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How often have you had to encounter a dead smartphone in an emergency situation? All of us can remember at least one time when our smartphone ran out of power when we needed it the most, right? But this is going to be change very soon, at least for New Yorkers.
Okay now think solar! We say this because carrier AT&T has unveiled a pilot program that aims at providing free, solar mobile charging stations in five major areas in New York. The public will be able to charge their mobilephones and other battery powered equipments at these charging stations, for no cost whatsoever.
The pilot program comes about as a direct impact of Hurricane Sandy. During last fall, when Sandy swept through New York, cell phone network provider AT&T powered the city’s distribution centers with commercial generators. But it wasn’t enough and many people lost power for days and also lost communication to the outside world.
In order to eliminate such a situation in the future, AT&T has now teamed up with solar technology company Goal Zero to develop solar powered battery chargers for residents. Brooklyn based design firm Pensa has also participated in this initiative.
According to info we have stumbled upon, AT &T will implant at least 25 AT&T Street Charge solar mobile charging units across the New York city, by the end of summer. The project, named Street Charge, would power up any handheld device with a microUSB, USB, lightning port or a 30 pin connector.
The entire mobile charging stations feature advanced design and technology, so that it can charge any smartphone, tablet or mobile device out there.
The design would be such that solar panels are attached to the top of the charging station and will provide power during the day. And for the night, it includes built-in lithium batteries that run the stations at night, so that people around the city can enjoy their service, round-the-clock.
AT&T’s Street Charge project is expected to deploy about 25 charging units in five, high traffic areas, including Manhattan, Coney Island, Brooklyn Bridge Park and Riverside Park, by the end of this summer. You can search the full list of locations here. You may also find out via Twitter your closest location
Going by what Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg believes, the new AT &T service would definitely improve connectivity and access to wireless technology, which is an important part of our lives. And we like the solar angle to it too.
The carrier seems to think that solar mobile charging stations would be the next natural step towards providing innovative services to people to lead a more sustainable life. Aren’t you excited too?

domain: news


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Hyuna’s wig slammed by Black fans for cultural appropriation: 'You can just curl your hair'
Hyuna is seen visiting a beauty supply store for Black hair in Paris and buying a curly wig
In the fourth week of June, K-pop couple Hyuna and Dawn flew to Paris and seem to be having a gala time. Fans are also loving the quirky couple’s outfits in the city of fashion, especially with it being Men’s Paris Fashion Week. However, on June 24, Hyuna came under fire for cultural appropriation by buying a curly wig from a hair shop meant specifically for natural hair. She first posted a photo of trying it on with the comments full of Black fans asking her to put it down.
Much to her Black fans’ disappointment, Hyuna then indirectly revealed that she had bought the wig as she was later seen sporting it in different locations. With the shop being quite familiar to Black fans from different wigs, oils and haircare products meant for the health of natural hair, they made memes and joked about spotting Hyuna on their beauty supplies run. However, the underlying issue of the idol being ignorant and buying the wig just because she liked it has not gone over well with fans.
Blackpink's Lisa apologizes for cultural appropriation over box braids in 'Money'
Black BTS fans slam 'Street Girls Fighter' Nain for cultural appropriation, despite Jungkook praise
Hyuna slammed for cultural appropriation
When it comes to cultural sensitivity, K-pop has still a long way to go. A lot of idols ignorantly do cultural appropriation, especially by mimicking Black fashion to seem ‘hip hop’. This not only enforces the negative stereotype that hip hop and Black people are dangerous or street thugs, but it is also incredibly offensive as a majority of South Korea still has a racist mindset. Fans are also often upset that while they are still a target of racism for their hair, skin color and accent, K-pop idols imitate them and are applauded while they profit off it. And so with Hyuna sporting a curly hair wig, fans have taken to educating her.
‘Hyuna is ignorant fr’
Black fans explained that while they had no issues with those of different races having naturally curly hair or curling, it was Hyuna going to a hair shop meant for Blacks and picking a curly wig to look like them that was problematic. One fan tweeted, “Hyuna is ignorant fr she needs someone to teach her about cultural appropriation.” Another asked, “Now what is miss hyuna doing in the afro shop.” One fan said, “Idk why she had to buy a wig.. pls hyuna you can just curl ur hair like this again.” Another added, “Hyuna put that wig down and get out that beauty store there is nothing for u there.”
hyuna is ignorant fr she needs someone to teach her about cultural appropriation. https://t.co/TFhvxE90T2— ً (@l1lilf) June 24, 2022
now what is miss hyuna doing in the afro shop pic.twitter.com/jQrz7axfgy— tete | LEFT and RIGHT (@JJKSBEG1N) June 24, 2022
idk why she had to buy a wig.. pls hyuna you can just curl ur hair like this again pic.twitter.com/ILXUhdrBF9— JUNE 16TH (@softfordawnie) June 24, 2022
hyuna put that wig down and get out that beauty store there is nothing for u there pic.twitter.com/qUAZTE6iNM— 🏳🌈 (@youn9lov3) June 24, 2022
One explained, “I know hyuna bought that wig because she liked the style and probably didn’t mean any harm by it but someone really needs to tell her that it’s not meant for her….” Another fan joked, “Not hyuna purchasing a shake go and wig…i swear my auntie got the same damn wig too.” One shared, “Hyuna having a whole photo op with my entire wash and go routine in the background rlly sending me rn yall like.” Another was blunt, “I SWEAR NON-BLACK PPL WANNA BE BLACK SO BAD BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING BLACK LIVES THEY ARE QUIET.”
I know hyuna bought that wig because she liked the style and probably didn’t mean any harm by it but someone really needs to tell her that it’s not meant for her….— sarah⁷ᴹ 💎🌙 (@ASummerSarah) June 24, 2022
Hyuna having a whole photo op with my entire wash and go routine in the background rlly sending me rn yall like https://t.co/0fzAM4MiE8— 🌱Blitz ‹‹ | ›› (Loves Megan Thee Stallion💜) (@yoongissnipers) June 24, 2022
I SWEAR NON-BLACK PPL WANNA BE BLACK SO BAD BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING BLACK LIVES THEY ARE QUIET— Lili'sCrib (@daydreamshoo) June 25, 2022
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.


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At the National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB 2017) on Tuesday, Microsoft announced several new partners and customers who have chosen Microsoft’s cloud to power their digital transformation, writes Steve Guggenheimer, corporate vice president for Developer Experience & Evangelism and Chief Evangelist.
Among them is Avid, which is choosing Microsoft Azure as a preferred partner to power their business. Avid is a leading technology and multimedia company that specializes in audio and video; specifically, digital non-linear editing systems, management and distribution services.
To learn more, visit The Official Microsoft Blog.
Microsoft News Center Staff


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Updated 2:16 p.m.
β’ DoJ, AT&T Make Joint Request to Postpone Antitrust Case β Both the U.S. Justice Department and AT&T are asking a court to put a hold on the feds’ lawsuit to block the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. A hearing would be scheduled on the status of the case on Jan. 18.
β’ Google, Motorola Mobility Review Temporarily Halted by EU β The European Union wants more information about the proposed acquisition.
β’ Netflix Shares Soaring On Report Of Sale Talks With Verizon β It’s just a rumor, but Netlix’s shares are up today as a result.
β’ Microsoft: Windows Phone 7.5 does not support NFC, coming next year β Microsoft says reports that WinPhone 7.5 supports NFC are not correct.
β’ Google Shoot View turns Google Maps into a first-person shooter β You walk through Google Street View scenes with an assault rifle and shoot at things. But there’s no damage, no blood, the image remains static. Very strange and very unsettling.
β’ As Kindle Fire Faces Critics, Remedies Are Promised β Expect a new software update for the Kindle Fire within the next two weeks that will address speed and interface issues. Plus Kindle Touch jailbroken with simple MP3 hack
β’ Next generation iPads to be available in 3-4 months, say sources β That makes sense given Apple’s cycle of release on iPads, which tend to come in early spring.
β’ Appleβs Mac App Store tops 100 million downloads β It’s hit that number in less than a year.
β’ Five Best Mobile Price Comparison Apps β Amazon’s app isn’t the only game in town.
β’ A Shopperβs Companion, Still Going Strong β For the 75-year-old Consumer Reports, digital revenues are now higher than print.
β’ This Web Site’s Been Watching Your BitTorrent Habits and Can Show What You’ve Been Downloading β We know who you are, and we know what you’ve downloaded.
β’ Why Spotify can never be profitable: The secret demands of record labels β The labels structure deals in such a way that it’s very difficult for streaming services to profit. It’s an interesting look inside the digital music business by MP3.com founder Michael Robertson.
β’ Samsung says sells over 300 million mobile handsets in 2011 β That’s a record for the company.
β’ Bill Shock Without Leaving Home β Wireless carriers are abandoning unlimited wireless plans, causing bills to go up and leaving their customers confused.
β’ Judgment Day Looms for Apple, HTC β The International Trade Commission will rule Wednesday on claims by Apple that HTC stole its inventions.


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Words By: Drone Major
Striking a balance between controlling and monitoring drone usage and not stifling an industry that has so much potential is a tricky one.
Airspace in and around airports and cities needs to be monitored. But monitoring the movement of all drones isn’t a practical consideration.
DJI believe they may have found a solution. AeroScope, unveiled by the leading drone manufacturer last week, makes critical information on a drone and its operator accessible to authorities, as and when a drone moves into the region of a prison, airport or other restricted airspace.
AeroScope will be usable with DJI’s existing drones, extracting information from the radio transmissions between the drone and its remote controller. It then reveals key information such as the location of the person operating the drone, where the drone took off from, its speed, direction and altitude, to law enforcement authorities.
In relation to the demo of this ground-breaking new technology, the company’s VP of Policy and Legal Affairs said “AeroScope is designed to meet authorities’ legitimate needs concerning safety, security and privacy while also respecting the rights of people and businesses who use drones’’. He continued to explain that DJI’s solution ensures ‘‘flight data is only collected on the small number of drone flights that could raise concerns’’.
DJI, as the market’s largest drone manufacturer, is keen to be seen as a responsible manufacturer and AeroScope is just one of several new initiatives to promote safe and responsible drone usage within this fast-growing industry.


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ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office needs the public's help in identifying a woman accused of stealing from a store on Monday.
Deputies say she distracted a sales associate at the Rainbow Shades store in St. Augustine and stole a pair of Costa Anna sunglasses.
The sunglasses are reportedly $279.
If you can identify her or know of her whereabouts, you are asked to contact Deputy Stephens at email@example.com.
Cox Media Group


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How Much Is a Fully Loaded 2023 Toyota GR Corolla?
As of now, Toyota has not released any official pricing information for the 2023 GR Corolla.
However, industry experts predict that the vehicle will be priced competitively
with other high-performance compact cars in its class, such as the Subaru
WRX and the Volkswagen Golf R. A fully loaded GR Corolla is expected to
come with a range of advanced features and technologies, which may drive
up the price. But without official pricing information, it's difficult to say
exactly how much a fully loaded GR Corolla will cost.


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Federal and state authorities Wednesday accused Apple (AAPL) and five major book publishers of conspiring to raise prices for e-books, in a case that could produce lower prices in the future while potentially limiting Apple’s growing clout in the online media business.
Publishers and their allies defended the pricing policies that prompted a federal antitrust lawsuit, denying collusion but saying they needed to combat the market dominance of another tech titan, the online retailer Amazon. Even so, authorities said three publishers had agreed to a settlement requiring them to reverse those policies.
And while Apple had no comment Wednesday, legal experts said the case suggests the government is paying close attention to the Cupertino computer-maker’s role in online commerce, where it serves as gatekeeper to all kinds of consumer purchases through its popular iTunes and App Store platforms.
In one of several colorful anecdotes recounted in the lawsuit, federal authorities cite a statement attributed to Apple founder Steve Jobs by his biographer, in which Jobs described his approach to the publishers as, “you set the price, we get our 30 percent and yes, the customer pays a little more, but that’s what you want anyway.”
The suit makes Apple’s conduct appear “pretty blatant,” said David Balto, an antitrust attorney and former federal regulator. “And that’s going to invite more intensive scrutiny of all of Apple’s practices.”
Two other publishers, meanwhile, hotly disputed the allegations in the lawsuit, which described the price-fixing scheme as arising from a series of secret meetings in backrooms of exclusive Manhattan restaurants, where the CEOs of major U.S. publishing houses allegedly gathered in 2008 and 2009 to bemoan Amazon’s practice of selling e-books at the heavily discounted price of $9.99.
Ultimately, the suit claims Apple helped coordinate an agreement by five publishers — Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster — to adopt a policy that raised the price of individual e-books by an average of $2 to $3.
“As a result of this conspiracy, we believe that consumers paid millions of dollars more for some of the most popular titles,” said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who announced the lawsuit at a Washington, D.C., news conference. Officials in 16 states, led by Texas and Connecticut, filed a separate action on similar grounds.
Authorities say the conspiracy was aimed directly at Amazon. The online retailer’s early success in the e-book market has prompted some critics to accuse Amazon of selling titles at a loss to boost the popularity of its own Kindle readers.
But according to the lawsuit, the publishers also worried Amazon’s e-book prices could drive down the wholesale prices that publishers could charge, both for e-books and traditionally printed books.
Apple, meanwhile, was preparing to launch its iPad and wanted to compete in the e-book market. But, the suit says, Apple was concerned that Amazon’s pricing “had reduced retailer margins on e-books to levels that Apple found unattractive.”
By the end of 2009, as Apple was starting to approach publishers about distributing e-books on its own platform, the suit says the publishers told Apple executive Eddy Cue they were ready to adopt a blanket policy in which they would set the retail price for their titles.
Until then, most publishers sold books to retailers at roughly half the cover price, while letting retailers decide how much to charge consumers. Under the new policy, publishers would require retailers to sell at a set price, while granting the retailer a fixed commission.
Apple agreed, the suit says, while insisting on a 30 percent commission and requiring the publishers to guarantee that Apple could sell e-book titles at the lowest price offered by any retailer.
By actively pressuring all the publishers to accept those terms, the suit says Apple “knowingly served as a critical conspiracy participant” in making sure the publishers imposed the same prices on all retailers.
While three publishers agreed to a settlement without admitting wrongdoing, two others said they will fight the suit. In separate statements, Penguin and Macmillan insisted Wednesday that they acted independently in adopting the new pricing model, which they say allowed other retailers like Barnes & Noble to compete in the e-book market.
Apple has also been criticized for imposing strict price conditions and other restrictions on publishers who wanted to sell subscriptions for online magazines and other publications through Apple’s App Store. It relaxed those rules last year, however, amid reports that U.S. and European antitrust authorities were examining Apple’s approach to selling online publications, videos and music.
The e-book lawsuit contains a brief reference to another, potentially explosive allegation: Without citing evidence, the suit says Apple at one time considered “illegally dividing” the digital media market by letting Amazon have the e-books business if Apple could dominate online music and video.
Sales of digital media represent a tiny slice of Apple’s overall revenue, analysts say, but they are important to the appeal of Apple’s popular iPads and other gadgets. The popularity of Apple’s online platforms give it “tremendous market power,” Balto added. “Apple has the ability to significantly impact competition in the market.”
Stanford law professor Mark Lemley cautioned that the allegations in the e-book case haven’t been proved. But he said the suit puts Apple on notice the government is watching its actions closely.
“Being sued by the government for violating the antitrust laws is always going to be a wake-up call,” Lemley added.
Mercury News staff writer John Boudreau contributed to this report. Contact Brandon Bailey at 408-920-5022 or follow him at Twitter.com/BrandonBailey.


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James Tromans, the Head of Web3 at Google Cloud, recently shared his views on the crypto industry and the role of blockchain technology in business innovation.
In an exclusive interview, he urged the crypto community to shift their focus from token prices to smart contracts and their potential to solve real-world problems.
Tromans expressed his concerns over the disproportionate emphasis placed on token prices within the cryptocurrency industry.
He said that tokens are essential for the functioning of smart contracts, but they should not overshadow the underlying business problems that blockchain technology can address.
“What are the business problems you’re trying to solve? The tokens serve a purpose when executing a smart contract to address these problems. But, it’s imperative to realize that the core objective is the resolution of the business challenge and not the tokens themselves,”James Tromans
He further commented on the frequent discussions about token speculation in the crypto realm, urging the community to understand that token prices do not define Web3.
Web3 is about leveraging decentralized systems and technologies to bring about innovation in business models and operations.
Blockchain Node Engine: A Managed Service for Web3 Development
Google Cloud has been making strides in the blockchain domain with its Blockchain Node Engine. This innovative offering allows users to self-host nodes that can access blockchain data, engage in transactions, develop smart contracts, and run decentralized applications.
Google Cloud believes that blockchain and smart contracts are the keys to unlocking new levels of innovation, reducing operational costs, and discovering novel revenue streams.
Blockchain Node Engine is a fully managed service, which means that users do not have to worry about availability, security, or scalability. Google Cloud actively monitors the nodes and restarts or upgrades them as needed.
Users can also control who can access their nodes and how much by issuing custom API keys with individual rate limits.
Ethereum is the first blockchain supported by Blockchain Node Engine, enabling developers to provision fully managed Ethereum nodes with secure blockchain access.
Tromans said that Google Cloud plans to add support for more blockchains in the future based on user demand and feedback.
Enterprise Interest in Blockchain Remains Robust
Despite the tumultuous market conditions, enterprise interest in blockchain remains robust, Tromans shared.
Over the past year, many businesses from traditional sectors have expressed keenness in utilizing blockchain technology to enhance operational efficiency, reduce overheads, and accelerate innovation.
“The primary source of this interest stems from the TradFi sector. They see immense potential in employing blockchain to address and simplify long-standing challenges in finance and accounting,”
Furthermore, he highlighted a rising trend among Google Cloud clientele: an inclination towards exploring blockchain-driven solutions in digital identity and supply chain realms.
With the recent launch of Worldcoin, the iris biometric cryptocurrency project initiated by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, digital identity has surged as a significant topic of discussion in the Web3 domain.
User Experience: A Barrier to Mass Adoption
While the potential of blockchain is undeniable, Tromans opined that there’s still a significant barrier to mass adoption: user experience.
The complexities surrounding concepts like private keys can be daunting for the average user unfamiliar with the intricacies of blockchain technology.
“If our goal is to bring blockchain to the masses, it’s imperative to simplify the user experience. Just as people browse the internet without understanding the complexities of protocols like TCP-IP or HTTPS, the same should be true for Web3,”
He stressed the need for Web3 developers to create streamlined solutions, helping users navigate aspects like private key recovery seamlessly.
He envisioned a future where blockchain technology seamlessly integrates into various industries, from payments to gaming and the arts, without users worrying about technical details or security risks.


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The white Mercedes Sprinter van, which had been parked at an industrial unit on Cobbett Road in Burntwood, was stolen without keys sometime between 3pm on Friday, June 3, and 8.40am on Saturday, June 4.
Items stolen included 10 one-metre balls of artificial flowers, a number of grey crates containing rose gold pots and a large quantity of candles and vases.
Officers are currently reviewing CCTV footage of the area at the time of the theft and have urged anyone who may have seen anything suspicious, including any of the items up for sale locally, to get in touch.
Chief Inspector David Wain, vehicle crime lead for Staffordshire Police, said: "This theft has had a profound effect on the business and undoubtedly on the events and individuals they were due to cater for.
"Thankfully, the business has been able to replace many of the items last minute, but the theft of the van remains a significant loss."
Anyone with any information should contact police Facebook, Twitter or call 101 quoting incident 219 of June 4.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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SCGP receives quality awards for packaging design in the ‘World Star Awards 2023’ and ‘AsiaStar 2022’ Awards
Go-Pak UK’s parent company SCG Packaging (SCGP) have been awarded a total of five quality awards from the World Star Awards 2023 held by the World Packaging Organization (WPO) and AsiaStar Awards by the Asian Packaging Federation (APF).
In the World Star Awards designers won two awards, winning in the ‘Luxury Packaging’ and ‘Point of Sale’ categories. The team of designers also received three quality awards from AsiaStar in the 2022 awards organized by the Asian Packaging Federation.
SCGP has been successful in packaging design in the international and Asia stage because of the determination to develop packaging that truly meets customer needs, has beautiful patterns and designs, attracts consumers and helps promote product sales.
“SCGP has been successful in packaging design… because of the determination to develop packaging that truly meets customer needs, has beautiful patterns and designs, attracts consumers and helps promote product sales.”
Congratulations to the SCGP design team from all at Go-Pak UK in providing user-friendly products while responding to the need for responsible use of resources.
Find out more about the awards here:


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Fulfilling a rumor that surfaced about three months ago, Nest will indeed “join forces” with Google’s hardware team, Google confirmed today.
RELATED: Google May Bring Nest Back: Report
The move to combine those teams comes about four years after Google acquired Nest, a maker of thermostats, cameras and other smart home equipment and software, in 2014 for $3.2 billion. Nest has been operating independently as part of the Other Bets unit of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, that also includes Google Fiber.
Update: The companies confirmed that Marwan Fawaz, the former cable industry vet, will remain CEO of Nest and will now report to Rick Osterloh, the head of Google hardware. In addition to leading Nest, Fawaz will also play a big role in the integration with Google's hardware team. TechCrunch reported earlier that Google doesn’t “anticipate any significant role reduction," while a Nest official told the site that the Nest brand will continue under the new structure.
In a blog post about the move, Osterloh touted Nest’s momentum, noting that it doubled its hardware portfolio last year and sold more devices in 2017 than the previous two years combined.
“To build on this momentum, we're excited to bring the Nest and Google Hardware teams together,” he wrote. “The goal is to supercharge Nest’s mission: to create a more thoughtful home, one that takes care of the people inside it and the world around it.”
He said the combo will enable Google to continue to focus on combining hardware, software and services, with Google’s artificial intelligence and the company’s Assistant “at the core.”
“We’ve had a head start on collaborating since our teams already work closely together, and today we’re excited to make Nest an integral part of Google’s big bet on hardware,” Osterloh said.
That big bet also includes Google’s recent acquisition of a part of HTC that includes the team that worked with Google on its Android-powered Pixel smartphones.
The latest move also comes about four months Google introduced several new consumer products, including the Pixel 2, and updated model of the Daydream View mobile VR headset, and expansion to its Google Home ecosystem.
The smarter way to stay on top of the multichannel video marketplace. Sign up below.


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Canned cocktails are off to the races. According to recently released data from the Distilled Spirits Council, sales of premixed drinks surged 42.3% over the past year to eclipse $1.6 billion in US revenue—cutting into numbers for beer and hard seltzer. Capitalizing on that buzz is Day Chaser, a Vermont-based producer specializing in a line of carbonated vodka and sodas flavored with real fruit juice.
Just a couple of years ago it would be difficult to imagine such a brand owning the clout to advertise with major sports league. But as a testament to the evolving landscape of adult beverages, the company has now entered into a multi-year partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, the winningest team in NASCAR history. As part of the deal, Day Chaser will be featured on the fire suits of racer Alex Bowman and his No. 48 crew members. The brand also receives prominent placement on the team’s equipment used throughout race weekends. It’s a massive amount of visibility for the canned cocktail upstart, as NASCAR remains the most popular spectator sport in the country.
And one of its most popular racers of all time, Jeff Gordon, is co-owner and vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports. The 4-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, and hall of famer, sat down with Forbes to discuss his storied career as well as his interest in Day Chaser and canned cocktails. Read the exclusive interview below, followed by added commentary from current driver, Alex Bowman.
You’ve won an astonishing 93 NASCAR races. What are some of your most memorable victory lane celebrations over the years?
Jeff Gordon: “Our races are very hard to win so each one has significance for different reasons. When I was driving, I never took a victory for granted because you never knew when your next one would be. I’ll never forget my first Cup Series win at Charlotte, which was a huge moment for me. I spent time growing up in Indiana, so the chance to race and win at the Brickyard held a lot of personal significance. And of course, the DAYTONA 500. Hendrick Motorsports finishing 1-2-3 there in 1997 was a very special one. Now that I’m working on the business side [of Hendrick Motorsports], I take a lot of pride whenever any of our teams win. Last year, I was just as excited in our victory lane celebrations as I was when I drove.”
The partnership with Day Chaser marks the first time Hendrick Motorsports has aligned with a liquor/alcohol sponsor in over 20 years, why is that?
JG: “When we’re in conversations with potential partners, so much of what happens comes down to timing and fit. We’ve learned from Rick [Hendrick Motorsports owner] that aligning with great organizations and brands that fit with our own brand and culture is extremely important. Those factors help us build long-term relationships. There have certainly been conversations with alcohol brands over the years, but the stars simply didn’t align until recently.”
Looking back at big drink sponsors you’ve had in the past, some of the biggest names in the beverage industry, how does aligning with a new brand differ?
JG: “For our team, it’s exciting to have the chance to be on the ground floor and help build a new brand. When I look at Day Chaser, there’s support from a larger organization in Vermont Cider Company, which has a tremendous track record. Now they’re aligned with a rising star in Alex [Bowman] and a winning team in the No. 48. They have a plan in place, and we have the chance to bring a lot of value to that plan.”
Why are sponsors so important in NASCAR in particular? Do fans really pay attention more so in this sport than any other?
JG: “There’s no other sport where corporate partners are truly part of the competition like they are in NASCAR. What’s so special is that our fans recognize how important sponsors are to the success of their favorite teams. In turn, they support those sponsors. Brand loyalty in NASCAR is extremely high, and it opens up a lot of marketing opportunities.”
What is most exciting about having Day Chaser on board for the next couple seasons?
Alex Bowman: “It’s really exciting to have Day Chaser on board. I am looking forward to meeting everybody and building that relationship with everyone and celebrating with Day Chaser in victory lane.”
What have you enjoyed drinking typically in the past, have ‘ready to drink’ cocktails always been in your arsenal?
AB: “I’ve never been into ready-to-drink canned cocktails, so Day Chaser was a new experience for me, and I really enjoy them. I typically enjoy bourbon, so the canned-cocktail thing is new to me, but I am really enjoying it.”
Outside of victory lane, what’s the best place for you to enjoy a drink?
AB: “The best place to enjoy a Day Chaser, for me, is by the pool. It also helps that it is in a can, so you don’t have to worry about glass bottles breaking.”


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Warehouse Design Competition winners announcedWednesday, 22 August 2012
High street fashion retailer Warehouse in partnership
with the British Fashion Council has announced Natalie O'Hare from University of Salford as the winner of its annual Warehouse Design Competition.
The competition, now in its fourth year, asked course tutors from many of the UK’s leading universities, who are members of the BFC’s Colleges Council, to submit portfolios from this year’s graduates.
As well as searching for new talent in design, for the second year running the competition also announced Rachel Hannaway, also from the University of Salford, as the winner in the photography category.
Both winners were chosen by a panel of industry judges, which included Lisa Byrne, Design Director and Jennifer Roebuck, Marketing Director at Warehouse and Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC. They were chosen due to their portfolios demonstrating “excellent design ability and creative vision which encapsulates the Warehouse brand”.
Both winners will now join Warehouse for a six-month paid design placement, which will allow them to follow the full journey of the collection development from the initial design process, through production, to campaign creation and marketing the collection launch.
Natalie O’Hare, the design winner will also see pieces from her graduate collection produced and sold exclusively in selected Warehouse stores nationwide, and Rachel Hannaway, photography winner will shoot the campaign for the collection.


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Following a massive cable television and internet service outage over the weekend, Spectrum is slated to offer a credit refund for customers affected by the incident. The credit will reportedly be credited back to the respective customer accounts.
According to WBNG, Spectrum’s weekend outage resulted from the build-up of ice and snow, directly impacting the fiber that helps run its services. A storm-related event swept not just through Upstate New York, but also in New England.
In a statement, Spectrum spokesperson Lara Pritchard said, “The outage was caused by weather-related fiber damage to primary and redundant networks, and our teams worked to restore service as quickly as we could.”
The outages were experienced by Spectrum customers starting Friday night, continuing well into Saturday afternoon. Based on the report released by Syracuse, the connection was restored a little after 5 in the afternoon that same day.
Although the company has agreed to pay out and give credit refunds for customers, Pritchard said the amount will be reviewed and will differ depending on the case. Syracuse reports that one Spectrum customer commented on its post, saying that the company agreed to give a refund of almost $9 following the incident. The customer supposedly had to call the company on Monday and had subscriptions to cable television, as well as internet and phone services.
“We will work with affected customers who contact us individually,” remarked Pritchard.
Despite the cooperation Spectrum has extended, Congressman Anthony Brindisi urges the state of New York and the Public Service Commission (PSC) to conduct investigations surrounding the incident. Brindisi said, “This outage hurt our small businesses and families across the district. I am calling on the PSC to investigate this outage because customers deserve answers.”
Brindisi is also accusing the service provider from failing to deliver its promises to consumers, notes WBNG.


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What are the Philippines’ largest companies? Maybe you are asking this question out of pure curiosity.
Or maybe you are one of the many people out there who are learning how to invest in the stock market for the very first time, and you’d like to know more about the companies whose tickers you’ve seen on the trading portal.
Or just maybe you are an aspiring entrepreneur and you are looking for aspirational stories of successful businesses.
Regardless, this article is going to discuss the companies and their stocks being traded on the Philippine Stock Exchange.
7 largest companies in the Philippines
Despite the coronavirus pandemic that caused difficulties on the lives of ordinary people and caused stress on the economy, seven Philippine companies are part of Forbes’ 2020 list of the 2000 largest companies in the world.
|1170||Top Frontier Investment Holdings|
|1388||JG Summit Holdings|
|1453||Metropolitan Bank & Trust|
The Sy-led companies SM Investment and BDO topped the list, ranking 707th and 937th respectively. They are followed by Top Frontier Investment Holdings (1,170th), Ayala Corporation (1,234th), JG Summit Holdings (1,388th), Metropolitan Bank & Trust (1,453th), and LT Group (1,873th).
Except for the Top Frontier Investment Holdings, the rest are of the blue chip stocks.
These companies account for $48.3 billion or ₱2.34 trillion in sales in the past year, raked in total profits of $4.175 billion or ₱202.28 billion, and had a combined total assets amount to $240 billion or ₱11.63 trillion.
All together, these seven companies have a combined market value of $49.53 billion or ₱2.39 trillion.
Retail giant SM and universal banking institution BDO in particular have a combined market value of $29 billion or ₱1.4 trillion.
Both companies, founded by the legendary Filipino-Chinese businessman Henry Sy and are today led by his heirs, are the only two Philippine-domiciled entities that reached the first half of Forbes’ prestigious ranking.
SM had $9.2 billion (₱445.65 billion) in sales, $860.7 million (₱41.69 billion) in profits, $22.6 billion (₱1.094 trillion) in assets, and a market value of $20.2 billion (₱978.49 billion).
On the other hand, BDO pulled in $4.3 billion in sales (₱208.29 billion), $860.7 million (₱40.704 billion) in profit, $64.6 billion (₱3.129 trillion)in assets, and valuation of $8.8 billion (₱426.27 billion).
Meanwhile, Top Frontier Investment Holdings is a holdings conglomerate with headquarters in Makati City, the corporation is into food, beverages, packaging, properties, and mining.
It earned $19.5 billion (₱944.58 billion) in sales, $207.4 million in profit, $36.2 billion (₱1.75 trillion) in asset, and market value of $930 million (₱45.05 billion).
It is the main shareholders of San Miguel Corporation, owning 65.989% of its outstanding common shares. Moreover, it owns 100% of Clariden Holdings, Inc., a corporation that is into “exploration, mining and development.”
Meanwhile, Ayala Corporation makes it to the list ranked 1234th. Owned by the influential and prominent Zobel de Ayala family, it is considered the oldest and largest business in the country.
The company has a diversified interests spanning across different industries, including business process outsourcing, information technology, retail, education, banking, properties healthcare, telecommunication, just to name a few.
The company raked in $5.10 billion in sales (₱247.04 billion), $681.30 million (₱33 billion) in profit, $26.60 billion (₱1.288 trillion) in assets, and market value of $7.20 billion (₱348.77 billion).
JG Summit Holdings Inc. is the flagship conglomerate of the prominent family of the late businessman John Gokongwei. The company holds interests in various lines of business including real estate, telecommunication, transportation, and manufacturing.
It earned total profit of $5.60 billion (₱271.26 billion) in sales, $604.20 million (₱29.267 billion) in sales, $18.40 billion (₱891.30 billion) in asset, and valuation of $7.20 billion (₱348.77 billion).
Another bank earned its place in the ranks. Metropolitan Bank & Trust secured the spot at 1453th. Founded by George Ty in 1962, its headquarter is in Makati City, the country’s financial hub.
As the second largest bank, it offers various banking products for its consumer and corporate clients including insurance, investment banking, mortgage loans, mutual funds, wealth management, credit cards, and finance lease.
According to the Forbes list, the company reported $2.80 billion (₱135.63 billion) in sales, $533.50 million (₱25.84 billion) in profits, $46.70 billion (₱2.26 trillion) in assets, and $3.50 billion (₱169.54 billion) market valuation.
Making it to the list is the LT Group of billionaire and business magnate Lucio Tan. It is a holdings company with businesses in banking, real estate, beverages, and tobacco.
The report showed that the company had $1.80 billion (₱87.19 billion) in sales, $447.90 million (₱21,69 billion) in profit, $25 billion in asset (₱1,21 trillion), and $1.70 billion (₱82.35 billion) in market valuation.
How to invest in the Philippine company stocks?
So how exactly do you buy and profit from the businesses of these corporations?
The table above provides all the eligible, publicly-listed companies whose shares can be acquired (or sold) with the expectation of gaining from their growth story. You can see
You can start trading stocks by investing in the stock market. You just have to open an account with a stock broker. For full discussions, you can read “Buying PH stocks: how to invest in stock market.“


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Can & end making
The UK Packaging Awards, sponsored by the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association, has announced the shortlist for the Metal Pack of the Year.
Industrial equipment specialist Sencon explains the benefits of using line fed automatic enamel raters to catch metal exposure issues early, reducing the numbers of pallets that can makers need to Hold For Inspection (HFI).
Crown Holdings has announced that it will construct a second high-speed line at its Parma, Italy aluminium beverage can facility.
ADF Paris 2022 marked the first Aerosol & Dispensers fair in over two years. Organised by EasyFairs, the event is now rebranded Paris Packaging Week, with perfume, cosmetic and luxury drink events under the same one roof. Dominique Huret from Cape Decision attended Paris Packaging Week 2022 and scouted the alleys for innovations in aerosols and can dispensers.
Canpack Group has supported Slovakian winemaker Víno Matyšák in bringing its award-winning wine to a new audience, with a new range of sparkling wines in cans.


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While millions of BlackBerry users struggle to come to terms with the fact that their access to the BlackBerry Internet Service has been interrupted for a third straight day, notoriously shy Research In Motion issued a statement regarding the latest outage.
The production of visa chip cards in Rwanda has gained momentum with SIMTEL hinting they are in the final stages of the project.
"We are in talks with banks,"Sigrid Bruch, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) SIMTEL said.
SIMTEL a consortium owned by both government and the private sector which is operating the national payment system in Rwanda.
While ICT continues to advance in western and Asian countries, African countries still experience a lag in its implementation, and that continues to widen the digital and knowledge divides.
In a recent study by Kiptalam et.al (2010), observed that access to ICT facilities is a major challenge facing most African countries, with a ratio of one computer to 150 students against the ratio of 1:15 students in the developed countries.
Apple says first-day pre-orders of the iPhone 4S topped 1 million, breaking the record set by last year's model.
Apple Inc. and various phone companies in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Britain started taking orders for the phone last Friday. It hits stores this Friday.
The Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) has slashed regulatory fees charged for various services in the telecommunication and broadcasting industry in the country.
The regulator announced that the new charges effective from July 2012 are aimed at promoting penetration of telecommunication services in less developed parts of the country.
When renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs visited rural villages in sub-Saharan Africa in 2005, he saw impoverished communities with poor drinking water, feast-and-famine crop cycles and rampant malaria infections. What he didn't see was mobile phones.
"Now mobile phone ownership is perhaps 30% of households and cell phone coverage is widespread," said Sachs, director of the United Nations Millennium Villages Project, which focuses on improving 14 rural villages across 10 African countries as a model for wider prosperity in the region.
Nigeria has launched the first satellite designed and built by Africans. The NigeriaSat-X is one of two Earth observation satellites that the country recently launched. These are Nigeria's third and fourth satellites.
The NigeriaSat-X is the result of a training agreement between the National Space Research and Development Agency and a company called Surrey Satellite Technology.
Accra-Twelve weeks since its commencement, the National Communications Authority (NCA) says a total of 105,678 mobile phone subscribers in Ghana have ported to other networks under the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) system as at the end of September 2011.
According to the regulator, its analysis of data shows that 41,021 porting requests were completed in the month of September.
The fact that we are now living in the world where there is Information Technology (IT) in various institutions globally, it is high time all Uganda’s institutions carrying out their business using IT solutions began using Biometrics Technology.
It is defined as an automated method used to identify a person based on physiological and behavioural characteristic using a unique identifier. It can as well be defined as applied mathematics in biology for purposes of identifying individual characterics via finger prints and pictures.
Starfish Mobile, a wireless application service provider (WASP) which operates in 22 African territories, in partnership with 35 mobile operators, 5 corporate offices in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ghana and Tanzania generates about 80% of their entire business revenue from SMS services.
This is despite the rise of mobile applications and mobile instant messaging services.
Wayne Nelson-Esch, Starfish Mobile CEO says Starfish Mobile, launched its first service in Congo DRC in 2003 with the then Celtel, which later became Zain and now Airtel.


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Singapore's national carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) will tap e-commerce giant Alibaba's extensive digital and logistics networks to further capture the fast-growing travel market in China, one of the largest in the world.
Both companies announced plans to collaborate in areas covering ticket sales, loyalty programmes, marketing initiatives, cloud services and logistics at a press briefing held at Alibaba's headquarters in eastern Hangzhou on Tuesday (August 21).
Through this tie-up, SIA will gain access to more than 600 million mobile users who are active on Alibaba's e-commerce platforms.
SIA will also be working with Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, to explore how the airline's IT ecosystem - from web hosting to apps and membership systems - can benefit from Alibaba Cloud's global network.
The airline will also be joining hands with Cainiao Network, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, to help build a global smart logistics network that delivers across China within 24 hours and globally within 72 hours.
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All facebook reports that Facebook has “500 million user” celebrations plans in the works and that Facebook is expected to make an announcement in the next couple of weeks.
The site says it has “spoken with multiple sources” that have told it that plans are underway for the big 500 million user celebration bringing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg closer to his target of one billion users.
That is all pretty astounding considering...
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COSCO Shipping Lines has withdrawn its express China-Canada-US intermodal service that was launched in October 2021, as carriers continue to trim capacity to respond to falling demand.
Container News was informed that the CEN-EXPRESS service had its last sailing when the Xin Ying Kou arrived at Prince Rupert on 29 November.
The service used five 4,250 TEU ships to move containers from Qingdao and Shanghai in China to Prince Rupert in Canada, from where the containers were railed from DP World’s terminal in Prince Rupert port, via the Canadian National Railway, to Chicago in the United States.
The ships have since been redeployed to COSCO’s Pacific Northwest services.
At the time it was launched, CEN-EXPRESS was marketed as an alternative way for shippers to move boxes from China to the US West Coast; at the time, the lane was suffering unprecedented congestion due to Covid-19 restrictions. Since then, however, the situation has reversed, as global economic uncertainties and inflation affects consumption.
Freight rates have fallen to almost the low levels seen before the pandemic, and carriers have been blanking sailings as a result.
Source: Container News


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Running the largest apparel technology company in the world gives Lectra chief executive officer Daniel Harari a perspective on globalization and automation that few can match. This year was one of the most important in the $317 million company's existence. Lectra replaced all its major hardware and software with a new generation of tools, including smart cutters that know their own history and can be programmed remotely, 3-D software for fitting, product life cycle management software that integrates Lectra's other offerings, and design software that makes the company's U4ia (a de facto industry standard) obsolete. During a visit to Lectra's New York office, Harari spoke with WWD about apparel technology, globalization and fast fashion.
WWD: How has this year been for Lectra? Daniel Harari: Orders for new cutters are up 38 percent in six months. Our expectations were that they would be down 20 percent. Total orders were up 15 percent in the first six months of the year. Orders for new systems are up 16 percent. But we could not deliver everything. We had a significant backlog at end of September.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


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DHL Express trusts Eviation to help it achieve its environmental goals. The logistics company has ordered 12 fully electric Alice eCargo planes from Eviation in its freight transport version.
While the device is still in development and is expected to make its first flight this year, DHL Express expects deliveries starting in 2024. From there, the German company wants to build a short-haul express freight network based on electric aviation.
Eviation’s Alice is the world’s leading fully electric aircraft, which enables airlines – both cargo and passenger – to operate a zero-emission fleet. It can be flown by a single pilot and will carry 1,200 kilograms (2,600 lbs). It offers a maximum range of up to 440 nautical miles (815 km) from a massive 820-kWh battery pack and a cruise speed of 253 mph (407 km/h) from the three variable-pitch pusher props. The device also promises that half an hour of charging will be enough to ensure an hour of flight time, which DHL is counting on to keep its operations efficient.
Alice will operate in all environments currently serviced by piston and turbine aircraft. Its advanced electric motors have fewer moving parts to increase reliability and reduce maintenance costs. The aircraft’s operating software constantly monitors flight performance to ensure optimal efficiency.
Eviation expects to deliver the Alice electric aircraft to DHL Express in 2024, with DHL revealing that it’s planning to set up an unparalleled electric Express network and make a pioneering step into a sustainable aviation future.
“With Alice’s range and capacity, this is a fantastic sustainable solution for our global network,” says Travis Cobb, EVP Global Network Operations and Aviation for DHL Express. “Our aspiration is to make a substantial contribution in reducing our carbon footprint, and these advancements in fleet and technology will go a long way in achieving further carbon reductions. For our customers and us, this is a very important step in our decarbonization journey and a step forward for the aviation industry as a whole.“
DHL Group is aiming for zero-emissions operations by 2050 and is investing a total of €7 billion by 2030 in measures to reduce its CO2 emissions. The funds will go in particular towards electrification of the last-mile delivery fleet, sustainable aviation fuels, and climate-neutral buildings.


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Starbucks advise customers to ‘order ahead’ via the app
Pret A Manger, Starbucks and Costa Coffee release festive menus each year. With the return of some classics as well as some new additions to their menus, the popular coffee chains will stay open throughout England’s lockdown although they will only be selling food and drinks to go.
Pret’s menu this year will include its first ever Christmas hot food range including Pigs in Blankets served in a pot, or in a hot crusty roll with a layer of caramelised onion chutney.
Veggie Pret will also be launching two exclusive new vegan recipes, the Vegan Christmas Lunch Baguette and the Vegan Christmas Lunch Hot Roll.
Their entire menu will also be available for delivery so customers can enjoy the food from the comfort of their own home.
For those after sweet treats, the Christmas Tiffin and Melvin, Pret’s Melting Gingerbread Snowman, will return alongside their Mince Pie which will be an exclusively vegan product this year, available for 99p with any takeaway hot drink.
Three band new drinks have been added to the menu including the Gingerbread Latte, the Salted Caramel latte and the S’mores Hot Chocolate, which will all be served in limited edition Christmas takeaway cups.
The indulgent hot chocolate includes a biscuit syrup, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of dark chocolate curls.
Briony Raven, UK Food & Coffee Director at Pret said: “As it continues to be a challenging year, we’re more excited than ever to launch our Christmas menu, which we hope will bring joy to our customers.
“Not only are we bringing back our much loved iconic items, like our Christmas Lunch and Christmas Tiffin, but we’ve worked hard to add some extra indulgence to spread joy in a way that only Pret can, with pigs in blankets, three new vegan items and a S’mores hot chocolate, topped with Melvin, our marshmallow Christmas mascot.
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“And to make sure our customers can enjoy their favourite tastes of Christmas, wherever they are during lockdown, our food menu will be available via all our delivery partners for the first time.”
Quality Street lovers will be happy to learn that the new additions to the Costa menu include a Quality Street Purple One Latte and a Quality Street Purple One Hot Chocolate.
The festive twist on Costa’s classic handcrafted latte has a rich caramel chocolate sauce and roasted hazelnut syrup which is topped with a light dairy swirl and drizzled with caramel chocolate sauce inspired by the Quality Street Purple One chocolate.
Other festive drinks include the After Eight Hot Chocolate and the Terry’s Chocolate Orange hot chocolate.
All drinks will some with a segment of chocolate and will also be available at Costs Express machines nationwide.
A Costa Coffee spokesperson said: “We are incredibly excited to bring together the festive icons that are Quality Street, After Eight and Terry’s Chocolate Orange for our limited-edition drinks range to truly capture the taste of Christmas in a cup.
“This year, more than ever, we wanted to ensure we make Christmas feel that little bit more magical, every sip of the way, so we’re exceptionally pleased to offer returning and new Costa Coffee lovers these soon-to-be iconic additions, plus their classic favourites too. Now to the tough decision of choosing which to try first!”
Available in Starbucks stores nationwide from November 5 to January 4, three festive drinks are returning to the menu this year.
The Toffee Nut Latte, Gingerbread Latte and Eggnog Latte are back for the festive season with prices starting at £3.15.
New to the menu this year is the Truffle Deluxe Hot Chocolate which is a delicious blend of steamed milk and chocolatey mocha, finished with whipped cream and a chocolate truffle flavour topping.
For those with a sweet tooth, the Christmas Tree Brownie is making a comeback this year as well as the launch of the Raspberry and Pistachio Linzer Cookie and a delicious Sea Salted Caramel and Pecan Swirl hitting Starbucks stores nationwide.
All customers who bring their red cup into store will receive 25p off of their order.
This article contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission on any sales of products or services we write about. This article was written completely independently, see full details here


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On January 10, 2019, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) published new anti-anonymity regulations for blockchain organizations scheduled to be enforced on February 15. These new regulations have been characterized through 24 articles, composed with the intention of promoting a more transparent and disciplined blockchain industry.
Although China has banned the sale of cryptocurrencies and the usage of the country’s exchanges, President Xi Jinping, in a speech given on May 28, 2018 at the 19th Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the 14th Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, pointed out to the value of blockchain technology as well as the need for further innovation in the country’s blockchain industry.
Although these new regulations do not directly stifle innovation in general or blockchain development in particular, they could eventually be problematic for a country hoping to become a global leader in the blockchain sector.
Regulations Intended to Advocate for a “Healthier” Industry?
The new regulations describe what constitutes a “blockchain information service provider” (from this point referred to as ‘provider’) as well as outlines various requirements concerning Know Your Customer (KYC) practices and provider information.
When the regulations begin to be enforced on February 15, providers will have 20 days to register both their names as well as server addresses with the CAC. The regulations also require providers to improve KYC practices by requiring new and existing users to provide valid identification or a mobile phone number. Providers must also keep records of their user’s service history for no less than six months, and willfully provide such information to the CAC or law enforcement officials when requested.
Providers who refuse to follow regulations will be charged a fine ranging between 5,000 ($740) and 30,000 ($4,445) yuan, and will be suspended from operating until the issue has been properly addressed. If the offence is great enough, providers may also face a criminal investigation.
The Effects of Bans and Regulations
- In September 2017, the Chinese government began its attack on cryptocurrencies by first prohibiting companies from procuring funding through Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs).
- Then, about two weeks later, it shut down domestic bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchanges, signifying the government’s first steps to rid the nation of the nascent digital asset.
- The government’s next move would come in August of 2018, with the banning of cryptocurrency-related commercial activities.
These bans would eventually lead to the departure of Binance from China. According to CoinMarketCap, Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, and although the exchange was founded in China, the new laws forced the exchange to move its operations to Japan.
After fleeing from China, Binance would face increasing regulations in Japan too. At that point Binance would open offices in Malta, the tiny archipelago referred to as “Blockchain Island.” CEO of Binance, Changpeng Zhao, expressed his favourable view of Malta at the DELTA Summit, a blockchain conference held in the country, saying,
“This is a country where leaders and the government understand blockchain technology.”
Binance recently announced their intention to launch their own blockchain, Binance Chain, in order to “help advancement of the industry.”
China’s ban on cryptocurrencies and exchanges has resulted in the departure of what could have been one of its greatest blockchain innovators and now Malta, a country that works with blockchain companies, is reaping the benefits.
The Benefits of Effective Regulation
China’s new regulations, although geared toward providing more transparency in the blockchain sector, are presented in an authoritative and overbearing tone. These regulations lack a depiction of the meaningful or productive relationship between provider and government. Regulation is a necessity in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, however, China is approaching enforcement from the wrong angle.
At the same time, Malta has become a kind of haven for companies working in the blockchain sector, due to the country’s ability to work hand in hand with blockchain companies in regards to regulation. In July 2018, Malta introduced a coordinated regulatory structure focused on cryptocurrencies and blockchain. It developed the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, a regulatory entity intended “to enhance the growth of blockchain technology in the country” while ensuring blockchain companies are working transparently and honestly to provide a useful product that proves beneficial for current and future uses.
While China’s regulations describe the government as more of a monitoring agent, Malta’s laws describe the government’s desire to promote innovation. Following the announcement of Malta’s regulations, OKEx, an exchange founded in Hong Kong and currently the third largest (according to CoinMarketCap), also opened offices in Malta. Although China’s Xi Jinping has identified the importance of blockchain technology, his new regulations have shown otherwise.
The Potential Effects on China’s “Blockchain Revolution”
In the past, China’s ban on cryptocurrencies and exchanges led to the world’s largest exchange departing from the country. Now, the newest blockchain regulations may introduce the similar effect.
In 2016, LinkedIn was banned in Russia, because the platform didn’t comply with the newly introduced data retention law, which required to store the Russian users’ data on the servers in the Russian Federation. As LinkedIn refused to transfer the data to Russia-located servers, it was blocked on the territory of the country.
Toward the end of 2017, around 320 blockchain companies were operating in the Chinese market. In 2018, that number would dramatically increase to 4,000 conveying the country’s motive to become a leader in the industry. Also in 2018, the city of Nanjing launched a $1.5 billion blockchain fund hoping the technology will eventually lead to improved healthcare, logistics, urban planning, and supply chain management.
China has taken great strides to bolster the growth of blockchain, and it has resulted in the dramatic increase of blockchain businesses in the region. These regulations, however, place China two steps back and that much further from leading the sector. Although there may have been an increase of blockchain businesses in China between 2017 and 2018, 2019 may tell a different story.
Steps Forward, Or Steps Back?
With these new regulations, China’s intentions are difficult to pinpoint. The country made its view on cryptocurrencies apparent with their ban in 2017, yet their approach toward blockchain technology may appear confusing, considering the existing technical nature and privacy policies of commercial blockchain projects.
Given the president’s view of blockchain’s importance, it’s easy to expect China to model a different approach for their regulations. Without regulation, cryptocurrencies and blockchain would be operating in a similar manner to the wild west, as shown in 2017. However, there are ways of administering regulation which can result in a safer market while promoting innovation, and countries like Malta or Belarus has proved it as much.


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Quick news from around the Web...
Office Depot, Neiman Marcus sign on with MasterCard's digital payment platform MasterPass
Macy's launches Thalia Soldi collection to appeal to the needs of the Hispanic shopper
Layoffs begin in PayPal's in-store initiatives division, focused on mobile payments and Here card reader
Uber opening robotics research facility in Pittsburgh to focus on designing self-driving cars
Speculations arise that Google will take on Uber with a competitive ride service
And finally...Starbucks is teaming up with Match.com to offer a "meet at Starbucks" feature, which finds the closest store location for a date. On Feb. 13, stores will host a romantic event complete with music, menu pairings and photo props for Valentine selfies. Story


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The market for Apple stock is closed.So what can you do?Here's a list of the best ways to sell stock on the Apple Stock Market app.If you're looking to sell an Apple stock, here are some best ways you can do it.1.App to sellApple stock is currently closed, but you can still buy Apple stock on a few different platforms.You can buy shares of Apple stock from exchanges like the Nasdaq or through a br...
A new market research firm, India-based NSC Partners, has launched a series of research reports aimed at helping the company’s clients make money from India’s $3 trillion market.
The report, entitled “Market Outlook, 2018-2021”, outlines a roadmap to increase the profitability of Indian companies by 2020.
It also lays out how to attract more foreign investment and how to get more money out of the market.
“As a result, we expect a significant rise in the profitability potential of Indian businesses by the end of this decade,” NSC’s Managing Director, Pankaj Rana, said.
“The outlook for Indian businesses is set to become much better than the situation in many other countries in terms of profitability and returns on capital,” Rana said.
The market for software is expected to grow at an annualised rate of 4% in the first quarter of 2020.
This will be followed by a 2.5% rise in 2021.
The average annual growth rate of software sales in India is 5.2%.
The software market has witnessed an average growth rate higher than 7% since 2005.
The data also indicates that there are a number of sectors which are growing faster than the rest of the country.
The software market is growing at an average rate of 6.6% in 2020, up from 4.5%.
The growth in the software sales industry will be driven by a surge in mobile software sales.
India’s software sales are projected to reach $11.2 trillion by 2021, up 30% from 2020.
“In the IT sector, software sales is projected to grow by 10% in 2021, from $1.5 trillion in 2020 to $3.1 trillion in 2021,” Rastogi said.
The data indicates that the industry is also growing at a faster pace than the national GDP, which is expected increase by 8.5 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020.
The growth of the software industry is expected in sectors like IT services, consumer products, services and IT, and the services sector is expected at a 5% growth in 2021 from 2020, followed by an increase of 5.5 percentage points in 2021 in consumer products and services.
The rise of the IT industry will mainly be driven in the areas of data analytics, data analytics and data management.
Data analytics will also be one of the fastest growing sectors in 2021 as the software market will see an average of 17.5%, up from 15.6 per cent growth in 2020. “
The IT services sector will experience the greatest growth in terms to IT and software sales,” Rankogi said, adding that software will play a big role in this sector.
Data analytics will also be one of the fastest growing sectors in 2021 as the software market will see an average of 17.5%, up from 15.6 per cent growth in 2020.
Analytics services is expected as the second largest industry in 2021 with an average annual revenue of $4.3 trillion, up 25% from the previous year.
The software sector will continue to drive the growth in this industry, according Rana.
The NSC research report notes that the average revenue of software companies in 2021 will be around $12 billion, up 4% from 2021.
This is mainly due to a strong growth in software software sales, which will also help the overall industry’s growth.
The company also expects to see a slight dip in software business revenue in 2021 due to GST reform.
“Due to the GST reform, the revenue share of software software companies will decrease by 4.2% in 2018,” Ranks said.
“This will continue in 2019.
The share of the revenue of IT software companies and of IT services companies will also decrease.
The IT software revenue share will decrease further in 2020 due to the increase in GST revenue,” Ransdorp said.


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A leaked memo from XPeng Motors, a Chinese intelligent electric vehicle company, shows that the company is still continuing its organizational structure adjustment. A new financial platform was recently set up within the firm, aiming at improving cost controls and the compliance ability of the financial system. At least two insiders of the company have confirmed the authenticity of this memorandum, according to a report by Chinese media outlet Powerhouse on December 27.
According to the leaked memo, XPeng‘s newly established financial platform includes the financial BP (business partner) department, platform finance department, comprehensive financial division, tax management division, fund management division and special project division. Under the financial BP department, BP divisions have been set up for each business center.
For the newly established financial platform, XPeng entrusts it with the function of assisting the company and business centers in formulating, decomposing, implementing control and improving business plans, improving the company’s cost and expense control and meeting the requirements of external supervision.
In this round of structural adjustment, no personnel appointments have been shown. “But given the previous adjustment, the highest reporting personel of the financial platform is basically firm chairman He Xiaopeng,” said a source cited by Powerhouse.
Another source pointed out that the setup of the new financial platform means that He Xiaopeng has begun to withdraw the management authority of the company’s “funds.” “In the past, this authority was in each center. For example, He Tao, a senior vice president at XPeng, is responsible for the supply chain, so he also has the authority to determine the budget of the supply chain business. Firm vice president Chen Yonghai is responsible for the Internet center, so he has the corresponding budget authority.”
XPeng G9, a new car launched by XPeng on September 21, did not perform well and was caught in the whirlpool of public opinion. At the end of October, a profound organizational restructuring began to appear inside the company, and it also began to make some attempts to reduce costs.
On October 21, XPeng announced that it would set up five virtual committee organizations for strategy, production regulation, technical planning, production and marketing balance and OTA, and three product organizations for its E, F and H platforms.
Later, at the earnings call on the third quarter financial report on November 30, the company announced that Henry Xia, co-founder and president, resigned as executive director of the board of directors, but will still serve as president, and will focus on products in the future. CEO He Xiaopeng also said that the company is broadening its organizational change. He will focus more on strategy, product planning and R&D, promote organizational upgrading, and reorganize the brand and marketing teams to continuously enhance brand influence.


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Kia's chief operating officer Thomas Oh raised a few eyebrows among journalists – not to mention his own staff – when he announced 98 new or refreshed models within the next four years at his Geneva show press conference.
Deeper investigation, however, revealed that the number includes derivatives – for example two-wheel-drive, four-wheel-drive, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, GT, Coupe and so on. So the actual new model number comes down to somewhere closer to a more manageable 20.
Whatever the number, it will include 11 'green' vehicles developed under Kia's new Drivewise programme. Two of these were made their European debut at Geneva, the Optima plug-in hybrid and the new Nero crossover hybrid.
Kia's European sales have grown an astonishing 60% in the past seven years to 385,000 despite one of the most significant economic declines ever in the region. European chief Michael Cole said the target is 500,000 sales by 2018, with the aim of achieving 420,000 this year.
Leading the charge will be Kia's UK operation which accounts for 20% of all European sales. Last years's sales there of 78,500 set a new record and country president Paul Philpott is aiming for 84,000 this year and 100,000 by the end of the decade adding: "although there is no limit to where the brand could get to".
UK sales this year will be be boosted by the recent introduction of the new Sportage and the arrival later of the Optima wagon and Nero. The Sportage has had a spectacular launch in Britain with over 5,000 customer orders in its first three weeks.
Philpott added: "Already this year we are running 12% ahead in a market that has increased by 2%."


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The Forest of Dean Enterprise Fair – which combines networking, exhibitions and a series of seminars on small business issues – has run successfully for a number of years and this year will move to a new venue. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 18th, at the Vantage Point Business Village in Mitcheldean from 9:30am until 4pm.
The show will be run once again by the Forest of Dean Entrepreneurs with extra support from Vantage Point and the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses), who have both given their full backing to the show.
A number of sponsors have already signed up including the South West Apprenticeship Company, and several top speakers have also been approached to offer attendees practical advice to help their businesses – and it is all for free.
Andrew Maliphant, who chairs the event’s steering group on behalf of the Entrepreneurs, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Vantage Point Business Village and the FSB, as we jointly develop the fifth Forest Enterprise Fair. As well as providing a showcase for businesses to sell to business, there will also be a wealth of support for small and start-up businesses, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the event.”
Gloucestershire’s biggest business group, the FSB, will have a stand among many other exhibitors on the day. FSB development manager, Sam Holliday, said he hoped it would be a real celebration of the Forest of Dean business community: ”There are many diverse and successful small businesses in the Forest of Dean – this event gives them all a chance to mix together, network and offer mutual support and advice. With the added ingredient of first class seminars it should be a day which puts the small business community in the Forest firmly on the map.”
If you are interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor at the event or want more information about the day, contact Kathy Probert on 07379 654139 or firstname.lastname@example.org


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BMW confirms Mini production to stay in UK
BMW will build its next generation of Minis in Britain in a move that will help safeguard more than 5,000 jobs, the company said today.
The German car giant said it would be investing another £500 million in UK car manufacturing in what David Cameron said was a “tremendous vote of confidence” in the workforce.
New production facilities and equipment are to be installed at the Mini assembly base in Oxford, the pressings plant in Swindon and its engine plant at Hams Hall near Birmingham.
Yesterday Nissan said it was investing £192 million to build the next version of its Qashqai model in Britain, safeguarding some 6,000 jobs.
Mr Cameron said the announcements were evidence that the Government was helping rebalance the British economy with


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Amazon yesterday sold one million daily deals vouchers in 17 hours and didn’t need the help of its partner LivingSocial. Between 3 a.m. and 8:11 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the AmazonLocal initiative sold out of $10 Amazon gift cards priced at $5.
While it normally leans on LivingSocial’s sales staff to create local deals with merchants, AmazonLocal’s national gift cards deal didn’t warrant such legwork. The two teamed up for a highly successful Whole Foods campaign last September. This time, Amazon simply focused a few of its digital assets to get consumers pressing the “buy” button.
“The popularity of this AmazonLocal deal shows that customers want unique and relevant deals that provide them with an excellent buying experience,” an Amazon rep wrote to ClickZ via an email.
The Seattle-based e-commerce giant is off to an impressive start with daily deals, a marketplace it entered only nine months ago. It’s fair to assume the momentum has gotten the attention of industry leader Groupon.
In particular, Tuesday’s success suggests that Amazon has been able to build up a considerable email list for its young initiative. While the gift card offer was mentioned via AmazonLocal’s modestly followed Twitter account (2,700 followers), the deal was not pushed via Amazon’s Facebook page (3.2 million fans/likes) or chief Twitter account (235,000 followers).
That leaves plenty of credit to email marketing and Amazon’s general power in the consumer marketplace.
When used effectively, chatbots can deliver timely, quick support to influence buying decisions, field customer service questions, and maximize target marketing via analytics. Let’s take a deeper look at how you can effectively bring chatbots into your digital marketing strategy.
In the past 18 months, Desigual, the flamboyant and colorful Spanish fashion/retail brand, has seen mobile become the dominant platform for both web traffic and email opens, and become a major influence on offline sales.
Ecommerce is constantly evolving. While bringing your checkout experience up to date is important, your strategy must also be ready to adapt to changing customer expectations. So how can retailers prepare their checkouts for the future?
While digital platforms and their advertisers grapple with digital video challenges, one savvy retailer found a way to capitalize on what would become the second most live-viewed channel in YouTube's history.


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Consumer Focus study says energy efficiency could drive economic growth and lift millions of people out of fuel poverty
A large-scale rollout of energy saving measures paid for by carbon taxes could boost the UK's gross domestic product by 0.2 per cent and create 71,000 jobs by 2015, according to a new report which warns...
President announces US will join Trillion Trees initiative to grow, save, and better protect one trillion trees around the world by 2050
CEO Kevin Johnson outlines major new sustainability strategy for the coffee giant, promising tough environmental targets will 'create greater value for all stakeholders'
Backed by the International Chamber of Commerce, the 1.5C Business Playbook aims to help firms set net zero climate strategies
Nordic firms again dominated the top spots in Corporate Knights' 16th annual list of the world's most sustainable corporations, unveiled at Davos this morning


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/12/2008 (3167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Wilf Falk, chief statistician for the province, said it hasn't conducted any quilitative studies about what IKEA will mean to Winnipeg from a dollars and cents point of view, but if previous trends are any indication, the store could attract shoppers from several hours away in all directions.
"There's potential tourism from people in Grand Forks, northwestern Ontario and southern Saskatchewan coming here," he said.
Robert Warren, I.H.Asper executive director for entrepreneurship at the University of Manitoba, said IKEA will attract consumers and other retailers to its south Winnipeg location in much the same way that Wal-Mart does.
"If I was looking to develop, I'd want to be next to them for sure.
They're a huge draw," he said.
Considering IKEA's sizable mail-order business in Winnipeg, a local store will likely transfer millions of dollars out of province sales to Manitoba, which will help sustain the expected workforce of about 400, Falk said.
But the economic situation won't be all wine and roses, he warned, as other furniture reailers in Winnipeg could lose significant sales for at least the short-term once IKEA opens.


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What’s in Store for the American Big Three: Corvette, Mustang, and Challenger?
The crystal ball is still hazy with tire smoke, but we can make a few predictions.
As trends go, SUVs are hot right now. Gas is (relatively) cheap, so buyers want to go big; plus, hybrid powertrains are better than ever, and even the mighty Mustang has morphed into the Mustang family with the smoking Mach-e.
The Mustang has a truckload of history behind it; the ‘Stang has been around for more than five decades. Sales are focused mostly in North America, and the numbers are healthy, so far. Starting at just over $28,000, the Blue Oval’s classic muscle car hasn’t been sent to the great junkyard in the sky just yet. A quick glance at Ford.com reveals the pecking order of its vehicles: starting from the left: SUVs and crossovers are listed first, then trucks and vans, then electrified vehicles. The cars category brings up the rear.
Ford has two sedans left in the lineup, and soon there will be just one left standing; the Fusion is on track to be relaunched as a crossover in 2022. What that means for the Mustang remains to be seen, but I’m wondering if the Mach-e is a gentle harbinger of what the future looks like for the muscle car. Maybe the brand will pull a Disney and shelve it for a while then issue a special-edition Mustang in limited quantities. Don’t start any rumors, though; I’m just reading the tea leaves at this point. For me, driving a Mustang is still a thrill, especially as a convertible.
The second of the big three, Chevrolet, shook out the cobwebs on the Stingray with the new mid-engine Corvette, and the automotive world buzzed with excitement. Overall, the 2021 Corvette Stingray has been met with accolades and outright stanning; I drove one a few weeks ago, and I joined the club. Swathed in Elkhart Lake Blue, the 2021 turned heads at every stoplight and for good reason: the lines are gorgeous. It’s the closest you can get to a supercar but without the supercar price tag, and the value is deliciously alluring. Right now, there is no substitute for the Corvette; at least, until all of the generations of fans fade away. If it continues to evolve and improve, the Stingray isn’t going anywhere.
Completing the trifecta of American motor companies, Dodge has staked its claim for performance vehicles. Narrowing its focus to big, loud engines and unapologetically reveling in gas-powered beasts, Dodge is not exhibiting any signs of backing down on the outside. However, when I interviewed Dodge boss Tim Kuniskis in August, he said that cars aren’t dead, commodity products are. For now, Dodge is putting their money into cars and SUVs that declare their presence with an unmistakable roar. The Super Stock and Redeye versions of the Challenger dare drivers to redline them and they still delight those of us who get more revved about yesteryear power than an electric whine.
Kuniskis is keeping the door open for change, though, and he told me that once the cost of electric motors goes down, the market for battery-powered muscle cars will explode.
“That’s when the hot rodders will grab electrification,” he said. “They’ll retune it for performance, and it will be just like when the industry switched to fuel injection from a carburetor. People will want electrification then because it will be the most competitive car out there. I’m super excited about the future; it’s not just that it is going to be different. It’s going to better than anything we have ever seen.”
What’s your crystal ball showing?
Got a tip? Send us a note: firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Female baconer pigs averaged more than $4 per kilogram live weight at the Dublin pig sale in South Australia, an increase of 45 cents per kilogram on the previous week's sale.
Pig market reporter Peter Brechin said he searched the record books and it was the highest price for bacon pigs he could find in Australia's history.
"I've gone back as far as the period of the Korean war when bacon pigs then sold for 20 pounds each, which in those days would've been a huge amount of money and that's the only comparison I can make, so we're in new territory."
Mr Brechin said an increase in consumption of pork as people move away from the more expensive meats such as beef was one reason for the price hike, however he said there were some other factors at play.
My grandfather ate bacon for breakfast every morning of his life and he went out at 92, so I think there are a lot people thinking like that.
"Most pig suppliers are now aligned directly, or indirectly, with a factory or a buyer and they remain faithful to that, so the consequence of that is there are very few free-floating pigs on the open market," he said.
"So if something happens like a shortfall in supply, or in this case an increase in consumption by the public, to go and get pigs that are not committed is very difficult and so you see [this] sort of thing."
But Mr Brechin said he did not expect pork in the supermarkets and butchers to rise as sharply as beef.
"Butchers cut their margins out of volumes that they sell so if a butcher goes from two pigs a week to four under the existing price arrangement then he is still not maintaining his volume margin as if he was selling six bodies of beef," he said.
"And so the price of pork will always be aligned with whatever his costs are, plus a bit."
The demand for baconer pigs could be a little surprising after the World Health Organisation warned last week that processed meats such as bacon are carcinogenic.
Mr Brechin said people had been eating bacon for years and would continue to do so.
"My grandfather ate bacon for breakfast every morning of his life and he went out at 92, so I think there are a lot people thinking like that," he said.
"Nevertheless I think people will moderate it to an extent."


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Fairfield kicks off ‘Buy Local’ initiative
FAIRFIELD — As Amazon announced its second headquarters in nearby New York City, Fairfield businesses are reminding consumers about the benefits of shopping locally.
Namely, that they are investing in their own community.
“This involves many aspects of our economy and our town,” First Selectman Mike Tetreau said. “Small businesses are the backbone of our community and we already have days like Small Business Saturday, Sidewalk Sales and Holiday Shop Strolls.”
Tetreau was joined by Community and Economic Development Director Mark Barnhart, Chamber of Commerce President Beverly Balaz — organizations active in this new effort — and several business owners in town at Town Hall on Tuesday to discuss the initiative.
Barnhart explained the Buy Local initiative would be about bridging the gap between the local businesses and residents.
“We have been working on this for many years,” Barnhart said. “We’re working on making this a year-round campaign and educate the consumer.”
The elephant in the room was the ever-increasing presence of online retailers like Amazon that have supplanted the business model in the last decade, not to mention increases in rent prices that hurt local shops.
“This is about trying to change consumer trends and showing people what being local is all about,” Marc Rosenblum, co-owner of HobbyTown, said after the conference. “Amazon is trying to destroy as much competition as they can, and we want to do much as we can for the community.”
Rosenblum said local organizations like the parent teachers associations of various schools visit his store for donations and that he happily participates every year.
“We want to donate and give back to the community,” Rosenblum said. “But consumers have to help us.”
The town is promoting the initiative on its website, highlighting the benefits of supporting local businesses, such as re-investing in the community and bolstering the economic presence that is shaped at a local and not national scale.
Maureen Abrahamson, also known as Mo from Mo’s Wine and Spirits, said even her business feels pressure from online retailers, but the shop’s history and established presence in the community is something they are capitalizing on.
“Our staff, prices and selection is something that our customers like,” Abrahamson said. “People like the whole thing about from the farm to the table.”
Though the concern is primarily economic, for some this initiative is also about maintaining the town’s downtown aesthetic and entrepreneurial character.
“If we want to preserve our vibrant downtown, we have to show how important local businesses are,” Barnhart said.


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The skin of fruits and vegetables is full of nutrients, but unfortunately also of pesticides. So, should they be peeled or not?
Rich in nutrients… and pesticides!
In fruits and vegetables, it is the skin and the part of the flesh, located just below it, which are the richest in fiber, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, fiber and antioxidants. The problem is that it is also in the skin that the most pesticides are concentrated. Peeling them avoids consuming them. But, according to the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF), 97% of plants sold in France contain a level of pesticides that complies with regulations. The remaining 3% is for peppers, tomatoes, spinach, tangerines, lettuce and grapes. But since these levels are controlled, it would seem that they are not so dangerous.
The problem is that we consume a cocktail of chemicals every day. “Certain molecules, apparently harmless in isolation, turn out to be toxic when they are combined with each other,” says Gilles-Éric Séralini, professor of molecular biology at the University of Caen, in a study on GMOs. The damage would even be twenty to thirty times more severe when pesticides interact with each other, according to a study by the University of Aston (England), in 2012.
Buying organic fruits and vegetables would reduce the risks, even if these are also not completely “clean” as far as pesticides are concerned. One in ten organic foods contains traces of pesticides, compared to one in two for the others, according to the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety.
Seasonal and local products are sprayed less after being picked than those from distant countries. So stop buying Moroccan zucchini and Kenyan beans in winter.
Clean them well
To keep the nutrients present just under the skin, if you peel your vegetables or fruits, prefer a peeler, to remove only the top layer.
Finally, do not leave them soaking too long to wash them, as the food may lose its vitamins. Rinse them with lukewarm water, brush them and scrape them with a knife or an abrasive sponge.


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Perp Games will present the first ever The VR Games Showcase at this years’ Gamescom.
Working with Fast Travel Games, Carbon Studio, Survivos, Neat Corporation, Resolution Games and Cortopia Studios, some of the most exciting upcoming VR titles will be playable for media and content creators for the very first time.
The showcase will enable media to meet with the studios, play their games and conduct interviews
The VR Games Showcase is the biggest studio event collaboration in the VR games industry to date and shows Perp’s continued commitment to this growing sector in the games industry.
This isn’t the first time Perp have worked with Fast Travel Games, bringing Apex Construct to market last year in EU and NA Territories.
And Perp recently published The Wizards Enhanced Edition on PSVR in EU territories, with it coming to NA this August, collaborating with Carbon Studios.
We’re also excited to work with other talented studios for the very first time, such as Neat Corporation who worked on the excellent Budget Cuts.
Survios, who made some of the most beloved games in VR like Raw Data, Sprint Vector and Creed.
Resolution Games who released Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs earlier this year on PSVR.
And Cortopia Studios who created Wands VR.
The full list of games available at Gamescom is, as follows.
- The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets (Fast Travel Games)
- Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency (Neat Corporation / Fast Travel)
- The Walking Dead: Onslaught (Survios)
- Acron: Attack of the Squirrels! (Resolution Games)
- The Wizards: Dark Times (Carbon Studios)
- An Adventure in Wonderland (Cortopia Studios)
Perp Games will also be at the event and available to chat.
All assets for the event can be found here
You can view the full presentation and slide deck to find out more
You can find The VR Games Showcase in the Business Hall at Gamescom and secure an exclusive booth slot for up to 3 hours at a time and date that suits.
Please get in touch for more information and we hope to see you there!


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Medical marijuana – NJ moving ahead with edible pot for kids
New standards released by the state Department of Health could get the ball rolling on edible medical marijuana products in New Jersey.
It's been 18 months since Gov. Chris Christie signed the measure into law, allowing the products for children.
As long as New Jersey's Alternative Treatment Centers, or dispensaries, fall in line with the designated manufacturing and safety guidelines, they can begin the manufacturing of edibles, according to Donna Leusner, a spokesperson for the health department.
"The purpose of these manufacturing standards is to ensure that the products that the dispensaries manufacture are safe, sanitary and clearly labeled with amounts of all ingredients," she said.
The 12-page guidelines define edibles as "tablets, capsules, drops, or syrups and any other form as authorized by the Commissioner of Health." They also lay the ground rules for lozenges and topical formulations.
Michael Weisser, CEO of Garden State Dispensary in Woodbridge, said his facility will "100 percent go forward" with manufacturing edibles. He met Thursday with the head of New Jersey's Medicinal Marijuana Program.
"We showed them several products that we would like to introduce, and they were favorably received," Weisser said. "All in all, it was a positive meeting."
Weisser predicted he'd have the first products ready to go in the next few weeks.
Ken Wolski, executive director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey, said he hopes there are no more delays in the process.
"It took them a year and a half to produce these manufacturing standards for edible products in New Jersey," Wolski said. "It's not rocket science. These edible products exist in other states."
An estimated 3,700 patients are registered with the New Jersey's marijuana program. Of the six originally planned, three dispensaries have opened their doors in the state.


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Texas Agriculture commissioner: Consumers are being ripped off
amarillo.com / Mon, 02 Mar 2015 02:55:37 +0000
Texas consumers are “getting screwed” by unscrupulous businesses — everything from gas stations to pawn shops — because the cash-strapped Department of Agriculture has not been able to perform many of its basic regulatory functions, new Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.
The department is supposed to check gas pumps for accuracy, verify that grocery store scanners work properly, attest that precious metal scales are producing accurate measures and inspect taxicab meters to verify that people aren’t being overcharged.
Funding tops Texas Tech’s wish list in Austin
amarillo.com / Mon, 02 Mar 2015 02:55:14 +0000
AUSTIN — Texas Tech University System officials and about 150 former students will be at the State Capitol on Wednesday for Texas Tech System Day.
It’s a day when school officials and alumni from across the state visit the office of every legislator to lobby for adequate funding and for other issues critical to Tech.
For Texas Tech Chancellor Robert Duncan, the wish list for this session is long and starts with adequate funding.
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