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Move over, tacos and burgers. There's new fast-casual fare making its way onto the design-your-own-dish scene, and it's one of America's favorite foods: pizza.
Long dominated by delivery and takeout fast-food giants like Papa John's and Domino's, the pizza industry is now in the midst of a fast-casual overhaul, and there are plenty of companies vying for a chance to be the Chipotle of pie.
In Broward and Palm Beach counties, that includes Fort Lauderdale's Flash Fire Pizza, Blaze Pizza with locations in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Davie, as well as upcoming Texas-based Pie Five Pizza Co. chain set to open more than 20 restaurants in South Florida by the end of 2016.
Now, there's also Cucina Pizza by Design, the latest fast-casual pizza concept that allows you to make your own pizza using a variety of farm-fresh ingredients, now open in the Palm Beach Outlets Marketplace.
The idea is simple: Twelve-inch specialty pies are baked in a piping-hot 800-degree wood-fire oven and are guaranteed to be ready in five minutes or less. Customers can customize their entire meal, selecting everything from the dough (traditional, gluten-free, or whole wheat) and sauce (oven-roasted tomato, Parmesan crema, pesto, fig jam, or roasted garlic purée) to a variety of cheese (herbed ricotta or crumbled Maytag blue cheese, perhaps?) and toppings that include creative and flavorful options like flaked salmon pastrami, smoked corn-husk bacon, ash-roasted artichokes, and fire-roasted bell peppers.
Cucina Pizza by Design is one of several new establishments to open in the outlet Marketplace, including upcoming First Watch (a chain specializing in made-to-order breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes) and TooJays (a popular New York-style delicatessen that began in 1981 in Palm Beach and now has 25 locations across Florida).
Cucina Pizza by Design is located at 1855 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Call 561-640-0004, or visit cucinapizza.com.
Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.
Keep New Times Broward-Palm Beach Free... Since we started New Times Broward-Palm Beach, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering South Florida with no paywalls.


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GST Bonanza! This is how much your family saves because of Goods and Services Tax
Mon, Dec 17, 2018
On an average, an Indian family is saving up to Rs 320 GST Benefit: On an average, an Indian family is saving up to Rs 320 every month (approx Rs 3840 per year) upon purchasing the daily need items and commonly used items such as edible oil, cereals etc after the implementation of Goods and Servi
Petrol pump strike in Delhi: Motorists caught unaware
Tue, Oct 23, 2018
Petrol pump strike in Delhi: Several motorists were caught unaware as petrol pumps across the national capital were shut Monday in protest against the Delhi government's refusal to cut Value-Added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.
Here's what Service tax, service charge and service tax number mean for your food bill
Thu, Apr 06, 2017
Service tax on a restaurant bill has been laid down in the Service Tax Act.
Govt is confident to roll out GST from April 1, 2017 : Hasmukh Adhia
Sun, Aug 07, 2016
The government is confident of rolling out the GST regime from April 1 next year but the deadline may be difficult to meet if resolution of issues like the rate of tax and items to be exempted take longer, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said on Sunday.
Big 25 reforms that changed India's growth story
Sat, Jul 23, 2016
The year 2016 marks the silver jubilee anniversary of India's historic economic liberalisation, a move that can only be credited for making the country one of the fastest growing economy in the world today.

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Components | January 16, 2012
Globalfoundries names new head of Global Sales and Marketing
Industry veteran Michael Noonen joins company as new Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
Globalfoundries today announced the appointment of Michael Noonen as senior vice president of sales and marketing. Reporting to Globalfoundries CEO Ajit Manocha, Noonen will be based in Silicon Valley and takes over responsibility for the company’s newly redesigned Worldwide Sales and Marketing organization, which now includes all global Sales and Marketing functions as well as Customer Engineering and Quality. “It gives me great pleasure to announce the addition of Michael Noonen to our executive leadership team. Mike is an experienced industry veteran with a spectacular track record of delivering customer success and shareholder value” “It gives me great pleasure to announce the addition of Michael Noonen to our executive leadership team. Mike is an experienced industry veteran with a spectacular track record of delivering customer success and shareholder value,” said Globalfoundries CEO Ajit Manocha. “As we continue to evolve our global organization and attract and develop world-class talent across our growing company, we are excited to have Mike on board to lead our newly integrated global sales, marketing, customer engineering and quality organizations to accelerate our momentum in reshaping the foundry landscape and boost our value to customers around the world.” Prior to joining Globalfoundries, Noonen served as executive vice president, sales and marketing as a member of NXP Semiconductors’ executive management team from 2008 to 2011. Along with NXP’s CTO, he crafted and implemented NXP’s High Performance Mixed-Signal Strategy that resulted in eleven consecutive quarters of growth, a $5B business and NXP’s successful IPO in 2010. Previous to NXP, Noonen held several leadership positions with National Semiconductor, including vice president of the company’s Interface, Networking and Computing Businesses from 2001 to 2005 and senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing from 2005 to 2008, which were the most profitable years in the company’s history. Through his career, Noonen has also held leadership positions with Cisco Systems, 8x8, and NCR Microelectronics. Noonen earned a bachelor’s of science degree in electrical engineering from Colorado State University and holds multiple patents in the areas of internet telephony and video communications.
ASML ships first-generation multibeam inspection system ‘eScan1000’ ASML Holding NV says that it has completed system integration and testing of its first-generation HMI multibeam inspection (MBI) system for 5 nm nodes and beyond.
Cognex takes measures to counter deteriorating market conditions Machine vision technology provider, Cognex Corporation, says it is taking significant steps to reducing expenses due to deteriorating market conditions and to position the company for growth when conditions improve.
Verkotan selects PWC technology from Rohde & Schwarz Test and measurement specialist Rohde & Schwarz has recently introduced the R&S PWC200, the first plane wave converter (PWC) on the market. Verkotan is the first independent test house to choose this technology to test 5G NR FR1 base stations over-the-air (OTA).
Kurt Sievers takes the helm at NXP At its annual general meeting of shareholders, the appointment of Kurt Sievers as the company’s next CEO was overwhelmingly approved.
Excelitas’ Qioptiq subsidiary expands with new plant Excelitas Technologies, a company delivering photonic solutions, sats that its Qioptiq subsidiary held a ground-breaking ceremony last week to mark the beginning of construction for a new factory in Göttingen, Germany.
Farnell adds Sorensen power supplies to its roster Distributor Farnell announces that it has added Sorensen, the premier DC programmable power supply brand from Ametek, to its range of power supplies.
Infineon raises EUR 1 billion following successful share placement Infineon informs that the company placed 55 million new shares, following an accelerated bookbuilding process with institutional investors, under the exclusion of subscription rights. The shares were placed at a price of EUR19.30 per share, meaning that the company managed to raise EUR 1.06 billion.
Skeleton Technologies strengthens management with new COO Skeleton Technologies has appointed Ants Vill, former Vice President of Product, as Chief Operating Officer.
SiPearl chooses Germany for its first international operational subsidiary SiPearl, a designer of the microprocessor for the European exascale supercomputer, is opening its first international subsidiary in Duisburg, in the Ruhr region, Germany, in order to build closer connections with its German partners and future clients.
DELO reports increased revenues despite current pandemic DELO closed the financial year that ended on March 31 with a turnover of EUR 163 million. This is an increase of almost 5% compared to the previous year (EUR 156 million).
China falls far short of its "Made-in-China 2025" goal IC production in China represented 15.7% of its $125 billion IC market in 2019, up only slightly from 15.1% five years earlier in 2014. IC Insights forecasts that this share will increase by 5.0 percentage points to 20.7% in 2024 (one percentage point per year on average).
COVID-19 highlights the gravity of the secondary market for SME Cha Jin-Seok, Chief Financial Officer of SK Hynix, said it best in the company’s Q1 earnings call, “Because of a never experienced pandemic, even basic business activities such as maintaining normal operations and predicting future demand have become challenging tasks.”
GlobalFoundries to implement ITAR at US manufacturing facility GlobalFoundries plans to implement export control security measures at its most advanced manufacturing facility, Fab 8, in Malta, New York.
Rebound Electronics expands in Asia The independent supplier of electronic components says it is investing to increase its market coverage in Asia with the opening of several new offices and setting up a customer service & telesales centre.
Samsung expands foundry capacity with new production line Samsung Electronics says that it plans to boost its foundry capacity at the company's new production line in Pyeongtaek, Korea, to meet growing global demand for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) solutions.
Super Dry Totech expands Long Term Storage Solutions offering The most recent development for Super Dry Totech, is the acquisition of a new building to expand on capacity & to minimise risk by assuring continuity should a disrupting incident occur in one of the facilities.
Ynvisible acquires electrochromic display company rdot Printed electronics specialist, Ynvisible Interactive, announces that it will acquire the printed electrochromic displays business of rdot AB of Gothenburg, Sweden.Load more news
- COVID-19 highlights the gravity of the secondary market for SME
- Rolls-Royce takes heavy hit from COVID-19 – reduces workforce by 9000
- China falls far short of its "Made-in-China 2025" goal
- Data Link Solutions to provide MIDS cabinet terminals to US Navy
- GlobalFoundries to implement ITAR at US manufacturing facility


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What’s at stake with digital work platforms – like food delivery apps? They are transforming how we buy goods and services – but how do we ensure workers are treated fairly?
Source: World News from Euronews | How the ‘gig economy’ is changing the world of work
- Czechs have fourth new health minister in a year amid COVID-19 fallout
- Official: EU agency to confirm AstraZeneca blood clot link


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There’s no doubt that the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T are great smartphones, especially for their cost. However, there has been one constant issue on these devices that soured the experience to a degree — touch latency. According to the company’s co-founder, Carl Pei, this issue has finally been fixed.
Pei revealed on Twitter last night, with minimal details, that the company has finally “checked off” the issues regarding touch latency on the OnePlus 3/3T. Of course, we’ve yet to learn when this update will be rolling out to user’s devices, but it’s at least nice to hear that the company has made progress on this matter following the “fix” that didn’t fix anything in Android Nougat a few months ago. As 9to5Google’s own Stephen Hall demonstrated, input lag was still very much present on the phone following that update.
Pei’s tweet further reveals that the company’s next area of focus is on the alert slider. If you’re not aware, the alert slider is currently a feature that only OnePlus takes advantage of, providing a hardware switch on the side of the phone that allows users to change their notification settings quickly and easily. Users have apparently been hoping to see more customizable controls come to this feature for a while now, so perhaps that’s what OnePlus is working on…
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Busan braces for blockchain-related corporations
South Korea is trying to build a blockchain district in Busan, the country’s second-largest city, so as to realize the potential of the new technology.
The Busan Blockchain Industry Association (BIA) recently held a forum with government officials and experts to promote the idea of taking advantage of blockchain technology.
“The government has designated Busan as the blockchain city so that corporations and start-ups can test new ideas here without having to worry much about regulations,” Busan official Park Kwang-hee said.
“We plan to come up with various projects to underpin the blockchain industry in Busan. For one, a big building would be set up by 2025 to accommodate blockchain companies at very affordable prices. We also plan to establish an exchange for digital assets.”
Park said that the number of blockchain-related companies in Busan had jumped from 24 in 2019 to 54 last year and 87 early this year.
The BIA welcomed the idea.
“Politicians propose a new ministry to take charge of blockchain. In line with the move, we hope that a blockchain cluster would spring up in regulation-free Busan,” BIA Chairman Kim Tae-gyung commented.
Korea Blockchain Association Vice-Chairman Moon Young-bae said that there are promising blockchain technologies to revolutionize the daily life of people.
“Ethereum maker Vitalik Buterin once talked about the trilemma of blockchain as it is difficult to achieve decentralization, security, and scalability at the same time,” Moon said.
“But many have tried to overcome the trilemma, and some came up with tangible results. I hope that Busan can make competent blockchain networks compete so that the city can make a big breakthrough in bracing for the technology.”
Moon took an example of Locus Chain, which was developed by South Korean start-up Bloom Technology.
Bloom Technology has claimed that its Locus Chain technology creates a unique ledger structure that brings faster transactions so as to solve the trilemma of Vitalik Buterin.
Locus Chain is a public blockchain just like the Bitcoin network where anybody can join the network as validators. But the public blockchain’s commercial viability has been hampered due to the slow transaction speed, or the scalability issue.
“Bloom Technology adopted unique approaches to solving the speed problem. As a public blockchain, that is quite an exploit. I think that other good solutions will continue to emerge from nowhere,” Moon said.
Moon criticized that private and consortium blockchains are not real deals because just a few validators can control the whole network.
“The recent shutdown of Solana or Klaytn demonstrates that we have to depend on public blockchain,” he said.


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By Luke Sisley, Senior Business Intelligence Analyst, CSL
As we approach 2023, the key question will be around how well the industry can adapt to change while also continuing to innovate and deliver the same level of goods and services.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the economic pressures facing the industry.
Rebates to rise
The 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access (VPAS) is one of two rebate schemes designed to control NHS spending on branded medicines, along with the Statutory Scheme. While each scheme offers different terms and exclusions, both grant a percentage rebate for net branded medicines sales exceeding a specified growth rate for each scheme, with VPAS offering 2% compared to 1.1% for the Statutory Scheme.
VPAS rates are expected to rise sharply in 2023 due to a significant increase in spend on branded medicines caused by COVID-19. In 2022 the Department for Health and Social Care reached an agreement with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to cap the VPAS rebate percentage at 15%, avoiding a 19.1% rebate percentage.
However, recent scheme updates from the government have the percentage rising to 23.7% in 2023, with the Statutory Scheme also rising to 24.4% to prevent manufacturers from “gaming the system” by switching between the two schemes. While these are the proposed rates, industry bodies and experts predict that the actual rates could be much higher as spend on branded medicines continues to increase throughout 2022.
Analysis of the proposed VPAS rate increase paints a stark picture, with various sources highlighting the potential negative impact that this sharp rate increase will have on the pharmaceuticals industry, particularly for branded generics and biosimilars. Industry bodies such as the British Generics Manufacturers Association have been outspoken in the risks posed by the proposed increase, citing an independent report from the Office of Health Economics. The report indicates that long term rate increases risk costing the NHS money by driving manufacturers out of the market, reducing the competitiveness of the generics industry, and therefore costing the NHS more in procurement than is made via the rebate.
We will be keeping a close eye on developments to see if industry bodies can convince the DHSE to change tack on the rebate.
Production costs up
Aside from rebates, manufacturers are also feeling the squeeze of rising production costs caused by inflation, energy supply, and the weak pound. Industry bodies are predicting shortages in supply, citing a 300% increase of in the cost of raw materials, 600% increase in shipping costs, and a 230% increase in the cost of energy – all hitting generics manufacturers over the past year.
Energy prices are far from a local issue; earlier in the year manufacturers across Europe indicated that energy costs may cause them to cut production, with a recent global survey finding that 77% of manufacturers are having to adapt business models to counter rising costs.
Going forward, the industry may get a reprieve from spiralling production costs, with the pound’s rebound against the Dollar and the Euro in late October potentially signalling an easing of material and shipping costs.
Previously Liz Truss’ government had offered an energy support package to businesses, although this had been scaled back by the new chancellor Jeremy Hunt. Business leaders are now asking the new government headed by Rishi Sunak to provide a fully costed energy support package to protect British businesses. It will be interesting to see the level of support that is offered, and the impact on the industry.
With a confluence of economic factors impacting the pharma industry as we go into the end of the year, the industry will have to prepare itself for uncertainty and disruption. Manufacturers will have to make some tough choices, potentially scaling back their businesses. Likewise, all eyes will be on the government to see how they support the industry to avoid the same catastrophic shortages that we have seen with fuel in recent months.
If you would like to discuss how the current economic environment might impact your business or brands, please do not hesitate to get in touch at firstname.lastname@example.org or call 01483 528302.


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Sierra Leone has reduced the wholesale cost of its internet bandwidth by almost 50%, according to Ismael Kebbay, Managing Director of Sierra Leone Cable Limited (SALCAB) which runs the country's fibre optic infrastructure.
Kebbay mentioned a 48% bandwidth cost reduction for IP transit and lease circuit while launching the company's new national fibre bundle.
The reduction and the new bundle, which will enable users in other cities to access service quality similar to what's obtainable at the cable landing station in the capital, Freetown, comes after a supposed re-engineering of the submarine and terrestrial infrastructure.
The senior executive said the company will upgrade the country's data capacity from 83G to 260G to enhance transmission and distribution of data for clients through direct connection of their backhaul base stations to the fibre cable.
The reduction is expected to significantly lower the cost of internet access, though there is uncertainty over the quality of the connectivity.
The communications sector, incorporating telecoms, contributes 3.8% towards Sierra Leone's GDP.
According to SALCAB, of the 4.2 million telecoms service users in Sierra Leone, voice-related products account for 65% of revenue in the sector while Internet penetration is at 13% - broadband (2%) and mobile data via phones and dongles (11%).
Kebbay said most of the registered subscribers are multi-SIM users who yield US$3 ARPU/month. He cited existing telcos' current distribution models - which rely on microwave as the primary backhaul - as a major challenge to market expansion and deprives 25% of the active population (about 1.7 million people)of access to either voice or internet service.
A weak rural population cluster, low revenue per user and low digital literacy rate represent ongoing challenges for telcos.
SALCAB is government-owned but incorporated as a limited liability company to regulate wholesale bandwidth and other related VAS providers in the country. It is the main partner of the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable in Sierra Leone.


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Candy companies sweet for Easter
They stood in line for nearly an hour Sunday afternoon at Peggy Gray Candies and Gifts, a record crowd of customers patiently inching forward to collect free samples of chocolate and to purchase some Easter candy.
The North Springfield store, in business since 1922, estimated it sold candy to between 1,500 and 2,000 people during a 3-hour span, more than it ever had during nearly a century of annual spring open houses.
The line of chocolate lovers and sweet-toothed visitors went clear across their parking lot, more than 150 feet to the back door.
"Well, it's of course because we have the best candy," owner Jon Holliday, 63, said. "We're an enigma. We're kind of out in the middle of nowhere, doing a lot of things the old fashioned way."
Easter, now just 12 days away, means a boost in business for local chocolate shops and candy-makers, including Peggy Gray and Pulakos Chocolates.
The holiday, which falls on April 16 this year, is the most lucrative annually for sales, just beating out Valentine's Day, said Mike Noel, owner of Pulakos, one of Erie's prominent candy-makers since 1903.
"Easter is spread out over two, three weeks," said Noel, 58, an Oil City native and current Millcreek Township resident who purchased Pulakos in 2015. "Valentine's is jammed into two, possibly three days."
Noel had been thinking about buying a candy company for several years before landing Pulakos. He also bid for Stefanelli's Candies in 2015 before the business was sold to a Meadville couple.
"I like the idea that it's a seasonal business, and that there would be free time in the summer," Noel said. "We'd use that time to travel, both for leisure, seeing relatives, and for business."
Noel and his wife, Kelly, a co-owner in Pulakos, aim to attend chocolate shows and conventions in Philadelphia, California and Las Vegas across the next year or so, learning about different products, processes and equipment that are new to the industry and which the couple could bring back to Erie.
"Things you see on the East Coast you may not see on the West Coast, and vice versa," Noel said. "You could go to California and find people who have never seen sponge candy. It's a regional product. I'm pretty sure there are new product lines for us to explore on the West Coast that we can use to enhance our business here."
Sales of Easter-related candy and chocolate increased by about 10 percent in 2016 compared to 2015, Noel said. Pulakos' top-selling Easter items are marshmallow eggs and peanut butter eggs.
"Customers start asking for Easter candy the week after Valentine's Day," Noel said Monday.
Noel had worked for a dozen years at an alarm company in Massachusetts before moving to the Erie area in the 1990s. He soon became the owner of a local automotive business, which he still runs, but always had his eye on the candy industry.
He also has his eye on a third Pulakos store, joining the main location at 2530 Parade St. — where the headquarters has been since 1971 — and a store at 380 Millcreek Plaza.
"We're looking at the Harborcreek/North East area," Noel said about the potential location of a third store, which also would add four to six jobs to the company. "It could open as soon as this September, or as late as next September. We're pretty excited about it."
Gerry Weiss can be reached at 870-1884 or by email. Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/ETNweiss.
View Erie Times-News photos of chocolate making at Pulakos Chocolates: GoErie.com/photos


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Indian and the United Kingdom’s, APTECH Computer Technology in conjunction with Middlesex University, have announced their willingness to help Nigeria fast track her economic growth by bringing their global technology expertise on board.
The Vice President and Coordinator, West African Sub-region, APTECH Computer, Kalol Mokherjee, made this disclosure at the 9th edition of the APTECH Career Quest, held in conjunction with the Middlesex University, a Central London-based University, in Lagos, last week.
Speaking on the yearly event, Mokherejee said his organisation is keen on training many Nigerian students in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT), and education with a view to fostering economic growth in the country.
He said: “the fastest growing economies in the world are driven with modern technology and there is no doubt that any country which desires economic growth must embrace information communication technology.”
According to Mokherjee, given the existing agreement with the parties involved, the pilot programme for this massive human capital development initiative may commence by October this year, with 2000 Nigerians already selected and cleared from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
They will participate in iintensive entrepreneurial ICT-based training in India, and possibly across European affiliate training centres.
He disclosed that the Career Quest, graced by different students from some secondary schools across Lagos, including Genesis College, Lekki; Covenant Hall School, Ota, Ogun State; and Mosheku High School, Ejigbo, also featured award of full and partial scholarships to five students studying Software Engineering, Apps Development and more.
The scholarship is worth N5 million, according to the Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer of APTECH International, Anil Plant.
Plant said the company has been in Nigeria since 2000, and has so far trained 20,000 young Nigerians, all doing well in their respective endeavours. APTECH, founded in 1943, is currently having programmes in 173 countries across the world, with degree programmes in Dubai, Malta, Mauritius, London, and India.
One of the scholarship recipient, Chunukwo Chisom, a 19-year-old 200-level Advanced Diploma Software Certificate student at APTECH, said: “the 50 per cent scholarship granted him to study in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, was a dream come true,” as it would assist him to fulfil his dream of “becoming a technology giant.
“My childhood dream is to become an ICT inventor, with competencies in Web Designing, and Developing Enterprise Applications, using the technological tools to contribute to the socio-economic development of my country and the entire world. My dream is to compete with the global brands like Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter,” he added.
Speaking earlier, the Business Development Director of Aptech Lekki and Ajah centres, Lagos, Dr, Joe Ebinum, said amid economic recession, technology offers a rare opportunity and hope for a prosperous economy that is oil-independent.
Ebinum said: “IT and computers are the way forward now…so many non-oil producing and exporting countries are thriving like Japan, Israel, Singapore, China, and India. These nations are I.T oriented.
“In a recent interview, MD of Daimler Benz, makers of the famous Benz luxury cars and buses, said their competitors are no longer other car manufacturers but companies such as Tesla, Google, Apple and Amazon. He said that software has disrupted and will further disrupt traditional industries in the next 5-10 years. Look at UBER. It is just a software tool. They don’t own cars but they are now the biggest taxi company in the world. B&b is now the biggest hotel company in the world yet, they don’t own a single property. Computer and I.T skills rule the world,” he added.


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John Schappert said at E3 that as reported in earlier leaks, a game show channel would be coming to Xbox Live. They're playable with the recently announced Live Party avatars, and the first games are 1 vs 100 and Uno Rush (looks like Uno, but with avatars). »7/14/08 2:22pm 7/14/08 2:22pm
Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service.


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On Monday, Teamsters local unions represented a massive workforce of 340,000 UPS Inc. (NYSE: UPS) employees, both full-time and part-time, endorsed the tentative five-year agreement reached with the delivery giant on July 25.
In a stunning show of solidarity, the vote stood at an overwhelming 161-1 in favor of the agreement. The proposed contract was reviewed by only 14 affiliates in Washington, D.C.
Empowering Workers with Historic Opportunities
The historic agreement is now going to the rank-and-file. UPS workers can vote between August 3 and August 22 on its ratification. Union leaders encourage members to seize this momentous chance to voice their opinions. This will shape the future for UPS employees across the nation.
Gains that Surpass All Previous Contracts
Negotiations leading up to this groundbreaking agreement were extraordinary.
The Teamsters and UPS began negotiations in January regionally and nationally. As a result, it exceeds any previous Teamsters contract with the delivery giant. Union representatives described the contract. This is valued at $30 billion, which is both comprehensive and lucrative.
Key Highlights of the Proposed Contract
The proposed contract includes large wage increases for all UPS workers. Besides, there is an inspiring commitment to installing air conditioning in existing vehicles. It also includes a long-awaited end to the contentious two-tier wage system. Notably, part-time workers would receive catch-up raises. They prove the Teamsters’ determination to secure fair compensation for all employees.
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy
For the first time, Martin Luther King Day will be a paid holiday. This step recognizes the civil rights icon’s legacy. It also demonstrates UPS’s commitment to inclusivity and respect for its diverse workforce.
Promoting a Healthy Work-Life Balance
It also introduces revised language that prevents employees from being forced to work overtime on holidays. This provision addresses a long-standing worker concern. Moreover, it seeks to ensure a healthy work-life balance for UPS staff.
Unity and Future Prospects
This contract meets UPS workers’ immediate needs, as reflected in Teamsters’ endorsement. It also lays the foundation for a brighter and prosperous future. Union leaders say the proposed contract secures large and tangible benefits. It sets a precedent for fair labor practices in the industry.
View of Lading Logistics on UPS Tentative Agreement
Date: August 1, 2023
Lading Logistics congratulates the Teamsters locals’ overwhelming support of the logistics industry. The resounding endorsement of the proposed 5-year contract demonstrates the potential for positive change within the sector. Lading Logistics views this development with optimism and anticipation.
Embracing Positive Change
Lading Logistics recognizes the significance of the UPS tentative agreement. This agreement has the potential to set the industry standards. This can also redefine the relationship between logistics companies and their employees. Fair compensation you can achieve with:
- Large wage increases
- Air conditioning in all vehicles
- And the end of the controversial two-tier wage system.
This also improves the working conditions for UPS workers.
Lading Logistics believes that a motivated workforce is the key to providing exceptional service. Moreover, this will maintain a competitive edge. The gains achieved during negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters signal a positive shift.
Inspiring Inclusivity and Recognition
For the first time, UPS has designated Martin Luther King Day as a paid holiday. In honoring an iconic civil rights leader’s legacy, Lading Logistics welcomes this progressive step. Such inclusivity aligns with Lading Logistics’ commitment to workplace culture. As a result, it celebrates diversity and equality.
Promoting Work-Life Balance
The amended language was introduced in the tentative agreement. As a result, employees will not be forced to work overtime on their days off. Lading Logistics recognizes the importance of work-life balance in:
- Promoting employee well-being
- And long-term job satisfaction.
Thus, UPS is committed to creating a healthier and sustainable work environment for its employees.
Join Lading Logistics in Pioneering Positive Change
Lading Logistics invites all industry players to pioneer positive change with the UPS tentative agreement. Together, we can elevate labor standards and focus on employee welfare. Moreover, we can foster an inclusive and supportive work environment for all.
We believe that investing in our workforce is integral to delivering top-tier logistics services to our clients. We encourage other logistics companies to:
- Embrace fair labor practices
- Focus on employee engagement
- And actively contribute to shaping the industry’s future.
In the end we can say that this news is a powerful testament to transformational change within the logistics sector. Lading Logistics looks forward to a future where employees’ well-being takes center stage. Ultimately, it leads to:
- Improved service quality
- Heightened industry reputation
- And a more vibrant and progressive logistics landscape.
**Note: For more information on Lading Logistics and our commitment to excellence, visit our website


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The antigen rapid test (ART) kits on sale via vending machines at 15 locations across the country come in one large box containing 25 kits. The option to buy individual kits will be added in the near future, said Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar at a press conference yesterday.
“These vending machines will only accept payment in cash (exact change) in the denominations of BND1, BND5, BND10 and BND20,” he added.
In Brunei-Muara District, the vending machines can be found at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital OPD Shuttle Bus; RIPAS Hospital Women and Children’s Centre (WCC) Shuttle Bus; RIPAS Hospital external car park; Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Sports Complex; UBD Faculty of Science (FOS); BIBD Connect Lambak; Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC); Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre (PJSC); DST; Brunei International Airport public car park payment counter area; Taman Mahkota Jubli Emas; and the Ministry of Health Headquarters.
Meanwhile, there are also vending machines at Hua Ho Petani Mall in Tutong District; Pengiran Isteri Hajjah Mariam Hospital in Temburong District; and Suri Seri Begawan Hospital in Belait District.
Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said the ART kits are also available online through INCOMM website www.incomm.com.bn. The company offers free shipping for purchases over BND50. The minister said the list of private companies and clinics selling ART kits will be updated from time to time and information on the sale can be found on www.moh.gov.bn.
Meanwhile, in response to a question on whether the purchase of the ART for sale by the government is funded by the COVID-19 Relief Fund, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah said that it is not possible as the fund is being used by the government for the purchase of medical equipment, and the government expenditure to address the COVID-19 issue is quite large.
“The expenses needed to buy these ART kits to help the public are actually smaller compared to the total government expenditure, and whatever available in the COVID-19 Relief Fund will be used for other purchases,” said the minister.


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New antapasti offerings from Carnival In an effort to keep culinary offerings fresh. Carnival Cruise Line has announced that as part of their The new Cucina del. The new Cucina del Capitano menus are currently on three ships Carnival Magic, Carnival Vista and Carnival. Carnival Cruise Line is revamping the menus for several The new Cucina del Capitano Italian restaurants menus are currently on three ships, the Carnival. girl is in stable condition after falling from the balcony of the Carnival cruise ship late last week The incident took place on Friday afternoon aboard the Carnival Breeze, which was heading back to Galveston, Texas, following a. Carnival Cruise Line plans to move one of its newest ships, the Carnival Breeze, to Port Canaveral next year The Breeze will replace the Carnival Magic at Port Canaveral in September 2018, the port and the cruise line jointly. Carnival Cruise Line has revamped menus at a number of its dining At Carnivals steakhouses, new menus on three ships four more will get the new. Carnival Cruise Lines got its hands on its newest ship, the Carnival Breeze, in a ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy The 130,000ton, 3,600passenger sister ship to the Carnival Magic and Carnival Dream. Carnival Cruise Lines is again routing ships to New Orleans as Tropical Storm Harvey downpours continue to hit the Texas and Louisiana coasts Three ships the Carnival Freedom, Carnival Valor and Carnival Breeze will spend. This even includes people on Carnival cruises A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line said that because Port of Galveston is closed, two of their cruise ships out at seas have a future cruise credit Carnival Breeze, which was.


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After slumping through the Great Recession, the auto industry is back to booming times as millions of people (17.55 million, to be approximate) bought new cars and trucks during 2016. Planning on joining them? Here's how to finance a car.
Stanford startup Prodigy wants to give car dealerships and car buyers a streamlined, tablet-based system to simplify buying at dealers. Dealers using the process will be better able to compete with online buying and leasing services.
Consumers prefer to buy cars where they can haggle for discounts, according to the NADA head. Not so, says a Harris Poll; 80 percent of consumers dislike at least one factor in buying cars from dealers.
The 2016 Beepi Consumer Automotive Index found three in five Americans feel taken advantage of by car dealer when shopping for cars. Surveyed millennials, women, and parents with young children are especially uncomfortable at dealerships.


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Tesla plans to expand its German factory have come up against a roadblock after local citizens voted against a motion to fell trees and make way for the larger site, the mayor of Gruenheide told Reuters.
The news agency said the non binding vote was a further obstacle in the way of plans to double the site’s capacity to 100 gigawatt hours of battery production and 1m cars per year.
Current capacity is around 500,000 cars a year but its production ramp up has slowed, Reuters said.
The automaker produced 6,000 cars in a week for the first time in January, after reaching 5,000 cars per week last March.
Citizens in Gruenheide voted against the motion to clear enough forest for the company to build extra logistics spaces like a train station and warehouses, leaving it to local authorities to decide how to proceed, Reuters said.
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CHENNAI: Defending its decision to hike power tariff, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (Tangedco), in a statement, said the hike became necessary because of financial losses (Rs 1,13,266 crore as on March 31, 2021) and outstanding loan of Rs 1,59,823 crore.
“The Union power ministry has made tariff revision a precondition for releasing central funds. RBI and other central financial institutions too have made yearly tariff revision a precondition for sanctioning loans. Entities such as CERC and APTEL have made strong remarks about Tangedco not revising its tariff periodically,” the statement said.
Tangedco also pointed out that tariff was being revised after eight years. On July 18, 2022, Tangedco had submitted its tariff revision petition for multi-year tariff control term (2022-23 to 2026-27) and petition for miscellaneous charge for the same period to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC). On July 19, 2022, the petitions were accepted by the TNERC.
There is no increase for 1 crore out of 2.37 crore domestic consumers and those living in huts (42.19%). For 63.35 lakh domestic consumers (26.73%) using up to 200 units bimonthly, the tariff hike will be Rs 27.50 per month and for 36.25 lakh consumers (15.30%) using up to 300 units bimonthly, the hike will be Rs 72.50 per month. For 18.82 lakh consumers (7.94%) using up to 400 units bimonthly, tariff hike is Rs 147.50 per month and for 10.56 lakh consumers (4.46%) using up to 500 units bimonthly, the tariff hike will be Rs 297.50 per month, Tangedco said.
Tangedco also said libraries functioning in rural and village areas are now being charged Rs 5.75 per unit and Rs 60 per month as fixed charge. To encourage and improve reading habit among people, tariff for libraries running on non-commercial basis has been approved at domestic rate to reduce their current consumption charge by up to 30%.
Industrial assns urge CM to withdraw revision
Coimbatore: Representatives of TACT urged CM Stalin to withdraw the power tariff hike. J James, president of TACT, said, “We have complained to electricity minister Senthil Balaji about the decision, stating that the decision will distress thousands of industries.” Coimbatore and Tiruppur Districts’ Micro and Cottage Entrepreneurs Association president C Sivakumar said, “We will not accept the hike.”
PMK, AMMK, CPM condemn move
Chennai: PMK, CPM and AMMK have condemned the State government for increasing the power tariff. The parties urged the TNEB to roll back the increase in tariff and said it is not an appropriate time to increase the price as people haven’t recovered from the COVID impact. In a series of tweets, PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss expressed his shock over the announcement.
50 paise per unit increased for 93% (2.26 lakh) of the cottage and tiny industries consumers
Rs 50 per month increased for 53% (19.28 lakh) of the commercial consumers
70 paise per unit hike for power loom consumers and up to 750 units free supply continued
Green tariff introduced for supply of renewable energy power with an RE certificate to promote renewable energy at a lower premium rate of 10%
Professionals like doctors, engineers, interior decorators, auditors, lawyers can use up to 200 sq feet of their house for their professional work
Data centers brought under industrial tariff


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Facebook moves to defuse algorithm row
Facebook has denied accusations that it changed its algorithm to reduce the reach of organic posts and force brands into additional investment in media.
Christian Hernandez, director of platform partnerships at Facebook EMEA
Christian Hernandez, UK and pan-European director at Facebook, told Marketing that he wanted to make ‘clear’ that the ‘monetisation component was not the driver of the algorithm but, actually, the user experience and the engagement rates’.
One industry source claimed the natural reach of posts it made on behalf of a brand with one of the biggest Facebook followings in the UK has dropped from 15% to 5% after the change to the EdgeRank algorithm.
A statement from Facebook argued that ‘the way News Feed surfaces posts has not changed: show people relevant content. The median reach of pages has remained the same and spam complaints and stories hidden by users have fallen significantly’.
Facebook is also rolling out changes to its News Feed to make it akin to a ‘personal newspaper’ and, although Hernandez said he ‘doesn’t know’ whether that will mean brands have to spend more on media to get the same level of visibility, the changes are not for ‘a commercial reason’.
The social network is also seeking to move beyond offering a ‘social digital display advertising’ platform by incorporating brand data with its own social data.
Hernandez explained that a brand such as Tesco could combine Clubcard data with information from its Facebook page to identify its most profitable customers, which will allow it to offer ‘performance, acquisition, customer insight and retention tools’.
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
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Kingdom Hearts III has been out for almost two months, and we haven't seen much in the way of post content support. Whereas other games, like Square Enix's own Final Fantasy XV, would be filled with DLC after the game's release date, Kingdom Hearts III never really planned for any additional content. While there is DLC for Kingdom Hearts III in the works, we're still a long time away from seeing anything akin to Story DLC.
However, we are getting a returning game mode. Earlier today, KH III's Co-producer, Tai Yasue, confirmed that Critical Mode, a harder difficulty mode, would be coming to KH III "Very Soon." Yasue confirmed that Critical Mode would be much more than enemies just having higher attack points and HP. Yasue said it's "more technical and offensive;" more for those who are good at action games and timing attacks.
No release date has yet to be revealed, but expect something to be mentioned during this weeks GDC. For what we thought of Kingdom Hearts III, check out our Review.


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Ninjala heads up GungHo Online Entertainment’s TGS 2018 lineup
Posted on August 24, 2018 by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in News, Switch
GungHo Online Entertainment has announced its lineup for Tokyo Game Show 2018, which will take place next month. For Nintendo platforms, the game to look out for will be Ninjala, the multiplayer-focused action game on Nintendo Switch. Also part of their lineup is Yo-kai Watch World for smartphones.


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Xbox Game Studios developer The Initiative has formally announced that they're indeed working on a reboot of the Perfect Dark series, and shown off a first trailer for the game.
In an accompanying video interview, various members of the team including game director Dan Neuburger and lead writer Christine Thompson spoke on how the game will focus on the idea of eco-sci fi, and how an ecological disaster that affected the world on a global scale was seemingly allivated by corporations with a shady agenda.
As Agent Joanna Dark, you'll be investigating these corporations, and as design director Drew Murray says, it'll involve a lot of what the studio is referring to "spy fighting" over the combat traditionally seen in an FPS, including sliding under things, jumping over things and "playing with the physicality" of movement.
Of course it's very early days yet, so there's no release date or gameplay footage just yet, but the studio has been building up quite the superteam for some time, including talent from Infinity Ward and Naughty Dog just last month. A new Perfect Dark game from the team had been rumoured for some time but those rumours were made more solid back in April when a new hiring's responsilbities were found by internet slueths on LinkedIn.
The Initative promise more details on Perfect Dark in the future, and rest assured we'll let you know as soon as we can when they arrive, but for now whet your appetite with both videos below.


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Facebook Offers are the new advertisements occasionally appearing on the News Feed section of some viewers. When someone “claims” their Offer, it will show up on the newsfeed of their Facebook friends. Now it not only demonstrates a high level of interest and action (ie purchasing or “claiming” the offer by a friend) but may inspire viewers to follow along. Once that viewer clicks to claim their offer, it also shows up on the newsfeed of all their friends and so forth.
This allows businesses and organizations to share discounts with customers by posting offers to their Facebook Pages. It is similar to coupons; you don’t have to pay anything to create. Just click “offer, Event+” in Facebook sharing tool, indicate a headline, a photo thumbnail, duration of the offer, and terms and conditions. When a customer claims an offer, they will get an email to show at the physical location of the certain business to get their discount. Whether they do this via mobile or through desktop it is most convenient at any given time.
In the case of Macy’s, it generated a fair amount of buzz in it’s initial Offer which shows of how effective this new Facebook product for businesses is. Macy’s first posted the Offer on February 23rd at 7:11am Pacific with an expiration date of February 26th. The Offer was headlining: “Get 25% off your purchase of $100 or more.”
Some key pointers about Macy’s offer:
- Their offer was clean, simple, and obvious using a “%” sign and a “$dollar” amount.
- Macy’s chose an extremely eye-catching image of a red shoe and a blue shoe on a white background, clearly chosen very strategically (red, white and blue = power color combo!). It especially made appeal to all females out there who love shoes.
- The choice of language in the Offer was compelling: starting with “Get” (mirrored with the “Get Offer”), and the use of “save” and “BIG.” Clever!
- Macy’s first posted the Offer on February 23rd, and posted it again on February 25th with the the description ìJust two days left to get a head start on spring shopping!
- Ultimately, 41,602 people claimed the Macyís Offer. And the original Offer post was shared a total of 2,491 times and the reminder of the Offer shared 374 times. That’s an awesome social engagement!
This is the wave of the future and yet another clear insight into how major brands like Macy’s are using social media marketing to reach consumers 24/7.
Also this new Facebook advertising feature is a great example of the power of exponential growth to reach both current clients and new prospects. It is also a promising way for businesses to experiment with offers to find out what customers respond to best.
Furthermore, the inclusion of this new Offer via mobile is an important step in the evolution of one-click mobile marketing especially for the nearly 450 million mobile users currently on Facebook. It’s also an early example of how Facebook views mobile marketing – convenient, timely, and highly effective.
Facebook Offers for Online Retailers
The redemption of the Offers uses email as an intermediary thus requiring a user to physically go to a retail location. Now Facebook just recently began testing a different kind of Offers that includes redemption codes for online retailers.
They are testing a version of Offers that will use a promo code or special link to click through for a discount on off-site purchases. The codes and links may show up in more than just offers, though, and could be included in ads and sponsored stories. Facebook is testing the feature in a closed beta, and there is no word on when it could be made public in the way Facebook Offers now is.
Here’s a tip: Sign up for Facebook Advertising if you want the feature to appear on your wall.
Now, more than ever Facebook users have more reasons to “Likeî a businesses” Facebook page, providing retailers the opportunity to build a community of shoppers. It’s also a way for Facebook to insert ads into user’s news feeds without forcing them on users. When businesses realize how effective the Offers can be just in user’s news feeds, that should definitely translate into ad.


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Verizon has expanded its FiOS TV service to close to 10,000 residencies in Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana, California. The additions add to the 1 million plus households, and 85 communities in Southern California where FiOS is available.
“Customer response to FiOS TV and FiOS Internet service has been astounding. Every day, more Californians are choosing Verizon and saying goodbye to their cable or satellite company,” said Dustin Kroeger, director of West Coast marketing.
Veizon’s fiber optic-based FiOS TV service offers 127 HD channels in California market areas. The company’s video on demand service includes 1,400 HD titles per month (15,000 total choices including standard-definition).


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Industrial Property Data and Market ReportsProperty data, infographics and market reports for industrial property and sheds.
Industrial take-up in the final quarter of 2016 hit a record high of 13.9m sq ft, boosted by strong demand from online and discount retailers, figures from Gerald Eve’s Prime Logistics bulletin show.
Industrial and office markets in London and the South East have seen occupational demand strengthen and rising rents since the EU Referendum according to exclusive Glenny research.
Online retail giant Amazon has helped drive take-up of large industrial space to a new record in the third quarter.
London’s prime retail pitches are continuing to attract international retailers despite demanding some of the highest rents and occupancy costs in Europe.
Take-up of large industrial space increased by 4% in the second quarter of the year, as strong market fundamentals put the sector in a strong position to weather any Brexit-related storm, according to Gerald Eve’s latest Prime Logistics quarterly bulletin.
Total returns for modern logistics stock across the UK in H1 were 4.4%, outperforming all property collectively according to a newly launched CBRE benchmarking index.
Prologis has leased 416,412 sq ft to garden supply firm Gardman at its Prologis Apex Park in Daventry.


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Microsoft to open five more retail stores by summer
Will morph one 'pop-up' into permanent outlet
Computerworld - Microsoft today announced that it would open five new retail stores by summer, including one it's transmuting from a "pop-up" outlet created last year to drive holiday sales.
The new stores will be in Honolulu (Ala Moana Center); Natick, Mass. (Natick Mall); Portland, Ore. (Pioneer Place); Schaumburg, Ill. (Woodfield Mall); and Troy, Mich. (The Somerset Collection).
The Natick store is currently one of the three-dozen pop-ups that Microsoft launched last October as a way to temporarily expand its retail footprint. The others will be new locations, although some -- such as the store in Portland's Pioneer Place -- are additions to existing pop-ups or permanent stores elsewhere in a metropolitan area.
Today's announcement follows one in late December, when Microsoft said it would open six new retail stores in early 2013, including four transformed from the holiday specialty store list. None of the half-dozen are yet open, however.
Also in December, Microsoft said it would extend the lifespan of most of its pop-ups well into 2013 -- originally, they were to close after the holidays -- and turn some of those into 12-month stores. So far, it's announced that five of the original list of 34 pop-ups will become full-time outlets.
The new stores -- and the retention of the pop-ups -- will help Microsoft sell the Surface Pro, the more expensive of the two tablets it unveiled in mid-2012, and the only one that runs Windows 8 Pro.
The Surface Pro will sell for $899 and $999 in 64GB and 128GB configurations, with the Touch Cover and Type Cover keyboards offered separately for $120 and $130. They are to go on sale this Saturday, Feb. 9.
Microsoft did not specify opening dates for the five new stores, and the almost-up-to-date list on its website simply stated "Coming Soon" for three of the five.
That list shows 70 stores -- both permanent and pop-up -- in the U.S. and Canada, but has omitted two of the five stores slated for summer opening. By comparison, Apple's retail chain had 401 stores worldwide as of last month, with 251 of them in the U.S. alone.
Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld. Follow Gregg on Twitter at @gkeizer, on Google+ or subscribe to Gregg's RSS feed . His email address is email@example.com.
Read more about Tablets in Computerworld's Tablets Topic Center.
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With the need to become more visible and reach more customers it is important to keep up with the latest trends. See the top digital marketing trends for 2018 here:
The Rise of Video
Social media users are flocking to YouTube, Instagram Stories, Snap Chat, Facebook Live Streaming and much more. It is inevitable that video marketing is the way of the future.
According to the news by HubSpot:
- video is on the rise. 81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
- 90% of customers report that videos help them make purchase decisions
- 64% of customers are likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it.
- 59% of company decision makers would rather watch a video than reading.
According to a new study by Cisco:
- Video is projected to claim more than 80% of all web traffic by 2019.
Privacy protection has always been important but now it is more important than ever before because as of 25th May 2018 the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes in force to harmonise data privacy laws.
According to a study by KPMG:
- 55% of consumers said they decided against buying something due to privacy concerns.
According to a study by Google:
- Studies show that users do not perceive the lack of a “secure” icon as a warning, but also that users become blind to warnings that occur too frequently.
At one-time, online marketing was a lot simpler but with the advancement of technology, all this has changed. Today, consumers use a variety of digital platforms to browse, shop and engage on the Internet.
According to an infographic by Go-Gulf:
- 70% of consumers use three or more connected devices.
- 80% of consumers bounce between devices.
- 40% of online transactions involve multiple devices along the way.
Influencer marketing will continue to rise
Influencer marketing is not a new trend; however, it has become one of the hottest topics in the digital marketing industry this year.
According to Forbes:
- With the rise of ad blockers and decline in radio and TV viewership, influencer marketing has proven to be the most effective form of advertising.
- Influencer marketing is growing faster than digital ads.
According to a study by Collective Bias:
- 70% of millennials are influenced by the recommendations of their peers in buying decisions.
- The same survey reveals that 30% consumers are more likely to buy a product recommended by a non-celebrity blogger. Consumers can relate more to these influencers and value their opinions more than that of celebrity influencers.
- Just 3% of consumers are influenced by celebrity endorsements in their product purchase decisions.
- 19% of consumer purchase decisions are influenced by Facebook posts.
- 18% of consumers are influenced by YouTube regarding their purchases.
Social media together with online shopping has lead to the birth of social commerce, a digital initiative that uses social media to build relationships with the consumers and assist in their shopping experience online.
According to Shopify:
- 85% of all eCommerce orders come from Facebook
According to Business Insider:
- Pinterest drives 16% of social revenue and this number should increase with Pinterest’s new ‘Buy Now’ buttons.
New SEO factors
SEO has come a long way since the 1990s. The prevalence of big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has led to the anticipation if even bigger changes on the horizon. These include but are not limited to:
- Voice Search
- Structured data
- Hyperlocal results
- Machine learning over typical search results
According to Google:
- 65% of online consumers look up more information now versus a few years ago.
- 82% of smartphone users use a search engine when looking for a local business.
- 82% of smartphone users consult their phones while in-store deciding what to buy.
See the latest: 'Digital marketing & advertising trends 2019.'


text: New data shows millennials are in worse financial shape than every preceding living generation and may never recover. Their woes have delayed traditional adult milestones in ways expected to alter the nation’s demographic and economic contours. We now need to reframe healthcare and care delivery with these aspects in mind states a recent Wall Street Journal article, referenced here. We need to help millennials focus on lower cost prevention rather than developing acute issues and needs. DataLink is designing wellness exams, referral preferences, and pharmacy details to ensure each patient is getting their best benefit. We are helping reduce the cost of care at the health plan, market, product, and patient levels. Changing cost trends must be done at the tactical level and at the point-of-care and keep consumer literacy in mind to be truly successful.


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The jury's still out on Black Friday
Our Countdown to Christmas research reveals Black Friday has failed to capture the imagination of nearly half (49%) of Britons despite a rising number of deals to tempt them to spend.
Revealed: the secrets to the perfect shopping trip
Research with credit card experts MBNA has uncovered the ingredients for the perfect shopping day out
Retailing at your leisure
Shopping, socialising and spending habits. Download our latest report


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When released, China’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) might replace fiat yuan in circulation. At least, that was what Fan Yifei, the Deputy Chairman of the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), stated in his article published at Financial News local outlet.
A multinational payment bull MasterCard offers a virtual platform to test the potential of central bank digital currency (CBDC). The company wants to help central banks globally that are planning to develop, analyze and explore their state-backed virtual currencies.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world a lot. The lockdown affected most global industries, having caused one of the biggest crises for the past decades. However, world financial experts predict the situation can become even worse and lead to the complete death of the US dollar.
As the idea of issuing the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is gaining traction worldwide, China makes practical steps to make their digital yuan release closer. Now, the country is going to expand its trials to test the CBDC potential on a larger scale.
The traditional method of moving money abroad has always been associated with high transfer and money conversion rates, unnecessary delays, annoying paperwork and bureaucracy, but the rise of cryptocurrency as a competing instrument seems to provide many easy alternatives.
Amidst rapid digitization of the world, central banks are making efforts to keep pace. Nevertheless, while Asian countries such as China have been actively developing its Central BankDigital Currencies, Europe has been cautiously exploring it. But now it seems the continent will see its first CBDC as soon as this week.


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Well, that was quick.
In July, we reported on the debut of U.K. automaker Ant-Kahn, a coachbuilder that would specialize in custom-built, handcrafted British designs.
A joint project between Evanta Motor Co. Managing Director Ant Anstead and automotive fashion designer Afzal Kahn, Ant-Kahn planned to come out strong with a new, retro-style roadster. Little was known about the droptop at the time, save for the fact it wouldn’t be based on a production vehicle and kind of looked like the Jaguar D-Type.
Evanta Motor Co. has announced that the roadster, called the Evanta Barchetta, will make its debut at the 2014 Goodwood Revival. However, despite previous claims, the Barchetta will not be produced by Ant-Kahn; Evanta will exclusively oversee the project.
The Evanta Barchetta concept (pictured) was first teased in 2013 at Top Marques Monaco, so what you’ll be seeing at Goodwood is the final, production-ready version of the Barchetta.
Each car built in the 99-unit run will be fitted with a 6.2-liter, 450-horsepower V8, connected to the wheels via either an automatic or manual gearbox. This is great news, because a classically minded speedster like this simply wouldn’t fit with flappy-paddles on the steering wheel.
Two body choices are available for the Evanta: a Kevlar-bodied, $202,000 version and an aluminum variant that costs around $267,000. Both cars are held together by a tubular chassis and will be offered in left and right-hand drive.
Evanta has also teased a new model, a grand tourer concept, which is set for a March 2015 reveal at the Geneva Motor Show.
The 2014 Goodwood Revival kicks off on September 12th.
(Barchetta concept photos via World Car Fans)


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The Galaxy S21 FE 5G will likely launch with Android 12
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G phone is once again in the headlines of technology news; But apparently Samsung is not yet ready for the official introduction of this product for some reasons, let alone the commercial release of this product which should have been unveiled months ago. However, if you are disappointed with the introduction of this product, maybe today’s news is a little too much for you. be attractive Of course, this news has not been confirmed yet and like many other reports, it is just a prediction and a rumor. FoneArena, the reliable SamMobile website has confirmed that the Galaxy S21 FE 5G will come with will run Android 12 ; An operating system that has been available for high-end smartphones for some time.
At first glance, the revelation of the Galaxy S21 FE operating system may not seem so important. After all, we are talking about a device that will most likely be released in 2022, making it an ideal choice to run Android 12.
Probably many owners of the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S 21 Ultra won’t be too happy about the launch of the S21 FE with Android 12. The Galaxy S21 FE specifically falls under Samsung’s three-year major update policy, so launching the phone with Android 12 means the device will receive Android 13, Android 14, and maybe even Android 15. This is while other members of the Galaxy S21 family, after receiving the Android 12 update, will only receive Android 13 and finally Android 14.
Introduction of the S21 FE 5G with the new version of the mobile operating system =”/brand-story/190053-google-brand-history/”>Google until the Galaxy S22 family phones are introduced and launched on the market, a strange distinction and of course an important reason to choose this product over It will be other models of the Galaxy S21 series.
One of the solutions to this problem is to increase the software support range of Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra to receive Android 15. Of course, there is a possibility that Samsung will reconsider this and introduce the S21 FE 5G with Android 11 ; Thus, after some time, it will update Android 12 with the One UI 4.0 user interface for this device. Let’s pay attention, it will certainly seem logical to predict that the S21 FE 5G will be launched in the market to avoid similar problems with Android 11. However, we can still expect that this phone will be available to buyers with a stable version of Android 12.
- Galaxy S21 FE will probably be introduced this year at a price of 699 dollars
- New images of Galaxy S21 FE show its design from different angles
Using the Android 12 operating system could be one of the S21 FE’s key strengths over many budget 5G phones on the market. This phone, which was originally supposed to be introduced in August, will benefit from a design similar to the Galaxy S21. It is said that this product will be equipped with a 6.5-inch Supermold display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. In addition, it is expected that this phone will be launched with a Snapdragon 888 chip. Recently, in some rumors, it has been said that the Galaxy S21 FE 5G with 128 GB of memory and 6 GB of RAM will be released on the market at a price of $699, and maybe that’s it. The feature is one of the negative points about this device.
According to several reliable sources, the main camera system of this product will include three cameras of 12, 8 and 12 megapixels and will use a 4500 mAh battery. If Samsung wants to achieve the goal of selling 9 million Galaxy S2 FE 5G devices in 2022, it should definitely reconsider the price of this product.


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Even before we met the creators of “The Bedford Stop,” it was pretty clear that the online reality show about a group of millennials YOLO-ing their way through life in Williamsburg was basically spoof-proof. But here it is, anyway: the self-described “parody of that show you thought was a parody.” Condé Nast Entertainment has just released “The Lorimer Stop.”
As you’d expect from the folks who launched Lucky magazine, the bit does get the couture down to some degree. Off-the-rack biker jackets? Check. Giant lattes as fashion accessories? Check. But the sunglasses could use some work: it’s not a brunch bunch without aviators. And upchucky handbags with gold chains.
According to an email from Jennifer L. Press, Condé Nast Entertainment’s Head of Digital Video Communications, the skit’s creators, Kelly Bales and Nicole Dellert, “are millennials too – and they realize they are part of the problem. They made this film to show they really are self-aware – and would never act like this in real life. Probably.”


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — It appears that Apple Inc. may be about to unveil its anticipated iPhone 6.
Apple AAPL, -3.20% historically has an fall event to show off the next model of the iPhone, and according to the technology news site Re/code, Apple has set a Sept. 9 date to debut its next upgrade to the iPhone. Apple will reportedly show off two new devices, one with a 4.7-inch screen and another model with a 5.5-inch display.
Speculation has grown that Apple’s next version of the iPhone will have a bigger display than its current models due to increasing competition from the likes of Samsung, which has been selling phones with 5-inch displays for several months. Apple’s iPhones now have screens with a 4-inch diagonal measurement.
Apple hasn’t said anything publicly about its plans for its next iPhone. The company typically sends out invitations to media members about two weeks prior to its product events.
The iPhone remains Apple top-selling product and generator of revenue. When the company reported its fiscal third-quarter results in July, it said it sold 35.2 million iPhones in the period, a 13% increase over the same quarter a year ago.
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LAS VEGAS – Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled the new Prius, its leading hybrid car, in Las Vegas on Tuesday, saying it will be 10 percent more fuel-efficient than existing comparable vehicles.
The fourth-generation Prius comes at a time when driver interest in the United States is shifting toward larger, less fuel-efficient vehicles due largely to low gasoline prices. The redesigned Prius will also likely be challenged by increasing competition from makers of electric vehicles such as Tesla Motors Inc.
The new Prius, with its first restyling since 2009, will be marketed in Japan toward the end of this year, Toyota said, and in the United States from early next year.
Since debuting in 1997 as the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger car, the Prius has been a leader in the category of cars powered by a gasoline engine and an electric motor.
Its global sales reached 3,527,100 as of the end of July, forming more than 40 percent of Toyota’s global hybrid sales of 8,048,400. Its two key markets are North America, where dealers have sold 1,595,700 units, and Japan, where 1,553,400 units have been sold.
Carmakers, however, have recently run into an uphill struggle in pushing hybrid sales in the United States, where consumer preferences are trending toward less fuel-efficient vehicles.
Toyota is nonetheless raising its stake on fuel economy against the backdrop of increasingly stringent environmental regulations around the world.
The unpacked Prius, a five-door hatchback, features a smart body design with pointed head lamps. Toyota says the new version has stretched the body by 6.1 centimeters (2.4 inches) in length and 1.5 cm in width to achieve added interior comfort.
Its greater fuel efficiency has been achieved by making the hybrid system smaller and lighter, which helped Toyota to build a more dynamic engine and battery.
Toyota has not disclosed the detailed specifications of the engine or the price range of the new lineup, which is the first global vehicle built under the company’s new strategy of sharing components across models, called the Toyota New Global Architecture, for increased manufacturing efficiency.
The Prius’ fuel economy has been boosted by around 10 percent every time it undergoes a full remodeling. The new model is expected to be an improvement on the current car, which gets 50 miles per gallon (21 km per liter).
In the United States, California is a principal market for the Prius, where demand is strong for environmentally friendly cars. However, consumers in the state are also increasingly embracing electric vehicles.
An executive at a California car dealership said that wealthier people who are environmentally conscious are buying premium electric cars built by Tesla. The Prius no longer enjoys the status of a uniquely eco-friendly car that can draw the attention of Hollywood celebrities, the executive said.
Electric vehicles had been shunned because of the limited distance they can travel on a recharge. But their no-emission feature is valued highly by a growing number of consumers, a trend leading to the establishment of more recharge stations in California and other regions.
In 2014, U.S. sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, which can be charged at home, came to 118,773 units, according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association, an industry body. While this fell far short of the 451,702 hybrid vehicles sold, it represented a 22.8 percent increase from a year earlier, compared with an 8.8 percent drop for hybrids.
Makers of electric vehicles are stepping up competition by offering increased features and more value for prices.
Nissan Motor Co. is aiming to sharply increase the fuel economy of its Leaf electric vehicle when it undergoes a face-lift. It can currently run 228 km (142 miles) on one recharge. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said he is confident that its electric vehicle will eventually be able to deliver a trip distance similar to a gas-powered cars in the near future.
On Sept. 2, Tesla said it plans to start the production of Model 3, a lower-cost vehicle priced at $35,000, in around two years, in an attempt to reach a greater range of clients than its current luxury models.
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At about 2:15 a.m. on Christmas Day, two armed men went into a North Carolina convenience store and held the clerk and two customers at gunpoint, according to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office.
The robbery did not go as planned.
While the would-be robbers held the people in the store at gunpoint, “one of the patrons was armed and shot at the two robbers,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a press release.
The sheriff’s office says deputies think the two suspects were injured in the shooting before fleeing the scene with a third man in a getaway car that was waiting outside. The customers and the store employee were not hurt.
The sheriff’s office arrested one man, 24-year-old Jordan Thomas, and is still looking for Willie Settle, 29, and Jaikayle Bridges, 21, all of Reidsville. “These individuals should be considered armed and dangerous,” the press release warns.
The sheriff’s office says it is not releasing the name of the customers in the store, the press release notes, “due concerns for the individuals safety.”


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“Huawei bracing for a 40% to 60% drop in international smartphone shipments” – Ars Technica
Consumer uncertainty from the US export brand is devastating Huawei sales.
|Sentiment Score||Sentiment Magnitude|
- A report from Bloomberg claims to detail Huawei’s internal estimates, saying the company is expecting a 40 to 60 percent drop in international smartphone shipments due to the export ban.
- Huawei does about half its smartphone business internationally, and with 206 million phones sold in total in 2018, this would work out to about 40 million to 60 million sales lost.
- The Bloomberg report also has talk of Huawei pulling its next smartphone launch, the Honor 20, if sales aren’t up to snuff.
- A 40 to 60 percent drop in smartphone shipments almost seems optimistic.
- Aftermarket prices have already cratered for Huawei phones, and some trade-in shops are refusing to accept Huawei devices.
- This perceived drop in value should affect the new prices of Huawei phones, too; if Huawei does manage to sell some devices, it may be at a steep discount.
- Even if Huawei does manage to move some units, the company is unable to buy new components from US vendors or from international vendors that are using US technology.
Reduced by 61%
Author: Ron Amadeo


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The world’s most famous burger chain is finally entering the plant-based business.
On Thursday, McDonald’s announced the testing of the P.L.T. (Plant, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich) at 28 locations in southwestern Ontario, Canada, starting Monday.
Beyond Meat, the fast-growing plant-based manufacturer, has created an exclusive patty for the fast food giant, which is following the lead of its leading rival Burger King and national chains such as Carl’s Jr. and White Castle for the meatless menu option.
“McDonald’s has a proud legacy of fun, delicious and craveable food — and now, we’re extending that to a test of a juicy, plant-based burger,” the company’s Global Menu Strategy veep Ann Wahlgren said in a statement. “We’ve been working on our recipe and now we’re ready to hear feedback from our customers.”
Vegan-friendly options are taking the quick food service industry by storm. Dunkin’ Donuts, Del Taco, TGI Friday’s, Subway and KFC also have made a splash with plant-based offerings.
According to MarketWatch — which noted that the product will be cooked on the same grill as meat-based products and eggs — the test run of McDonald’s P.L.T. is slated to run for 12 weeks.


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It's crazy to think, but Strife have been together since 1991. That's a lifetime in hardcore years! To close 2017 out, the California outfit will be issuing Live at The Troubadour, a DVD and album recorded back in 2005.
The release features the original lineup of Strife playing songs spanning their Victory Records-released first three albums —1994’s One Truth, 1997’s In This Defiance, and 2002’s Angermeans. The sound was recorded in crisp 24-track audio, and on the video front, a five cameras were on hand to capture the energetic set. Live at The Troubadour was recorded by John St. James, mixed by Mike Sarkisyan and Tommy Decker, and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Eternal Champion), and the live footage was handled by Nate Weaver, Matt Bass, Mark Kienlen, and Director of Photography, Brian Hodge.
Live at The Troubadour will be released through Strife guitarist Andrew Kline’s own WAR Records for Record Store Day, Black Friday, Nov. 24. The Record Store Day-exclusive version comes in a run of 500 copies on red LP+DVD, and the label will issue a CD+DVD version as well.


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SUCRE, Bolivia — If you’re tired of the skunky smell coming from Colorado dispensaries but still want to chase that high, hop on a flight to Bolivia.
The country is producing vodka and gin at towering heights in the Andes, and those in the know say the taste is way up there.
The unique and suddenly trendy alcohol is distilled at altitudes as high as 13,000 feet, which is difficult but doable.
Some of the wheat and herbs coming from the Amazon reportedly lend a very unique flavor to the alcohol and consumers are drinking it up.
Production and export of the product are soaring and the growing industry is a boon to Bolivia, one of South America’s poorest countries.AlertMe


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PPA President, Dr Geoff March welcomed the announcement of pharmacy remuneration and regulation review panellists as an opportunity for employee pharmacists to shape the future of pharmacy.
“Last night, the Health Minister, Sussan Ley announced a comprehensive, independent review of pharmacy remuneration and regulation,” PPA said yesterday.
The review will look at a range of factors that contribute to patient health outcomes and the quality use of medicines.
“The current remuneration is a system focused on what a pharmacist does rather than what the health consumer needs,” says Dr March.
“This review is an important one for health consumers as well as for pharmacists.
“We regularly hear about how prepared pharmacists are to take on new roles to better utilise their clinical skills as well as the need to create a system that delivers fairer wages for employees,” says Dr March.
“This is an opportunity to demonstrate how employee pharmacists have a critical role to play in shaping the future of pharmacy.”
Members should contact PPA if they wish to get involved in our participation in the review, the union says.


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Long known for their chicken and rice plates and that world-famous white sauce, The Halal Guys will bring a brick-and-mortar location of their popular New York City food cart to Dallas this summer.
Announced today via release, NYC-based The Halal Guys have inked a deal with Fransmart to bring franchised locations of their restaurant to Dallas-Fort Worth. The chain has already set up shop in Chicago and Southern California, along with a location in Houston that opened earlier this year.
"We are honored and beyond excited to open Dallas’ very first The Halal Guys. We love our hometown and have always felt like Dallas–Fort Worth is a bustling and thriving foodie area," said operating partner Danny Bui in a statement. "Our loyal fans will no longer have to smuggle it back from New York City."
Bui says that the chain chose Lemmon Avenue because of its "accessibility to the major scenes of Dallas," noting that the restaurant is just a stone’s throw from Uptown, Highland Park, Knox-Henderson, and Deep Ellum. Though no hours have been announced yet, Bui does say that the Dallas location will stay open into the late night hours, which is probably the best news of the year.
The first location of The Halal Guys is expected to open at 5444 Lemmon Avenue in July. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting opening, and prepare to drown all your summer sorrows in gyros and that perfect garlicky white sauce.


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It came as a huge surprise to everyone when Microsoft earlier this month released their new Windows 8 Consumer Edition that it came with no windows start menu and no start orb. Apparently a Microsoft director wanted to take Windows in a different direction. Microsoft’s vision is that all desktop computing will one day be touchscreen, sadly most people who already own a desktop computer won’t be ready to migrate to a touch screen anytime soon. So the radical decision has been made to remove the windows start menu and replace it with what looks like the new Microsoft Xbox dash board, a decison that has annoyed many Windows users to say the least.
Fortunately over the last few days I’ve been working hard to make a version of ViStart that would be more compatible with Windows 8. Now it’s here, a version of ViStart that restores the windows start menu and doesn’t overlap the existing items on the Windows taskbar. ViStart is the only software that actually restores a replica of the windows start menu on Windows 8. So now users can enjoy a fully functional start menu on Windows 8. You can download ViStart using the button below-
And then you are finished. Enjoy having the old windows start menu back-


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Tag - Louisiana
Apple has updated a promotional page to let shoppers know about tax holidays coming up in nine US states between August 1st and the 3rd. The states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Tennessee. During the holidays, Apple has said it will drop sales tax charges for qualifying purchases made online or at retail. Although taxes will still appear during online checkouts, proper totals should appear in email confirmations.
In new web and email promotions, Apple is pushing people to take advantage of upcoming US tax holidays via its online store. Ten states are holding holidays, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Of these, Florida is the lone addition in 2013.
Facebook has updated the Android version of its Messenger app in the United Kingdom, enabling Voice over IP (VoIP) calls in the country. The new version comes just days after the same update appeared on the iOS version for the UK, with users being able to place calls to other Messenger users by tapping the "i" button then "Free Call." The unannounced Android update has taken place in a much shorter time-span than the two-months seen when the feature first rolled out in the US and Canada.
AT&T has bought $1.9 billion in 700 MHz B spectrum from Verizon Wireless, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. AT&T says that the licenses should cover over 42 million people in 18 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. As a part of the deal, it will also get AWS (Advanced Wireless Services) spectrum in five of those markets.
Sprint has expanded its LTE 4G coverage to 28 more towns in the US, according an announcement. The new locations are spread out across Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi, Minnesota, Washington, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, Michigan, Louisiana, Texas, and Massachusetts. Most of them are relatively minor; some notable names include Branson, Missouri, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Details of several new confirmed and rumored Apple Stores have emerged. Two in the confirmed category are both planned for the UK; one will be located on the upper level of Festival Place in Basingstoke, 50 miles away from London. Job listings have been up since last week, and construction is already underway. Also currently hiring is a shop that will open in time with the Westfield Stratford City mall in September. The location is just five miles away from London city center, and will be extremely close to the site of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Now AAPL Stock: 94.19 ( -0.99 )
Apple mandates June 1 app IPv6 support
Apple has set the deadline for IPv6 support for App Store-supplied software. On June 1, apps thast use a custom networking stack and that are submitted to the app store must support IPv6-only networks. The rule, announced last year as coming soon, will only affect a small portion of submitted applications that do not use the NSURLSession and CFNetwork APIs. http://apple.co/24yBTIY
YouTube Unplugged OTT service coming 2017?
As part of the continuing YouTube evolution, the video streaming service is reportedly considering a paid subscription service that would provide users "over the top" cable TV service. According to sources familiar with the matter, the service has been in the works since 2012, has already made changes to accommodate the live video feeds, and could debut the offering as soon as 2017. http://bloom.bg/1rvx8BW
Kohls Apple Pay integration with loyalty program
Kohl's customers are now able to pay for their purchases with Kohl's Charge and simultaneously earn loyalty program Yes2You Rewards in conjunction with Apple Pay. The service is currently available in approximately 250 Kohl's stores and is expected to be in all Kohl's stores nationwide later this month, making Kohl's the first retailer to deliver a one-tap checkout that integrates both its private credit card as a form of payment and a loyalty program with Apple Pay. http://yhoo.it/21wEUI6
AirMap iOS app for drone operators
Provider of airspace information and services for unmanned aircraft AirMap announced today the release of the AirMap app for iOS and Apple Watch. Operators can now access low-altitude airspace advisories, create flights, file digital flight notices to over 80 airports, and manage unmanned aircraft. Building on the success of AirMap's Digital Notice and Awareness System (D-NAS), the AirMap app brings to iOS devices a fully integrated airspace management solution for recreational and commercial drone operators. The app is free. http://apple.co/21wCadD
BlackBerry video calling available on iOS
BlackBerry has made its video calling feature available to Android and iOS users. The company reports limited availability of the new cross-platform feature for now, citing "because this is the first time we're launching BBM Video calling, and we want to monitor performance, gather feedback, and iron out any kinks that may arise before we roll it out globally." http://blck.by/1ruu4pC
Apple loses iPhone brand exclusivity in China
Apple has lost its exclusive rights to the 'iPhone' brand in China, the Beijing Municipal High People's Court has ruled. According to Quartz, Chinese company Xintong Tiandi is now free to continue selling its non-smartphone "IPHONE" branded products, which include smartphone cases, among other leather goods. The Chinese court ruled that Xintong Tiandi, which registered the "IPHONE" trademark in 2007, could continue to use the trademark because Apple did not start selling the iPhone in China until 2009. Apple also could not prove that Xintong Tiandi's ongoing use of the trademark would cause Apple material harm. The latest ruling by the Chinese government follows its recent decision to shut down the iTunes Movies and iBooks Store. http://bit.ly/1SNhRmB
Bowers & Wilkins bought by EVA Automation
High-end UK audio equipment maker and fixture in Apple retail stores Bowers & Wilkins has been bought out by a California "smart home" tech firm, EVA Automation. Fomer Bowers & Wilkins owner Joe Atkins will continue as CEO of the joint venture, with EVA Automation founder Gordon Yu acting as executive chairman. The two companies said the merger will combine EVA's AV technologies and Bowers & Wilkins' acoustic engineering talents to grow the now-combined firm. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and it is expected that the Bowers & Wilkins brand name will continue. http://yhoo.it/1SLt6zj


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You’re entitled to feel whiplashed today.
Just a few days ago, on May 16, stocks rallied on speculation that trade talks would resume relatively quickly and that the United States and China, rhetoric and tariff increases aside, would find a way within weeks to end their trade war. On May 16 on that optimistic sentiment the Standard & Poor’s 500 closed at 2876.
Today all the sentiment is negative. What passes for optimism today holds that the trade war will stretch on to the November 2020 election. Pessimists are saying that we’re looking for a long-term struggle between the United States and China that could stretch until 2035.
The odds are that this “2035 or bust” sentiment is wildly overstated and that pessimism is swinging to an extreme.
But while sentiment may be about to get too negative in the short term (and consequently will produce an oversold bounce,) I don’t see any likely developments that will shift the longer term trend from down to up.
China is almost certainly going to retaliate for already announced U.S. measures that include higher tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese exports and a ban on purchases of U.S. technology by China’s telecom champion Huawei. Speculation is that China might well use the long memorial Day market holiday in the United States to announce its next move.
And the United States and China are almost certainly going to pursue new trade restrictions. The United States is studying tariffs on an additional $320 billion in Chinese exports and a ban on technology purchases by five Chinese video surveillance companies. China looks to be considering moves against Apple (AAPLWealth Strength IndexAAPL is Moderately Flat and trending Up) and possible export restrictions on rare earth minerals used in electric cars and LEDs.
With that as backdrop and a long market holiday looming ahead, investors and traders have sold everything that smacked of risk today. As of 1 p.m. the Standard & Poor’s 500 was down 1.68% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was lower by 1.69%. The NASDAQ Composite index fell by 2.01% and the Russell 2000 small cap index dropped by 2.06%
The CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX), climbed 20.54% to 17.78.
Everything China fell with Chinese stocks such as JDWealth Strength IndexJD is Flat and trending Up.com (JDWealth Strength IndexJD is Flat and trending Up) ad Tencent Holding (TCEHY) down 4.73% and 3.72%, respectively. U.S. stocks in any way connected with China sold off with Caterpillar (CAT) down 1.17% and Deere (DE) down 2.01%. Tapestry (TPR), which sells its leather goods into China, dropped 2.24%
Other U.S. stocks fell just because they are seen as more risky. Twilio (TWLO) was down 4.12%. Apple was off 2.08%.
The Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) was down 2.64% on the drop in yields to touch the important $26.49 level. The Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) was lower by 2.33%.
The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury dropped another 6 basis points to 2.3256%, the lowest yield since 2017. Gold rose to $1284 an ounce, up 0.77%.