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Fire Emblem Fates, the latest entry of the Fire Emblem series released in Japan as Fire Emblem If, has been released last week in Japan and has managed to become incredibly successful in just one week of availability, according to the latest Media Create sales chart.
Last week’s chart confirms that the two different versions of Fire Emblem Fates, White Kingdom and Black Kingdom, have sold 260,675 copies in just one week, landing on the first place This excellent result is made even better by the sales of the Fire Emblem Fates Special Edition, including both story paths, which has sold 42.991 units, bringing the total Fire Emblem Fates sales to over 300.000 units.
Other new releases have also managed to enter the chart on high positions but failed to sell as nicely as Fire Emblem Fates. Persona 4: Dancing All Night, the rhythm game based on Persona 4, has landed on the second place with a little over 94.000 units, decent sales for a PlayStation Vita exclusive game.
Yesterday we have reported that this week’s issue of the Japanese magazine Famitsu is going to feature a new Fire Emblem Fates coverage, giving more details on how the My Castle and Marriage mechanics work as well some tips and strategies that will help players make the most out of them.
Fire Emblem Fates has been released last week in Japan in two different version, as mentioned above. The two versions come with a different second half of the game, a different challenge level, different characters and more. A third story path which is not included in either version of the game will be released as DLC later this month in Japan.
Fire Emblem Fates be released as two different versions in North America and Europe sometime next year. We will keep you updated on the Western release of the game as soon as more comes in on it so stay tuned for all the latest news.


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JD sports has rejected claims from some Black shoppers who say they were refused service after queuing at the new Westfield Stratford store after being racially stereotyped as ‘resellers’.
Hundreds of customers queued for hours ahead of the grand opening of the east London store, earlier this month but some claim they left empty handed after they were not allowed to purchase trainers.
Reports circulated on social media after staff allegedly turned some shoppers away because of their appearance.
Speaking to the Metro one shopper, Romero, claimed that he and other black shoppers . . .
October 20, 2021

domain: news


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Google’s Android One program piloted back in 2014 but hasn’t seen the hype which the company hoped for. Now it seems like LG is prepping its own first Android One smartphone that might be exclusive to T-Mobile in the U.S. The device is code-named “cv5a” with the carrier “tmo,” country code “us.”
Evidence also showcases “sprout” codename which is usually used to signify an Android One device. However, the “sprout” codename isn’t present on the other regional models such as the one for NTT DoCoMo in Japan (dcm_jp), South Korea (lgu_kr, skt_kr, lgu_ldu), or the international variant (lao_com).
As for the rumored specifications, LG’s first Android One phone will be modern; it is expected to sport a 5.5-inch FHD+ (1080×2160) display with 18:9 aspect ratio and will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 32-bit Octa-Core SoC. It will most likely have 2-3GB RAM with 32/64GB storage options.
Details regarding the camera optics remain a mystery for now. It will have a HiFi ES9218P audio DAC that is used in the LG V30. It packs 3000mAh battery and a USB Type-C port. All these specifications are similar to the LG Q7+ smartphone that was unveiled last month and went on sale in Korea last week. We should know more details soon.


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Knights of Columbus donate to FCRF
Members of the Knights of Columbus Council 3934 present staff and consumers of the Fulton County Rehabilitation Center (FCRC) with a check for $6,673.08 raised by the Knights’ annual Tootsie Roll driver in September. Over 50 volunteers, including Knights of Columbus members and FCRC staff stood outside Walmart, gas stations and grocery stores in Canton to raise the funds which, according to Barb Long of FCRC, will be used for outings for the consumers such as bowling, program materials for life skill activities and items from each program’s wish list. “Thank you very, very much,” Long said to the Knights. Not pictured in the photograph is Darren Gardner, chairman of the drive.


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Mortal Kombat 11 has been officially announced, and it will be out extremely soon. Just a few months, in fact.
Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon took the stage at The Game Awards to hand out the award for Best Sports/Racing Game. But before he could announce the nominations, the video cut to the trailer you see below.
In true Mortal Kombat style, it's crazy gory, with decapitations and all the rest. But it also has a cartoonier look that perhaps won't hit quite as hard as its gruesome predecessor.
Mortal Kombat's last foray was 2015's Mortal Kombat X, which we gave a 4 out of 5 in our review. The venerable fighting series just keeps trucking right along.
Expect Mortal Kombat 11 on all of the usual platforms, including Switch. A community event is January 17, with a release date set for April 23.


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Two-wheeler sales August 2019 – Degrowth momentum has continued and it is becoming graver by every month…
It is carnage out there! Along with many other sectors, Auto industry is reeling under tremendous slowdown in sales. According to various reports, such as this, India’s manufacturing growth is at 15-month low in August.
World’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer by volume, Hero MotoCorp has announced its sales for the month and they have shied away from mentioning anything about its last August’s numbers!
Two-Wheeler Sales August 2019 – HERO MOTOCORP
Hero ended up dispatching 5,43,406 units of its scooters and motorcycles in August which are down by 1.42 lakh units (1,41,641 to be precise) as Hero managed 6,85,047 units in August 2018. This is a significant fall of 20.6 percent or in simpler terms 20 two-wheelers less per 100 it sold last August! Hero’s bread and butter Splendor brand suffered year’s lowest numbers in the month of July 2019 (details) and its individual numbers for August are expected in the days to come.
As per the MoM (Month on Month) numbers, Hero registered a growth of almost 1.5 percent over the month of July 2019, when it sold 5,35,810 units only.
Hero also notified that it has started home deliveries of its two-wheelers in the month of August. This service is currently limited to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Noida (more details). As a gesture, Hero had also announced zero labour fees and 30 percent discount on genuine spare parts for all flood affected two-wheeler owners in Kerala, North Karnataka and South Maharashtra.


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New BNZ research shows soaring use of the internet through the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while more than two-thirds of New Zealanders increased their digital skills over this time, concern is growing for the 700,000 people at risk of being left behind because they lack essential digital skills.
BNZ Chief Economist Paul Conway says the lack of digital skills for such a significant number of New Zealanders risks holding the country back from the promise of a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
He says, “COVID-19 strapped a rocket on digital adoption. We saw e-commerce boom as traditional retailers shifted operations online and people with the necessary skills opted to work from home.
“It’s extremely positive to see that most New Zealanders have got onboard. 95 per cent of New Zealanders now have access to the internet at home, 80 per cent of us have the skills we need to engage online, and 95 per cent of us think the internet brings more benefits than negative impacts. However, a significant proportion of New Zealanders are missing out on the benefits of the new digital economy.
“Digital technologies offer enormous potential to help us lift wellbeing and make our economy more productive, sustainable, and inclusive” says Conway.
Conway says, “The most concerning aspects of this research is that New Zealanders with low digital skills are often already disadvantaged in our society.
“For example, around 30% of people with low levels of education or low incomes are found to lack essential digital skills. For New Zealanders living with a disability, this figure jumps to 42%.
“By not urgently addressing this digital divide, we face the threat of entrenched inequity as these people become less able to engage with society and the economy. This risk will only worsen as the digital transformation picks up pace with more of the economy, social services, and our lives in general shifting online,” says Conway.
Supporting the transition
Conway says that now is the time to step up and invest in digital skills.
“Addressing these issues was already important prior to COVID-19 but is paramount now and with no time to lose. Investing in digital skills improves life and work opportunities for everyone. To be digitally included is to be socially and economically included.
“Addressing this issue is going to take a team effort between Government, the private sector, and the not for profit sector,” says Conway.
Conway says BNZ’s report outlines the crucial importance of digital skills training for everyone, with people needing access to training that fits their needs: “Currently, much of this work falls to small community providers, but with a joined-up effort, such as the work being undertaken by the Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa, this could be much more effective.”
Access to devices and the internet is a key area – providing lower cost options for people who are currently unable to afford them will help break down an economic barrier to digital inclusion.
The report also highlights how the Government can leverage its contact with vulnerable New Zealanders through the health and social development systems to help lift their digital capabilities and inclusion.
Conway: “This could work, for example, by training people who deliver front line Government services to offer advice on digital skills training to people who need it.”
Conway says the vast reach of the private sector means it too needs to be doing more to help lift the digital skills of New Zealanders. For example, employers have an opportunity to support their employees in developing their digital skills. The private sector can also use its strong market networks to reach more people, helping improve their customers’ skills along the way.
Conway says this is work BNZ is focused on.
“One of the alarming things for us was the fact that 1.3 million New Zealanders don’t know where to get help to stay safe online.
“BNZ is supporting New Zealanders to be safer online with its Scam Savvy Tools and has improved the way it supports its customers to transition to digital banking with digital education sessions and dedicated over-70 year old customer help team that supports older customers to bank online.
“We will also be carrying out this digital skills survey annually to help chart the course and track New Zealand’s progress on this crucial work,” he says.


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US activewear brand Vuori is expanding to seven new markets after receiving a valuation of 4 billion dollars last year.
The Southern California-inspired brand is entering the UK, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia, and Canada, marking the first steps of a global expansion announced in late 2021.
The brand will now be available in those markets via e-commerce, and in select markets will also be stocked at wholesale partners including Selfridges, Brown Thomas, Cotswold Outdoor, Barry’s Bootcamp and Bever.
Vuori said it also plans to open a London flagship this year.
“We are proud to announce Vuori’s first-ever expansion outside of the US,” said CEO Joe Kudla, who founded Vuori in 2015.
“We are infinitely grateful for our team, who has helped bring this shared vision to life, and are thrilled to bring Vuori’s new perspective on performance apparel to these markets,” Kudla said.
The news of the expansion comes after Vuori was valued at 4 billion dollars in October after securing a 400 million dollar investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
The brand said at the time it would use the investment to launch its omnichannel business in key markets throughout Western Europe and Asia Pacific, as well as open an innovation center in Taiwan.
It also said it would grow its product offering, make key investments in infrastructure and people, expand its sustainability efforts, and aim to open more than 100 stores in its home market of the US over the next five years.


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Neogi Technologies And Research Pvt. Ltd. will participate in the Annual General Meeting of Members, 2016 (Eastern Region) of Indo German Chamber of Commerce to be held on 7th December, 2016. Dr. Martin Ney, German Ambassador to India has kindly consented to be the Chief Guest of the programme. Neogi Technologies And Research Pvt. Ltd. will be attending the session. A book on “Greener, Cleaner World: Business Responsibility Initiatives in Eastern India” will be published in the session. NTR Pvt. Ltd. will be one of the sponsors of the programme.
We are the Manufacturer of PV Valve for Petrol Pump Retail Outlet


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Complaints about inaccurate credit reports are soaring
Khristopher J. Brooks – September 14, 2022
Americans are on pace to set a record this year for the most complaints about credit report inaccuracies filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to Consumer Reports.
Credit score concerns accounted for slightly more than half of all complaints sent to the federal agency in 2020 and 2021, the nonprofit consumer advocacy group found. But during the first half of this year, that number has ballooned to three-quarters of all complaints.
“Mistakes on credit reports are all too common and can have serious consequences, especially for those who are already struggling to make ends meet,” Consumer Reports policy analyst Syed Ejaz said in a statement. “No one should have to pay to access their own financial information.”
Consumer Reports urged the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — to take action to ensure that people’s credit reports are accurate. One way to accomplish this, it said, is to stop making consumers pay for their report. Equifax and TransUnion charge between $20 and $30 a month for unlimited access to personal credit reports. Experian’s reports are free.
Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, consumers can get a free, complete credit report once a year at the site annualcreditreport.com. Experian and TransUnion charge consumers for repeated access to their reports.
Seeing your credit report once a year isn’t enough, Ejaz said in a letter to the credit bureaus. Consumers need constant and free access to their report so they can quickly spot and dispute errors, he argued. “[C]onsumers should be able to access their credit reports securely and for free at any time, as frequently as they deem necessary,” Ejaz said.
Companies use credit scores for employment decisions, while landlords use them to assess new tenants, and insurance companies use them to set prices. So a person’s financial history shouldn’t be locked behind a paywall, Ejaz said.
The push for unlimited free access to credit reports comes a few months after Equifax accidentally sent the wrong credit score out for hundreds of thousands of Americans. Equifax now faces a class-action lawsuit over the credit scores, which were sent out between March 17 and April 6. Federal lawmakers also have called on Equifax to explain what caused the error and how consumers will be compensated for the mistake.
Aside from free reports, said Ejaz in the letter, credit bureaus can also improve accuracy by:
- Double-checking a consumer’s full name, date of birth and full Social Security number before placing a mark on someone’s credit report;
- Letting a consumer dispute the investigation findings of a previously submitted inaccuracy dispute;
- Mot locking a consumer out of their credit report if the person cannot answer identity questions.
Consumer Reports has launched an online petition further urging the credit bureaus to make their reports free always.
Inaccurate credit reports have become a growing national problem in recent years, with many consumers reporting difficulty inn getting Equifax, Experian or TransUnion to delete mistakes from their file.
An analysis from the CFPB found that the three credit bureaus collectively resolved less than 2% of credit report complaints they received in 2021, down sharply from 25% in 2019. The number of complaints Americans sent to the CFPB about inaccurate credit reports more than doubled between 2018 and 2021, Consumer Reports said.


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'˜Make eating dogs a crime': Campaigners call onÂ government to make consumption of dog meat illegal in UKÂ
Campaigners are calling on the government to make the consumption of dog meat illegal in the UK.Â
Under current law it is legalÂ for an owner to kill and eat yourÂ dog in our country '“Â as long as you were to kill your pet humanely.Â
But while you would think that the cultural taboo of eating your canine friend would be enough to put anyone off committing such an act, an international campaign group are calling for tougher deterrents.
The World Dog Alliance (WDA) has called on the Prime Minister to introduce a full ban on '˜any interaction' with dog meat in the UK.Â
The welfare groupÂ said it is worried the consumption of dogs may be being spread by immigration from some Asian countries '“Â even if the consumption of dog meat in countries like North and South Korea is becoming increasingly uncommon.Â
The WDA's Kike Yuen told our sister paper the i: '˜We believe a legal ban on dog meat would keep UK's global leading role in the field of animal protection, especially after the UK leaves the EU.
'˜People in the West barely eat dog meat, but we worry that dog meat consumption may be spread to UK with immigration.'
In the UK it is illegal to buy or sell dog meat under the current laws, but WDA want the government to introduce a full ban on consuming canines '“Â having successfully lobbied for such laws in the United States of America.Â
The Sun reports thatÂ Theresa May faced '˜urgent calls'Â to enact new laws.Â The WDA is set to launch a nationwide campaign in the autumn. Chair of the All-party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group, Lisa Cameron, came out in support of the ban and urged the government to look into it 'as a matter of urgency'.Â
Tory MP Sir Alan Duncan also backed new legislation, which he called '˜absolutely right'. And Theresa May's official spokesperson told a Westminster media briefing on Monday: '˜The commercial trade in dog meat in the UK is illegal, but we will look closely at the decision taken in the US.'Â Â


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Fortnite's popular 50v50 mode — or something very much like it — might become a permanent fixture in the game, according to Epic.
"We’ve heard you about your love for 50v50 and we’re currently evaluating keeping a larger squad mode live at all times for those who enjoy that type of battling more!" the developer said in an update.
Fortnite's 50v50 mode is one of its most popular, catering to both casual and active playstyles, according to fans of the Limited Time Mode.
The 50v50 LTM first went live at the end of last year after it was revealed at the 2017 Game Awards.
Following the addition of jetpacks to the game, Epic has teased more new items to come that will "change gameplay in big & unique ways."
There's a bunch of other improvements coming to build a "better experience for console players" with controller tweaks, as well as a few performance updates. You can check out the full update on Epic Games' blog.


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The Bmw 3-Series Sedan appears to be a benchmark on the market as Cadillac made its own model, the ATS, and Hyundai also wants a model just like that. According to Automotive News, Hyundai is preparing to build a performance-oriented small sedan, which will use the same rwd platform seen on the Genesis sedan and coupe models.
Regarding its looks, the design will be closer to the Genesis Coupe’s look. Still, don’t expect to see this car too soon, as the Korean manufacturer said that the new sedan will hit the showrooms in 2015. Of course, this is not a new plan as the vehicle has been in Hyundai's pipeline since 2006. "The Genesis Coupe is in the same segment, really, as the 3-series coupe," Hyundai CEO John Krafcik said. "One of the things we're thinking is: Should we do something that's a sedan version of that?"


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Calvin Klein has embraced the world of sexting and Tinder with its experimental new ad campaign, which will appear on the dating app later this year.
The Fall 2015 #mycalvins campaign intersperses shots of models with printed stories of “love, lust and sexual desire” inspired by sexts and messages sent by real people.
Using the tagline “raw texts, real stories”, the excerpts are “inspired by actual events and people” and sees Calvin Klein pay tribute to a new form of tech-based flirtation.
Speaking to WWD, Melisa Goldie, chief marketing officer of Calvin Klein, said this new behaviour is not just happening with younger generations.
She said the campaign is about “highlighting the truth about dating–the meetup, the hookup and the freedom that you have through the digital dating landscape and how instantaneous it is.”
The printed messages include phrases like “Hahah a light threesome never hurt anyone”, “[Felippe wants access to private photos]” and “tonight? promise i’ll give you a reeeeeal good one.”
The stories and texts come from the experiences of young adults in London, New York, Sao Paulo and Seoul.
The ads were created by Mother New York and shot by Mario Sorrenti, and were the result of the ad agency hanging out with “kids living in today’s world” and hearing their stories about sexting, hookups and digital dating.
And considering that the ads were inspired by the popularity of apps like Tinder and Snapchat, the #mycalvins campaign will actually run on dating app Tinder later this year.
Tinder started including in-app advertising earlier this year – opening its ad platform with a Bud Light video – and this fall the Calvin Klein campaign will be beamed around the world to Tinder’s singles.
The collaboration is an integrated digital partnership, and will see Calvin Klein profiles added to Tinder that singles can swipe left or right.
Earlier in the year, Tinder co-founder Sean Rad said engagement for these types of profiles was normally around 25%, although the Bud Light video saw an incredibly increased rate of engagement.
Tinder has heavily ramped up its promotional side this year, selling discounted music, a week on a Croation yacht, along with a Gillette data partnership, Expedia study and an advert with crisp company Lay’s.
The Tinder and Calvin Klein partnership will begin this fall, check out the full adverts below:


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BMW Group South Africa has announced just 28 units of the new M2 CS will be offered for sale locally, with all set to be sold via a dedicated “auction” event.
Gennaro Bonafede, head of BMW M South Africa, made the announcement during a Q&A session on Facebook.
Bonafede confirmed while 30 units had been set aside for South Africa, two would go into BMW SA’s press fleet. He also revealed there would be a mix of six-speed manual and seven-speed M-DCT variants.
Interestingly, he suggested BMW SA’s “top clients” would get first dibs on the special-edition models at a dedicated auction event likely to take place at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit at the end of 2020. This is in contrast to the usual method of allocating units to various dealerships.
Bonafede said the Munich-based firm’s local arm had some 300 people on the waiting list for the new M2 CS. He revealed four exterior colours would be offered locally, along with lightweight 19-inch Y-spoke forged wheels in either black or gold.
Revealed in November 2019, the BMW M2 CS is billed as a “limited-run” special edition positioned above the M2 Competition.
The M2 CS employs a 3,0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol developing 331 kW and 550 N.m (yes, the same peak outputs of the outgoing M4 Competition). That’s enough, says BMW, for a sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 4,0 seconds in the case of the dual-clutch model.
That claimed acceleration figure rises to 4,2 seconds with a six-speed manual gearbox specified. Regardless of the chosen transmission, the electronically governed top speed comes in at 280 km/h thanks to the standard fitment of the M Driver’s Package.
The M2 CS furthermore features a carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic bonnet, complete with a central air vent the Munich-based firm says “increases downforce and improves engine cooling”. The roof, too, is fashioned from CFRP.
In addition, there’s a new front splitter, a Gurney spoiler lip and a rear diffuser (in exposed carbon-fibre). Standard specification includes Adaptive M suspension along with M Sport brakes with red-painted callipers. Carbon-ceramic brakes will be optional.
Inside, you’ll find “bucket-style” M Sport seats borrowed from the M4 CS, complete with integral head restraints featuring BMW M stripes. The seat backrests are finished in a mix of Merino leather and Alcantara with red contrast stitching.
Original article from Car


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•The leather and related products sub-sector grew by 15.6% in 2021 mainly due to an increase of 30.5% in finished leather, the Economic Survey 2022 indicates.
•Even so, the value of leather exports shrunk to Sh1.9 billion from Sh2.1 billion in 2020.
The Tanners Association of Kenya has urged the government to come up with laws that will help address issues stalling the growth of the leather industry.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, at the Reddamac Leather Company, the association chairman Robert Nzioka said the process to come up with the right policies started years ago, but later stalled.
“Though the Kenya Leather Development Council had initiated the process of getting some policies, we are aware that the process later stalled. We urge the state to help us finalise them,” he said.
He said there are at least four key policies that need to be finalised to make the leather industry vibrant.
"Industry complaints to KRA are not addressed in time and stocks are held at the port waiting for testing," Nzioka said.
There are also concerns over delays in clearing chemicals needed by the industry, with players incurring heavy storage charges while forced to stop operations.
The chairman also pointed out issues of illegal hides and skins, ground dying and illegal exports following the reduction of export duty from Sh80 to Sh5o.
Livestock keepers have also been urged to be keen on quality.
“ Before the onset of ground drying and challenges of poor quality of locally produced hides, we dealt with poor animal husbandry and slaughter operations. Deliberate destruction has worsened the situation,” he said.
He faulted remarks by Mogotio MP on unprocessed leather prices.
“It is unfortunate the MP can utter such remarks. We urge him to fast understand how this business operates before speaking. Most hides are of poor quality and the association has done everything to make traders in the field enjoy the business," he said.
He thanked President William Ruto for his commitment to improving the leather industry.
The leather and related products sub-sector grew by 15.6 per cent in 2021 mainly due to an increase of 30.5 per cent in finished leather, the Economic Survey 2022 indicates.
Similarly, the production of footwear with uppers of leather and those with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastic increased by 22.9 and 5.7 per cent, respectively during the review period.
The sub-sector remains key in Export Processing Zones (EPZ) which have made positive contributions to the economy, alongside textile and apparel.
Even so, the value of leather exports shrunk to Sh1.9 billion from Sh2.1 billion in 2020.


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Emissions, noise drive compact equipment electrification
10 August 2022
Battery electric power has achieved a substantial foothold in compact equipment. While equipment types vary, in surveying the market, battery technology provider Kreisel Electric identified residential turf care products, compact construction equipment on up to small tractors as initial targets for utilizing electric power systems.
Jennifer Preston, director of John Deere Electric Powertrain, CEO, Kreisel Electric, said experiences in the on-highway market “have undoubtedly played a role in helping customers get used to [BEV] technology and helped grow the acceptance rate in off-highway markets.”
“It is becoming clear that the more electric-powered cars and trucks that are purchased, the more it makes sense for consumers to go electric for residential and rural lifestyle applications, as well,” she said. “Once the charging infrastructure is on their property, customers start to think about what else they could do with that electrical power.”
Construction leads charge
But while there has been a sizable shift in the lawn and garden markets toward electric power, Nick Moore, director of product management for Electrification, Briggs & Stratton, said construction is the industry leading the charge in adoption. “We’ve seen huge interest from the construction market due to green jobsite requirements and the demand for low-emissions solutions for indoor work,” he said. “The ability to run a piece of equipment indoors or out, as well as the ability to meet all jobsite requirements without sacrificing performance, makes battery power a beneficial choice.”
“The machines are used in all of the same applications that diesel machinery is used, plus many places diesel machinery cannot be, such as indoor applications, underground or applications that are in close proximity to food and animals,” said Ashby Graham, general manager - production & marketing, JCB. “As well, customers can extend the working hours of machinery on jobsites that have noise level restrictions such as schools and hospitals.
“Our electric equipment is being used in applications we expected with people who are interested in reducing their carbon footprint or work in noise-sensitive environments,” she continued. “But they’re also being used in applications we didn’t necessarily expect, such as inside recycling centers as a stationary sorting machine; cleaning out culverts under the interstate with no requirement for exhaust extraction equipment or road closures; and dairy farms and nurseries because the equipment does not impact the animals or plants.”
Understanding needs & applications
Joel Honeyman, vice president of Global Innovation, Bobcat Co., sees electric power as yet another option to meet specific customer and jobsite needs. “I want to be really clear, and I do want to make this statement: We are not getting rid of diesel machines tomorrow,” he said. “It is a both/and world.
“There will be diesel machines for many years,” he added. “However, there is a segment of customers… that want and appreciate what an electric machine can provide. And there are applications and customers who are demanding this, so we’re going to provide that.”
Working alongside early adopters has been valuable in understanding both these customers’ needs and the applications, said Graham. “While they get on-site expertise, we’re getting first-hand feedback that allows us to explain best practices for how electric machines should be used, especially when integrated with an existing diesel-powered fleet,” she noted. “Customer feedback also helps us assess machine performance in unique environments, like operating in sand, and how that might impact things like power usage over time.
“Electric is opening the doors to new opportunities, which is exciting,” she said. “It also brings some unknowns, which we learn from to adapt for optimal performance in future.”


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OS X Mountain Lion Bringing Automatic App Downloads to Mac
As noted by Zach Kahn (via 9to5Mac), the latest developer build of OS X Mountain Lion released last week sets the stage for bringing iOS-like automatic app downloads to Mac App Store purchases.
Like on the iPhone and iPad, when you buy and install an app on one of your Macs, all of your other Macs logged into the same App Store account will automatically install the app too.
Unfortunately, the feature does not seem to be working completely. While the App Store will still offer to enable automatic downloads (as seen above), it does not actually install anything when you purchase apps from another computer.
Apple has been issuing regular updates of OS X Mountain Lion to its Mac developer community, and the company is expected to offer many more details on the next-generation operating system at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. OS X Mountain Lion is currently scheduled to see a public launch in "late summer" of this year and will bring a number of enhancements including several features drawn from iOS such as Notification Center, Game Center, Messages, and Reminders.
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro.
Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April.
iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007.
The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today.
Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa.
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro.
If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a...
Apple's high-end iPhone models have started at $999 in the U.S. since they first launched back in 2017 with the iPhone X, but could this finally be the year that starting price sees an increase?
This week also saw some more rumors about Apple's upcoming headset and the company's explorations in the booming AI industry as well as the release of a new round of beta updates, so read on for all...
Samsung today kicked off a special "Discover Samsung" event, which will be a week-long savings event focusing on Samsung monitors, smartphones, TVs, appliances, and more. While some deals will stick around the entire week (through March 26), others will refresh every day.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
Top Rated Comments
I definitely don't want automatic updates.. sometimes they screw up apps that were previously working perfectly. Now, every time an update is released for an app that is important to me, I give it some time and research if there are any issues with that update.
Why not...? I have both. You can't argue with free cloud storage.
I wouldn't call him a fool! Anyway maybe it's your personal preference that Lion > SL, but for a solid amount of people it's vice versa!
If the new MBS would not be able to run Snow Leopard than unfortunately I wont be buying one. :( Or maybe if the ML will be really improved overally over Lion than I may consider getting one, but most preferably I will get the latest model of MB's or Air that can handle Snow Leopard because for me it's the best OS Apple made so far period.
So please don't assume that Saint Steve could do no wrong, because in your opinion he did. I don't think the company will fall apart without him. People have been complaining about Apple for years while Steve was around, just as they will continue to complain in his absence.
Oh. Thanks, for some reason I was thinking your were strictly talking about iCloud features (most of which can be turned off individually)
Auto Save needs a bit of polish as well as Resume IMO.


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Batman PS4 update version 1.08 is now available for players. According to the Batman update 1.08 changelog, the latest update added minor bug fixes. Apart from this, Batman version 1.08 also includes network connection improvements.
Previously, a big update was released with new features, quality of life improvements and more. Unfortunately, many users are still experiencing a number of issues. Today’s Batman version 1.08 update is expected to fix a few of these issues. Check out more details below.
Batman PS4 update 1.08 for is now available fo download.


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Calling the Central government’s directive to display signboards and flex boards with photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at ration shops across Kerala an “election stunt”, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Kerala Assembly on February 12 (Monday) that the State government will inform the Union government of its decision to not implement the directive.
The government will also consider informing the Election Commission about the issue, he said, after making an intervention while Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil was replying to questions related to the matter.
“The public distribution system and ration shops have existed in Kerala for long. But the Union government has now issued an unprecedented directive at a time when the Lok Sabha elections are nearing, surely with an intention to use this for campaigning. We will inform the Union government that we will not be implementing the directive, citing these issues,” said Mr. Vijayan.
Earlier, Mr. Anil told the House that the Union government had directed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Food and Civil Supplies department to install flex boards featuring Mr. Modi in 10,000 ration shops and submit a report. It also directed that selfie points of the Prime Minister be set up in 550 ration shops. Carry bags with the Union government’s branding were also asked to be provided to the customers.
Bharat Rice distribution slammed
Mr. Anil also criticised the Union government’s move to distribute Bharat Rice at ₹29 per kg as a violation of federal principles.
He said the State government has been procuring food grains through the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) from the FCI and providing it to customers at ₹24 per kg. However, the Union government blocked this market intervention effort by changing norms to prevent the State from purchasing through the OMSS. It then began distributing Bharat brand rice through other outlets, bypassing the State’s public distribution system and ration shops. The government has no way of checking whether all the deserving are getting the guaranteed amount of grains through these outlets, he said.
The Minister said that the Union government is providing food grains only to 43% of Kerala’s population under the Food Security Act. The State government is providing grains at subsidised rates for the remaining 57%, he said.


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ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Did you forget about National Pizza Pie Day on Feb. 9? Fear not. Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) is here to help. The recognized world leader in pizza delivery is continuing the celebration of everything pizza by offering large two-topping pizzas for $5.99 each, valid on carryout orders from Feb. 13 – 19.
"National Pizza Pie Day may have come and gone, but every day is pizza day here at Domino's," said Tim McIntyre, Domino's spokesperson. "We wanted to give customers a great deal, all week long, including on Valentine's Day. Whether you want to share a 'romantic' pizza dinner at home on Feb. 14 or choose to have pizza later in the week, we think Domino's is for lovers … pizza lovers, that is."
Customers may take advantage of the $5.99 carryout deal by ordering over the phone, in-store, at dominos.com, or via Domino's mobile ordering apps. To find the nearest Domino's location, visit dominos.com.
About Domino's Pizza®
Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, with a significant business in carryout pizza. It ranks among the world's top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 13,200 stores in over 80 markets. Domino's had global retail sales of over $9.9 billion in 2015, with more than $4.8 billion in the U.S. and nearly $5.1 billion internationally. In the third quarter of 2016, Domino's had global retail sales of nearly $2.5 billion, with over $1.2 billion in the U.S. and nearly $1.3 billion internationally. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for over 97% of Domino's stores as of the third quarter of 2016. Emphasis on technology innovation helped Domino's reach an estimated $4.7 billion annually in global digital sales at the end of 2015, and has produced several innovative ordering platforms including Facebook Messenger, Samsung Smart TV®, Apple Watch, Amazon Echo, Twitter and text message using a pizza emoji. In late 2015, Domino's announced the design and launch of the DXP®, a purpose-built pizza delivery vehicle, as well as Piece of the Pie Rewards™, its first digital customer loyalty program.
Order – dominos.com
AnyWare Ordering – anyware.dominos.com
Company Info – biz.dominos.com
Twitter – twitter.com/dominos
Facebook – facebook.com/dominos
Instagram – instagram.com/dominos
YouTube – youtube.com/dominos
SOURCE Domino's Pizza


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Mate Rimac Reveals The Future Of The Bugatti & Rimac Partnership With A Number Of New Hypercars
Last year, Bugatti and Rimac joined forces. And this was very exciting because arguably Rimac is one of the greatest car companies in the world. Bugatti is also one of the greatest car companies in the world, so this venture already looks to be panning out pretty nicely. Oh, and then Porsche joined the team with all three being ruled by the brilliant Mate Rimac. Now, they’ve given us an idea as to what’s coming over the next year or so.
Mate has shared a short video that teases what these companies have coming, and if you look closely at some of the angles and contours underneath the car covers, you’d be as excited as us. Will we see the next era of Chiron/Veyron? And will we finally get our eyes on the Bugatti Bolide? I hope so.
Fortunately, we’ll see the first car breaking cover this year, 2022.
The Croatian CEO Mate Rimac has been assigned the enormous responsibility of creating a worthy successor to the Bugatti Chiron. We believe that this could well use a hybrid powertrain, but regardless, he has teased us with an intriguing image depicting the evolution of Bugatti and Rimac over time.
The video showed us a vague image, which revealed the upcoming Bugatti and Rimac models albeit hidden under covers. The Royale, a Type 35, and the iconic Type 575C Atlantic were sat on the left. The centre was made up of the Bugatti Chiron and Veyron, with the Concept-One and Nevera made by Rimac sitting proudly next to them.
The most interesting part of the video is what’s hidden on the right side. These three covered cars look to be the classic-looking car that Bugatti teased a while back, the Type 356, and what we expect to be an EV or two as well as the Chiron successor.
The future of the hypercar is certainly in good hands.


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“I can’t overstate how mobile is changing how we interact with our consumers.” -Joel Anderson, CEO of Wal-Mart.
Joel’s statement becomes more evident as only 9.6% of Gen Z reports buying items in a physical store –– considerably less than their older generations (Millennial at 31.04%, Gen X at 27.5%, and Baby Boomers at 31.9% respectively) Global web sales neared $3 trillion in 2018, increasing online’s share of total retail sales to north of 15%. With the slow death of physical retail stores, we are in the new era of e-commerce where consumers now have choice and convenience.
The world’s two largest economies—the United States and China—dominate global online retailing. Together, these two powerhouses accounted for more than half of worldwide ecommerce sales of physical goods in 2017.
According to Mckinsey, 1.4 Bn people will join the global middle class by 2020 and 85% will be in the Asia Pacific region (APAC). ecommerce as a whole has already shifted away from the West and will continue to do so and it has significantly revolutionary changes in the supply chain and the way business is conducted.
“China is a sleeping lion. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will shake the world.” – Napoléon Bonaparte. Looks like the giant is slowly waking up and taking the world by a storm. A small impact of the storm falls on the E-Commerce industry globally as China, the world’s No. 1 ecommerce market, saw online sales soar 28% to $877 Bn from in 2017 from $685 Bn in 2016. According to China’s Ministry of Commerce. Total retail sales reached $5.85 trillion, an increase of 4.6%, which was a modest uptick from nearly 4.5% growth in 2016, when purchases hit $5.44 trillion. Online’s share of total retail in the country reached 15.0% in 2017, up from 12.6% during the prior year. China far outpaced the United States, the second-largest global market in ecommerce, in terms of both sales and growth.
If we were to look at the E-commerce industry in one of the largest and fastest growing market in the world- India- the trend is also going upwards. It is estimated that between 2018 and 2023, the value of the Indian e-commerce market will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of ~41%, from $ 34.75 Bn in 2017. The growing number of Internet users and continuously increasing purchasing power are the primary driving forces for the growth of the e-commerce market in India. As of 2017, the Indian e-commerce market was dominated by the online travel segment (~49.59%), followed by that of retail, financial services, and online classifieds market, among others.
Internet and the boom in related technology is changing the way business is transacted even in our home ground. The size of e-commerce market in Bangladesh crossed the BDT 17 Bn-mark in 2017 from BDT 4 Bn in 2016, according to the data available with e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB). Retail e-commerce is growing at 72% a month. 60% of the customers are from Dhaka and belong to the age group of 18 to 35. The market size is expected to reach BDT 70 Bn (BDT 7,000 crore) by 2021. Ten leading companies — both foreign and local — are present in the online market. They are Daraz, Pickaboo, Ajker Deal, Bagdoom, Priyoshop, Shadmart, and Backpack. Of them, the market share of Daraz is estimated to be 40%. Currently, 25,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are involved with this sector. The numbers of e-commerce websites and F-commerce pages are 2,500 and 150,000 respectively. The number of delivery is estimated at 15,000 to 20,000 at the retail level per day.
Technology is advancing and the world is changing as we speak. It is shaping how consumers decide what to buy and where to buy it form. It’s not just about where you sell your product or service but the value that you are creating and how you are responding to the dynamic market changes. More than ever, now it is absolutely crucial that start-ups and even big corporations keep up and adapt to the market because- the future is now!


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Moves by Seagate and Western Digital to acquire hard-drive companies are being probed by European regulators because of "competition concerns", the European Commission said on Monday.
The Seagate GoFlex Satellite hard drive takes the shackles off your tablet, freeing it to connect to a greater amount of storage capacity -- without having to go through any pesky wires. But although the hardware implementation is adequate, the softw...
Samsung Electronics will sell its hard-disk drive operations to Seagate Technology in a $US1.375 billion deal that will create strong links between the two companies, they said Tuesday.
Storage giant Seagate has announced that it will put on sale what it claims is the world slimmest ever portable hard drive, and for once the hyperbole stands up to scrutiny - the new GoFlex Slim drive is only 9mm thick.
Seagate today announced five product refreshes that include both its solid-state drive (SSD) line and its high-performance, midrange and high-capacity hard-disk drives. The upgrades boost performance and capacity by between 50 per cent and 100 per ce...
Seagate has unveiled new models of its Pulsar line of solid state drives (SSD) -- delivering performance, endurance, and reliability that business can trust. The new drives bring the benefits of SSD to organizations with demanding data storage needs.
Western Digital announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST), the disk drive arm of Hitachi Ltd., in a cash and stock transaction valued at about $4.3 billion.
Hard disk manufacturer Seagate has published an extraordinary report all but proving that solid-state disk (SSD) technology will remain niche for the next decade or two, at least.
Seagate Technology has closed off talks on a potential private-equity buyout while saying the hard-disk-drive market has improved.
A federal jury this month awarded awarded a former Seagate Technology engineer $1.9 million, in a wrongful employment case.
Has your small business outgrown its current network storage? Do you want space for all of your TV shows, games, and HD videos? Seagate might have the solution for you with its BlackArmor network-attached storage (NAS) system, with four bays that c...
Seagate has clearly had a busy year with the launch of its GoFlex storage line. The latest entry in that line is the FreeAgent GoFlex 1.5TB portable drive, which packs half a terabyte more than the competition offers in a 2.5-inch design. The $250 dr...
Seagate today unveiled what it calls the world's first 2.5-in, 1.5TB portable hard disk drive.
Seagate's Momentus Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) has become the first encrypted laptop hard drive to get the critical FIPS 140-2 certification that the company hopes will finally help boost its sales to US and Canadian government organisations.
Seagate launched a new line of external hard drives--the GoFlex Home network storage system. The product is aimed at the home user market, but the GoFlex Home drives can also be a flexible, cost-effective backup and storage solution for small busines...
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The announcement is expected to come tonight via company president Peter Moore's blog, but EA would not comment further on details.
What could this be about exactly?
EA has already issued two different statements on the Woods matter, saying they are supporting the superstar athlete during his troubled times. But EA has yet to say whether or not the 'PGA Tour' series will continue to be branded with Woods going forward.
USA Today speculates this announcement pertains to Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Online, a browser-based PC title currently in beta form, and that the company plans to move forward with game, Tiger included.
Is Tiger in trouble with EA? We'll just have to wait and see.
Update: Peter Moore has posted the statement, saying EA Sports will continue moving forward with Tiger.
"For the past month, we have watched the Tiger Woods story play itself out while several of his sponsors have stepped away from the golfer. At EA SPORTS, we've been particularly attentive because for the past year, we have been in full development of a new and highly innovative, online golf game. The game has been in closed beta for eight months, with more than 75,000 people playing and participating.
"Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Online is a breakthrough experience - golfers will love the authentic feel of the course and gamers will be struck by the detail and smooth flow of the browser based experience. We have spent considerable time developing and testing this game; we're proud of it; and we are releasing it in open beta later this month.
"This decision will no doubt create some attention and further speculation about Tiger Woods, and about his relationship with sponsors. With that in mind, I want to shed some light on why EA SPORTS has decided to continue with Tiger on the masthead of this game.
"Our relationship with Tiger has always been rooted in golf. We didn't form a relationship with him so that he could act as an arm's length endorser. Far from it. We chose to partner with Tiger in 1997 because we saw him as the world's best, most talented and exciting golfer. We struck that partnership with the assumption that he would remain near or at the top of his sport for years to come.
"By his own admission, he's made some mistakes off the course. But regardless of what's happening in his personal life, and regardless of his decision to take a personal leave from the sport, Tiger Woods is still one of the greatest athletes in history. At EA SPORTS, we make authentic sports simulations. When we say "It's in the Game", it is not just a tag line but a statement about the quality and authenticity of the game experience. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Online is truly representative of that rallying cry, and a game that all of us at EA SPORTS are proud to be delivering this month to sports fans around the globe."


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The Victoria’s Secret fashion show announcement was made on Twitter by the brand last night – although the date and time has yet to be confirmed.
Some of the world’s biggest supermodels will be in the show walking alongside
Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosia, Lily Aldridge and sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid.
The Los Angeles m…
Daily Express :: Style Feed


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December consumer prices rose from the month before and did not fall as previously thought, according to revised data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday.
The newly calibrated Consumer Price Index shows that prices rose 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis in December from November versus a previously estimated decline of 0.1%.
Every year, the BLS recalculates seasonal adjustment factors for CPI going back five years. (However, the year-over-year data, which is not seasonally adjusted, is not revised.)
The latest annual adjustments show slight shifts in the month-on-month inflation trend for 2022 — with November and October revised up by 0.1 percentage points.
Core CPI, which excludes the more volatile categories of food and energy, saw upward revisions of 0.1 percentage points in December and November to 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively.


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The nine US RGGI states sold all 15.5 million carbon permits on offer at its June 3 auction for $5.50 each, the market regulator said on Friday.
This is well above the minimum price of $2.05 each but not enough to reach the $6 threshold that would have released an additional 10 million permits from the Cost Containment Release.
Some 68% of the auctioned allowances were bought by compliance firm and their affiliates, lower than the 77% average over all sales so far. 48 bidders took part and the sale was 3.1 times subscribed.
The auction generated $85 million for reinvestment in strategic programs, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, direct bill assistance, and GHG abatement programs, taking the total proceeds from all 28 RGGI auctions to $2.1 billion dollars.
By Ben Garside – email@example.com


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Ubisoft has released a new trailer for The Division 2 that is all about the game’s most deadly areas: the Dark Zone.
For those who are unaware, the Dark Zone is an area that mixes PvE and PvP, and features a lot of high-end loot for players to collect. Players must defeat powerful enemies and extract infected loot while keeping an eye out for other players who are looking to take it for themselves.
Yesterday, Ubisoft went over the post-launch content that players can expect during the sequel’s first year, including three narrative-driven episodes, three additional specializations, an eight-player raid, new PvP maps, and more.
Remember, an open beta for the game will take place this weekend from March 1st through March 4th, allowing players to reach level 8 and try out PvE, PvP, and Dark Zone content.
The Division 2 launches March 15th, 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.


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Last year, Apple announced a $100 million venture fund in conjunction with venture partners Kleiner Perkins, Caufield & Byers. The fund produced some of the App Store’s biggest names: iPhone developers like game-maker Ngmoco, social app maker GOGII and home-security company iControl. Now KPCB says they are adding more funding to the coffers because of the iPhone’s runaway success, reports Bloomberg. (Left, the splash screen from Ngmoco’s runaway success, the iPhone game Topple 2.)
Kleiner Perkins says it’s not looking for applicants planning massive IPOs–the traditional Valley mindset. Rather, the fund is seeking “big ideas” that scale profitably over Apple’s projected 100 or 200 million-person user base. Still, KPCB’s standing in the venture community means it won’t be pulling up too many small-time developers; the original Google-backer will likely get most of its relationships through its “established network of advisers and executives.”
KPCB has not specified how much capital they plan to add to the iFund.


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SAN FRANCISCO—Everspin Technologies Inc., a provider of magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM), said this week it notched 250 design wins in 2011 and that it has more than 300 active customers.
Everspin (Chandler, Ariz.) said its 2011 MRAM product shipments were more than three times the unit volume it shipped in 2010. But the privately held firm declined to provide numbers.
MRAM is considered a niche technology, though Everspin and others say it is gaining wider acceptance. Critics say its relatively high costs will prevent it from competing meaningfully with mainstream memory technologies like DRAM and flash memory.
A statement released by Everspin Wednesday (Jan. 18) quoted Jim Handy, an analyst with market research and consulting firm Objective Analysis, saying MRAM has gained acceptance as a superior alternative to non-volatile SRAM for disk array controllers.
Everspin's "impressive progress this past year is proof of OEMs' increased interest and readiness to use MRAM in diverse applications," Handy said.
Everspin claims that MRAM enhances data center and networking fault recovery to reduce system downtime and simplifies system design, providing an overall lower total cost of ownership.
Everspin said the major contributor to its 2011 growth was the the enterprise storage, server and networking segment, which accounted for "a significant portion" of its MRAM product shipments. According to Everspin, a number of vendors in this segment, including Dell Inc. and LSI Corp., have turned to MRAM technology for data storage in RAID (redundant array of independent disks) systems, servers and routers.
Dell is currently using MRAM as a journal memory in its RAID storage applications, including Dell PowerEdge servers and PowerVault direct attached storage, as well as Dell EqualLogic storage area network products, according to Everspin.
LSI also uses Everspin MRAM as journal memory in its RAID controller cards, Everspin said. MRAM chips are also included on LSI reference designs for third party RAID cards and RAID-on-motherboard solutions, according to the firm.


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We’ve gotten word that yet another ghost kitchen (delivery only) has opened on the Upper West Side. Wow Bao is now delivering from and using the kitchen at 269 Columbus Avenue, between 72nd and 73rd Streets, which is also the location of Harvest Kitchen.
“Wow Bao offers fast Asian street food—bao, pan-seared potstickers, steamed dumplings, rice & noodle bowls, hearty soups, fresh salads, and specialty drinks such as our fresh ginger ale,” the eatery’s website states.
The trend of ghost kitchens has been apparent on the Upper West Side, with the recent launches of City Dumpling and Dumpling Galaxy. In addition, a delivery and take-out only spot called Skyooerd, serving Japanese skewers of meat, fish and veggies, has opened at 446 Columbus Ave.
Ghost kitchens have been expanding around the country in the last year, but the trend began before the pandemic rattled the restaurant industry. A November 2019 article published by restaurantdive.com noted that CloudKitchens, a company founded by former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, had landed a $400 million investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, giving it a potential market value of $5 billion. “CloudKitchens buys cheap real estate and builds shared kitchens for restaurants to rent. It also runs its own delivery-only restaurants,” the report stated.
An October 20 report by the Wall Street Journal states that CloudKitchens has spent over $130 million in real estate, “acquiring closed restaurants, auto-body shops and warehouses for use in his new ghost kitchen venture.”
While this trend appears to have started gaining ground before the pandemic, it does appear to have accelerated since COVID-19 entered our lives, whether or not as a direct result of it.
The immediate and long-term future of NYC’s restaurant scene is hard to predict. As the pandemic has caused so many to close, innovative models are allowing new ones to test the market with limited risk.
Regardless, New Yorkers, at least a good percentage of them, will want to continue to enjoy full dining experiences, as in actually going out to restaurants. With the recent rise in COVID rates, we’ll have to see if the 25% indoor dining capacity will remain intact (or even increase to 50%), and if the heat lamps will have the ability to keep outdoor diners warm through winter.


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This Halloween will be an epic one for pop culture fanatics, according to the National Retail Federation in the U.S., which predicts you’ll see plenty of little yellow Minions, pint-size princesses and young Yodas.
NRF’s 2015 Halloween Consumer Survey placed Minions and “Star Wars” characters on the lists of top costumes for adults, children and pets.
“As we’ve seen for several years, Hollywood and pop culture both have a tremendous impact on how adults and their children decide to dress the part each Halloween, and it’s evident some of the biggest newsmakers of the year will be out in full force this fall,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.
Roughly 775,000 adults in the U.S. also plan to dress up as a political character this year.
Other experts say to also expect a lot of Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo and Raphael this Halloween.
Some of the most popular costumes are expected to be based on the reptilian superheroes after the 2014 release of the film “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” according to Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween, a chain of more than 1,150 pop-up stores devoted to costumes and decor for the holiday. Children love the Turtles, and so do adults who watched them on TV and in movies when they were kids, he says.
Girls are expected to choose costumes based on the Disney TV movie, “The Descendants,” the story of the children of Disney characters such as Cruella De Vil and Cinderella.
Adult costumes and accessories based on TV shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Orange Is the New Black” are expected to sell well. Costumes based on superheroes like the Avengers or Batman should also be brisk sellers, Silverstein says.
And as usual, corsets and skimpy outfits for women are likely to attract a lot of partygoers. Risque costumes are big Halloween sellers.
For those with gorier tastes, Halloween fare also includes bloodied zombies and ghouls and characters from slasher movie classics like “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th.”
You can find more unique Halloween costume ideas on Pinterest.
SOUND OFF: What costume do you have planned for yourself or your kids this Halloween? Let us know in the comments section below!
With files from Global News


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Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Qabil has amended taxes imposed on exported nitrogenous fertilizer to LE50 per ton, from LE400.
The decision will remain in effect for one year.
The decision aims to achieve a balance in the fertilizer market in Egypt, through the development of a comprehensive system designed to provide the needed quantities of fertilizer to Egyptian farmers. The system will also be applied to exporting surplus quantities to overseas markets, said the minister.
The decision has been studied thoroughly in light of other market facts, such as the decline in world prices for nitrogenous fertilizers during the recent period and the high cost of its production in the domestic market, due to rising energy prices, he added.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm


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There will be no scope for fraud in the purchase of gold jewelery, because now the jewelery selling the hallmarking of BIS will be sold in the country. Hallmarking rules are set to come into effect from June 1. Although there is some confusion about its preparations in the Corona period, but if these rules come into force from June 1, what will change on the sale and sale of gold jewelery? If you are going to buy new jewelry, then what is going to benefit you? Or what will happen to old jewelery lying at home? Today we will try to understand every nuance associated with gold hallmarking.
Accuracy guaranteed will increase!
Hallmarking rules are set to come into effect from June 1. After which hallmarking of BIS on gold jewelery will be mandatory. Only 22 carat, 18 carat, 14 carat jewelery will be sold. Hallmarking will eliminate fraud complaints. The hallmarking will contain the BIS seal, carat information. When the jewelry was made, its year, the name of the jeweler would be inscribed. Explain that the BIS hallmarking system has been linked to international norms. Hallmarking will increase transparency in the gold market.
What will happen to the old jewelry
Hallmarking of old ornaments kept in the house can also be done. Hallmarking can be done by visiting any Hallmark Center. However, the hallmarking fee of old jewelery will be slightly higher. It is possible to have a little trouble selling depths without hallmarking. Jewelry without hallmarking can get a lower price.
There will be action on disturbances
Fines ranging from 1 lakh to 5 times the price of jewelery are possible. Fraud can also be imprisoned for up to 1 year with a fine. For investigation, the government has also launched an app named BIS-Care.
Accuracy check is also available on the app. One can complain of tax on incorrect information related to hallmarking.
CAIT demands to increase deadline
By writing a letter to Piyush Goyal, CAIT has demanded to increase the deadline for this. CAIT says jewelers will suffer losses if the rules come into effect from 1 June. CAIT says that there is still not enough hallmarking center in the country. In such a situation, small traders may have to close the business if the rules come into force from 1 June. Not having enough centers between the corona will make it more difficult. CAIT has said in its letter that the government’s move is positive but hasty losses may be incurred. There is not a single hallmarking center in 11 states of the country. Instruct the BIS to open the Hallmarking Center immediately.
According to the WCG report, gold consumption in the country increased by 37 per cent in the March quarter. Gold consumption in the country has been 140 tonnes in the March quarter. The lockdown has led to a decrease in demand in the current quarter. In Q1, jewelery demand grew by 39 per cent to 102.5 tonnes. Jewelery demand has increased due to weddings. Investment demand is expected to grow 34 per cent to 37.5 tonnes in Q1, while scrap gold supply may fall 20 per cent to 14.8 tonnes in Q1.
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Bud Light wants millennials to swipe right for its next ad campaign. This year, the beer giant is transforming another town into Whatever, USA and is currently in the process of choosing the next set of adventurous millennials to attend the weekend of a lifetime via social connection apps like Tinder.
Users of the dating app who are 21 and over and #UpForWhatever can swipe right for Bud Light for a chance to win a trip to the next Whatever, USA. Bud Light plans to select 1,000 fans to attend this year’s celebration, which is set for an unrevealed location with unexpected celebrity appearances and events. And frankly, what millennial wouldn’t want to attend a secret town full of beer, prancercise and Saturday Night Fever.
Bud Light and Tinder’s partnership is the first time Tinder will capitalize on native video advertising. However, the ads will not appear as television ads “slapped” into the Tinder app, according to Bud Light. Rather, the videos will speak to users in a personable and relatable language – a tone unique to the medium.
By using Tinder, which has 26 million matches a day worldwide, Bud Light can connect with millennials organically. Users can stop, rewind, and replay the custom spots as they engage with the app. Those who match with Bud Light will be redirected to a co-branded site, where fans can show just how “up for whatever” they are.
The spontaneity of a Tinder match with Bud Light captures the spirit of Whatever, USA and allows the brand to create an entirely unique brand experience for Gen Yers. Bud Light has excelled at embodying the millennial spirit and continues to do so through millennial-centric mediums like Tinder brand activations. Bud Light is #UpForWhatever. Millennials are #UpForWhatever. Are you?


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CINCINNATI — Kroger confirmed Friday that it was impacted by a data security breach affecting Accellion, Inc., a vendor it used for third-party secure file transfers.
"Kroger believes certain associate HR data, certain pharmacy records, and certain money services records have been affected," the company said on its website.
The company believes that fewer than 1% of its customers were impacted. The breach did not affect IT systems or any grocery store systems or data, Kroger said. No credit, debit card or digital wallet information were affected by the breach, nor were customer account passwords.
While Kroger said there is no indication of "fraud or misuse of personal information" due to the breach, the company is notifying potentially impacted customers and associates by mail. They are also offering free credit monitoring to those individuals "out of an abundance of caution."
The company said Accellion notified Kroger on Jan. 23 that an unauthorized person gained access to certain Kroger files by exploiting a vulnerability in Accellion’s file transfer service.
Kroger has since stopped using Accellion’s services, reported the incident to federal law enforcement and started its own forensic investigation.
If you have questions about the breach, Kroger's dedicated call center at 1 (855) 558-2999 can be reached Monday through Friday between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. PT, and weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
For more information, click here.


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A local restaurant is showing its pickiest eaters that healthy food can be delicious.
Registered dietitian Wendy Johnson from Inova Loudoun Hospital worked with Coton & Rye executive chef Marcus Repp to change up the ingredients on traditional “kid friendly” dishes for its new children’s menu of healthy options. They designed a menu featuring gluten free and organic versions of well-known kids items like sliders and spaghetti and meatballs, as well as less conventional fares like cauliflower with tofu.
The restaurant hosted two taste tests to try out the new options. Appealing to children’s eating habits is difficult, but initial taste tests showed the new menu will be well received.
“The kids were skeptical at first, but then you could see on their faces they really enjoyed the food,” Johnson said.
Johnson said along with healthy options, a large population of Loudoun children have food allergies, making these organic and hypoallergenic options that much more important in the community. She said healthy offerings at restaurants like Coton & Rye can help inspire children at an early age to learn nutritional eating habits.
The taste tests at the restaurant, located in the Lansdowne Resort and Spa, utilized the opinions of more than a dozen children from ages four to 15. Along with healthy twists on traditional kids menu items, children sampled dishes like Zoo Cakes (zucchini, feta cheese, purple potatoes and sour cream) and the Rainbow Party Smoothie (kale, blueberries, raspberries and milk).
“A traditional kids menu as you know it is things like chicken tenders, fries, mac and cheese and spaghetti, so it’s not really anything of nutritional value for them,” Lansdowne Resort and Spa’s Sarah Crisafulli said. “We really wanted to redefine that whole experience for a kids menu that going out to eat and having something on the kids menu doesn’t have to be unhealthy. It can still be fun and healthy at the same time.”


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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is unveiling new rules this week that will require manufacturers of new or expanded products to provide accurate and complete information on ingredients, packaging, and packaging materials.
In the United States alone, the FDA estimates more than 1.4 million new products and treatments are marketed using the new guidelines, and nearly 1 million are sold annually.
A new rule announced by the FDA is a response to the growing concern over fake-pill and counterfeit products that have made it easier for criminals to produce fake pharmaceuticals and drugs.
The rules, which were released on Tuesday, include new guidance on packaging, labeling, and testing.
They are the first step toward ensuring the public gets accurate and up-to-date information about the ingredients and drugs they purchase.
The new rules come after several outbreaks of counterfeit drugs, including the deadly outbreak at a Boston hospital and the outbreak in India, where at least 10 people have died from a strain of coronavirus that the FDA has linked to the pill.
The FDA is also taking additional steps to fight fake-product scams.
The agency plans to add a new tool to its website to allow consumers to report products they think are fraudulent.
According to the FDA, the rules will help make it easier to find, prosecute, and hold manufacturers accountable for fake-products.
“FDA is committed to providing consumers with accurate, accurate information about drugs, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement.
“These new rules will ensure consumers have access to reliable information about all pharmaceuticals, and will ensure that consumers have the information they need to make an informed decision when choosing a medication or drug product.
Read more about fake-foods, counterfeit-medicines, and fake-drugs here.”
The FDA will continue to strengthen its oversight of the manufacturing of new and expanded drugs and pharmaceutical products, and its rules will be the first to do so,” Gottlieh said.
Read more about fake-foods, counterfeit-medicines, and fake-drugs here.


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Apple bites again as it recalls banned author’s app
In the latest development in the dispute between Apple and the author of a two non-fiction Danish books about hippies that contain graphic images, the computer firm has pulled the books' accompanying app.
“This is far worse than the original issue of them not publishing our book because it had pictures of naked people,” Peter Øvig Knudsen, author of ‘Hippierne 1’ and ‘Hippierne 2’, said in a statement.
He added that unlike when the books were pulled, an Apple representative did speak with a member of his staff, but no reason for the decision was given.
The companion app contained music, narratives, photography and historical film clips related to hippie culture in Denmark.
Apple’s move is the most recent development in a controversy that has national and EU lawmakers calling on the company to explain why it chose to pull the content by the respected Danish author.
Apple has so far declined to comment, although it is believed that the reason is because the book and the app contain pictures of nude people and sex acts.
Danish MEP Morten Løkkegaard (Venstre) however, has said that given the size and control that Apple has over the market for online books and apps, it needed to accept that there were cultural differences in its various markets.
“It’s not just about corporate rights. This form of censorship has political implications as well,” Løkkegaard said. “Apple can’t just walk into any country they want with an American ‘cowboy attitude’ and bark morals at people.”
The culture minister, Uffe Elbæk (Radikale), has also voiced his discontent. After initially declining to comment on the grounds that the matter had to do with a business relationship between an author and a retailer, he wrote on Facebook that he was “amazed” Apple hadn’t stated its position.
“Apple should explain itself,” he wrote. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.”
But others have questioned the controversy altogether. Ben Hammersley, a member of a European Commission panel looking into ways to secure internet freedom, insisted that Apple was within its rights to remove any works it deemed inappropriate.
“It’s like buying advertising space in a newspaper,” Hammersley explained, and drew a hypothetical example. “Let’s say I want to print an advert for my photographic history of cartoons featuring Queen Margrethe’s sexual adventures with the prophet Mohammed. If that newspaper in turn, decides that that’s not the sort of content the paper wants to be associated with and turns it down, is that censorship?”
This is a point that the European Commission’s Digital Agenda, which helps European residents and businesses get the most out of computer technologies, also agrees with since the European Union now has the authority to interfere with corporate rights and regulations.
“This is a complex matter. However, companies have the right to refuse any content they do not wish to be associated with, or any forms of expression inconsistent with their own beliefs and values,” Linda Cain, a Digital Agenda spokesperson, said.
Knudsen and his company, Hippieselskabet, used 200,000 kroner to make the app. And while Knudsen's creative director, Christian Kirk Muff, admitted that it could be reworked to suit Google’s Android platform – Apple's primary competitor, which has no guidelines for content – Muff argued that the costs of doing so outweighed the benefits.
“It would cost us a further 100,000 kroner to develop a Google app. How is that a sensible investment?” he asked.


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Bears Ice Cream Company will operate our cafe bar!
Updated: Sep 12, 2021
The Acton Arts Project is excited and delighted to announce that it has selected the Bears Ice Cream Company to open and operate it’s cafe bar at the new Act One Cinema on Acton High Street.
Bears is a family-owned business based in Acton, famous for their Scoop Club, Icelandic ice cream, Chilli Katz hotdogs and take home tubs across several West London locations.
The 6 year old business founded by husband and wife team Chef Phil Harrison and Creative Director Vera Thordardottir has also been a star attraction at both the Soho House festival and Secret Cinema.
Bears was chosen from a strong field of local businesses that had pitched to run the space and will be a key partner in the success of our cinema venture.
The Bears team will be offering a fantastic range of cinema staples - plus one or two of their signature twists on the classics.
Maire Lowe, our chair says: “We really couldn’t have found a better partner to operate the cafe/bar to complement our cinema. Bears is a fantastic company, based on our doorstep and with great experience in delivering fun food and drinks in unusual locations. We know that Bears will be bringing something new and exciting to Acton High Street - we can’t wait to open the doors”.
Vera Thordardottir also commented: "We are incredibly excited to be invited to bring Bears Ice Cream to the Acton Cinema. We have been following this amazing community project for a while and are looking forward to coming on board, offering drinks, food, coffee, and last, but not least, creative ice cream!"
Our 72-seat cinema, which is due to open late September/early October, has truly scooped up an exciting partner!
Discover more here: https://www.bearsicecream.co.uk/


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E3 2019 is now just mere months away. Therefore, a number of companies are beginning to lay out plans for the upcoming event. Most recently, Ubisoft announced its annual press conference will be held on June 10th. Now Nintendo has unveiled what it has in store for this year’s E3 festivities. The first step in such a reveal came courtesy of a newly launched E3 2019-centric Nintendo website, E3.Nintendo.com.
While E3 takes place from June 11th to June 13th, Nintendo will kick off the weekend ahead of E3 with “electrifying Nintendo game tournaments.” Included in these tournaments are the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate World Championship 2019 3v3 and Splatoon 2 World Championship 2019 events. These Nintendo festivities are scheduled to begin on Saturday, June 8th, and will be streamed live.
Unfortunately, for now, it doesn’t seem Nintendo is willing to dive into specifics about its other plans. As such, details as to what the company is doing with regards to E3 proper presently remain under wraps. Like its most recent E3 ventures, however, Nintendo will likely stream a Nintendo Direct, rather than participate in a full blown press conference, as is custom for several other titans in the industry. In the weeks to come, many burning questions concerning these matters and more are sure to be answered.
One thing fans will not have to look forward to this year is an E3 press conference from Sony Interactive Entertainment. Late in 2018, Sony revealed it would not be attending the 2019 event in any capacity. Instead, smaller and more scattered reveals are scheduled to surface throughout the year. The most notable example of this, thus far, is Sony’s State of Play broadcast. During the inaugural episode, a host of new VR-related details were announced, including Marvel’s Iron Man VR, VR compatibility for No Man’s Sky, a May 2019 release for Blood & Truth, and more.


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Regarding some of Softpedia's reported 'rumors'...what are these guys smoking?
"The Redmondians are reportedly planning to make Windows Blue a low-cost or even free operating system, just to make sure all users will make the move to the new OS....
That's simple wishful thinking on Softpedia's part. Free on that scale is not something Microsoft does. Besides, they already made that very move when they turned a complete blind eye towards all the installations using "borrowed" OEM media for Windows95 and Office back in the 90s. Dell's copies of Windows and Office got passed around quicker than a spliff at a Grateful Dead concert back then. That
was what established Microsoft as "what got used."
Letting everybody grab a copy for "free" effectively neutered Wordperfect, Lotus, Novell, Netscape, Harvard Graphics, Borland - and just about everyone else who was actual competition. That also prevented BSD and Linux from gaining anything other than a toehold on the desktop. So there's really no need to repeat that
market growth strategy again. Now it's time to cash in on it.
The Windows SDK would also be updated to the new release, while Microsoft would encourage developers to create apps for Windows Blue, with a lowered focus on Windows 8.
I think that's largely wishful thinking too - as borne out by Microsoft's recent announcement ending TechNet software subscriptions.
Microsoft wants big
developers who can pay the tariff and play the game
Microsoft's way. They're not interested in dealing with 5,000 small developers - no matter how innovative.
Anybody that has a product Microsoft truly wants will wither be sued into submission, sell out to Microsoft - or face a protracted and expensive patent battle. Microsoft could also simply take what it wants and then tell the smaller guy: "Come sue me - and may the man with the deepest pockets win!
" That's a strategy that worked wonders for all those Asian knockoff shops.
Nope. It's all been done before with the railroad companies, auto manufacturers, airlines and telcos. It will be done again with software development.
In fact, it already is
Right now I'm waiting to see if Microsoft finally makes good on Ballmer's threats about legal action and finally goes after Linux big time for patent infringement. Considering how Linux really is their only possible competitor for a desktop operating system, now would seem to be the time considering Win8's poor sales record.
Microsoft couldn't even give things away in order to compete. Linux is already free for the taking. Ditto for LibreOffice. And the advantages gained from consumer inertia and corporate FUD paranoia can only continue to serve Redmond for so long...


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Fiat 500 sales totals for May 2013 are in and once again, Fiat has set another sales record! Fiat sold 4,051 cars last month; the highest May sales figures recorded since the brand reintroduction in 2011. May sales totals were up 1 percent over last May's sales, the fifteenth consecutive month that Fiat has set a record for year-over-year sales gains. Additionally, Fiat 500 sales also showed a 4 percent increase over April sales, continuing an upwards sales trend for the year. Currently, 17,562 Fiat 500s have been sold in the US this year - that is a 5 percent increase over the same period last year.
Factoring sales in from Canada and Mexico, there have been 100,000 Fiat 500s sold in North America since 2011! What's more is, Fiat sales this year have the potential to explode with the upcoming introduction of the highly versatile and fun Fiat 500L in June and all-electric Fiat 500e later this summer.
Look back at May
Fiat kicked off May with exciting news that the limited production Fiat 500 by Gucci will be back for a final run this year and will offer an option package called the Interno Notte edition that brings out the sporty side of the elegant Gucci model.
First shipment of Fiat 500L MPVs arrived in America last week
Fiat also announced the pricing of the new Fiat 500L MPV that will hit Fiat Studios this month. The Fiat 500L is an outstanding example of European design - roomy, practical yet full of Italian flair. Loaded with features and offering best in class roominess, the Fiat 500L will be a revelation to a segment filled with the usual bland offerings.
Fiat USA has become known for its high profile TV Commercials and social media campaign and May highlighted two. The latest eye catching Fiat TV commercial shows off recording artists Pitbull and Arianna partying with the Fiat 500. Fiat's social media gurus have also been busy with contests and promotions. Make sure you visit Fiat's Facebook page to get in on them!
Other Fiat news is registration for the 30th annual Fiat FreakOut was announced. Fiat FreakOut is the largest gathering of Fiat enthusiasts here in North America and is an event that shouldn't be missed! Follow the link below to read more about the Fiat FreakOut:
Fiat 500 Sales in the United States - Jan - May 2013
|Fiat 500||Current Month||Last Year||Vol Change||Current YTD Total||Last Year YTD Total||Vol Change|


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Tuesday, July 12, 2016, 1:15 PM ET|Posted by Will Richmond
Facebook is pouring lots of resources into video and according to a new report published by ad tech provider Mixpo this morning, the strategy appears to be bearing fruit. In its “State of Digital Advertising for Publishers” report, based on a survey and interviews with 263 digital publishing and advertising executives, Mixpo found that 50.2% of respondents had run video campaigns on Facebook, compared to 31.1% on YouTube. Twitter followed with 17%, then Instagram with 13.2% and all other social platforms were in single digits.
But, reflecting publishers’ ambivalence toward Facebook and their concern about becoming dependent, just 13.6% of them use or plan to use Instant Articles. Publishers were worried about how reliance on Facebook creates 2 major risks: that their traffic could be easily disrupted due to an algorithm change and that their monetization opportunities are reduced.
Facebook’s success is set in the broader context of video’s rising importance in the digital landscape. Mixpo found that when respondents were asked what the biggest trend in digital was, “video” was the dominant reply. This is partially because video is perceived to have the highest ROI, with pre-rolls and interactive pre-rolls scoring the highest.
Mixpo also found that in-banner video and outstream have gained in importance as publishers seek to monetize non-video content with video ads. Mobile was also seen as a key driver of video adoption with publishers saying that over 50% of their traffic is now mobile. Overall, Mixpo found that 61% of publishers had sold video as part of an audience extension package.
The report includes additional insights on how cable TV operators are emphasizing video ad sales, the trade-offs between custom ad products and simplicity, the confusion in unified reporting with multiple ad tech providers, and publishers’ relative lack of concern about ad-blocking.
The full report can be downloaded here.
Video Research Around the Web
- U.S. Homes Adding SVOD Services Falls To 3.9% in 2Q, Kantar Reports B&C
- As streaming surges globally, Roku is falling behind abroad Protocol
- World-Wide Streaming Subscriptions Pass One Billion During Pandemic WSJ
- Cable Now Controls Nearly 70% of U.S. Fixed Broadband After Biggest Year Since 2008 Next TV
- Cord Cutting’s Worst Year Ever: Analyst B&C
- Disney Plus Will Surpass Netflix in Customers by 2026, Research Company Says Next TV
- Tubi Says Streaming Rose 58% In 2020, With Half Of Viewers Younger Than 35 Deadline
- U.S. SVOD Revenue Spiked 39% in Q3 to $5.5 Billion Next TV


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Hold on tight as we fly over the USC Village construction site. This month’s drone video shows the dramatic progress that’s taking pace at the location of the old University Village shopping center. When it opens in the fall of 2017, the $700 million project will greatly increase on-campus student housing including several groundbreaking residential colleges, while providing services and retail shops including a Trader Joe’s and a Target store.
Top stories on USC News
USC launches new office to oversee complaint monitoring and investigations
As a centralized hub for managing complaints across the university, the USC Office of Professionalism and Ethics will provide greater oversight and accountability.
‘Hacking for Defense’ students take on cybersecurity from a new angle
USC Iovine and Young Academy team ponders a tough question: How do you counter online radicalization?
Seeking ways to reduce traffic jams, USC engineers turn to AI
Aiming for fewer bottlenecks and faster commutes, USC engineers rely on artificial intelligence to bypass congestion and predict probable speeds on the road.


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Following passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, work with Alaska government officials, and recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cruise lines have been given the green light to return to Alaska.
Last week President Biden signed a bill that allows cruise ships to sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping in Canada – which marks the exciting return of Alaska cruising!
“The Last Frontier is eager to welcome the return of the cruise industry this summer to restart our economy,” said Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.
“Cruising has a tremendous impact on the people of our state and our communities, especially in the southeast, and we’re thrilled to finally see a light with the impending return of the cruise ships.”
Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that it expects to resume cruise operations from the U.S. beginning in August 2021 with week-long voyages from Seattle to Alaska, one of the top cruise destinations among its guests.
Travellers will be able to recommence their adventures to Alaska aboard Norwegian Bliss.
She will sail revised itineraries from 7 August through 16 October 2021, offering seven to 13 hours of port time in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska.
Princess Cruises‘ round-trip Seattle, seven-day cruises, onboard Majestic Princess, a MedallionClass™ ship are now open for sale for travel between July 25 through September 26, 2021.
These cruises will visit signature ports, glaciers, and attractions in Alaska including Glacier Bay National Park, Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan.
“We have been working towards this moment to return to service for over a year and starting with our Alaska cruise vacations is incredibly gratifying.
“We would like to offer our sincerest appreciation to Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Congressman Don Young, and Governor Mike Dunleavy for their tireless efforts on behalf of the many small businesses that are the backbone of Alaska tourism,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises.
Holland America Line is announcing plans to restart cruising to Alaska in July roundtrip from Seattle, Washington, aboard Nieuw Amsterdam.
The seven-day “Alaskan Explorer” itinerary calls at Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and Ketchikan. Scenic cruising in Alaska’s iconic locales includes Glacier Bay and Stephens Passage.
Bookings are now open for the ten Saturday departures that will operate from July 24 through October 2.
Beginning 23 July, Celebrity will sail a program of seven-night itineraries roundtrip from Seattle on Celebrity Summit, which the cruise line says was recently part of a $500 million fleetwide ‘revolution’ to elevate every detail and refine every guest comfort on the ship.
Celebrity Summit will embark on a series of nine sailings through mid-September, and then reposition to the Caribbean, via a 16-night Panama Canal sailing, where she will begin a series of four- and five-night itineraries.
“I just can’t say enough about how wonderful it is to return to Alaska. I have always had a special place in my heart for the incredible people, amazing wildlife and the beauty of this great state and once our guests visit, they do, too,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises.
All new 2021 Alaska sailings open for booking on Wednesday, 26 May, 2021.
Royal Caribbean International has announced plans to launch its Alaska season with 7-night cruises – roundtrip from Seattle – on Serenade and Ovation of the Seas, beginning July 19 and August 13, respectively.
After more than a year with cruising on pause and the significant impact it had on the beloved Alaskan communities, US travellers can now chart a course for the culture-rich destinations they have looked forward to discovering while helping revive the local economies.
The new summer 2021 Alaska cruises on Serenade and Ovation’s existing sailings are now available to book.
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text: The UK is the second most popular shopping destination in the world for super-rich internationla shoppers, with visitors spending up to €35,000 each with luxury British retailers, according to the latest research. Britain attracts 31% of international ‘elite shoppers’, second only to France which took a 36% share last year. Super-rich visitors to the UK spend €35,000 on average – the highest average spend of all European countries. Visitors from Gulf countries make up 30% of the number of elite shoppers coming to the UK, with an average stay of 14 days compared to just three days in France or Italy, while Chinese tourists account for 27%. London’s luxury department stores – such as Selfridges, Harrods and Liberty – are a big draw for tourists from Gulf countries who make 85% of their purchases there. Meanwhile, 46% of department store spend by the world’s wealthiest shoppers is on watches and jewellery, followed by 25% on fashion items. Chinese shoppers account for the largest number of Elite shoppers globally, at nearly 40%, followed by South East Asia at 15%, the Gulf Countries at 14% and the US and Russia, both at 6%. Elite shoppers made up 24% of all tax-free shopping in the UK last year, compared to a global average of 17%.