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(Repeats with no changes to text. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)
By Clyde Russell
LAUNCESTON, Australia, Aug 14 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has inadvertently admitted that the United States no longer holds the whip hand in the ongoing trade dispute with China, after backtracking on his latest escalation of the tariff war.
Tariffs of 10% were due to be imposed on the remaining $300 billion of annual imports from China on Sept. 1, but some will now only come into effect on Dec. 15, the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office announced on Wednesday.
Among the items getting a reprieve are mobile phones, laptop computers and clothing, and it’s estimated that about half of the $300 billion of goods will benefit from the delay.
Trump told reporters that the decision to defer the tariffs on a range of mainly consumer goods was to protect U.S. consumers from price increases ahead of Christmas holiday shopping.
“We’re doing this for Christmas season, just in case some of the tariffs would have an impact on U.S. customers,” Trump told reporters in New Jersey.
That statement alone makes a mockery of Trump’s long-held assertion that China is paying for the tariffs, not the U.S. consumers.
If the U.S. public really wasn’t paying for the tariffs then logically there would have been no need to delay them, since doing so would only provide relief to China’s economy.
Apart from undermining his own arguments that the tariffs were only hurting China, Trump also sent a message that political expediency will win out over strategy.
Delaying the tariffs appears to be a move driven by the domestic political considerations of not risking public anger at more expensive Christmas gift shopping, and also to shore up equity markets spooked by the escalation of the trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.
It also further emphasises to Beijing that the Trump administration is fundamentally an unreliable negotiating partner, subject to rapid shifts in policy and sentiment.
While the delay to the latest tariff hikes will likely be welcome in Beijing, it’s also likely that the Chinese negotiators won’t see this move as an olive branch, or a U.S. willingness to compromise should the trade talks resume in September.
Beijing is facing some challenging strategy responses to Trump’s latest move in delaying tariffs, and none of them are particularly appealing.
1. China could do nothing and continue along the current path of holding talks with the United States, but not really giving ground on the key demands of the Trump administration.
2. China could also try to dial back tensions by suspending its ban on importing U.S. agricultural products, and by signalling a willingness to restart purchases of energy commodities, such as crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal.
3. China could make the calculation that the worst is behind for its own economy from the trade war, but the pain is just starting for the United States, and therefore it’s best to be uncompromising and inflexible in the trade talks.
All of these strategies have risks and may not deliver an outcome acceptable to Beijing.
The first option of doing very little also means that the trade war is likely to continue its current trend of escalating in fits and starts until all exports and imports between the two countries are subject to tariffs.
The second option may lead to something of a detente in the talks, but China risks giving up its best leverage over the United States, namely commodity imports, in nothing more than the hope that the Trump administration will suddenly become a more rational actor in the trade dispute.
The third path probably assumes that Trump will not win a second term in November next year and that China can hold out and see if they can negotiate a better deal with his successor.
The risk here is that as the U.S. economy starts to feel more pain, Trump will double down and escalate the trade conflict even further.
The assumption that Trump will lose next year’s presidential election is also at best a 50-50 bet, with most opinion polls pointing to a tight contest, depending on who is the eventual Democratic Party challenger.
While Trump’s climbdown on tariffs this week is related to consumer goods, China should realise that its best leverage is commodities.
Trump will be keen to shore up support among farmers, as well as in his favoured energy industries.
China ‘s imports of U.S. agricultural commodities have dropped from about $20 billion a year to a figure likely closer to $6 billion this year.
China was buying about 344,000 barrels per day of crude oil from the United States prior to the trade spat, worth about $7.5 billion a year at current prices.
U.S. LNG exports to China would be worth just under $1 billion, even at the current depressed spot price, while coal exports would also be valued around the same, assuming volumes had remained at the levels prior to the start of the tariff war in July last year.
Commodities, and energy in particular, offer the greatest scope for China increasing the volume and value of its imports from the United States.
They also happen to represent a key constituency for Trump, making him vulnerable to a loss of support the longer the trade war continues.
The problem for both Trump and China is that the trade dispute is a dynamic process with neither country able to control, or even influence all its moving parts.
It seems that Trump, in delaying the latest tariffs, may have unwittingly acknowledged that he has lost some of his leverage over China.
This may be an acceptable price for Trump to avoid being seen by the U.S. public as akin to the Grinch in the Dr. Seuss story who tried to ruin Christmas, but no doubt he will still want Beijing to see him as tough and uncompromising. (Editing by Joseph Radford)


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A Washington D.C. based law firm announced on their blog yesterday that it is currently investigating Bethesda and their failure to doll out Fallout 76 refunds.
Migliaccio & Rathod LLP said in their blog post that it is currently investigating Bethesda Game Studios for “releasing a heavily-glitched game, Fallout 76, and refusing to issue refunds for PC purchasers of the game who found it unplayable because of its technical problems.”
The blog post continues and explains that while minor bugs and glitches are expected with any release as large as Fallout 76, the problems persistent in the game extend beyond what it acceptable. The post says players that have downloaded the game — which, in order to play the game, they must have — are unable to get a refund for the game.
Migliaccio & Rathod call this a Deceptive Trade Practice, which is what it is suing Bethesda for. Specifically, Bethesda failing to fulfill refunds for Fallout 76 is the “deceptive trade practice.”
The law firm asks in the blog post for players who have attempted to receive a Fallout 76 refund, but failed to obtain one, contact them, likely to acquire pool of players for the class action lawsuit the firm is hoping to build.
Based on the blog post, it seems that Migliaccio & Rathod specialize in class action lawsuits against large companies like Bethesda.
“The lawyers at Migliaccio & Rathod LLP have years of experience in class action litigation against large corporations, including in cases involving unfair and deceptive trade practices,” the blog post reads.
This potential class action lawsuit likely comes from the players who claim they were promised refunds by Bethesda, only to see the company back out of the refund as early as the next day.
For those not following the first multiplayer Fallout game, the reason for the game’s backlash might seem confusing. It’s a Bethesda game after all, right? Well, Fallout 76 currently (and this will likely stick) has the lowest Metascore on Metacritic for a Fallout game, sitting at 50, with the User Score sitting at 2.7.
We weren’t the biggest fans of it here at Twinfinite and gave it a score of 2.5 out of 5 stars. Find out where we think it went wrong here.

domain: news


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While traveling has many benefits, one of the few downsides is that you must guard yourself against scams, especially in countries where you don’t speak the language. From pickpockets and taxi cabs with “broken” meters to hotel listings that don’t match reality, there’s plenty to worry about.
According to a recent warning tweeted by the FBI, there’s a high-tech scam travelers should also know: “juice jacking.”
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines this form of cyber theft as when hackers “load malware onto public USB charging stations to access electronic devices maliciously while they are being charged.”
We typically find these public USB charging stations where travelers need a boost to keep a draining cellphone battery alive. That includes airports, bus stations, and train stations.
Travelers Take Heed Of The Latest Crime Spree That Is Leaving Bank Many Accounts Dry.
Once you plug your device into a corrupted USB port, the malware can “lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator,” the FCC explains on its website. “Criminals can then use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors.”
To protect yourself from “juice jacking,” the FCC recommends packing your USB cable or an external battery pack. There are also specialty USB cables that can charge your electronic devices; this adds an extra layer of security. The top recommendation is to carry your regular charger and plug it into an AC power outlet.
If all else fails and you must charge with a USB chord at a public charging station, pay attention to any prompts that might appear on your screen. If your device asks you to select “share data,” “trust this computer,” or “charge only,” always choose “charge only.”
It’s important to note that while the FCC has shown that “juice jacking” is technically possible, there have been no confirmed cases or victims of this crime. Still, being aware and playing it safe is essential.
Media Corp USA
The Journal of Record
Jessica is a freelance journalist on a quest to see and experience everything our gorgeous planet offers and share her experiences with her fellow travelers. Jessica has written for several world-class Travel Magazines.


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SOLDIERS Point Tennis Club has become the first in NSW to install an online court booking system, with access granted by a pin code at the gate.
After some trial installations in Victoria, Soldiers Point put up its hand to install the system as soon as it was ready.
Tennis Australia approved and subsidised the installation, in order to give club members and visitors easier access to the courts.
During holiday times especially, visitors were previously limited in getting keys to times when the nearby holiday park was open, but now they can gain access any day between 7am and 10pm, with lights being turned on and off by the system as necessary.
Club President Paul McQuarrie said, “This is a great innovation, both to our members and visitors.”
“They can now go online any day, night or weekend, book and pay online and come down for some healthy family fun. We even have loan racquets and balls there that are free to use,” Mr McQuarrie said.
Club members can use the courts for free in daytime, with only a small fee for lights at night.
To book a tennis court at Soldiers Point, go to tennis.com.au/soldierspoint.


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Apple has assisted police in the UK investigate terrorists by sharing information about its users, the company has revealed.
Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, said the iPhone giant has been sharing metadata with the security services to help with their investigations.
"I would hope that the UK authorities would say we've been co-operating well," said Cook in an interview with Bloomberg. "We've been co-operating with the UK Government not only in law enforcement matters but in some of the attacks too."
Although he couldn't share specific details, Cook said that Apple has passed "valuable information" to the police.
"In cases where we have information and they've gone through the lawful process we don't just pass it over, but we do it very, very promptly," he said.
Apple is restricted in the information it can obtain from users' devices as much of it is encrypted, including iMessage, FaceTime calls and iCloud backups. But the company can still access metadata, such as who a person has called and when.
"Encryption doesn't mean there's no information," said Cook. "Because metadata probably exists and metadata, if you're putting together a profile, is very important."
The admission comes a day after Cook announced a host of updates that enhance Apple customers' privacy at its annual developers' conference. They include "intelligent tracking prevention" in the Safari web browser and artificial intelligence that processes personal data on the iPhone rather than exporting it.
The updates could ruffle Theresa May who accused technology companies of giving terrorists a "safe space" following the London Bridge attack at the weekend. Facebook, Google and Twitter rushed to defend their policies, saying they are committed to their users' safety in the wake of the attack.
Apple didn't immediately respond, but chose to comment seperately after the opening day of its conference.
The iPhone giant last year fought a high profile battle with the Federal Bureau of Investigations over unlocking a gunman's iPhone 5c. Cook said the company would not create a backdoor into the device by breaking its encryption.


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You Can't Just Choose One
February 21, 20248 minute Read
Marketing messages that stick in an era of mega-options.
Marketing options for businesses are changing almost daily as the methods of reaching potential customers continue to expand. Crafting an approach, then, has become ever more important to ensuring marketing messages stick as the seemingly endless slope of available marketing tactics gets steeper and faster.
Creating a marketing portfolio to reach customers through a variety of platforms is critical to keeping your business top of mind with customers, said Megan Gilchrist, marketing director at Focused Car Wash Solutions, a distributor in the Rocky Mountain region that sells/installs equipment and offers other solutions, including marketing support, to car wash operators. Often, she finds that not all car wash operators buy into the power of marketing. “For many car wash operators, marketing is some kind of ‘voodoo magic’ they don’t buy into if they can’t see a traceable and immediate return on investment,” she said. “While it’s important to track your efforts and ditch the platforms that aren’t delivering, it’s equally important to keep a presence in your community, build goodwill and trust that customers will come to you when the need arises.”
When it comes to choosing where to spend marketing dollars, Gilchrist recommends avoiding platforms that require high upfront investments and long-term contracts. Digital ads are a viable alternative. “Google, Facebook, Instagram are fantastic for reaching customers in your market that are seeking out car wash services,” she said. “You can set your own budget and stop at any time.” She views text marketing as another great tool for reaching consumers and keeping them in the communication funnel, and even though she concedes direct mail can be costly, “it is still a great tool for reaching those not-so-tech-savvy consumers in the marketplace.”
When launching a new wash, Focused Car Wash Solutions advises its operators to make a powerful first impression and “become a celebrity in their market,” Gilchrist said. This includes hitting the ground running with digital ads, direct mail, email, text marketing, press releases and radio. “Even if you’re the only wash in town, customers still need constant reminders and reasons to wash their car,” she said. “Building a strong community presence through events and sponsorships will go a long way as well.”
Marketing is an integral part of a grand opening, including the one recently held by Wild Blue Car Wash (pictured) in Marshall, Mo. The marketing initiative included a combination of Google ads, social media ads, direct mail, text marketing, radio commercials and newspaper ads — plus various onsite efforts, such as a prize wheel and custom window decals. The promotions equated to more than 2,000 cars being washed that weekend, said Megan Gilchrist, marketing director at Focused Car Wash Solutions, and the facility gained hundreds of new wash club members.
Marketing, of course, plays a huge role in the launch of any new brand. As the newest brand under the Driven Brands portfolio, the primary focus around Take 5 Car Wash marketing stems from building awareness. “It’s a new brand; our major focus is introducing that brand to the communities we operate in and reach potential customers,” said Chief Marketing Officer Brady Noon. Driven Brands launched the Take 5 Car Wash brand in 2020 and remains on track to complete rebranding its 350-plus car wash network to Take 5 Car Wash by the end of this year.
Noon relies on all media formats, including social media, programmatic display advertising and radio, to connect Take 5 Car Wash with consumers. When it comes to choosing the perfect marketing medium —and today he agrees the options are abundant — Noon avoids leaning too heavily into one specific marketing channel. “The marketing community can get caught up in traditional versus modern/digital, but at Take 5 we seek to meet customers where they are, irrespective of the medium,” he said. “Radio, for example, is still 100% valuable.”
How effective and efficient the channel will be takes precedence for Noon: “How much response we get for the impressions, and how many impressions we get for the dollar.” The efficacy of a 30-second TV ad will likely differ from a 1-second impression on a side banner on a website, he said. “The TV ad, then, costs more for that improved quality of connection. It’s balancing that to understand how to get the most engagement from customers,” he said, adding that it also varies all the time.
Social media has worked incredibly hard to create high-quality impressions, Noon said. “You have to think about the context of social media and integrate it into the best, complete mix for your marketing efforts.”
Understanding what makes up the best mix is an ongoing effort for Noon, who sometimes shifts his approach as the year evolves. It’s less defined by design, enabling him to adjust and adapt to business context as the year evolves. The end of each fiscal quarter offers a natural checkpoint for milestones, he said.
Jeff German, senior director of marketing with Express Wash Concepts, continues to tap many traditional marketing methods. It’s block-and-tackling in his perspective. “You have to do the fundamentals or people will miss it,” he said. For example, he still uses mailers in his marketing program but has stopped using bulk mailer/value coupons. Billboards are still in the mix, as well. “We don’t do things to the extent that we once did, like giant ads in newspapers, but we still employ some of that,” he said. “We are multimedia-based with our marketing. You have to do all of it for any of it to be effective.”
All of it includes forming deep connections to the communities the company operates in, and while that is not marketing per se, the efforts pay off with positive press. Express Wash Concepts’ Cares (EWC Cares) program executes on that ideal and serves as a core piece of the mission statement across all of five car wash brands. The grassroots program enables customers to help others. “It’s woven into the fabric of our marketing,” German said. “It’s as much about generating donations to local nonprofits as it is about converting customers to members. We are a for-profit company, but we can also do some good.”
Specials can work well to both fund the community effort and grow a database for marketing purposes, German said. For example, a fall-themed pumpkin spice air freshener for $1, with proceeds going to the EWC Cares program, also prompted customers to scan a QR code to win an Unlimited Car Wash Membership club for a year.
German said that geofencing is another opportunity, allowing marketing messages to target digital messages to smartphones within a certain range of a car wash, for example. Email still makes up a large percentage of EWC marketing initiatives, as well, especially when focusing on reactivate churn.
All marketing executives today benefit from having more data at their fingertips than any other time in history. It can allow for a surgical-like approach to marketing. “Multiplatform digital efforts are simply part of the equation today,” German said.
Marketing tactics shift when the message is directed to a consumer already familiar with your chain, for example a loyalty member or car wash subscription member.
In context of a subscriber base, “they know a great deal about us, and we know more about them,” said Noon. “So, we seek to connect with them in a way that adds value for them.”
From Noon’s perspective, it’s an opportunity to take a deep dive into consumer behavior when more is known about the customer. The behavior information that can support better servicing of customers, he said. For example, if Driven Brands knows Customer A drives has a black car, that’s an indicator of increased demand for a car wash because dirt will show more readily. “Correlating that kind of information generates insight that can support better marketing,” he said.
Driven Brands also utilizes surveys for a deeper understanding of customers and on-site assessments. “We sit and watch cars all the time. There is no replacement for observing your business deeply. That can prove a better validator than any data set,” Noon said. “Looking at license plates, the volume of certain colored cars — it’s very informative.” One of the outcomes of that process resulted in adding a cabinet stocked with microfiber towels for customers after noticing that customers would routinely reach for that item from their own car after going through the wash.
From a data set perspective, Noon foresees the car wash industry lagging a bit behind other industries but quickly catching up on having the data-set resources that will enable marketers to better understand, and target, customers. “As an industry, we are developing scale, and that allows for greater sophistication,” he said.
Marketing Takes Flight
A pigeon, which is somewhat unremarkable on its own, has found remarkable new celebrity status with the brand awareness campaign initiated by Take 5 Car Wash.
From March until May 2023, Take 5 followed its new, pesky mascot, the Take 5 Official Pigeon, around 11 U.S. cities, giving away more 60,000 free car washes to people who claimed their cars had been pooped on by the pigeon.
“We wanted to do something creative to show our appreciation for our customers, while also inviting people to come check us out and experience the Take 5 difference. It was important to do it in a way that keeps our brand values and personality at the forefront. Take 5’s Official Pigeon is an unexpected and memorable, albeit messy, approach and that’s exactly why we love it,” said Brady Noon, chief marketing officer at Take 5.
Created in collaboration with independent advertising agency Erich and Kallman, Take 5’s Official Pigeon is designed to drive brand awareness and trial of Take 5 Car Wash. The multi-city activation was supported by a comprehensive marketing campaign, including digital, social, email, radio, coupon drops on cars, outdoor posters, billboard, and on-location signage — all of which highlight the Take 5 Official Pigeon.
“As a brand, Take 5 has a great sense of humor and we had a lot of fun playing with different attention-grabbing ideas for promoting their car wash giveaway,” said Eric Kallman, co-founder and chief creative officer, Erich and Kallman. “Bird poop is one of those things that’s happened to everyone and is pretty hard to ignore when it’s on your car. Pigeons are notorious for it, so why not follow one around as it poops on cars and offer free washes to those people? The Official Pigeon turns an annoying, everyday part of life into a great thing.”
“It’s a whole different world today,” said Bruce Hensley of Hensley Fontana Public Relations, regarding the vast array of mediums available for marketing programs. As the PR partner for Autobell and Howco, his role includes a less conventional form of marketing today: media training. He ensures that store managers are prepared for opportune marketing moments, such as when a local television station wants to show up and talk about the importance of getting a car washed after it snowed all week. “It’s a great form of marketing and very impactful when done correctly,” he said.
The mock interview prep focuses on how to answer likely questions, such as why it’s important to remove pollen through a car wash or how it can help protect a car by removing road brine after snow, and also teaches them how to handle tougher questions on subject such as accidents. “Rehearsing answers gives the store representative confidence when being interviewed, and it also means the media get a better story,” Hensley said. “It’s a win-win.”


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As a follow-up to our discussion of which recent games disappointed us the most, we'll be looking at our most anticipated upcoming games. From Far Cry 4 to Metal Gear Solid V, the crew takes a look at the exciting next-generation games that will be hitting store shelves in the following months. Note that these opinions are all based on the personal tastes of these three particular panelists and do not reflect the opinions expressed by Press Start as a whole!
Join in on the discussion in the comments below. What's your most anticipated upcoming game? If you ask this producer, I'd have to say Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U tops the list!
Press Start films weekly and can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.


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Another jobs boost is expected for Cork as a major logistics company is looking to expand its presence here in the Rebel County.
Crane Worldwide Logistics, which already operates a facility in the Fota Retail & Business Park, will; soon be expanding into a newly built logistics centre in Little Island.
Located in the Harbour Gate Business Park the new logistics centre is now nearing completion with the company aiming to be up and running in the new premises by March.
The 126,000 sq ft facility is well connected to both Cork Airport and the Port of Cork, with a high capacity for heavy goods vehicles. The facility has also been built to Nearly Zero Energy Building standards in a bid to expand Cork's industry while minimising environmental impact.
A total of thirty new jobs are expected at the new Cork facility by the end of 2024, tying in with the company's nationwide logistics network which already has a strong presence in Dublin and Shannon.
A spokesperson for Crane said: "Continuing on its growth trajectory in Ireland, Crane Worldwide Logistics has planned expansion for a new facility in Cork.
"The new warehouse facility is located within Harbour Gate Business Park adjacent to the Waterford N25 and Dublin M8 road network just nine kilometres from Cork city centre.
"With easy access to Cork airport and Ringaskiddy Port, the warehouse is in a prime real estate location for clients looking to expand their presence in Ireland."
The company operates on every continent with more than 130 locations across 30 different countries. Headquartered in Houston, Texas this latest expansion serves as further proof of the Rebel County's high standing with international investors.
The company is already hiring for a number of jobs in the Rebel County, details of which can be found here.


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Five more Minnesota restaurants have been issued cease-and-desist orders and license suspension notices from the Minnesota Department of Health.
A press release from the MDH claims Long Pine Store in Pine River was observed on Dec. 18 serving beverages in person, and Jamieson’s on Main in Oslo was found serving food for in-person dining on Dec. 21.
Investigators determined “that the facilities had violated executive orders designed to protect their employees, customers, and communities from the COVID-19 pandemic.” The governor’s Executive Order 20-99 prohibits restaurants and bars from offering dine-in options.
Cease-and-desist orders were issued to both within the last week, as well as notices of “license suspension.” The news release does not specify which licenses MDH plans on suspending.
Additionally, Joe’s Diner in East Grand Forks, King Sparrow in Milaca, and Big Orv’s in Adrian have all been issued cease-and-desist orders and given notices of license suspension.
“A waitress was not wearing a mask and there were no signs reminding customers to wear masks” at Joe’s Diner, according to a news release from MDH.
“Our preference is always to work with businesses to bring them into compliance, and we consider regulatory actions as a last resort. The vast majority of businesses are doing their best to help slow down the spread of COVID-19, and we owe it to them to have a consistent and fair enforcement approach,” MDH Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff said.
In another case, a court has ordered The Pour House, a restaurant in Clarks Grove, to close for in-person dining after the Attorney General’s Office filed for a temporary restraining order early last week. The Pour House must now comply with the court’s order or “risk being found in contempt of court.”
Attorney General Keith Ellison said, “Yet another court has recognized the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the firm legal foundation of the State’s legitimate interest in putting a stop to it … A handful (of bars and restaurants) are choosing to ignore their responsibility: by so doing, they’re simply extending the pain the pandemic has already wrought upon all of us.”
Ellison reiterated that enforcement actions are a “last resort,” but he will employ them when necessary.


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The folks at Microsoft's Windows Phone unit may not publicly admit it, but they're likely jumping for joy today.
That's because Windows Phone's closest competitor, BlackBerry, has essentially throw in the towel. The company on Monday said it had agreed on a $4.7 billion deal that would take it private, while continuing its shift away from the consumer smartphone market.
"Today's news will speed up this move away from BlackBerry as no one will think they will get any support," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. "Windows Phone is well positioned to … Read more
BlackBerry is going private.
BlackBerry said Monday that it had entered into a deal with a consortium led by Fairfax Financial Holdings that valued the company at $4.7 billion. Under the deal, shareholders would receive $9 a share in cash, a slight premium to the $8.23 that the stock is currently trading at.The deal ends a great deal of uncertainty that surrounded the company, which warned on Friday that it would lose nearly $1 billion in the fiscal second quarter as it sought to pull back from the consumer smartphone market it helped create.
Fairfax intends to … Read more
Even as BlackBerry's fate remains up in the air, details of new, lower-end phones emerge.
The "Americano," an all touch-screen BlackBerry that looks like a Z30 with cheaper parts, popped up over the weekend, courtesy of BlackBerry news Web site BBIN. On Monday, BGR posted a picture of "Kopi," another low-end device that is supposedly more affordable than the budget Q5.
It's no surprise that both phones appear as if they are going after a more budget-conscious segment of consumers -- BlackBerry still has fans in emerging markets where high-end devices like the iPhone 5 … Read more
BlackBerry can't seem to catch a break.
The company was set to release its long-awaited BlackBerry Messenger client for Android and iOS devices this past weekend, but a little monkey wrench curtailed those plans.
An apparently unreleased version of the BBM app for Android was leaked online before BlackBerry could get the official one out. That unofficial app won over more than 1.1 million users in just its first eight hours. But that app "caused issues," BlackBerry said on Saturday, which the company said it has tried to resolve.
A version of BBM for iOS also … Read more
BlackBerry's troubles have been getting worse for some time. Still, the company found time to invest in another airplane in July.
According to The Wall Street Journal, which obtained Canadian aircraft-registry records, BlackBerry acquired a 2006 Bombardier Global Express airplane in July to cart its executives around the world. The records didn't indicate how much BlackBerry paid for the aircraft, but the Journal says that similar aircraft have been purchased for upwards of $29 million.
BlackBerry's decision to acquire another aircraft came as the company was hemorrhaging cash. On Friday, the BlackBerry maker announced that it will … Read more
BlackBerry Messenger finally makes its debut on iOS and Android devices this weekend. But will anyone care?
BBM takes its first step across different mobile platforms at a dark time for BlackBerry. The company on Friday released early fiscal second quarter results, warning that it would close to $1 billion. It was also cut 4,500 jobs and retreating from the consumer market as it refocuses on the business world.
For many, BBM is a forgotten relic of an older smartphone era -- one that BlackBerry dominated. It was a favorite feature of BlackBerry phones, but its usefulness waned as … Read more
It's fitting that on the same day BlackBerry announced it had lost nearly $1 billion in the past quarter thousands of Apple fans were lined up to buy a new iPhone.
The juxtaposition between the have (Apple) and have-not (BlackBerry, obviously) couldn't be more clear, and it only underscores the fact that the reinvented BlackBerry never really had a chance in the smartphone game.
At least on the consumer front, BlackBerry is publicly willing to throw in the towel. Rather than compete directly with Apple's iPhone or an army of Android smartphones, BlackBerry said it will shift … Read more
BlackBerry said on Friday that it expects to lose $950 million to $995 million in the fiscal second quarter and announced a change in strategy amid continued struggles selling its new BlackBerry smartphones.
The company said it would shift its focus toward business and the "prosumer" market, a concession that its BlackBerry 10 smartphones can't compete in the brutal market for consumer smartphones. As part of the change, the company is reducing its smartphone portfolio from six devices to four: two high-end devices and two more-affordable models.
BlackBerry expects revenue of $1.6 billion, but the sales … Read more


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Santa Maria, Brazil – Every Saturday morning, organic food traders from Santa Maria de Jetibá, a Pomeranian settlement on the mountains of Espírito Santo State, in southeastern Brazil, set up their stalls under a bridge in the beach district. It is Praia da Costa, in Vila Velha, one of the cities that make up the metropolitan region of the capital Vitoria, and they are selling organic products to a loyal clientele who are lucky enough to have the foods brought to their doorstep at a price that’s competitive with non-organic items sold at the supermarket.
Selling organic produce is more than a business choice for these Pomeranians: it is, rather, a health-preservation measure. This ethnic group, which emigrated in the 1840s from a Polish region that used to belong to Germany, chose Santa Maria as one of its mountain settlements. They preserved a dialect that is no longer spoken in Europe and lived in relative isolation for over a century.
Then, some years ago, a high suicide rate in the community called the attention of researchers, who established a link between the deaths and the high use of pesticides in the region – many of which also caused infertility and skin cancer. In response, an organic food movement was born as a local organic certification scheme, called Chão Vivo, in 1999 began stimulating a shift toward organic farming.
One of the reasons that many concerned Brazilians are switching to organic is that the country is also the biggest user of pesticides per capita in the world, an unfortunate distinction Brazil has held since 2008. The situation inspired documentary maker Silvio Tendler to produce O Veneno Está Na Mesa (Poison is On the Table), a film that reveals, among other things, the alarming statistic that Brazil uses 5.1 kilos (11.2 lb) of pesticide per person per year.
In the United States, the equivalent figure is 4.5 pounds per person, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And besides the amount of pesticides, the situation is exacerbated by the fact that chemicals which have been banned in most other countries get dumped in Brazil due to lax legislation and intense lobbying from chemical companies.
According to Moyses Veiga, an environmental consultant who has lived among the Pomeranians and worked for the Chão Vivo organic certification scheme, the deeper story dates back to the 1960s when different governments started to pursue a policy of “modernizing agriculture.”
In 1965, Brazil’s government introduced a credit line called Sistema Nacional de Crédito Rural, which submitted financing for the purchase of agricultural inputs by farmers. In 1975, another program called Programa Nacional de Defensivos Agrícolas streamed funds toward the creation of national companies, as well as to transnational agricultural input companies willing to open branches in Brazil.
“Another factor that boosted the use of pesticides in Brazil was an outdated and loose regulation that was in place until 1989, which made it easier to register hundreds of toxic substances, some of which had already been banned in developed countries,” said Veiga.
Veiga points out that it was in the period between 2001 and 2008 that the sale of pesticides in Brazil reached frightening proportions, and Brazil moved up to the top of the ranking. Agriculture revenue jumped from $2 billion to more than $7 billion per year in that period. Then, in 2009, Brazil’s pesticide use soared to 1 million applied tons. (Environmentalists in the country say that if smuggled pesticides are additionally factored in, the figure could be as high as 9.5 kg per capita.)
All of this has had a negative impact on human and non-human health as well as the environment, facts that more and more of the population is coming to understand. According to Sérgio Koiffman, a researcher with Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, pesticides are substances designed to destroy certain animal pests whose structure is similar to our own.
“Some of the most serious effects include neoplasms, defects in the central nervous system, while the more subtle problems are the neurological development of a child, changes in kidney [health] and sexual functions, and cancer,” said Koiffman. He added that more recently, researchers have noted that exposure to pesticides during pregnancy affects the fetus as well.
Contamination happens through food or water, he said, and in the case of workers who handle the products directly, symptoms tend to me more acute while consumers develop less progressive, though not less serious, problems. One particular class of pesticides, known as methamidophos, has called the attention of government and researchers in recent years. The pesticide was used for pest control on cotton, peanut, potato, bean, soybean, industrial use tomato, and wheat crops.
The Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency, Anvisa, banned it in 2012 after toxicological tests indicated the pesticide to be a class of poison can cause damages in embryo and fetal development, besides affecting endocrine and the reproductive systems.
“There was no evidence that the product is safe for people’s health,” said Anvisa’s director, José Agenor Álvares.
Due to a high concentration of this class of chemicals in the waterways of Mato Grosso State, where some of Brazil’s largest monocultures are located, post-graduate student Izabela Gutierrez de Arruda felt compelled to look deeper into their effects. Gutierrez developed a biosensor based on enzyme inhibition, which helps farmers measure levels of contamination using a portable and cheap piece equipment.
The good news is that all over Brazil, organic street markets are cropping up to cater to the growing demand for healthy food. With more information circulating on social networks, and increasing awareness of the country’s pesticide abuse problem, organic farmers markets like the one in Vila Velha are on their way to becoming fixture in many Brazilian cities.
The City of Belo Horizonte, one of the country’s largest metropolitan regions, reported an increase of 10 percent in demand for organics in the first half of 2013 compared with the same period last year. Rising demand is likely to boost the share of organic food in Brazil’s agricultural production – which currently stands at only five percent of the total – and hopefully slows down the poisoning of the country with pesticides.


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In the past few months CVS has been seeking planning permission to build a 13,000-square-foot store with 65 parking spaces at the corner of Washington and Swanton streets in Winchester. Together with many other local residents, I am concerned about the impact of this proposal on the neighborhood. I have several causes for concern:
The new store will pose a major safety risk for school children, pedestrians, and cyclists. A traffic study for the new store was completed in July 2012 (probably one of the lightest traffic months of the year), which failed to take into account the existing school year congestion and traffic on Washington Street during morning and afternoon school drop-off and pickup. The traffic study did conclude that the new CVS would generate over 25,000 new car visits per month. As a parent of two school aged children, I am concerned about the safety of their walk to school, especially as the new CVS will have entrances to the parking lot from both Washington and Swanton streets.
While the current commercial buildings on this site are not attractive, the proposed new CVS (larger than the current CVS on Route 28 in Stoneham) will be two stories tall and together with the parking spaces, will consume a large area that seems out of place in a primarily residential neighborhood of smaller houses. Winchester’s long range vision for the downtown Triangle Area mentions that it is an town objective to retain “..existing commercial/business properties for commercial use that do not impact the tranquility of the Triangle’s residential neighborhoods..”, so it is puzzling that the proposal for a very large two story brick building with 65 parking spaces would be considered for this neighborhood.
Finally, it is also puzzling that CVS wants to open such a large, new store, so close to their existing downtown location in Winchester. Is CVS planning to keep both stores, or will they eventually close their downtown location?
There will be a public hearing at the Town Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 7:45 p.m., and I urge concerned residents to attend to find out more about the plans.


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|« Previous month||Next month »|
Steve Barnes has been appointed the new director general of GroceryAid, after four years as commercial and membership director at the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
Rising alcohol sales in Scotland has strengthened the case for introducing minimum unit pricing, according to Scotland’s public health minister Aileen Campbell.
Müller Milk & Ingredients’ decision to close its smaller dairies in East Kilbride and Aberdeen with the loss of 225 jobs has been called a “devastating blow” by the union...
Chemicals commonly found in plastic food containers may be weakening children’s teeth, new research has claimed.
Food crops are protecting themselves from more extreme weather by generating toxins that are potentially harmful to humans and animals, a new United Nations report has claimed.
Health lobby group the National Obesity Forum (NOF) has come under swingeing attacks from some of its own medical advisers in press reports over the past weekend, following controversial advice...
Family butcher business We hae meat will create six new jobs as part of its new range expansion deal with retailer Co-op Food.
The EU is a friend to our food and drink industries. As former executive chairman of Marks & Spencer, I have experience of the benefits that our membership of the...
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) has taken the ground-breaking step of agreeing harvest control rules for skipjack tuna in the Indian Ocean.
Food manufacturers are facing higher butter prices after a “surprise rally” on global commodity markets, claims the head of a leading ingredients company.
2 Sisters Food Group founder Ranjit Singh Boparan has claimed a vote to leave the EU – Brexit – could spell disaster for the UK food industry.
Leaders in the food manufacturing sector need to “up their game” over their commitment to human rights, a legal expert has claimed.
Hilton Food Group’s 2016 turnover is forecast to rise, according to leading financial analyst Shore Capital.
Campylobacter rates in fresh chickens are continuing to fall due to the number of retailers removing neck skin.
Nothing is being done to protect UK food and drink firms from damage caused by another Calais crisis, according to the Scottish Seafood Association (SSA).
Government is coming under increasing pressure to set targets for the fat, salt and sugar content of food and drink in advance of the publication of its childhood obesity strategy,...
Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has opened a new water-processing and bottling line at its Morpeth site, in Northumberland, following a £14M spend.
Improving food safety culture was the top training goal for almost 80% of respondents to a new global survey of food safety training.
An overreliance on collecting condition monitoring (CM) data could be hampering maintenance teams in their quest to improve plant operational efficiency, industrial service provider Eriks UK has warned.
A new automated bulk bag weigh batching system from Flexicon meters ingredients into a Flexi-Disc tubular cable conveyor that transports batches of a specified weight to downstream processing equipment, dust-free.
The manual process of putting together mixed chilled product trays has now been automated by Fanuc in collaboration with Pacepacker Services, using a robotic pot swap tray loading system.
Mettler-Toledo Safeline, supplier of metal detection systems, has been awarded a second Queen’s Award for Enterprise, this time in the Innovation category, for developing its family of Profile metal detection...
An unnamed UK nut and dried fruit processing and packing company has seen a 40% improvement in sensitivity and eliminated false rejects by replacing its old metal detectors with five...
A cost-effective way to extend life and improve functionality for select Thermo Scientific metal detector equipment is now available via the company’s Apex upgrade.
Food labelling will become more complex from December 2016 when the latest requirements of the EU’s Food Information for Consumers Regulation come into force, making it mandatory for products to...
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The government is expected to launch an inquiry today (Monday 6 November), into “age appropriate” marketing and whether new rules are needed to prevent retailers marketing inappropriate items to children.
Products under scrutiny include pole dancing kits and t-shirts with slogans such as “porn star” for young teens.
The inquiry will consider whether a watchdog or government-funded website to allow parents to register complaints is necessary.
Children’s minister Sarah Teather says: “On the high street there is one shop after another marketing highly sexualised clothes to young children. You combine that with the advertising hoardings and the pressures that children are under at school.
Reg Bailey, chief executive of Christian charity Mothers’ Union has been appointed to lead the review.
He says: “It’s about the tone and style of the ways things are marketed to children. When you are so bombarded by marketing and sexualised imagery, it becomes like wallpaper.”
The coalition government has pledged to crackdown on “irresponsible” marketing and the sexualisation of children.
Prime Minister David Cameron has accused marketers of “exploiting children” through “irresponsible” advertising campaigns.
In a speech last month about the wellbeing of the UK, David Cameron said: “We saw an irresponsible media and marketing free-for-all justified on the argument that it was good for growth – with little thought about the impact on childhood.”


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"Today, Google is the dominant search engine and advertising company on the Web. Google has amassed about 75 percent of paid search revenues worldwide and its share continues to grow. According to published reports, Google currently has more than 65 percent search query share in the U.S. and more than 85 percent in Europe. Microsoft and Yahoo! on the other hand have roughly 30 percent combined in the U.S. and approximately 10 percent combined in Europe."
interest way General Counsel MSFT is rebutting David Drummond General Counsel, Google :)-
So google has worked to get that market space and MSFT at time debunked the internet as a platform..
This is going to be a great war of words.. still waiting for "new" YHOO Statement !!


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Business community holding a meeting in Rumbek [Photo by Mabor Riak]
By Mabor Riak Magok
RUMBEK, 23 August 2016 [Gurtong]- In an interview with Gurtong, the chairperson of Western Lakes State Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Joseph Mondut Anei urged the general public in the State and traders operating in all parts of Western Lakes State to abide by the newly introduced prices.
The new prices of food items include the following;
- A 50kg bag of sugar which was going for 5,700 SSP wholesaleprices is now 4,500 SSP while retailers will sell per kg at 100 SSP.
- Mukwano soap was going for 1,500 SSP at wholesale price now reduced to 1,200 SSP while retailers will selleach bar of soap at 50 SSP.
- Rice50kg was sold at 5,700 SSP at wholesale price n ow reduced to 4,500 SSP while retailers will sale a kilo at 100 SSP.
Joseph Mondut said that the traders must strictly observe the new price was as per the resolutions and recommendations of the meeting between the chamber of commerce and representatives of the traders in Rumbek.


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Watch a new video starring Bert and Ernie for Oprah’s “Where Are They Now?”
December 19, 2014
The bird and the monster joined a chorus of many, many, many famous people.
December 18, 2014
A new video featuring Kermit the Frog singing a classic Muppet Christmas Carol song!
Watch Miss Piggy’s appearance on Michael Bublé’s Christmas special!
December 17, 2014
Sir Ian McKellen is one of my favorite British actors. I could be said that I cannot resist him. And I know how to phrase that since he taught me the word “resist”. Sir Ian takes a little time out of his busy schedule being awesome to channel his inner Gandalf and Magneto and talk […]
December 16, 2014
Read the first few pages of the final issue of The Storyteller: Witches, in stores this Wednesday!
December 12, 2014
MakerBot strikes again, just in time for the holidays.
December 10, 2014
The My Muppets Show app will be shut down on January 9th.
Big Bird makes an appearance in the 2014 YouTube Rewind video!
Sesame Street’s performance at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concert is coming up!
December 8, 2014
Preview pages for the third issue of the new Fraggle Rock comic book, in stores this Wednesday!
December 2, 2014
Slimey, Rubber Duckie, and Super Grover’s cape will be aboard NASA’s Orion shuttle this week!
November 20, 2014
Elmo and Grover appeared on “Watch What Happens Live”, where Russell Brand threatened our little red friend.
November 19, 2014
Issue #3 of Storyteller: Witches is now in stores. Check out our preview of the comic!
November 18, 2014
Miss Piggy will appear on Michael Bublé’s annual Christmas special on December 17!
November 17, 2014
Muppet*Vision in Disneyland is closed, and it looks like it’s staying that way.
Bert and Ernie will appear on Oprah’s “Where Are They Now?” on December 20!
November 14, 2014
Sesame Street’s Furchester Hotel is now available on YouTube!
November 13, 2014
Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath has a new website, Twitter, Facebook, and more!
November 12, 2014
Watch our spoof of “Too Many Cooks” starring Cookie Monster!
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Alibaba is jumping behind the wheel after it announced that Daimler, Audi and Volvo will bring its voice assistant to their vehicles.
The assistant — Tmall Genie — is scheduled to go into cars “in the near future.” When it does, Alibaba said it will enable drivers to check fuel levels, mileage, battery levels and engine status use voice controls. Beyond diagnostics, it’ll also cover door windows, air conditioning and other settings.
Tmall Genie was launched last year when Alibaba unveiled a first smart speaker in the style of Amazon’s Echo products and Google Home, although the AI also connects to third-party hardware, too. The Chinese firm said it has sold over two million of its smart devices so far, and it is working on linking them with the car-based AI to allow users to check their vehicle from their home.
This week’s Genie auto launch is one of the first moves from Alibaba’s AI Lab institution, which was announced as part of a $15 billion push into artificial intelligence, machine learning, IOT, quantum computing and other emerging technologies last year.


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GM Is Looking to Sell Its Detroit Hotel
Generally, General Motors is in the business of selling cars. However, every now and then, the automaker branches out with an attempt to sell a different kind of product.
Currently, GM is looking to sell a hotel. Indeed, GM is currently on the hunt for a buyer interested in purchasing its Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Detroit.
GM’s Current Business Strategy: GM in 2018
The hotel in question is located across from the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit. Earlier this year, GM cancelled plans for a new addition to the Renaissance Center.
The decision to sell this hotel is reportedly in line with GM’s recent wave cost-saving cuts. Said strategy included the cancellation of six GM passenger car models and plans to potentially eliminate up to 14,000 jobs.
GM has also halted various renovations at several of its manufacturing facilities. These include improvements to the plants in Pontiac and Warren.
A Look Into GM’s Past: The History of Chevrolet
If GM does successfully sell the hotel, it will be the latest in a string of similar financial transactions throughout downtown Detroit. For example, New York City-based company Glenmont Capital Management LLC recently purchased a Holiday Inn Express location in the city for $23.3 million.
For its part, GM is hoping to receive $45 million for the Detroit-based hotel. The automaker declined to say whether that sale includes the 1,850-space parking deck or 30,000 square feet of surrounding retail space that GM also owns.
GM purchased the hotel back in 1998, roughly two years after it bought the Renaissance Center. While the automaker has not announced any plans to part with the center itself, it would seem that GM’s days of running a hotel are coming to a close.
News Source: Crain’s Detroit Business
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.


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Many publishers in the past few years have tightened their digital paywalls as they seek to diversify their revenue amid a broader decline in advertising. Those efforts to boost reader revenue are
more likely to succeed as people show a greater willingness to pay for news they trust.
That's especially true as the COVID-19 pandemic drives a jump in media consumption among homebound
audiences, and drives a hunger for reliable news amid the misinformation, conspiracy theories and fake news that circulates on social media.
Some 30% of Americans said they're willing to pay
for well-researched and reliable news after the pandemic, according to a survey by consulting firm Altman Solon published today. That willingness is more pronounced among young adults, with 53% of
people ages 18 to 24 saying they're interesting in paying for news, compared with only 15% of people ages 55 or older.
"This 'COVID effect' on news appears to be durable, as
82% of Americans expect to continue to pay for news after pandemic restrictions are lifted," according to Altman
The finding bolsters other research, including several studies by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
that have indicated more publishers are adding
paywalls — and a growing portion of readers are willing to pay for news.
Unfortunately, trust in the news media has declined amid the political polarization that has
inspired journalists to see themselves as part of an ideological movement, rather than seekers of facts. Fifty-four percent of Americans said they believe reporters intentionally misrepresent facts,
while 28% believe reporters make the facts up entirely, according to a study by Gallup
Trust In Print Advertising Declines, But Social Media Ads Are The Worst
Consumer trust in advertising has fallen since
the pandemic began, but print ads have held up pretty well -- which is something that salespeople at publishers should point out to marketers and media buyers.
When asked how
much they trust ads associated with news content, Americans expressed a negative opinion about every media channel, according to Altman Solon. Ads on social media were viewed least trustworthy with a
net perception level of -39%, worse than ads on out-of-home and billboards at -23%, podcasts at -22%, online news at -14% and radio at -13%.
By comparison, print and TV ads
were the only sources with a net trust rating better than -10%, the study found. A positive trust rating would be better for publishers. After all, no one wants to brag they were the smartest kid in
summer school. However, creating a brand-safe environment that cultivates consumer trust should be a goal for every publisher.


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Gold price hovers below $1725. Once again, the gold price looks to be drifting sideways today, having hit $1725 yesterday. So.
International research funding consortium cOAlition S has confirmed the price transparency requirements it will be requiring.
English Situation Report on Zambia about Agriculture, Food and Nutrition and Drought; published on 30 May 2020 by FEWS NET.
Bitcoin Qr Codes Reddit to make its own cryptocurrency; Ripple settlements to be available in Japanese ATMs via MoneyTap; Ten31 and Anquan. 29 maart 2020. Be careful of fake #Bitcoin QR code generators – these ones have had ₿4.9 gone through the current activate address. free-bitcoin-qr-codes[.]. Bitcoin Explained Funny Video Bitcoin Explained Funny Gold – Einfachste möglichkeiten um in nigeria schnell geld zu verdienen; Bitcoin Explained Hilarious The helix system is more than a bitcoin tumbler, it is privacy and; Recent Posts; Bitcoin Transaction Undo Always trade app fashion submit nakamoto bitcoin trading the real link. At launch, the app retrieves informations from
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to volumes of Peruvian asparagus in the U.S. sharply falling, resulting in a big spike in.


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The Co-Operative Group has pushed sales up by 15% to top the £10bn mark, in a record year that has seen it “come into its own”.
Operating profit for the 52 weeks to January 10 increased by 11% to £393m. The dividend payment to customer members has risen from £45m to £50m.
The year saw the group, which is the UK’s fifth largest food retailer, complete its acquisition of Somerfield and convert over 1,500 stores to its new format.
Commenting on the results, group chief executive Peter Marks said: “At a time when the economy is struggling and many business models are coming under intense pressure we truly believe that The Co-operative Group is coming into its own.
“The events of the past year have built on the successful merger in 2007 of The Co-operative Group and United Co-operatives and our continued strong trading clearly demonstrates the benefits of that merger.”
The Group employs 110,000 people, operates some 4,900 retail outlets, and has 3m members.


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Darya is a crypto enthusiast who strongly believes in the future of blockchain. Being a hospitality professional, she is interested in finding the ways blockchain can change different industries and bring our life to a different level.
Of 20,247 new cars registered in the UK in May, 852 were Tesla Model 3. In April, Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling car in the UK as well. Following the news, Tesla (TSLA) stock is 0.84% up in the pre-market.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) has managed to maintain its sales level. In the UK, Tesla Model 3 car became the top-selling auto in May, for the second month in a row.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show, overall car sales in the UK fell 89% in May compared with the same month in 2019. Only 20,247 new cars were registered, down 163,477 from a year ago, which made May 2020 the worst since 1952. Of these cars, 852 were Tesla Model 3.
In April, Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling car in the UK as well. Firstly, it fared relatively well because of the attractive tax benefits for electric vehicles. Secondly, there has been a strong interest in Tesla’s autos due to the company’s innovative contactless delivery protocol.
Positions of Tesla Model 3 in the Market
In the first five months of 2020, the overall UK auto market was down 51.4%. But now auto dealers and showrooms are reopening. Unlike other European countries, the UK government has not yet issued any incentives to boost the overall auto industry or electric vehicles. However, the general trends are positive. Moreover, there are rumors that the UK government is preparing to get a location where the electric carmakers will set up their factories.
Apart from Tesla’s Model 3, other popular vehicles in the UK included Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Fiesta, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and others.
Notably, Model 3 became a top-selling car not only in the UK. Although Elon Musk had issues with California’s government officials over their handling of the coronavirus crisis, Model 3 was the best-selling vehicle in the state in the first quarter of 2020. During the first three months of the year, total sales of Model 3 across California made up 18,856 cars.
Tesla’s Uncovered Acquisitions
Recently, it turned out that back in 2017, Tesla quietly acquired several automated manufacturing firms to support the design of new factories. But at that time, the deals were uncovered.
In particular, Tesla bought the Minnesota-based Perbix company. Perbix’s team was integrated into the Tesla Advanced Automation group to accelerate its automation effort.
Besides, Tesla took over Compass Automation, a firm that specializes in making equipment for automaker manufacturing.
Tesla (TSLA) Stock Up in Early Trading
Yesterday, Tesla (TSLA) stock declined by 2.10% to close at $864.38. In the pre-market today, it is 0.84% up, $871.61 per share. Tesla’s market cap is $160.32 billion, the annual stock change is 106.63%.
After plunging to around $400 in March due to the coronavirus, Tesla stock is doing well now. The company’s business has got back to normal, factories have reopened, and it is planning on further expansion. Its major plans for expansion include China, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Read other news from the transportation industry here.


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Myer has reported a slip in total sales in the last financial year, with online sales soaring amid the pandemic.
Total sales dropped 15.8 percent, which comes as stores closed throughout the country as a result of the global pandemic, with CEO John King calling it ‘one of the toughest decisions’ in the retailer’s history.
“The decision taken in March 2020 to temporarily close all 60 stores and stand down approximately 10,000 team members was one of the toughest decisions Myer has faced in its 120 years of operation. All stores were closed for the majority of April and May,” he explained.
The Group has slipped into the red with a net loss of $172 million, as a result of the COVID-19 store closures and regulations.
Despite the closures of its stores and the reduction in total sales, its online offering grew exponentially. The Group’s online sales were up 1.1 percent to $422.5 million, representing 17 percent of total sales.
“Online sales grew by 98.8 percent in 2H20 compared to the prior year and there was particularly strong growth in Beauty, up 218 percent and Homewares up 177 percent,” King explained.
“During the past two years, Myer has undertaken significant improvements to the website including enhancing infrastructure and peak capacity and improved search and check out functionality. Together with improved fulfilment, these enhancements have underpinned the significant growth in sales as well as a 50 basis point improvement in conversion, and an improved gross profit for the online channel.”
A few weeks ago, Myer and Australia Post inked a three-year partnership to help bolster the department’s store online offering.
“In August 2020, Myer announced it had entered into a multi-year agreement with Australia Post to provide warehousing and online fulfilment services, to further enhance the Company’s ability to provide an efficient and fast online experience for customers. These new warehouse and fulfilment arrangements will underpin the next stage of growth in Myer’s online business, to further strengthen the fulfilment capacity and improve efficiency, delivering benefits to Myer’s customers as well as providing significant cost savings,” King said.
In the report, the Group has explained its accelerated priorities for its Customer First Plan includes the transformation of its customer experience online, accelerating cost reduction, and enhancing its ‘Only at Myer’ brands.
“While the Customer First Plan remains the right plan, it has been adapted for the current operating environment and to ensure Myer can capitalise on all available opportunities as restrictions are eased,” King finished.
Like this story? Click here to find out more about Power Retail E-Commerce Intelligence or here to sign-up for the free weekly Pulse Newsletter for more essential online retail content.


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By Emily Bary
Millennials are driving a change in the traditional idea of paying by credit, and soon investors will have a way to play that trend on the U.S. markets.
Financial technology company Affirm Holdings Inc. /zigman2/quotes/223715966/composite AFRM -5.14% , which allows consumers to split purchases into installments, has filed for an initial public offering, with plans to list its shares on the Nasdaq. The company argues that it’s modernizing the world of payments by offering an option to make purchases over time without incurring interest for consumers that qualify and “simple-interest” loans for others.
Affirm intends to offer 24.6 million shares through the IPO, priced at $33 to $38 a share. The company would raise $934.8 million at the high end of that range . Affirm was expected to go public late last year, but the company reportedly pushed its offering into 2021 given big first-day stock moves for Airbnb Inc. and DoorDash Inc., both of which came public in December.
Affirm is able to make money on its “0% APR” installment options by taking a cut of the merchant end of the transaction. The idea is that merchants are willing to pay Affirm to conduct risk modeling and offer its service as a way to boost conversion, or the rate of online browsing that actually leads to a transaction. The 0% APR options generally net Affirm its largest fees from merchants, according to the company’s prospectus, though it also offers “simple-interest” loans through which it receives fixed interest payments on the consumer end as well.
The company plays into the buy-now-pay-later, or BNPL, trend, which is highly popular overseas and gaining traction in the U.S.
Worldpay estimates that 20% of consumers in Germany and Australia are using BNPL services, but that this way of paying accounts for only 1% of e-commerce payments in the U.S. With room to catch up in the U.S. and elsewhere, the industry is only “partway through the first inning,” Brian Barth, the chief executive of fellow BNPL player Uplift, told MarketWatch.
Affirm competes with Sweden’s Klarna, which counts Visa Inc. /zigman2/quotes/203660239/composite V +0.03% as an investor; Afterpay, which trades publicly in Australia; and the more travel-focused Uplift.
The company was cofounded by PayPal Holdings Inc. /zigman2/quotes/208054269/composite PYPL +3.11% cofounder Max Levchin, a member of the so-called PayPal Mafia that includes notable executives once affiliated with the digital payments giant, such as Tesla Inc. /zigman2/quotes/203558040/composite TSLA +2.23% Chief Executive Elon Musk and Palantir Technologies Inc. /zigman2/quotes/221054928/composite PLTR +3.82% Chairman Peter Thiel. PayPal recently came out with its own dedicated installment offering, called Pay in 4 .
Affirm intends to trade under the ticker AFRM, with the offering led by Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Allen & Co.
Here are five things to know about the impending offering, based on the SEC filing.
Affirm makes money by collecting fees from merchants when it helps make a sale and powers the associated payment. The company offers both “0% APR financing products” and “simple-interest” options, the latter of which makes money on the consumer end of the interest-bearing arrangements. The interest amounts are fixed and Affirm says it doesn’t charge customers more than the agreed-upon amount, even if they miss a payment.
Merchant network revenue accounted for just over half of Affirm’s total revenue in its latest fiscal year, while interest income made up about 37%. The company also generated revenue from loan servicing, gains on the sale of loans, and its virtual card network, through which customers are issued virtual cards that they can use for purchases with merchants “that may not be fully integrated with Affirm.” The company gets a portion of the interchange fee when customers pay this way.
Affirm’s BNPL products have repayment options spanning from six weeks to 48 months, with an average duration of six months for assets that Affirm retains on its balance sheet.
The company argues that one of its key competitive advantages is its risk model “built on more than a billion data points” that looks at risk at the “transaction level” by taking into account the item that a customer is purchasing. Affirm claims that it’s able to approve 20% more customers on average than its competitors—helping to facilitate more purchases for merchants—while also pricing risk “with a high degree of accuracy.”
Affirm works with bank partners to originate many of its loans and said that Cross River Bank originates “a substantial majority of the loans facilitated through our platform.”
Affirm says its mission is to “deliver honest financial products that improve lives,” according to the company’s prospectus. Levchin penned a letter enclosed in the filing that lamented a lack of innovation in the payments industry over the past seven decades since cards first came on the scene.
“With most of the payments industry deriving profits from late fees, overdraft charges, and gimmicks like deferred interest, it’s not hard to agree that there has to be a better way: it’s time to evolve payments again,” he wrote in the letter.


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On Thursday, Amazon announced plans to build autonomous robot delivery systems in a blog post titled, “Amazon launches a new Development Center in Helsinki to support Amazon Scout,” a move that will add further concern for the hundreds of thousands of workers in the delivery sector.
“Amazon has announced the creation of a new Amazon Scout Development Center in Helsinki, Finland focused on autonomous delivery technology,” Amazon stated. “The new team will consist of over two dozen engineers in Helsinki to start, and will be dedicated to research and development for Amazon Scout, Amazon’s fully electric autonomous delivery service that currently operates in the U.S.”
Amazon described its Scout devices as “inherently safe,” which are “the size of a small cooler” and “roll along sidewalks at a walking pace.”
“Amazon Scout currently delivers packages to customers in four locations across the U.S.,” the post continued. “The team in Helsinki will work closely with the Amazon Scout research and development labs in Seattle, U.S. and teams in Cambridge, U.K and Tübingen, Germany to develop 3D software to simulate the complexity of real life and ensure Scout can safely navigate around obstacles while making deliveries.”
“We invest in our local communities by creating new jobs, building philanthropic partnerships, and reducing the impact of climate change on future generations by building a sustainable business,” Amazon claimed. “From the local jobs we bring, to the local people we employ, train, and upskill — our business is made up of people from the communities in which we operate. Across Europe, Amazon is creating thousands of quality jobs and investing billions in local economies. We created 20,000 jobs in 2020, growing our employee population to more than 135,000 across 15 European countries.”
Despite Amazon’s boast of job creation, however, a real concern here is that autonomous robot delivery systems could signal the future replacement of hundreds of thousands of in-person delivery jobs.
Another part of this strategy appears to include the use of autonomous trucking services, known as PlusDrive. As Forbes reported days ago, “Amazon has contracted to purchase at least 1,000 Plus Retrofit units for its delivery fleet in a deal worth up to $150 million.”
These systems are designed to “retrofit existing trucks with next-generation levels of autonomy.” While these vehicles will still require a human driver, it is not unreasonable to assume that the long-term goal could be fully-automated delivery truck systems.
The move toward automation is certainly not limited to the delivery space. Last month, for example, TechCrunch reported that robotic beverage maker, Botrista, raised $10 million in Series A funding.
“The company’s premier product is the simply named Drinkbot (Botrista, it seems, is enough pun name to go around),” TechCrunch reported. “The latest version of the robotic drink mixing system features a refrigerated base with up to eight ingredients, a touchscreen control panel and 14 separate nozzles for dispensing the mixed beverages. The entire process runs around 20 seconds.”


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By Dale Kasler
Published: Tuesday, Jun. 28, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 1A
Voters tend to fume about the Legislature, but here’s one consequence of the Capitol budget dance that might make some people smile:
A tax cut.
California’s sales tax is about to drop by a penny, to a statewide rate of 7.25 percent. The change takes effect Friday, with the expiration of the tax hikes approved by the Legislature in February 2009.
In addition, the vehicle license fee will drop by nearly half, to 0.65 percent of the car’s value.
Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers wanted to extend the higher taxes beyond Friday, when the state’s new fiscal year begins. But with Brown unable to secure the Republican votes needed for a two-thirds supermajority, the higher tax rates will expire.
Democratic leaders have vowed to pursue a ballot initiative next year to raise the taxes again. But for the time being, at least, the lower taxes will save Californians an estimated $5.87 billion a year, according to Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer.
That’s particularly good news for merchants doing business near the California border, where they have to compete against low-tax states.
“Pretty exciting, huh?” said Stefanie Olivieri, who runs Cabona’s clothing store in Truckee. “I assume there are people who will do more shopping.”
Effective Friday, the sales tax in Truckee will be just slightly higher than it is in Reno.
Although the statewide sales tax in California will revert to 7.25 percent, many jurisdictions charge more. The new rate in Truckee, for instance, will be 7.875 percent. In the city of Sacramento, it will be 7.75 percent.
While it will benefit merchants, economist Chris Thornberg said, the tax cut alone won’t create a huge statewide shopping boom.
Lowering the tax rate will cause retail sales to grow 0.3 percent a year, said Thornberg, who runs Los Angeles consulting firm Beacon Economics. Taxable retail sales totalled $456.49 billion in 2009, the last year for which full-year figures were available. If Thornberg’s right, the lower tax will mean an additional $13 billion in sales.
“It’s something,” he said. “I’m not going to completely diss it, but it’s not the be-all and end-all.”
Steve Snyder, chairman of the California New Car Dealers Association, said the combined impact of the lower sales tax and vehicle license fee could make car purchases more attractive.
The sales tax cut in particular will make a meaningful difference to some customers, said Snyder, head of Gold Rush Chevrolet and Gold Rush Subaru in Auburn.
“One percent’s a big deal. People can relate to 1 percent of anything,” Snyder said.
Jean Hawkins, owner of Valley Oak Home Appliance Center in Elk Grove, said she welcomes the lower tax as well.
“I think it’s going to help business,” Hawkins said. “Is it going to help huge? No. But it’s going to help.
“People are very, very, very tight with their money right now,” she said. “Whatever relief they feel they can get, that reduction in sales tax is a psychological effect.”
At the same time, a one percentage-point drop in sales tax might not be as important to many shoppers as the wide fluctuations in gas prices, said Arden Fair mall general manager Tod Strain.
To read entire story, click here.


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Uber riders will soon be able to tip their drivers.
The embattled ride-hailing service announced Tuesday that customers in Seattle, Houston and Minneapolis will immediately have the option of adding gratuities, acting on one of the most controversial issues within its company.
Uber said it hopes to bring tipping to all cities by the end of July.
The car service’s chief rival Lyft has long offered drivers the possibility of tips.
San Francisco-based Uber has been at war with its own drivers, who complain that the company has been trying to spike the number of riders at their expense.
New policies – as part of the company’s “180 Days of Change” plan – also include riders being charged if they keep a driver waiting for more than two minutes.
Riders, who want to dodge a $5 cancellation fee, now only have two minutes to back out, down from a five-minute window.
“These drivers are our most important partners, but we haven’t done a very good job honoring that partnership,” said Rachel Holt, regional general manager for Uber in the U.S. and Canada.
Holt is among the senior brass at Uber running the company since CEO Travis Kalanick took a leave of absence.


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Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has shared official images of the upcoming 48-megapixel Redmi X camera phone on Weibo.
The official name of the phone is yet to be confirmed. However, the said handset has appeared on JD.com with Redmi X moniker. The images shared by Lei Jun boasts the color gradient design of the smartphone. It is the very same Xiaomi phone that has been recently approved by China’s TENAA telecom authority.
Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Geekbench Listing Reveals Android Pie, 6GB RAM and Snapdragon 660 SoC
The smartphone will be coming in three color variants. There will be a Black model apart from Violet-Blue and Purple-Red color gradient options. It will be the first Redmi phone to arrive with a glass rear. Lei Jun has confirmed in a weibo post that the phone features 2.5D glass on front and rear sides. He has added the images shared by him are real images and not renders.
A protruding vertical dual camera setup is available on the top-left corner which includes 48-megapixel primary sensor. Below the dual camera setup is a dual-tone LED flash followed by “48 MP AI Dual Camera” words. A fingerprint scanner is also available on the backside of the phone. The “Redmi by Xiaomi” text is imprinted towards the lower edge of the back panel.
Also Read: Redmi Note 7 Variants M1901F7G and M1901F7H Certified in BTSIG a day before Release
A pair of external speakers can be seen on the bottom edge of the device. However, due to lower resolution of the photos, it cannot be confirmed whether the handset features a USB-C port or a microUSB port. The 3C certification of the phone had revealed that it will carry support for 10W charging which indicates that it may not feature a USB-C port.
Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Phone with 48MP Camera Launching on January 10
It has been revealed through TENAA that the alleged Redmi X measures 159.21 x 75.21 x 8.1 mm and it houses a 6.3-inch display which will carry support for full HD+ resolution. The handset is likely to feature a 4,000 mAh battery. The Redmi X can be expected to be officially announced on January 10.


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Polythene bags are banned by Uttar Pradesh government across the State [ Current News (Concise) ]
With the aim to protect the environment and public health Uttar Pradesh government has decided to implement the ban on the use of polythene across the state. Allahabad High Court has advised Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav to prohibit polythene usage and decision regarding this is taken at cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister.
- According to the ban it bans manufacturing, importing, purchasing and storage of all kinds of plastic carry bags in state.
- So that respects to this ban no any shopkeeper, wholesaler or retailer in the state would be allowed to use, store or purchase plastic carry bags for palatable or non-palatable items.
- Polythene which is used in packaging purposes is still not banned.
- Alternative material is wondering by State Government that can be distributed to the people.
On November 18, 2015 Allahabad High Court had advised the state government to produce a notification for complete ban on the sale of polythene across the state by December 31, 2015 with the aim to stop negative impact on people’s health as well as environment.
- Published/Last Modified on: December 21, 2015


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The consumer goods giant reports strong revenue growth for Sephora in-store and online, as well as success of Dior across all product lines
Sephora and Christian Dior have given LVMH's financial results a welcome boost in the first half of 2018.
The conglomerate's H1 figures revealed that revenues were up . . .
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Northrop Grumman is looking up, both figuratively and literally, in 2017 as they announced their plans to acquire rocket and satellite company Orbital ATK for $9.2 billion. Certainly Northrop Grumman looks forward to continued corporate growth, but Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Northrop Grumman also sees the value to the customer increasing with this merger, stating in the corporate announcement, “Through our combination, customers will benefit from expanded capabilities, accelerated innovation and greater competition in critical global security domains.”
Through the years, Market Connections has supported Northrop Grumman’s efforts by helping the company stay abreast of the perceptions and needs of the customer with custom market research. Keeping a finger on the pulse of the marketplace allows companies to fully understand customer needs and market perceptions.
During this pivotal period, perceptions can be reality and it is important that Northrop Grumman, and similar players in the federal government market, ensure that the message they communicate, the products and services they develop, and the personnel on the ground (and in the sky) meet the expectations of their end customer. While bigger can mean better, managing the customer experience during the transition will be the key to the success of this acquisition. If done well, the sky is the limit.


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By Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: In a bid to get the prospective Indian tourist acquainted with Malaysian cuisine, Tourism Malaysia has opened a restaurant at the Select City Walk (mall) in the Saket area of the national capital. The restaurant named as JomJom Malay was launched by Malaysia High Commissioner Dato’ Hidayat Abdul Hamid.
In anticipation of border reopening, Tourism Malaysia is conducting a Malaysian food promotion campaign with JomJom Malay restaurant in the city. In this two-month long campaign, the Tourism department expects that visitors to JomJom Malay can savour delicious Malaysian cuisine favourites such as Murtabak, Satay, Laksa Curry, Roti Canai, TehTarik (Malaysian tea) and much more.
During this period, those who dine at the JomJom Malay restaurant in Delhi can walk away with exciting gifts and souvenirs from Tourism Malaysia.
On the occasion of launch, Malaysian envoy Abdul Hamid said, “as Malaysia prepares to open its borders, this promotion after a prolonged period of uncertainty, will showcase the country’s delectable cuisine as well as spread optimism and increase awareness of Malaysia as an ideal holiday destination. He said this will give prospective tourists something to look forward to after this crisis is over.
Sulaiman Suip, Director of Tourism Malaysia (New Delhi) said, India has always been an important source market for us.
I invite Indian travelers to their ‘future holidays and adventures ’at palm-decorated coastlines, tranquil isles, turquoise ocean waters, white sands, and divine beach resorts of Malaysia, he added.
He also said the early bookings travelers will enjoy early bird discounts from the DMCs and product owners.
Anhad Singh Sethi, owner of JomJom Malay said Malaysia is an exciting place to be, it is a melting-pot of cultures where different races and many ethnic groups live together and this transfigures into their food, offering a diverse menu as well as some very unique blends of their multi-ethnic dishes making the country a gourmet’s paradise and are sure to delight your taste buds.


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TOKYO -- A raft of new models helped vehicle sales in Japan grow slightly in the business year through March, but industry watchers said demand was likely to stay at low levels until a meaningful economic recovery took hold.
Vehicle sales in Japan, including the cheaper 660 cc minivehicles, rose 0.7 percent in the 12 months to March, totalling 5.868 million units, industry data showed on Tuesday.
The sales figure has stagnated around the six million mark for the past four or five years as a shaky job market has kept personal spending at bay.
"Once the economy recovers, vehicle sales could come back to 6.5 to 6.6 million, but who knows when that will be," said Shigeharu Kimishima, senior analyst at Mitsubishi Securities.
He said the small rise this year was nothing to get excited about because it came off a low base the year before.
Non-mini passenger cars owed their rise to a 10.6 percent jump in sales of cheaper compact cars, which have engine displacements of less than 2000 cc. Sales of regular-sized passenger cars fell 4.1 percent.
The main consolation for carmakers is that the domestic market accounts for less than 10 percent of operating profits at Japanese automakers. With rapid growth in car markets in the rest of Asia, Japanese sales are becoming even less important.
That means laggards like Honda Motor Co. won't feel much pain from a fall in domestic sales, as long as it continues to perform well in the United States. Analysts say that market is about 10 times as important as the home market in profit terms.
Honda, which has fallen behind its rivals in launching new models of late, saw its non-mini sales fall 0.3 percent to 589,811 units last business year. Its minivehicle sales have plunged 22 percent so far this calendar year.
Analysts said the war in Iraq, which many fear could dent U.S. and European auto sales, was unlikely to have a big effect on the Japanese market barring any sharp spike in oil prices.
But they differ over the outlook for Japanese vehicle demand this business year, with Kimishima saying he expected a one to two percent fall in sales, while J.P. Morgan forecasts sales will rise by another three percent to around 6.1 million units.
Non-mini sales at industry leader Toyota Motor Corp. gained 1.6 percent to 1.703 million units, while Nissan Motor Co., ranked number two in domestic sales, scored a 7.7 percent jump to 768,235 units.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s sales, including its unit's trucks, dropped 8.3 percent, while sales at Mazda Motor Corp. fell 0.5 percent.
Minivehicle sales in the just-ended business year fell 1.1 percent to 1.825 million units, down for the third straight year. Non-mini vehicle sales grew 1.6 percent to 4.043 million units after falling 3.4 percent the year before.


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The Indian government has accepted a proposal by an expert panel to ban the sale of loose cigarettes in an attempt to discourage smoking in the country, local media reports said Tuesday. The panel's recommendations would only be implemented after ... International Business Times, 3 weeks ago
Consumer goods manufacturer Hindustan Unilever (HUL) reported a lower than estimated 8 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) jump in its net profit to Rs 988 crore for the July-September quarter. Revenues of the FMCG major grew 11 per cent y-o-y to Rs ...NDTV Profit, 1 month ago
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'Connected life' at the heart of CES electronics show
In the air, in your car, on your back—new technology at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show is showcasing the growing number of ways to live the "connected life."
Superfish points fingers over ad software security flaws
A little-known Silicon Valley startup was caught in a firestorm of criticism this week for making software that exposed Lenovo laptop users to hackers bent on stealing personal information. But Superfish Inc. ...
Researcher denied flight after tweet poking United security
United Airlines stopped a prominent security researcher from boarding a California-bound flight late Saturday, following a social media post by the researcher days earlier suggesting the airline's onboard ...
Anti-counterfeit polymers work like fingerprints
Review: Netgear's new Arlo security camera system is a winner
Anyone who has bought a security camera system knows they can be pricey and a pain to set up.
Online voting a step closer thanks to breakthrough in security technology
Researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a technique to allow people to cast their election vote online - even if their home computers are suspected of being infected with viruses.
World population-food supply balance is becoming increasingly unstable, study finds
Researchers report that as the world population increases and food demand has grown, globalization of trade has made the food supply more sensitive to environmental and market fluctuations. This leads to ...
China suspected as software site GitHub hit by attack (Update)
The software collaboration website GitHub said Monday it was fighting off a cyber attack since late last week, and security analysts said the effort appeared to originate in China.
Aluminium threat to food security revealed
One third of the world's food-producing land has been lost in the past 40 years as a result of soil degradation, putting global food security at risk.
Let's be neighbors, US security head tells tech sector
Even though Silicon Valley has had an often-contentious relationship with the US government's national security organizations, it's now time to be neighbors, one top official said Tuesday.
Google deals out 'tough love' as it ends security updates for a billion Android users
Google's announcement that it will not provide security updates for older versions of its Android mobile operating system means that more than a billion users face growing security risks to their phones o ...


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The deal, a mixture of cash and stock purchases, will immediately have a major impact on the semiconductor industry. AMD is already saying that the deal will create a “processing powerhouse,” said a press release today.
The deal will also offer new challenges to arch-rival Intel for control of the computer processor market.
The New York Times is reporting that a settling computer sales market may pose a challenge to the companies, especially in the graphics-intensive high-end PC market which has reached a plateau according to some analysts.
ATI has been a driving force in the technology world in its competitive showdown with NVIDIA over the years. The Times also reported that strong handhold sales helped ATI present a 120 percent increase in consumer sales.
The public relations initiative has been strong so far. AMD hosted a conference call and webcast at 8:00 a.m. today to discuss the deal and the financial impact on both companies. According to the press release, AMD anticipates reducing operating costs by $75 million by the end of 2007. The executive response has also been strong so far.
AMD has also posted a fact sheet illustrating the details of the acquisition.
“ATI shares our passion and complements our strengths: technology leadership and customer centric innovation,” said AMD Chairman and CEO Hector Ruiz. “Bringing these two great companies together will allow us to transcend what we have accomplished as individual businesses.”