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Diet can strongly influence how long you live and reproduce, but now scientists have discovered that what works best for males may not be best for females. – Gender plays a major role in determining which diet is better suited to promoting longer life or reproductive success, revealed by researchers from the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney and Massey University.
Approximately 89% of the children products analysed could be classified as of poor nutritional quality owing to high levels of sugar, fat and/or sodium. – Nine out of ten regular food items aimed specifically at children have a poor nutritional content ? because of high levels of sugar, fat or sodium – according to a detailed study of 367 products published in the July issue of the UK-based journal Obesity Reviews.
Men are more likely to report eating meat and poultry items and women are more likely to report eating fruits and vegetables. – When it comes to what we eat, men and women really are different according to scientific research presented at the 2008 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta, Georgia. In general, men are more likely to report eating meat and poultry items and women are more likely to report eating fruits and vegetables.
Healthy men who report lower levels of the nutrient folate in their diets have higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm. – Healthy men who report lower levels of the nutrient folate in their diets have higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
In the world’s first study of its kind, University of Sydney researchers have found conclusive evidence that diets with a high GI (Glycemic Index – a measure of how different foods affect your blood glucose levels) leads to a higher risk of common lifestyle diseases. – In the world’s first study of its kind, University of Sydney researchers have found conclusive evidence that diets with a high GI (Glycemic Index) leads to a higher risk of common lifestyle diseases.
Low levels of gastric acid in the stomach can increase one?s likelihood of getting a foodborne infection. – A new study suggests that low levels of gastric acid in the stomach can increase one’s likelihood of getting a foodborne infection. The researchers from Australia report their findings in the February 2008 issue of the journal Infection and Immunity.
Vitamin E supplementation may transiently increase tuberculosis risk in males who smoke heavily and have high dietary vitamin C intake. – Six-year vitamin E supplementation increased tuberculosis risk by 72% in male smokers who had high dietary vitamin C intake, but vitamin E had no effect on those who had low dietary vitamin C intake, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Study first to show improving nutrition in early childhood leads to significantly higher incomes in adulthood. – Feeding very young children a high-energy, high-protein supplement leads to increased economic productivity in adulthood, especially for men, according to a study published in the current issue of The Lancet, a leading medical journal.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with incident cardiovascular disease. Further clinical and experimental studies may be warranted to determine whether correction of vitamin D deficiency could contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. – The same vitamin D deficiency that can result in weak bones now has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Framingham Heart Study researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
One of the major contributing factors to the high rate of overweight children in the United States is that they do not consume the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.
– A new UCLA study has found that elementary schools can significantly increase the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income students by providing a lunch salad bar.


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Almost 500,000 of Britain's most vulnerable bank customers have been locked out of their accounts following the collapse of German payments company Wirecard.
Users of no-frills online bank Pockit were barred from accessing their money after the City watchdog froze all transactions at Wirecard's UK subsidiary.
Pockit - which is backed by Sir Alex Ferguson and aims to support customers rejected by traditional lenders - is among a string of fintech firms reliant on Wirecard's systems which have been hammered by the Munich-based business's collapse this week.
Wirecard filed for insolvency after admitting that €1.9bn (£1.7bn) missing from its books probably never existed. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has now said Wirecard must cease all regulated activities, meaning thousands of people cannot access their money or make payments.
The regulator's move has rattled an industry that hopes to challenge Britain's big, traditional banks. Virraj Jatania, the 32-year-old chief executive of Pockit, told The Times just days ago that he had no immediate plans to stop using Wirecard's UK arm.
There is no suggestion that Pockit customers or those banking with any other affected firm will lose their money. However, they could face lengthy delays before getting it back.
Sarah Kocianski of fintech consultancy 11:FS said that Wirecard's failure will be a major blow to the industry as consumers question newer providers.
She said: "Even if the fintechs can quickly find an alternative provider, and there are quite a few out there, customers may not be willing to give them a second chance."
Digital bank Curve was among the first to announce that its services were temporarily frozen on Friday morning, doing so shortly after it told customers to carry a second card because of expected temporary disruption to its service.
The start-up said it had signed a deal with Mastercard in April that allows it to reduce its reliance on Wirecard.
A Curve spokesman said: “This disruption will only last for only a limited period of time and we are doing everything possible to complete this transition as quickly as possible."
Business banking start-up Anna Money said on Twitter that it was urgently recommending customers withdraw their money due to the problems.
In an update on its website, Anna told customers that their money would be ring-fenced in a separate account. However, they will be unable to access funds until the FCA releases them.
The company said: "Anna only found out about the FCA action this morning, and despite the news from Germany, we had no warning that Wirecard in the UK was in any trouble."
Dozens, a digital current account app that has been a customer of Wirecard's UK business, also suspended transactions on Friday. Soldo, another British financial technology business, told customers on Twitter that it could take days to resume its services.
Major UK banking app Revolut previously used Wirecard UK to allow some of its customers to add money to their accounts, but an insider said the start-up had moved to a different provider when problems first surfaced at the German business.
Wirecard also ran a number of prepaid UK currency cards for well-known brands such as British Airways and Sainsbury's.
The former darling of the Frankfurt stock exchange has blamed its huge debts for its collapse. Former boss Markus Braun was arrested on suspicion of alleged accounting fraud and market manipulation earlier this week.
It came as the European Commission asked the EU's markets watchdog to probe the German regulator's handling of the case.
Meanwhile reports suggested Wirecard's former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek left the Philippines earlier this week on his way to China. Mr Marsalek is planning to turn himself in to the Munich prosecutor at the start of next week, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported.
Sources also told the Financial Times on Friday afternoon that for more than three years auditor EY had failed to ask for crucial bank statements to verify that Wirecard's cash was where it said it was.
A spokesman for EY Germany said: “EY has previously disclosed that it was provided false bank confirmations and statements pertaining to Wirecard escrow accounts. We are currently reviewing all new and emerging information relating to the relevant financial statements and accounts.
"Due to market disclosure and confidentiality rules, we are unable to comment on Wirecard accounts. With knowledge that 2019 bank statements, confirmations and other routine documentation were falsified, we cannot rule out that prior years’ documents and confirmations are suspect.
“Recent revelations suggest a large-scale international fraud at Wirecard that involved multiple individuals at third-party entities; the objective was to deceive investors and the public.”

domain: news


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This is a press release submitted to the Las Vegas Sun. It has not been verified or edited by the Sun.
Gypsy Soule Fashion Show
Published on Wed, Dec 12, 2012 (8:54 a.m.)Friday December 14th Gypsy Soule will be putting on another huge fashion show for this years NFR. It will be at The MGM Grand at 11pm. Expect the unexpected! As you can imagine, with the creative styling's of the Gypsy Sisters this will not be the average western fashion show.
This will be a high energy, out of this world experience for the western customer to see new and upcoming styles in the industry in a way never before and keep them talking all year. This is a free show but come early as it was a packed house last Friday!
- Southern Nevada home prices leave wage growth in the dust
- Watchdog says SLS Las Vegas got green light with Reid’s help
- Judge appoints examiner in bankruptcy of Caesars division
- Coach Sanchez is making it cool for local standouts to play for UNLV football
- Assembly bill could break up Clark County School District


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The ad industry and media companies should brace for a wild ride next year. Companies expect merger and acquisition activity to rise in 2011, with between 78% and 86% expecting M&A for content and services, respectively, to come from strategic buyers and between 63% and 68% from financial buyers such as equity firms and investors, according to findings from an AdMedia Partners study released Wednesday. About fifty-eight percent of respondents think the economy will grow stronger in 2011, compared with 2010.
Financial buyers, including private equity firms and investors, expressed a strong interest in investing in online companies. Sixty-two percent want to explore information and database publishing and online media, and 54% will look into social marketing and marketing technologies.
Respondents to AdMedia's 2011 Merger and Acquisition Prospects for Media, Marketing Services and Digital Marketing Firms survey have a positive outlook on growth prospects of their own businesses -- with a median expected growth rate of 13% in 2010, up 10% from last year. In fact, 29% of respondents expect their own businesses to grow more than 20% in 2011.
While companies believe their own business will grow, they also believe competition will continue to increase. When asked where they were seeing newcomers entering the markets, 68% of service firms suggest new competition would come from marketing technology companies, and 48% from content companies. Twenty-nine percent of services firms indicated an interest in developing or acquiring content development or ownership in 2011, while 40% of content firms expressed a desire to develop or acquire marketing services capabilities.
A majority of respondents in the services sector see new entrants in their market from the marketing technology sector, and almost half from the content and media industry. The rising need for digital media channels and convergence of marketing, media and technology will continue to evolve business models, and only 38% of respondents from the content sector believe online content companies have developed a sustainable business model.
"The perception of increased convergence and the lines between marketing, media and technology become more muddled," says Seth Alpert, managing director at AdMedia Partners. "Nearly half of the marketing services firms think content companies will compete against them, and others think the technology guys are coming after the services guys."
The money from investments will come from "significant growth" in the number of private equity firms interested in marketing services, Alpert says. Investments will weigh more toward digital after so many high-profile failures this year in traditional media. Second, traditional buyers have weathered much of the storm and company balance sheets are in better shape, so equity investors have come back to the market. And finally, more offshore companies -- particularly Asian companies -- have begun to acquire U.S. companies. Alpert points to Dentsu Group's acquisition of Innovation Interactive.
And it's no surprise that a significant number of survey respondents commented on the growing importance of social, mobile and location-based media and related services. Not only were these sectors at the top of the list to acquire or develop, but more than half of content providers responding to the study distribute content using mobile devices, and nearly one-third use tablets.
In fact, more than half -- 59% of respondents in the services category -- are considering either developing or acquiring analytics and optimization capabilities. As the use of social networks and connected devices continues to proliferate, marketers are scrambling to add capabilities to communicate with consumers, prompting 44% of respondents to express an interest in increasing their presence in social marketing and 41% in mobile marketing.
Will content remain king in 2011? Seventy-three percent of respondents supporting content suggest they will take on custom content and 63% note the desire to expand into user-generated content. Approximately half of respondents expressed an interest in acquiring or developing capabilities in mobile, blogs and online video.
This year, AdMedia added a new question to gain better insight into how media firms will distribute content. All respondents to this question use the Web as a distribution vehicle. Not one relies on print alone. Only 16% use Web only, while 61% use the Web in combination with another digital platform such as tablets or mobile. The largest group -- 24% -- now uses a combination of Web, print, mobile and tablets to distribute content.


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If you’re having trouble figuring out what effects Donald Trump’s incoming administration might have on American startups, you’re not alone. The president-elect’s planned policies, or lack thereof, have been delivered stream-of-consciousness-style in tweets, interviews, and offhand remarks, offering a scattershot and often contradictory message from one day to the next. For entrepreneurs and workers in the broader startup community, the uncertainty has left many in a protracted state of post-election anxiety.
But all hope for clarity is not lost. Despite the lack of consistency, there are a few key initiatives that Trump has repeated throughout the campaign, some of which experts believe could negatively impact tech startups—and innovative business in general. Provided Trump is able to follow through on some of his promises, here are three areas that may be especially problematic:
Jeffrey Gordon, a professor of business law at Columbia University, notes that Trump’s desire to close borders could negatively affect the ability of tech companies and startups to attract overseas talent. “[It would mean] less openness to relaxing visa restrictions on highly skilled foreign workers, so the existing talent will become more expensive and overall industry dynamics will slow,” Gordon tells Fast Company.
Tech companies in particular like to bring in specialized workers on H-1B visas, which allow immigrants to work in the United States. Opponents like Trump accuse tech companies of looking for cheap overseas labor, but many of the big tech companies say they just want to find the hottest global talent.
Whatever the case, what’s becoming apparent is that many of those workers are starting their own companies. Immigrants are heading up fast-growing U.S. businesses in a big way, the National Foundation for American Policy reported earlier this year. According to the report, the United States has 87 startups valued at $1 billion or more, and over half of them—44 startups—were launched by immigrants.
Moreover, immigrants featured prominently in key management or product development teams in more than 70% of the startups cited. These startups, NFAP says, are also creating jobs—760 per company. Reducing the number of H-1B visas, or killing the program altogether, could have a significantly negative impact on the startup economy, essentially stunting the number of businesses that crop up every year.
On the bright side, in March, Trump told Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly that he would be willing to draw down his stance on high-skilled immigration despite a harder-line position stated on his website.
“I’m changing it and I’m softening the position because we have to have talented people in this country,” he said in the interview.
Hardware startups, too, may face hurdles if Trump attempts to curb outsourced manufacturing. “Tech startups that intend to produce hardware will worry about the impact on Asian supply chains,” writes Gordon via email. “This will also be true for established firms like Apple and thus will affect the Apple-specific startup ecosystem.”
Trump has reportedly said he wants a 20% tax on imports and a 15% tax on outsourcing jobs. In particular, this taxation plan would hit hardware companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon especially hard. Such tax structures may also reduce trade between the U.S. and other countries, causing a slowdown in foreign sales for tech companies.
“Inhibiting the growth of small hardware startups is really ultimately detrimental to the economy and you’re not going to see any increase in manufacturing domestically to offset that,” says Evan Engstrom, executive director at Engine.is, an economic and policy research organization and advocate for startups. Engstrom also points out that startups that have ventured into the realm of 3D printing and are exploring innovative ways to manufacture stateside will not likely be as affected by potential tariffs on overseas manufacturing.
Trump’s overall plan to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing and his promise to disrupt trade deals may also make it more difficult for U.S. companies to do business in international markets.
“All tech firms will worry about the impact of Trump trade policies on foreign product sales,” says Gordon. “There could also be a negative U.S. ‘brand’ effect, which could negatively affect foreign sales.” In other words, if Trump implements policies that make it cumbersome for companies overseas to make money in the U.S., it could in turn affect U.S. companies’ ability to sell in other countries.
The cloud of uncertainty around what exact policies Trump will push for as president may cause venture capitalists to be hesitant about investing. “The overall investment climate is likely to be unsettled for some time, which could affect willingness of VCs to invest in startups,” says Gordon.
But that may also just be a continuation on a trend. In the last year or so, venture capitalists have been shelling out fewer dollars overall than they did in 2015, according to CBInsights. Though less money is funneling through to startups, the number of deals is still “healthy” by its standards—meaning there’s still an opportunity for startups to get funding, just not as much as they might have in years prior.
On its face, this environment may signify a troubling future for U.S. startups, but a Trump presidency may not be all bad. The president-elect has consistently aligned himself with workers and identified himself as someone who would be good for small businesses. “The JOBS Act has already created a favorable regulatory environment for startups’ finance, so I don’t see changes at the SEC as having much effect,” says Gordon.
Startups contribute heavily to the U.S. economy, especially in terms of job creation.
“To the extent that his platform is based all around unleashing business and allowing a lot of new job creation, he would be well served to implement policies that help startups, because startups are the creator of all new net jobs in this country,” says Engstrom.
For instance, small businesses with fewer than 50 employees were responsible for 37% of net job growth for the last four quarters, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Medium businesses with 49-250 employees or fast-growing startups represented 46% of net job growth over the same period. Trump has made promises to cut down on regulation for businesses and repeal the Affordable Care Act, which requires businesses with more than 50 employees to offer some kind of health care insurance. So there’s evidence he could be supportive of startups more broadly.
“If Trump’s message is going to be pro-business, you really can’t be pro-business without being pro-startup,” says Engstrom. “But there’s always a possibility that if he’s not interested in engaging with the tech community companies, a lot of startups are going to feel the pain of that.”


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Google's Hangouts has had an eclectic existence to say the least, and the latest attempt at focusing it comes in the form of ripping out its SMS capabilities, a change that will be happening on May 22. According to an email received by a user and posted to Reddit, Google is planning to phase the capability out with ample time for users to pick up another SMS app, and will begin showing Hangouts SMS users a warning and directing them toward other apps on March 27. From then on, if a user has another SMS app on their phone, Hangouts will recommend setting that app as the default. Otherwise, users will be encouraged to head to the Play Store and pick up a new SMS app.
The change will not affect Google Voice users, who will still be able to send and receive SMS messages within Hangouts. Those who use SMS through their carriers, however, have a silver lining in all of this; their existing SMS messages will not be held hostage in Hangouts. Once these users make the switch to a new app, Hangouts will, if it's able to, automatically port in your SMS messages to whatever new app they've chosen. The notification will only be shown to those using SMS on Hangouts, so users that won't be affected by the change won't see any evidence of it aside from losing the option to enable SMS on Hangouts once the change fully goes through on May 22.
This is the latest in a long line of changes that Google has made to Hangouts in an effort to change its image to one that's more enterprise-focused, while shifting consumers toward the likes of Allo, Duo, and Android Messages. While Google has made no mention of getting rid of the consumer version of Hangouts at this point, the changes might suggest otherwise; Allo seems to be getting a desktop client soon, Android Messages is being positioned as the top provider of RCS messaging on Android thanks to worldwide carrier partnerships, and more and more exclusive features are hitting the enterprise version of Hangouts with each update.


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Cabbage, a safe vegetable produced by the farmers of Gangni in Meherpur, is going to Taiwan after Malaysia and Singapore. Farmers in the region are interested in producing safe vegetables in the hope of making more profit with less investment. And the agriculture department says that the agriculture department is cooperating in all kinds of safe vegetable production.
In Gangni upazila of Meherpur different types of vegetables are cultivated throughout the year. Gangni farmers have an important contribution in the vegetable production of the country. Non-toxic safe vegetables are cultivated here which has increased foreign income due to export.
This season, 500 metric tons of cabbage has been sent to Taiwan. There is a demand for more than 600 metric tons. The demand is increasing day by day.
The cost per bigha has been 20 to 22 thousand. And that copy is being sold for 45 thousand to 50 thousand rupees. A commercial company called Agro Fresh is assisting in this work. The farmers also said that the interest in vegetable cultivation is increasing among the farmers as consumer demand is increasing and foreign exports have started.
Farmers Shahrul Islam and Arif Hossain of Shaharbati village in Meherpur Gangni upazila said the price of cabbage in the local market is much lower. A copy is being sold for 1 to 2 rupees. But the contract farmers of the company are selling copies at higher prices.
The cost per bigha has been 20 to 22 thousand. And that copy is being sold for 45 thousand to 50 thousand rupees. Many are hopeful that they will be able to grow vegetables safely under a contract with the company.
Ali Hossain, a farmer from the same village, said that this year he has lost 15 to 20 thousand rupees per bigha by cultivating coffee. In the future, he will sign a contract with the company to cultivate safe vegetables.


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The Prime Ministers economic advisory panel today warned that inflation could go beyond rising food prices next fiscal and advised the central bank to be prepared for such an eventuality.
In its economic review for 2009-10,the PMs Economic Advisory Panel (PMEAC) projects inflation,which had come down even to negative zone earlier this fiscal,at 8.5 per cent by the end of this fiscal. The review also points towards the potential of rising commodities prices globally due to revival in developing countries and unsettled financial conditions.
The RBI projected inflation to be 8.5 per cent by March- end and retained its projection yesterday,even as inflation already breached this level in January touching 8.56 per cent.
The PMEAC also expects inflation to slightly come down by February end or March. It is true that inflation build-up has breached the RBI projection of 8.5 per cent. February and March could see decline in prices. We will probably go with the RBI more or less close to 8.5 per cent, PMEAC chairman C Rangarajan told reporters after releasing the report.
The review says while inflation currently is mostly confined to food items,there is a danger of it spreading to manufactured items as well and asks RBI to remain alive to this factor. However,food inflation may cool down in next two-three months with the arrival of winter harvests.
The danger of food inflation spreading to other commodities certainly exists,especially in the backdrop of the strong economic recovery, it said and asked RBI to remain alive to this danger.


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Have phones got too expensive? How the new iPhone 12 Pro Max will set you back $2,369 thanks to super-fast 5G and a 12 megapixel camera - but it doesn't come with headphones or a even charger
手机是不是变得太贵了？多亏了超快的5G和1200万像素的摄像头，新的iPhone 12 Pro Max将如何花你2369美元-但它没有耳机或均匀的充电器。
Apple has announced its new range of extravagant iPhones costing up to $2,369 - but this series will have core components missing from the box.
The tech giant is releasing four models of its latestiPhone 12 device to hit shelves in coming weeks, with prices starting at $1,199 for the iPhone 12 mini and ranging up to $2,369 for the largest iPhone 12 Pro Max.
这家科技巨头将在未来几周发布四款最新的iPhone 12设备，将在未来几周上架，iPhone 12 Mini的起价为1199美元，最大的iPhone 12 Pro Max的价格最高可达2369美元。
The smartphones are designed with rounded-square edges that look similar to the iPad Pro and boast 5G cellular connectivity - the biggest feature upgrade.
While traditionally included in the package, wall chargers and Lightning EarPods have been shed from iPhone 12 bundles as Apple claims it wants to be eco-friendly by reducing production and the size of packaging.
But the missing accessories and even the hefty cost is unlikely to deter the most committed iPhone buyers, who often queue overnight to get their hands on new models.
New survey findings from WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison site, has revealed iPhone fans are willing to pay more for their handsets than other customers and the majority plan to buy the gadgets outright.
Out of the 600 Australians questioned, more than 55 per cent are interested in buying an iPhone 12 and 69 per cent of those people intend to snatch one up in the next few weeks.
But half of Australians say upwards of $1,000 is too much to pay for a new phone, but the figure drops to 35 per cent for those interested in buying an iPhone 12.
For the pricey models, one-in-three people interested in buying an iPhone 12 are happy to pay up to $2,000 for a new handset.
The data also found 75 per cent ofpeople are being more conservative with their money due to the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
WhistleOut spokesperson Kenny McGilvary said the findings indicate a trend towards Australians purchasing phones outright.
'We have seen a marked decrease in people looking to find phones on contract plans, which is how Australians have typically bought flagship devices,' he said.
'The survey results confirm the trend for Australians now preferring to buy handsets outright rather than on contracts, but price doesn’t appear to be such a strong factor for those Australians who want an iPhone 12.'
The addition of 5G capabilities to the iPhone is set to improve download and upload speeds, provide higher quality video streaming, more responsive gaming and high-definition FaceTime - along with other enhanced features.
Telstra currently dominates 5G coverage, reaching 40 per cent of the population, followed by Optus which has the network available in all capital cities except Darwin and Hobart.
Vodafone 5G roll outs began in March with plans tospan 650 sites, with more towers set to be announced as construction progresses.
The iPhone 12 also includes a ceramic shield that the firm says is 'tougher than any smartphone glass.'
The new addition is 'virtually impervious to heat and electricity' and makes it more resistant if dropped.
The tech giant also unleashed its fastest camera into the new lineup.
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini will be available in five aluminium finishes, including blue, green, black, white, and red, while Pro models come in Silver, Gold, Graphite and 'Pacific Blue'.
The dual-lens camera system boasts a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and wide lenses, along with a seven-element lens that improves low-light performance by 27 percent.
iPhone 12 has the traditional 6.1-inch screen but now includes a new Super Retina XDR OLED panels that produce brighter and more vivid colours, up to 1,200 units of brightness, and double the resolution than previous iPhone devices.
IPhone12有传统的6.1英寸屏幕，但现在包括新的Super Retina XDR OLED面板，可以产生更明亮、更鲜艳的颜色，高达1200个单位的亮度，分辨率是以前iPhone设备的两倍。
Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini feature an all-screen Super Retina XDR display that delivers a 2 million-to-1 contrast ratio for true blacks, as well as an immersive HDR viewing experience for high-definition video, photos with more detail, - the technology provides nearly twice the peak brightness of iPhone 11.
IPhone 12和iPhone 12 mini都具有全屏幕Super Retina XDR显示屏，为真正的黑色提供200万：1的对比度，以及身临其境的HDR查看体验，可观看高清视频、更详细的照片-该技术提供的峰值亮度几乎是iPhone 11的两倍。
The makeover is 11 percent thinner than previous models, along with being 15 percent smaller and 16 percent lighter than the iPhone 11.
iPhone 12 models also introduce MagSafe, offering high-powered wireless charging and an all-new ecosystem of accessories that easily attach to iPhone.
This charging method uses an array of magnets placed around the wireless charging coil that Apple says 'perfectly connects to iPhone every time.'
The new charger means this will be the first year iOS users will not receive a new wall charger or Lightning EarPods when they open the box of the new smartphone.
Instead, the package will just include a USB-C to Lightning cable- which is compatible with wall chargers.
The move is part of Apple's commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, as it aims
The firm believes by eliminating both technologies, it can reduce the need for raw materials and reduce carbon emissions by more than two million metric tons each year moving forward.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will start at 11pm AEDT on 16th October ahead of a 23rd October release.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max are staggered back to 6th November, ahead of a 13th November release date.
IPhone12 mini和iPhone12 Pro Max的预购时间错开到11月6日，提前于11月13日发布。


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As per post title, it’s been reported that Microsoft’s post-Windows 10 update, codeneamed “Redstone”, should be hitting Windows Insiders in June of 2016, with a second wave rolling out in October of that same year. The fact that Microsoft already has a release date for an update two generations ahead of the current release is pretty exciting, as it shows that Microsoft is working hard to refine it’s OS. Most of the details of this update are still widely unknown, as they will most likely build off of features of Windows 10, and should also include features that Microsoft was not able to include in the initial release of Windows 10 coming this summer.
Even though details are skim, it’s still pretty exciting, no?
Share your thoughts below.


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Instead of Skype, Microsoft is integrating Teams into Windows 11.
MICROSOFT’S campaign to convince users to abandon Skype in favor of Microsoft Teams will continue with the release of Windows 11, the company’s next big operating system upgrade.
During a high-profile live stream today, Microsoft formally unveiled its “next version” of Windows. The important event officially unveiled Windows 11, which has a new Start menu, a slickly revamped user interface, and much more. Apart from that, Windows 11 will include one important change that will affect users of Skype, the venerable video conferencing program.
Microsoft introduced the Meet Now feature in Windows 10 last year, which integrated Skype inside the operating system.
Given the prominence of Teams – another Microsoft-owned video conferencing application – at the time, this was a surprising move.
With its Windows 11 update, the Redmond-based IT giant is now addressing this issue.
Microsoft stated today at the Windows Event that Teams will be integrated into the Windows 11 experience.
Teams will be prominently featured on the new Windows 11 Start menu, as well as integrated throughout the OS, according to Microsoft’s Panos Panay.
The Microsoft keynote that unveiled Windows 11 began at 4 p.m. BST today, giving PC users their first official look at the operating system. A number of leaks surfaced in the run-up to the event, one of which has implications for Microsoft Teams and Skype users.
According to Windows Latest, a leaked preview of Windows 11 revealed that Skype will no longer come preloaded.
Of course, Skype will still be available for download through the Microsoft Store, but it’s an additional barrier that Microsoft has erected for individuals who prefer Skype to Teams. After all, as soon as you install Microsoft Teams, it will be ready and waiting for you.
The Meet Now feature, which allows Windows 10 users fast access to Skype’s video conference features, was also scrapped, according to the leaked build of Windows 11.
This was confirmed during the Windows 11 launch event.
All of these changes in Windows 11 appear to be part of Microsoft’s ongoing effort to transfer Skype users to Teams. Video conferencing facilities have been increasingly popular since the outbreak of the epidemic.
Surprisingly, Skype, which debuted in 2003, lagged behind rivals like as Zoom, to which users rushed. “Brinkwire Summary News,” on the other hand.


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Microsoft Corp. Chairman John Thompson, who led the recent search for a new chief executive officer that resulted in the appointment of Satya Nadella, said the challenge facing the software maker is how to direct the company’s ample resources in the right direction.
With Microsoft Corp.’s appointment of John Thompson as chairman to replace co-founder Bill Gates, the world’s largest software maker is looking to the veteran technology executive as the main outside voice in its new leadership structure.
Microsoft Corp. named Satya Nadella chief executive officer, tapping an insider steeped in business technology to speed up a turnaround at a software maker that helped usher in the personal-computing age, only to be left behind as the world embraced the Web and mobile devices.
Microsoft Corp.’s board is preparing to make Satya Nadella, the company’s enterprise and cloud chief, chief executive officer and is discussing replacing Bill Gates as chairman, according to people with knowledge of the process.
ValueAct Holdings LP President Mason Morfit, the investor set to join Microsoft Corp.’s board as it prepares to make Satya Nadella chief executive officer, will seek another break with tradition: how the company sells its flagship products.


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Kathy Griffin has made a career out of mocking other celebrities. She's a comedian that created the Emmy-winning show Kathy Griffin: My...
Melissa Rivers: Kathy Griffin Sh-t on My Mother's Legacy!
Now that the dust has settled from the bizarre Giuliana Rancic-Zendaya debacle, one of the stars who was indirectly involved is speaking out for the first time.
As you may recall, there were concerns that the E! series Fashion Police wouldn't be able to keep up its signature brand of gleefully below-the-belt snark and red carpet fashion commentary following the death of Joan Rivers.
Kathy Griffin: Secretly Fired From Fashion Police?
Yesterday, Kathy Griffin quit Fashion Police and broke the news to fans with a series of tweets explaining that she and the show's producers simply had different ideas about what should be considered acceptable.
Griffin gave the impression that by stepping down, she was standing up for kindness and equality and a world in which differences would be celebrated rather than mocked.


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Dating apps are expected to reach 25.1 million people in 2019, up 5.3% from the previous year, according to research firm eMarketer. The forecast presents a revised version of previous estimates of 9.8% growth, demonstrating a slow-down among popular dating apps in the US.
The revised data incorporates research by app analytics firm Apptopia which found that dating app downloads among the top 15 apps had dropped from 256 million in 2017 to 247 million in 2018.
However, the company added that overall downloads could be stronger with more mobile users opting for niche dating apps as opposed to the top ranking ones alone.
When it comes to using dating apps, eMarketer expects 28.9% of single smartphone users to use a dating app in 2019, increasing to 35% by 2020.
This demonstrates that whilst app downloads may slow, usage remains strong presenting ample opportunities for marketers and advertisers to reach singles.
Brands and marketers within fashion, retail and beauty products, but also restaurant and entertainment may be able to attract solid engagement on dating apps, according to Adam Blacker, VP of insights and global alliances at Apptopia.
“Dating apps are a place where people are willing to interact with ads, if you nail the implementation,” said Blacker. “But each app will need to determine the style that suits them. For dating apps that are relatively gamified, I think it makes sense for users to watch a 15-second video to unlock more potential matches. Or, let’s say there is a niche app for hikers or outdoors people, in that case banner ads for Patagonia could work.”


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Brewers reveal t-shirt friday winning designs
In an event that concluded just moments ago, the Milwaukee Brewers unveiled the seven designs that will be used for the T-Shirt Friday All Fan Giveaways this year. The winners were announced in a special Main Stage event at Brewers On Deck, the team's official off-season Fanfest.
All fans in attendance during each of the seven Friday home games from June through August will receive a complimentary Brewers-themed T-shirt (available in both medium and extra-large sizes). And for the first time, fans decided the designs for each of the seven T-Shirt Friday giveaways through an online vote.
From January 12 - 19, a dozen possible T-shirt designs were posted at Brewers.com. Fans were able to vote for their favorite designs, ranking their top seven choices in order from one to seven. Their first choice received seven points, their second choice received six, continuing to their seventh and final vote which received one point.
The results are in and the seven winning designs were revealed with Brewers players, alumni, broadcasters and mascots serving as the "stage models" for each design.
June 12 - Ball & Glove Logo (Powder Blue), presented by Hupy and Abraham
June 26 -Luuuuuc (Navy Blue), presented by Kwik Trip
July 17 - Roll Out the Barrel (Royal Blue)
July 31 - Brewers Baseball (Navy Blue)
August 7 - 1970's M Logo (Royal Blue), presented by ORBIS Corporation
August 14 - Ball & Glove Logo in Wisconsin (Yellow), presented by Master Printwear
August 28 - Milwaukee Brewers Retro (White), presented by Arise Health Plan
While individual tickets are not yet on sale, fans can guarantee their spot at Miller Park for T-Shirt Fridays - plus receive free Opening Day tickets - with a Brewers 10-Pack, on sale now at brewers.com/10packs or by calling (414) 902-HITS (4487).
Fans can share in the excitement of counting down to Brewers Opening Day by following the Brewers on social media, and also enter to win a pair of 10-Packs, tickets to Opening Day and roundtrip airfare on Southwest Airlines, by posting their creative countdown photos on Twitter and/or Instagram using the hashtag #SeeUApril6.


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A classic collection
A collection of dolls and accessories will be on display at the the University of Alabama’s Gorgas House Museum through Dec. 23.
“We chose the doll collection because not only do many children receive toys at Christmas, but the dolls are also colorful and festive and help add to the atmosphere of our holiday decorations,” said Lydia Joffray, director of Gorgas House Museum. “I hope people can take away an appreciation for dolls in the past as well as an appreciation for the differences and likenesses of dolls from other cultures.”
The collection, part of the College of Human Environmental Sciences Carolyn Thomas Stewart Costume and Textile Collection, features more than 900 pieces including 125 dolls representing cultures and customs from around the globe, doll furniture, paper dolls, doll houses and doll accessories.
“Dolls are a very important part of any culture,” said Virginia Wimberley, exhibit curator and an assistant professor in the department of clothing, textiles and interior design. “They allow children to role play future adult roles, do imaginative play. The dolls are part of our material culture and tell about society with the images and materials that are used.”
The exhibit opened on Nov. 21, and the collection will be open during regular museum hours from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.


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JLR names new engineering chief
- 5 April 2022
- Posted by: Alan Feldberg
- Category: News
Jaguar Land Rover has appointed a new executive director of Product Engineering.
Thomas Müller begins his role immediately, taking responsibility for the technical development of all new Jaguar and Land Rovers, including both hardware and software. His expertise in technology, agile leadership and digital capabilities will bring significant benefits to the efficient delivery of the next generation of modern luxury vehicles.
He has an extensive background in different roles in research and development, with a focus on chassis, ADAS and autonomous driving. He joins Jaguar Land Rover from the Volkswagen Group, where he held a variety of engineering leadership positions at Audi.
He said: “I am thrilled to join the Jaguar Land Rover team at a pivotal point in the company’s transformation. We have a truly exciting opportunity. By fully implementing agile principles, automating engineering processes and applying innovative product development methods, we will bring to life a new generation of electrified Jaguar and Land Rover models that embody our modern luxury philosophy. Jaguar and Land Rover are already renowned for their peerless design and dynamic capability. I’m looking forward to further contributing to the success of these amazing brands and products as we pioneer a new era of electric power and digitalisation.”
Thierry Bolloré, chief executive officer, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Not only is Thomas a highly skilled, experienced engineering leader; he also brings a humble and approachable quality and we’re delighted to welcome him to Jaguar Land Rover. His vision and knowledge from more than two decades in the industry will make him a great support and mentor to our teams as we accelerate our journey of simplification and electrification.”


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One man currently in Latvia tweeted via iPhone that he learned the news through Twitter.
@toddprouty (Glazuskunis, Latvia): Just found out through Twitter that the government of Latvia, the country I'm currently living in, collapsed today. http://snurl.com/cb2lh
Another twitterer in Latvia predicted what the new government may look like.
@pecisk (Ogre, Latvia): Tauta nomierinās, Zalāns nebūs. Visticamāk būs bezpartejisks. (The people are calm, Zalans [political party] not. Likely to be free party.)
Others were quick to tweet their thoughts.
@jujupiter (London, U.K.): Iceland, Latvia... Which government will fall next?
@EnriqueLopez (New York City): Latvia's government has fallen! What a terrible precedent.
One American twitterer suggested it was a sign of things to come.
@TreyNantz (Charleston/Lincolnton, W.V.): First Iceland. Now Latvia. Next, Ireland & Ukraine. Soon, USA & EU? http://tinyurl.com/cvc2d6 #stimulus #tcot


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The manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy has experienced substantial job losses over the past quarter century. In January 2004, the number of such jobs stood at 14.3 million, down by 3.0 million jobs, or 17.5 percent, since July 2000 and about 5.2 million since the historical peak in 1979. Employment in manufacturing was its lowest since July 1950.
While improvements in manufacturing productivity, and a shift in consumer habits that has shown reduced spending on manufactured goods relative to services, a key element of this change has been offshoring of manufacturing jobs.
The impact of declining manufacturing employment has not be uniformly distributed across the United States. Instead, it has had been concentrated in the Rust Belt with devistating effects. Cities like Buffalo, New York, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Detroit and Flint, Michigan, Gary, Indiana, Toledo, Cleveland and Youngstown, Ohio, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin has seen their economies collapse, while the impacts in the South and West, which had weak manufacturing economies when the decline began, have suffered far less.
The decline of the manufacturing sector in the United States has led Congress to make favorable tax changes for that sector.
Another key element of the manufacturing sector is that manufacturing has large "economies of scale." It is far cheaper per unit produced to make a lot of something than a small amount of something. For example, it costs far more per car to make 1,000 cars per year than it does to make 100,000 cars per year. To take advantage of these economies of scale, manufacturing enterprises have tended to become large publicly held corporations which increases their access to money (called capital) so that they can build large factories and buy the expensive machines that result in these cost savings. But, this pattern of ownership has lead to issues of corporate accountability.
Manufacturing is also the field with the most labor union membership besides the public sector. This is to a significant extent a product of the large size of corporate enterprises (and modern labor unions are a product of the industrialization that produced these enterprises). A large enterprise can't simply fire everyone and replace them, so it has to negotiate when its employees are dissatisfied.
Manufacturing is also a major cause of pollution and other harms to the Environment.


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Weller’s CBD-infused Coconut Bites
This week’s new products include the first plant-based meat range from Japan’s Otsuka Foods and UK healthy snacks firm Munchy Seeds launching Shaker Pots.
US hemp extract specialist Weller launches CBD Coconut Bites
Colorado-based Weller, a maker of CBD-infused food and beverage products, has launched CBD Coconut Bites.
They are available in Dark Chocolate, Caramel and Original flavour varieties.
Said to deliver “a lightly-sweet taste and delightfully-crispy crunch,” the snacks are available in single-serving and multi-serving packaging, They are infused with 5mg of CBD (cannabidiol) from full-spectrum hemp extract.
Matt Oscamou, co-founder of Weller, said: “Consumers are over-scheduled and stressed now more than ever. Weller is all about enabling people to be the best version of themselves and snack into wellness by delivering the natural benefits of hemp CBD through convenient, trusted products that people love.”
The products will be available at natural and conventional retailers including Lucky’s Market and Lassens and
... read more at: https://www.just-food.com/news/new-products-us-hemp-extract-specialist-weller-launches-cbd-coconut-bites-general-mills-to-debut-larabar-in-uk-hood-unveils-vegan-milk-line-planet-oat-us-healthy-snack-firm-nightfood-moves-into-ice-cream-cannabis-infused-cookies_id140609.aspx


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Oh, Siri. Apple’s little voice-activated personal assistant in iOS can handle questions, give recommendations, and delegate requests, but does it really live up to expectations?
The folks in Cupertino like to roll out advertisements that show Siri capable of compiling individual preferences with personalized results, and even completing basic tasks like finding a nearby restaurant, but the software met very mixed reactions after it Beta-débuted on the iPhone 4S in October. Those who felt misled by Siri’s functionality depicted in commercials eventually sought reimbursement by filing a class action lawsuit against Apple earlier this year.
Fortune’s Adam Lashinsky wrote about how chief executive Tim Cook is changing Apple in an interesting piece this morning, but he also touched upon the contention surrounding Siri. He noted Apple’s future relies on the quality of its products, which holds true for any company, but then he pointed to the iOS-maker’s knowledge navigator:
“Those looking for deficiencies have found them in Siri, a less-than-perfect product that Apple released with the rare beta label in late 2011, a signal that the service shouldn’t be viewed as fully baked. Siri’s response time has been slow, meaning the servers and software powering it are inadequate. ‘People are embarrassed by Siri,’ says one former insider. ‘Steve would have lost his mind over Siri.'”
It is interesting that an unnamed insider claimed Jobs would “lose his mind” over Siri, especially because it is well-known the late CEO worked with former Siri founder and subsequent Apple Engineering Director Dag Kittlaus on the project. Kittlaus admitted last March at Network World that Jobs felt they “cracked it” in regards to Siri, which alludes to the chief’s satisfaction with the voice assistant and contrasts with the insider’s opinion.
The poll is after the break.


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Infinix Philippines is the best-selling brand at the recent Shopee 3.15 sale. The phone brand was number 1 in units sold and top 2 in gross merchandise value from the sale.
“We are grateful that Filipinos trusted Infinix at the Shopee 3.15 sale. We are working hard to make advanced technologies accessible to the Philippines. For the rest of the year, we are preparing more products equipped with powerful specs and latest technologies that suit the needs of Filipinos, whether it is for gaming, school, or work, at budget-friendly prices.”
Cooper Ma, Infinix Philippines Country Manager


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One-Third of Americans Don't Use Sunscreen
A new study brings to light Americans' sloppy sunscreen habits.
May 21, 2009 — -- Think you have sun smarts? Maybe, but it doesn't help if you don't use them.
Americans may be too complacent about using sunscreen -- properly or at all -- according to a survey of 1,000 adults by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.
In the survey, 31 percent of Americans reported not using sunscreen while 69 percent were occasional users.
Skin experts find that the results match patient attitudes toward sun protection that they see in practice.
"It's exactly correct," Dr. Doris Day, a dermatologist at New York University, said of the survey's findings. "It's very frustrating. ... We have the information and we know what to do and people are not improving their behavior."
Brittany Cicala, 25, of Chesapeake Beach, Md., said her parents were religious about putting sunscreen on her pale skin.
"But as soon as I was 13, that kind of went out the window," Cicala said. "I felt like most teenage girls do, that I look better with a tan. At 17, I was able to go to tanning salons, also without sunscreen."
At 19, Cicala developed melanoma and underwent multiple surgeries to battle the skin cancer. Her attitude toward sunscreen and skin protection have changed drastically and she now wears sunscreen with SPF 85.
"Even if you're out in the sun for 10 minutes, you can still get sun exposure and bad sun exposure at that," Cicala said.
Survey respondents said they were aware that sunscreens with higher SPF afforded greater protection, and sunscreens past their expiration dates should not be used.
Day reiterated that sunscreen with an SPF 15 or greater should be applied an ounce at a time before going into the sun and reapplied about hourly in order to gain the most protection from cancer-causing ultraviolet UVA and UVB rays.
"You need to go through sunscreen," Day said. "One bottle should not last a summer."
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States. Melanoma is on the rise, especially among young women. And the Skin Cancer Foundation reported that 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancer and premature aging have been linked to sun exposure.
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Hole In One
For the past couple of years, EA have been consistently widening their reach by buying up more and more smaller developers – from Canadian-based Metalhead Software to the racing game superstars Codemasters. A while ago we heard that they were buying up the mobile dev studio Playdemic, best known for their work on the award-winning golfing game Golf Clash – and now, EA have announced that the acquisition is complete.
The acquisition comes as part of the same initiative as the Metalhead Software and Codemasters acquisitions: EA are aiming for “continued leadership in sports and mobile expansion”. Right now, they’re well on the way to achieving their goal: They’re the publishers (or developers) of the biggest sports franchises in the world with FIFA and Madden NFL, and on the mobile side they’ve got The Sims Mobile, Plants vs Zombies and, of course, Peggle under their umbrella.
Playdemic’s Head of Studio, Paul Gouge, discussed the move to EA in a press release announcing the acquisition’s completion: “This is an exciting day for Playdemic as we become part of the Electronic Arts family. I am proud to bring the amazing talent which exists at Playdemic into the EA business, to both continue to build on Golf Clash’s incredible success and to build new games, which we believe can be even more successful in entertaining and engaging audiences globally.”
In the same release, EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson also commented on the acquisition: “The addition of the incredible Playdemic team not only adds to the strength of our mobile teams globally, it also continues our expansion and investment in U.K.-based talent. With Playdemic now part of Electronic Arts, we’re excited to bring even more amazing and innovative mobile games to diverse audiences around the world.”
There’s been no announcements on the future of the studio quite yet, but you can pick up Playdemic’s award-winning mobile game Golf Clash on iOS and Android right now!


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We at Top10CryptoBots have been closely monitoring cryptocurrency developments lately, especially in terms of Facebook’s actions. Facebook is all set to bring it’s all-new Crypto network called Libra, though it is already surrounded by a bunch of competitors. In the list of its competitor’s Metal Pay by MTL coin is on the top.
Erik Finman one of the opulent investor’s of Metal Pay has said: “Metal Pay is the ideal of Libra.” He even added that he and his supporters are strictly against the Libra payment network.
Metal Pay is the initiative of Marshall Hayner, who is a well-known personality in the Crypto World. Metal Pay is just like a Venmo for cryptocurrency enthusiasts.
While visualizing Libra, Facebook also had a similar approach to Metal Pay, though it is not yet accepted as a secure blockchain payment platform made with the usage of tangible assets and for regular users.
Still, investors are excited by the new investment opportunities that will enrich trading platforms of the rank of Bitcoin Loophole.
The Difference between Metal Pay & Libra
The first point of comparison is that Metal Pay & Libra that hosts major financial service partners like MasterCard, Paypal & other affluent payers has operations done on decentralized blockchain & digitally distributed ledger system.
This shows that users can have open validation for transactions in Metal Coin which is the potential currency of Metal Pay. But Libra users have limits for the validation of their transactions, it is because it does not operate on an open network.
Another difference is that Metal Pay is already in operation and Libra is yet to come. Finman says “Hayner is a patient person and he waited until all the legal actions were completed & then acquired licenses for 4 states in the US last year. On the contrary, Libra will be available to its users by 2020 on messenger and WhatsApp platforms.
Another point of discussion is that Libra has not been admired by US regulators. As Mr. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio has said “Facebook is been going through multiple scandals, and that is the reason association of banks will not trust Facebook at the risk of its user’s information.
Also, the Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin said that “possibly Libra would be used for illegitimate purposes”. He says probably Calibra would be used as a digital wallet, and Facebook’s Libra will be taking care of a widespread network.


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ITC Foods’ snacks brand Bingo! has crafted a new campaign. The intent is to capture its association with cricket match time in a fun and quirky way while reminding the consumers to grab a pack of their favourite snack as the match ‘starts’.
Known for its distinct, clutter-breaking, youth-centric, witty communication, the company said that the new campaign ‘Match Start, Bingo! Start’ takes the consumers on a journey of a cricket fan who would drop whatever they are doing, the moment they hear a match ‘start’ to be glued to their screens while munching on the snack.
Commenting on the campaign, ITC Foods spokesperson said, “Cricket in India is an extravaganza that brings individuals together from all walks of life to enjoy and experience an exciting game. At Bingo, our focus is to keep the fun alive in the lives of consumers. We hope that fans and consumers would enjoy the line-up of enlivening and fun-filled communication Bingo! has in store for the upcoming cricketing season .”
The person added, “This year, fans will experience cricket differently, where their homes will turn into a virtual stadium while they enjoy every moment of the match on their screens. We, at Bingo! wanted to remind them of the lip-smacking experience they can enjoy within the safe confines of their homes, without losing out on their spirits, snacks or fun.


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A slowdown in network equipment and device markets has taken its toll on China’s ZTE, which has reported a net loss of RMB2.84 billion ($457 million) for 2012, compared with a net profit of RMB2.06 billion the year before.
China’s second-biggest network equipment maker, behind Huawei (Shenzhen, China), ZTE (Shenzhen, China) also reported a 2.36% decline in revenues, to RMB84.22 billion.
In a statement accompanying the figures, ZTE pointed to the slowdown in equipment investments by the global telecoms industry in 2012.
The company also blamed a larger number of low-margin contracts in Africa, South America and Asia for its bottom-line setback.
ZTE is, however, expecting to make a profit for the first quarter of 2013 following its sale of an 81% stake in surveillance systems maker Shenzhen ZNV Technology Co (Shenzhen, China).
ZTE said that 2G networks are gradually being phased out, although operators are still optimizing and upgrading their 3G networks.
The issue of 4G licenses in various countries is also a plus point for ZTE, with commercial 4G deployments gathering momentum.
ZTE is one of the main backers of the 4G TD-LTE standard and says it signed important contracts in India, the Middle East and Japan last year for the rollout of TD-LTE networks.
In the terminals business, meanwhile, the company says it was hit by weaker demand for features phones and data cards as consumers upgrade to more expensive smartphone devices.
ZTE wants to play a more prominent role in this area but faces tough competition from rivals in the US, Europe and Asia.
The company made no reference to its difficulties in the USA, where it was deemed to be a security risk by government authorities last year.
Along with domestic rival Huawei, which faced similar criticism, it has rejected the allegations, although Huawei has been more outspoken on the issue.


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China's oil imports from Iran continued to sharply rebound in May to nearly match 2011 levels following a steep drop-off earlier this year, figures showed Thursday, a day after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Beijing appeared to be taking steps to reduce purchases from Iran.
The latest data raise pressure on the Obama administration as it tries to decide whether it will grant China an exemption to looming U.S. sanctions that target financial institutions doing business with Iran's energy sector. Granting China an exemption just as its trade with Iran appears to be normalizing could be politically risky for President Barack Obama, analysts say. The deadline to comply with U.S. sanctions is June 28.
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GUELPH, ON (January 30, 2014) – The sponsor and exhibitor list for the 2014 March Classic is now available online.
“The support from the industry, through sponsorships and exhibitor space, really speaks to the quality of this conference,” says Meghan Burke, Manager of Communications at Grain Farmers of Ontario. “We are looking forward to a packed exhibit hall again this year and appreciate the ongoing commitment from the grain industry to make this event a success.”
Companies sponsoring and exhibiting at the event on March 24th include equipment providers, seed dealers, agricultural retailers, researchers, and association representatives. The list of sponsors and exhibitors can be viewed online and will be updated regularly as the conference continues to grow.
“The number and quality of attendees at the March Classic provides an excellent opportunity for industry to connect with their target audience,” says Burke. “The trade show component of the event offers a great opportunity to meet-up with current and potential customers.”
The March Classic will be held on March 24th, 2014 at the London Convention Centre in London, Ontario. A limited number of sponsor and exhibitor opportunities remain available. For more information, the full list of sponsors and exhibitors, and to register, visit www.gfo.ca/MarchClassic.
Grain Farmers of Ontario
Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 corn, soybean and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover 6 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $2.5 billion in farm gate receipts, result in over $9 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 40,000 jobs in the province.


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Today, The Information reported that Apple is investigating how Vision Pro could detect and treat mental health issues. The story says that Apple wants to use Vision Pro’s many cameras and sensors to figure out if a person has “depression, anxiety, stress, or post-traumatic stress disorder.”
The Information’s report says that Vision Pro could find these mental health problems and then “show images and sounds that might improve the wearer’s emotions.” The report gets its information from people who “directly know the matter.”
Because of this, Apple has talked about using the Vision Pro’s camera and eye-tracking systems to check a person’s “affect,” which means how they “express feelings or emotions.”
An emotionless face, also known as a “flat affect,” can be a sign that someone has schizophrenia, autism, sadness, brain damage, or even PTSD. One of the people said that Apple’s Vision Products Group members, led by Mike Rockwell, have spent a lot of time talking about the headset’s potential health uses and have even hired health experts to look into adding these features to the device.
The story says that Vision Pro’s eye-tracking cameras were also talked about as a way to “detect pupil dilation,” which could “give a clue to a person’s mood.” “The infrared cameras on the device could also find eye blood vessel swelling, which could be an early sign of heart failure.”
Apple workers have also talked about how Vision Pro could “sense changes in a person’s weight” and “screen for diseases like Parkinson’s.”
According to the story, these features may never come out. However, Apple has “extensively discussed or explored health, wellness, and fitness features” for Vision Pro as recently as this year.
Mental health and Vision Pro claims are unclear to some Apple employees. There could be problems with the features not working as well as Apple would like, in addition to possible problems with rules and laws.
The Information says that some people who worked on Apple’s health projects weren’t sure if the devices could be as helpful as other treatments, like medicine.
Apple Vision Pro is a rumored mixed reality headset that is expected to be released in 2023. The headset is reported to have advanced eye-tracking cameras and sensors.
Apple Vision Pro could be used to diagnose mental illness by tracking a user’s eye movements, pupil dilation, and facial expressions. These factors can be used to assess a user’s mood, emotional state, and cognitive function.


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Record gaming revenue drives growth at Everi in Q3
| By Robert Fletcher
Casino and financial technology business Everi Holdings revealed a record performance by its gaming business during the third quarter of its 2021 financial year helped drive group revenue up 49.7%.
Total revenue for the three months through to the end of September amounted to $168.3m (£123.2m/€145.2m), up from $112.4m in the third quarter of 2020, during which Everi said it was significantly impacted by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Breaking down this performance, Everi said its gaming business was the primary source of revenue in Q3, with revenue from this segment climbing 67.5% year-on-year to a record $95.8m.
Breaking down the gaming revenue further, game operations revenue was 52.3% higher at $71.6m, while game equipment and systems revenue also increased by 137.3% year-on-year to $24.2m.


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The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been awarded the ‘Most Dependable Large and Luxury Car’ in the J.D. Power 2019 UK Vehicle Dependability Study.
The awards are given based on the opinions of more than 11,500 UK vehicle owners about their satisfaction after 12-36 months of ownership.
Mark Lendrich, Head of Research, J.D. Power Europe, said: “Long-term reliability has a direct impact on today’s sales and tomorrow’s loyalty. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class managed to achieve the UK VDS “Large&Luxury” segment award for the fourth time in the last five years. This underlines that Mercedes did a great job in satisfying the demanding group of premium customers when it comes to vehicle dependability.”
The E-Class line-up is available in a range of petrol and diesel engines, with prices starting from £38,065 for the E 220 d SE Saloon.
For more information on the E-Class please visit: www.mercedes-benz.co.uk.
About Mercedes-Benz Cars in the UK
Mercedes-Benz Cars UK is the sales and marketing organisation responsible for all Mercedes-Benz Cars and services in Britain (including smart).
As well as selling cars, parts, and service, the company runs Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands – a brand experience centre in Weybridge, Surrey. Mercedes-Benz World has welcomed over 3 million visitors since it opened in 2006.
The Mercedes-Benz UK group of companies directly employs over 4000 people, and 11,000 at independent retailers. Over 500 Apprentices have passed their professional qualifications at the company’s in-house Training Academy. The UK is also home to Mercedes-Benz High Performance Powertrains and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula 1™ team.
Mercedes-AMG was founded as AMG in 1967 by two former Daimler-Benz motor sport engineers, Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher. The company forged its reputation on the racetrack, from the legendary ‘Red Pig’ to the 190 race car, which won over 50 DTM victories between 1988 and 1993 to the latest GT3, which took the first four places at the 2016 Nürburgring 24-hour race. AMG is also synonymous with powerful, bespoke road cars, with a model range encompassing hatchbacks, saloons, estates and SUVs, as well as coupés, including the GT series. Today, over 1,100 employees work for Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach, and in 2016 the brand delivered almost 100,000 vehicles worldwide.


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With the President's announcement of higher mileage requirements—to 54.5 mpg on new cars and trucks sold in the United States by the year 2025—came the usual promises of less dependence upon foreign oil and reduced “greenhouse gas” emissions. Said the White House blog, “Taken together, the standards established under this Administration span Model Years 2011-2015. They will save consumers money, reduce our dependence on oil, and protect the environment.”
Thanks to the standards, consumers will save an estimated $1.7 trillion dollars in real fuel costs of the life of their vehicles.
By 2025, the standards are projected to save families an estimated $8,200 in fuel savings [sic] over the lifetime of a new vehicle, [compared to] the Model Year 2010.
We will need to use less oil. [The standards] will reduce oil consumption by an estimated 2.2 million barrels a day.
The [new] standards will reduce carbon dioxide pollution by over 6 billion metric tons [and] will protect public health by cutting air pollutants such as air toxics, smog, and soot.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) was ecstatic over the announcement. Zoe Lipman, senior manager for Transportation and global warming Solutions, called it “big news for consumers and big news for health and the environment. It cuts oil use by the equivalent of all our imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, puts $80 billion a year back in our pockets to spend on better things than foreign oil, and cuts carbon pollution the equivalent amount as closing 72 coal-fired power plants.”
When asked about how owners of the new vehicles could justify the higher prices that will have to be charged to pay for the new technology to obtain such improvements in mileage, Miles Grant of the NWF answered, “Under the [new] standard, heavy duty pickup and van owners [will] save over $6,000 over the life of the vehicle—even after accounting for the cost of the new technology. The added upfront costs are paid back in less than two years.”
Not according to the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) which released the results of an 11-month effort to determine how much those “added upfront costs” would actually be: $11,290. Specifically, in order to achieve an average fuel economy standard of 37.6 mpg a vehicle's cost would increase $5,244, while a standard of 44.8 mpg would increase its cost by $8,214. Taking into account an inflation rate of just two percent per year, the average cost of a vehicle (today: $28,400) in 2025 would substantially exceed $50,000 in today's dollars. And that price only includes the cost of the new mandated improvement in mileage and does not include any additional safety or environmental mandates that will likely be added by the government along the way.
The first of the unintended consequences (giving the obama administration the benefit of the doubt that they are only interested in improving the mileage and are not interested in reducing people's freedom of travel) is that because “the cost to the consumer of purchasing a motor vehicle would rise by nearly 40 percent and the net cost by 27.7 percent over five years,” sales of new vehicles would drop by 5.4 million units and production by 3.3 million units, resulting in an estimated loss of 1.7 million jobs in the industry.
The second effect would be that by forcing the auto industry to double the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) it will require an immense investment in that new technology by the industry which may not be able to be amortized if expected sales targets aren't achieved. As noted in the CAR study:
The U.S. economy…will be placed at serious economic risk if the industry is committed by law to the use of technologies that are too expensive or inefficient or to the production of vehicles that consumers do not want or need.
That is why the potential cost of a rush by regulatory authorities to mandate permanent, long-run fuel economy standards could be very high in both economic and social terms….
This risk includes the potential of a second automotive crisis threatening the very existence of the U.S. motor industry.
The third unintended consequence could even be worse—the lowering of Americans' standard of living. The increased cost of new vehicles will likely mean that older vehicles will be kept in service beyond their expected life spans and consequently require more repairs over time. By reducing their usage, such vehicles may last longer, but will reduce their owners' freedom of travel. As noted by CAR:
This freedom, based on the unparalleled mobility provided by modern vehicles, currently allows Americans the greatest possible range and efficiency to search for and obtain employment and to maximize the value of their purchasing, the value of their leisure time and the value of their social and family connections. All of these freedoms are under threat by extreme mandates and, if restricted, will lower the standard of living in the United States for years to come.
Another unintended consequence would be higher traffic fatalities as a result of lighter and less impact-resistant automobiles. As noted by Thomas Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, “One of the most efficient ways to increase the amount of miles a vehicle can travel per gallon of gasoline is to reduce the weight of the vehicle. Therefore, auto manufacturers will be forced to make cars that are smaller and lighter in order to meet President Obama's new CAFE standards. Far from a win for consumers, this type of government-knows-best policy is the exact opposite of how a market economy functions.” A Brookings Institute study showed that a 500-pound weight reduction of the average automobile increased annual highway fatalities by between 2,200 and 3,900, and serious injuries by 11,000 to 19,500.
There are additional unintended consequences, including the reasonable conclusion that by lowering the cost of driving a new car, its owners will drive more rather than less, thus increasing the use of gasoline. It may be a bit of a stretch, but Gary Galles, writing for Mises.org, suggests that cheaper driving costs “would facilitate housing development farther from workplaces, further progressively eating into gas savings over time, while worsening congestion and all its adverse consequences.” What is more likely is that owners of older vehicles would keep them in service longer, thus increasing pollutants into the atmosphere that the mandates are supposed to reduce. A study by Andrew Kleit of Pennsylvania State University showed that a 50-percent increase in CAFE standards would increase total emissions by 2.3 percent, nitrogen oxide by 3.8 percent, and carbon monoxide emissions by 5 percent.
Keeping in mind that world crude oil production by the year 2020 would exceed 100 million barrels a day, according to estimates by the Energy Information Agency, even if the Obama mandates do save the claimed 2.2 million barrels a day, that's 2 percent. Talk about straining at a gnat!
A blogger at CNSNews.com summed up the administration's new mandate nicely:
This is the argument of Obama's administration that ticks me off the most. Yes, I'd like to buy a new car with great gas mileage. Yes, I'd like to replace my a/c unit in my house with one that works better and costs less to run. Yes, I'd like to do the same with my furnace. Yes, I'd like to eat healthy food that isn't drenched in preservatives, and to join a gym so I can exercise even when it's 115 degrees outside. All of these things would result in enormous cost savings to me over time. The problem is that [I] cannot afford all this stuff!


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The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report analyzes the hijacking of a virtual court hearing in the Twitter hacking case. Also featured: Why network segmentation is more important than ever; update on Windows print spooler vulnerability.
A security researcher says voting equipment in the U.S. is still riddled with security flaws that opportunistic foreign adversaries could use to pose a threat to the November election. Meanwhile, the director of CISA calls Russian ransomware attacks one of the biggest threats to the election.
Garmin, a fitness tracker and navigation device firm, apparently paid a ransom to recover from a July 23 security incident that encrypted several of its systems, according to two news reports as well as expert analysis. The company says it's still experiencing 'temporary limitations" on services.
The NSA has issued an alert warning those working in the national security and defense sectors to mitigate the risks posed by mobile and internet of things devices, along with apps, that collect location data.
It's a new and permanent extended enterprise, as cybersecurity leaders budget for 2021. What are the top threats and vulnerabilities? How have enterprises hardened their endpoint defenses? Stacia Tympanick of VMWare Carbon Black previews a new virtual roundtable.
Is Microsoft coming to TikTok's rescue? It appears that's a very strong possibility following President Donald Trump's threat Friday to ban the app in the U.S. Microsoft hasn't committed to buying part of TikTok, but says if it did, it would bring the popular app world-class security and privacy protections.
The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report analyzes the hacking of Dave, a mobile banking app. Plus: Sizing up the impact of GDPR after two years of enforcement and an assessment of IIoT vulnerabilities.
The speed at which IoT is enabling innovation is far outpacing the ability of the security custodians to implement appropriate controls before these devices hit the market. That creates a classic target-rich environment for the bad guys - one that will require vigorous defense and oversight.
Garmin has acknowledged that a hack attack that encrypted several of its systems led to outages that affected several of the company's fitness and aviation products along with knocking its homepage and customer service centers offline. As of Monday, several affected services were again operating.
Trend Micro says it has seen increasing attempts to infect home routers for use as proxies and for DDoS attacks. The battle is primarily being fought by three bot families - Mirai, Qbot and Kaiten - that enable low-level fraudsters to hide their activity.
The rapid pace of change for the the industrial internet of things will open up new risks for attacks and will require close attention to security, according to a new study from the Lloyd's Register Foundation.
Fast charging is a blessing, but there's a downside: The firmware running on some chargers can be maliciously modified. Researchers say chargers can be hacked to deliver more electricity than a device can handle.
Cybercriminals are exploiting and using weak IoT devices in new ways, including as proxies for e-commerce fraud, says Allison Nixon of Unit 221b, who predicts that the next mass attack on the scale of Mirai will likely be way worse.
Digital transformation, IoT deployments and government regulations are creating new security challenges, especially for financial institutions. Steven Mond of Forescout explains how a mature network segmentation strategy can help address those challenges.
How have the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown and job losses affected the character and composition of the internet? Rapid7's Tod Beardsley rounds up the latest research into the prevalence of outdated and unsecured internet protocols and internet-connected devices - and there's both good and bad news.


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Central bank governor Mārtiņš Kazāks revealed a slight improvement in sentiment overall. In 2021, Latvia's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 3.3%, and in 2022 at almost twice that rate at 6.5%.
Due to the spread of Covid-19, Latvia's GDP decreased by 3.6% last year compared to 2019. Last year, GDP at current prices was worth 29.3 billion euros.
"The overall GDP growth forecast for 2021 has been increased to 3.3%. Assuming that vaccination will proceed as planned, restrictions are expected to be reduced considerably from the second half of 2021, improving consumer and business sentiment," said the central bank.
"The fiscal measures supporting household income and more active spending of the precautionary savings and savings accumulated due the postponed consumption will be the factors behind the rapid recovery of the private consumption. On the one hand, high labour supply and limited financial resources of businesses prevent more rapid wage growth. Nevertheless, raising the minimum wage, increasing the wages of medical and teaching staff, short-term Covid-19 related bonuses for medical staff and one-off support payments supplementing the financial well-being of selected population groups also stimulate consumption. The rapid public consumption growth seen this year is related to the increased fiscal support for softening the crisis impact," LB added.
"Investment decisions will be supported by the improving economic sentiment, as well as the financing of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) of the European Union (EU) will become available gradually. Export growth is estimated to move closely to the development of external demand, with Latvia's trade partners having addressed the crisis with smaller losses than the EU average last year and their economies rebounding from a better start position this year. Exports of goods registered growth already in the second half of 2020, and sentiment improvement will also gradually restore the flows of services hit by the restrictions. With the external and particularly the domestic demand improving, imports of goods and services will also see accelerated growth, and the foreign trade and current account balances will become negative," it predicted.
Predicted inflation is also now expected to be stronger than previously with December's forecast of 1.1% inflation for 2021 increased to 1.8% in the new forecast, with annual inflation to tick up again in 2022 to 2.2%.
"February is likely to have been the last of the most recent months with consumer price deflation. Latvijas Banka's inflation forecast for 2021 has been revised upwards to 1.8%. This was mainly supported by the rising global commodity prices and service prices on account of pent-up consumption and higher per customer costs caused by the social distancing measures, as well as by the significant increase in the minimum wage implemented at the beginning of this year. Although neither the producer and import price developments nor the inflation expectations of businesses and consumers allow to project a steep rise in inflation, annual inflation could temporarily approach the presently rarely seen level of 3% in some episodes of 2021," LB said.
However, all predictions come with the caveat that much will depend upon the course of the Covid-19 pandemic and the effectiveness of current vaccines against any new strains of the virus than may emerge.
Esam koriģējuši Latvijas IKP un inflācijas prognozes 2021. gadam. pic.twitter.com/7mfEubG75A— Latvijas Banka (@LatvijasBanka) March 30, 2021


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Firefox is the last remaining browser with its own rendering engine, giving it an important role in keeping the internet open and standardized. Following the release of a completely rewritten and redesigned version of the browser on Android, Mozilla has been sticking to regular release schedules over the last year, and that's not changing with the latest version, Firefox 88, either. The new release is now rolling out via the Play Store, but you can also get it from APK Mirror straight away.
Google has just released Chrome 90 to the stable channel. There aren't too many UI changes or new features for us regular folks on the surface, but under the hood, Google has added a whole slew of improvements that you'll certainly notice over time. You'll get enhancements to copy-and-paste, better AR models, and support for a new codec that uses less bandwidth during video conferences.
Google has released the latest version of Chrome, 90, to the stable channel. It's starting to roll out via the Play Store and via your desktop browser's built-in update tool right now, but if you're particularly impatient to get your hands on the newest release as soon as possible, we've got you covered. You can download Chrome 90 from our sister site APK Mirror (and don't forget to install the corresponding Trichrome library if you have a phone running Android 10 or higher).
In case you haven't heard, everyone likes stories now. Sure, maybe you don't, but judging by how many apps now carry them as a feature, you're on your own. Everyone from Spotify to Pinterest to Twitter has shown interest in stories in the last few months, to say nothing of old standbys like Snapchat and Instagram. Venmo, the PayPal-owned payment platform that pulls double-duty as a mini social network, has decided to get in on the fun, but not really in the way you might expect.
Last week, Google finally made it possible to bring third-party navigation apps to Android Auto without requiring a beta version. The company promoted a list of new driving services coming alongside the change, including TomTom AmiGo. If you're looking to switch away from Google Maps or Waze, a new update to AmiGo adds Android Auto support to display on your car's infotainment system.
Over the last couple of years, Google has delivered a bunch of features for keeping your health, safety, and wellness in check as part of Digital Wellbeing. The tool originally designed to limit the time you spend on your phone is now picking up another capability that will warn you if you use your phone while walking.
Most Android devices (at least those that are decidedly not made by Huawei) come equipped with the Google Play Store. Sure, there are notable outliers, like Amazon Fire tablets, which are somewhat locked into Amazon's parallel app ecosystem, but those are the exceptions that prove the rule. While other device vendors and mobile carriers have historically offered their own app stores, there's also a carrier/network independent distribution system for Android apps: Say hello to F-Droid, the free and open alternative to commercial app stores.
Google is relentless in putting all but its most successful ventures out to pasture — it's one of our least favorite things about the company. Only a week has passed since the imminent removal of its Wifi app was scheduled for June, and already, Google is back for more. This time, the search giant has set its sights on Google Shopping, as the company plans to shut down its dedicated mobile app within the next few weeks.


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AKQA beat out Moxie, R/GA, SapientNitro, and others.
AKQA has won the Verizon Wireless digital marketing account, which has been in review since January. AKQA said its duties will also include digital assignments such as e-commerce, business-to-business, mobile interface design and in-store digital experiences.
According to an AdAge story, the account is worth $10 million, and AKQA beat SapientNitro, Publicis Groupe's Denuo, Interpublic's Huge, and incumbents R/GA and Moxie.
R/GA will continue to perform digital marketing for Verizon property Fios, according to the article. A Moxie spokeswoman told ClickZ Friday that the Atlanta-based agency will continue to work with Verizon on social, B2B, value, eCRM, and media segments.*
The competitive agency review suggests that Verizon, one of the biggest U.S. advertisers across media, deems digital marketing to be worth the same kind of scrutiny that it gives traditional channels. The brand's certainly been active in emerging media. As one example, for both the Verizon and Verizon Wireless brands, the New York-based company has repeatedly purchased Twitter's Promoted Trends to push new products or services. Twitter says it charges $120,000 per day for the ad unit.
AKQA said it will lean on its New York office to handle the account. And for the second year in a row, the 11-year-old digital shop is hiring 100 new staffers, entailing technologists, strategists, and creatives. The new staff will be based in its three U.S. offices, including San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
*This article has been updated; a previous version did not include Moxie's statement about its role in future campaigns.
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Christopher Heine was a senior writer for ClickZ through June 2012. He covered social media, sports/entertainment marketing, retail, and more. Heine's work has also appeared via Mashable, Brandweek, DM News, MarketingSherpa, and other tech- and ad-centric publications. USA Today, Bloomberg Radio, and The Los Angeles Times have cited him as an expert journalist.
Hong Kong, May 5-6, 2015
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May 6, 2015
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LONDON — Could Net-a-porter Group be on the block once again, a little more than three years after Compagnie Financière Richemont purchased it?
On Wednesday, Yoox.com denied it was in talks with Richemont about a merger with, or acquisition of, Net-a-porter. It was seeking to quash reports in the Italian press that a deal was in the works.
However, earlier this year, Yoox was indeed in talks to acquire Net-a-porter as part of its efforts to expand the business, according to industry sources.
Federico Marchetti, the founder and chief executive officer of Yoox, which is quoted on the Milan Stock Exchange and has a market capitalization of 1.43 billion euros, or $1.94 billion at current exchange, reiterated later in the day that no talks were currently taking place.
He told WWD on Wednesday: “Yoox is a global brand and as such it obviously grows not only through internal lines, but it often examines dossiers about possible acquisitions. As I have already said, at the moment there are no negotiations taking place with Richemont.”
Although Yoox has a full-price business and operates e-commerce sites for a slew of brands including Emporio Armani, Valentino and Jil Sander, its core offer is past seasons’ designer goods. Net-a-porter, with its full-price luxury merchandise for women as well as its Mr Porter site for men, would have rounded out the Yoox picture.
Talks between the two companies broke down — industry sources said Net-a-porter’s founder and executive chairman Natalie Massenet didn’t want to sell to Yoox — although speculation persists that the London-based e-tailer is for sale.
Spokesmen for Richemont and Net-a-porter declined to comment Wednesday.
As reported last month, Richemont has quietly put Lancel up for sale, and hired Nomura to find a buyer. Earlier this year, Richemont founder and chairman Johann Rupert, who is currently on a year’s sabbatical, told analysts that the company needed to “cull” its bad investments quicker, although he did not give any specifics.
In the spring of 2010, Richemont acquired the shares that it did not already own in Net-a-porter in a deal valuing the luxury retailer at 350 million pounds, or $532 million at current exchange.
While Net-a-porter was by no means a bad investment — industry observers speculate that Richemont could flip the Web site today for three times that figure — it is a rapidly growing company, and e-commerce is far from Richemont’s core business.
It is also rapidly expanding into new businesses in the editorial and social media space: Last month, Net-a-porter revealed the launch of The Netbook, a new mobile app to create a social network of users sharing their favorite products on the site.
In February, the site will launch Porter, a consumer title to be published six times a year, and have a global distribution at newsstands and via subscription. Its pages will be transactional via mobile phone and via an app, built in-house. Content is being produced by a dedicated team, with contributions from Net-a-porter’s free, weekly online magazine, The Edit.
Richemont does not break out Net-a-porter’s sales, but in its latest five-month trading update, the luxury group said the e-tailer notched double-digit growth in the first five months of the current fiscal year.
According to the latest figures filed at Companies House, the official register of businesses in the U.K., in the year to March 31, 2012, Net-a-porter Group posted turnover of 368.1 million, or $589 million at average exchange for the 12 months, and losses of 15.8 million, or $25.3 million.


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PlayStation is buying Destiny studio Bungie
Fresh off the heels of Xbox’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, PlayStation has announced its own acquisition: Destiny studio Bungie.
According to an announcement from Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan, “Bungie will remain an independent and multi-platform studio and publisher.” That being said, PlayStation is “excited about the opportunities for synergies and collaboration between” Bungie and PlayStation Studios.
That sounds like Destiny 2 and subsequent Destiny releases will remain on Xbox and PC for now. Bungie CEO Pete Parsons said in a statement that Bungie’s games “will continue to be where our community is, wherever they choose to play.” Likewise, Ryan stated that “Bungie’s world-class expertise in multi-platform development and live game services will help us deliver on our vision of expanding PlayStation to hundreds of millions of gamers.”
That being said, it’s hard to believe that Sony won’t want a PlayStation exclusive Bungie game. Bloomberg has reported the acquisition deal costing Sony $3.6 billion, and you don’t throw down that kind of dough without getting something exclusive out of it.
However, one way that Sony could capitalize is by looking outside of the gaming sphere and expanding Destiny into TV and movies. Parsons said that “Sony believes that game worlds are only the beginning of what our IPs can become” and that this is the first step to Bungie becoming a “global multi-media entertainment company.”
Sony might also not be done buying studios. GamesIndustry.biz’s Christopher Dring tweeted that Ryan “told me ‘we should expect more’ when it comes to further PlayStation acquisitions.”
Amidst all that, Destiny 2 is still launching its next major expansion very soon. The Witch Queen launches on February 22nd for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia.