprietary Twitch plug-in built on the EOS blockchain, which allows users to compete for digital assets through competitive gaming challenges.
The platform operates by inviting Twitch streamers and their fans to participate in games based around streaming data. Winners are rewarded with tokens that can be redeemed for in-game items, currencies, and other digital assets in the Azarus marketplace.
Additionally, a pilot program will allow select streamers to award tokens to their viewers for correctly answering questions about their streams. Every challenge is notarized on the blockchain, including the data used to execute and resolve it.
Launched in late 2018, the Azarus “smart challenge” platform only operates works with Rainbow 6 Siege streams, with plans to expand to other games.
1. Voice: it will provide an opportunity for users to control their information via native tokens, which are earned through posting and commenting. It is now available for sign up as a beta user.
3. Emanate: Emanate claims to be bringing the music industry to the age of decentralization using the EOS blockchain.
4. Eva: It aims to remove traditional ridesharing companies that are aggregating the mobility economy. It is a cooperative whose general mission is to develop new technologies for urban mobility. The platform they are offering is a liaison between drivers and passengers.
5. InSpace: InSpace would finally bring to life our sci-fi fantasies from the 80s: spatial, 3D from 2D web, and desktop navigation, like on a futuristic spaceship. This bold interface design solution brings options for the truly spatial storage of files and folders. With it, the term “workspace” becomes more literal than ever. There is not much information on the project, which is in early alpha. The full release is planned for Q4 2020.
6. Wordproof: The WordPress plugin enables users to timestamp content onto the EOS blockchain. Content, timestamped in the blockchain, can’t be stolen or faked because you can accurately track it to the original publication. The project’s mission is to help content creators be more transparent and increase the trust of their audiences. A timestamp that makes it virtually impossible for others to claim they posted your stolen article first is a step in the right direction.
7. Bitez.io: It claims to satisfy more mundane needs. They are introducing food delivery to the EOS blockchain.
8. KARMA: KARMA is social media meant for good. Users are incentivized to do good, share positive and cool content, and receive KARMA when their content is up-voted.
9. HireVibes: HireVibes is meant to connect job seekers, employers, referrers, and recruiters on a new job search platform that utilizes the EOS blockchain. The basic idea is to disrupt recruitment agencies as middlemen, create a fair incentive model with reasonable hiring fees, and reward members on HireVibes for successful hires.
10. Free Republic of Liberland: The Free Republic of Liberland, a sovereign nation founded on April 13, 2015, seeks to build an open-source government and has decided to use EOSIO software as the foundation.
According to the poll’s description, out of the current 5% of annual EOS inflation, 4% is being accumulated in the eosio.saving account while 1% is distributed among BPs in exchange for network maintenance. About 3.6 million EOS are reportedly created and sent to this on-chain account every month, and this number increases due to compound inflation mechanisms.
At press time, 100% of the 778 account that staked about 27.3 million EOS have been cast in favor of reducing the inflation.
None of the highlights covered in the article have been committed to a release date or a clear roadmap, and Block.one’s work may include significant work that is not relevant to EOS public chains.
- InSpace launch in 2020
The EOSIO Strategic Vision covers 4 main areas of focus:
- Scalability: More apps, more users
- Developers: Better tooling, faster app development
- Users: Greater security, less friction
- Enterprise: Greater flexibility, better compliance
Partnerships and team members
AnChain.AI is a blockchain startup that uses machine learning and AI to investigate blockchain data. One of these analyses showed that the lion’s share of EOS Dapps transactions were made by bots. What is more, AnChainAI found out that almost half of EOS accounts were created by real users.
Just for the record, same as the most Dapps, EOS Dapps suffers from a few users, and it’s so much for the EOS ecosystem. DappRadar data shows that EOS Dapps have about 1500 users in 24 hours. That information should not catch us unaware. The thing is that EOS transactions have no fees, and this is a fat land for spammers making hundreds of transactions every day.
What is the main purpose for spammers of making fake transactions? Firstly, a Dapp users need extra transactions to achieve high-level results in games. Making such number of transactions manually is almost impossible thus spammers use bots.
What is more, Dapps itself could use bots to become top banana in ratings, thereby attracting new users. Some of the Daps with lots of daily transactions have just a few users. However, such metrics as users activity shows the real success of a Dapp.
Dapps industry keeps developing and needs a lot of time to make it a clockwork. Bots activity is an egg on Dapps face. Either way, this analysis showed that data from Dapp rating websites are not accurate.
Social media metrics
EOS.IO showed a slight dynamic in social networks. In general, EOS.IO experiences low to average level of social activity.
The graph above illustrates slight increase in the number of EOS.IO Facebook likes, Reddit subscribers and Twitter followers. The information is taken from Coingecko.com.


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Robonomics formally begins its integration into the Binance Sensible Chain ecosystem. The group launched a bridge of $XRT ERC-20 to BEP-20 in partnership with AnySwap Alternate. It permits XRT to be listed on the most important DEX on BSC, PancakeSwap (1 billion USD day by day commerce quantity). Buying and selling begins on Tuesday, December sixteenth, at 15:00 UTC.
The Ethereum community has had some points with scaling, this has led to excessive transaction charges, whereas depriving retail-investors of energetic buying and selling on DEXs. That’s the reason why many initiatives are creating BEP-20 variations of their token on Binance Sensible Chain, permitting them to get pleasure from low transaction charges (of round $0.1-0.5 per TX).
Now, all PancakeSwap customers can commerce the XRT made by Robonomics. Additionally, everybody who turns into a liquidity supplier will likely be rewarded by the venture’s DAO. Those that will stake tokens can get roughly 13 XRT for every 1% OF a liquidity pool. Precise rewards you could find here.
What is that this all about?
Robonomics is a decentralized open-source platform for IoT and Robotics. It was based in 2015 to usher in the 4th industrial revolution Financial system of Robots.
The first purpose of the platform is to supply cyber-physical techniques with a chance to change into autonomous financial brokers.
- Robotics / IoT gadgets can use to pay for transaction charges incurred because of user-to-device or device-to-device interactions;
Anyswap is a trustless protocol to bridge belongings between heterogeneous layer-1 platforms and to facilitate cross-chain swaps.
PankaceSwap is the brand new decentralized trade (DEX) that’s been created on the Binance Sensible Chain (BSC). The automated market maker (AMM) presents customers many modern methods to commerce and create revenue streams from their cryptocurrencies.


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Over 10,000 people were evacuated from several department stores in Moscow on Thursday due to a bomb threat, according to law enforcement agencies.
Police evacuated thousands of people from the GUM and TsUM department stores located in central Moscow.
According to law enforcement, people are evacuated from the GUM and TsUM department stores located in central Moscow, the Gagarinsky and Kuntsevo Plaza shopping malls, and all nine Auchan hypermarkets.
In some stores the evacuation has been completed, and in some others it continues.
TASS has no official commentary from the law enforcement bodies.
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£38k: the cost of today’s pampered pooches
A Covid puppy is all the rage, but are you ready for the financial mess they leave behind?
Pet ownership has soared, and so has the number of services on offer for the modern-day pooch. As we have become more discerning about our lives and our own mental health needs, the same goes for man’s best friend. Families spent £6.9 billion on pets last year, according to the Office for National Statistics, up from £3.34 billion a decade earlier. But costs are rising too, from luxury food to day care, fancy clothing to the dreaded pet insurance bills, the price of keeping a modern-day dog groomed, fed and happy is up to £3,560 a year — or £38,000 over the average pet’s lifetime — as more owners opt for environmentally-friendly food, grooming, and educational toys on top of the usual essential jabs and


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Uber co-founder Garrett Camp to raise $75 million for startups
Expa Capital, a new vehicle for spawning tech startups that is owned by Uber Technologies and StumbleUpon co-founder Garrett Camp, is raising $75 million, according to a regulatory filing.
Camp is trying with San Francisco-based Expa to use his decade of startup experience to create “an efficient system for developing new companies,” according to the Expa.com website.
“Expa builds companies,” the site states. “We develop new products, systems & services, and then form teams to scale them as independent entities. Expa integrates product strategy, system design, and user experience.”
Efforts to get comment from someone at Expa were unsuccessful.
Camp rose to fame initially when eBay bought his startup StumbleUpon for $75 million just a year after he had raised seed funding from various investors, including Ram Shriram, Josh Kopelman and Mitch Kapor.
He had co-founded online content discovery service StumbleUpon four years earlier while in graduate school in Canada and nurtured the company along on his own resources before moving to San Francisco and seeking funding.
Then in 2009, Camp hit the headlines again when he led an investor group that bought StumbleUpon back from eBay for a reported pittance and then became CEO of the independent company, which raised $17 million in new venture money.
After three years, Camp left the CEO role, and he and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick subsequently co-founded Uber, with Camp designing and prototyping the system, which initially enabled people quickly to summon and pay for black town cars using their mobile phones.
Uber first went live in San Francisco in June 2010. Today it is available in some 70 metropolitan areas and it has raised $307 million, with investors reportedly valuing the company at about $4 billion. Uber has services ranging from private drivers in their own cars to luxury SUVs. Kalanick is CEO.
Patrick Hoge covers technology for the San Francisco Business Times.
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The ACCC together with the Australian Privacy Commissioner are now reviewing the revealed information.
At a time of increased scrutiny of companies that collect masses of user data, two USA senators are calling on federal regulators to investigate a Google product called Location History. It is based on a recent report that claimed the American tech giant Google harvests large amounts of data from Android devices.
The ACCC's move follows software company Oracle accusing Google of harvesting a gigabyte of data from Australian mobiles monthly, costing Australians roughly $580 million in data charges. The ACCC is particularly concerned that digital platforms like Google and Facebook have tremendous influence on the advertising market.
The Oracle experts say phone owners' data ends up being consumed even if Google Maps is not in use or aeroplane mode is switched on. In March, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in Oracle's favour, ruling that Google did, in fact, steal intellectual property from Oracle "when it adopted Java naming protocols for Android app developers". "Most consumers do not understand the level, granularity, and reach of Google's data collection".
Google also mapped IP addresses and Wi-Fi connection spots where mobile phones connected or attempted to connect, the report says. We are exploring how much consumers know about the use of location data and are working closely with the privacy commissioner, he further added. Regulators found that telecom service customers are unknowingly paying for gigabytes of mobile data mined by the USA tech giant.
Lethal Weapon: Clayne Crawford Wishes Cast 'Good Luck' After Being Fired
It seems FOX has made a decision to do the latter, and Seann William Scott has landed his first-ever network series role. In light of all the turmoil, "the situation had escalated to a point where Warner Bros ".
Earlier this year, social media giant Facebook Inc apologized after web marketing firm Cambridge Analytica was accused of obtaining users' data without permission for the 2016 election campaign of United States President Donald Trump.
"Google has an intimate understanding of personal lives as they watch their users' seek the support of reproductive health services, engage in civic activities, or attend places of religious worship", the senators wrote.
According to Oracle, Google is accessing information such as barometric pressure readings and coordinates, which could be used to work out whether someone is located outside or in a shopping centre. Currently, there are 10 million users in Australia using androids.
Location sharing was also said to be an opt-in.


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Israeli government websites were up and running again Monday, after what the government described as a "server glitch" at a server farm took several of them offline.
By launching the Open Compute Project as a stand-alone foundation, Facebook is hoping to further standardize the market for data center equipment, thereby reducing costs and vendor lock-in, the new foundation's board members said at a press conferenc...
Facebook has begun building a data center in Lulea, Sweden, where it will benefit from cheap electricity and year-round free air cooling, the company announced Thursday.
IBM on Wednesday introduced mainframe and Power-based systems for analytics in an effort to compete with Oracle's Exadata.
Hewlett-Packard on Monday announced new servers that come pre-configured with Microsoft software to help companies deploy virtualized workloads more quickly.
It can't be easy working for Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. Just ask John Fowler, the head of Oracle's systems business, who's spent the past two weeks trying to convince customers that Ellison didn't really mean it when he said Oracle is "phasing out" it...
SPEC, the standards body for performance benchmarks, has developed a tool-kit to help more accurately measure the energy efficiency of servers.
Oracle has launched its new Sparc T4 processor, along with new hardware that it hopes will turn up the heat on server rivals Hewlett-Packard and IBM.
Oracle is hoping to capture the fancy of smaller companies enamored with its Exadata data-processing machine, announcing Wednesday the availability of a new database appliance configured for SMBs' needs and budgets.
Micron today released its first entry-level solid state drive (SSD) aimed at being used as a boot drive in servers or for I/O intensive read applications, such as video streaming in cloud computing environments.
In 2001, VMware delivered its first virtualization products for x86 servers, setting off what has become one of today's biggest tech trends. But the benefits of virtualization, particularly its ability to allow users to rapidly provision new workload...
Cisco Systems emerged from 150 days of restructuring on Tuesday as an aggressive competitor, laying out some of the problems that led it to make changes, while saying its rivals are in even worse predicaments.
Servers with new Xeon E5 chips based on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture will become available early next year, Intel officials said on Tuesday.
An IT services company in China has picked an IBM mainframe to provide online services for up to 300 million citizens, including many in rural areas who will access the services through kiosks in community centers and other public places, IBM said.
IBM's worldwide server revenue jumped a healthy 24.5 percent in the second quarter, putting it neck and neck with Hewlett-Packard for the top spot, according to IDC.
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For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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You may recall that, yesterday, it was revealed that Venom would be in Marvel’s Midnight Suns. Well, it has been announced today that Venom will actually be a part of the game’s season pass, which will be a part of the game’s “Legendary Edition”. You’ll also be able to purchase the content packs separately.
It was confirmed that Deadpool will be in the first content pack. Venom will follow, then Morbius. The last content pack will have Storm. Each of the content packs that are included in the Season Pass will add new story missions, Abbey upgrades, and new skins and outfits.
The season pass will also include a Legendary Premium Pack, which will have 23 premium skins. They include Blade’s Blade 1602 skin, Captain America’s Future Soldier skin, Iron Man’s Iron Knight skin and Spider-Man’s Demon Spider skin. You’ll be able to use them at launch.


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When Cape Coral-based restaurant group HGH—owners of Fathoms, Gather and The French Press—realized that the quarantine would be in effect for weeks, if not months, its owners knew they needed to rethink their advertising strategies. “You’re just sitting there all day thinking of ideas, asking yourself, ‘What’s next? What are we going to do?’” says Val Voisin, a partner in HGH and its marketing director.
The group began by putting more money into radio and print advertising—50% more, according to Voisin. Then the partners turned their efforts to social media, where they already had a strong presence. “We realized we could do more if we put a lot of focus on there,” Voisin says, “so we started entertaining people while they were at home.”
That entertainment came in the form of a series of cooking demonstrations led by HGH chefs and streamed live over Facebook. Viewers were able to comment and ask questions in real-time. “People from all over were watching,” Voisin says. If their restaurants couldn’t sell food, the owners decided, at least they could strengthen their customer base.
The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel took a similar approach. In early June, when the world was just beginning to emerge from quarantine, the Beaches already had a new advertising plan in place. The goal? To keep Fort Myers and Sanibel at the top of visitors’ minds, and to inspire forward-looking travelers to consider vacations in Southwest Florida when they felt safe enough to travel.
In the initial phase, which began in March, the Convention and Visitors Bureau launched a Stay Home, Stay Well campaign with the theme “the beaches aren’t going anywhere, and neither should you.” By June, the CVB had moved into the next phase, where the focus was less an overt call-to-vacation and more on armchair travel inspiration.
The last two phases of the new advertising strategy, which would go into effect when most of the country returned to pre-COVID-19 routines, were more action-focused, encouraging potential visitors to book a stay. Their message, according to Lee County’s Tim Engstrom: “When you’re ready, we hope you feel safe, inspired and excited to join us on the Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel.”
But for Bill Waichullis, senior vice president of operations for Boykin Management, which owns the Pink Shells Resort on Fort Myers Beach, new advertising strategies haven’t been necessary. In fact, the resort is spending 50% to 75% less on advertising than it did at this time last year.
“There’s a lot of pent-up demand,” Waichullis says. “People are stir-crazy and just want to get out.” In early summer, typically a slow time on the beach, the resort was running at 80% occupancy, the maximum allowed with social distancing guidelines.
“It all comes down to how to keep the phones ringing,” Waichullis says. “It might be a different story for hotels or 41 or inland in Kissimmee, but for beach hotels, the phones keep ringing.”


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Music will highlight a busy Saturday next week as part of a day of shopping and eating.
The 2011 Fall Downtown Street Faire will bring novelties, food and a concert to Sixth Street, from I to K streets, and it might spill farther north and south.
Los Banos Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John Whala said along with new food and merchandise vendors, the chamber booked a band.
"We're getting different types of vendors, new vendors that have never been here before, including food vendors and general merchandise vendors," Whala said.
The Street Faire brings between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors to the downtown area.
Whala said the chamber is hoping to fill 100 booths. As of Wednesday, 65 were spoken for.
Depending on the final count of vendors, Whala said, the limits of the thoroughfare may be pushed to H Street on one end and the post office on the other.
"That way, we won't be putting any vendors on the side streets," Whala said.
Parabelt will play rock music at Sixth and K streets, while JC's Starstruck Karaoke and karate and dance performances can be found at Sixth and I streets. Food vendors will be at Sixth and J streets. Knight's Express Train Rides and the Bloodmobile will also be on hand.
Of downtown chamber events -- Wine Stroll, Christmas Evening Downtown and others -- Fall Faire ranks toward the top in terms of attendance and dollars.
Whala said the chamber will also juggle the vendors so that they are not in direct competition with other like vendors or downtown businesses.
"We're going to try to control that a whole lot better this year," Whala said.
Last year, the chamber moved the vendors into the street to keep the doors of downtown businesses from being blocked.
Chamber of Commerce President Duane Brehm said the Fall Faire serves as a beacon, drawing shoppers to Sixth Street. He said those owners who choose not to open their stores during the Fall Faire are missing out.
"It's very important to let people know what we have to offer down here," Brehm said, "so they can buy locally and support the many services the sales tax generates."
The Fall Faire is Sept. 17. Also that day is Los Banos Rotary Club's pancake breakfast, from 7 to 11 a.m. in the Miller & Lux Building, 830 Sixth St. Breakfast tickets are $6 and are available by calling the chamber at (209) 826-2495.
Enterprise reporter Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 388-6562.


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BlitzMail transition impacts Hinman
By Sasha Dudding
Published on Monday, October 17, 2011
Students hoping to pick up packages have encountered longer wait times at the Hinman Mail Center this term, as the mail center is facing difficulties sorting through an increased number of packages and sending emails to students notifying them that packages have arrived, according to Hinman Mail Center Postmaster Karen Hautaniemi. These obstacles have largely been caused by the relocation of some students' Hinman boxes due to ongoing construction at the Hanover Inn and the BlitzMail-to-Microsoft Outlook Services transition that muddled some of the mail center’s current computer programs, Hautaniemi said.
Upperclass students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they have noticed a recent slow-down in operations at the mail center.
“There’s always a huge line, so I have to wonder what’s causing that,” Emi Weed ’13 said.
The mail center is typically overwhelmed at the beginning of Fall term due to the influx of packages ordered by incoming freshmen and returning upperclassmen trying to prepare for the academic year, Hautaniemi said. While this increase usually hovers around 10-15 percent each year, the volume of packages this term is 25 percent higher than last fall, according to Hautaniemi.
“Tropical storm Irene caused a lot of flooding, and some retail services in the area aren’t available so students take advantage of online shopping,” she said.
The ongoing renovations at the Hanover Inn, which resulted in the relocation of many students’ Hinman boxes, is a major cause of the longer-than-usual lines, according to Hautaniemi. All returning students whose mailboxes were moved — in addition to members of the Class of 2015 checking their Hinman boxes for the first time — had to visit the package window to obtain new lock combinations for their boxes, she said.
While the mail center had hoped to list the new combinations online, the College’s information technology staff was occupied with the Blitz-2-Blitz transition and was therefore unable to set up such a system before students returned to campus, Hautaniemi said.
“All these little things have a big impact,” she said.
Electronic errors with WITS Tracking, the package notification system used to send emails to students when their packages arrive, compounded the mail center’s difficulties, Hautaniemi said.
The notification system stopped functioning for the first five weeks of Fall term due to a change in spam settings with the new Microsoft Office 365 Suite server, she said. After an ongoing collaboration with the information technology staff of WITS Tracking, students began to receive notification emails again on Oct. 13.
Several students interviewed by The Dartmouth expressed frustration with the temporary computer glitch.
“It’s a trek down here, so it’s annoying not to know if you have a package,” Laura Moriarty ’14 said.
Hautaniemi said she hopes the mail center will transition to a more digital system in the future that will eliminate the need to place physical package notification slips in students’ boxes.
While the mail center typically employs two full-time employees, one part-time employee and one postmaster, the College hires two temporary employees each Fall, Hautaniemi said. The mail center is also currently seeking an additional full-time employee in order to address students’ current needs, Hautaniemi said.
This staff shortage and the higher volume of packages has forced mail center staff members to work longer days, according to mail center employee John Nadeau.
“Last year, the most we worked was nine hours a day,” Nadeau, who has been a full-time employee at the mail center for over a year, said. “This year, it’s 10 to 12 hours a day.”
The mail center’s hours of operation have remained constant even as the mail center has been confronted with an influx of packages, Hautaniemi said.
Students are able to pick up mailed items that are larger than standard envelope size from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, according to signs posted at the mail center.
Despite the difficulties encountered this fall, students and mail center employees typically enjoy their interactions, Hautaniemi said.
“To me, the best part of the job is waiting on the students, saying hello and creating a connection,” she said.
The mail center, located in the Hopkins Center, includes mailboxes for all Dartmouth undergraduate students. Along with distributing mail from outside sources, the mail center also delivers intra-campus mail, maintains mailboxes and forwards the mail of recent graduates during the year following their graduation, Hautaniemi said.


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A man installs a license plate to a car at a registration center in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Minh Hung
Vietnam's auto imports hit US$3.8 billion in the first eight months, a 5-year high and an increase of more than 80 percent over the same period last year, according to the General Statistic Office.
This included $1.9 billion spent on more than 74,000 imported cars, nearly double last year’s number. The rest was for automobile parts and accessories.
More than 9,000 cars were imported into Vietnam in August alone.
According to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association, car purchases in the country can reach 200,000 this year.
Relevant agencies are discussing plans to curb duties imposed on automobiles from Southeast Asian countries in 2016 and then in 2018.
Ho Chi Minh City has increased registration fees for personal cars of under 10 seats from VND2 million to VND11 million (US$489), starting September 1 in an effort to limit personal vehicles.
In Vietnam, cars are subject to numerous taxes and fees, including import tax, value-added tax, special consumption tax, registration fees and road maintenance fees.


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Native Grill & Wings, an award-winning Arizona-based restaurant chain known for introducing chicken wings to the Valley of the Sun is celebrating National Chicken Wing Day on Sunday, July 29.Native will be offering 10-cent wings, with a max of 10 wings per person, as the Native team reintroduces a former fan favorite special from their early days in 1979.
Hamburgers and Hot Dogs have both had their “official” days celebrated recently so now it’s time to honor their famous sidekick—the French Fry. Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, the award-winning upscale boutique burger restaurant, is celebrating National French Fry Day on Friday, July 13 by offering guests (who are VIP Club members) one free order of hand-cut fries per table with food purchase.
Scotty’s Brewhouse, the Indianapolis based craft beer sports bar, recently signed a sponsorship agreement with the Indianapolis Colts that includes several exclusive promotions through the 2018–19 football season.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar is giving dads the ultimate gift by giving him a free meal on Father’s Day when the family springs for a meal of equal or greater value at participating Arooga’s locations 11am-9pm on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17 (offer excludes East Brunswick, NJ, Patchogue, NY, and Shelton, CT locations).
Beloved Chicago River West restaurant, Piccolo Sogno, is about to join an exclusive club. This July, it celebrates its milestone 10-year anniversary. Famed for both its modern Italian cuisine, all-Italian extensive wine list and unparalleled al fresco dining, Piccolo Sogno has topped "Chicago's Best" lists since opening a decade ago.
Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, the award-winning upscale boutique burger restaurant, is honoring dad on his big day by offering a free meal on Father’s Day, June 17. Dads will receive either a large salad or entrée sandwich with the purchase of an entrée at equal or less value.
School’s out, and fun is in at Main Event Entertainment.To celebrate, Main Event is giving guests a great place for families and friends to bond over endless high-five moments with the return of its Play All Day Summer FUNpass.
For 15 years, Maggiano's Little Italy has partnered with Make-A-Wish to grant wishes for children with critical illnesses. On Friday, Maggiano's employees nationwide are excited to kick off the annual Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish campaign, which has raised more than $8 million and granted more than 1,100 life-changing wishes.
Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, the award-winning upscale boutique burger concept, is launching The Great Zinburger Battle by asking its guests to submit their own signature burger creation until June 10 via Instagram or Twitter.
To celebrate the end of the school year, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews is saying “thank you” to teachers everywhere for educating us on the fundamentals that five Tavern Double Burgers with Bottomless Steak Fries for $6.
Shoney’s, the All-American iconic restaurant brand, will have a special offer for families during historically one of the first picnic get-together opportunities of the year on Memorial Day Weekend 2018 (Friday, May 25–Monday, May 28) by offering a 20 percent discount on Shoney’s signature Whole Strawberry Pies To-Go.
The Cheesecake Factory is making Mother’s Day shopping sweeter with a special online gift card offer. For every $50 in eGift Cards purchased online at shop.thecheesecakefactory.com from Monday, May 7 through Sunday, May 13, guests will receive a complimentary $10 eCard to give as a gift or keep for oneself.
As part of its collaboration with Lucasfilm for the much-anticipated release of “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” Denny’s is giving fans the opportunity to take a virtual seat in the Star Wars universe and roll a pair of dice like Han Solo.
Pizza Inn started in 1958, when two Texas brothers opened the first Pizza Inn in Dallas. To celebrate 60 years of service, the brand known as “America’s Hometown Pizza Place” is giving away a 1958 Ford Fairlane Skyliner hard top convertible to one of its lucky Pizza Inn Rewards members.
Zinburger, the upscale burger concept that offers gourmet burgers combined with perfectly paired wine selections, is offering a free shake on Tuesday, May 8 to teachers and administrators at all of its 15 east coast locations.


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So we have been hearing a lot of rumors that Apple has a ton of new products that they are planning on announcing in 2022. Some of those devices are expected to be announced in the early part of the year, with rumors suggesting that it could take place as soon as March. It looks like they were right.
According to a tweet by Greg Joswiak, Apple’s SVP of Marketing, he has confirmed that the company will be hosting an event on the 8th of March (next Tuesday) which he is calling “Peek Performance”. The Apple exec does not confirm what we can expect from the upcoming event, but here’s what we know so far.
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) March 2, 2022
One of devices that we expect will be announced will be the iPhone SE 5G. This will be a refresh of the previous gen model and while its design isn’t expected to change, one of the biggest changes is that it will include support for 5G, making it an affordable alternative to Apple’s flagship lineup for those who want an iPhone with 5G capabilities.
We’ve also heard that Apple could most likely announce a couple of Mac refreshes, like a redesigned MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, all of which haven’t been refreshed since 2020 and will most likely come with Apple’s new M2 chipset. There are other products that Apple is rumored to launch in 2022, like an iMac Pro and Mac Pro, but those are expected to take place towards the end of the year.


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Entegra Coach is recalling 30 model year 2015-2016 Aspire and Aspire TK motorhomes manufactured July 14, 2014, to January 15, 2016.
The throttle pedal position sensor on the recalled vehicles may not return to zero, causing the engine brake to suddenly not activate as expected, reducing the vehicle's deceleration ability.
A sudden loss of an engine brake without warning on a motorhome may lead to a reduced brake capacity potentially increasing the risk of a crash.
What to do
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), manufacturer of the motorhome chassis, has notified owners, and DTNA dealers will replace the throttle pedal, free of charge. The recall began on July 10, 2016.
Owners may contact Entegra customer service at 1-800-945-4787 or Daimler Warranty Campaign Department at 1-800-547-0712 or email DTNA.Warranty.Campaigns@Daimler.com.


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Stronger support for household customers who are struggling to afford their water bills has moved closer with the launch of a major review into existing assistance schemes.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has today issued a call for evidence after being asked by the UK and Welsh Governments to undertake an independent review of the support currently on offer to water customers in financial hardship.
The consumer watchdog will work with organisations from across the industry and beyond to identify new opportunities to make sure households in financially vulnerable circumstances get the help they need.
The water industry has already taken significant strides towards tackling water poverty over the past decade with more than 900,000 households now receiving ongoing help through reduced water bills. Many others are also being assisted through a variety of schemes such as payment breaks.
But the funding of this support falls short of addressing the scale of the problem and will be stretched even further beyond its limits as more people suffer financially at the hands of Covid-19.
One of the main sources of support has come through the emergence of water companies’ social tariff schemes. These can substantially reduce the bills of households on a low income but rely heavily on other customers’ willingness to fund them.
It has led to companies developing schemes across England and Wales that can vary considerably in terms of eligibility, the value of the assistance provided and the number of households that can be potentially helped each year before funding is exhausted.
Robert Light, Chair of CCW, said:
Financial help for struggling water customers was in danger of running dry even before Covid-19 so the time is ripe for us to explore how we can put in place fair and sustainable long-term support.
We will work with other organisations during the review to look at how we can build on the progress that has been made and make much deeper inroads into reducing water poverty.
Rebecca Pow, the UK Government’s Environment Minister, said:
We are proud of the legislation we introduced for water companies to assist households with their water bills. However, we recognise that some consumers may still struggle to get the help they need.
In these challenging times we must support the water sector and ensure that customers, particularly those who are most vulnerable, receive reliable water services.
I therefore welcome this review and look forward to CCW’s recommendations on how we can work with water companies to effectively deliver support to those who need it.
Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Government’s Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said:
As the ongoing pandemic continues to pose economic uncertainties for many across Wales, we want to do all we can to push forward with our commitment to tackling poverty, through prioritising the needs of the poorest, and protecting those most likely to experience poverty or exclusion.
Ensuring water affordability for vulnerable households plays a strong role in that approach, and I welcome CCW’s review as we look at how we can support households who may be struggling with paying their water bills.
Christine McGourty, Chief Executive of Water UK, said:
The range and level of support for customers has never been greater, with more than 900,000 households currently getting help to pay their bills, and that’s set to rise to 1.5 million.
Water companies made a joint voluntary commitment last year to tackle the issue of water poverty for the long term. This review is a welcome opportunity to review what’s in place and ensure customers get the help they need, particularly in these difficult economic times.
Rachel Fletcher, Chief Executive of Ofwat, said:
We’re looking forward to working with CCW on this important review. Companies have responded well to the pandemic, with payment holidays and other measures for those who are struggling to pay. They are on track to provide social tariff support to more customers than ever before over the next five years.
But the scale of difficulties customers are facing calls for a fresh approach. We need to make sure that every customer is properly supported, wherever they live. And that the arrangements put in place are sustainable and robust even during economic downturns.
CCW wants to hear the views of individuals and organisations on what needs to change to improve the support for households as part of its call for evidence, which will close on 15 December 2020. The watchdog will then present its findings and recommendations in Spring 2021.
CCW will be hosting a live online launch event on its website from 11am on Thursday (22 October). It will feature guest speakers including CCW Chief Executive Emma Clancy, Water UK CEO Christine McGourty and Matt Vaughan-Wilson from the Money Advice Trust.
To get involved visit our affordability review page


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HTC launches Desire - at last, an iPhone killer
Apple is suing the Taiwanese phone manufacturer but reviewers love its latest handset
The company at the centre of the war between Google and Apple launches its latest handset in the UK this week - with experts saying that it is the equal of the iPhone.
The HTC Desire is similar to Google's Nexus One smartphone - indeed HTC is the company that manufactures the Nexus - but it has several extras that have reviewers salivating, and the handset is being touted as a real alternative to Apple's all-conquering iPhone.
The Desire retails for around £400, and is being offered as a contract phone by several different networks and also on pay-as-you-go. When the iPhone launched it was only available on the O2 network.
There had been rumours that the launch would be delayed, but networks and phone outlets say they are now shipping the handset.
HTC has also embarked on a marketing blitz to promote its new device. TV and online ads have been running this week to promote the little-known company.
Like the Nexus One and its close relation the HTC Legend, the Desire uses the 'Android' operating system (OS), which is at the heart of the dispute between Google and Apple. Steve Jobs's company claims the system, developed by Google, infringes a number of its hardware and software patents that cover the iPhone OS.
Intriguingly Apple has chosen to go after the Taiwanese manufacturer HTC rather than Google.
Apple is looking for an injunction that would effectively stop HTC from selling smartphones that use the disputed technology in the US. It has also been suggested that if Apple is successful HTC could be forced to effectively cripple existing handsets by remotely disabling some parts of the operating system.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:IT Pro: "HTC's Sense user interface adds extra pizzazz to Android, and the operating system is fast becoming very business-relevant while still retaining a lot of consumer-focused positives."
Know Your Mobile: "Overall the HTC Desire is a top-notch piece of kit and its big screen and fast processor are huge plus points. "
TechRadar: "This is a phenomenal phone - one of the best we've ever had on TechRadar. Usually when we like a phone on the first use, we end up horribly disappointed after a little time with it, but the HTC Desire kept on performing and achieving when we thought it wouldn't."
Mobile Phones UK: "The HTC Desire is one of the most impressive phones of all time. Despite being significantly cheaper than the iPhone, it can match or beat everything that the iPhone does."
Cnet UK: "With a huge screen and speedy processor, the Desire definitely lives up to its name, and even trumps its Google-branded twin, the Nexus One."
Tracy and Matt: "They said that the Nexus One took the smartphone to a new level and the term 'superphone' has been used a few times. If that's the case then I don't know what superlative I would use for the HTC Desire. Uber-phone perhaps?" ·
Comments are now closed on this article


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Aussies set to use their debit cards more frequently
Aussies are expected to use their debit cards more frequently in February and March, according to new statistics.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council believes that shoppers will be more active during the eight-week period than they were during the same two months in 2011, although it warned retailers to forget about lavish spending sprees.
Indeed, the Australian Bureau of Statistics recently reported that retail trade in December 2011 was up by 3.1 per cent year-on-year, but this was mainly because of such low spending in the corresponding period in 2010.
President of international pallet firm CHEP Australia and New Zealand Phillip Austin said that certain natural events in the past 12 months or so may have skewed the results slightly.
"The devastating and tragic floods in Queensland in January last year resulted in 'one off' changes in supply chain activity that will impact year-on-year comparisons during the early months of 2012," he commented.
Last week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that eBay has seen a growing number of US retailers target Aussies with cheaper online goods.
Have a question about debit cards? Ask the money gurus at Mozo Answers.


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|Tanuja and daughter Tanisha were recently denied carrying back leftover food at Mumbai restaurant, Hakkasan
Actress Tanuja was in the news recently after asking waiters at a über-chic restaurant to doggy-bag leftovers after a meal. And like Tanuja, many other diners possibly face this dilemma - to doggy-bag it or not.
Quite understandable, especially after you step out of some hallowed portal, having spent a frankly ridiculous amount on “sustenance” that will go straight to your heart or waist, and do neither any good.
But then, can we ever look at foie-grasstuffed galautis or Bollinger-sprinkled risottos quite so simplistically? In the age of food as luxury, and restaurants as entertainment (eating out is the second biggest leisure activity in India today, according to legit economic studies), who can resist the lure of splurging on a big meal? Or, doggy-bagging leftovers, for that matter?
|Contrary to perception that it’s only okay to pack food served in sharing portions, you can ask for leftovers on your plate even if you are being served individual portions
But, taking back a parcel of unconsumed food that you fully paid for is a potential minefield, especially if you are dining at an upscale “lifestyle” restaurant. Should you? Shouldn’t you?
While most middle-class Indians who grew up in a pre-Liberalised, pre-Hermes India usually feel entitled to unflinchingly take home a parcel of unfinished food, even in other dining Capitals of the world, where doggy bag etiquette has typically differed from culture to culture and portion size to portion size (in America, given huge portion sizes, it is more commonplace to carry back food than in Europe), things are changing thanks to a more economically cautious world order. “Earlier, in London, no one would ask for a doggy bag,” says chef Manish Mehrotra, who had a stint at Tamarai there before returning to Delhi to open the über-chic Indian Accent three years ago. “But, post the recession, things have changed,” he says, adding that he sees no harm in restaurants giving out leftover parcels to patrons. “At the most, it costs a few rupees more in packaging, which is fine when a person has paid so much for the meal.”
Contrary to popular perception that it’s okay only to pack food served in sharing portions, you can ask for leftovers on your plate even if you are being served individual portions. When they do, the requests can be downright odd — from empty boxes containing the mint “Phantom cigarettes” (a childhood treat many of us remember) used in a dessert to little wooden clothes pegs that the chef uses to close patrani machchi. Or, sometimes, even leftover bones - this time, literally, for the doggies at home.
So, clearly, it is not actress Tanuja alone who feels she is fully entitled to take home a doggy bag. A host of chefs and restaurateurs I called up to check on the right thing to do (at least at upscale restaurants in India) all said they would willingly hand over the leftovers to guests “within reason”. Manu Chandra, executive chef, Olive Bar and Kitchen, Mumbai, and Olive Beach, Bangalore, points out that if it is food that spoils easily - like sashimi or other raw seafood; the chef does a mean tuna tartare - he persuades diners to leave that behind. Till now, always, better sense has prevailed. But, if it is a simple pasta or pizza, which is generally safe to be consumed later, he does not see a problem in giving it away - especially considering that most restaurants do takeaways any way.
Clearly, food safety is a concern for everyone - chefs and guests. And, while restaurants may take all precautions inside their kitchens, once the food is out of their premises, they lose control vis-à-vis quality and safety. Even abroad, where food safety norms are infinitely more stringent than in India, once the food leaves the restaurant, usually, it no longer remains the restaurant’s liability.
In India, the new Food Safety Standards Act that came into being recently does not prohibit restaurants from giving away food, says Mythila Manour, senior manager hygiene and quality control with Litebite Foods, a leading restaurant company. “Restaurants can, of course, verbally, or on their invoice, tell guests that such food consumed outside is not their responsibility,” she says. Extra-cautious restaurants like a five-star one in Delhi that recently saw a complaint of ostensible food poisoning now make guests sign a piece of paper to the effect that the restaurant will not be held liable to any effects of parcelled food before giving out doggy bags.
Some diners believe that there are unspoken rules about when to ask for a leftover parcel. Don’t ask for it at a buffet or in a thali restaurant. But that is basic common sense. Beyond that, most people who shy away from asking for a doggy bag when the quantity of food left is “very little”, or “less than half the serving portion”, are shying away for very little reason. “I see no problem in this. At least 30-40 per cent of our customers ask for doggy bags,” says Bakshish Dean, corporate chef at Litebite Foods that owns brands like Punjab Grill, and Asia Seven. Even the chef exercises that consumer’s prerogative when he is dining in other restaurants.
Says Ritu Dalmia, chef and owner of Diva, “I know that I have midnight hunger pangs. What’s the point of eating at a restaurant if you can’t enjoy leftovers at 3am?” she asks quite sensibly.
It’s a sentiment many of us identify with. So, should you want to pack even a single slice of pizza or cake at her restaurant, she will not judge you.
(The writer is a Delhi-based food critic and curator. She also researches community-based Indian cuisines)
Amdavadis do ask for doggy bags and I see no harm in it. Restaurants and hotels normally end up throwing plenty of food left behind by diners. It’s better people take it with them home, they could give it to someone who needs food, too.
— Deepali Vyas,
Owner of Cellad Eatery
We come across diners asking for leftovers all the time. Why must one shy away from asking for a parcel of unconsumed food, when you have already paid for it?
— Lester D’souza,
Owner of Upper Crust
We don’t normally get requests for a doggy-bag. The quantity of food we serve is such, it rarely goes waste. In case we have enough leftover, we give it away to our
— Surya Prakash
F&B manager, St Laurn Hotel


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Google CEO Eric Schmidt stepped down from his post on Monday as scheduled, opening to the door for co-founder Larry Page to take the reins. But the transition comes at an awkward time for the company, which is facing antitrust complaints in the European Union (EU) and, possibly, the United States now as well.
Page promises a more aggressive Google, one that is better positioned to quickly move into new markets and react to changing market forces. But in a bad sign, Page's first day on the job was also marked by the sudden and unexpected departure of Senior VP of Product Management Jonathan Rosenberg. Mr. Rosenberg said he won't be joining another company but will instead write a book with Schmidt.
Meanwhile, since announcing the executive shuffle three months ago, Page has already worked to remove layers of Google's corporate hierarchy in a bid to help the company make quicker decisions. Sources say he's changed the structure of meetings, as well, making them more efficient.
Some might wonder why Google needs to change. After all, the company rocketed to success in its decade under Schmidt, purchasing important online services such as AdSense and YouTube and launching Gmail, Android, Chrome, and many other products during this time. And Google's core product, Internet search, is dominant, with roughly 65 percent of the market in the United States and 90 to 95 percent of the market is some European nations.
But that's part of the problem: Google's dominance has led to some antitrust scrutiny in recent days. Recent deals, including its 2007 purchase of DoubleClick, were heavily contested, as is a recent attempt to purchase ITA, the maker of widely used online travel services. Google is facing an antitrust inquiry in Europe already, and Microsoft added its weight to matters by filing a formal antitrust complaint against the company that focuses on search, advertising, and mobile software.
And now the United States might be stepping in as well. According to a report in Bloomberg, the US Federal Trade Commission is considering Google's search dominance in the United States as the target for a broad antitrust investigation. The probe could be "on par" with a similar (and epic) antitrust case against Microsoft that the US Department of Justice executed a decade ago. The results of that action hobble Microsoft to this day and led, in part, to the rise of Google during the same time period.
In fact, it is Microsoft that Google is most worried about now, though not in the way you might be thinking: Just as Microsoft before it was openly concerned about becoming the next IBM, Google is worried about becoming the next Microsoft—a too-big, too-slow company that can't innovate or lead in new markets. Page's ascendancy to CEO was designed to prevent this from happening, or at least to roll back some of the Microsoftian tendencies that came to the forefront in the past few perhaps-too-comfortable years under Schmidt.
We'll see if Page has what it takes. In the high-tech world, at least, company founders and one-time CEOs who return to the top spot at the company infrequently see much success in their second-go-round, with Apple's Steve Jobs being the obvious exception. The question is whether Page performs more like Jobs or follows in the footsteps of Gateway's Ted Waitt, Dell's Michael Dell, or Yahoo!'s Jerry Yang.


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Watch video highlights from the State of Apple discussion at Macworld/iWorld 2014 featuring Jason Snell, Christina Bonnington, Dan Moren, Rene Ritchie, and Ben Bajarin.
Apple expects more than $2 billion from Samsung for repeated infringement of Apple. The trial got underway this week, with Martyn Williams of IDG News Service in the courtroom for opening arguments.
The PC wars may be all but forgotten, but the two heavyweights from that battle are still the tech industry's biggest brands, according to a new study.
Microsoft's Office for Apple's iPad tablet is a beautiful hybrid of form and function, competing with and even outdoing Apple's iWork suite.
It's safe to say that Comcast and Apple have very different reputations among their customers. Their rumored TV set-top box could wither or thrive based on whose service culture will prevail.
To stand out in a sea of 5-inch phones, HTC polished its signature look instead of redesigning from scratch—just like Apple.
That's what the the Wall Street Journal says. But there are plenty of potential hurdles in the way of Apple and the nation's biggest cable provider joining forces.
Much has been made of Apple after Steve Jobs, but Dan Moren thinks recent rumors about a health-focused app could provide insight into Tim Cook's Apple.
Dan Moren, Chris Breen, Jason Snell, and Philip Michaels discuss Apple's rumored Healthbook feature for iOS.
The rise of health-related apps and devices, questions of the relevance of App.net, the new book "Haunted Empire" about Apple after Steve Jobs, and an avalanche of smartwatches spurred on by Android Wear announcements. With guests Christopher Breen and Philip Michaels.
Jason, Dan, Chris, and Phil talk about the new book about the post-Steve Jobs Apple.
Apple reportedly won't OK Steve Jobs-themed offerings for its App Store, and the mobile world is a gloomier place because of that.


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Housing slowdown expected to continue
WASHINGTON - The slump that hit the U.S. economy will persist into 2007 as the once red-hot housing market continues to suffer through a serious correction, analysts say.
As the new year begins, many private analysts are forecasting the economy will perform at the slowest pace in five years, a full percentage-point lower than growth in 2006.
One such analyst is Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at Global Insight, a forecasting firm. "The recession in the housing market does not seem to have had much of an impact on the consumer," he said. "The bad news on housing has been offset by good news on wages, jobs and the stock market."
While the slowdown will cause the unemployment rate to rise, economists remain hopeful that the economy will remain on track to achieve the Federal Reserve's hoped-for "soft landing." That is described as a scenario in which growth slows enough to dampen inflation but not trigger a recession.
But there are plenty of risks that could make the landing more bumpy - everything from another surge in oil prices to a more severe collapse in housing, which could rattle consumer confidence. At the moment, though, economists like Behravesh and David Wyss of Standard & Poor's of New York feel there is only a one-in-four chance that the current slowdown will turn into an actual recession.
The reason for the optimism is that American consumers, while buffeted in 2006 by record-high gasoline prices and a slumping housing market, have kept spending, helped by a solid jobs market.
Consumers were also helped by a retreat in gasoline prices from record highs above $3 per gallon last summer.
The relief in energy prices has given consumers money to spend on other items, and this has meant that consumer spending, while slowing in 2006, did not collapse.
The overall economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, expanded in 2006 by 3.3 percent, many economists believe, just slightly above the 3.2 percent GDP growth of 2005.
That increase reflected a surge at the start of the year as the economy rebounded from the impact of the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes and much slower growth starting in the spring, as consumers were hit by rising interest rates, soaring energy prices and the slumping housing market.
For 2007, Global Insight is forecasting a GDP growth rate of just 2.3 percent, a full percentage point lower than in 2006. That would be the slowest pace since the economy grew by just 1.6 percent in 2002, a year when the country was struggling to recover from the 2001 recession.
The slower growth means that unemployment will be rising, with many analysts expecting the jobless rate to hit 5 percent in 2007, up from a five-year low of 4.4 percent in October. That would still be a relatively low overall civilian jobless rate in historical terms.
For certain sectors of the economy, job losses will have a much bigger impact, however.
Economists at Goldman Sachs estimate that housing-related industries - construction, furniture manufacturing and sales, real estate agents, mortgage brokers - will see more than 1 million jobs evaporate over the next two years because of the housing slowdown after five boom years for sales.
The auto industry also is expected to suffer as U.S. car companies complete announced plans to trim their work forces in the face of stiff foreign competition.
Troubles in auto-related industries already have contributed to recession-like conditions in many parts of the industrial Midwest while many southern states are confronting job losses as a result of a surge of Chinese imports of textiles, clothing, paper and furniture.
For most of the country, however, the economic slowdown won't have much of an impact as long as there are no unexpected shocks that could send growth lower than forecast.
"Betting that nothing goes wrong could turn out to be a bad bet," said Wyss, Standard & Poor's chief economist. "It wouldn't take much of a disruption in the Middle East to send oil prices back up again."
Economists believe that the nationwide impact of higher layoffs will be held in check by the Federal Reserve, which will move starting in the middle of the new year to counter rising unemployment by cutting interest rates to boost economic activity.
By that time, economists expect inflation will have retreated back into the 1 percent to 2 percent Fed comfort zone for prices excluding food and energy. The latest reading had these prices rising by 2.2 percent, year over year, in November, down from a 2.4 percent increase in October.
If the Fed succeeds in its soft-landing goal, many economists believe the stage will be set for a solid rebound to a 3 percent-plus GDP growth rate in 2008 and beyond. That would resemble the pattern of the mid-1990s, the last time the Fed succeeded in bringing about a soft landing for the economy.
"I think 2008 will turn out to be a very good year for the economy," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. "The Fed will feel more comfortable with stronger growth because inflation will be under control."


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Eighteen months after its acquisition of Motorola Solutions enterprise business in 2014, the Zebra Technologies Corporation that manufactures and sells marking, tracking and computer printing technologies is betting big on the digital drive in India.
With its enterprise asset intelligence (EAI) solutions, the US-based company aims to target retail, transport & logistic, healthcare and government verticals in the country.
Under the enterprise asset intelligence (EAI) category, the technology firm showed some of its newly launched product such as TC8000, a mobile touch computer; 3600 series ultra-rugged scanners; RFD8500, company’s first multi-operating system RFID sled; MC36, a mobile computer that offers visibility in the field; ZD400 Series desktop thermal printers, to the reporters in New Delhi.
“With our enterprise asset intelligence solutions, we will increase the ability of the corporates and the government to track critical assets within their operations and know exactly what they are, where they are, and their condition so they can make smarter, faster decisions to improve their bottom line,” said Deep Agarwal, regional sales director, India at Zebra Technologies.
Most of the Zebra’s products are made around sensors, barcodes, RFID, and wireless networks technology, which is an integral part of an automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) market. According to company officials, this market is now strategically getting oriented as an enterprise asset intelligence segment and Zebra sees huge opportunities in it.
AIDC solution basically “sense” information from enterprise assets, including packages moving through a supply chain, equipment in a factory, workers in a warehouse, and shoppers in a store and people working on the government projects on the ground.
The operational data from these assets, including status, location, utilisation, or preferences, can be “analysed” to provide actionable insights. And with mobility, these insights can be “acted” upon to drive better, more timely decisions by government and businesses.
Company officials informed that Zebra Technology has seen decent traction in government vertical for its solutions. Along with its partners, it is now bidding for some of the government tenders around RFID for various purposes.
The company has one of the largest R&D centres in India with the strength of 500 people. “We spend about 10% of our sales globally on R&D,” said Agarwal, adding that company sees huge opportunities in government’s Digital India and Make in India initiatives and they would help Indian firm harness IoT, cloud, and mobility to gain actionable insights into their most important assets and people.


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All posts tagged "SPAO"
AOA And EXO Selected As The Faces For ‘Spao’ Across Asia
Casualwear brand Spao’s parent company E-Land Group officially announced that EXO and AOA will become the representatives of...
Swedish show ‘Kobra’ talks about K-pop
PSY‘s Gangnam Style has definitely opened new opportunities for Korean artists as well as sparked foreign interest in...


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France to block Facebook's Libra on European soil
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday that he would block the development of Facebook’s proposed cryptocurrency libra in Europe, saying that it would put the sovereignty of governments at risk.
“In these conditions, we cannot authorize the development of libra on European soil,” Le Maire said at an OECD conference in Paris.
In another jab at America's tech giants, Le Maire added: “All these concerns around libra are serious.”
The minister, who had long opposed the project, also highlighted issues concerning money laundering, terrorism financing and market dominance.
Le Maire said he had spoken with ECB President Mario Draghi and Christine Lagarde about creating a “public digital currency.”
Facebook outlined its plans for Libra, which had been designed to be compatible with use by payment giants such as Visa, MasterCard and PayPal as well as the ride-hailing apps Lyft and Uber, in June.


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- Jeffrey Sprecher, chief executive of the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), said that financial institutions, large and small, are negotiating with Bakkt to explore the possibility of adopting their services.
- Sprecher said that Bakkt is rapidly entering the options market because of the lack of transparency in the encryption market, and Bakkt can solve this problem by providing reliable price discovery to the field.
According to Theblockcrypto's October 31 report, the CEO of the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) said on Thursday that Bakkt is negotiating with financial institutions, including major banks and brokers, to explore the possibility of adopting Bitcoin derivatives.
Image source: pixabay
- Non-joint office: Be wary of illegal fund-raising in the name of the blockchain
- Getting started with blockchain | What is the difference between cryptocurrency investment and speculation? How to make both fish and bear's paw
- Monthly report | ICO is back to life? September cryptocurrency financing increased by 33 times
- CME grabbed the bitcoin option market, why did this "unbelievable land" cause giants to grab?
- The funds were cheated under the name of the public chain. Where is the way out for the public chain?
- Ben Fen, co-founder of Wuzhen·Findora: How does Supersonic stand out in the zero-knowledge proof family?
In the third-quarter earnings conference call of the stock and futures giants, CEO Jeffrey Sprecher replied that Bakkt, the BIT-based Bitcoin derivatives platform, quickly entered the month after its launch. Problems in the field of bitcoin options and payments.
Sprecher pointed out that Bakkt made these two measures because the current interest in Bitcoin derivatives is very high, and they pay special attention to gaining access to the encryption field in a compliance manner. He said:
“The financial institutions, big and small, are discussing and studying this issue with us, trying to figure out the crux of the problem, how the global regulator will look at it, etc. So we have a lot of dialogue around this issue.”
After the introduction of physical delivery of bitcoin futures, Bakkt initially underperformed, but recently the platform's monthly bitcoin futures trading volume surged, and it reached a trading volume of about $10.25 million on October 25.
Sprecher said that Bakkt is rapidly entering the options market and is expected to be one of the first companies to offer transparent price discovery in the field of encryption. He pointed out that the current bitcoin options market is very active but not transparent. Bakkt's derivatives platform can serve as a source of price discovery independent of the unregulated cash market, bringing more transparency to the field. He said this:
“As a result, Bakkt is well-suited for the option market, so that people can trade options and hedge against a hedging platform on a transparent platform. So this is the driving force behind our rapid launch of options.”
Regarding Bakkt's plan in the field of consumer payments, Sprecher said the move stems from the belief that Bitcoin is both a payment method and a value storage similar to gold. He said:
“We believe that unless there is a real use case, there will be no correlation and growth in the entire field. As you pointed out, we do believe that one of the use cases is to realize value transfer through digital payments.”
Earlier this week, Bakkt announced that it will work with Starbucks to launch a cryptocurrency consumer app and merchant portal in the first half of 2020. Prior to this, the company said it would launch its first regulated bitcoin futures options contract on December 9.


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The latest installment of The Fishing Channel’s Big Fish Games series.
It features the game of Big Fish against a fish, with the winning team earning bragging rights and bragging rights to the next round.
It was released last year.
A Big Fish Game is an action-packed game where you’ll tackle dozens of fish and collect all the glory.
The Fish game, by the way, is an acronym for Fish Game.
It’s a game for those who are into fishing.
It’s also a game of survival.
The Fish Game will be available in the US in April, and Australia in May.
A sequel is also in the works.
In a new video, Fishers’ David Ponce says the next game in the series, Big Fish, will be released this year.


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Greenland Technologies Holding Corp GTEC shares are trading lower by over 12% following its Q3 FY23 results.
The East Windsor, New Jersey-based company’s revenue of $21.84 million missed the consensus estimate of $24.27 million.
For the first nine months of 2023, GTEC sold 112,414 sets of transmission products vs. 102,144 the prior year.
Gross profit rose 30.3% Y/Y to $6.27 million in the quarter. Gross margin was 28.7%, up from 22.1% the prior year, driven by a shift in product mix towards higher value and more sophisticated products, such as hydraulic transmission products.
Income from operations rose to $2.81 million from $2.07 million the prior year.
GTEC registered an EPS loss of $(0.07), missing the analyst consensus of EPS of $0.06.
As of September 30, 2023, Greenland had cash and cash equivalents worth around $21.54 million.
Jing Jin, Chief Financial Officer of Greenland, commented, “We achieved revenue of approximately $67.6 million for the first nine months of 2023, which represents only a single-digit decrease year over year, despite the continued adverse impact on our business of logistical and supply chain challenges. Given the challenging operating environment, we continue to focus on improving efficiencies and reducing costs wherever possible.”
Price Action: GTEC shares are down 11.75% at $2.89 on the last check Monday.
Photo Via Company
Read full article here


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Asda CEO Roger Burnley today hailed the “genuine momentum” in the business going into its proposed merger with Sainsbury’s, as it reported a fourth consecutive quarter of sales growth.
Asda’s like-for-like sales were up 3.4% in the quarter, from 1 January 2018 to 31 March, although the figures were boosted by Easter falling within the period.
Adjusting for Easter like-for-like sales grew 1%, with Burnley crediting its major investment in price cuts under its Rolled Back Staying Back strategy.
Asda reported 8.3% like-for-like growth in online grocery sales in the period, while George.com sales soared by 21.9%.
“Our Q1 performance - even when adjusted for increased sales from an early Easter - represents genuine momentum with four consecutive quarters of growth,” said Burnley.
“During the first three months of the year, we continued to invest sensibly where it matters most to our customers with lower prices, innovation in our own brand and further improving their shopping experience whether in store or online.
“Through Q1, we again stepped up our commitment to everyday low prices with the launch of Rolled Back Staying Back, which now extends to 667 lines that customers buy the most. We also launched 216 new own brand products including adding 29 to Free From, a range that is increasingly important to our customers.
“We attracted 246,000 new customers to our stores in the quarter and made shopping with us online for groceries, where sales grew 8.3%, even more convenient with the introduction of voice ordering via Google Assistant.
“Whilst we are not complacent, we are positive about our growing momentum and excited by the opportunity that our proposed merger with Sainsbury’s offers to accelerate our successful strategy and go further, faster.”
Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon claimed staff at Asda were excited about the opportunities of its proposed merger with Sainsbury’s, which is facing a landmark investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
“Recently, we took some strategic actions to further position our portfolio for long-term growth,” he said. “We were pleased with the response of our colleagues in the UK following our announcement of the proposed merger of Asda with Sainsbury’s. We believe this proposed combination is good for customers and colleagues as well as shareholders. In the UK, we saw sequential improvement in the business as comp sales increased for the fourth consecutive quarter. We continue to remain focused on improving customer experience in our stores and providing value for customers by investing in lower prices.”


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In the very near future, the devices and services we rely on will become much more proactive. AI will turn off the lights before bed, offer to start your coffee in the morning, or adjust the thermostat when you’re away – all without being asked.
Tom Taylor, SVP for Amazon Alexa, shares how 'ambient computing' is coming to life, and what the future holds.
"The best technology conference on the planet".
Join us in Lisbon this November.


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09 Oct 2019
After seeing smartphones in a range of designs and form factors (including the foldable ones), Essential, the company started by Android co-creator Andy Rubin, has set out to bring 'Project Gem'.
08 May 2019
Android Q, Google's new mobile OS, will arrive as a significant update over the existing Android 9 Pie version.
08 Nov 2018
After staying away from notches for more than a year, Samsung is finally giving in to the trend.
13 Oct 2018
Android creator Andy Rubin's start-up, Essential Products, is reportedly working on a smartphone that will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic users and will have the ability to respond to texts on a user's behalf.
21 Sep 2018
On October 9, Google will launch its latest batch of smartphones - the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
09 Aug 2018
While the Essential Phone, back in March 2017, may have introduced us to the concept of a notch, the iPhone X popularized it as a mainstay.
17 Jun 2018
OnePlus has now started to release Android P Beta 2, the latest version of the developer preview, for OnePlus 6.
25 May 2018
According to reports, Android creator Andy Rubin is trying to sell his smartphone brand Essential.
05 May 2018
LG has unveiled its latest flagship G7 ThinkQ smartphone at an official showcase event in Seoul.
24 Apr 2018
OnePlus has released another teaser regarding the OnePlus 6 that reveals it will sport an all-new black back panel.
08 Apr 2018
While the Andy Rubin-backed Essential did impress us with its modern looks and the trend setting notch, it disappointed many because of its poor camera.
29 Mar 2018
Concerned about the substantial criticism of the notch design that was popularized by the iPhone X, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei has come out to not only confirm that the company's upcoming OnePlus 6 smartphone will feature a notch, but also to justify its existence.
24 Sep 2017
Apple's iPhone 8 was recently taken apart by iFixit, a firm which sells repair parts and helps consumers fix their tech products.
21 Aug 2017
Amid growing competition from Xiaomi, Oppo, and Huawei, Apple and Samsung are desperately seeking a wow factor to overcome challenges to fend off Chinese players' threat.
18 Aug 2017
We've been using cables to transfer huge data between mobile phones over the years, though it isn't very efficient.
04 Jun 2017
Andy Rubin's new company Essential, which recently showcased their first device, regarded as a flagship killer, has managed to hit its first roadblock.
04 Jun 2017
This week in technology was spent mostly on malware; we started off with "Judy" infecting 3.65 crore users in Google Play Store and ended with the news of Fireball turning 2.5 crore Indian computers into zombies.
31 May 2017
Android is immensely popular, reportedly it powers 2 billion devices worldwide, therefore, there shouldn't be any doubt that when the mastermind behind Android itself comes out with a smartphone it'll be nothing less than "Essential."


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Lenovo Confirms Talks To Buy Server Business
The statement from Yang came in response to what he called a "possible acquisition by the company of [a] certain computer server business" after CRN Thursday reported that IBM is in "active negotiations" to sell its x86-based server business, with Lenovo the most likely buyer.
"The Board would like to inform the shareholders of the company and potential investors that the company is in preliminary negotiations with a third party in connection with a potential acquisition," said Yang in the statement. "As at the date of this announcement [April 19], no material terms concerning the potential acquisition have been agreed and the company has not entered into any definitive agreement in relation to the potential acquisition."
Lenovo is currently the only company in negotiations to purchase IBM's x86 server business, according to one high-ranking executive tracking the deal, who spoke to CRN on condition of anonymity earlier this week. The deal would likely encompass IBM's System x line, which includes Intel- and AMD-based tower, rack and blade servers. IBM is reportedly seeking $5 billion to $6 billion for its x86 server business, the executive said.
IBM CFO Mark Loughridge Thursday declined to comment on the CRN report when asked about it by a financial analyst on the company's first-quarter earnings call.
Loughridge, however, confirmed the divestiture of poorly performing businesses is planned for the current quarter.
"There are parts of our business that are in transition or have been underperforming, like elements of our Power, [System] x and storage product lines that showed disappointing performance in the first quarter," Loughridge said. "Here we're going to take substantial actions," he said, without offering details.
IBM's total systems sales were down down 13 percent in the first quarter compared with the year-ago quarter. Hardest hit were sales of the company's Power systems, which plunged 32 percent year-over-year. Revenue from System x sales was down 9 percent, and sales of storage systems decreased 11 percent.
At several points during the earnings call, Loughridge referred to coming "divestitures" and made it clear that "workforce rebalancing," which is IBM-speak for layoffs, is planned for the current quarter. He said onetime charges for costs associated with those cutbacks will be taken against second-quarter results.
IBM has said the workforce rebalancing is expected to result in a $1 billion charge, mostly concentrated in the current quarter.
KEVIN MCLAUGHLIN and RICK WHITING contributed to this story.
PUBLISHED APRIL 19, 2013


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Chinese mobile app company Cheetah Mobile’s blockchain research arm, Cheetah Mobile Blockchain Research Lab, recently revealed it found two highly-used, mobile cryptocurrency wallets have “major security vulnerabilities” in them.
The security vulnerabilities were discovered as Cheetah Mobile was creating a white paper on cryptocurrency wallet security. The company claims that Bitcoin.com’s Bitcoin Wallet, and Jaxx Blockchain Wallet could see users lose funds as their private keys and mnemonic phrases aren’t properly secured.
Bitcoin.com’s Bitcoin Wallet, which currently has between 500,000 and 1,000,000 downloads on Android, can expose its users’ mnemonic phrases. That’s if a hacker manages to gain ROOT access to the mobile phone.
Moreover, the mnemonic phrases are reportedly stored in plain text on the user’s mobile device, and can be accessed through apps that can gain ROOT access to a device’s operating system (OS). The same thing can happen if a user connects a charging port to a hacker-controlled device.
Jaxx’s wallet, which currently has between 100,000 and 500,000 downloads on Android, could potentially give hackers access to its users’ private keys. According to Cheetah Mobile, hackers can use Android’s backup mechanisms to steal encrypted private key files, which will then have to be decrypted.
The company notes that Jaxx uses a practically unbreakable type of encryption. However, Cheetah Mobile adds that “the Jaxx team has made a major mistake,” and as such hackers can “easily decrypt” the files in which user’s private keys are stored on.
Wei Li, a senior researcher at Cheetah Mobile Blockchain Research Lab, stated:
“If a wallet isn’t designed properly, users face the possibility of their private keys being lost or stolen. We believe it’s important to issue this warning so that users can understand the risks of using certain wallets and protect their digital assets.”
Users advised to use other cryptocurrency wallets
Cheetah Mobile ends its press release by stating that users should switch to safer cryptocurrency wallets, to avoid being at risk. Earlier this year, the company launched its own cryptocurrency wallet dubbed “SafeWallet.” Expectedly, it advised users switch to SafeWallet as an alternative.
Although security isn’t something users should take lightly, switching to SafeWallet may not be the best move and users are advised to do their own research before anything else. As covered by Core Media, cybersecurity expert Lee Chen warned that this year cryptocurrency-related hacks are bound to increase.


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Over the past few weeks, the coronavirus outbreak has made us realise how interconnected the whole world is. With an increasing number of cases of the deadly illness raising fears of a global pandemic among people, the impact of the shutdown across the world has started to hit the tech industry of the country.
At the time of writing, there have been more than 400,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with more than 21,000 deaths; along with more than 140 countries and territories have reported coronavirus cases, and the international stock market has witnessed the biggest dip since 2008.
While we are talking about the reeling impact of the virus on human life, the massive disruption in the analytics industry is also worth mentioning. According to Pravin Rao, Nasscom vice-chairman, also the COO of Infosys, the IT sector is going to see some indirect impact with the sudden outbreak of this global pandemic — COVID-19. In fact, economists have estimated that this virus outbreak could potentially reduce the global GDP by almost 0.3%.
This coronavirus outbreak is acting as a reality check of the fragility in the systems of doing business and the uncertainty associated with it. It has already caused significant disruption throughout the tech industry, with huge tech conferences and trade shows cancelled and companies expecting to miss their revenue forecasts. Additionally, the virus is shaking up business and consumer behaviour on a massive scale.
CSS Corp is now Movate


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What you need to know
- The Dark Sky API has been given a new lease of life, but only until the end of the year.
- The app and website will be gone by the beginning of 2023.
When Apple announced that it was buying weather app Dark Sky in March 2020 it said that it would be keeping the App Store but killing the API that many third-party developers relied on. That was supposed to happen on July 1, 2021. But it turns out there's life in the old dog yet.
As spied by developer David Smith, Apple has quietly confirmed that it intends to keep the API around for another year. Instead of being killed off next month, the Dark Sky API will now live on until the "end of 2022."
Update: Support for the Dark Sky API service for existing customers will continue until the end of 2022. The iOS app and Dark Sky website will also be available until the end of 2022.
It's the same for the app and website, too. Both of those will reportedly be gone by the beginning of 2023 which seems like an awfully long way away – until it isn't.
Apple has been building Dark Sky features into its Weather app for the last year and that's sure to continue. It isn't clear why Apple has decided to extend the life of the API used by third-party developers, but it has been suggested that an Apple-made API was supposed to replace it and that it wasn't ready for WWDC21. In lieu of a replacement, Apple may have decided to extend the existing API's life another year.
You don't need an app like Dark Sky or Weather to know what's going on around you, though. These are just some of the best HomeKit temperature sensors you can buy and they'll put their data right into the Home app for you.


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Fashion goes patriotic as designers and retailers pay tribute to HRH Queen Elizabeth II with a host of stylish offerings to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.
04 May 2012
Helena Christensen on modelling at 46, surgery and her new perfume
What’s stylish now: No-make-up make-up
From Greta Garbo to Cara Delevingne: 10 stars who redefined beauty
The Duchess wears Jenny Packham to leave hospital with new princess
21 best new summer hair and beauty products


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New icons found in the newest iOS 11.2.5 developer build suggest you can disable the always-listening microphones in Apple’s HomePod speaker. Apple is not explicitly listed that as a feature of its delayed HomePod smart speaker. Even if it is the standard fare on speakers offered by category leaders Amazon and Google (and even Sonos). The discovery was 1st published by Filipe Espósito on Twitter (via 9to5Mac).
According to the Home app assets, users with HomePod will be able to create “scenes” that disable Siri temporarily. It will probably be very useful for parties. pic.twitter.com/k2gPc50Kmr
— Filipe Espósito (@filipekids) January 21, 2018
When everyone likes the idea of room-filling compact speakers in their home. Many are less enthusiastic about the idea of sprinkling microphones connected to the internet around the home. Apple made a great deal about privacy, as it often does, at the unveiling of the HomePod in June. Noting that nothing is sent to Apple until a “Hey, Siri” is detected locally on the device. Once you hear the magic phrase, an anonymous ID is assigned and the request is encrypted before anything sent over the wires. All well and great, but it’s surely not as private as shutting off the mics completely.
This $349 Apple HomePod was originally supposed to go on sale in Dec 2017 for the UK, US, and Australia, but that date was changed to “early 2018” just before launch. The Discovery of the HomePod icons would suggest that date to now be sooner rather than later.