text:
Writer James McCulloch & artist Johnny Cannon put their indie heads together to co-create a brand new title featuring some classic horror characters for Transylvanian Knights and after a strong Kickstarter campaign the first issue became a reality.
The world of indie anthologies seems to be a fairly divisive thing for the wider comic audience with a short peak at a story not always being seen as value for money but Comichaus are aiming to change that with their latest release which just hit its third issue.
I hadn’t really consider myself to be a horror fan until the likes of City of Lost Souls and a few other indie release managed to convince me otherwise and getting an early look at #4 is a perk of this comic reviewing gig.
Kid Monkey is the latest release from comic creating machine James McCulloch and it’s a change of direction from his usual horror themed antics.
James McCulloch has already proven that horror is the genre he’s inspired to write with the likes of City of Lost Souls or The Grime already being a part of his gruesome creations. Things have gotten significantly darker with his latest title though as he teams up with artist Pedro Mendes to bring the first issue of the three part story Little Girl Black.
James McCulloch (City of Lost Souls), Tom Ward (Merrick: The Elephant Man) & Chris Welsh (Wart) put their collective heads together and got a team assembled for new release The Grime #1, the first in a horror anthology that not only offers a new series of horror comic tales but also the chance for new talent to flex their creative muscles.
George Lennox broadens the creative team for issue #2 of Horror Show as he brings us another three tales that aim to disturb & surprise.


text:
ComScore released a report on mobile market in the U.S. in May. Apple mobile platform managed to buck the trend of the previous month, the iOS somewhat increased its presence in the intervening period. Android and Windows Phone platforms, this time remained unchanged.
According to statistics from comScore, at the end of May, 169 million smartphones use of the U.S. population, which is 4% more than in February this year. Analysts believe that the increase was due to iPhone, which in the United States is in demand.
Apple continues to be the largest smartphones producer in the U.S., the share of the Californian giant falls in 41.9% of deliveries (0.6% for the reporting period). Second place is the main competitor, Samsung with a share of 27.8% (+0.8%). The top five also includes LG, Motorola and HTC.
U.S. mobile market leading operating system Android is occupied 52.1%. Next comes the iOS with a value of 41.9% over the period which grew by 0.6%. Windows Phone remained with the value just 3.4%, while the share of Blackberry and Symbian continues to strive for zero. Approximately the same results as a percentage shown earlier reports of other companies, with some deviations in absolute values.
ComScore also affected the balance of power in the market for mobile applications. According to the research, Facebook in September acquired 76.4% of mobile devices on iOS and Android. Following are Google Play and YouTube with indicators 51.8% and 51.7%, respectively.

domain: news


text:
The Jackbox Party Pack is now on Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. In addition to this release, the Jackbox Games people would like to wish you a happyLast Post By: K-16 12-23-2014, 04:26 PM
Wargaming announced today that new tanks, maps, and personal missions will be coming in update 9.5 for World of Tanks.
Rockstar Games released an update today for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on iOS devices. In addition, they made the game available for the firstLast Post By: Shawn Zipay 12-19-2014, 12:30 AM


text:
Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson believes Microsoft and Nintendo will release new home consoles by 2010, the year he says will likely mark the end of the PSP and DS cycles.
In an investor note issued to GameSpot, Wilson said it is unlikely that Microsoft or Nintendo will attempt to extend the traditional five year console cycle in this generation.
"We believe that peak industry sales will occur in 2010, given that Microsoft will likely introduce its next console that year and Nintendo will likely launch before then," he said.
"Further, 2010 is also likely to coincide with the end of the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP cycles."
In November 2007 Wilson claimed Nintendo had already finished work on a successor to the DS Lite, although he added that he didn't expect the firm to release a new handheld until sales of its current system began to tail off in all three major markets.
Wilson also said that publisher EA's future prospects were good, although he doesn't expect the Madden house to meet its ambitious fiscal year 2011 targets.
"EA has given us the best case yet that it has overcome its addiction to spiking development costs, game delays, poor game quality, and lackluster innovation," said Wilson.
"While we have issues with the likelihood that EA will hit its fiscal year 2011 targets, it has a very strong slate in fiscal year 2009 and has every opportunity to gain back market share.
Courtesy of Next Generation.
Feb 14, 2008


text:
ICICI Bank intends to expand its retail loan disbursement by 30 percent in Karnataka during 2019-20, according to Anup Bagchi, Executive Director of the bank.
Attending to presspersons in Mangaluru on Thursday, Bagchi said retail consumer Loans have actually observed substantial growth in Karnataka over the last few years.
Robust growthSpecifying that there has been durable growth in the economy of the State, he claimed the bank sees the capacity of raising retail loan disbursement in Karnataka by 30 percent to 13,700 crores throughout 2019-20.
Bagchi claimed personal and auto finance is observing an increase within the customer loan portfolio.
“We have actually seen an excellent uptick in tier-2 towns such as Hubballi, Belagavi, Kolar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Davanagere, Shivamogga, and also Mangaluru for personal fundings from both salaried courses along with independent individuals.
Within the individual loan profile, we are likewise experiencing significant grip in business loans from the independent section as they like short-term accessibility to credit,” he stated.
The demand for automobile finances in tier-2 and tier-3 towns has been growing rapidly, and also the bank’s focus will certainly be to touch the potential in cities such as Mysuru, Mangaluru, Udupi, Dharwad-Hubballi, Tumakuru, and Belagavi, he said.
On the depression in the automobile market, he claimed there has been a great development in the loan dispensation in the used-car segment.
On mortgage disbursement in the State, he claimed the bank has adopted a multi-pronged strategy on the affordable housing sector to drive growth in this segment.


text:
Mercedes Launches Its First Electric SUV To Production In Mid-2019
The Mercedes-Benz EQC becomes closer to series production. The carmaker plans to fully start the assemblage of its first electric SUV in the middle of next year.
The company has already revealed the new model, which joined the electromobile race. The assembly line is being prepared and tested now. Technicians are adjusting the conveyor, optimizing the production process and fixing the flaws.
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC (pictured) will go to mass production in mid-2019.
We suppose, Daimler hurried somewhat with the premiere of the EQC SUV. A lot of time remains before its production start.
Of course, the automaker did not want to keep up with the Audi e-tron quattro already put on the conveyor. Though Audi had to temporarily stop production due to some problems.
The Big German Three will probably align in their schedules in future. Now Mercedes-Benz is engaged in hire of new employees for Deutsche Accumotive (subsidiary of battery manufacturing) to double the staff to about 1,000 people. This is about the factory in German Kamenz.
The batteries for the EQC and later for other EVs of the brand will be produced at eight plants in total: five in Germany and one in each country – USA, China, Thailand.


text:
From animal shows to posed photos or staged cultural visits — four in 10 Americans (39 percent) suffer “travel guilt” after taking a trip they now worry may have been unethical.
A new study examining the rise of responsible tourism found many have an activity they’ve done in the past they would not do again in hindsight.
In fact, ninety-one percent of international travelers say it’s important for their trips to be ethical, according to new research.
Taking an ethical trip involves learning about the culture (63 percent), learning simple phrases in the language (56 percent) and buying souvenirs from local merchants (56 percent).
Additionally, travelers report respecting monuments (54 percent) and supporting local businesses (44 percent) as part of their commitment to responsible tourism.
The survey of 2,000 internationally-traveling Americans (who have been outside of North American and the Caribbean in last three years) found that ethical travel is on the rise.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Exodus Travels, results show that 78 percent consider themselves to be more ethically-conscious travelers than they were a decade ago.
But the survey found that when reflecting on previous trips, a wide range of activities cause travelers to experience “travel guilt.”
Respondents include riding on elephants (18 percent), swimming with dolphins (19 percent) and posing for photographs with captive wildlife (21 percent) on their list of unethical activities they wouldn’t do again.
To make amends, 67 percent of respondents now research a destination and the activities offered before traveling — with six hours found to be the average time spent researching before a trip.
Travelers say they’ve become more ethical as a result of their own research (61 percent), increased concern for the environment (60 percent) and social media (55 percent).
This is in addition to seeing news coverage (52 percent) and watching documentaries like “Blackfish” (52 percent).
And 74 percent of respondents worry whether their tourism dollars are going to the right place, which may be why it’s important to the majority (56 percent) of respondents that when taking a guided tour, the company uses local tour guides.
Additionally, respondents want tour companies to have responsible wildlife policies (57 percent) and have a policy on ethical tourism (52 percent).
Seventy percent report often researching a company’s ethical tourism policy before signing up for a tour.
To guarantee an ethically-responsible trip, the average respondent would be willing to pay 33 percent more for the trip.
“When it comes to traveling ethically, booking with a company that actively prioritizes responsible travel practices — offering reusable water bottles over single-use plastics, hiring local guides to support local communities and practice hands-off wildlife policies, for example — is so important,” says Tom Harari, Manager, Responsible Tourism, Product & Commercial for Exodus.
“These may seem like little things to the average adventurer, but it’s the little choices, like traveling with a tour company that cares about people, the planet and the creatures we share the world with that can have big benefits — like empowering communities, preserving fragile ecosystems and ensuring our favorite spots on the planet are actually around for years to come.”
Another thing ethically-conscious travelers are doing is taking trips led by female guides (61 percent), who respondents report being “more detailed,” giving tours “filled with more relevant facts” and being “more careful and ethical with the environment” than their male counterparts.
Seventy-two percent of respondents are more likely to travel with a company that actively champions for women’s rights and equality.
“We all know that when given the chance, women can help lift up economies and only by working together can we create global change,” says Robin Brooks, Exodus Travels’ Marketing & PR Manager.
“It’s so important that our travels support and give power to women, who can often sustain entire families in developing destinations with their work as well as inspire future generations of girls,” says Brooks.
“It’s actually very simple — opt to travel with a tour company which actively works to elevate, educate and empower females in countries where tourism is predominantly a male-dominated profession — whether it’s by providing training and teaching for higher-paying jobs or partnering with female-owned organizations and businesses.
“The more travelers share and support women’s rights’ messaging while abroad, the better the future of travel will be for all of us.”
Common ethical practices when traveling abroad
|Learning about the local culture||63%|
|Learning simple phrases in the local language||56%|
|Buying souvenirs from local merchants||56%|
|Respect local monuments/follow the outlined rules||54%|
|Support local businesses instead of large chains||44%|
|Ask before taking photographs||43%|
|Try to minimize my plastic water bottle use||36%|
|Give beggars food and/or water instead of money||33%|
|Try to minimize my plastic straw use||31%|
|Follow the “leave no trace” principle||30%|


text:
Product Briefs Azione UnlimitedBuying GroupControl and AutomationLightingLighting Controllighting fixtureLuminii HOMSmart Home
The national buying group Azione Unlimited, has announced the addition of Luminii to its vendor lineup. This strategic partnership underscores Azione Unlimited‘s commitment to providing members with access to a variety of lighting solutions and
Feb 23, 2024
Article 2024 Integration Trends8KArtificial IntelligenceCybersecurityLighting ControlLighting DesignLive Sports StreamingStreamingStreaming MediaTrends
What can CE Pros expect to see in the home technology market this year? The editors at CE Pro sit down with some experts to gauge the biggest market trends.
Feb 14, 2024
Article AiSPiRE|WAC LightingControl and AutomationLightapalooza 2024Lighting ControlLighting Designlighting fixturesOutdoor LightingSmart HomeWAC LightingWellness
WAC's new Colorscaping line of outdoor lighting products can be used in number of ways to highlight architectural and outdoor entertainment gatherings.
Feb 13, 2024
The commercial and residential lighting manufacturer, Environmental Lights, has announced its new Dual-Mode Universal Dimming Drivers. The San Diego-based company says its latest product solution are designed to serve as versatile power supplies. The


text:
Bar Game Center is a revolutionary new digital gaming system that’s designed exclusively for bar
operators. Patrons can compete against each other in games like Sit & Go poker tournaments, trivia, and
more, by simply downloading the Bar Game Center app and showing up at their favorite bar that has the
system in place!
There’s no need to purchase expensive equipment that occupies precious floor space at your bar, as the
Bar Game Center system allows players to participate right from their phones after downloading the
app. The system allows your customers to come to the bar anytime and play as the please, or you can
also organize weekly/monthly special events to increase revenue at the bar.
In this app you can setup a Bar Game Center at your establishment and enjoy the product
BarRestaurantSuccess.com Nick Fosberg here with another episode of Bar Restaurant Success. Let me ask you this, do you ever have ideas that pop ...
OWNER BAR App Video Statistics
OWNER BAR Reviews (0)
@holy_schnitt: spring is the worst season because you can’t really wear your winter clothes and you can’t really wear your summer clothe…
@J_WashingtonSC: 📣MAJOR NEWS: I.S. Leevy Johnson, the first Black South Carolina Representative elected to the State House since Reconst…
@SaumyaChaubey4: Aaj ek bar phir bade dukh k sath kahna pad raha hai ki mai ek bar phir es up Gov se lachar aur bebash hu.....mujhe pahl…
Alls well that ends well. But if your life ends with a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick, all is not well.
Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.
OWNER BAR Wiki
OWNER BAR app wiki coming soon. Restaurant (Industry), Bar (Industry), Iphone, Mobile Application Software (Industry),
OWNER BAR App News
- Is It Illegal to Refuse to Vaccinate Your Kid In New York? This Court Says Yes - Amidst a major measles outbreak in New York and other areas across the country, five unnamed mothers sued New York City to bar the municipality from requiring people to have measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. But a Brooklyn judge has upheld the mandate. Read …
- Bowers & Wilkins' New Alien-Looking Wifi Speakers Aim to Take on Sonos With High-Resolution Ambitions - Bowers & Wilkins got a new Silicon Valley-based parent company three years ago, and now, the classic British audio brand has a new line of premium wireless speakers. The new Formation Suite starts at $900 for a very alien-looking thing called the Wedge an…
- Stuff Elon Musk Said About Tesla Autonomous Cars on Monday, Ranked - On Monday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk spoke at a company investor day focused on autonomy, relaying news that Tesla had switched to a self-driving computer designed by in-house engineers and dropping some big promises about what, exactly, the future of its Autopilot…
- 14 Officers Indicted on Assault or Cover-Up Charges in Beating of Black Men - Nathan Bill’s Bar & Restaurant in Springfield, Mass. Six off-duty police officers and the bar’s owner are accused of assaulting four African-American patrons down the street from the bar.


text:
Although we’re familiar with the ill effects of artificial sweeteners, a study recently shed light on the frightening link between zero-calorie artificial sweeteners to diabetes and obesity. And to make matters worse, another study revealed that daily diet soda drinkers grow about two-and-a-half more inches of belly fat each decade than those who don’t drink the stuff. In fact, analysts tie the soda giant’s debut of the millennial-driven flavored Diet Coke cans to the recent sales surge. Diet sodas also harm the immune system because their acidity causes havoc with our gut bacteria. And the phosphoric acid that’s present in many cans has been shown to leach calcium from our bones. While every diet soda is bad for you, some are clearly worse than others. The team at Eat This, Not That!
Sometimes you want something a bit more pizazzy than water — like a diet soda. But if you have a rare hereditary disorder known as phenylketonuria PKU, you need to limit your intake of phenylalanine, found in aspartame. For this, and other reasons, you may want a diet soda without aspartame. Don’t worry.
Diet decadent drinks without the guilt, don’t miss this list of the best carbs that uncover your abs! Advocates drinks drinks employing these sweeteners have a wha natural sugar-like taste than those made just with aspartame, and sweetener? not have sweetener? strong aftertaste. I have got it from Kroger many times. I wish there was a caffeine free version. I was getting rashes that itched like mad. Diet Beltz on Wha 16, at am. I too only recently realized Contain had gone back to aspartame. Dorcas Morris on June 18, contain pm. My wife has suffered bad headaches lately.
Shelly Wilson on May 14, sweetener? pm. Bywha alcohol contain had released sugar-free or “diet” alcoholic products too. Drinks it’s not necessarily sweetener?, let diet repeat: you’re drinking oil and dket, sold to you by Contain. Thanks for the heads up! While the flavors sound nothing but fun and fruity, their drinks lists are chock-full-of additives we disapprove of. Some diet sodas contain aspartame. Diet Shasta has now been added to the list. L Wha on January 4, diet pm. By keto diet ground beef vs steak, some beverage companies had diversified to include such flavors as vanilla and lemon among their products and diet drinks were soon being produced with those flavors as well see Diet Vanilla Coke, Diet Pepsi Vanilla. Some as big as a dime.
Yet it’s still filled with artificial sweetener. And insufficient sleep opens the door to colds, upper respiratory infections and other ills. No question! According comments swetener?, several people have also experience joint pain because of the Aspartame.


text:
(July 1, 2:27 p.m.) Private investment firm Sun Capital Partners Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., has purchased Placentia, Calif.-based Sunrise Growers Inc., which is primarily known for its frozen strawberries, but also ships fresh berries.
Ed Haft, Sunrise president and chief executive officer, said the company’s high-volume dedicated supply of fresh strawberries attracted Sun Capital Partners. The company ships 7 million trays of fresh strawberries and 130 million pounds of frozen strawberries annually.
“Not a lot of people have the ability to be in fresh and frozen,” Haft said. “In terms of supply for both sides of the business, we have more control than just being a broker or shipper.”
The acquisition was finalized June 24. Terms were not disclosed.
Sunrise, along with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is the leading supplier of frozen strawberries and in the top six fresh strawberry suppliers, Haft said. It also grows and distributes fresh red bell peppers.
The company distributes fresh berries to foodservice and retailers primarily in the U.S. and Canada, and exports a small amount to Japan under its own brands as well as private label programs, Haft said.
Haft said the present management would stay in place.
“We are now part of their portfolio, and (Sun Capital Partners) hold(s) the existing management team responsible for moving the business in the right direction,” he said. “They have vast economic resources, and that allows us to expand or accelerate our strategies faster than we might have on our own.”
He said the company’s management has told Sun Capital what it would like to do and that the investment company is supportive of the strategies.
“Our previous owner, Heritage Partners, was not in a position to continue to support our growth,” he said. “We were very fortunate to align with Sun Capital. The availability of funds will make it easier to execute initiatives, whether it be expanding our land base or adding new products.”
He said the company would remain an independent operation as a privately held company within Sun Capital.
Sunrise has focused on growing strawberries and red peppers in California for more than 10 years. Haft said the company has been expanding its fresh program 10% to15% annually.
“Strawberries are the predominant part of our fresh program,” he said. “We grow in Orange County, Oxnard, Santa Maria and Salinas-Watsonville areas.”
He said the company has been seeing a steady expansion in demand for strawberries.
“This is a crop that consumers once thought of as seasonal, but now we’re offering it pretty much 12 months a year,” he said. “On the fresh side, we’ve seen a consistent demand growth of about 7% year-in and year-out. As more people come to understand that you can get great tasting berries from California all year long, we’ll continue to expand.”
He said with the availability of cash the company hopes to improve its grower operations, yields and quality in its fresh packs and strengthen it vertical integration, which would include controlling every aspect of their operation from choosing nursery stocks through distribution to retailers and the foodservice operators.
Calls to Sun Capital Partners were not returned.


text:
Bitcoin ATM firm RoboCoin said integrating biometrics slowed down customer enrollment
Bitcoin ATM provider RoboCoin believes that implementing biometric technology is far more work than its worth, according to a report by Payments Source.
In August 2013, RoboCoin began accepting pre-orders for its bidirectional (cash in/cash out) Bitcoin ATM, which it claimed were more secure than competing machines as a result of its built-in palm identification system.
But RoboCoin would soon learn that the biometric authentication technology, while impressive, significantly slowed down the enrollment and transaction process.
“Launching with [biometrics] was cool, removing it was even better,” said RoboCoin CEO Jordan Kelley. “It was not a cheap investment but we learned … a lot about biometrics, customer security and customer enrollment. And we set an interesting precedent for Bitcoin.”
Kelly said the company spent “tens of thousands of dollars” on the project and an additional “hundreds of thousands” on related efforts in integrating biometrics into its ATM hardware.
Since eliminating the technology from its machines, Kelly said that customers are now able to enroll and perform transactions in less than a minute.
Users now only need to enter in their phone number at the machine, which will prompt the system to send them a verification code via text message for them to enter alongside a personal PIN. In addition, all new users will be asked to take a picture of their photo ID and face.
Aside from slowing down customer enrollment, RoboCoin was also concerned about the scalability of biometrics.
“When we’re thinking about other products and other verticals, having to be pigeon-holed into using only machines with biometrics was going to be difficult,” said Kelly, adding that RoboCoin may focus solely on software in the future, and eliminating biometrics allows the company to be “one more step removed from hardware.”
Still, Kelly has not completely ruled out the use of biometric systems for RoboCoin. He said the company is “always excited about the idea of biometrics for wallet authentication,” and is also interested in doing some “cool stuff” with Touch ID once RoboCoin launches its iOS app in the not-so-distant future.


text:
In its bid to take on Steam with the Epic Games Store, the company behind Fortnite is burning through hundreds of millions of dollars on exclusives and free games.
The Epic Games Store releases free games every week, and has snapped up a number of eye-catching PC launch exclusives since it went live in December 2018.
Of course, it's expected that providing so many free games and timed exclusives would cost Epic cold hard cash - but the sheer numbers at play are eye-watering, and it's all spent at a loss.
Court documents published this week as part of Epic's high-profile legal battle against Apple reveal Epic committed $444m in minimum guarantees for 2020 alone.
A minimum guarantee is an advance paid to a publisher or developer whether or not the game itself makes enough money to claw the advance back. An example is the €9.49m 505 parent company Digital Bros received from Epic for PC exclusivity for Remedy's Control.
It's a huge amount of money to pay out to developers for minimum guarantees last year, but it's something moneybags Epic is willing to do in order to take on Steam and its 30 per cent cut of revenue.
As Epic boss Tim Sweeney said in June 2019: "We believe exclusives are the only strategy that will change the 70/30 status quo at a large enough scale to permanently affect the whole game industry."
According to Apple's summary of the arguments it's bringing to court next month, and citing depositions from Epic executives, the Epic Games Store is unprofitable. Apple contends it "will not be profitable for at least multiple years, if ever".
Apple's filing reveals Epic lost around $181m on the Epic Games Store in 2019, and it projected to lose around $273m on the store in 2020. Even with "significant" growth, revenue for last year was projected at $401m. Epic has confirmed $700m was spent by PC players on the Epic Games Store in 2020, although only $265m of that was spent by players on third-party PC games in the Epic Games Store. So its $444m in minimum guarantees for 2020 alone is a big loss-leader.
Apparently Epic has admitted this trend will continue in the immediate future, and Epic projects to lose around $139m on the Epic Games Store in 2021. These are all "unrecouped costs" resulting from Epic's attempt to grow the Epic Games Store. That includes at least $330m in unrecouped costs from minimum guarantees alone. Ouch. That's a lot of games that missed their minimum sales target.
Here's the bombshell: "at best, Epic does not expect EGS to have a cumulative gross profit before 2027." Then: "As a result, Epic has funded, and must continue to fund, EGS through funding and capital raised by other parts of its business, which have been 'incredibly profitable' for 'several years'." That'll be Fortnite, then.
Epic has had its say on these points, of course. In its response, the company said it expects the Epic Games Store to become profitable by 2023 - four years earlier than Apple's claim.
"EGS is not yet profitable at its current scale and stage of development because it has front-loaded its marketing and user-acquisition costs to gain market share," the filing reads.
"EGS's 12 per cent transaction fee is sufficient to cover the variable costs of running EGS, including payment processing, customer service and bandwidth."
Ultimately, the points about the Epic Games Store's profitability are a minor part of a sweeping court case that has broader strokes. Epic is after Apple because it claims the company monopolises the iOS app distribution market and the iOS in-app payment solutions market within its iOS ecosystem.
Apple is putting all it can into protecting the way it operates the App Store - and of course its cut of revenue. But it's also framing Epic's legal battle as a nefarious attempt to revive interest in Fortnite.
In its filing, Apple claims that between 2018 and 2019, Fortnite's average monthly active users and revenues declined. There's a lot of redacted information here, so we don't know the exact numbers. But, according to Apple, Epic launched a "pre-planned media strategy" called "Project Liberty", retaining a public relations firm in 2019 to execute its plan.
"These trends were consistent with Epic's observations that gamers were growing dissatisfied with Fortnite," reads the filing.
"The company understood that Fortnite was late in the video-game life cycle. And it took note internally when "#RIPFornite" was trending on Twitter. Epic knew these trends were not a blip; the company expected the declining interest and revenue to continue.
"As a later board presentation revealed, Epic coalesced around a goal: to revive and reinvigorate Fortnite by turning it out to developers to create new content. This would make Fortnite a platform and Epic the middleman. But in order for this new business model to succeed, Epic needed to find a way to cut the commissions charged by platform providers so Epic could 'share a majority of profit with creators'. According to Epic, 'Platform Fees' posed 'an Existential Issue' to the company's plans for Fortnite."
The result of all this: Project Liberty.
Epic denies all this, of course, which you can read about in its response. Epic vs Apple goes to trial in May.


text:
Year 2013 really is and will continue to be a turning point in the history of home consoles. For all video game lovers, Xbox and PlayStation are two very big and popular products in history of gaming. Both these consoles are getting an upgrade this year. Microsoft announced Xbox One, followed by Sony with the announcement of the new PS4. However, apart from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, what choices do we have exactly?
Until last year, a gaming device, either a console, or a handheld, meant choosing from Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, or Nintendo Wii and DS. But starting this year, thanks to crowdfunding, we are seeing various alternative gaming consoles, with promising features at a cheaper price.


text:
Home' Technology Review : March April 2013 Contents 44
50 DISRUPTIVE COMPANIES 2013
MIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
gain enough mass to become a viable distribution channel, an
alternative to traditional cable TV,” suggests onetime Macin-
tosh executive Gassée, now a general partner at the venture firm
Allegis Capital. “When this happens, someone will crack.” That
is, a cable channel such as ESPN will offer its must-have sports
coverage on Apple TV, and others will feel forced to follow—thus
paving the way for a credible Apple television.
Apple has also explored building a cable set-top box—possi-
bly a souped-up Apple TV using a CableCard, a small card that
plugs into a DVR or other TV device and allows subscribers to
view cable channels without a separate box. Although it would be
working within the current cable industry model, Apple would
provide a more intuitive interface, like the iPad’s, and users would
be able to watch live and on-demand shows through an Internet-
based DVR service.
This might work. Comcast and Time Warner Cable execu-
tives have said they’re open to new program guide interfaces
from Apple and other companies so long as cable subscribers
keep paying them. Cable subscribers could be “authenticated”
through Apple’s set-top box, or eventually a TV, to prove they’re
subscribers—a system like the one HBO uses, for example, with
the HBO Go app that streams
its shows to mobile devices.
But Apple may not have
time to wait for them to deal.
Competition from Google
(which is experimenting with
a pay TV and Internet ser-
vice in Kansas City), Amazon
(which has a streaming video
service and plans to produce
original series), or Microsoft
(whose Xbox gaming console
is as much a video delivery device as a game machine) may force
Apple to stake out territory in the living room more forcefully,
and soon. Maybe, just maybe, a sleek Apple-designed flat screen,
combined with a more elegant user interface, iPads serving as
slick remotes, Apple’s existing iTunes library, and shows from
outside services such as Netflix and Hulu, would be compelling
enough for consumers while Eddy Cue keeps doing lunch in Hol-
lywood. “The reality from a consumer standpoint,” says Piper
Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, is that Apple “needs to revolution-
ize the interface and the design” before it can reorganize TV con-
tent. Munster expects to see an Apple television this November,
at least two years after he initially predicted. “We don’t need a
nuclear event around content for an Apple television to be suc-
cessful,” he says.
It’s worth noting that with its iPads and iPhones, Apple is
already selling the TV screen of choice for a rising number of
peripatetic viewers. You can’t use these devices to watch every-
thing you get on cable, but TV apps offer shows from CBS and
HBO, some free, plus live baseball games and other program-
ming. More than half of tablet owners under 35 watch TV on
them at least weekly, according to a survey in August by the
consulting firm Altman Vilandrie.
In other words, don’t just think of an Apple TV as the big
screen in the living room, or else you might miss where Apple
really envisions the 75-year-old medium going next: everywhere.
“Whatever it is, it’s not going to be just on that big box,” says
Jeremy Toeman, CEO of Dijit, developer of the TV program-
ming guide app NextGuide. Before long, he says, “everything
you have with a screen will become a television set.” Jobs may
have “cracked” television, but Apple could blow it wide open.
Robert D. Hof, a former Silicon Valley bureau chief for
BusinessWeek, wrote about Google TV in January/February 2011.
business and knew
the players, and
even he struggled
to persuade TV
COMPUTING & COMMUNICATIONS
PRIVATE | FOUNDED: 2005
Threatening the likes of Cisco
by using a compression tech-
nology to enable high-def video
conferencing on smartphones.
PUBLIC | FOUNDED: 1906
Automating urban services. A
Xerox system in Los Angeles
changes the price of parking
spots as demand fluctuates.
PUBLIC | FOUNDED: 1998
Making cloud services more
powerful with software-defined
networking, a technology it
gained by buying startup Nicira.
PRIVATE | FOUNDED: 1999
Sequencing more genomes
than anyone else and becom-
ing a worldwide provider of
2/5/13 12:56 PM
Links Archive January February 2013 May June 2013 Navigation Previous Page Next Page


text:
NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding the negative sentiment in the tablet maket, Samsung led the market with 19.7 percent market share in Q1 2015.
Datawind stood at second position with 12.7 percent tablet market share followed by Micromax with nine percent share, said research firm CMR India.
According to CMR’s India Quarterly Tablets Market Review, 1Q CY 2015, the country’s tablet PC market registered a double-digit decline of 13.9% q-o-q in terms of unit shipments for the first time.
At the same time, BWA (Broadband Wireless Access) enabled tablets posted 60% contribution in the total shipments for the period.
Faisal Kawoosa, Lead Analyst, CMR Telecoms Practice said, “ We had cautioned the industry that unless they make substantial differentiation in the value proposition for potential customers, tablet shipments are not going to grow. This is what the results now reinforce.”
“Since there isn’t much value addition coming in the shape of specific solutions to enhance device usability at the moment, tablets are only becoming devices of convenience, essentially larger screen versions of smartphones. This has resulted in lower priority in the list of ‘must have’ devices for the average user,” Faisal opined.


text:
The widespread effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have changed many people’s shopping habits. Retail sales have declined as people have embraced online shopping platforms. In addition, people have changed what they’re buying, and consumers have shown increased interest in health and wellness products. As a result, online sales of CBD products have increased dramatically.
CBD online sales boomed soon after the COVID-19 epidemic brought about temporary quarantines and store closures. Instead of shopping at pharmacies or dispensaries for CBD products, people went online to order products. Instead of shopping locally, people began finding competitive pricing online by searching for various online retailers’ websites.
The pandemic has caused a lot of people to feel acute anxiety. Many people who had never tried CBD products before have been interested in its stress-relieving properties.
People have been understandably concerned about going to healthcare providers due to fear of exposure to the virus. Individuals who had been coping with chronic pain sought out new ways to treat pain homeopathically.
The COVID-19 pandemic has expanded the consumer base for online CBD sales dramatically. It’s reasonable to expect that the popularity will continue to grow as people have become more conscientious about maintaining good health.


text:
Retail as we know it is under pressure. Disruption is happening at every turn. Whether it is the rise of online shopping, the downturn in consumer spending or the squeeze on margins, things are not fantastic in the world of retail.
This is not just conjecture, when you start listening to the news and reading about the South African institutions that are facing the bitter end of the line. Recently in South Africa the legendary Stuttafords have been forced to close their doors after 159 years of trading. in 2016, Edcon sold their debtors book to Absa / Barclays and it looks as though the mighty retailer might be next with Edgars stores being systematically closed in a bid to save sales.
This is sadly not just a local problem; there are retailers all over the world struggling to keep their heads above water. In the US: J.C. Penney, RadioShack, Macy’s, and Sears have each announced more than 100 store closures. In the last few months, several clothing companies’ stocks hit new multi-year lows, including Urban Outfitters, and American Eagle, and Ralph Lauren announced that it is closing its flagship Polo store on Fifth Avenue, one of several brands to abandon that iconic thoroughfare.
Online Is Killing The Retail Store
The “go to” answer for anyone when trying to come up with reasons for the death of retail. The truth of the matter is that, yes, there are a lot more people buying stuff online, but it cannot be held as the only reason for brick and mortar stores closing down.
The emarketer.com research report published in August of 2016 found that worldwide retail e-commerce sales were going to grow at a steady rate over the next four years.
Coupled to that research was a prediction about the percentage that e-commerce retail would make up of the total retail number. At best in 2020, e-commerce retail would make up a comparatively miniscule 14.6% of total retail sales worldwide.
This data alone does not show that the e-commerce retailers are the driving force behind the brick and mortar retailers having to tighten their belts.
Millennials Are Killing The Retail Store
This could be closer to the truth. Let’s face it, millennials are different and they are forcing the world to be different along with them. The world of the large retailer was built by Baby Boomers and Generation Xers. It resonated with them and their ideologies. Big retailers represent prosperity; safety and stability – characteristics that Millennials are not exactly synonymous with.
Millennials are more about bespoke, personal and highly experiential stores. Ones that feed their need to be unique. The large retail store is too repeatable; which means that too many people can dress just like you. In the mind of a selfie snapping Millennial; that’s too much to bear.
The Balance of Power
A slick online experience is critically important, this includes mobile and tablet devices, so that large retailers can make sure their enormous marketing and technology budgets can keep them afloat. Critically though, retailers need to be careful about how they navigate the next few years to make sure that they continue to exist. So what can they do differently?
Retail Needs To Reimagine itself
A possible solution to the retail conundrum is to downscale. Not necessarily to downscale in the traditional sense of the world, but rather to use their biggest disruptor (digital) to their advantage and enable it to downscale.
Size Does Matter
The footprint that a retail mall makes is huge. And they are getting bigger and bigger with each passing development. Property developers are making money hand over fist for each and every extra square meter that they can fill. Of course they stand to lose a lot of money when their clients cannot stay in business.
The current business model of a retail store doesn’t support the downscale model; they need to carry too much stock and need space both behind the scenes and out front for clients.
But, do they really need all that space; all that stock?
What if there was a middle ground between online shopping and bricks and mortar? A hybrid model that gave the best of both worlds.
People love to look, feel and try on the products that they are buying. They need the emotional connection that aids the in decision making process. This is the retail experience. It is something that online shopping cannot replicate.
So what if we thought about retail stores as showrooms and not stock holding stores? Not only is this possible, but it makes absolute sense!
The retail store doesn’t need to carry the stock that it needs to sell; it only needs to carry the stock that the customer needs to make sure that it fits. That the look is right and so they get comfortable with the quality. That means one in each size; not a representative size curve.
As soon as this happens; the size of the store can virtually get cut in half. And the associative savings are everywhere: electricity, rent, salaries.
Retailers can now use online as the fulfillment engine in the equation. The customer scans with their mobile the garments they want to buy. These are added to their online shopping cart and when done, they checkout and the goods are dispatched from the retail warehouse.
This is what online excels at. Order fulfillment when and where the customer stipulates.
Make It An Experience
This now leaves the retailer to focus on the experience. To differentiate and to make it personal and memorable. This is what the Millennial is after, an experience that is unique.
Technology can come to the retailers rescue again:
- 3D printing – 3D print unique accessories made to fit each individual
- 360 degree digital capture – capture measurements and contours for accurate fittings and recommendations which gets stored in the customers online profile for better online shopping
- Virtual Reality – allow customers to virtually try on clothes so they can see how future styles could look for prelaunch ordering and customisation
- Facial recognition – staff can be empowered with a Google Glass like equivalent packed with user information about earlier buys and browsing habits. The facial recognition software will allow employees to call shoppers by name and make them feel welcome by pointing out “recommended items” based on earlier purchases.
The Future Of Retail
The future of retail is not to be only online or only offline. We are still creatures that need to interact with one another – no matter our generation. Retailers who manage to take advantage of the online-2-offline dynamic are the ones who will weather the storm the best.
There are technology advances that need to be harnessed quickly to take advantage of their inherent advantages. There are going to be more retail casualties; but those will be the ones who refuse to adapt their business models and value propositions to meet the changing needs of a fast moving and demanding clientelle.
This article was originally published on Jonathan Houston’s blog


text:
Meet with local industry leaders in your area and members of the SEMA leadership at the SEMA Town Hall meeting at Baer Inc.
The Manufacturer Rep Network (MRN) is hosting a complimentary breakfast and networking event on Thursday morning of the SEMA Show in the Members Lounge. MRN members are encouraged to attend and fuel up for another big day at the show as they network with fellow independent sales reps.
SEMA councils and networks have announced information regarding their 2016 SEMA Show seminars and panel discussions.
Five SEMA councils and networks have announced information regarding their 2016 SEMA Show seminars and panel discussions.
The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) will host the fifth-annual Gear-up Girl event.
SEMA’s councils and networks have announced the dates and locations of their 2016 SEMA Show events.
The Manufacturers’ Representative Network (MRN) welcomed three new industry professionals to its select committee. Matt Harless of PSKB Inc. has been a student of the industry and applied what he has learned from colleagues and mentors along the way during his 20-year career in the industry. Mike Katz of Bob Cook Sales comes to the MRN with a vast background in the traditional and retail parts segments of the industry and is passionate about sharing his experiences and knowledge with others. Ken Schuck has 32 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket and is currently an account manager for Keystone Automotive at KAM Marketing.
The Manufacturers Rep Network (MRN) will be visiting first time exhibitors in the Performance Pavilion and Westgate to share their expertise on successfully handling and following-up on SEMA Show leads. Taking place immediately prior to the start of the show on Friday from 8am-9am they will also pass out bagels and Red Bull to the exhibitors. Additionally, the MRN will be share insights on the benefits of working with independent sales reps and their latest manufacturer benefit, the RepMatch program.
HRIA will host three events at the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, August 3–6.


text:
The Omniverse ecosystem is in a defining period of its existence, as seen by the rapid upgrades it has been through. Omniverse’s current expansion features several AI-powered systems and tools to enable developers to build immersive metaverse spaces.
NVIDIA Launches Omniverse Scalable Solutions
Omniverse is a multi-dimensional GPU computing platform designed for the use of developers building virtual worlds. Roughly 700 companies worldwide utilize the platform’s features to create their product designs, enhance workflows, and set up innovative digital merchandise.
With the expansion of the metaverse into multi-trillion dollar sectors, organizations are pretty sure of the opportunities that abound in the virtual space. However, many firms struggle to navigate the terrain due to the absence of a clear path to guide their engagement with the metaverse.
The emergence of the NVIDIA Omniverse will close the gap between the physical and virtual environments for organizations looking to benefit from the best of both worlds. Aside from the launch of the NVIDIA Omniverse, a handful of applications have been released by the firm to make collaboration possible for developers and companies.
The Avatar Cloud Engine, a native cloud AI tool, is the perfect description of the new applications released by NVIDIA. The cloud-based tool supports developers in creating lifelike replicas of almost everything in the physical world in the digital space.
Others include the Omniverse Audio2Face, which can be used to create facial animations from audio files. The Omniverse Machinima is an app to build 3D cinematic-like films, and the Omniverse DeepSearch helps developers scan through thousands of 3D untagged asset databases.
USD Connectors as Foundation for Metaverse Development
In its strategic collaboration with other industry partners, NVIDIA unveils the USD-based Omniverse Connectors to link companies’ workflows in the industrial and scientific spheres. Meanwhile, the latest addition brings the combined USD Connectors in the Omniverse platform to 112.
Moreover, the connectors are available in different formats, and NVIDIA is working on developing other connectors to open the metaverse to industrial, manufacturing, and engineering companies. The next set of USD Connectors is for AutoDesk Alias and AutoDesk Civil, Blender, Siemens JT, Open Geospatial Consortium, Unity, and SlimScale.
Also released by NVIDIA are significant updates to boost the critical simulation technologies required in the metaverse ecosystem.
On June 29, NVIDIA partnered with Siemens to roll out Digital Twins in the push for the industrial metaverse drive. The two companies have a shared vision of bringing together the metaverse and physical world through strategic partnership.
Roland Busch, Siemen’s CEO, noted that the coming together of the natural and virtual worlds birthed the industrial metaverse vision. The partnership will enable the two entities to achieve a new stage of flexibility in building new products for the market.
As a prominent leader in industrial automation, infrastructure, and software development, Siemens’s expertise will help actualize the concept of the industrial metaverse.
The metaverse project is set for unprecedented changes as the coming years will prove crucial.


text:
Not exactly sure what is going on, but something is definitely up.
It appears ROIC may have changed the timimg of its reporting of recent acquisitions. Winthrop Realty (FUR) announced a JV investment with ROIC of two non-performing loans secured by 2 CA shopping centers back on March 31st. However, it does not appear that ROIC has announced anything yet about the deal.
If that is indeed the case, it brings up the question of whether they have completed other deals that have yet to be announced.


text:
MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — Grand Design Recreational Vehicle Company is proud to announce the addition of Ben Grubert as regional sales manager for Reflection Travel Trailers and Fifth Wheels, and the soon to be released Ultra-Lite Travel Trailer.
Ben has nearly 10 years of sales experience in the RV industry on both the supplier and OEM side of the business. In his new role he will be responsible for sales in the Southwest and West Central United States. Ben can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org, or via mobile phone at (574) 849-3965.
“With our recent promotion of Peter Kinden from regional sales manager to the new role of product manager, we needed to bring on a solid player to fill the open sales position,” stated Micah Staley, general manager for Reflection and Ultra- Liteproductlines. “Ben has a proven track record in the industry and will be a valuable asset to Grand Design and Grand Design Dealers.”
SOURCE: Grand Design RV press release


text:
In a report by Deadline, the Walt Disney Company’s total subscriber count reached 221.1 million during the third quarter of 2022, surpassing Netflix’s reported 220.67 million. However, in terms of individual numbers, Netflix has each platform beat. Disney’s streaming services are split across multiple platforms — Disney Plus with 152 million subscribers, Hulu and Live TV at 46.2 million, and ESPN plus with 22 million.
It was also reported that Disney may expect to lose subscribers after it lost the bidding war to secure rights to stream cricket in India, where most of its subscribers reside.
Netflix has been drastically losing subscribers since the start of 2022. The streaming company reported that they’ve lost over 200,000 of its subscribers and $54 billion in stock value during the first quarter. The loss of subscribers continues to plummet as around 130,000 accounts were terminated during the second quarter.
Netflix previously announced the testing of a new payment system that requires users to pay for extra users and ‘homes’ as they tackle password sharing. Netflix said that the cost of extra users will be adjusted to suit its budget and that the extra fee will go towards “improving their services”.
Additionally, Netflix and Disney both have plans to introduce ad-supported subscription tier to incentivize people to use their platforms for a lower cost.


text:
Governor Robert Bentley on joined with officials from Brown-Forman Corporation and state and local economic development leaders this week in announcing that the company will begin its second significant expansion into Alabama in the last 12 months.
“I am appreciative of the new jobs that Brown-Forman continues to bring to Alabama. We are moving forward in our commitment to put Alabama back to work,” Gov. Bentley said. “We are glad that Alabama has the type of business climate and workforce that will keep companies in expansion mode.”
Speaking from a business mission overseas, Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said he is proud that the agency played a role in bringing the company to Alabama and said that his project management team will continue to work with the company to help it stay successful here. He said Commerce Senior Project Manager Gary Faulkner worked with the company on the project.
Brown-Forman, the producer of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, will open the new Jack Daniel Cooperage on a site in Lawrence County near Decatur to produce new oak barrels. The term “cooperage” refers to the art of barrel making.
The company is already set to open a new sawmill in Stevenson this month.
“With the continued long-term growth of the Jack Daniel’s Family of brands, we are expanding to meet growing production demand,” said Jill Jones, executive vice president and chief production officer for Brown-Forman.
When fully operational, the Jack Daniel Cooperage will employ approximately 200 people. Brown-Forman Corporation is the only spirits company in the world that produces its own new white oak barrels and currently operates a cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky.
Tony Stockton, executive director of the Lawrence County Industrial Development Board added, “We’re very pleased to have a company with such a storied tradition as Brown-Forman to be our anchor industry in the Mallard Fox West Industrial Complex. With a forecast of 200 jobs when fully operational, the economic outlook of Lawrence County just got brighter.”
Brown-Forman has produced many products such as Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Southern Comfort for 142 years. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by 4,000 employees and sold in approximately 135 countries worldwide. Company officials said they have been impressed with the business-friendly environment and cooperation from economic developers and other leaders in making the project happen.
“We work diligently to show companies throughout the world what makes our business climate healthy in Alabama and why companies continue to grow here,” Secretary Canfield said. “We wish Brown-Forman the success so many companies are finding here in our state.”


text:
Announcing the DocuSign Agreement Cloud: 2020 Release 1
Today, we’re going live with DocuSign Agreement Cloud: 2020 Release 1, which was previously referred to as “DocuSign Spring ‘20 Release.” In this release, we’ve focused on customer-requested enhancements and features for recently launched products under the DocuSign Agreement Cloud.
This is the first of three announcements this year under the newly named DocuSign Agreement Cloud Releases program. This program announces new products and top features so customers can learn about and take advantage of these major new capabilities. These announcements are in addition to the monthly release notes and product update newsletters, which detail all the innovations, enhancements and bug fixes released monthly or on an as-needed basis. Read more about Release 1 below.
Agreement Cloud Editor
Document generation is one of the first steps of preparing an agreement for signature. However, according to DocuSign’s 2019 State of Contract Management report, 94% of people say human error impacts the contract process. That’s why we launched DocuSign Gen for Salesforce and DocuSign Negotiate for Salesforce last year, helping automate this essential step—and more—in the agreement process. But we’re not stopping there. The first step in automating agreement generation is template creation, which can be a time-consuming and error-prone process without the right expertise. Enter Agreement Cloud Editor, a new way to create agreement templates.
The Agreement Cloud Editor allows you to drag and drop Salesforce data fields and map conditional content into the flow of the template's text. You can also toggle between the template and a live preview with merged data, making it easy to see what edits need to be made. Generated documents are mobile responsive, so they automatically adapt to the displaying device's size and orientation. While the Agreement Cloud Editor will initially appear in DocuSign Gen for Salesforce, it will appear in other DocuSign products, and with even more capabilities, over time.
DocuSign Click Enhancements
Last year, we launched DocuSign Click, our one-click, no-signature-required way to capture customer consent to standard agreement terms referred to as “clickwraps” (i.e. terms-and-conditions, end user license agreements and disclosures). With Click, customers can easily and securely capture consent with a single click of a checkbox or button embedded in websites or mobile apps. Click’s ability to maintain a complete audit trail and support versioning capabilities are key differentiators from other solutions, helping customers reduce the risk of noncompliance with ESIGN, eIDAS and other legal regulations, such as CCPA.
To make Click even better, we’re releasing several enhancements based on customer feedback. For example, customers will now able to:
- Record “decline/opt out” responses, which has been a top request from EMEA customers who must comply with GDPR requirements
- Customize the agreement statement above the “accept” button, providing more flexibility and control to customers who must use specific legal language
- Export responses to a CSV file, making it easier to search, analyze and report on clickwrap data
When opening a bank account or onboarding new employees, businesses often need to verify the identity of the person electronically signing or entering data. That’s why we launched DocuSign ID Verification last year, which automatically verifies a signer’s government-issued ID or European eID on any device, anywhere—for faster, easier and more secure agreement completion.
While hundreds of customers are seeing value from ID Verification today, customers in regulated industries had an additional requirement: storing a copy of the ID or extracting data from ID documents. For example, financial services and banking customers need this to comply with Know Your Customer or anti-money laundering requirements. With ID Evidence, they can capture ID document information—such as address, ID number and date of birth—and retain a copy of the ID to support compliance requirements. Using APIs, ID information can also be extracted and stored in a system of record or another business system of choice (Targeting April).
DocuSign Payments Expansion
Last but not least, we’re excited to announce new updates to DocuSign Payments. Since its launch two years ago, Payments has helped customers process over $100 million in one-time payments, such as rental deposits and donations, as well as recurring payments and future one-off charges, including monthly dues and late fees. Due to global customer demand, we’ll support Payments in all countries and currencies supported by each payment gateway partner: Stripe, Braintree, Authorize.net, CyberSource and Zuora. Across these payment providers, we have more than 35 countries and 135 currencies covered. (Targeting April to support Stripe in every currency and country. Targeting May for all other gateway providers).


text:
Apple releases AirPort Utility for new AirPort ExpressApple has released an AirPort Utility update that will enable the iOS app to control and configure the new dual-band AirPort Express that was launched on Monday.
The AirPort Utility moves to version 1.1 with support to configure and manage the AirPort Express that was announced on Monday at Apple's WWDC conference alongside a host of new products. Apple's new portable base station was the recipient of an overall redesign that resembles a white Apple TV and now sports dual-band connectivity as well as an extra ethernet port.
In addition to the support for the new hardware, the utility app also received the ability to manage base stations for IPv6.
The AirPort Utility update can be downloaded through the iOS App Store for free.
On Topic: General
- Apple Camp enrollment opens for moviemaking, e-book creation workshops
- This week on AppleInsider: Apple Music royalty reversal, iPhone rumors, Confederate controversy & more
- AppleCare+ battery coverage more generous for iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch
- Apple searching for new public policy director to influence government
- Apple CEO Tim Cook celebrates Supreme Court decision on gay marriage with quote from Steve Jobs


text:
India’s telephone subscriber base shrinks
- Apple CEO Tim Cook calls for more regulations on data privacy
- India among 20 nations to pledge $100 million to Palestine Refugee Agency
- South Korea says North agrees to hold summit preparation talks on 29 March
- Two militants killed in Anantnag encounter
- World’s richest lose $436 billion as 2018’s stock rout deepens
The number of telephone subscribers in India fell by 1.32% in November from the preceding month, according to a report released by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. Urban and rural telephone subscription fell 1.81% and 0.63%, respectively, in November. Total wireless subscription fell 1.33%, while urban and rural wireless subscription declined 1.86% and 0.63%, respectively. Wireless telephone density, or teledensity—the number of mobile phone connections for every hundred individuals residing in an area—in India fell from 91.11 in October to 89.81 in November.


text:
Microsoft is expected to release its next major Windows 10 update (Redstone 5) in October.
This update will make older anti-virus products incompatible with Windows 10 – including the current version of Rogers Online Protection (ROP).
In response to this, Rogers Online Protection 2019 is released to ensure that our customers running ROP on Windows 10 will not be impacted.
ROP 2019 will be available today, October 4th, for new installs and built-in to the upgrade flow for the existing ROP Windows 10 customers. These customers will be see Upgrade Message as below:
A Final Upgrade Message will be prompted after 10 days if upgrade has not been performed:
Some of the improvements include:
o Upgraded scanning/detection and clean up algorithms along with a new user interface
o Addition of Ransomware protection, Webcam protection and Wi-Fi security
This new version also removes Personal data filter, Safebox and Chat encryption.
As it previously was before, users upgrading from ROP 2015 to ROP 2019 will have to re-create any Parental Control rules.
You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.


text:
"Gorgeous top, where’d you get it?” “Penneys, hun.” It’s a conversation that’s gone into the cultural consciousness, due to the phenomenal success of the Irish store that went from one outlet to a global brand. Now a new RTE documentary series Inside Penneys looks at the secrets of its success.
It reveals how getting ahead of shopping trends and knowing its customers is how it stays on top. For example, Barbie was the top trend in Penneys last year, according to the store’s trendspotters. Barbie-mania broke out after the record-breaking movie — but Penneys was well ahead of the curve. John McCormack, head of fashion trends for Womenswear, and Kelly Ann Carroll, head of buying for beauty, got in on the vogue for Barbiecore and hot pink and pastels early on.
This eye for what customers want is part of the superstore’s secret. “Sometimes a trend bubbles and there’s longevity to it — and I’ve to decide if it’s going to go more mass market,” Carroll said. “We had The Barbie Effect right across the business.”
What they said
The RTE fly-on-the-wall doc talks to the buyers, trendsetters, obsessive customers — and generations of families working there — across a busy summer.
Aoife Meehan followed her brother and sister into a job at Penneys. Mags Bennet’s daughter Isabel (21) — a baby when Mags started there — is now funding college with a Penneys job. From modest beginnings at Arthur Ryan’s first Dublin flagship store in 1969 to global retail superpower, Penneys is one of Ireland’s greatest success stories.
It has over 75,000 staff across over 430 stores in 16 countries, from Mary Street to Milan and from Cork to Brooklyn. It has 1,200 employees at its HQ in Arthur Ryan House on Dublin’s Parnell Street. Carroll has worked for Penneys and Primark for 17 years when Tiktok and Instagram hadn’t even been invented but now they dictate Carroll and her team’s future trend picks.
“We’re always following those trends and reviewing them to decide what will be on shelves in 6/12 months time.” So what makes Penneys such a popular household name that never goes out of fashion — and how do they keep it so cheap? Carroll says it’s about not inventing the wheel but rolling with it.
“We can see what’s bubbling, we’re with the customer and always thinking of what they want, when they want it. “We know our customers very well and embrace what we think they will love. “We buy in bulk and can negotiate best prices for our customer.”
■ The opening episode of Inside Penneys airs at 8.30pm, January 9 on RTÉ One. It is also on the RTE Player


text:
Bethesda Softworks is now taking applications for the beta release of "The Elder Scrolls Online" -- a massively
mulitiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG) that will incorporate all of the classic elements of the blockbuster franchise.
"The Elder Scrolls" franchise includes blockbuster games like "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" and "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim." This game will mark the first time "The Elder Scrolls" will be ported to a massive online world. MMORPGs are typically role-playing games that takes place online in a virtual world that is populated by multiple players.
Bethesda also released the trailer for "The Elder Scrolls Online," which is an electrifying, action-packed battle in the world of Tamriel -- the main setting of the game. Fans can expect to see stunning vistas, adrenalin-filled combat and orcs, of course.
Sign up for the beta at ElderScrollsOnline.com.


text:
127 Results for "leak"
20 Jan in GuitarTrogly has shared the official Gibson Signature Release 2021 video and it looks like new models for Emily Wolfe, Tracii Gunns, Peter Frampton, Tom Petty, Alex Lifeson, Orianthi and more!
19 Jan in GuitarGibson will re-releases the eye-catching Kirk Douglas signature SG - fitted with three humbuckers - in two swish new finishes for this year.
12 Jan in SynthsRevealed in an online store is the Uno Synth Pro in what looks like two versions - compact desktop and full-sized keyboard synthesizer.
12 Jan in GuitarFender is about to launch new Artist Models as well as a major new Noventa series ahead of NAMM 2021 - get all the details here as they come in!
07 Jan in GuitarJared James Nichols recently shared a photo of a Goldtop guitar on his Instagram page. Could it be a new Epiphone Goldtop signature model for 2021?
07 Jan in GuitarHas YouTube channel The Trogly's Guitar Show spotted a new 2021 Gibson SG?
31 Dec 2020 in SynthsAn online store accidentally published photos of what looks like two new Circuits inbound from Novation: Circuit Tracks and Circuit Rhythm.
30 Dec 2020 in GuitarIs the Megadeth frontman switching over to Gibson? According to rumours, we may see a new Dave Mustaine Gibson signature model sometime in the future.
16 Nov 2020 in GuitarMesa Boogie appears to be planning a new Rectifier amp called the Badlander, if a post on The Gear Page forum is to be believed...
09 Oct 2020 in SynthsMore images, teases and a possible box-shot add to the speculation around Novation's forthcoming collaboration with Aphex Twin's Richard D. James.
17 Sep 2020 in GuitarThe Strymon NightSky leaked! And yes, the blue pedal is a reverb, and you can see the leaked pictures of this new effect here.
11 Sep 2020 in GuitarIs the new Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork + Polyphonic Pitch Shift pedal imminent? Leaked in January, it's now appearing on dealer sites in the US. Here's what we know so far.


text:
The LG Wing is no doubt one revolutionary smartphone. We are not sure though how most of the consumers will respond to the product but we know there are those who like LG’s first Explorer Project device. The output is a mobile device that features two displays. One swivels to reveal the secondary screen that can be used for other apps, tasks, and functions. It is very interesting that renowned director Michael Bay took notice of the smartphone. His upcoming movie “Songbird” is said to have featured the LG Wing in one scene.
It’s not a rumor. LG has officially shared the news in a post in its website. The movie’s trailer has shown the characters using the phone making video calls. The LG Wing is in swivel mode so it’s very obvious that it is indeed an LG Wing.
Michael Bay is the producer of the movie. The director is actually Adam Mason. The movie will star, Demi Moore, KJ App (aka Riverdale’s Archie), and Sofia Carson. It will be released within the year.
The movie is set in the year 2020 where a “pandemic ravages the world and its cities”. It centers on a few characters, showing the obstacles they are going through like “disease, martial law, quarantine, and vigilantes”. Sounds familiar? Yup.
Watch the movie trailer below:
The production company behind this actually teamed up with LG. This is part of LG’s marketing strategy to promote the new LG Wing. In the US, the phone has been introduced but has yet to be released in the market. The phone is also expected to roll out in key markets like Germany, Spain, Italy, and Australia.
We’re very much curious about this movie. Most of us are living it right now.


text:
Might even bring higher core count to AM4
According to recent rumors, AMD's Zen 2 architecture will bring impressive IPC performance boost and could even bring a higher core count, all thanks to the new 7nm manufacturing process.
ASRock, Asus, Biostar, Gigabyte, and MSI join the party
As expected, since AMD has now officially lifted the NDA (non disclosure agreement) from its second generation Ryzen 2000-series Pinnacle Ridge CPUs and the shiny new X470 chipset, most, if not all motherboard makers have announced their own versions, with some launching more than one motherboard to cover a wider market range.
AMD will keep AM4 and TR4 sockets
A fresh leak of AMD's CPU roadmap has leaked online confirming some of the previous rumors and codenames as well as giving a glimpse of new HEDT, CPU and APU codenames that will come in 2020.
For its AM4 motherboard lineup
Asus has announced that it has released BIOS updates for its entire AM4 motherboard lineup which bring support for AMD's Raven Ridge APUs, also known as Ryzen 2000 series CPUs with Radeon Vega graphics.
Asus ROG Strix X370-I Gaming and Strix B350-I Gaming
Asus has officially announced two new mini-ITX motherboards based on AMD's AM4-socket X370 and B350 chipsets, both part of its Republic of Gamers family, the ROG Strix X370-I Gaming and Strix B350-I Gaming.
12nm after 2018 and 7nm for 2019
It looks like it will be 12nm for RyZen's successor in early 2018 and in 2019 AMD is planning Zen's 2 core 7nm based Matisse follow up
NH-L12S and NH-L9a-AM4 for HTPCs and SFFs
Noctua has unveiled two new low-profile CPU coolers that are actually successors of the earlier available NH-L9a and NH-L12 but now have proper support for AM4 socket and AMD's Ryzen CPUs.
The Asus ROG Crosshair VI Extreme
While Asus Crosshair VI Hero has getting praise as one of the best socket AM4 motherboards around, Asus has now unveiled the newest flagship motherboard based on AMD's X370 chipset, the Asus ROG Crosshair VI Extreme.
Viper 4, Viper Elite and Signature Line DDR4
Patriot has announced that it has now finalized its compatibility list for AMD Ryzen and AM4 platform and its key memory kits and modules.
With GA-AB350N-Gaming WiFi
Those looking to make a mean compact gaming system or an HTPC based on AMD's latest Ryzen CPUs and AM4 platform do not have plenty of choices but with the latest Gigabyte GA-AB350N-Gaming WiFi AM4 motherboard, things are changing for the better.


text:
This Food Sold at Walmart Is Linked to Illness Outbreak
The CDC, public health and regulatory officials in several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to a bagged salad mix containing iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage produced by Fresh Express. The outbreak has also expanded to iceberg lettuce sold at Walmart, the Food and Drug Administration says. The microscopic organism is often found on fresh produce that is eaten raw, especially lettuces and herbs such as cilantro. (Related: The CDC Says Bagged Salad Could Be Linked to Illness.)
Public health officials are expressing concern that consumers may have unused portions of the bagged salad greens in their homes—especially since some of the salad products have use-by dates into July. Four bagged salad mixes have been recalled so far after 206 patients have been confirmed as infected by the Cyclospora parasite in the outbreak, according to federal officials as of last Friday.
The Walmart salad recall is for Marketside Classic Iceberg Salad, which is sold in 12- and 24-ounce bags in stores in Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The same mix can also be purchased at ALDI, Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, and Walmart stores in the Midwestern United States. (In other news, Walmart recently had to recall ground beef due to suspected contamination as well.)
"Check your home for any of these recalled salads. Throw any remaining salad away, even if some of it has been eaten and no one has gotten sick," according to the outbreak update today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"If you live in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin and don't know whether the bagged salad mix you have in your home is one of these recalled salads, do not eat it. Throw it away."
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a microscopic parasite that causes an intestinal illness, the symptoms of which include watery diarrhea, with frequent, sometimes explosive bowel movements. Other common symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue, according to the CDC.
To keep yourself up-to-date, sign up for our newsletter for the latest food news.
More content from Groceries
- – The Best Yogurt To Lower Your Cholesterol, Dietitians Say
- – 15 Discontinued Fruit Sodas You'll Sadly Never See Again
- – This Rapidly-Expanding Grocery Chain Will Be Opening in 2 New States Soon
- – If You Bought This Meat at Walmart, Throw It Out Now
- – Many Costco Warehouses Just Added This In-Demand Item
- – This Is America's #1 Best Grocery Store, According to Shoppers
- – Walmart Is Putting Thousands of These Items on Sale, CEO Says
- – Costco Just Expanded This New Member Perk Once Again


text:
Call for BYO containers at delis
Thursday 19 July 2018
Media release for immediate use
Waste-free advocates call on supermarkets to allow BYO containers at delis
Hannah Blumhardt and Liam Prince of The Rubbish Trip; Rachel Benefield, founder of Plastic Free Kāpiti; Wellington-based waste advocacy group Waste-ed; and Kristy Lorson, the owner of zero waste business EarthSavvy and the founder of the 19,000 strong Facebook group ‘Zero Waste in NZ!’, are calling on Foodstuffs and Progressive Enterprises to reverse their policy of refusing BYO containers for over-the-counter purchases of seafood, butchery and deli items at supermarkets across New Zealand.
Currently, it's Plastic Free July. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide have pledged to reduce single-use plastics for the month, in light of increasing concerns about global plastic pollution. Estimates suggest over 150 million tonnes of plastic has leaked into the world’s ocean already, though recent research warns that concentrations of micro-plastics on land are potentially 4 to 23 times higher than these marine concentrations. Plastic pollution presents acute threats to wildlife, but also risks for human health; studies have discovered plastic contamination in tap water across the world, and in common products such as salt and beer.
In Wellington, Waste-ed have launched the #saynobyo campaign for the month - encouraging the public to take BYO containers to cafes, takeaway outlets, butchers, delis and even supermarkets to get food without the packaging.
"Being able to BYO containers for over-the-counter groceries is a tangible way that the public can reduce their plastic use" says artist Rachel Benefield, who lives plastic-free with her family of five and is currently producing a graphic novel about plastic-free shopping.
Many outlets across New Zealand have already jumped on board. In Mount Albert, cafes and takeaway outlets have put up signs welcoming customers’ BYO containers to avoid takeaway packaging, thanks to Plastic Free Mt Albert. Waiuku Village Butchery recently blazoned their deli counter with a sign stating: "To any of our customers participating in Plastic Free July or wanting to reduce their plastic consumption, we will gladly put your meat in your own containers". On Tuesday, St Pierre's Sushi outlet announced a nationwide policy not only to accept BYO containers for sushi orders, but to give customers who BYO a 30c discount.
"The research we have conducted while producing zero waste shopping guides for the entire country confirms that most delis, butchers, and bakeries across New Zealand accept BYO containers", says Liam Prince from The Rubbish Trip, a project he runs with his partner Hannah Blumhardt, through which the couple deliver talks and workshops nationwide about how individuals can reduce their household rubbish.
However, major supermarket chains Foodstuffs and Progressive Enterprises are dragging their heels. Spokespeople from both chains recently clarified that the practice of BYO containers is prohibited at delis in New World, PAK'nSAVE and Countdown supermarkets. New World Howick is the only exception, with the store recently announcing in a Facebook post that it would trial accepting BYO containers for over-the-counter purchases of seafood and butchery goods.
The primary justification major supermarket chains offer for their refusal to accept BYO containers relates to hygiene and food safety obligations. However, the Food Act 2014 - New Zealand's primary legislation relating to food safety - contains no requirement that food outlets prohibit BYO containers.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Primary industries said that it is up to individual businesses to determine whether or not to accept BYO containers, and how to manage any potential safety risks.
This decision will vary depending on how an individual food trader interprets their duty to ensure that the food they sell is “safe and suitable”. Many retailers who accept BYO containers retain the right to reject a container that is visibly dirty or made of a porous material inappropriate for the food in question. While a business is undoubtedly within its rights to go further and implement a blanket ban, this measure exceeds the requirements of the legislation.
The international motto for this year’s instalment of Plastic Free July is #choosetorefuse plastic packaging. Those taking the plastic-free plunge are being encouraged to vote with their dollars and let supermarkets know they will not buy from businesses that do not provide low-waste options.
Kristy Lorson notes that for many of the 19,000 members of Zero Waste NZ!, a business’ acceptance of BYO containers is a deal breaker for whether or not they will shop there. “Supermarkets risk losing business with this policy. There are so many other outlets that already accept BYO containers for over-the-counter purchases of unpackaged foods; plastic-conscious customers will simply take their business elsewhere.
“To be clear, we’re not calling on supermarkets to ban the disposable plastic containers they offer customers. We’re simply asking that they value customer choice by allowing those customers who do want to reduce plastic, the option of being able to use a BYO container.”
Would you like to help in the campaign to encourage supermarkets to accept BYO containers? Here are some small actions you can take:
• Ask to talk with the Manager of your local New World, PAK’nSAVE or Countdown to let them know you support BYO containers at the deli.
• Use the customer feedback section of New World, PAK’nSAVE or Countdown websites to let the chains know you’d like to be able to BYO containers at the delis.
• Post a photo on social media of you holding your favourite reusable container with the hashtag #saynobyo, and tag in your local New World, PAK’nSAVE or Countdown.


text:
HART, Mich. — Michigan asparagus growers say for the second year in a row, they are battling for their livelihoods against farmers in Peru and Mexico.
In recent weeks fresh-pack growers in Michigan have been asked to stop delivering asparagus due to a price drop in the market.
The market is currently flooded with imported asparagus crop from Peru and Mexico lowering the price below cost of production for domestic growers.
Foreign countries are currently allowed to dump crops in U.S. markets during the short American harvest seasons.
"For the last three years, right in the middle of our season, we have seen a huge spike in imports," said John Bakker, executive director of the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board.
"I don't know if they're trying to drive us out of business," Bakker said. "It appears that may be the case."
Michigan Asparagus Farms produce 20 million pounds of asparagus each year. The Michigan Asparagus industry is approaching its 60 year anniversary. It's a major crop for communities along Lake Michigan with a season that begins in mid-May and continues into July.
This year, some growers are done harvesting. A decision that will prevent them from losing more money.
"Right now we have grower who are ending the harvest about half way through," Bakker said.
Michigan growers need to sell their crop for $1.70 a pound to break even. Bakker says at the beginning of June asparagus grown in Mexico and Peru was being imported to the U.S. for about $1 a pound.
"We can hardly get it out of the field for that price much less get it packed, boxed up, sorted and shipped," he said.
Michigan asparagus farmers urge consumers to look for a rubber band around the fresh asparagus which indicates the state and country of origin.
A statement from the farmers read:
"By bringing together Government officials, State and Local leaders, Growers and Packers, we hope to bring awareness of the problems we are facing in the Asparagus Industry and find solutions that will allow us to continue to support our families as American Asparagus Farmers.
The New NAFTA Trade Agreement (USMCA) does not consider Specialty Crops and allows the import of foreign asparagus into domestic markets below our fair market value and below cost of production in the U.S."
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.


text:
MILAN — A new Sportmax store concept will be unveiled here today.
Covering 2,700 square feet over two stories, with four large windows, the store is located in the city’s central Via Spiga, and replaces a previous one on the same street, in Milan’s so-called golden shopping triangle.
But Milan is only the first step in a global retail expansion for the brand. “While maintaining a selective distribution, we want to increase our worldwide presence, in China and Russia, for example,” said Luigi Maramotti, president of the Max Mara Fashion Group, which controls the Sportmax label.
There are currently 13 Sportmax stores, in cities such as Paris, Moscow, Hong Kong, Shanghai and New York. These units will be renovated along the lines of the Milan blueprint. The brand is also available at Max Mara stores and in select department stores. “In the U.S., we plan to start distributing Sportmax in department stores in the next two years,” said Maramotti.
Just as the brand “blends history and tradition, past and present,” said the executive, whose family owns Max Mara, the store juxtaposes sleek lines on the ground floor with a Fifties mood on the second level that maintains the original traces of the typical Milanese bourgeois apartment. Nude is the main color throughout.
On the first floor, architect and designer Vincenzo de Cotiis, who developed the concept, maintained the oak floors and their aged look, and the original wallpaper, at times even displayed behind a glass slab. “It’s a modern store that doesn’t erase the space’s history,” said Maramotti. Contrasts stem from shiny surfaces, offset by opaque, textured glass, made to look aged. De Cotiis, who launched the Haute fashion line in 1998 (now called Decotiis), is known for his experimentation with contemporary materials contrasting with recovered pieces and materials, evident in the design of Milan’s hotel Straf, for example.
Likewise, Maramotti underscored how Sportmax, launched in the Sixties, invests in research while at the same time harking back to its heritage. “Evolution is part of our job, but the identity must remain as an anchor,” he said. He remarked that “the idea of a target age has almost disappeared,” and that Sportmax, which initially was aimed at a younger customer, had evolved and now revolves around experimentation with shapes, fits, techniques, fabrics and materials. “Research and development is our daily bread,” he said.
The Max Mara Group, based in Reggio Emilia, Italy, marks its 60th anniversary this year, but it is not planning any celebratory event, said Maramotti. The firm will take its “Coats! Max Mara, 55 Years of Italian Fashion” exhibition, which bowed in 2006 in Berlin, to Moscow’s Red Square in October.
The group closed 2009 with sales of 1.16 billion euros, or $1.61 billion at average exchange rate. Figures for 2010 are not yet available. The company has 5,000 employees and a total of 2,258 stores in 100 countries.


text:
A slew of California tourism officials and union leaders are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue specific guidelines to clarify when meetings, business events and conventions can resume in the state. In an open letter to the governor signed by 130 tourism professionals — representing convention centers, CVBs, hotels, restaurants and more — the advocates said California is losing bookings to other states through 2022 and beyond, because of the uncertainty around reopening.
For every month the state delays opening for meetings, California is losing $4.1 billion in economic activity, the letter states. That's based on two studies from Oxford Economics (here and here) that were released in October 2020. In 2019, the travel and meetings sector accounted for $66.1 billion in direct spending in the state, and supported 457,000 jobs.
California has prohibited meetings of any size since March 2020, when the stay-at-home order went into effect.
Gov. Newsom's Blueprint for a Safer Economy doesn't mention meetings, business events or conventions, the letter points out, and doesn't present guidelines for reopening the sector. The fact that the governor hasn't addressed this is causing event organizers to look elsewhere.
“We’re not asking Gov. Newsom to open California to business meetings and events tomorrow; we’re asking for a plan today so we can safely hold events in the future,” said Barb Newton, president and CEO of CalTravel, the association representing the state's travel and tourism industry. “These events bring more than just direct revenue and jobs. They bring people who spend money on hotel rooms, restaurants, local shops and services. The ripple effect is huge and benefits both large and small communities — but we’re losing the benefits to other states.”
While other states have been allowing safe business meetings to be held, California's government has yet to adopt or approve a plan developed by the state's travel industry in June 2020. According to the group behind the letter, that plan outlined how the state could host safe meetings, adhering to standards established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health.
“Every day I’m on the phone with someone trying to convince them to not cancel and take their business to another state,” said Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We need the governor to provide guidelines to signal to our customers that California will one day be open to hosting events. We want the jobs and revenue here in California, not other states.”
"Over 40 meetings representing 13,481 jobs have cancelled so far, and we are now losing groups for the fourth quarter of 2021," added Scott White, president and CEO of the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Those trends will continue until the state offers responsible reopening guidelines, cautioned Julie Coker, president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority. “There’s too much at stake for California to be the outlier among states with no guidance. The economy is revving up, our clients want to book business meetings and conventions, but we can’t accommodate them. We are losing out on revenue and jobs.”


text:
Books-a-Million, America's third-largest books retail chain, weathered a crummy third quarter but sounded upbeat about plans to move into a new line of business: Video games. That's news to some of their stores.
Gamasutra reports that many of the chain's locations, principally located in the American South and Midwest, began selling used titles over the past two weeks. They don't accept used games, managers said, and they're unsure of how corporate is supplying the used stock.
Video games also do not appear on the Books-a-Million online store.
Books-a-Million Selling Used Video Games At Some Locations [Gamasutra]


text:
Does the China Ban Really Ban Children From Using Cell Phones? China has long been one of the most feared countries in the world, for ….
Category: tech news
Verizon’s FiOS And T-Mobile’s Upgrades Bring Updated Services Tesla has recently launched a new update for its clients. The basic version of the program is ….
What will 5G do for you? What will 5G do for your city? How will 5G change the world? What will 5G do for you? ….
Battle Royale Xbox Series – Will it Be the Hottest Game For Fall 2010? WELCOME TO ANOTHER ARTICLE What games are coming out in 2021? ….
Is The Government of pakistan is Purchasing A Tesla’s Electric Car? There has been a lot of talk about electric cars in Pakistan and the ….


text:
Here's How PlayStation, Xbox, Media Molecule and More Celebrate Germany's World Cup Victory
Germany just won the soccer/football world cup against Argentina and game developers and publishers are joining the celebrations (whether they’re German or not) on their social media accounts, involving the brands and characters that we all know and love.
The funny part is that most of them probably had both options ready at hand, but I guess we can let that slide.
Below you can see how prominent game publishers and developers are congratulating the German team for its victory. We’ll keep the post updated if any more will surface. It’s probably going to be a long night.
Congratulations Germany! World Cup 2014 Winners! pic.twitter.com/ZqlvsiR1rV
— LittleBigPlanet (@LittleBigPlanet) July 13, 2014
— PlayStation Europe (@PlayStationEU) July 13, 2014
— EntertainmentForXbox (@XboxEntertain) July 13, 2014
— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) July 13, 2014
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) July 13, 2014


text:
Legislation approved by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday will require businesses to accept cash payments. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
San Francisco outlawed cashless businesses Tuesday, ending a practice widely viewed as discriminatory against low income residents.
The Board of Supervisor unanimously approved legislation introduced by Supervisor Vallie Brown that will impose a ban on cashless businesses 90 days after its final approval.
The vote follows Philadelphia’s cashless business ban, approved in February, and New Jersey’s, which passed last month.
Brown said that the “future may be cashless,” but in the meantime denying cash payments is “excluding too many people.”
“This legislation will go far in ensuring all San Franciscans have equitable access to the city’s economy,” she said
In the United States, 17 percent of all African-American households and 14 percent of all Latino households had no bank account, according to a 2017 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation survey.
There are currently only a handful of businesses that do not accept cash in San Francisco, requiring payment through smart phone applications tied to a person’s bank account or credit card. The number, however, was increasing. Those without bank accounts or credit are unable to purchase goods in these types of stores.
“The City must remain vigilant in ensuring its economy is inclusionary and accessible to Everyone,” the legislation states. “The purpose of this [law]is to ensure that all City residents — including those who lack access to other forms of payment are able to participate in the City’s economic life by paying cash for goods and many services.”
Businesses argue going cashless creates a safer work environment and more efficient service.
But in the face of new laws seeking to beat back the trend, one of the most well-known cashless stores, Amazon Go, which is also devoid of cash registers, announced last month it would start accepting cash.
Amazon Go’s latest location to open in New York City on Tuesday was also the first of its 12 locations to start accepting cash, according to an Amazon Go spokesperson. The company plans to over time start accepting cash payments at its other locations, including the three in San Francisco.
Under the legislation, repeat violations would constitute a misdemeanor and carry a fine of up to $1,000.
The law applies to brick-and-mortar businesses, those with a fixed location. It does not impact food trucks, ride hail services or temporary “pop up” retail.
A second and final vote on the legislation is scheduled for next week.
In other business, Mayor London Breed jointly introduced with board president Norman Yee a $500 million bond for the November ballot that they said would help start construction on about 2,000 units of affordable housing over the next four years.
The funding breakdown includes $150 million to repair and rebuild public housing, $210 million to build, acquire or rehabilitate low-income housing and about $20 million for middle-income housing, including to fund down payment assistance loans, land purchases and construction.
with 27 posters participating Share this story Further Reading Amazon’s Rekognition messes up, matches 28 lawmakers to mugshots If a new proposed municipal ordinance passes in the coming months, San Francisco could become the first city in America to outright ban the use of facial recognition technology by its police department or any other city agency.
In addition, $90 million would go toward acquiring and building senior housing and $30 million “for the acquisition and rehabilitation of rental housing at risk of losing affordability, whether through market forces or a building’s physical decline.”
Supervisor Gordon Mar also asked the budget analyst to study the social and economic impacts of proposed City College of San Francisco budget cuts that would reduce the number of classes offered. The request comes as a discussion about the “proposed course changes and reductions” is scheduled for Friday before the Board of Supervisors’ newly formed Joint City, School District, and City College Select Committee.
Torres tells Grub Street he is optimistic New York’s progressive city council will pass his legislation, but he expects local businesses will “mobilize to oppose the bill.” For anyone who sees the impending fight through an apathetic lens, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter and critic, and former Eater NY editor, Melissa McCart made a salient point in her report on the topic earlier this year: “[I]n an era when an increasing number of restaurants no longer accept legal tender, it’s useful to think about who this system benefits most: the businesses and banks, at the expense of consumers.” Do businesses and banks really need more power?