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EcoWorth Tech is one of the finalists in Startup Arena Pitch Battle 2021
[From Tech Asia]
Last week, Tech in Asia held the Singapore semifinals for Startup Arena Pitch Battle 2021 in partnership with venture capital firm East Ventures.
Five startups gave their pitches in front of more than a thousand viewers and a panel of three investor-judges: Zhengyi Zhu, senior investment associate of East Ventures; Hsu Ken Ooi, managing partner of Iterative; and Benjamin Pippin, channel director of Big Idea Ventures.
Judged based on the clarity of their ideas and business models, as well as how worthy they are of investment, the startups were each given five minutes to make their best pitches and another five minutes to answer questions.
Cleantech startup EcoWorth Tech presented the winning pitch, bagging the company a one-week trial to App Annie Intelligence Lite and a US$2,500 cash prize sponsored by DBS Bank. Battery technology developer Volt14 was the runner-up. The two startups, along with the rest of the semifinalists, also earned attractive prizes from Google Cloud and Xendit.
Here’s an overview of the five startups that pitched during the Singapore semifinals.
The solar energy industry is at an inflection point. Costs have fallen 89% in the past decade, making it the cheapest form of energy.
But switching over to solar requires a significant upfront cost, and it takes about five to seven years to break even. This is the main reason that solar energy penetration in the region is still at less than 3%.
And though models that offer zero upfront costs have emerged in recent years, they mostly only cater to large-scale projects that require more than a thousand solar panels, leaving 80% of the addressable market unserved.
Solar AI aims to fill this gap, offering solutions to smaller-scale projects that don’t require them to shell out cash directly. The startup says that the market opportunity stands at US$80 billion.
Over the last decade, the demand for investments in sustainable ventures has grown exponentially, with total assets under management estimated to be at US$26 trillion in 2020.
That number is expected to rise even further, prompting institutional investors, regulatory bodies, and consumers who are conscious of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices to step up the pressure on financial institutions to measure their ESG footprint.
With the varied standards of ESG reporting within the industry, GreenArc Capital provides credible and transparent impact measurement and reporting, helping financial institutions maximize the contribution of their debt portfolios toward having a positive impact on society and the environment.
Everyone feels stress, but not everyone understands or knows how to cope with it. The high cost and lack of accessibility to treatments, coupled with limited awareness and the stigma around professional help, make it even more difficult for people to take care of their mental health.
Given these hurdles, it isn’t surprising that 78.9% of mental health conditions went undiagnosed and untreated in 2020 alone, according to mental health and wellness platform Frankie.
But what if people could be rewarded for taking better care of themselves? That’s the question the company asks and hopes to answer. By leveraging daily challenges and a vast wellness ecosystem, Frankie bridges the pre-consultation and post-consultation process, helping users control stress, increase resilience, and boost self-esteem.
One of the biggest roadblocks standing in the way of an electric-powered future is that today’s batteries are not up to the task.
For one, they’re expensive: Batteries account for almost 30% of the costs in electric-vehicle manufacturing and up to 90% of the costs in stationary energy storage systems.
Batteries also don’t store enough energy for their size. The massive ones that buses, forklifts, and other fleet applications use don’t have enough charge to last a whole shift, decreasing operational efficiency. In consumer electronics, bulky batteries limit the design possibilities for mobile phone developers.
Volt14 hopes to change that. The company develops battery material technologies that reduce the cost of batteries by up to 30% and improve energy density by up to 40%. As such, its tech can make personal and fleet electric mobility more cost-competitive and drive up the adoption of energy storage systems needed for clean energy grids.
Winner: EcoWorth Tech
Organic contaminant removal is a costly, suboptimal, and inefficient endeavor. Furthermore, some existing solutions generate secondary waste.
As such, approximately 80% of the world’s wastewater is dumped – largely untreated – back into the environment.
EcoWorth Tech aims to solve that problem. The cleantech startup’s technology integrates seamlessly into the latest water remediation processes in a cost-efficient manner. It also uses biomass waste for the production of the carbon fiber aerogel technology, providing environmental benefits and waste-to-worth opportunities.
Catch the finalists at Tech in Asia Conference 2021
As the top contenders of the Singapore semifinals for Startup Arena Pitch Battle 2021, EcoWorth Tech and Volt14 will proceed to the final competition at the Tech in Asia Conference 2021 on October 13. They will go up against the finalists from the Indonesian and Southeast Asian battles for a chance to win the grand prize of US$10,000 in cash.
Get your tickets to Tech in Asia Conference 2021 to watch the Pitch Battle finalists make one last push, partake in insightful sessions, and build your network in the Asian tech and startup scene.
East Ventures is a pioneering sector-agnostic venture capital firm in Indonesia. Founded in 2009, East Ventures has transformed into a holistic platform that provides multi-stage investment, including seed and growth, for over 190 companies in Southeast Asia.
Learn more about East Ventures on its website.


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By Tina Alvey
Fresh off a finalist spot in the national Good Food Awards competition, Greenbrier County’s Smooth Ambler Spirits is continuing to expand its product line and build on its past success.
The Maxwelton distillery’s Greenbrier Gin was one of 184 finalists chosen from nearly 1,400 entries in the 2012 Good Food Awards contest, which wrapped up last month in San Francisco.
“Even though we didn’t win, it’s quite an accomplishment to be a finalist in that competition,” said John Foster, Smooth Ambler’s director of sales. “It was exciting to be selected. It’s just further testimony that we do know what we’re doing at Smooth Ambler.”
Greenbrier Gin won a place on Wine Enthusiast’s “Top 50 for 2012” list as well.
The company and its Old Scout products also won two awards at the American Distilling Institute’s conference in 2012, taking Best of Class as an Artisan Merchant Bottler and winning a Gold Medal for Whiskey, Best of Category: Artisan Merchant Bottled Whiskey.
Foster said the company has plans to launch its own whiskey this summer, as well as unveil a new sourced 10-year-old bourbon that will join Smooth Ambler’s Old Scout line, which now includes both Old Scout Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Old Scout Rye, the latter of which was introduced in 2012.
Another product introduced last year is Barrel Aged Gin, the initial offering in Smooth Ambler’s Stillhouse Collection.
The company’s website explains that Barrel Aged Gin uses Greenbrier Gin as the base distillate, with half aged in new bourbon barrels and the other half in used Old Scout bourbon barrels for three months.
That aging process is time-tested, Foster said, noting that in colonial times, the British needed to come up with a means of getting gin to the empire’s outposts in India.
“Necessity is always the mother of invention,” Foster stated. “They decided to ship it in old rum or bourbon barrels, and when gin is sealed in those barrels for months, it takes on a nice blond color and unique caramel flavors.”
He added, “You can only use a barrel for bourbon once. That means we have a steady supply of used bourbon barrels, so we decided to age some gin. Turns out, it’s fabulous.”
In fact, the Barrel Aged Gin is now second in popularity only to Smooth Ambler’s whiskeys, Foster said. “It’s neck-and-neck with our Greenbrier Gin,” he noted.
Foster also provided a heads-up for an upcoming event at Smooth Ambler — the second edition of “Bourbon 101,” an evening in late March or early April devoted to dinner, cocktails and the history of American bourbon production.
“We’ll have tastings right out of the barrel,” Foster said, noting the first Bourbon 101 event was quickly sold out. The Smooth Ambler team hopes to replicate the success of that initial foray.
A firm date for Bourbon 101 will be announced later.
For more information on Smooth Ambler Spirits, visit www.smoothambler.com or call 304-497-3123.
— E-mail: email@example.com

domain: news


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by Collective Shout
· March 29, 2022 12:31 PM
· 1 reaction
Shopping giant in our sights for objectifying women + sexualising girls
This month Ad Standards upheld complaints against online fashion giant SHEIN. It was the first time the China-based company - reportedly worth $30 billion - has come under the complaint-handling body’s scrutiny.


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In 2020, publishers will arm up for the churn war
In 2020, subscription publishers will duke it out in the battle to reduce churn.
Over the last 18 months, a flurry of companies like TechCrunch, Bloomberg and Fortune put up paywalls, signaling their commitment to recurring reader revenue in the face of a depressed digital advertising market where a lot of growth is funneled to Facebook and Google.
While these publishers are still in growth mode for subscriber acquisition, this won’t last, and 2020 will see them joining more mature subscription publishers in fighting a constant battle against churn. The top five percent of publishers in a Shorenstein Center and Lenfest Institute study had a 97% monthly retention rate. If people are, on average, likely to pay for one news subscription and up to three entertainment subscriptions (Reuters Institute Digital News Report) the pool for acquiring new readers quickly dwindles.
“It’s very hard for anyone now to keep hold of subscribers, particularly the more mature subscription publishers,” said Nic Newman, digital media strategist and author of the Reuters Digital News report. “What this comes back to is collecting more data and testing to see what keeps people from churning.”
The Financial Times has created a formula using recency, frequency and volume to keep people using its product, the easiest indicator that readers will retain. But smart publishers need to build up propensity-to-churn models that identify before someone leaves, deploy catch-and-save teams that use journalist’s knowledge, zero-in on operational factors like credit card expirations, employ skill sets and tactics from businesses outside of media and toy with pricing models.
In European countries like Sweden and Norway, the willingness to pay for news is greater than the U.S. and U.K. The subscription publishers are also relatively mature. In Sweden, MittMedia stops people from leaving by letting them pause monthly payments based on the season. In Norway, Schibsted has made it easy for people to stop subscriptions and feedback on why they are leaving. Publishers like Axel Springer’s tabloid Bild Plus has switched pricing structure from a heavily discounted or free first-month to a more expensive monthly payment, discounted if bought for a year. So far, it’s seen the number of people staying on for the second and third month and the 13th and 14th-month increase significantly.
Just how difficult it is to manage subscriber retention hinges on publisher’s acquisition strategies. More money is spent on marketing to acquire new readers than on keeping existing ones, churn also compounds over time and leads to large changes in revenue with small drops in retention. Pulling in tons of cheap subscribers costs money in marketing, and readers quickly spin out when they realize how little value they put on the product. NRC Handelsblad in Holland, for one, has sworn off cheap discounts as an acquisition tactic.
But coming off the hits of high acquisition numbers is tough. In 2018, The Economist spent over £28 million ($37.11 million) in six months on marketing its full price subscriptions. Since, it’s been directing more investment to retention, launching a dedicated app to combat churn.
Publishers need to be mobile enough to try all tactics to fight off churn, even those that seem counter-intuitive, like bundling audio and text on the same subscription platform to boost value, like Danish publisher Zetland.
“[Publishers] need to place more emphasis on the value proposition and customer experience, whilst delicately balancing churn reduction with high-quality subscriptions growth,” said Adam Hillier, head of digital and media practice at consulting firm Wickland Westcott.
‘None of this is celebrity for celebrity’s sake’: How publishers are trying to scale virtual events with high-profile star power
Scale "matters when making a media buy" for virtual events, according to Barry Lowenthal, CEO of media agency the MediaKitchen, and celebrity appearances help to achieve that.
‘An unprecedented period of Darwinian experimentation’: As sports return, Twitter eyes ad boost
The lack of match-day revenue has forced clubs to better understand the commercial value of platforms like Twitter.
‘The more culture you own’: Condé Nast pursues more revenue growth with new brand-strength metric
Condé Nast is hoping its new advertising measurement framework can drive growth for its digital ad and commerce businesses.
SponsoredThe race to frictionless consumer journeys is expanding beyond marketplaces
Compressing consumers’ path-to-purchase is the holy grail of advertising and marketing. When Jeff Bezos authored 1-Click in 2011, advertisers began to realize that in some cases — especially for consumables — awareness, consideration and purchase can all happen in seconds. Since then the rise of e-commerce marketplaces has forced a major shift in the design […]
‘Permission to think long term’: The Atlantic digs for deeper, smarter client partnerships
Atlantic Brand Partners will account for all The Atlantic’s business-to-business revenue, which is currently two-thirds of The Atlantic's overall revenues.
‘Re-architecting the entire process’: How Vice is preparing for life after the third-party cookie
Vice is working to bolster its first-party data strategy, improve its registration process and double down on contextual ads.


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Fallout: New Vegas Mod The Frontier Has Been Taken Down
It is not clear when players will be able to download The Frontier again.
Usually, when mods are removed, it’s because Nintendo saw something online and decided to get all DMCA-happy. This time, the story is different, and genuinely much worse. The Frontier, a mod for Fallout: New Vegas that recently released after years in development has been removed from Nexus Mods.
The Frontier is a massive mod that essentially packs another game into the world of Fallout: New Vegas. Instead of being stuck in the sweltering heat of the Mojave desert, players travel to frozen-over Portland, Oregon. Besides adding new enemies and weapons to zap them with, The Frontier adds a ton of new content. The mod sports a new map that matches the Mojave wasteland and three main questlines, with one taking up to 35 hours to complete. However, the most notable difference between base Fallout: New Vegas and The Frontier is the addition of vehicles. Players will be able to cruise across Portland in armored cars, tanks, and even vertibirds. These vehicles are also available to the game’s human enemies.
However, if you try to download The Frontier now, you’ll be greeted with a message from the mod’s creators instead. “Some deeply concerning news has emerged in the past few hours,” reads the message. “We have recently been notified that one of our developers, ZuTheSkunk, has posted animated pedophilic content on their personal artist accounts. The items in question are deeply disturbing to the entire team, and we condemn them in the strongest sense.”
The developer behind this content has been removed from the mod’s development team and community Discord. However, development and support for the mod have halted to “address the current events properly.” It is not clear when players will be able to download The Frontier again. The mod also has a Steam page but has not been made available there yet. Another way to play New Vegas is also in development in the form of Fallout 4: New Vegas.


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Apple Inc.’s iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones went on sale in Japan on Friday, pitting the country’s three major mobile phone carriers against each other in a fierce competition to win new subscribers.
The new models feature 3-D Touch technology that recognizes how hard users touch screens, enhanced cameras, and 4K video recording. They come in four colors, including “rose gold,” a new addition.
At Apple’s retail store in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward, around 40 people lined up to get new iPhones, while NTT Docomo Inc., KDDI Corp. and SoftBank Corp. held events to celebrate the launch, which is also taking place in other markets around the world Friday.
“I can’t wait to try out shooting videos in 4K, among other things,” said 30-year-old Tokyo company employee Sho Hashiguchi, an avid fan of the iPhone series who purchased the high resolution technology.
The latest models, following last year’s hugely popular design overhaul that featured enlarged screens, may not match the success of previous releases, according to analysts.
Demand for the new iPhones appears to be lower than last year, “possibly meaningfully so,” said Andy Hargreaves, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities who studied Google search data, device shipment times and third-party surveys. Analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. and RBC Capital Markets also raised concerns about iPhone growth.
Since 2013, iPhone sales have increased an average of about 35 percent each quarter. In October to December alone last year, Apple sold 74.6 million iPhones. That’s about 34,000 purchases per hour.
Expectations are tempered partially because the gadget is at the point in its two-year design cycle that includes less dramatic changes. In the first year, Apple generally overhauls the device’s hardware, including its look and feel. For the following year’s model, designated with an “s” tacked onto the number, the Cupertino, California-based company makes more subtle improvements.
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus look like last year’s versions but include new features such as 3D Touch, which provides a shortcut for checking mail, taking pictures and other functions when the user presses down on the screen. Apple also added a zippier processor.
A smooth release is critical for Apple, which generates more than 60 percent of its revenue from the phone. The company is attempting to expand other businesses, but the portion of sales coming from the iPhone continues to grow. The Apple Watch hasn’t become a mainstream hit since it was released earlier this year and iPad sales are in decline.
The three mobile phone operators in Japan have announced their own price plans for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, setting minimum amounts that subscribers need to pay at over ¥10,000 ($84) based on two-year contracts.
NTT Docomo is offering the cheapest plan of the three for people switching from its rivals, charging ¥432 a month, or ¥10,368 over two years for the iPhone 6s. For the iPhone 6s Plus, subscribers will need to pay ¥972 a month, or ¥23,328 over two years.
When the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus debuted last year, Apple sold 10 million units in the three days after launch.


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China’s Factory Activities Suffer in May as Orders Drop
In May, China's factory activities did not get any better with months of successive drops. On Wednesday a private survey revealed that new orders softened, leading to loss of hope for any recovery soon in the huge manufacturing sector of the country.
In May, the Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Manager' index (PMI) dropped to 49.2 which was lower than the reading of 49.4 in April and the market expectations of 49.3.
The second-largest economy in the world is still struggling to get a grip on its manufacturing activities.
On the other hand, the official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) in May remained same as April's 50.1 which were just above the 50 mark which separates expansion from contraction on a month over month basis.
In March and April there were some improvements noted in the factory activities in China which had sparked hopes of an improving economy but the modest decline in May reversed the optimism. In May, the new export order index dropped to 47.7 compared to April's 48.6.
Chinese manufacturers have noted a drop in orders from abroad as well as at home. In recent months the manufacturers have trimmed payrolls and cut down on raw material purchases.
- Hyundai announces battery leasing accord to trim down EV prices, coordinate reuse
- Samsung SDI to invest $849 million to expand EV battery plant in Hungary
- Pennsylvania Lottery on track to break revenue record: Drew Svitko
- Frigid temperatures & ice storms force Oklahoma Cherokee casinos to close again
- Former Las Vegas 311 Boyz gang member & his girlfriend nabbed in Idaho


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LVMH Prize 2021 names nine finalists, three of them American
The LVMH Prize 2021 has announced the names of its nine finalists, and three of them are American.
Traditionally the award for young talent is made up of eight finalists, but as the final two won an equal number of votes, nine were selected this year.
The nine finalists are: Bianca Saunders, Charles de Vilmorin, Christopher John Rogers, Conner Ives, Colm Dillane, Kika Vargas, Lukhanyo Mdingi, Nensi Dojaka and Rui Zhou.
Two of the finalists create genderless collections – de Vilmorin, the happening young French designer based in Paris who participated to great acclaim in Gucci Fest and has since been named creative director of Rochas in Paris; and Rui Zhou, a Chinese designer based in Shanghai.
The trio from the US – a country which has never provided a top-prize winner - is composed of Christopher John Rogers, a womenswear designer based in New York; Conner Ives, a womenswear designer based in London; and Colm Dillane, a menswear designer based in New York, whose brand is called Kidsuper.
Rogers, a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, has already garnered enormous attention – nabbing last year’s CFDA Emerging Designer of the Year award, and providing the spruce purple coat that Vice President Kamala Harris wore on the US inauguration day. He is also a charming talker noted for his ruffle-mad sophistication for the red carpet, where he has dressed Rihanna.
Conner Ives focuses on developing fashion from deadstock and vintage looks, showing revamped sequin bubble gowns; patchwork Italian flag looks and upcycling fabulous sunset felt jackets.
While Colm Dillane, a multimedia artist from Brooklyn, works in a counter-culture aesthetic with painterly graphics. His designs capture the ambitious energy of NYC; and his lookbook suggested he would be perfect for a future Moncler Genius collaboration.
The nine is completed by three women – the very talented knitwear specialist Bianca Saunders, a British designer based in London who creates menswear; Kika Vargas, a Colombian womenswear designer based in Bogota; and Nensi Dojaka, a courageous Albanian designer based in London, who showed some tremendous lingerie-inspired ideas.
And, finally, there is one South Africa talent, Lukhanyo Mdingi, based in Cape Town, who designs womenswear and menswear.
Young fashion designers under the age of 40 who have created at least two full collections may apply. Traditionally, the 20 finalists present their collections to a panel of experts in Paris during the women’s ready-to-wear season in early March.
This year, due to the pandemic, the LVMH Prize took place entirely digitally, with the young talent presenting their ideas with lookbooks; 360-degree clips of key outfits; short videos – many shot on iPhones - and mini interviews. Moreover, for the first time, members of the public were allowed to vote over the Internet; their cumulative vote counting for the same as one expert – out of 66 - in the final tally. This year marks the award’s eighth edition.
The finalists will be judged by a group of judges made up primarily of LVMH group designers, and including several executives, most notably Delphine Arnault, the brainchild behind the award. The final has also been pushed back to September this year.
Last year, the lockdown forced the cancellation of the final, leading LVMH to divide the prize equally between its eight finalists. Underlying the global interest in the €300,000 LVMH Prize, this year over 1,900 candidates applied from 110 countries.
All told, there are five prizes: The LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers with a €300,000 endowment and benefits from a one-year bespoke mentorship program provided by a dedicated LVMH team. The Karl Lagerfeld/Special Jury Prize that rewards a young designer with €150,000 and a mentorship program. And finally three prizes for young fashion-school graduates who completed their studies in 2020 or 2021 by allocating them, as well as their school, a €10,000 grant. The prize-winning graduates will also join the creative studio of an LVMH house for one year.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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PALO ALTO . (AP) — Computer security provider Palo Alto Networks Inc. is eyeing taking the company public in an offering that aims to raise as much as $175 million.
In preliminary documents filed by the company on Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Palo Alto said it intends to use proceeds from an initial public offering to fund working capital, sales, marketing and other operating costs.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company did not specify how many shares will be put up for sale in the IPO, nor at what price. It also didn't say what ticker symbol it will trade under.
Palo Alto Networks' services help control traffic on customers' networked computer systems and prevent threats. It said it had over 6,600 customers in more than 80 countries at Jan. 31.
In its most-recently completed fiscal year, which ended July 31, Palo Alto posted a loss of $12.5 million, or 88 cents a share, compared to a loss of $21.1 million, or $1.78 a share, a year earlier.
Revenue in fiscal 2011 more than doubled to $118.6 million from $48.8 million.
The lead underwriters for the offering include Morgan Stanley, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Citigroup.


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IDC and Gartner industry figures have revealed that Lenovo has become the number one PC supplier in the world.
According to the latest industry figures reported today by IDC and Gartner, Lenovo has become the number 1 PC supplier in the world. IDC reported that Lenovo reached 16.7% global PC market share in 2Q 2013, up from 15.0% in 2Q 2012, one year ago. Gartner stated Lenovo reached 16.7% share this quarter, up from 14.9% last quarter and the same 14.9% from 2Q 2012, one year ago. This marks the first time that Lenovo has been the clear global leader in PCs according to both of these widely accepted reports.
‚”We are proud that Lenovo has become the clear world leader in PCs, and we are grateful to our customers and to our global team for this success. Even in the toughest PC market ever, Lenovo has not only gained share, but we have steadily improved profitability and introduced even more innovative products for every market segment. The battle for PC leadership could certainly still go back and forth. But I am fully confident that there remains substantial room for profitable growth and groundbreaking innovation in the global PC marketplace,‚” says Yang Yuanqing, chairman & CEO of Lenovo.
‚”The PC market is changing, but it still represents a $200b opportunity. Lenovo can capture more of this opportunity than our competitors because we have built great balance over the last 4 years. In our traditional strongholds — China and global commercial PCs — we have continued to gain share and build sustainable profit engines. Meanwhile, we have built scale and improved profitability in global emerging markets (where we are the leader) and global consumer PCs (number 2 overall). Balancing growth and profitability across our entire PC business is our focus going forward.
‚”PC leadership is just one milestone in a longer journey to become a true leader in the ‚”PC Plus‚” market, which includes tablets, smart phones, smart TVs and other ‚”smart connected‚” devices. Already, we have made great strides in these areas. Today, we are the number 3 ‚”Smart Connected Device‚” maker in the world. By continuing to focus on our formula for success a clear strategy, innovative products, great execution and a diverse global team I am confident that we can continue to drive profitable growth in our core business, and achieve the same success, over time, in the fast-growing PC Plus marketplace.‚”
HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE FROM 2012-2013 05/23/13 EARNINGS REPORT:
In Lenovo’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2013, IDC said that Lenovo had achieved a record global PC market share, expanded faster than the overall PC market for the 16th consecutive quarter, led the market in three of the seven largest PC markets China, Japan and Germany and reached double digit share in 39 countries.
More than half of Lenovo’s revenue then comes from outside of China. While delivering significant volume and revenue growth, the company’s profitability reached record heights with earnings up 34% last year.
Further, Lenovo has accelerated its transformation to become a top competitor in the PC Plus era, capturing a 5.9 percent share of the global market for ‚”Smart Connected Devices‚” and becoming the third largest supplier. The company is the number 2 smartphone and number 2 tablet company in China, the world’s largest PC+ market. Further, more than 10% of the company’s revenues now come from hot growth segments such as smartphones and tablets.
A career in data science – or your money back
The Explore Data Science Academy is offering high demand skills courses – and guarantees employment for trainees
The Explore Data Science Academy (EDSA) has announced several new courses in 2020 that it says will radically change the shape of data science education in South Africa.
Comprising Data Science, Data Engineering, Data Analytics and Machine Learning, each six-month course provides vital digital skills that are in high demand in the market place. The full time, fully immersive courses each cost R60 000 including VAT.
The courses are differentiated from any other available by the fact that EDSA has introduced a money back promise if it cannot place the candidate in a job within six months of graduation and at a minimum annual starting salary of R240 000.
“For South Africans with drive and aptitude, this is the perfect opportunity to launch a career in what has been called the sexiest career of the 21stcentury,” says Explore founder Shaun Dippnall.
Dippnall and his team are betting on the explosive demand for data science skills locally and globally.
“There is a massive supply-demand gap in the area of data science and our universities and colleges are struggling to keep up with the rapid growth and changing nature of specific digital skills being demanded by companies.
“We are offering specifically a work ready opportunity in a highly skills deficient sector, and one which guarantees employment thereafter.”
The latter is particularly pertinent to young South Africans – a segment which currently faces a 30 percent unemployment rate.
“If you have skills in either Data Science, Data Engineering, Data Analytics or Machine Learning, you will find work locally, even globally. We’re confident of that,” says Dippnall.
EDSA is part of the larger Explore organisation and has for the past two years offered young people an opportunity to be trained as data scientists and embark on careers in a fast-growing sector of the economy.
In its first year of operation, EDSA trained 100 learners as data scientists in a fully sponsored, full-time 12-month course. In year two, this number increased to 400.
“Because we are connected with hundreds of employers and have an excellent understanding of the skills they need, our current placement rate is over 90 percent of the students we’ve taught,” Dippnall says. “These learners can earn an average of R360 000 annually, hence our offer of your money back if there is no employment at a minimum annual salary of R240k within six months.
“With one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world – recently announced as a national emergency by the President – it is important that institutions teach skills that are in demand and where learners can earn a healthy living afterwards.”
There are qualifying criteria, however. Candidates need to live in close proximity (within one hour commuting distance), or be prepared to live, in either Johannesburg or Cape Town, and need to be between the ages of 18 and 55.
“Our application process is very tough. We’ll test for aptitude and attitude using the qualifying framework we’ve built over the years. If you’re smart enough, you’ll be accepted,” says Dippnall.
To find out more, visit http://www.explore-datascience.net.
Triggerfish launches free digital learning Academy online
Platform designed for anyone wanting to understand more about career opportunities in animation.
Triggerfish, in partnership with Goethe-Institut and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, has launched Triggerfish Academy, a free digital learning platform for anyone wanting to understand more about the career opportunities and how to get started in the field of animation.
The website features 25 free video tutorials, quizzes and animation exercises introducing animation as a career and the principles of storytelling, storyboarding and animation, as well as several additional resources to help guide aspiring animators into a career in animation.
“The South African animation industry is growing – and so is the demand for skilled animators globally,” said Noemie Njangiru, head of Culture and Development at Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, pointing to the success of recent Triggerfish projects like the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes; Mama K’s Team 4, recently announced by Netflix as their first original animated series from Africa; and this year’s New York Children’s Festival and Shanghai International Film and TV Festival winner Zog.
Njangiru also highlighted the opportunities for animation outside the traditional film industry, within fields like advertising, app and web design, architecture, engineering, gaming, industrial design, medicine, and the motor industry, not to mention growth sectors like augmented reality and virtual reality.
The course was created by Tim Argall, currently the animation director on Triggerfish’s third feature film, Seal Team. He’s roped in many of the South African animation industry’s brightest stars, from Malcolm Wope, character designer on Mama K’s Team 4, and Annike Pienaar, now working at Illumination in Paris on Sing 2, to Daniel Snaddon, co-director of the multi-award-winning BBC adaptations Stick Man and Zog, and Faghrie Coenraad, lead dressing and finaling artist on the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes, as well as Triggerfish head of production Mike Buckland. The featured talent share not just their skills but also their stories, from how they broke the news they wanted to be animators to their parents, to common myths about the animation industry.
“As kids, animation is part of our lives, so we don’t really think about the idea that animation is actually somebody’s job,” said Argall. “When I was a kid, I loved animation and I loved to draw. I remember when I was about 12, I thought: ‘I really want to see my drawings come to life. I want to be an animator.’ But I had no idea where to even begin.”
Triggerfish Academy is his attempt to make it easier for the next generation of African animators: an accessible starter kit for anyone considering a career in animation.
“By the end of working through this course, you’ll have all the background you need to know whether animation is a good choice for your career,” said Njangiru.
Aspiring animators can also use Triggerfish Academyto learn how to write and animate their own short story, then post their animation on the Academy’s Facebook group for feedback and advice from professional animators.
Triggerfish Academy is set up so that youth can play with it directly, but it’s also been designed to double as an activity plan for teachers, NGOs and after school programmes to use. Schools, organisations and other animation studios who are interested in using it can contact Triggerfish for additional free classroom resources.
Triggerfish Academy is just one of a number of Triggerfish initiatives to train and diversify the next generation of African animators, like sponsoring bursaries to The Animation School; the Mama K’s Team 4 Writers Lab with Netflix; the pan-African Triggerfish Story Lab, supported by The Walt Disney Company and the Department of Trade and Industry; Animate Africa webinars; Draw For Life; and the Triggerfish Foundation schools outreach programme. For more information, visit www.triggerfish.com/academy.


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New 2018 Honda CR-Z 2.0-liter VTEC four-cylinder 280 horsepower
Thankfully, Honda reportedly is ready to show off its newest car. At least, that is according to people in the car and the driver, who said the new CR-Z will arrive sans hybrid when it hits the market sometime in 2018.
“The two reasons that forced Honda to phase it out [in Europe and Australia], namely its weak street cred and lack of performance thanks to its ho-hum hybrid power unit, have been addressed. The new coupe will be a force to reckon with,” insists our source.
Expected to be partially larger than the current 2018 Honda CR-Z, the new version will certainly borrow style signs from the brand-new NSX and also the Civic Type R. Under the hood will certainly be a detuned variation of the Type R’s turbocharged, 2.0-liter VTEC four-cylinder draining greater than 280 horsepower. It looks as if the CR-Z will certainly be placed and marketed as a high-performance coupe version of the next-generation U.S. Civic, which indicates it might be called the Civic CR-Z.
While the united state version will certainly be fitted with the 2.0-liter engine, Honda is planning to review the hybrid for the Japanese domestic market; that edition will certainly employ a turbocharged 1.5-liter hybrid i-DCD powertrain creating upwards of 200 horsepower and also incorporating an eight-speed automated transmission.


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Even excluding special factors, recent retail sales data suggest we have seen sharp improvement, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
Retail sales are softening modestly year over year, but lower gas and drug prices should have upside for consumers' spending power, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
Retailers are right to expect a better November as consumers bounce back following Sandy and continue holiday shopping, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
Negative second-quarter GDP growth is not out of the question, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson, but the third and fourth quarters should rebound.
There were some unusual areas of strength in a decent overall holiday shopping season, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
Leading indicators suggest continued, though sluggish, growth for the U.S. economy in the months ahead, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
Lack of demand and investment elsewhere is keeping large companies on the hiring sidelines, say Morningstar's Bob Johnson and Vishnu Lekraj. Get their forecast for Friday's employment report.
Recent lackluster spending data suggest the consumer is not as strong as some may believe, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
July 20-22: Get our inflation forecast plus a survey of inflation-fighting tools and portfolio strategies from Morningstar.
©2012 Morningstar Advisor. All right reserved.


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BBC iPlayer to be reinvented to rival Netflix and Amazon by 2020
Posted on: January 14th, 2017 by BBC Director General Tony Hall has said that the BBC iPlayer will be reinvented in a bid to make it the UK's top online TV service by 2020. He described iPlayer as the biggest revolution of the last charter and ...BroadcastPro ME, 2 days ago
BBC iPlayer Looks to Take Over Netflix's spot as UK's #1 VOD Provider
BBC iPlayer is preparing to go toe to toe with the video on demand (VOD) giant, Netflix . The media streaming service says it plans to revamp itself by 2020 with the intention of taking over the top spot among UK's online TV services. Discussing the ...VideoInk, 5 days ago
on your WebpageAdd Widget >Get your members hooked!


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Ahead of Huawei’s October 16 event, where the company is expected to announce two alleged handsets dubbed Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, some new details about both smartphones have surfaced online.
According to one report, the company is said to bring the handset in three versions namely: Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro, and Mate 10 Lite.
As it turns out, the regular and the Lite models of the handset has seen their own share of leaks and renders. The Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, on the other hand, have been spotted online bearing what might be the actual prices of the handsets.
Starting with the Huawei Mate 10, the leaked images are suggesting that we might see the handset come with narrow bezels on the top and bottom of the display panel at the front area.
Also, we don’t see the Home button on the Mate 10 Pro, unlike the regular version, that comes with one placed beneath the display panel.
Based on preliminary leaks, both versions of the Mate were tipped to sport “EntireView” displays tagged with 18:9 aspect ratio. However, it’s only the regular model’s screen size that is touted to come with a 5.99-inch QHD (1440×2880) display.
Moving on to pricing, the Mate 10 handset is said to launch in three versions including 4GB RAM/64GB storage, 6GB RAM/128GB storage, and 6GB RAM/256GB storage. All three handsets are to be priced at CNY 4,299 CNY 4,899 and CNY 5,599 respectively.
The Mate 10 Pro device, on the other hand, is expected to be offered in four variants including 6GB RAM/64GB storage, 6GB RAM/128GB storage, 6GB RAM/256GB storage, and 8GB RAM/256GB storage — all of which will be priced at CNY 5,499 CNY 6,199, CNY 6,899 and CNY 7,499 respectively.


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Mirjam Strasser, Head of Sales & Acquisitions at Autentic Distribution, spoke to ttvnews about how the distributor has offered audiences an escape from reality during this past year with its vast catalog of factual content that has led to new alliances with digital and traditional players around the world.
Audiences around the world have been confined to their homes for more than a year now due to the Covid pandemic, making entertaining TV a must during these trying times. Family-friendly content that offers escapism from the difficult reality we’re facing is now more in demand than ever.
Armed with a catalog of factual content, with everything from science and nature to people, wildlife, travel, history and more, Autentic Distribution has been a key partner for networks and platforms looking for this type of content to offer its audiences.
In the following interview with ttvnews, Mirjam Strasser, Head of Sales & Acquisitions, explains how the pandemic has affected the distributor’s business in terms of sales and new alliances, and which titles have been most in demand during the past year.
We are coming up on a year since the pandemic lockdown started in most of the world. How has this last year been for Autentic Distribution? How has the pandemic changed your business and what measures did you have to take to adapt to the new reality?
2020 was unexpectedly a very good year for Autentic, which is a weird feeling because so many people were deeply affected by the pandemic. In 2020, the demand for our programs was much higher than ever before and with the first quarter of 2021 coming to an end, we can already see this trend continuing. We were able to bring our programs onto the screens of many people around the world to help entertain them during their lockdown. And of course we have been spending our days on Zoom and Teams – like everyone else. Luckily, we were immediately set up as a team to work remotely and it was an easy transitions into home office in Spring 2020.
The pandemic lockdown also led to an increase in TV viewership across the globe. How did Autentic work with this higher demand for content?
We started to dive even deeper into AVOD and SVOD sales, and opened up to new partnerships with platforms and players internationally. In general, we had many clients acquiring larger packages than usual.
In this regard, what trends do you find in terms of content and genres? Which factual titles have been the most demanded/successful?
Escapism was the key genre, travel programs, and our People & Places genre were also in strong demand as well as History and Science, and of course Nature programs for family viewing. For example, our in-house production Love Around The World received many compliments from around the world, for being a heartwarming, feel-good program in times when everyone just wants to feel a little bit better. Not in demand was anything about the pandemic!
Which deals would you highlight from the past few months?
We closed a package of over 80 hours with Curiosity Stream and successfully sold our Wildlife and Science Series The Animal Within to platforms and TV channels in many regions.
Autentic works with a variety of platforms, from linear TV to streaming and more. How has the increase in streaming services over the last year affected your distribution strategy?
We now focus on digital sales far more than we did two years ago, and have secured many new clients in the VOD sector. We always try to evaluate the entire rights chain and work with tailored marketing and distribution strategies for each title in our catalogue.
When it comes to acquiring content to grow your catalogue, which titles do you gravitate towards? Which types of productions do you think work best in today’s international market?
Our focus lies on a wide range of genres: Wildlife, Nature, Science & Technology and History, but Travel and Escapism programs are also in high demand. We are constantly looking for series or one-offs that can fascinate a wide audience.
Which titles will you be presenting at the upcoming digital events and tradeshows?
We have too many to name them all, but one of our highlight programs is In Search of Monsters to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. We also have a two-parter on not well-known European dictators called Europe’s Forgotten Dictatorships, and a Russian Crime Mystery series on The Dyatlov Pass Incident. For our Factual Entertainment catalogue we have acquired the two Italian productions Stone Men and Snow Lords. Besides this, we will present the second season of our popular History series What Went Wrong as well as other intruiging History one-off, e.g. Claude Dornier – Pioneer Of Aviation, Automania, and The Nazi Whaling Squadron. And we are launching many new Travel, People & Places and Escapism programs, which is one of our strongest genres.
What are your hopes and expectations for the year ahead?
I hope that productions can happen again more easily, that producers will be able to travel abroad and deliver their programs within the planned time frames. That we will be able to get hold off many exciting new titles in 2021 so that we can successfully entertain people in their homes with our programs until this pandemic is over and beyond. And that we will never get tired of virtual calls – until we can meet in person again.


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More than 500 persons with disability (PWDs) have benefited from government’s sustainable disability support projects in the Sunyani West Municipality.
Mr Martin Obeng, the Municipal Chief Executive, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview after he handed over 10 feet square container store each to three PWDs at Fiapre and Nsuatre in the Municipality, at a cost of GHC15,000.
He said the Assembly had created a special Disability Folder, which contained personal data of all PWDs in the area, to attend to their needs.
Mr Obeng said the container stores and the other supporting equipment would help sustain the PWDs and their families to live meaningful lives, adding that that was more valuable than offering them cash.
Mr George Ankamah, a beneficiary, commended the Assembly for the support and said the store would facilitate his sale of plumbing tools and materials in the area, which he had always yearned for.
The two others; Madam Grace Antwiwaa, 60, and Mrs Mavis Akomaa, all from Nsuatre, said they would sell plastic materials and beads making tools, respectively, in their containers.


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Addressing the expected growth in video-enabled cellular handsets and PDAs, DSP Group Inc. has formed a partnership that enables it to offer a licensable MPEG-4 solution.
At the Embedded Systems Conference in Germany last week, the company demonstrated its PalmDSP core combined with an MPEG-4 software codec from Meicom Technologies Ltd., thus providing a fully licensable solution for 2.5G and 3G cell phones, according to Bat-Sheva Ovadia, vice president of marketing and business development at DSP Group.
DSP Group specializes in DSP cores and Meicom in image- and video-processing software. Both companies are based in Herzelia, Israel.
"This implementation is completed purely in software, and there are no accelerators or extra gates needed," Ovadia said. "We now provide companies who target the emerging mobile multimedia market with a complete MPEG-4-quality streaming video solution with significant reductions in power consumption."
DSP G roup trails only Texas Instruments Inc. in terms of DSP architecture used in cellular handsets. According to Forward Concepts Co., DSP Group had a market share of nearly 20% in 2000 and 15% in 2001, losing share to Qualcomm Inc. MPEG-4 is expected to be the most popular video standard for handsets in a market that will grow significantly, said Will Strauss, an analyst at Forward Concepts in Tempe, Ariz.
Strauss estimates that video-camera-enabled cell phones will grow at a 266% annual rate over the next five years, from less than 200,000 units shipped last year to about 125 million units in 2006.
"An MPEG-4 solution that is implemented only in software is usually the most cost-effective and can be easily ported among different products without requiring algorithm accelerators," he said.
DSP Group's PalmDSP is a dual-MAC parallel architecture with seven computational units providing both SIMD and MIMD operations. The core has a variable 16- or 32-bit instruction width. Additional integratable feat ures include streaming audio such as MP3 and AAC, speech coders, voice recognition, and a baseband processor.
Meicom's MPEG-4 software provides both encoder and decoder functionality to process and stream video images.
"Considering the importance of quality for streaming media, our solution for efficient processing of MPEG-4 data has been enhanced by using DSP Group's technology," said Miri Eitan, Meicom's chief executive, in a statement.
The PalmDSP with MPEG-4 is now available for licensing.


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The government of Chile has approved national railway firm Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE)'s $1.9 billion, 2020-22 investment plan, according to BNamericas. Work is currently under way on the $375 million reconstruction of Santiago's subway system, and will start on the $1.3 billion Melipilla-Alameda railway project in June.
A new transport, tourism, hospitality and travel industries boutique law firm recently opened its doors in Chile under the name Prat & Cía. Founded by Francisco Prat, the firm’s team includes associates Víctor Briceño and Isidora Casas del Valle. Prat has extensive experience in regulatory, finance and contentious matters related to the aviation industry.
Cloud and edge solutions provider G-Core Labs is expanding its presence in South America by opening a new PoP of its content delivery network in Santiago. According to G-Core Labs Vice President of Products Dmitry Samoshkin, the company is looking to start its expansion in Chile because it has more than 15 million people (82.3% of the country's population) using internet on a regular basis.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) projects an average contraction of 5.3% in the region for 2020. It estimates that Chile will contract by 4% in 2020, similar to the estimate made by the IMF, which predicted a drop of 4.5%.
90% of companies that have taken up the government and protection law have less than 10 workers. 94.8% of these businesses are micro-companies and SMBs, while 92% are micro and small enterprises. Meanwhile, 79% of workers are from micro and SMBs.


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BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) has been in the news quite a bit off-late. Last Friday, it reported disappointing earnings, and as a response, the company said it is planning to cut 5000 jobs. RIM also announced that BlackBerry 10 phones, the ones everyone believed would be the company's saviour, will not be shipping in time for this holiday season, as initially expected. (See: RIM to cut 5,000 jobs, delay BlackBerry 10 phones
Then news emerged that the board was under mounting pressure to consider options such as selling its network business or forming an alliance with Microsoft
, in a bid to rescue the company. While all this was happening CEO Thorsten Heins came out with rather strange remarks
saying, "There's nothing wrong with the company as it exists right now". Well why are you struggling then Mr. CEO? (See: BlackBerry maker's Waterloo moment
Here's some more news, which can be considered either good or bad, depending upon your perspective. Popular BlackBerry focussed blog BlackBerryOS.com
has stumbled upon the what appears to be a BlackBerry 10 Roadmap for 2013.
The roadmap kicks-off with a 4G PlayBook in Q4 2012, presumably the successor to RIM's not-so-popular PlayBook. The BlackBerry 10 show will kick-off in Europe in January 2013, with US following four weeks later. The BlackBerry 10 upgrade for PlayBook is scheduled to release in Q1/Q2 2013.
Q2/Q3 2013 will see the release of BlackBerry device codenamed "Nashville", with a 10-inch BlackBerry PlayBook "Blackforest" scheduled for Q3 2013. Lastly, "Naples" codenamed BlackBerry device will release in Q3/Q4 2013.
Will these devices rescue the struggling Canadian giant? While stranger things have happened, the smart money seems to suggest unless RIM can put something magical out of the proverbial hat, they might be too little, too late.


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As a report has it, the alpha demo of a Cardano-based game, Drunken Dragon, has launched on PC and macOS. Drunken Dragon Games is a fantasy tavern management game with collectible furniture and adventurers.
In response to a user who asked if Cardano (ADA) can be earned or spent while playing the game, ProteinFolding420 wrote:
“The game will not be play to earn. When the full game releases, you can unlock better items by completing quests within the game. Anything purchasible now with ADA are early collectibles used to fundraise development of the full release.”
He added that the fact that players can sell their gold and skins to third parties in World of Warcraft and CS:GO respectively, does not make the game a play to earn.
The Game Will Be Available As a DApp on Cardano
As reported a couple of weeks ago, the game is said to be ultimately available as a decentralized application (DApp) on the Cardano blockchain.
The report also emphasized that the game will not affect users’ delegation by sending/receiving the digital token ADA from a staked wallet. All that changes, according to ProteinFolding420, is the amount staked, much like fiat in a bank account.
The update further stated that F2p players can use custodial wallets managed centrally by the team. So, it’s possible for novice players not to realize that it’s a crypto-based game.
“If these f2p players are having fun and wish to take ownership over their assets after learning about blockchain tech, they are free to move them out of their custodial wallet into their own personal wallet which would then cost fees.” ProteinFolding420 noted.


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Grand Theft Auto fans worldwide have rejoiced as Rockstar Games have finally confirmed GTA 6, the developer says “it is well underway and in development.” After years of leaks, rumors, and fan speculations, GTA 6 is officially confirmed to be in development on February 4, 2022.
The GTA 6 project will be underway on February 6, 2022, as announced by Rockstar Games. Before this, there have been heavy speculations as well as doubts regarding GTA 6 due to the continued success of GTA 5 over multiple console generations.
In a post shared on its website, Rockstar Games has revealed that GTA 6 is in active development with the following statement:
“Many of you have been asking about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series. With every new project, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we’ve previously delivered. We’re pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the series is underway.”
The official Twitter handle of Rockstar Games shared the news, offering fans waves of joy and delight.
Many of you have been asking about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series.
With every new project, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we've previously delivered. We're pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the series is underway.
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) February 4, 2022
This puts all the speculation about GTA 6 to an end, and we officially know that the next GTA game will be here soon. However, Rockstar Games hasn’t revealed at what stage the game’s development is in, or when it’ll be ready for launch.
Rumors suggest that GTA 6 is under development for current-gen consoles. But, we don’t know if it’ll be released for last-gen consoles. Rockstar Games also didn’t share information related to that either.
GTA 6 Project Confirmed to be in Development
In the official statement, Rockstar Games has said “We are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway. We look forward to sharing more as soon as we are ready, so please stay tuned to the Rockstar Newswire for official details.”
This announcement didn’t share any official game art, teaser, or trailer. The only massive news out of the update is that GTA 6 is confirmed.
GTA 6 development is well underway.
It’s happening 😮💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/6uDEQaFnEf
— H o l l o w (@HollowPoiint) February 4, 2022
Additionally, Rockstar Games also shared gratitude towards fans for their continued patience and support with this statement:
“On behalf of our entire team, we thank you all for your support and cannot wait to step into the future with you!”
Did Rockstar Games Announce Release Date of GTA 6?
Not yet. Rockstar Games hasn’t shared any updates about when the GTA 6 will be ready for release. The massively popular game development studio only informed that the upcoming GTA title is in development, and well underway.
They didn’t share any timeframe for the expected release date of GTA 6. Previous rumors have suggested that GTA 6 is still a year or two away. So, we can only wait for Rockstar Games to share an update on the development soon.
My expectation at this point is a very short gameplay trailer highlighting parts of the GTA 6 world by the end of the year along with a Fall 2023 release date which will inevitably be delayed to sometime in 2024.
Definitely seems like Grand Theft Auto 6 is finally real. https://t.co/S9uVlWw8Q4
— Michael 🎆🎊🎉 (@LegacyKillaHD) February 4, 2022
Will Rockstar Games be Exclusive to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S?
Rockstar Games only mentioned that GTA 6 is in development but they didn’t tell for what platforms. Earlier, there were rumors that the game is in development for current-gen consoles including PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. So, it could be an exclusive title for the latest-gen consoles.
However, millions of gamers are still using PS4 and Xbox One as they couldn’t get their hands on the PS5 due to the shortage of stock. Thus, GTA 6 could very well receive a cross-gen release as Rockstar Games wouldn’t want to leave their fans behind.
This would only be possible if the game is released in the next few years, but if the timeline extends, and PS5 becomes more available, things could change.
Fan Reactions via Twitter to GTA 6 Official Announcement
Fans on Twitter as well as other social media platforms have gone berserk on the official announcement of GTA 6 by Rockstar Games. Check out some of the coolest reactions to the news:
— Rain (@Rain__911) February 4, 2022
— Sajad MohamadiPour (@SajadMohamadiP1) February 4, 2022
— Leafloaf (@ForxSlurpy) February 4, 2022
— J.S (@Iconic_Gam3s) February 4, 2022
These reactions clearly show that the GTA franchise has a very bright future, and GTA 6 is going to be a massive success. Although it is still a few years away. Use the comment box and tell us what do you expect from the upcoming GTA 6.


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Young King Hair Care Sets Out to ‘Shake Up the Beauty Industry’
Cora and Stefan Miller founded Young King Hair Care, inspired by the experiences with their young son.
Before 2020, no business owner could anticipate the impact that the coronavirus pandemic would have on their business and how they would need to adapt. But one that successfully did is the Black-owned Young King Hair Care, which Cora and Stefan Miller founded in December 2019. The two started the company — which is the first multicultural beauty brand for young men — after gaining first-hand experience with their own young son.
Together, the two set the goal of creating a plant-based and vegan grooming line that appealed to young boys and encouraged a daily grooming regime that promoted textured hair and growth. “We are here to shake up the beauty industry by redefining self-care and grooming for the next generation of Black and Brown men, giving them the confidence [they] need to be their best selves every day,” Cora Miller said.
Young King launched itself as a direct-to-consumer brand with a three-step styling regimen: leave-in conditioner, essential oils and curling cream. Due to the pandemic, it revised its go-to market strategy, tested multiple social and digital campaigns, and partnered with bloggers and influencers. After enjoying success, it introduced a shampoo and conditioner in November 2020.
Target also approached the Millers with an offer to sell its products, both in-line and in-store, which was followed up by Walmart. Today, the products can be found in more than 1,200 stores, online through the retailers, and on Young King’s website. “As a result of their early-on pivoting and testing, Young King exceeded initial forecasts and achieved 394% [growth] in 2H 2020 vs. 1H 2020 within the first full year of business, driven by 94% of sales from new customers,” it says.
Citing numbers from the Selig Center for Economic Growth, Young King reports that Black spending was at an excess of $1.4 trillion last year. “Sales of multicultural hair care products rose +15% through February 2020 from a year ago,” it adds.


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New Delhi [India], Oct.21 : A senior finance ministry official on Friday said that a detailed report has been sought from banks amid fears that millions of debit cards data may have been stolen in one of the country's largest-ever cyber security incidents.
Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been asked to investigate the matter.
"We have asked for a detailed report from the banks regarding the hack. The Reserve Bank of India will launch an investigation and so will the finance ministry. On behalf of the government, I would like to say that cyber security is of paramount importance," said Das.
Das further said there was no need to panic over the feared security breach. "Customers should not panic because these hackings are done through computer and trail can easily be reached.
They should not be alarmed or get panicked. Whatever action has to be taken, it will be done with speed," said Das. Several banks in India are replacing or asking their customers to change security codes of as many as 3.25 million debit cards due to fears that the card data may have been stolen.
Card network providers Visa, MasterCard, and home-grown RuPay run by the National Payments Corp of India (NPCI) swung into action in September after receiving complaints from some banks that their clients' cards had been fraudulently used mainly in China and the United States even though they were in India, said the chief of NPCI, which also runs the biggest network of shared ATMs.
There was a possible compromise of one of the payment switch provider's systems, NPCI Chief Executive A.P.
Hota said in a statement. A switch is part of the back-end network aiding ATM operations. Hota said the card network providers had alerted all affected banks and the advice to banks to replace cards was a "preventive exercise", adding: "Necessary corrective actions already have been taken and hence there is no reason for bank customers to panic." Of the debit cards affected, about 2.65 million are on Visa and MasterCard platforms, while 600,000 are on RuPay, Hota earlier told CNBC TV18, adding the breach involved some 90 ATMs.
Visa and Mastercard said in separate statements their own networks had not been compromised, but they were aware of the issue and were working with banks, regulators and others to support investigations.
While the potential breach impacts a large number of debit card holders, the number of cards affected accounts for just 0.5 percent of the nearly 700 million debit cards issued by banks in India.
While the NPCI did not name the payment switch provider whose systems it found had been compromised, banking industry sources with direct knowledge said the issue stemmed from a breach in systems of Hitachi Ltd subsidiary Hitachi Payment Services, which manages ATM network processing for Yes Bank Ltd.
The sources were not authorised to speak with media on the matter and so declined to be identified. Yes Bank said in a statement on Thursday it had proactively undertaken a review of its ATMs and found no evidence of any breach.
The bank said it continued to work with other banks and the NPCI to ensure safety and security of its ATM network and payment services.
A Hitachi spokeswoman said it was investigating the matter, including whether there was a malware problem, adding it had no further comment at this time.
State Bank of India, the nation's top lender, said it had blocked cards of certain customers after being informed by card network providers about a breach outside its network and it was replacing those cards as a proactive measure.
The bank has found about 620,000 of its more than 200 million cards "vulnerable", Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, a deputy managing director at SBI, told Reuters, but added he did not expect any significant financial loss.
Complaints of fraudulent cash withdrawals affected a total 641 customers of 19 banks, and the money involved was 13 million rupees ( (Dollar) 194,612), according to NPCI.
ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank - the top three private sector lenders - confirmed in separate statements some of their customers' card accounts had been possibly breached after use at outside ATMs.
The banks said they had advised the clients to change their PINs. Standard Chartered's Indian unit has also begun to re-issue debit cards for some customers, according to messages sent to clients.
The bank said it replaced possibly affected cards as a "precautionary measure" to ensure that customers' financial security is not compromised, adding there was no breach across its own network.


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HANOVER, GERMANY-- Logitech introduced a host of new consumer products at CeBIT Wednesday, including new offerings for digital music listeners and the company's first mouse designed specifically for left-handed users.
Other new products the company launched included three Web cameras priced for the low end of the consumer market, the company's first noise-cancelling headphones, and new universal remote controls in its Harmony family of products. Logitech also introduced a new version of its digital pen technology designed to let users easily turn notes into Microsoft Word documents.
The company, which is celebrating its 25th birthday, made the announcements at a press conference a day before the official opening of the CeBIT technology show here.
New digital music products introduced Wednesday are a version of its Logitech mm50 Portable Speakers for iPods--in black to attract users of the new black iPods--and the Logitech Noise Cancelling Headphones.
The headphones feature Logitech SilentSound noise-cancelling technology and can remove up to 22 decibels and 92 percent of background noise, the company said. They will cost about $179 and will be available both in Europe and in the U.S. beginning in April.
Still Selling Mice
Though Logitech is focused on providing products to capitalize on current trends like the "digital music explosion," said Jerry Quindlen, the company's new senior vice president for worldwide sales and marketing, it will continue to focus on delivering innovation in core products that are the foundation of the company's success, such as keyboards and mice.
To that end, the company launched its first-ever mouse for left-handed people, Quindlen said. The Logitech MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse will be available in early April for a suggested retail price of about $70.
Logitech also launched a special edition of its mouse aimed at computer gamers, the Logitech G7 Laser Cordless Mouse, as well as two other new mice, one for desktop users and one for laptop users.
The company's new corded Logitech MX400 Precision Laser Mouse for PC users will be available in Europe and in the U.S. beginning in April, with a suggested price of about $48. The LogitechV150 Laser Mouse for Notebooks will be available in Europe and the U.S. beginning in June, and will cost about $36.
Other products launched by Logitech Wednesday are:
-- The QuickCam Connect, QuickCam Messenger, QuickCam Chat and QuickCam Express Web cameras, which feature a minimalist version of Logitech's "eyeball" design and cost $24 to $49;
-- The Logitech io2 Digital Pen, available in Europe and in the U.S. beginning in May for $177.
-- The Harmony 785 and 555 universal remotes, which will be available in Europe beginning in the spring for $297 and $255, respectively.


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Outlook If in doubt launch a "price war". That has been the tactic in the supermarket sector for as long as anyone can remember. Yet most price wars are in name alone: mark-downs on prominent products are paid for by mark-ups in another aisle.
Is Tesco's latest initiative anydifferent? Well, the reaction of investors in its rivals over the past couple of days suggests they fear the effects of the "Big Price Drop", especially at Ocado, the onlinegrocer that has been running a promotion promising to match Tesco's prices of late. The scale of the investment, some £500m, is significant too, though less so in the context of the £67.5bn of turnover that the grocer recorded last year.
Still, Tesco is operating on low margins – nor did it give any indication yesterday that it is scaling back key performance targets in the light of this initiative. The Big Price Drop will therefore be a proportionate campaign, consistent with Tesco's long-held view that real price wars are destructive for all concerned, including the supermarket that starts them.
There is method in this. It must be said that Tesco has had, by its own standards in any case, a difficult year in the UK, which is still responsible for two-thirds of turnover. It has seen its market share slip on groceries, though it is still miles ahead of the competition, as it has been squeezed by competition from discount operators such as Aldi and Lidl – which is why price cuts are to be concentrated on value ranges – as well as more upmarket operators. It is also more vulnerable than its rivals to the economic environment, since its non-food sales, spending that is much more discretionary, so dwarf theirs.
Back in June, Philip Clarke, the new chief executive of Tesco, gave a presentation on his first 100 days in office since taking over from Sir Terry Leahy. His first two slides made clear that his priority is to keep the core UK business "strong and growing," while the third slide explained how he planned to do that. Consider Big Price Drop in that context: it is a swift response to the erosion the grocer has suffered over recent months.Reuse content


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disappointed analysts Tuesday, recording a net loss of $56,000 for its fourth quarter, though it said it broke even on a per-share basis. Analysts had been looking for 1 cent per share earnings.
The company cited a foreign currency loss of $900,000 as part of the shortfall, though erosion of the company’s retail and embedded markets as it pursued the enterprise market are also part of the mix. However, the company said it achieved revenue of $25.9 million, a sequential increase of 7 percent over the $24.3 million it recorded in the third quarter of fiscal 2003. It also represents a 40 percent year-over-year increase.
Additionally, Red Hat said it generated $3 million in positive cash flows from operations during the quarter, and that it ended the year with a cash balance of $292 million, an increase of $5.4 million as compared to the balance last year.
“Through strong performance of all our enterprise technologies, Red Hat was able to achieve steady, consistent growth in fiscal 2003,” said Kevin Thompson, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Red Hat. “In a difficult environment, Red Hat delivered four consecutive quarters of revenue growth, increasing positive cash flows, and decreasing operating losses.”
The company has been pushing the enterprise side of its business, which was reflected in the numbers. While subscription and services revenue for retail technologies fell from $5.4 million to $2.8 million between Nov. 30, 2002 and Feb. 28, 2003, subscription and services revenue for enterprise technologies rose from $6.9 million to $10.7 million in the same period.
The company said fourth quarter sales of subscriptions for its Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (formerly known as Advanced Server) increased by 4,500 to 16,500 subscriptions, an increase of 38 percent compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2003. The company said subscription revenues from enterprise technologies grew 54 percent sequentially and 103 percent year-over-year.
“In Q4 we continued to add significant enterprise customers,” Thompson said, noting that JP Morgan, Citibank and Electronic Arts joined the fold.
Thompson also added that the company is looking to its newly segmented enterprise family to pave the way for future growth. On March 12, the company added Red Hat Linux ES and Red Hat Linux WS to its enterprise offering. Red Hat Linux ES is an operating system for entry-level and departmental server applications, geared for application-, network-, file-, print-, mail-, and Web-serving, as well as for running custom or packaged business applications. Red Hat Linux WS is the company’s new enterprise-class engineering desktop/workstation, which the company said is geared for software development, electronic design and compute intensive work.
Both offerings are fully compatible with Red Hat Linux AS.
“This segmentation strategy will pay incredible dividends as Linux adoption accelerates in the enterprise,” Thompson said.


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India & Malaysia to sign trade deal by 2010-end
India is all set to sign a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with Malaysia by 2010-end. The agreement is expected to be signed when PM Manmohan Singh visits Malaysia later this year. The CECA will enhance the flow of trade and investment between these countries and ensure easier movements of professionals.
Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma, who is leading an official delegation to Malaysia, said negotiations are moving in the right direction and hoped that will end soon. Five rounds of negotiations are over and the next round is scheduled to be in India between July 26-29, 2010. A 15-member CEO delegation from CII is accompanying Sharma.
Sharma called on Malaysian PM Mohd Najib Tun Razak and held discussion on issues like shared bilateral interest. PM Najib had earlier made a visit to India in January this year, which had seen India-Malaysia engagement being elevated to a strategic partnership. Sharma said PM Najib expressed a strong wish for an early conclusion of CECA with India.
Sharma hoped that the target of $15 billion trade between two countries would be met much earlier than 2015. Bilateral trade between India and Malaysia witnessed a healthy growth of 23.7% per annum between 1998 and 2008. However, in 2009, it witnessed a decline of 29% due to global economic turmoil. In 2009, trade between two countries amounted to $7.1 billion, with India’s export to Malaysia at $2.2 billion and import at $4.8 billion. However, in January-April, 2010, trade between two countries improved by 8.3%.
While PM Najib said Malaysia is keen to develop the knowledge-based industry in partnership with India and would like to see greater movements of Indian specialists and professionals towards this end, Sharma sought greater Malaysian investments in building physical infrastructure and the participation of Malaysian sovereign investment funds.
A number of Malaysian companies are already engaged in the construction of airports, road and mono-rail projects in India. Sharma said in the IT sector, already 63 Indian companies are operating in Malaysia. Malaysian professionals also visit India to get training at Infosys Technologies.
Earlier in the day, Sharma had delegation level talks with his counterpart — Malaysian minister Dato Sri Mustapa Muhamed. He was accompanied by commerce secretary Rahul Khullar and senior ministry officials.
During the meeting, both ministers reviewed the progress of CECA negotiations and agreed to conclude the agreement by year-end.
India, Malaysia to sign trade deal by 2010-end - India Business - Business - The Times of India


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Auto Trader 'the one' by Glue Isobar
Campaign Work, Monday, 10 September 2012 12:43PM
Auto Trader has launched an integrated campaign created by Glue Isobar.
The work demonstrates the brand’s position as the number-one digital destination for buying and selling new and used cars for more than three decades.
It launched on 7 September and builds on the "storytelling" digital campaign that broke earlier this year.
This article was first published on Campaign Work
- Senior Digital Designer Twist Recruitment £35000 - £42000 per annum + benefits, City of London
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HOUSTON - Houstonians didn’t let the rain stop them from celebrating Saint Patrick's Day, they packed into bars and pubs wearing their green.
One of the bars hosting festivities, Bobcat Teddy’s Icehouse, has one of the largest Irish whiskey collections in the city.
The pub has been around for more than 75 years, it used to go by the name of Jimmy’s Ice House, but the new owners took it over about five years ago and chose to keep it the same.
"We kept the Irish theme going because it’s good, and it’s fun, and it’s a tradition," said one of the managers.
People looking to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day say it was the obvious choice for them; with a live band, street food, and crawfish for sale right outside.
Some people even brought their furry friends along for the celebration.


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Octopus Ventures, one of Europe’s leading venture capital investors, has announced a £2m investment into Segura Systems, the UK technology house delivering supply chain protection to a range of industries.
The cloud-based technology creates a comprehensive audit trail that allows all businesses to track every element of their purchases, not only from direct suppliers but also throughout the extended supply chain.
This Series A funding round is the first institutional money raised by the business, which was first conceived five years ago by Peter Needle and Ian Hepworth with the aim of helping businesses regain control of their supply chains.
Segura Systems has already attracted the likes of Debenhams and Reiss as customers, and today’s funding will be used to help further develop the technology as the business seeks to improve supply chain oversight across a number of sectors. Today’s news comes just weeks after the latest change to the Modern Slavery Act, which explicitly states that businesses over a certain size must be able to demonstrate transparency in supply chains.
In November, the UK government further established its commitment to tackling modern slavery by appointing Kevin Hyland as the UK’s first Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
Peter Needle, CEO and co-founder of Segura Systems, said the service is important as now “people want to know that the goods they’re buying have been ethically and responsibly produced”.
“There has also been a clear and necessary realisation that modern slavery is a real issue, posing both a severe supply chain and wider ethical risk, and we certainly welcome the Government’s commitment to tackling these issues,” he continued.
“Today’s funding will allow us to further develop the cloud-based Segura Systems technology and expand our team, so we can work with more businesses and organisations, helping protect them from unethical, non-compliant and uncompetitive suppliers.”
Malcolm Ferguson of Octopus Ventures added: “Globalisation has been an incredible force, but one direct impact is that extended supply chains are now astonishingly complex.
“For a business to have full visibility on its direct and extended supply chains is getting more difficult, at a time when consumers and policy-makers are growing ever more aware of the ethical risks at work.
“When we met Segura Systems, we were impressed with both their technology and the brands they are already working with. Peter and Ian are leading a great team and we’re looking forward to working with them in the coming years.”


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Aston Barclay ready to take on the top dogs
04 July 2017
Author: Daniel Puddicombe
The new CEO of remarketing firm Aston Barclay has announced ambitious plans to double the number of vehicles the firm sells in the next five years following a change of ownership.
Last month, Neil Hodson, with private equity group Rutland Partners, led a management buy-out of the business owned by the Scarborough family. Big investments in both people and infrastructure are planned to drive growth, helping the company double sales in the next five years from 80,000 to 160,000 vehicles a year.
That equates to a market share jump from 5% to 10%. At present, the firm caters mainly towards used car buyers - the ratio is 95:5 cars to vans. "We're the underdogs taking on the big corporates," proclaimed Hodson - who has more than 25 years' automotive experience and previously worked for Manheim.
Hodson claimed that buyers have become dissatisfied recently, suggesting that BCA is dropping smaller clients in favour of the largest leasing companies and is also concentrating on its Webuyanycar subsidiary, while he said that Manheim is spreading itself too thinly.
"We want to do more and we're trying to make buying a car as easy as possible," he said, adding: "There is a need for a provider that offers a more personal and flexible service, that, for instance, can collect and sell dealer part-exchanges in just 48 hours, which is a different proposition to that offered by the two market leaders."
One of the ways in which Aston Barclay will expand its operations is with the partial opening of what Hodson called a "supercentre" at Donington Park in Leicestershire by the end of the year. By next September, the full 18-acre site will be up and running, offering dealer, fleet and OEM sales with undercover storage space for 400 vehicles.
Next year will also mark the expansion of the Prees Heath site in Shropshire, with the company developing an additional 6.5 acres, while the Leeds and Westbury, Wiltshire, locations have also been upgraded thanks to a combined £1.25m investment in the past year.
And Hodson hasn't ruled out building more sites in the future. "Rutland brings cash and if customers want it and if the geography allows we can expand geographically in the future," he told BusinessCar. "Donington is a great flagship centre for us and it helps us expand around the country as we now have a nice base for the future."
However, it isn't just physical auctions that Aston's new boss wants to improve, as he has his sights set on growing the firm's online presence, most of which will be done through a new buyer app currently being signed off by app stores, while a vendor app - which will help asset owners stay updated on the progress of sales - is planned, as are new HR, accounts and cloud-based IT systems.
According to Hodson, at present, 35-40% of its stock is sold online and he expects this figure to rise, although he doesn't see the end of physical auctions coming any time soon.
"We have many buyers," he elaborated. "Some want to come in for a cup of tea and to look at and touch the cars they're buying, but opening up our online presence opens up new channels for us."
Central to the company's expansion plans, though, is the creation of more jobs - 75 over the next five years, with 25 of those going to the flagship Donington Park location, including a new buyer services team who will look after the needs of its buyer base, which is expected to quadruple to more than 8,000 clients in the next five years.
"It is the investment in people and new IT and digital systems that is extremely exciting. Our strong team has already been expanded with a host of new talented people who have bought into our vision. The business will remain loyal to the family values adopted by the Scarborough family over the past 30 years and a shallow management structure will ensure we retain our friendly, consultative and personal service for buyers and vendors," Hodson concluded.


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Raphael le Masne de Chermont has been executive chairman of Hong Kong-based Shanghai Tang - China's leading luxury lifestyle brand - since 2001. Not only is he the driving force behind the brand's global expansion, but he is a veteran of both Asia and the luxury goods sector. Here, le Masne de Chermont speaks to Marie-Hélène Corbin about the potential and pitfalls of the luxury market in China.
Luxury products group Labelux has named Gavin Haig as chief executive officer of its iconic British brand Belstaff.
Swiss-based luxury goods business Richemont is to step up investment in its brands, ruling out rumours that it is seeking to sell some of them off in the near future.
Swiss luxury goods company Richemont has declined to comment on reports it is looking for potential buyers for its Chloe fashion label.
Asia, particularly China, will continue to drive growth in the luxury market despite a slight slowdown in recent years, according to new research.
Swiss luxury goods company Richemont has announced the resignation of Marty Wikstrom, the chief executive officer of its fashion and accessories business.
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The Checkers restaurant adjacent to UF's campus was chosen to be the first restaurant to undergo a remodel to reflect the brand's recently launched Model 4.0.
UF Alum and Checkers & Rally's CDO Jennifer Durham said the choice was easy based on the store sales and team the store has, as well as her personal connection to the community.
“We have great confidence in putting our dollars into this location as it performs well and has a team that was in a great place operationally. It’s a highly visited, highly visible location for both visitors headed into Gainesville as well as students and other residents,” said Durham to the publication.
After a short closing and some construction work, the restaurant is reopening this month to serve hungry students and residents alike featuring one less drive-thru and many more updates.
“We are really excited about our new design prototype and about the Gainesville location, and I just know this will be an even greater performing store going forward,” Durham added to the reporter.
Click here to read the full piece.


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Jan. 1, 2011, will mark a turning point in the way restaurant patrons view their menus in California. With state-mandated laws requiring that all California restaurants with 20 or more locations post calorie content information directly on menus or menu boards, restaurateurs in Oklahoma are left asking the question, "Are we next?"
In a 2008 survey of fattest cities in America by Men's Fitness magazine, Oklahoma City ranked eighth " packing on seven spots from the 2007 survey. It is estimated that more than 63 percent of the adult population of Oklahoma City is overweight or obese, and nationally, obesity is associated with more than 112,000 deaths annually. Stopping obesity should end where it begins " at the dining room table.
Lawmakers hoping to enforce stronger corporate accountability for restaurants serving up dishes high in trans fats have successfully passed menu-labeling legislation in both New York (July 2008) and California (September 2008). However, with more than 20 other cities and states weighing similar legislation, is Oklahoma next in line to jump on the bandwagon?
For Jim Hopper, CEO and president of the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, addressing the growing problem with obesity in the state isn't the responsibility of just the restaurant owners. Everyone who participates is in the loop, including the consumers themselves.
"The issue of obesity has to be addressed on a variety of fronts, including personal responsibility by consumers for their food choices," Hopper said.
"The Oklahoma Restaurant Association is opposed to mandatory menu labeling that is done on a patchwork basis by individual counties or cities. This is an issue that should be addressed by Congress," he said. "In fact, there is legislation that has been introduced in Washington to create a federal standard for menu labeling."
With the introduction of menu-labeling legislation, some restaurateurs are faced with the dilemma of obeying the law or suffering penalties and fines. But, according to Sara Beth Potts, general manager of Bellini's Ristorante & Grill, this isn't the only dilemma these laws would create.
"From what I've read and researched, I'm unsure if I would support a mandatory menu-labeling bill for sit-down restaurants," Potts said. "There are several questions I have regarding these measures. For example, what would be the overall costs? Based on what I've read, it seems that restaurants would have to send their recipes to a nutritional lab for exact measurements and caloric values. It also seems to take the spontaneity out of creating new dishes.
"At Bellini's, we take pride in using fresh ingredients and produce to create lunch and dinner specials, and most are created that day. Would we be required to list the fat content, caloric value and portion size of every single special we create? How would a restaurant be able to do this every day?"
For the average restaurant owner, the costs associated with the nutritional analysis that could possibly be required by menu-labeling legislation could prove to be extremely high. Strasburger & Siegel Inc., a food-testing laboratory established in 1926 and based in Hanover, Md., charges $615 per menu item for food nutritional analysis. Complying with labeling laws could cost a restaurant owner an amount easily into six figures each year.
Another red flag for Hopper is the added vulnerability that restaurateurs would assume, making them easy prey for lawsuits. This, too, Hopper said, is a subject that lawmakers must keep in mind when drafting menu-labeling legislation.
"The legislation should also include protection from lawsuits for restaurants that comply with the regulations but may fix a menu item differently because of a patron's specific request," he said.
Supporters of menu-labeling legislation, such as state Rep. Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, say that such measures aren't about penalizing restaurant owners but rather protecting restaurant patrons by giving them the information needed to make the healthiest choices possible.
"I believe that we are responsible for the dissemination of health information that addresses obesity in our state," Pittman said. "We are fortunate to have a mayor who has brought solutions to the forefront and has engaged citizens to become informed and active. We now have an even greater responsibility, as our state faces diabetes and heart-related diseases in African Americans and Native Americans. We must identify the at-risk factors and educate on solutions."
In February 2006, Senate Bill 1309, known as the "Oklahoma Nutrition Information Act," was introduced. The bill would have required chain restaurants with five or more locations to print nutrition information (protein, calories, fat, sodium and carbohydrates) for standard menu items for customers. "Fran L. Thomas


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As reported by the BBC, Sharp is leveraging one of its TV factories to meet the huge surge in demand for face masks among members of the public, amid fears over the coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan, China – but has since reached multiple nations around the globe.
Face masks are much more of a common sight in South East Asia than in Western countries, and Japan’s domestic supplies of surgical masks are already running low. We’d already seen Foxconn – Sharp’s parent company – start to manufacture its own face masks for workers on iPhone production lines, so it’s not overly surprising for the practice to extend to Sharp.
However, the move shows increasing concern from manufacturers, who are now having to decrease their overall production capacity in order to supply face masks to their own workers – given the scarcity of the masks elsewhere.
This could well affect supply for Sharp televisions around the globe, given how many LCD televisions that one factory tends to churn out each month – though we imagine the company is looking to minimize that impact and reallocate sales units wherever possible.
Business as usual?
Sharp’s co-opted factory is reportedly capable of outputting 150,000 face masks per day, with production beginning within the next few weeks – once the factory has been readied for its new products. This could rise to 500,000 a day, though questions remain over the efficacy of such masks in preventing the spread of infection.
Basic surgical masks aren’t adept at keeping out smaller airborne particles, especially compared to more advanced (and expensive) N95 respirator masks – but it’s the former that’s being manufactured at this scale.


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After getting beat to the punch by its major rival, Google plans so as to add conversational AI to its flagship Search product, CEO Sundar Pichai informed The Wall Road Journal in an interview. “Will individuals be capable of ask inquiries to Google and have interaction with LLMs [large language models] within the context of search? Completely,” he stated. Google has already stated it could combine LLMs into search, however that is the primary time the corporate has introduced plans for conversational options.
The transfer is not surprising, significantly after Microsoft launched a model of its personal Bing search engine that used OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI engine. Nonetheless, Google’s implementation would doubtlessly have extra affect, contemplating its 93.4 p.c worldwide share of the search market. Pichai added that he noticed AI chat as a solution to broaden its search enterprise, fairly than a risk. “The chance house, if something, is greater than earlier than,” he informed the WSJ.
Pichai did not reveal a timeline for chat AI search, nevertheless it’s clear that Google lags behind Microsoft. OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT prompted Google to declare a “code purple” because it noticed the AI as an existential risk to its core enterprise. That proved to be warranted, as Microsoft (which owns a big chunk of OpenAI), quickly launched a model of Bing Search powered by OpenAI’s newest GPT 4 mannequin that gave it some uncanny talents.
Google launched its personal conversational AI known as Bard strictly as a chat product on a standalone website and never in Search. Nonetheless, it was clearly lagging behind ChatGPT, displaying incorrect solutions in a Twitter advert. Pichai just lately stated Google would quickly change to a extra “succesful” language mannequin in an effort to shut the hole.
Whereas Google is slicing jobs in an effort to attain Pichai’s aim of changing into 20 p.c extra productive, the corporate is accelerating work on new AI merchandise. To be extra environment friendly, it plans to permit extra collaboration between divisions like Google Mind and DeepMind, its two major AI models. “Anticipate much more, stronger collaboration, as a result of a few of these efforts might be extra compute-intensive, so it is smart to do it at a sure scale collectively,” he stated.
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