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Consumers can take a variety of actions online after being exposed to an ad. According to the findings in the new OAAA-Comscore OOH and Online Activation Survey, out of home advertising is one of the best ways to get them to do it.
Despite only accounting for 4.1 percent of total ad spend in 2021, OOH generated a similar or greater share of action than other mediums — including TV, video, radio, and banner ads — as measured by eight different types of digital action. In other words, the 1,580 consumers who took part in the survey were just as likely or more likely to download an app, visit a website, or make an online purchase after viewing an OOH ad.
The complete list of actions studied is:
- Using a search engine
- Searching social
- Searching video
- Posting social
- Posting video
- Downloading an app
- Visiting a website
- Making an online purchase
“OOH is one of the most impactful ways to reach consumers — and this survey proves that it is a tremendous value as well,” said Anna Bager, President and COO, OAAA. “Couple that with our recent OAAA-Harris Poll findings that people are annoyed by sponsored digital media content and feeling digital device fatigue, and the results of this research with Comscore should send a clear signal to advertisers: OOH is a vital part of the media mix.”
It’s vital that advertisers make mental connections to drive online activation. The insights in his survey prove that OOH has a strong ability to entice, excite, and pique curiosity — at a price that is more efficient than other methods — meaning it should be top of mind in today’s media mix.
OAAA members can access the entire study by clicking here.


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Google has turned Google Maps into a fully playable game of Pac-Man you can tackle right now. Amazing.
The search giant pulls an about-face and the wireless carrier puts on a dog-and-pony show for April Fools' Day. Also: Microsoft's MS-DOS Mobile, Motorola's premium selfie stick and Samsung's smart knife.
These two top flagship smartphones both pack high-end designs and features to boot. Here's how they stack up against each other.
The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight sets the standard for e-ink e-readers going forward and is well worth the extra money if you do a lot of nighttime reading.
The new touch-screen Nook is a major advancement over its predecessor and offers some real advantages over the 2010 Kindle.
The online shopping giant hopes a button placed around a home or business will make re-ordering products easier.
Want to be one of the first wearing the Apple Watch? Here's what you need to know.
The $295 Mini and $495 Pro can stream live, full HD video from any camera with an HDMI output -- new or old -- over 5GHz Wi-Fi or mobile broadband wireless.
A simple app that houses hundreds of filters, special effects, shapes and fonts; all in an effort to make your photos look fancy.
This new photo editor makes it easy to browse images and start editing quickly.

domain: news


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New Delhi Tech iPhone maker Apple on Wednesday said it had slashed its App Store commission by half to 15% for small businesses earning up to $1 million (about ₹7.4 crore) per year on the platform. In the past, Apple and Google have been criticised for the high commissions charged from app developers.
In a statement, Apple said the new developer programme will accelerate innovation and help small businesses and independent developers propel their businesses forward.
“The new App Store Small Business Programme will benefit the vast majority of developers who sell digital goods and services on the store, providing them with a reduced commission on paid apps and in-app purchases,” it added.
Developers can qualify for the programme and a reduced 15 per cent commission if they earned up to USD 1 million in proceeds during the previous calendar year, Apple said.
The move also assumes significance as Apple has been aggressively expanding its presence in India, which is home to a large developer base.


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The Council of Agriculture has developed a tea traceability system using cloud computing to allow consumers to trace the source and production of tea, while using Facebook to provide instant advice on pest prevention and control to farmers.
To boost the quality and traceability of tea amid recent pesticide scares involving tea drinks, the council’s Tea Research and Extension Station on Tuesday said that it launched an online platform for tea farmers and enterprises to list the information of each product batch, which consumers can access via a QR code attached to the product or access on a Web site to search for approved suppliers.
Information listed on the Web site includes the product’s place of origin, manufacturer, pesticide test results, certificates and the flow and volume of each harvest, the council said.
Four major tea companies have been included in the system, the Tait Marketing and Distribution Co, the producer of Kaisi oolong tea, and Good Young Co, which supplies the nation’s Starbucks franchises, the council said.
The system also includes 200 small-scale tea farms, with 60 tonnes of tea leaves shipped this year registered in the system, the council said, adding that it aims to include 1,000 tea farmers by the end of this year, and half of the nation’s 12,000 farmers by 2017.
The system could be used to market “quality” and organic tea products, as a tea competition in July saw all the competing, pesticide-free products labeled with the traceability code, the council said.
Separately, the council’s Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station launched a question-and-answer platform on Facebook to provide prompt assistance to farmers in diagnosing suspected plant diseases.
Farmers can upload photographs of affected plants to the council’s Facebook page to seek advice and station staff are to give a diagnosis and suggest pest control measures.
The page has attracted more than 5,000 users, the Kaohsiung station said.
In cases where a suspected plant disease cannot be determined by sight, the council would contact the farmer and request a sample of the diseased plants, the Kaohsiung station said.
Academics have been invited to participate in the platform, the Kaohsiung station said, adding that a suspected case of foliar blight of roselle sparked discussions online.
The tea-tracing Web site can be accessed at www.safetea.com.tw.
921 EARTHQUAKE: The magnitude 7.3 quake left 2,456 people dead and 10,718 injured, while 53,661 houses were fully destroyed and 53,024 houses damaged The Central Weather Bureau yesterday received about 50,000 views on Facebook after it posted the data that it collected on Sept. 21, 1999, when the nation was devastated by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake. The data showed that the 921 Earthquake hit the nation at 1:47am, with the epicenter being 7km southwest of the bureau’s quake detection center in Nantou County’s Yuchi Township (魚池) at a depth of 8km. The quake left 2,456 people dead and 10,718 injured, while 53,661 houses were fully destroyed and 53,024 houses damaged, with the cost of the damage estimated at NT$300 billion (US$10.8 billion at the current
British newspaper The Mail on Sunday reported that Prince Charles met with Bruno Wang (汪家興), a Taiwanese fugitive who describes himself as a Chinese philanthropist and donated ￡500,000 (US$683,522) to the prince’s charity, the Prince’s Foundation. The newspaper reported that Wang is wanted in Taiwan on charges related to money laundering and being a fugitive from justice, allegations he denies, and drew comparisons between Wang and the Russian banker Dmitry Leus. Investigation and cooperation with foreign authorities have found that Bruno Wang’s father, Andrew Wang (汪傳浦), had stashed proceeds from a scandal involving the procurement of Lafayette frigates in 61 bank accounts,
AT ODDS: The KMT called on the government to seek bilateral dialogue with Beijing to resolve the issue that led to the ban on custard apple and wax apple imports Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials and lawmakers yesterday condemned China’s sudden ban on imports of custard apples and wax apples from Taiwan as “obvious political retaliation,” while the opposition called for a scientific investigation into Beijing’s claim to have found pests in imports of the fruits. China earlier yesterday announced a ban on the importation of the two fruits from today, citing repeated discoveries of Planococcus minor, a type of mealybug. The announcement follows a similar ban on Taiwanese pineapples imposed in February. At least Beijing gave a few days’ notice when it banned pineapple imports, an unnamed government official said yesterday. This time
BY OTHER MEANS: China could see CPTPP membership as a means of circumventing trade restrictions imposed by the US, amid an ongoing trade dispute between them The US could invoke a clause in its trade agreement with Canada and Mexico to block China’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a government official said yesterday. Under Article 32.10 of the Exceptions and General Provisions of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), if either Canada or Mexico enter a free-trade agreement with a nonmarket economy — such as China — the US could withdraw from the agreement. “If that clause applies to multilateral free-trade agreements such as the CPTPP — which Mexico and Canada are members of — that might be cause for the two


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AUGSBURG, Germany, September 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Subsequent to the announcement of the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed on 8 September 2009, the German surveillance lab in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg has confirmed the detection of GM linseed/flax variety FP967/CDC Triffid, which is unapproved in the EU.
Additionally, there have been additional EU Rapid Alert announcements regarding the presence of FP967/CDC Triffid in food products distributed to Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland. These discoveries have been widely covered by the media globally during the past several days. This unapproved GM flax was detected in a wide variety of flax/linseed products including cereals, bakery products, nut products and seeds.
Having developed the first detection method for construct present in FP967/CDC Triffid, Genetic ID now offers this specific and accredited test worldwide. German surveillance laboratories also use the Genetic ID method to detect this GMO linseed.
This GMO variety originates from the Crop Development Centre Canada at
Since neither a safety assessment by the EU nor an application for approval has been submitted for this GMO, the zero tolerance rule applies. This means any raw material or flax/linseed derivative analyzed to be positive for FP967/CDC Triffid is illegal and not marketable in the EU.
Genetic ID developed this test according to the guidelines of the EU Joint Research Centre, and includes this test in its accreditation scope under DIN EN ISO 17025. The JRC has now made the Genetic ID method available to all members of the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL).
Genetic ID provides the food, animal feed and agricultural industry worldwide a full range of GMO testing services from its laboratories in Germany, Japan, USA and through its Global Laboratory Alliance.
Call the EU GM flax test information hotline: +49-821-747-76-30
|SOURCE Genetic ID (|
Copyright©2009 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


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Despite recent rumors about the closing of Gemstone Publishing, President Steve Geppi claims the company will continue.
“As has been the case with many businesses across a wide array of industries, there has been a reduction in staff at Gemstone, and this included the departure of many valued employees,” he said in a statement posted Monday on his company’s Scoop website. “This, however, is not the end of Gemstone Publishing.”
(Last month Gemstone closed its offices in West Plains, Missouri, and laid off its five staff members there.)
But the future of Gemstone’s licenses for Disney comics and The E.C. Archives isn’t so clear-cut.
“At this time, no final decision has been made regarding The EC Archives or our comic books featuring Disney’s standard characters, but it seems certain that both lines will continue in some form,” Geppi said. “We all anticipate resolving the issues facing us and moving forward, and I will be happy to announce the specifics once things have been finalized.”
Gemstone has held the Disney comics license since 2003.


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MANILA — A unit of Globe Telecom Inc. on Monday said that the country’s impending shift to digital TV is expected to benefit consumers and government agencies alike.
In a statement, Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media (BEAM) said that digital terrestrial television (DTT) will provide clearer reception and access to more channels can lead to better broadcast service delivery.
To recall, BEAM, which operates free Channel 31, earlier announced that it will be spending P250 million to prepare its facilities for the shift to DTT.
“BEAM has been preparing and investing in our Digital Terrestrial Television network infrastructure precisely for these reasons,” said BEAM president Steve Macion.
He further said that DTT will deliver “crystal clear pictures” and “high quality audio” even at less than ideal signal strengths.
In addition, consumers will also have access to new free and pay TV channels, as well as services such as Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and other interactive features.
On the government side, Macion said that digital TV will allow agencies to make use of an Integrated Emergency Warning Broadcast System (IEWBS).
“This is a method of delivering emergency warning information on the TV screen, something that is sorely needed in a disaster-prone country like the Philippines,” he said.
The BEAM president said that the national government can also take advantage of DTT networks to implement social programs, be it in health or education, more cost-effectively.
He said that additional frequencies can also be made available for delivery of essential government services through DTT.
“DTT will allow broadcasters to launch new and targeted niche channels, to better utilize and monetize their content libraries,” Macion said.
In November last year, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued Memorandum Circular No. 05-11-2013, adopting Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard for the Philippines’ migration to digital TV.
NTC chief Gamaliel Cordoba announced recently that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for digital TV may be issued within the third quarter of this year to pave the way for the service rollout of TV networks.


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easyJet has announced that passengers will now be able to change their flights up to two hours before departure - and they won't be charged a penalty.
In fact, the budget airline will allow you to change the booking to any flight on sale up to September 2022, and you won't need to stick to the same destination you originally booked.
That means that if there are travel restrictions impacting your chosen holiday destination, such as needing to quarantine there or when you're back in the UK, you'll be able to amend your trip.
The airline has also said that if a country involves mandatory hotel quarantine, customers can request a refund for their flights within four weeks before departure even if their flight is still operated, provided the restriction is still in place. Passengers can also opt for alternatives such as transferring their flights to a later date, or a voucher.
The new flexibility is part of the airline's wider Protection Promise, and comes ahead of the UK's restart of summer holidays abroad.
Currently non-essential travel is still banned, but the government has said that it will resume holidays abroad this summer. The earliest this could start is May 17, and when travel does resume it will be under a traffic light system.
This will see countries placed on green, amber or red lists which determine whether you'll need to quarantine when you're back in the UK - and whether you'll need to undergo one or multiple PCR tests. (We've got a wider explainer on how holidays will work where you can find more information on the system as well as other factors such as Covid passports).
Get more travel inspiration and news
The Mirror's travel newsletter brings you the latest news and expert analysis from across the industry, as well as plenty of travel inspiration.
Our travel experts also seek out the best deals whether for UK holidays or abroad.
It will be sent to your inbox twice a week, so sign up here.
Due to the ongoing travel ban, travel firms such as TUI, Jet2 and easyJet have suspended flights and holiday packages as they await for further updates from the government, which are currently expected to be announced in early May.
Different firms have varying restart dates and rules on amending bookings, so we've put together a guide with their latest updates to give you a helping hand.
What do you think of easyJet's new flexible booking policy? Let us know in the comments below.


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The fact that the upcoming Sony PlayStation 4 Pro won’t come with the hyped 4K Blu-ray player does not mean it will totally disappoint. Back when the update to the current PS4 was announced, the consensus was that it was going to be providing something new; something that the current console isn’t able to do, which is why the reported Forward Compatibility feature should be regarded as sufficient reason for gamers to seriously consider buying it once it is released.
It’s actually quite unfair to judge the new PS4 Pro based solely on its 4K compatibility shortcomings. Even with the lack of real-time 4K gaming capabilities, the upcoming console is touted to be the best among the three anticipated arrivals at the year’s end, including Microsoft’s Project Scorpio and the Nintendo Switch.
According to PC Advisor, the PS4 Pro is specifically designed for game titles that are heavy in premium graphics requirements. Although there is an expected limitation with 4K gaming, the console is almost certain to offer seamless and convenient 4K quality video playback. Aside from that, GameNGuide reports that it also will support High Dynamic Range (HDR).
The good news about the PS4 Pro’s arrival is that it will reportedly offer full compatibility for all game titles from the current PS4, suggesting that those who want to do the upgrade won’t have to worry about the absence of game flexibility. But the obvious issue is how will titles that don’t run on 4K appear on a console with a much better resolution? Accordingly, there will be a solitary chip that will work to decode old PS4 games in order for them to function properly.
It is already known to many that selected games will be able to run at 4K resolution for the PS4 Pro, but there is still no official list as to what those games are. Anyway, the waiting game is ending soon as the new console update will be hitting stores in a few days.


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Saturday, May 15, 2010
So many celebs have been spotted dining at Katsuya recently. I wonder why? Either the food is that good or word has gotten out that Katsuya is now one of the places to be seen.
One of the paps’ latest “captured at Katsuya” was Kim Kardashian on Tuesday, May 11, 2010:
Kim Kardashian and Vera Wang at ... Read more
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
In continuation of Victoria Beckham’s fringe and foxtail LV bag, Rihanna was also photographed that week with a bag from the same Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2010 collection. But instead of one of the outrageously colored handbags, Rihanna chooses a… fanny pack?
Rihanna leaving her London Hotel London, England – November 17, 2011
Seriously, fanny packs? Is Marc ... Read more


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Milk powder wars china vs hong kong essay
Despite these steps. The chief subject of the intelligence is about merchandise sourcing which was resulted from the merchandise safety issue.
Each bargainer pulls a cart loaded with big packages of mundane trade goods from nappies to toothpaste — but the most sought-after point is baby expression.
Living in hong kong vs china
Since the real western restaurants were often expensive, tea restaurants became good options for common people. And even after that. After the proclamation of the at hand two-can bound. Hong Kong female parents will besides be able to put orders for baby expression through a hotline set up on Friday eventide. Reuters studies. The diversity of customers is the second fact. The new ordinance besides aims to accomplish better enforcement of trials for pesticide residues on fresh green goods and seafood. China ticker: Melamine crisis precipitates turnaround for foreign trade names. Despite these steps. Looking in front: Challenges and chances Harmonizing to Euromonitor An online petition gathered more than 10, signatures calling for Lhamo to step down because of her pro-independence statements regarding Tibet and Taiwan. Research suggests that this could stand for an chance for international dairy makers viing with mid-priced and semi-premium domestic lines. If the economic system keeps turning at its current rate and production costs between locally sourced and imported milk converge as a consequence of new ordinances. Chemi Lhamo, the newly elected student union president of the University of Toronto Scarborough, received hateful comments on her social media because of her Tibetan identity.
Reuters studies. In the book Hong Kong No. Hong Kongers think that nothing is wrong for locally produced movies targeting the locals. International students from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and other places in relation to China face backlash for not identifying as Chinese.
Maybe we should start form the smallest things: What do we miss most when we are away from Hong Kong? Since the real western restaurants were often expensive, tea restaurants became good options for common people.
China ticker: Melamine crisis precipitates turnaround for foreign trade names.
based on 89 review


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AkzoNobel and MasterPeace complete 100 'let's colour walls of connection'
29 November 2017
Amazon late for launch down under
28 November 2017
AkzoNobel and global peace movement MasterPeace have reached the milestone of creating 100 "walls of connection" in more than 30 cities this year. The 100th mural was painted this week at the AkzoNobel education center in Badshahpur, Gurgaon, India....
After months of speculation, Amazon was set to debut a soft launch of their new Australian marketplace website, retail consultant Scott Kilmartin told Australian news outlet, The New Daily, there would be a “soft launch” of the site on Thursday, ...


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After releasing an unexpectedly strong earnings report Wednesday on the heels of climbing EV momentum, Stellantis says it’s ready to do the same in North America, starting with the Ram and Jeep brands.
Despite Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares claiming electric vehicles were being “imposed” on the auto industry, the leader is now crediting them after producing record results last year.
The Netherlands-based company, formed through a merger between Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot S.A (PSA), said electric vehicle sales rose 41% year-over-year to 288,000 EVs in 2022. More importantly, Stellantis says it was #1 in commercial electric vehicle sales in the EU30 and #2 in overall BEV sales.
The Fiat New 500 was Italy’s #1 selling EV, while the Peugeot e-208 claimed the top spot in France. Stellantis now has 23 BEVs on the market, with the portfolio expected to double by the end of 2024.
As part of its Dare Forward 2030 strategy released last March, the automaker strives to have over 75 EVs globally, with global electric vehicle sales of 5 million by 2030.
Tavares says after demonstrating the effectiveness of its EV strategy in Europe, the company is ready “to lead the same transformative journey in North America,” starting with the first Ram and Jeep EVs.
Stellantis prepares for North American EV rollout
Despite strong EV sales across Europe, Stellantis is falling behind in North America. With a lineup of highly anticipated EVs debuting over the next year or so, the automaker hopes to mimic its success.
The first to debut will be the Ram Promaster BEV, with Amazon as its first fleet customer, as it looks to take on Ford’s E-Transit electric van. Ram’s commercial electric van will be unveiled in the first half of 2023, with deliveries expected to begin in the second half of the year.
Ram has already revealed its first electric truck, the Ram 1500 REV pickup. After opening reservations earlier this month, Ram closed reservations after five days, saying it has reached max capacity.
The all-electric Ram 1500 REV will arrive in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to Stellantis.
Jeep is another Stellantis brand in the midst of an electric transformation after revealing all electric Recon and Wagoneer “S” models, which will be opened for reservations in North America this year.
Tavares says, “We now have the technology, the products, the raw materials, and full battery ecosystem” to lead its North American EV rollout.
Stellantis has the pieces to put together an EV offensive in North America. However, as others have found, the aim will be a careful strategic approach.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “first impressions are most important,” and this is especially true for automakers looking to change their identity in the new electric era. Stellantis has the brand awareness with Ram and Jeep to pull it off. It will come down to execution.
Meanwhile, Stellantis will still need to move with a sense of urgency as other automakers – legacy and start-up – are looking for their own piece of the North American EV market.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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- WHITE PAPERS
You can drive consumers to your app, but you can't necessarily make them download it. This has been the perpetual problem for restaurants that want their guests to be intimately linked to their brands via smartphones. As difficult as it...
Not all apps are created equal, and consumers don't have the patience to wait while you to get it right.
As technology makes it easier for your customers to order online, it also makes it more important than ever to manage your restaurant's reputation.
Although our 11th annual Fast Casual Executive Summit isn't until Oct. 9-11, you can get in at $595 as opposed to the regular price of $795 if you register by Friday. If that's not enough incentive to join us in sunny California for the summit, below are top five reasons you need to put his amazing event on your calendar.
Baron Concors, Pizza Hut's global chief digital officer, will share insights about the chain's digital strategy Aug. 17 at this year’s CONNECT Mobile Innovation Summit in Dallas.
Computer code rarely lies, and the computer code inside the Pokemon Go game for mobile devices indicates that the Niantic Labs product already has McDonald's deeply embedded inside it. If it's true, McDonald's isn't ready to talk about it yet, though.
A new industry report shows that on-premises alcohol sales have dropped again, and the cause might just surprise you.
A news story posted nearly a year ago about a Chick-fil-A's employees donning "Back the Blue" T-shirts stated that the shirts were in support of police and the city's local high school football team, but other sites have picked up the story this week and are reporting that the shirts are solely in support of "Blue Lives Matter."
Are you leaving lots of potential business on the table in your customers' kitchens? You are if you haven't at least considered the very real possibility that now exists for all restaurants to deliver to customers' homes.
Midwestern gourmet pizza chain Minsky's got maximum promotional punch out of its 40th anniversary celebration with a campaign that not only permeated social media and did some good for communities around its Missouri and Kansas locations, but also connected customers to the chain in innovative ways.
It's called Prime Day and Amazon clearly sees it as a prime opportunity to make a major entry into the restaurant delivery business.
These four actions will greatly enhance your efforts to boost food safety with your suppliers.
We love our smartphones. We love them so much that, according to a new poll, they are our favorite place to spend time while on vacation.
This four-part series looks into the successes behind Toppers, Mooyah Burger, Slim Chickens and Which wich.
Need some pinch-hitters to flesh out the spring hires that didn't work, or didn't last? Think about candidates who've had experience as camp counselors, or show those kinds of qualities because they are often both leaders and team players who work well in the restaurant setting.
Fast Casual is now accepting entries for The Perfect Pitch — what we like to describe as a friendlier version of "Shark Tank."
A non-toxic type of cleaner that kills pathogens with a form of ionized silver is spreading in use after showing great results in several chains nationally.
In what should serve as a cautionary tale for the entire foodservice industry, Panera Bread faces a $500,000 lawsuit over a grilled cheese sandwich contaminated with peanut butter.
Mobile Payments Today Editor Will Hernandez went to the National Restaurant Association Show for the first time to get a look at how restaurants are connecting with the connected consumer.
The CEO of the Humane Society of the United States discusses why he believes that restaurant brands embracing animal exploitation will lose cusomers.


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Tapjoy has added an executive with game industry experience to its board of directors. The mobile advertising and monetization outfit today announced that ex-Electronic Arts CFO Warren Jenson has been elected to its board, effective immediately.
"It's not very often you have an opportunity to add a proven leader and executive like Warren Jenson to your Board of Directors," Tapjoy president and CEO Steve Wadsworth said in a statement. "Warren has provided invaluable guidance to major companies at important inflection points in their evolution and helped them further defined themselves."
Jenson is currently CFO and executive vice president at marketing services firm Acxiom. He worked at EA from 2002 to 2008. Prior to that, he held the same position at Amazon, Delta, and NBC. He has also served on the board of directors for Digital Globe and the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.
Jenson is coming on board at Tapjoy after a time of significant growth for the company. In December, Tapjoy announced that its reach had extended to more than 1 billion mobile devices worldwide, with more than half of those being added in the preceding eight months. Tapjoy's reachable audience is spread across more than 97,000 apps.


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Amazon Vaults Ahead of Web Rival Alphabet in Market Value
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. vaulted ahead of internet rival Alphabet Inc. in market value for the first time, a sign of growing investor optimism about the prospects for the world’s largest online retailer as it reaches into new markets such as groceries, health insurance and consumer devices.
Shares of the Seattle-based e-commerce giant rose 2.7 percent at the close in New York on Tuesday, giving it a market capitalization of $768 billion. That made it the world’s second-most valuable publicly traded company behind Apple Inc. Google parent Alphabet was little changed, putting its value at $762.6 billion.
The shift underscores the value that investors see in Amazon’s e-commerce hub, which draws 196 million unique visitors a month and keeps offering new products and services. Yet the stock market may be even more attuned to Amazon’s massive lead in the cloud-computing market, where it’s far ahead of Microsoft Corp. and Google, as well as its foray into groceries and early success in voice-controlled devices, gadgets that embed Amazon deeper into consumers’ everyday lives.
Google and Amazon once had very different core businesses. Now, the two are increasingly going head-to-head on several fronts. Google has invested heavily in the cloud market, which offers computing power and data storage, to catch Amazon Web Services. Google is also chasing Amazon in the market for voice-controlled digital assistants -- the Amazon Echo outsells competing devices and, more alarming to Google, could replace searching on the web for most users.
Google still dominates digital advertising. Despite Alphabet’s ventures into fields like self-driving cars and biotechnology, Google ads, a $95.4 billion business last year, still accounts for 86 percent of total sales. But Amazon is making inroads there. Brands and manufacturers see Amazon as an effective place to hawk their wares because people visit the site already intending to buy something, while those browsing Google are often just seeking information. Amazon is also pouring money into its live-streaming service, Twitch, and premium video offering, which both compete with Google’s YouTube.
The rivalry between the companies can often get messy, limiting consumer access to products and services. Most recently, Amazon stopped selling some of Google’s Nest home-security devices on its web store. To retaliate, Google disabled YouTube from Amazon devices, including the Fire TV.
The surge also adds to the drama in the race to $1 trillion market value, with Apple remaining the front-runner at $889.2 billion. Still, Amazon has been the company to watch for the past three years, with market gains far outpacing Alphabet, Apple and Microsoft, making founder and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos the world’s wealthiest person. The slightest hint of interest from Bezos in a new business line, such as health-care or banking, can send stocks of potential competitors tumbling, thanks to his reputation for making big investments and sticking with them.
"Every opportunity the company is going after is a $500 million to a $1 billion market," said James Cakmak, an analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt & Co. And each market Amazon is pursuing is a distinctive one -- something that has eluded Apple and Google, which are both heavily reliant on a single business for their sales. "At the end of the day, they’re a one-trick pony," said Cakmak.
©2018 Bloomberg L.P.


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GEORGE TOWN, March 27 — The SME and Entrepreneurs Business Awards (SEBA) 2022 held its inaugural northern edition in Penang by honouring 27 industry players in Langkawi, Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak last night.
Among the recipients who topped the awards, held at the Spice Convention Centre here were celebrities Rozita Che Wan and Shaheizy Sam.
This year is the seventh year SEBA is held to recognise small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs in South-east Asia.
The founder of SEBA and chairman of Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia, Nitesh Malani, said they decided to introduce a northern edition of SEBA this year in support of the state’s efforts to nurture local talents in line with Penang2030.
“Due to the pandemic, it is important that we continue to support entrepreneurs in these challenging times to continue pushing for growth and development,” he said in his speech.
State exco Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, in his speech, said Penang has the perfect platform for businesses and entrepreneurs to grow and succeed.
“Penang recorded a total RM76.2 billion in foreign direct investments for 2021, a record high for the state, so this proved that Penang is the place for investments, business and tourism,” he said.
The Penang Governor Yang diPertua Negri Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak attended as the guest of honour in the awards ceremony.
The SEBA 2022 Northern Edition, themed: “Rise Up”, received almost 200 nominations of industry leaders in Langkawi, Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak.
Out of the 200, a total of 27 from various industries including food and beverage, hospitality, logistics, automotive, manufacturing, technology, health and beauty were selected as award recipients.
A total of 10 SMEs won the best SME awards, 11 entrepreneurs won the top entrepreneurs awards and six notable personalities including Rozita and Shaheizy were given the Board of Advisors Awards.
The 10 SMEs were:
1. Ikhlas Tijarah Sinergi Associate PLT
2. Glojas Hair Transplant Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery Specialist Centre
3. Pusat Tuisyen Akhiar
4. Operion Ecommerce and Software Sdn Bhd
5. O2O Ecommerce Sdn Bhd
6. Flavaris (M) Sdn Bhd
7. Enviro IFM (M) Sdn Bhd
8. Spin Sportswear
9. Kardinal Industries (M) Sdn Bhd
10. Hijanah Haul Holdings Sdn Bhd
The 11 entrepreneurs who won the top entrepreneurs awards are:
1. Datuk Dr Jasvinder Singh of Glojas Hair Transplant Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery Specialist Centre
2. Aisyah Hijanah Azhari of Hijanah Holding Sdn Bhd
3. Syahrunizam Shahwan of Ikhlas Tijarah Sinergi Associate PLT
4. Datuk Seri G. Thirumurugan of Semangat Deligasi Sdn Bhd
5. Mohd Suhaimy Supuan of Pusat Tuisyen Akhiar
6. Norashekin Daud of Ashekin Rich Resources
7. Dr Sritharan Rao Subbarao of Mesra Bersama Healthcare Sdn Bhd
8. Dr Edmond Lau Kian Hong of Dr Ko Skin Specialist
9. Datuk Joshua Renu Gopal of Semangat Deligasi Sdn Bhd
10. Daniel Ong of Kardinal Industries (M)n Sdn Bhd
11. Adam Ham of Global Creative and Media Agency
The six recipients of the Board of Advisors Awards are:
1. Datuk Sirajudin Mohamed Mydin, the founder of Nasir Kandar Kayu Group, as top homegrown entrepreneur of the year
2. David ST Loh as inspiring entrepreneur in photography and art
3. Rozita Che Wan as celebrity entrepreneur of the year
4. Datin Selwinder Olikh as women empowerment leader of the year
5. Shaheizy Sam and Syatilla Melvin as celebrity entrepreneur couple of the year
6. Datuk Sri Shaheen Shah Sidek as entrepreneur of the year in tourism and hospitality


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You can now unlock your mobile phone, including the iPhone or any Android smartphone, to work on any carrier in the country
Today is a very significant day in the mobile industry of the US and the good news is for all the cellular customers in the United States because cellular unlocking has been made legal in the country. Now you can enjoy your phone anywhere in the country on any network you want because you can simply unlock your phone without having to worry about any legalities and make it work on any carrier in the country. The White House has stated that the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act is being signed today by president Barack Obama. Much to our luck, the Act was initiated by Senator Patrick Leahy and was approved by the Senate as well as the House of Representatives.
Don't Miss: Enter the I4U News Nintendo Switch Giveaway!
The issue of cell phone unlocking has been hanging in the air since a very long time and this Act was part of the several proposals which came forward this year with this regard. The Act came into place after several calls were put forward by the White House itself. A huge role was also played by an online petition which managed to get over 100,000 signatures seeking to legalize cellular unlocking once again in the country. Thanks to Sen. Patrick Leahy for finally taking this step and having this bill get passed from the Senate and the House. It is finally being signed by the president to become a law.


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Wireless operator says it will offer discounts to landline-free wireless customers who combine Internet or TV service from the company.
Ditching that old-school landline could pay off.
Verizon Communications says it will offer discounts to landline-free wireless customers who combine Internet or TV service from the company. The discounts will range from $8 to $21 a month, depending on the wireless package.
The Associated Press reports that Verizon will introduce the Flex Double Play bundle starting next week for those who combine a Verizon Wireless plan with broadband or Fios TV, the company's cable TV service.
The discount applies to DSL service with downloads at 3 megabits per second, and to Fios (fiber-optic) broadband at up to 20Mbps, the AP reports. The fastest DSL plan, at 7Mbps, and the fastest Fios service, at 50 mbps, are not eligible for the bundle.
The FlexDouble Play represents the latest pricing move by wireless operators to appeal to consumers who are dropping their traditional phones and looking to consolidate their communications bills.
Now, how about a cool-retro discount for those of us who still like to talk on phones with cords attached?


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EU leaders agree that up to 40% of water is being wasted by consumers, industry and farmers across Europe. The EU executive is calling for higher water prices and better implementation of existing water-management rules.
Commission’s latest report is here.
EU: 01 Septemeber Presidency Conclusions
WWF: Freshwater page
Commission: Water policy website
A new study by Harris Interactive explores attitudes toward sustainability among companies around the world. Their summary findings are:
- Waste reduction is considered the most important environmental issue in the USA; Brazil; Italy; Germany and China. Korea and India place more importance on developing green/environmentally friendly products.
- Overall, the use of renewable/cleaner energy sources is considered less important than waste reduction or developing green/environmentally friendly products.
- Health and safety of employees, customers and suppliers is the most important driver of environmental and sustainability decisions in all countries except Korea, where the long term business sustainability was rated higher.
- Overall, customers and the government are the two main influencers on a company’s sustainability and environmental decisions.
The study is easy to read with only four pages of graphics accompanied by explanations.
The September issue of Inside Innovation offers a clutch of interesting articles as usual, but this graphic caught my eye because it so clearly shows the relatively massive impact industry can have on the biosphere. There is a small proviso though: the banks with the small footprints are the organisations that fund the chemical companies with the BIG footprints.


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THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) has pushed back the dates of this year’s exhibition by three days without giving any reasons.
According to ZITF general manager Noma Ndlovu, the 56th edition has been moved to April 28-May 2 from the initial set dates of April 21 to 25.
Ndlovu, however, could not immediately disclose the reasons for shifting the dates of the country’s premier trade exhibition.
“ZITF dates have been pushed forward but the chairperson will issue a statement on Thursday (today),” Ndlovu said.
In 2014, ZITF brought the trade showcase forward to April 22 to 26 from initial dates of May 6 to 10.
This year’s edition will be officially opened by newly elected Zambian President Edgar Lungu.
The show exhibition will run under the theme “Simulating Trade: Seizing opportunities to accelerate growth”.
Germany, India, Malawi, Mozambique, Pakistan, Poland and South Africa are some of the countries that have so far confirmed their participation at this year’s show and Ndlovu last month indicated that enquiries had come from other European and Asian countries.
Last year, 19 countries, including the United States, which had not set foot at ZITF for 10 years, and close to 400 firms participated.
China was the biggest exhibitor in 2014 occupying more than 1 000m2 up from 600m2 in 2013, but there were no major companies; just small-to-medium enterprises.


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The redesigned Toyota Tundra pickup truck has been recalled for a fuel line that can leak, increasing the risk of a fire, the NHTSA disclosed Monday.
The recall applies to 168,179 Tundras made in the 2022 and 2023 model years. Toyota’s full-size pickup was redesigned in 2022, and the new model has experienced seven recalls. Other issues run from the minor, such as a faulty rearview camera recall, to the more serious, such as a rear axle shaft that can fracture.
The current recall involves a production issue that has since been fixed. Prior to the fix, a clamp could allow the fuel line to move and rub up against a neighboring brake line. Over time, the fuel tube can wear against the metallic brake line, causing it to leak. A fuel leak near an ignition source could increase the risk of fire.
Operators may notice a fuel smell while driving or parked, and leaking fuel may be visible under the passenger side rear wheel.
The issue effects Tundras equipped with either the base 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 or the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 hybrid.
Toyota will notify owners by mail as early as October 9. Owners will be advised to take the truck into the dealer to have the fuel tube replaced, and a new clamp installed. There is no cost to owners.
For more info, contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331 or visit Toyota’s recall site here.
- Jeep recalls 181,999 newer Compass crossover SUVs
- 2024 Genesis SUVs earn Top Safety Pick+ awards
- Honda Accord only midsize car with “Good” rear crash safety
- Test drive: 2023 Toyota Prius brings sexy back to a hybrid
- 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, Impreza recalled for added fire risk


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Coca-Cola China brand threatened as contamination scandal spreads
After announcing the resignation of its general manager, the suspension of several employees and apologizing to customers, Coca-Cola has started to offer exchanges and refunds for chlorine-tainted products that were produced at the bottling plant of its North China arm, Shanxi Beverages Co.
The company announced the move in a statement sent to the Global Times yesterday as it scrambled to repair its brand image following the contamination scandal which first began to unfold in February and continues today.
"We regret that our core values were not met by some individuals at our Shanxi plant. And we sincerely apologize for causing unnecessary concerns among our consumers," said David G. Brooks, president of Coca-Cola Greater China and Korea at a media briefing in Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province.
Despite the chlorine traces found, Brooks said the nine batches of beverages made between February 4 and February 8 are up to national standards and pose no harm to human health.
Coca-Cola halted production at the Shanxi plant in late April, when the provincial food safety watchdog declared its investigation results, confirming earlier media reports about chlorine-tainted drinks. An investigation found the plant guilty of "other production management non-conformities to relevant regulations," according to a statement issued by Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technology Supervision.
According to survey results released Friday by the online news portal of People's Daily, 72 percent of a total of 7,506 respondents said that they would stop drinking Coca-Cola products.
China, the third-biggest and a critical growth market for Coca-Cola, accounts for 8 percent of the company's global sales by volume.


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The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association commissioned an Economic Impact Study on the RV industry, released on June 7, 2016. The study found that the RV industry contributes about $49.7 billion in economic output or 0.28 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Through its production and distribution linkages, the industry impacts firms in 426 of the 440 sectors of the United States economy.
Nationwide, the industry is responsible for 216,170 jobs, both directly and inderectly, creating an economic impact of $37.5 billion. The full study results, along with each individual state and congressional district's economic impact is available on the website by clicking here .
Tue Feb 28, 2017
Cleburne, Texas - In what is becoming an increasingly regular event, Fun Town RV finished 2016 as the No. 1 single location towable RV dealer in the United States, according to Statistical Surveys, Inc. that tracks industry data.
In addition to finishing No. 1 in the U.S. and Texas, many of the Fun Town locations finished strong in the Lone Star state.
“I am not surprised by the numbers," Fun Town CEO Jarrod McGhee says. "Because I know how hard our people have worked to make this happen. Finishing in four out of the top five spots in an RV market like Texas is a major accomplishment. It was only a few years ago we were happy to have all of our stores in the top 20.”
The Cleburne Flagship store finished first in national and Texas towables for the fourth year in a row. Fun Town RV Waco finished third in Texas and 24th nationally. Fun Town RV Houston finished fourth in Texas and 31st nationally. Fun Town RV San Angelo finished fifth in Texas and 44th nationally. Fun Town RV Giddings, which hasn’t been open as long as the others, finished 24th in Texas but didn’t crack the top 50 nationally.
“Our Giddings store has only been open a year,” McGhee says. "So it will take them a little while to hit their stride. Our Denton location has only been open six months, but I expect them to be here soon, as well as our new Dallas location that will open later this spring. And our Purcell should start to make waves in Oklahoma.”


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K Car = Skateboard Chassis?
In the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, Lee Iacocca bet big on the K car concept, which is credited as being one of the (if not the) primary reasons for Chrysler’s resurgence. Competitive dynamics in the car business have changed, but VW’s pursuit of its “skateboard chassis” is reminiscent of Iacocca’s strategic decision.
But its proposed killer is not an electric car. It is the underlying chassis or platform, called MEB — the basic building block for 50 different models VW promises by 2025. Some investors and analysts think the VW chassis, which will be used for the majority of its electric vehicles, may give the German company a vital edge in the new era of battery-powered cars. “This platform is the heart and soul of everything Volkswagen is doing in the future for passenger cars,” said Johannes Buchmann, manager at FEV Consulting, an advisory group that focuses on cars. “It’s not just a design principle, a template for their new cars. It has an impact on the whole organisation, supply chain and manufacturing quality — pretty much everything.” Of all the traditional car groups, VW is taking the boldest gamble by spending €30bn on electric cars in the next five years alone. The crux of the investment is MEB, a “skateboard chassis” designed solely for electric vehicles, rather than a combustion engine platform modified to fit batteries.
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The company’s ambitions for its electric platform, however, are even greater. It hopes this chassis will become the industry standard in the way VHS once was for videotapes, according to two people familiar with the plan. The company is in talks over supplying the chassis with multiple carmakers. One is Ford, which confirmed this when it announced its “global alliance” with VW at the Detroit car show this month. For now, this partnership is centred on light commercial vehicles. But analysts at Barclays said it is “obvious” and would offer “substantial benefits” if the partnership extended to Ford building electric cars on VW’s chassis. This potentially represents a mould-breaking move as, until this decade, car producers sought to distinguish themselves from their rivals by developing their own powertrains, which comprises the engine, transmission and driveshafts of a vehicle. But in the emerging era of electric, internet-connected cars, batteries are expected to be commodified — the way they are for mobile phones — with the motorist likely to be more interested in a car’s electronic and infotainment features than its horsepower.“ If you don’t have to spend so much money on architecture [the chassis], you could refocus your efforts on electronics, user experiences, and autonomous systems,” said Chris Borroni-Bird, a former GM and Waymo executive.
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Eight factories on three continents are scheduled to use the platform by 2022. The 12-brand group sold a paltry 40,000 electric cars in 2018, but by 2025 it aims to be selling as many as 3m — a quarter of its projected global production. The vehicles built on the electric chassis are also expected to be profitable by 2021 at the latest. One person familiar with the strategy said VW has cut the number of hours needed to build cars on the platform dramatically, achieving savings of 35 per cent in production costs. This person said VW’s combustion-engine cars take between 26 and 32 hours to build, but a vehicle built on the electric chassis needs only 16 hours. The goal is to reduce this further to just 10 hours within a few years. That would enable VW to launch a low-end electric model as early as 2023, costing just €18,000 — one-third of the €55,000 starting price for a Tesla Model 3 in Germany today.
Referenced In This Post
Volkswagen’s plan to kill off TeslaWorld’s biggest carmaker puts faith in €30bn ‘skateboard’ to win electric race


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KEPALA BATAS: The country's trade volume for the first eight months of this year reached RM1.163tril.
International Trade and Industry Minister II Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said this was an increase of 22.6% compared with the corresponding period last year.
He said the strong performance could be attributed to the steady global demand for electrical and electronic (E&E) products, which accounted for 36.6% of the country's exports.
"It could be due to the Industry 4.0, which is all about digitalisation.
"Many countries need electronic parts to improve their … factories.
"We export these parts to China, Europe, and the United States" he told a press conference at the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) here Tuesday.
Ong had earlier officiated at a briefing session by Malaysia Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF) that was hosted by the International Council for SMEs and Entrepreneurship Malaysia (ICSMEE) Penang Chapter.
He said his ministry was confident of achieving RM1.5tril in trade this year, surpassing the RM1.48tril achieved last year.
"By August, we had already breached the RM1tril mark. I am confident that the trade volume will reach the RM1.5tril mark as we still have a few months to go," he said.


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Singapore – FOX International Channels (FIC), and Korea’s media company, JTBC, announced the launch of a new channel – JTBC3 FOX Sports – in Korea, which is a collaboration between the two media partners. This will further strengthen FIC’s aim to expand the brand reach of FOX Sports across Asia and also deepen its localisation strategy.
JTBC3 FOX Sports will showcase a compelling line-up of international sports content, along with popular local sports programming and is well-placed to occupy a leading position in sports broadcasting in Korea. As a fully-localised channel, with all programming and presentation in Korean, the channel will feature top international sports events from the Bundesliga, Formula One, the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon tennis grand slams, among other top sports content.
The launch of JTBC3 FOX Sports draws on FIC’s expertise in creating and presenting great sports content, as well as JTBC’s local knowledge and resources, which will provide sports fans in Korea an even greater sports viewership experience.
Zubin Gandevia, President, FOX International Channels, Asia-Pacific & Middle East, said, “Korea is an important and exciting market for FIC and expanding the FOX Sports brand here is a key step in our continuous efforts to build out our sports business across Asia. The launch of JTBC3 FOX Sports completes our sports brand’s APAC footprint. We are proud to be offering sports fans all across the region a premium sports-viewing experience, as well as doing justice to our rights partners by presenting their content in the highest quality.”
He continued, “On this milestone venture, we are thrilled to be partnering with such a prestigious player in the Korean media industry as JBTC. They have unrivalled local expertise and proven track record of success, and we look forward to working together with them to build a household brand out of JTBC3 FOX Sports.”
Sugil Kim, President/CEO, JTBC, said, “With JTBC’s capability and know-how and FIC’s powerful content, together we will bring to this new venture a unique synergy.” He continues, “JTBC is committed to supporting FIC and JTBC3 FOX Sports fully and continuously to ensure the channel’s success.”
The FOX Sports network underwent a re-brand and re-positioning exercise in August 2014, with the launch of FOX Sports, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Sports 3, all in HD, and with a strategy of strengthening the brand in Asia, and with a strong commitment to localising content. This is achieved with producing more studio shows in local languages, in addition to English, as well as multi-language commentary for major sports properties. The launch of JTBC3 FOX Sports is yet another step forward in FIC’s sports expansion plans and will herald a new era in sports broadcasting in Korea.


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The disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market is set to witness significant growth, expecting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 24.8% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new report.
The report from Future Market Insights says the market, initially valued at US$ 12.81 billion, could reach up to US$75.22 billion by the end of the forecast period.
Market Growth Drivers
Future Market Insights highlights the digital shift of organizations globally and the consequent emphasis on data protection and recovery strategies. This urgency is further exacerbated by escalating cyber threats and natural disasters. The widespread digitization across various sectors is cited as a significant driver for the increased demand for DRaaS solutions.
The report further notes the DRaaS market's attractive features, such as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and its capacity for rapid data storage and processing, which have found favor among various enterprises.
The pandemic forced many organizations to adopt remote working arrangements, increasing the need for cloud-based solutions and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Effects of COVID-19 on the DRaaS Market
A survey by Mercer Business revealed that only 17% of organizations had a business continuity plan prepared for the impact of COVID-19, while 51% did not have one in place. Consequently, the adoption rate of DRaaS solutions is predicted to increase by 27% to 29% between 2019 and 2020, according to the report.
Key Takeaways from the Report
- DRaaS solutions are gaining worldwide traction due to their flexibility and cost-effective nature.
- The increasing digitization trend is anticipated to bolster market growth in the coming years.
- Among service providers, the managed service provider segment is projected to see the highest growth rate during the forecast period.
- The public cloud deployment segment is poised to dominate the market, accounting for over 49% of the global share by the end of 2020.


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The most popular iPhone of 2017 might surprise you
The iPhone 8 was the most-searched piece of consumer tech in 2017, followed by the iPhone X, Nintendo Switch, Galaxy S8 and Xbox One X.
Google broke the news on Wednesday, adding that the Nokia 3310, Razer Phone, Oppo F5, OnePlus 5 and Nokia 6 occupied the latter half of the list.
It may seem a little strange that the iPhone 8 ranked higher than the flagship iPhone X, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
Related: Nokia 3310
People naturally presumed that the successor to the iPhone 7 would be branded with a sequential number, so they were searching for the iPhone 8 well in advance. When we got closer to the handset’s unveiling, however, rumours started to circulate claiming that Apple would release three new iPhones – and that’s when traffic for the iPhone X picked up.
Big G also highlighted the most-searched terms for a slew of other categories. Here are some of the highlights:
- Meghan Markle
- Kevin Spacey
- Gal Gadot
- Louis CK
- Bill Skarsgård
- Wonder Woman
- Beauty and the Beast
- Justice League
- Shape of You
- Look What You Made Me Do
- Stranger Things
- 13 Reasons Why
- Big Brother Brasil
- Game of Thrones
- Iron Fist
You can view the full report over on Google’s website.
Are you surprised by the top tech trends of 2017? Let us know over on Facebook or Twitter @TrustedReviews.


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A number of make-up sets from Claire’s Accessories have been pulled from shelves following allegations that they contain asbestos.
The popular children’s cosmetics and accessories chain — which has several stores across Hertfordshire and Essex — is urgently conducting tests on the products after tremolite asbestos was allegedly found in make-up sold in the US, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Asbestos is a harmful substance which can cause a range of serious and sometimes fatal lung diseases if inhaled, including cancer.
The substance was reportedly found in a make-up set belonging to a six-year-old girl, after the child’s mother sent it for testing after becoming concerned by the ingredients list.
A further 17 products were then tested by the independent laboratory, every single one of which came back positive, as reported by the American news channel NBC.
Claire’s subsequently promised to issue refunds to anyone concerned about the affected products, saying the safety of their customers is their “top priority”.
However, initial tests conducted by an independent laboratory on behalf of Claire’s have reportedly shown the make-up to be asbestos free.
The store has said they will continue to honour refund requests and will be conducting additional testing “out of an abundance of caution”, in a message sent out by their European Twitter account.
Nine make-up sets have been earmarked for investigation by Claire’s, including a pink glitter mobile phone makeup set, a rainbow heart-shaped set, and a pink glitter eyeshadow and lip gloss set.
A full statement from Claire’s issued last Friday (22 December) said: “At Claire’s the safety of our customers is of paramount importance, and we are passionate about the safety and integrity of our products.
“We work closely with our vendors to ensure our products are tested and assessed in line with the relevant country regulations and guidelines.
“As a result of today’s inquiry from WJAR-TV, we have taken the precautionary measure of pulling the items in question from sale, and will be conducting an immediate investigation into the alleged issues.
“Once we have more information and have the results of the investigation we will take the necessary action.”
The full list of affected products and statement’s from Claire’s can be found on their website here.
As of Thursday, 4 January, Claire's have said that tests from two independent laboratories show the make-up to be asbestos free.
A spokeswoman has also said the company refutes the outcome of the tests undertaken in the US.
She said: "We are pleased to report that test results received to date from two certified independent labs confirm that the products in question are asbestos free, completely safe and meet all government requirements.
"As we said previously, we also confirmed that the talc ingredient that is used in the cosmetics was sourced from Merck KGaA and is asbestos free. Any report that suggests that the products are not safe is totally false.
"We have shared with Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the certificates of analysis provided by Merck, and plan to share with those agencies the results of the testing being conducted by the independent labs.
"Furthermore, we dispute the findings and testing methods of Sean Fitzgerald, the Director of Research and Analytical Services for Scientific Analytical Institute (SAI), which was asked to do the testing by a personal injury law firm.
"We only learned of the claims after they went to the press. We have made multiple requests for Mr. Fitzgerald’s detailed test data, but it has not been provided to us.
"Mr. Fitzgerald also went to the press in July with claims that testing of cosmetics from Justice showed evidence of asbestos, which Justice refuted after analysis of a third-party ISO-certified testing lab.
"We pride ourselves in providing our customers with quality products that we stand by.
"Our paramount concern is the safety of our customers and we apologise for any distress these false reports may have caused.
"We thank customers for being patient with us as we sought the truth in this matter. We will continue to honour returns from any customers remaining uncomfortable."


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Many cameras have a distinct sound. MIOPS partnered with German sound artist Kuntay Seferoglu to harness the diversity of camera shutter sounds and create the MIOPS Camera Symphony.
Joined on Mar 3, 2020
May 16, 2022 at 18:16
Man Ray's 1924 photograph Le Violon d'Ingres recently sold for $12.4 million, making it the most expensive photograph ever.
May 13, 2022 at 19:26
The Sony a7 IV includes a new screen reader assistive feature that makes the camera more accessible for the many people who struggle with vision impairment and loss. It's a great first step in making photography and digital cameras more accessible.
May 12, 2022 at 19:46
Astronomers have unveiled the first image of the supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, that lies at the heart of our galaxy.
Google partners with Dr. Ellis Monk to improve skin tone representation across its products and technology
May 12, 2022 at 16:00
Representation matters. Google is working to improve skin tone representation within its products and services and improve its AI technology to better understand images of people of all skin tones.
May 11, 2022 at 18:23
Sony's new Xperia 1 IV smartphone promises to be a true flagship phone for content creators thanks to a true optical zoom, 4K/120p video and new livestreaming capabilities.
James Webb Space Telescope shows how sharp its images are and hints at exciting scientific possibilities
May 11, 2022 at 14:10
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope team recently tested the onboard instrument, MIRI, by imaging a portion of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The new image is incredibly sharp and points toward exciting possibilities when Webb begins scientific operations this summer.
May 10, 2022 at 19:32
Western Digital has announced new products in its SanDisk Professional series, including the Pro-Blade modular SSD ecosystem and faster SanDisk Extreme Pro SD and microSD cards.
videoMay 10, 2022 at 17:32
SpinLaunch's kinetic space launch system uses a centrifuge-like design to launch payloads into orbit using significantly less fuel and at a much lower cost than traditional rocket-based approaches. A recent SpinLaunch Suborbital Accelerator test included an onboard camera.
May 9, 2022 at 16:30
While on holiday in southern Australia, Sydney resident Graham Tait became the victim of theft when someone broke into his car at a hotel and stole $10,000 worth of items, including a laptop and two cameras. Thanks to Apple AirTags, Tait quickly located his gear.
Most popular cameras


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29 AUG 2019
India claims to have become the first nation in the world to include biometric facial recognition technology in its seafarer identification documents.
The new Biometric Seafarer Identity Document will replace the existing Continuous Discharge Certificate, and the inbuilt chip will be able to be read at point of sale readers, ATMs and by immigration officers. The new facial biometric technology is claimed to be an improvement over the two finger or iris based bio-metric data. At the time of data capture, the seafarer’s face is cross matched through passport photo using face matching software. The card has two optical security features – micro prints/micro texts and a Unique Guilloche pattern. The new card conforms to ILO Convention No. 185 which India ratified in October 2015.
India’s shipping minister Masukh Mandaviya said this week that the new documents will be rolled out over the next two years. Nine centers have been setup to issue the ID – at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Noida, Goa, New Mangalore, Kochi, Vizag and Kandla.
Mandaviya said: “The new document will give a foolproof identification to our seafarers which will facilitate their movement, provide ease of getting jobs and help in identifying them from any location in the world.”
India’s shipping sector is growing, with major developments in coastal shipping, inland waterways and other maritime activities. There is also a growing number of Indian seafarers in the international shipping industry. The number of Indian seafarers employed on Indian or foreign flag vessels increased from 154,349 in 2017 to 208,799, an unprecedented 35 percent.


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STOCKHOLM—Axis Communications on May 30 closed the purchase of 2N, an IP intercom manufacturer based in Prague, Czech Republic. The company has sales offices in Miami; Chieri, Italy; and in the Czech Republic.
CHELMSFORD, Mass—Great Place to Work Institute has named Axis Communications one of its 2015 50 best small and medium workplaces in the United States. The annual list of Best Small & Medium Workplaces was published in Fortune magazine.
CHELMSFORD, Mass.—In what Axis’ Fredrik Nilsson called a “major innovation that will fuel the growth of the [network video] market” Axis Communications launched Zipstream, a new compression technology, that it says consumes half of the storage and bandwidth of H.264.
YARMOUTH, Maine—In the past 18 months, three major video surveillance companies have expanded into access control. There are many reasons why Axis Communications, Panasonic and Avigilon made this move, but the main reason, they say, is because of demand.
ATLANTA—In an effort to make it easier for integrators to provide comprehensive outdoor security solutions, smart thermal camera provider SightLogix on Sept. 29 launched a Strategic Partner Program, and announced that its first strategic partner is network video giant Axis Communications.
Steve Gorski has experienced some déjà vu at recent trade shows. As GM Americas for Mobotix, a network camera company that takes a decentralized approach to storage, Gorski has been evangelizing the benefits of storage onboard the camera for a while.


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PS3 versions of Skyrim DLC are really close
Bethesda have promised that the PS3 version of Skyrim's downloadable content are coming, soon.
The DLC has been out of step so far (partly down to the timed exclusivity deal for the Xbox 360) with the PS3 having received neither Dawnguard or Hearthfire due to technical problems.
A recent tweet has given some hope to PS3 gamers in particular promising that they will finally be able to get their hands on the DLC that PC and 360 gamers have already been enjoying.
The tweet said, "To update: we're also close on new Skyrim content for PS3 and PC."
In the meantime, the new Dragonborn DLC will arrive on the 360 on December the 4th for 1600 MS Points.
- Microsoft doubles down for April's Games With Gold
- Every wondered what it would be like in James Bond and Joanna Dark met? Cara Ellison and Irene Koh have answered that question
- Dirty Bomb beta is back online
- Obsidian's saviour Pillars Of Eternity launches today, Watch it streamed live here later today
- Infinite Crisis launches fully today on Steam
- Here's what the new Hunters and the Behemoth for Evolve look like in action
- Blood and Burning and Celts Culture DLC Packs arrive for Total War: Attila
- F1 2015 coming to PC, PS4 and Xbox One this summer, first screenshots released
- Ubisoft introduces Alex Parizeau, the new head of Ubisoft Toronto


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Billionaire Elon Musk is set to make his biggest change yet to social networking platform Twitter as he looks to change its name to 'X' and remove the iconic blue bird logo. Musk announced the change on 23 July saying that soon, we shall "bid adieu" to the Twitter brand and, gradually "all the birds".
“Interim X logo goes live later today,” Musk said in a tweet. He added that now, the domain X.com will lead to Twitter's website. Twitter's new CEO, Linda Yaccarino added on by saying that it is an "exceptionally rare thing" in life or in business to get a second chance to make another big impression.
Twitter made one massive impression and changed the way we communicate. Now, X will go further, transforming the global town square.
Adding on, Yaccarino noted that X is the "future state of unlimited interactivity centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking – creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities." She also revealed that x will be powered by AI.
Don't miss: Twitter's ad revenue down 50%, says Elon Musk
There’s absolutely no limit to this transformation. X will be the platform that can deliver, well….everything.
The news comes shortly after Musk revealed that the social media platform has seen a 50% drop in advertising revenue along with a heavy debt load resulting in a negative cash flow, according to a tweet by the billionaire.
"Need to reach [a] positive cash flow before we have the luxury of anything else," Musk added in his tweet. He was responding to a tweet by a user suggesting that he gets a consortium together who understands his vision for the platform. The user suggested that Musk get the consortium to buy the debt and to then do a tender or exchange offer for convertible notes with more favorable terms.
Musk added that while it did not see the increase in advertising revenue that was expected in June, that "July is a bit more promising".
The significant redirection of Twitter is certainly one to watch especially as Musk looks to lure advertisers and consumers back to the platform. But could the rebrand really make a difference?
It would appear that adland players are still skeptical. Don Anderson, CEO of Kaddadle noted that he does not believe that the name and logo change is going to make that much of a difference to users, who are most likely more interested in increased stability of the platform in terms of how features are introduced and maintained.
"For example, the Twitter Blue subscription option, which has endured various iterations and changes since Musk took over, has left many users, key influencers and creators, and brand marketers confused about its value and continuity," said Anderson.
He added that usually, with a name and logo change, there is a bit of a buildup and proper communications plan around it. "That seems to be absent here – like all things Musk, it just came out of the blue from his Twitter account over the weekend," he said.
He added that a clearly communicated short and long-term strategy is most critical, and at this point, it seems like that simply doesn’t exist.
"All eyes are on the leadership change of Linda Yaccarino coming in as the new CEO, and what that will mean to the stability of the platform, and just how much Musk will continue to be involved. Until that is sorted, I believe users and advertisers will continue to remain skeptical," he said.
True enough, integrated intelligence platform Truescope found that the announcement of the rebrand was met with a predominant proportion of neutral sentiments at 90%.
"This can be attributed to a certain level of skepticism among individuals when it comes to adopting an all-encompassing application, as well as the potential impact of this announcement on a significant Federal Reserve policy decision," said a spokesperson at Truescope.
Media intelligence company CARMA added on by noting that the rebrand has been criticised by many users, with some calling it "the single worst rebrand in the history of rebrands". A spokesperson added that it only saw 12.7% positive reactions online regarding news of the rebrand.
"Advertisers are typically most sensitive to brand safety and user and creator feedback and engagement on social media platforms. They look for continuity and a clearly communicated strategy, which seems to be absent at this point," said Anderson, adding:
Until Musk and Yaccarino fully stabilise the business and its positioning, advertiser trust will continue to wane.
Creating brand recall
Anderson additionally added that creating brand recall is very important for the success of a platform and that the new 'X' may not be able to achieve that as well as Twitter was.
"There’s no question that the Twitter brand is a bit dated – its relevance was in question well before Musk’s acquisition. But the choice of ‘X’ is somewhat confusing," said Anderson.
"The name ‘Twitter’ yielded social significance because it is something you would do – it was associated with an action, a social activity. You ‘Tweet’," he said, adding:
How is ‘X’ going to carry over into the context of our social discourse or lexicon? Hard to say at this point.
Anderson noted that even Threads, while new, has a better ring to the name.
Interestingly enough, managing director for Truescope, Kelvin Koh noted that while the overall volume of interest for Threads, which had been waning over the last two weeks after its initial euphoria lifted over the last few hours thanks to Musk’s announcement.
"Even with this lift, Truescope’s data still shows a 94% verses 6% share of voice (SOV) split in favour of X (Twitter) over Threads over the last 24 hours,” he said.
Agreeing with Anderson, Forrester's VP of research director Mike Proulx said: “By changing Twitter’s app name, Musk will have singlehandedly wiped out over fifteen years of a brand name that has secured its place in our cultural lexicon. This is an extremely risky move because with ‘X,’ Musk is essentially starting over while its competition is afoot."
True enough, a disregard of distinctive assets could be the death knell of Twitter, according to Ambrish Chaudhry, head of strategy, SEA and India, Design Bridge and Partners. "The Twitter name and the bird are some of the most recognised symbols in the world. There is a lot of user affinity and engagement with them. Tossing them out for something quite generic is really throwing the baby out with the bath water," he said.
"The entire rebrand has been thrust on customers. It doesn’t respect their sensitivity and love for the Twitter brand. The message is 'you can’t have what you like' as opposed to 'we’re taking what you like and making it even better'. Never a strong recipe for success to make users feel like hostages," he said.
The potential for success
Saying that, all hope is not lost. Ranganathan Somanathan, the co-founder of RSquared Global Ventures noted that with a long-term view and the right people to execute the strategy, it might be able to create value beyond what Twitter could achieve on its own merit.
"Twitter had its unique equity and recognition. However, leading up to the acquisition and even after that, the brand took a beating. If efforts are to be taken to build trust, if done properly, X, with its enhanced capabilities, might be a second lease of life to the business, if not the brand," Somanathan said.
He added that advertisers move where the audience go. As such, building advertiser trust will be a function of audience uptake, engagement with the X platform and measurable effectiveness of their investments. "The jury is out on that for now, " he concluded.
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A total of 6,200 enterprises shut down business during 2021-22, the data from Udyam Registration Portal shows, the government said in the Lok Sabha today.
Replying to a question about the number of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) shut down during the year 2022, minister of state for MSMEs, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma said the businesses shut in the year represented 0.0004% of the total MSMEs registered on the Udyam Registration Portal.
"Over 1.38 crore enterprises have registered during 01.07.2020 to 30.01.2023 on Udyam Registration Portal, of which 6,222 enterprises shut down business during 2021-22," the minister said.
On assistance provided to such MSME units, the minister says the Centre has extended ₹5 lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme for businesses, including MSMEs. Other measures taken include ₹50,000 crore equity infusion through Self-Reliant India Fund, newly revised criteria for the classification of MSMEs, no global tenders for procurement up to ₹200 crore, and Udyam Registration.
The minister says a SIDBI survey conducted on the Covid impact from September 2021 to January 2022 for a sample size of 1,029 MSMEs across 20 states and 2 UTs showed 67% of the surveyed enterprises were "temporarily closed up to 3 months". Also, 65% of them had availed the benefits under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme and around 36% availed loans under the Credit Guarantee Scheme.
Notably, in the Budget 2023-24 announcements on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a couple of measures for the MSMEs sector. Revamping the credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs, from April 1, 2023, ₹9,000 crore will be infused in the corpus, which will enable additional collateral-free guaranteed credit of ₹2 lakh crore, the FM said. "Further, the cost of the credit will be reduced by about 1%."
Under Vivad se Vishwas I, in cases of failure by MSMEs to execute contracts during the Covid period, 95% of the forfeited amount relating to bid or performance security, will be returned to them by government and government undertakings, the FM said. To settle contractual disputes of government and government undertakings, wherein arbitral award is under challenge in a court, a voluntary settlement scheme with standardised terms will be introduced, the minister said. An Entity DigiLocker will also be set up for use by MSMEs, large businesses and charitable trusts in order for them to store and share documents online securely.
"The ₹9,000 crore infusion amount in the corpus would further push the entrepreneurial spirit of the country. The upcoming year looks good for agritech and EV startups, with the announcement of the Agriculture Accelerator Fund, along with the initiatives to reduce the costs of lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, we applaud the initiative towards enabling upskilling and innovation in artificial intelligence via the centres of excellence for AI proposed in this year’s budget," Kanika Mayar, Partner, Vertex Ventures, SEA & India.
Meanwhile, the FM says micro-enterprises, with a turnover of up to ₹2 crore, and certain professionals, with a turnover of up to ₹50 lakh, can avail the benefit of "presumptive taxation". "I propose to provide enhanced limits of ₹3 crore and ₹75 lakh respectively, to the taxpayers whose cash receipts are no more than 5%."


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Unicorn fantasy site Dream11 has selected VoltDB to power its real-time streaming data platform, with capacity to support 5G applications.
Mumbai-based Dream11 is the No. 1 fantasy brand in India with more than 75 million users and was valued at more than $1 billion last April. It supports cricket, soccer, kabaddi and basketball games. Dream11 is the NBA’s official fantasy game in India, and select NBA games are streamed through Dream11’s sister app, FanCode. Spanish La Liga selected Dream11 to run its official fantasy game in India, too.
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: Make Sure You’re at the World’s Premier Sports Tech Event (March 26–27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn)
“Dream11 is motivated to create personalized custom experiences for individual users in real-time to improve engagement, unlocking platform-loyalty and monetization,” David Flower, CEO at VoltDB, said in a statement. “This means leveraging massive amounts of historical data to understand user behavior while acting extremely quickly on current user actions based on that understanding.”
VoltDB touts the ability to handle more than 165,000 registrations per second and stream with sub-millisecond latency. The company is based in suburban Boston and was founded by a team of database experts, including Michael Stonebraker, who won the 2014 ACM Turing Award and received a Google-funded $1 million prize. The Turing Award is often referred to as “the Nobel Prize of computing.”


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Kim Kardashian‘s attempts to have her skincare brand SKKN trademarked over in the U.S. have been met with nothing but legal drama, as a four-year-old company with the same name isn’t having any of it.
Kim’s proposed skincare range, which was going to be called SKKN, was going to be Kim’s foray into skin products, and differs from KKW Beauty, KKW Fragrance and Skims. Even though KKW will be changing its name, SKKN is a completely different beast.
Beauty Concepts LLC kicked off their New York-based beauty, cosmetic and facial care brand SKKN+ in July 2017. Now, lawyers for Beauty Concepts have sent Kim K a lovely cease and desist letter, according to TMZ.
The brand, which is owned by Cydnie Lunsford, claims that SKKN+ has many more years using the name that Kim Kardashian would like to. It is also argued that websites, social media and transactional services have occurred for years under the SKKN moniker.
According to TMZ, Beauty Concepts filed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in March so that they could have their shiny logo registered. However, Kim K had already done the same thing a couple of months earlier.
Beauty Concepts are claiming that Kim Kardashian using the same name will just cause confusion in the marketplace, which is the key thing to keep in mind here, as it’s the claim that may see Kim K have to change her name completely.
On top of this, they claim that Kim K has ‘ripped off’ their name, and that adding “by Kim K” to the end of it does not alleviate any issues.
“We certainly appreciate and support small businesses, and our hat is off to Ms Lunsford. But the question at hand is one of trademark law and we’ve not done anything deserving of legal action by her,” Kim’s attorney Michael G. Rhodes told TMZ.
“We are disappointed that she has chosen to run to the media knowing that we were scheduling a call for tomorrow, requested by her attorney. So while disagreeing with the letter, we’re hopeful that we can smooth things over once both sides speak.”
It’s all drama drama in the beauty world, but at this point, did you really expect anything less?
If you need me, I’m going to be excitedly waiting to see what happens with this whole mess.


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Twitter is to test new features which would allow users to block replies to their posts.
The social network is also testing features which would let users choose who can reply to their tweets.
The latest safety control is intended to help curb abuse and harassment on the platform.
Twitter, which unveiled the plans at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, has already launched a feature which allows users to hide replies to their tweets.
The new features, to be tested early this year, will allow users to select between four different settings for replies: Global, Group, Panel or Statement.
Last April, the government proposed an independent watchdog that will write a “code of practice” for tech companies.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has repeatedly said that improving Twitter’s “health” is the company’s top priority.
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Copyright 2020 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant source.


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It was a business idea that seemed right for the times: taking a legendary dessert treat and making it nutritious.
Since forming small but thriving People’s Pops in April, these Brooklyn entrepreneurs have barely kept up with demand. The company makes about 1,200 popsicles a week, up from 300.
“Week after week we’ve pushed ourselves to produce more,” said David Carrell, 27, one of the company’s three co-founders.
The company sells most of its popsicles on weekends and feature distinct flavors, like watermelon-basil or sweet rhubarb.
The entrepreneurs also sell popsicles for office parties and corporate events, a treat workers at American Eagle, Vanity Fair, Bon Appetit and Aveda have enjoyed.
Last month, amid lots of bad weather, the company had lower-than-expected revenue of $15,000 and expenses of $3,000, excluding salaries. Fruit is the biggest line item in their budget, accounting for half of monthly expenses. Rent for the kitchen and flea market come next.
The co-founders have tried to focus on reinvesting some of the startup’s income in hopes of expanding. “We all have our nose to the ground and are looking to develop the company and not take profits,” Carrell said.
Photo by NYDailyNews.
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