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The ViewSonic XG2405 is a 24-inch monitor with an IPS display. The monitor has a Full HD resolution with a refresh rate of 144Hz. It has a 1ms response time.
Targeting competitive gamers, ViewSonic has launched a new gaming monitor, the ViewSonic XG2405. The 24-inch monitor has slim bezels on three sides and has an IPS panel. It has a 1920x1080p resolution and a refresh rate of 144Hz with a 1ms response time. The monitor also supports AMD FreeSync.
According to the press release, “The height of the monitor can be adjusted and can be tilted and pivoted as per the user’s needs. Additionally, it also has a blue light filter to reduce eye strain during long gaming sessions.”
“ViewSonic is always in pursuit of offering the latest technology in the gaming sector,” said Mr Eric Wei, Senior Sales Director ViewSonic Asia Pacific. “XG2405 comes with an attractive borderless design, an IPS panel which provides significantly better viewing angles. This exciting new addition to ViewSonic’s gaming monitor line delivers the high speed, design and rich colour that gamers have always been searching for.”
Coming to the specifications of the ViewSonic XG2405 gaming monitor, it has a 24-inch display with an IPS panel and a resolution of 1920x1080. It claims to have a static contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a dynamic contrast ratio of 80M:1. It has an LED backlighting with a brightness of 250 nits. It has an 8 bit (6 bit + Hi-FRC) panel with the ability to produce 16.7M colours.
The gaming monitor has a 16:9 aspect ratio and a response time of 1ms. Being an IPS panel, the monitor has good viewing angles and a claimed backlight life of 30000 hours. To put this into perspective, if you play every day for 5 hours, the monitor will last for more than 16 years. The monitor has a high 144Hz refresh rate and also supports AMD FreeSync.
The ViewSonic XG2405 can cover 72% of the NTSC colour space and 104% of the sRGB colour space. It also has an antiglare coating. The monitor also comes with two 2W speakers. For connectivity, the monitor has two HDMI (1.4) ports, one Display (1.2) Port and one 3.5mm audio out port.
The ViewSonic XG2405 Gaming Monitor is available in India priced at Rs 35,000.
If you are in the market to pick up a gaming monitor, then you can check out the recently announced Xiaomi curved gaming monitor here. You can also check out our list of the best 144Hz gaming monitors here. LG is expected to launch its UltraGear 27GN950 4K gaming monitor in India and you can check out the details here.


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Manx Telecom (LON:MANX) chief executive Gary Lamb speaks to Proactive Investors about the company's progress with its fibre optic cable strategy, as well as discussing the recent launch in the Isle of Man of hearing loss communications product MT clearSound, developed by Goshawk Communications.
Lamb explains, "commercially there's a big market. We're going to launch in the UK next year; there's about 11 million people in the UK with hearing loss, our sweet spot is moderate to severe hearing loss. We're going to aim for about 20% of those customers which is about 600,000 subscribers in around five years. We're also going to push the technology out around the world."

domain: news


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Diversified manufacturer 3M (NYSE: MMM), St. Paul, MN, reported sales for the second quarter of $8.1 billion, a 4.9 percent increase year-over-year. Organic local-currency sales increased 4.8 percent, with acquisitions contributing 0.1 percent to sales growth. Profit increased 5.8 percent to $1.3 billion.
“In addition to a strong operating performance, we are also deploying capital more aggressively to both improve the business and to enhance shareholder returns," said Inge Thulin, president and CEO. "On July 16, we announced the acquisition of the remaining 25 percent of our Sumitomo 3M subsidiary in Japan for a purchase price of $885 million."
In the second quarter, organic local-currency sales grew 6.4 percent in electronics and energy, 5.1 percent in health care, 4.7 percent in industrial, 4.7 percent in safety and graphics and 4.2 percent in consumer.
On a geographic basis, organic local-currency sales grew 6.6 percent in Asia Pacific, 4.8 percent in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), 4.5 percent in the U.S. and 2.7 percent in Latin America/Canada.
Year-to-date sales were $16 billion, up 3.8 percent over the prior-year period. Profit increased 6.4 percent to $2.5 billion.


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The Philadelphia City Planning Commission voted this week to approve a handful of bills that remove obstacles to the redevelopment of the Gallery on Market East. The redevelopment envisioned by PREIT (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust), the mall manager, would remake the Gallery as the Fashion Outlets of Philadelphia, based on a Chicago mall. The managers are looking to bring higher-end retail vendors to the mall, which was constructed in the 1970s.
The bills presented to the Commission on Tuesday are aimed at allowing the project to get started without serial trips to the zoning board and City Council. Council’s Committee of the Whole will consider those bills, along with a $55 million Tax Increment Financing package (TIF), during a hearing next week.
The bills approved by Planning:
Authorize a new schedule of payments from the City to the developers for the maintenance of certain public areas of the mall. The city was already obligated to continue making maintenance payments to the Mall Maintenance Corporations for the next 60 years. The new schedule has the city on the hook for a total of $175 million over the next 43 years.
Strike certain public streets and concourse areas from the city plan and transfer them to the developer. The city is giving up its partial ownership of the mall, as well as its liability.
Permit various encroachments into the public right-of-way. The bill allows the developer to hang signs that encroach into public areas. The size and design of the signage, for the entire mall as well as for individual stores, have not been decided on yet. The bill gives the developer and retailers leeway in making those decisions.
Change the zoning code to permit non-conforming signs, including accessory signs as well as billboards. The city recently created a Market East Advertising District, which allows developers to construct digital billboards if they invest at least $10 million in building improvements. The sign on top of the Lits Brothers building is the first example.
The project is expected to cost $325 million in total. In exchange for the substantial legislative and tax relief, PREIT and Macerich, a mall management company, are guaranteeing the city that they’ll complete the project. City officials are also framing the deal as relief for the public, which will bring its ownership of the mall, which has struggled throughout the years, to an end.
“The key is that it releases the public from past and future liability for capital investment and reduces the city’s current exposure for investment in public areas,” said Planning staff member Laura Spina, who presented the bills.
PlanPhilly will have more coverage of this package of legislation next week, when City Council holds hearings.
Watch the Planning Commission’s full presentation below.


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The star of BBC's The Apprentice will make £35 million from the sale, but will remain with the Amstrad business under its proposed new owner.
Sir Alan founded Amstrad in 1968 and turned it into a household name after launching the first mass market home computer package in 1984. At its peak, the firm was valued at £1.25 billion.
The Brentwood-based company now generates around three-quarters of its revenues from the sale of set-top boxes to BSkyB, which has worked closely with Amstrad over many years. The broadcaster - 39.1% owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation - said it would benefit from an in-house design and development capability.
Sir Alan said he could not "imagine a better home" for the Amstrad business, which supplied an estimated 30% of Sky's set-top boxes in the year to June 30.
He said: "I turned 60 this year, I've done 40 years of hustling in this business. I have to start thinking about my team of loyal staff, many of whom have been around me for a very long time."
Sir Alan said he did not think he was "letting go" of the Amstrad name by selling the firm, adding that he would still be involved. He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "There's a certain culture there that will exist. It's not a case of letting it go, it's a case of moving the company on to something more positive."
Despite enjoying good working relationships, Amstrad said its directors recognised the "vulnerability" of relying on just two main customers - the other being Sky Italia.
It said the long-term future of Amstrad could be under threat from the potential loss of its largest customer, which would be difficult to replace.
Sir Alan is worth an estimated £830 million and ranked 84th on this year's Sunday Times Rich List, helped by his many property investments.


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While eating insects as a source of nutrition is common in countries around the world, it’s still considered by some a taboo in the United States. For this reason, Kathy Rolin with Cowboy Cricket Farms in Belgrade recommends eating a chocolate “chirp” cookie as a first step into entomophagy.
“At first people are hesitant,” Kathy said. “But once they try it, they all say the same thing: that was actually quite good. The biggest challenge is education.”
As the only cricket farm in Montana, Cowboy Cricket Farms is making waves across the Treasure State.
Let’s Start a Cricket Farm
When you walk into the Cowboy Cricket Farms facility, it feels like taking a step into summer time. You can feel the temperature and humidity rise, and the faint chirping of crickets is audible in the background. While this pristine cricket environment reminds visitors of lazy summer nights, Cowboy Cricket Farms has been a nonstop adventure for the Rolins family.
After starting the farm in January 2017, Cowboy Cricket Farms’ first accolades came in October 2017 at the Family Business Day Awards in Bozeman. Along with seven other Montana businesses, Cowboy Cricket Farms was a winner in the special business recognition category. In 2018, other accolades and grants began pouring in for Cowboy Cricket Farms.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”James Rolin” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“We’re all about bringing good nutrition to people all over the world and involving the people of Montana in that decision making process.”[/perfectpullquote]
In February, Cowboy Cricket Farms was named one of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance’s startups to watch in 2018. Later that month, James was named one of the Bozeman Chronicle’s 20 under 40 award winners. Cowboy Cricket Farms latest adventure came in March when Insurance Commissioner Matt Rosendale allowed them to offer an initial public offering for the company. The IPO is set at $750,000. For $1 a share, any Montanan can own a piece of the Treasure State’s first cricket farm.
James Rolin, Kathy’s husband, said customers were already asking if they could invest in the company.
“We’re all about bringing good nutrition to people all over the world and involving the people of Montana in that decision making process,” James said. “It was an easy decision for us especially since we’re such a transparent company. We’re not making any big changes by going the public route.”
A Cricket-Riding Cowboy
The idea for Cowboy Cricket Farms was born in 2016 while Kathy was studying nutrition at Montana State University. In her class, Kathy learned about food sustainability and entomophagy, or eating insects. After she attended the College of Education, Health and Human Development’s “Bug Buffet,” Kathy was inspired by the packed room, food, and excitement.
When she got home, Kathy told James she wanted to start a cricket farm.
“He was a little bit unsure about starting a cricket farm,” Kathy said. “I told him crickets are very versatile. Originally he said no.”
After James conducted several months of research, he couldn’t find a reason why it wouldn’t be a successful business.
Today, the company is recognized by its cowboy riding a cricket. The logo idea came when Kathy saw a car with a Wyoming license plate leaving Target. She saw the famous cowboy riding a horse and thought it would be humorous to have a cowboy riding a cricket. Sustainability is another driving factor for the Rolins and their cricket journey.
According to the Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture activities create 9 percent of total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Livestock, such as cattle, produce methane as part of their digestive process and it represents almost one-third of the greenhouse emissions from the agriculture economic sector. In 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations suggested entomophagy as an eating alternative.
“We see where the world is going as far as food,” James said. “We see where it’s going with growing population and dwindling sources. The answer is to find more efficient ways. I think we’ve found one of the best solutions.”
In their old facility, the protein Cowboy Cricket Farms produced was the same amount of protein of 30 cows. But unlike cattle, they are producing the crickets in a shorter amount of time and in less space. Besides cookies, Cowboy Cricket Farms has whole roasted crickets, cricket powder and cricket lollipops. They also sell water bottles and stickers. Another way the Rollins stay eco-friendly is by selling cricket “fras”, or cricket feces for farmers and gardeners.
[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”James Rolins” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”You can bring one [cricket] farm into a dying town and you can have a thriving industry.”[/perfectpullquote]
At the start of the year, Cowboy Cricket Farms also began work on their industrial kitchen. Right now they are using their kitchen to make all of their products. They are also in the process of getting licensed as commissary space for other food manufacturers in the area to use.
The Rolins have also started bringing in partner cricket farmers to meet their demand. Currently, they have two partner farmers and are looking at bringing five others on board.
“By bringing on partner farmers, it means we can focus on processing, distributing and marketing,” James said. “And we can create jobs all over the nation that are sustainable. That can go anywhere. You can bring one farm into a dying town and you can have a thriving industry.”
To learn more about Cowboy Cricket Farms, visit their website at www.CowboyCrickets.com.
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Thanks to a partnership with Blackstone Launchpad at Philadelphia University, evoHaX is shaping up to be the most tricked-out hackathon in terms of hardware.
Participants will get access to the university’s facilities, including 3D printers, a woodshop and a laser cutter. See the full list of hardware available here. Volunteers will be on-hand to help with the equipment, said organizer and reigning Geek of the Year Ather Sharif.
The third annual evoHaX, a hackathon focused on accessible technology , will be on April 30-May 1 during Philly Tech Week 2016.
“Accessible technology” can mean any number of things.
For example, last year, a Drexel team won evoHaX with a canopy that they built for an eye-tracking device — it was for a girl with cerebral palsy who uses the device to communicate, but the device didn’t work in the sun. (“Sometimes it’s the low-tech hacks that are the ones most needed, and that is why I always remind people that there is a place for everyone at a hackathon,” wrote hackathon judge Leslie Birch.) See the winning projects from the first evoHaX here.
Also, every member of the winning team gets an Amazon Echo, Amazon’s wireless speaker and voice contol device. #justsayin-30-
Why a shortage of semiconductor chips is a problem for the US, and tech’s future
Assistive technology can be prohibitively expensive. This org makes it accessible
Why medtech startup Stel Life pivoted to at-home connected devices amid the pandemic
Visually impaired Pennsylvanians are pushing for the Access Technology Affordability Act’s passage
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Shoppers in the state of Nevada should have the freedom to visit stores without fear of suffering injury. Unfortunately, business and property owners sometimes neglect to properly clean areas or warn visitors of potential hazards on their property. Water or other slippery material left on the floor can cause slip-and-fall accidents. It is the responsibility of the property owner to take care of issues such as these and provide a safe environment for all visitors. Business and property owners can be held accountable when injuries occur due to negligence.
A man in another state is suing the owners of a retail store after he allegedly suffered a fall caused by a substance left on the floor of the store. According to the lawsuit, the man had visited the store and was shopping. As he was shopping, he allegedly slipped and fell due to a slippery substance left on the ground.
The plaintiff accuses the defendant of negligence by failing to clean up the substance. The defendant is also accused of failing to warn of the danger and overall negligence of management. The plaintiff seeks all reasonable sums due, as well as court costs and attorney fees.
The state of Nevada is experiencing a population boom, making shops and businesses across the state more crowded than ever before. Business and property owners have a responsibility to prevent slip-and-fall accidents by keeping their property safe for visitors. When hazards left on the floor of shops and businesses cause injury to those lawfully on a property, the owners can be held accountable. A successfully litigated lawsuit could result in compensation to victims that could be used cover medical expenses and other monetary losses.
Source: louisianarecord.com, “Man seeking damages for alleged slip and fall in Save-A-Lot“, Carrie Bradon, June 12, 2017


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Last year, the company that arguably made the biggest splash at the North American International Auto Show wasn’t even a company that made cars. Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, came to Detroit with its autonomous minivan in tow with the unspoken intent of striking fear in the hearts of the auto industry. According to a new report released today, it’s working.
Waymo didn’t bother to show up to the Detroit Auto Show press days this year, but the shadow it casts is long. The Silicon Valley company has surged passed legacy car companies like Ford, Daimler, and Renault Nissan to grab the No. 2 spot in Navigant Research’s annual autonomous driving scorecard. General Motors is still in the lead, but Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s self-driving spinoff is nipping at the auto giant’s heels. (This is despite its complete inability to manufacture a car at scale.) Hey Google, not too shabby.
Hey Google, not too shabby
Since 2015, Navigant has scored the 20-or-so companies working on self-driving technology on 10 different criteria related to strategy, manufacturing, and execution. Basically, it asks, how good is their technology? Can they manufacture it at scale? And what’s their plan for getting it to the masses? After that, Navigant ranks the companies in four categories: leaders, contenders, challengers, and followers.
Last year, only four companies (and partnerships) landed in the leader category: GM, Ford, Daimler, and Renault-Nissan. This year, there are twice as many leaders: GM, Waymo, Daimler-Bosch, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW-Intel-FCA, Aptiv (née Delphi), and Renault-Nissan. The appearance of Waymo, Intel, Bosch, and Aptiv is a sign of the growing prominence of tech firms and auto suppliers in the race to build self-driving cars. Meanwhile, a growing bloc of the auto industry not only sees autonomy as inevitable, but is making real progress on it for their own cars.
GM continues to lead the pack, thanks to its willingness to spend a lot of money and make fairly insane-sounding promises. GM gets points for acquiring AV-oriented startups like Cruise Automation and LIDAR firm Strobe, expanding its car-sharing service Maven, and laying down clear benchmarks like launch a fleet of robot taxis without steering wheels and pedals in 2019. Most importantly, GM has the capability to mass produce its autonomous Chevy Bolts at scale. Navigant says the auto giant is “well positioned to have a successful early deployment of highly automated driving in the coming years.”
But Waymo has also made a series of bold moves in 2017 that have spurred its rise in the rankings. Partnerships with companies like Fiat-Chrysler, Lyft, and Avis help address Waymo’s main weakness: its lack of experience in building, maintaining, and owning a fleet of vehicles. Also, its plan to launch a fully driverless mobility service in Arizona in early 2018, making it the first to remove the human safety driver, earned it a surplus of points in the scorecard.
Navigant goes one step further and predicts that the first autonomous car you’ll likely ride in will be from either GM or Waymo. It is certainly the case that there is a growing rivalry between the 109-year-old legacy automaker and Google spinoff that’s a little over a year old. It will be an interesting fight, especially as more and more highly automated vehicles start shuttling real people around.
growing rivalry between a 109-year-old legacy automaker and Google spinoff
Two other big names that don’t appear to be making as much progress are Apple and Tesla. First, the former. Navigant notes that while the Cupertino-based tech giant has “never developed a product as complex as an automobile,” Apple has “existing capabilities that make it uniquely positioned to participate in the automated driving space.” The company has applied for a license to test autonomous vehicles in California, and its test vehicle has been spotted a few times out in public. There’s no guarantee an autonomous Apple car will become a reality, but with a market cap of $900 billion, the company can’t be easily dismissed.
And then there’s Tesla. Navigant assessment of the electric car phenomenon is sure to anger Elon Musk’s vociferous fanbase, but the truth hurts sometimes. It’s especially interesting because Tesla has been the most outspoken among automakers in terms of promising to deliver Level 5, fully autonomous vehicles in the near future. (Most companies purposefully avoid making any promises about the ability to buy these self-driving cars.)
But Tesla is over-promising and underperforming, Navigant argues:
In a May 2017 TED talk, Musk claimed the systems being built today would be Level 5 capable by 2019. However, this is unlikely to ever be achievable since Level 5 is defined as the car being able to operate without human intervention in all conditions. Current Tesla hardware lacks the ability to keep sensors clean and unobscured in poor weather as well as most of the redundant systems needed for fully automated driving, not to mention the lidar that most people in the field believe is necessary for highly automated vehicles. Even Nvidia has expressed doubt that the computing hardware it sells to Tesla is capable of supporting full automation reliably.
Navigant also cites Tesla’s struggle to scale up production of its Model 3, as well as persistent quality and reliability issues with the new mass-market EV. It docks the automaker for a poor ability to execute a sustainable business model. (Translation: its finances are a mess.) “Great vision is unlikely to be adequate without fundamental changes in the way the company operates,” the research firm concludes.


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BUENOS AIRES: Social media usage has experienced explosive growth in Latin America, with Brazilians now having the highest number of online "friends" in the world.
A report from TNS, written by the research firm's Latin America ceo Wander Meijer, shows that the typical Brazilian has 231 social network friends, while Latin Americans have an average of 176. The global average is 120.
"It is not just all work for the Latin Americans on the Net – they are well-known for their sociable nature and it is not a surprise that they have embraced social media like no one else," the report added.
"For social networks, Brazil continues to be the leader in the use of almost all forms of social media, not just in Latin America, but the world."
But this trend has not been driven by Facebook, the world's largest social media platform.
Instead, 94% of Brazilian social networkers have an account with Orkut, a Google-owned platform, while 38% have joined Twitter and 36% Facebook.
In all, 80% said their "favourite" social network was Orkut. Facebook and Twitter were well behind on 7% each.
When asked which network they intend to join in future, over half (53%) of Brazilian consumers said "none", while 26% said Twitter - the next most popular response - and 15% Facebook.
According to data cited in the TNS report, Latin America accounts for 5% of the world's population and over 10% of its internet users.
The region's internet penetration rate has reached 38% of households, above the global average (33%) and well ahead of other fast-growth markets such as emerging Asia (23%).
Internet access is spreading fast across the region, with total usage growing by over 20% in Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Mexico last year. Chile remains the best-connected nation in the region, with 50% of the population now online.
More generally, internet access in Latin America, as with other fast-growth regions, is being driven by smartphones rather than desktop or laptop PCs. This reflects the patchy nature of much fixed-line infrastructure.
New users - particularly those defined as "bottom of pyramid" (BOP) consumers - are also particularly likely to engage deeply with online content.
TNS data show that the typical user in the developed world spends around six hours a week on the mobile web. This total rises to 11 hours in fast-growth economies.
"Once the BOP has the opportunity to access the Internet, their level of engagement with the medium is particularly high as they rely on it for a much wider range and criticality of applications than the upper income consumers," the report stated.
Mobile is also conducive to social media use, with the typical mobile web user in Brazil having a total of 357 social media friends.
Data sourced from TNS; additional content by Warc staff


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TechFlash: 7 things you need to know 11.06.13
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Reuters is reporting that Microsoft has created a shortlist of those who could become its new CEO. The five external candidates include former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop and Ford's Alan Mulally. There are also at least three internal candidates, including former Skype CEO Tony Bates.
FishNet Security, which helps clients manage risk, meet compliance requirements and manage security, just bought TorreyPoint, a strategic networking and professional services company for an undisclosed amount.
Sony plans to charge $10 a month to play its multi-player online games on its new PlayStation 4.
After failing to find investors or a buyer, online photo organization startup Everpix has been forced to shut down.
Research reports, Stocks
- Most popular
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- Tina Klocke stepping down at Build-A-Bear
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A look at the day's business stories from media outlets around St. Louis
Business Account Executive Charter Communications | Chesterfield, MO
Marketing Communication Specialist Marshfield Clinic | Marshfield, WI
Director of Corporate Partnerships Saint Louis Football Club | Saint Louis, MO
Customer Service Representative OEC Group | Saint Louis, MO
Accounting Clerk Accountemps | Saint Louis, MO


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Flour price goes up, gold goes down in Kabul
(Pajhwok Afghan News Weekly Price Report)-The price of flour edged up while gold went down and other daily-use items remained steady in Kabul during the outgoing week, market sources said on Thursday.
Food Traders’ Union head, Fazal Rahman, said the price of a 50-kilogram Pakistani flour bag jumped from 1,440 to 1,450 AFN. The main cause of the hike was a price increase in Pakistan.
A kg of Vietnamese green tea was priced at 180 AFN, same quantity of African black tea at 210 AFN and a 49-kg sack of Pakistani sugar at 1,500 AFN — same as last week’s.
But a retailer in Kart-i-Seh area, Khan Ali, sold a 50-kg bag of sugar for 1,700 AFN, a 49-kg sack of Pakistani flour for 1,550 AFN and a 24-kg bag of rice for 2,200 AFN.
He sold a 5-kg tin of Momin ghee for 440 AFN, a kilo of African black tea for 260 AFN and the same quantity of Vietnamese green tea for 240 AFN — higher than wholesale prices.
The price of gold also rose. Abdul Baseer, a jeweler in Lycée Maryam neighborhood, said the rate of one gram of Arabian gold fell from 2,100 AFN to 2,000 AFN and the Iranian variety from 1,800 to 1,750 AFN.
Basir linked the decrease in gold rates to the international market trends.
The prices of diesel, liquefied gas and petrol also remained unchanged. A filling station official in Wazirabad locality, Abdul Hadi, said a liter of diesel cost 60 AFN and the same quantity of petrol 58 AFN.
Mohammad Sharif, a liquefied gas seller in Kolola Pushta neighborhood, sold a kilo of the commodity for 50 AFN.
Moneychanger Ahmad Shah said the buying rate of one US dollar was 57.30 AFN, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees accounted for 553 AFN. Last week’s exchange value of the dollar stood at 57.30 AFN and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 563 AFN.
US giant automobile company Chevrolet has invested USD 50mn into expanding its presence in the automotive markets of Kabul and
The municipality department in northern Balkh province plans to double development funds for Mazar-i-Sharif this year, the mayor said on
The Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA) has launched Efshagar to allow citizens in Afghanistan to report and track corruption cases anonymously.


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Video games seem to be recession proof, and Nintendo is the only company who can bring in revenue from video games by selling non-third party titles.
Not only that, but the titles they sell themselves are the most popular on the console, and the driving force behind their profits.
You are selling at a time when the Wii Fit hype is about to take off. As soon as the media gets wind of the shortage, every morning show across America is going to be talking about the Wii Fit as the next revolution, even if it isn't true.
Mass hysteria is going to lead to another shot in the Nintendo arm. Wii Fit might be the best selling title this year, and it is completely proprietary to Nintendo. All the profits go to them.


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Sound Ventures, a venture capital fund made up of celebrities, musicians and a billionaire, is offering at least $ 1 million over the next week for the “most innovative” idea of a non-fungible token.
The event, announced on Monday, invites anyone from around the world to present their NFT project to a team of eight judges before April 12th. According to the competition side, it doesn’t matter whether the pitches are just an idea or a full-fledged product already on the market. The wording also suggests that competition winners will have the opportunity to work with Sound Ventures for the long term.
“Those who apply should be interested in building a company for the long term,” the announcement said.
Working on NFTs? Present your idea LIVE to me @guyoseary @snoopdogg @ 3LAU @WhaleShark_Pro @MetaKovan @aplusk @ljxie. $ 1,000,000 will be invested to discover / support the most innovative. Apply by 4/12 https://t.co/cE2rb7md04
– Mark Cuban (@mcuban) April 5, 2021
Up to 30 finalists will be selected to attend a private live pitch with the judges on April 21 in just over two weeks.
The selected people do not have to accept the investment and there are no set conditions for the distribution of the investment. The FAQ of the competition states: “The investment amounts and conditions vary depending on the company.”
It is not clear how many seats will be selected from the 30 finalists, but the competition site suggests that investments in the seats selected could be in excess of $ 1 million.
Sound Ventures co-founders famed actor Ashton Kutcher and talent manager Guy Oseary will be with the remaining six judges, including NBA Dallas Mavericks owner and billionaire Mark Cuban, rapper Snoop Dogg, EDM artist 3LAU and NFT investor Whale Shark, sit on the jury and MetaKovan and Linda Xie, co-founder of Scalar Capital.
Whale Shark and Metakovan, while unknown as some of the other judges, are some of the most respected in the NFT space. Whale Shark recently tagged a vault with its NFT collection for investors to get involved in. It currently has a market cap of nearly $ 23 million. MetaKovan, or Vignesh Sundaresan, is the winner of Beeple’s $ 69 million Christie auction last month and is a noted NFT collector.
The competition was launched by Sound Ventures’ Kutcher and Oseary. Oseary’s customers include U2 and long-term business partner Madonna. The couple also run VC firm A-Grade Investments, which has long supported successful projects such as Airbnb, Foursquare, Shazam, SoundCloud, Spotify and Uber.
Kutcher has already made a dubious name for himself in the NFT space, auctioning off a digital copy of a notebook in August 2020. The original drawing was destroyed to demonstrate the advantages of digital over physical works of art. The collected funds are to be used for ecological purposes, nature conservation non-profit organizations.
The work of art, entitled “The Eye of the Viewer”, was sold in the auction for 20 ethers (ETH) (currently USD 42,600).


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RUM and bitters producer, Angostura Holdings Ltd, yesterday reported a 45.5 per cent increase in its after-tax profit, for the first quarter of its 2021 financial year.
Angostura profit for the period ending March 31, 2021, was $19.06 million, which was 45.5 per cent higher than the $13.09 million the Laventille-based manufacturer reported for the same period in 2020.
The company’s selling and marketing expenses for its first quarter amounted to $31.2 million, which was 14.7 per cent less than the $36.61 million in 2020.
Angostura also saw a decline in its administrative expenses, which were $1.1 million less than for 2021.
On the other hand, the company’s finance income for the period ending March 31, 2021, was $4.61 million, some 88.1 per cent higher than the $2.45 million the manufacturer reported for the same period in 2020.
In comments accompanying the unaudited, consolidated financial report, Angostura chairman Terrence Bharath said: “Despite the cancellation of the 2021 Carnival season, the group reported profit before tax of $27.7m for the three months ended March 31, 2021, an increase of 41 per cent or $8.1 million from the comparative prior period ended March 31, 2020.
“The group’s first quarter 2021 financial performance reflected revenue of $152.1 million, a nominal decrease of $1.1 million or 0.7 per cent from the prior comparative period. Local sales, which contributed 65 per cent of total revenue, were generally subdued due to the absence of the 2021 Carnival season and the general economic uncertainty caused by the prolonged global pandemic.
“This was particularly evident in the month of January. However, the group successfully capitalised on limited opportunities available during the virtual Carnival experience in February as consumers planned safe ‘staycations’.
Bharath pointed out that, internationally, Angostura noted strong signs of recovery in the Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa (EMEAA) and Australasia regions with increased shipments of bitters to Australia and sales to the EMEAA in line with the prior comparative period. He said this was due to restocking after depressed consumption in 2020 and increased rum sales to key markets with growth driven by at-home consumption.
According to Bharath: “The board of directors is mindful of the uncertainty in our markets, local and international, in the face of the ongoing challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.” Notwithstanding this, he said, the company is encouraged by its performance to date to consider every opportunity to sustain its market thrust.


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Big telecom providers like AT&T and T-Mobile agree that 5G will change everything; they consider the arrival of fifth-generation technology as the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution.
In three to five years, 5G will serve as a fixed broadband replacement product, according to AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson. This is ideal for remote areas, or any place not served by cable or fiber. Jeff Binder, executive vice president of home and entertainment at T-Mobile U.S. Inc., says that the emergence of 5G technology will be a game-changer for both the mobile phone and digital video markets.
- 5G's impact on the future of work
- The future of cybersecurity in a 5G-connected world
- Samsung starts mass production of 5G chips
How 5G is different from 4G
Currently, 4G, or 4th generation technology, is what we're mostly using for cellular internet. Below are a few things that make 5G different from 4G:
- Speed: 5G is expected to be approximately 10 to 20 times faster than 4G. Compared to LTE Advanced 4G, which maxes out at 1 Gbps download speeds and 500 Mbps upload speeds (typically in large cities), 5G's peak target data rate is estimated at 20 Gbps.
- Connectivity: 5G will offer more seamless, uninterrupted connections.
- Latency: Network latency, the time it takes for a network to respond to a request (i.e. when you click a link or stream a video), is expected to be lower with 5G. With 5G networks, latency can drop to 10 milliseconds, compared to 4G's 15 to 60 milliseconds, making lag times nearly undetectable.
- Radio Frequencies: 5G will use higher frequencies than 4G, which allows for lower latency, greater bandwidth, and the ability to connect more devices to a given network. 4G uses frequencies below 6 GHz. In contrast, 5G will use frequencies between 30 to 300 GHz.
In anticipation of 5G's arrival on the commercial market, various telecom operators have been working with vendors on a number of 5G trials across the U.S. These trial runs allow operators to test 5G technology and see how it works.
For instance, AT&T currently offers mobile 5G technology to select customers in 19 cities. Residential, small business, and enterprise customers experienced speedy broadband services over a fixed wireless 5G network when streaming premium live TV services. Other 5G trials showed upload and download speeds around 1Gbps during video streaming, download, and conferencing experiences. By 2020, AT&T is expected to have nationwide 5G reach.
Telecom giant Verizon Wireless offers 5G broadband internet called 5G Home in certain geographical areas. Customers can expect unlimited data and speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to up to 1 Gbps, depending on location.
Starting in May, Sprint will provide mobile 5G service to several cities, mostly at airports and/or sports venues. To prepare for its 5G launch in 2019, which is expected to cover 1.4 million people, Sprint deployed an LTE advanced network to 300 cities, which delivers gigabit speeds to compatible devices.
Video will dominate 5G traffic
5G is predicted to shake up a host of industries. With the use of 5G technology, businesses will no longer need to invest in high bandwidth communication lines and equipment, giving them the ability to access their target market with higher reliability and quality than ever before. Media and entertainment companies are undeniably among those that stand to reap the rewards.
According to the 5G Economics of Entertainment Report, 5G will drive $1.3 trillion in new revenues in the media entertainment industry by 2028, while a report from Intel and Ovum foresees that user demand for video is poised to grow significantly. The average monthly traffic per 5G subscriber will increase from 11.7GB in 2019 to 84.4GB in 2028. Ultimately, video will make up 90 percent of all 5G traffic.
One of the reasons for such astounding growth is the fact that 5G is expected to solve one of the biggest frustrations for mobile video - video buffering. It will take 1 millisecond or less to respond to data requests or as AT&T Business chief marketing officer Mo Katibeh puts it, "as fast as your brain processes reality."
Mobile customers will also be able to enjoy Ultra HD (UHD) videos across any platform wherever they are. For 5G, the targeted download rate is 20 Gbps and the upload rate is 10 Gbps. This will allow a more fiber-like experience on the go. There will be faster UHD downloads and higher-quality live sharing and streams.
Furthermore, 5G is expected to enable a truly immersive virtual reality experience due to its ultra-low latency (less than 5 milliseconds). 5G will allow viewers to stream more enjoyable, lifelike VR content by preventing nausea, which users tend to experience at more than 20 milliseconds of latency. Moreover, 5G may deliver a new sensory dimension to viewing experiences. By connecting haptic suits to 5G, users can experience new sensations such as heat and pressure. This provides a new, immersive experience to VR video games, music concerts and even movies. AR, VR, and cloud gaming (high speeds and low lag times) are forecast to see up to 2400 percent in growth over the next 10 years, enabling a whole new channel for content producers to reach consumers.
Are you ready for the 5G era?
The 5G era is rapidly approaching, promising new and amazing opportunities for video content creators, broadcasters and consumers alike. It will not be here tomorrow – 2022 is the earliest forecast for consumer market deployment – and, as with any emerging technology, it will require significant adjustments to the infrastructure, hardware and software sectors. But a version of the future in which we can ignore this new disruptor doesn’t exist anymore.
The technology is finally moving from hype to real testing and deployment, which means media and entertainment companies should prepare their offerings and business models to facilitate and monetize these new capabilities.
Max Kalmykov VP, Media and Entertainment at DataArt (opens in new tab)


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PromaxBDA is the broadcasting industry’s top marketing prize, by the global trade association for the media marketing profession. The awards honor outstanding achievement in local broadcast marketing — the campaigns that build loyal viewership and create the local television brands.
For this year’s Latin American and US Hispanic awards, Patricio was honored to be invited as a firs-round juror to judge hours of content for diversity of categories, content provided by top broadcasters in the Region and USA.
First-round allows for the awards to select finalists to be judge on the day of the event, which was held the 14th of November this year.
Check all PromaxBDA Latin America and Us Hispanic Awards 2018 winners here.


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February 13th, 2012 by WCBC Radio
It was in October of 2010 when plans were first announced by the Sheetz Corporation that Farley’s Foodland on Bedford Road would be closed- and a new Sheetz store opened in the summer of 2011. A number of delays- most of them state permit related- have significantly delayed the project- however after about a six week halt, work began again last Monday. The store property has been leased to Sheetz. The new store will replace the existing Frederick Street store, which will remain open until the new store is complete. Steve Augustine, director of real estate for Sheetz, acknowledged that permitting issues has set the project back close to a year.


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Print giant Condé Nast moves into the digital world.
“Is this the strangest interview you’ve ever had?”
“No, not really.”
The “no, not really” comes from actress Sarah Jessica Parker at the finish to the first episode of 73 Questions, a webseries produced by Condé Nast Entertainment and packaged as part of the Vogue brand.
Parker is right, in many ways: The interview is not strange. But it is unique. The interviewer is never seen on camera and the 73 rapid-fire questions are asked while moving from front door to entry way to the living room of Parker’s Manhattan home, with a few pauses - Parker takes a phone call; she goes to the window to answer a man on the street asking her which dress to buy for his girlfriend.
While the format is indeed different from that standard patter you might see on a late-night show, or even the studious gaze of a magazine profile wherein writers often seem to be trying to dissect a celeb based on what they order to drink and how dressed up or down they are, 73 Questions is oddly real and unreal at the same time.
“Reality encased around fantasy,” said Joe Sabia, who created the series as a freelancer. He now serves as CNÉ’s vice president of development and still produces the series, noting that, despite making an awed audience wonder the magic behind how it’s done, 73 Questions delivers interview answers that are very real.
That rapt audience is a group Condé Nast Entertainment considers at every turn: who’s watching, and where they’re watching, and why.
(Who: Well, Condé Nast reaches 70 percent of millennials, said Dawn Ostroff, president of Condé Nast Entertainment, and its distribution network has a reach of 250 million people. Last year, the company had 4.5 billion views and were ranked 22nd by comScore for uniques, surpassing brands like Hulu, Vice and BuzzFeed. Where: Maybe on smartphones, waiting on a friend who’s joining them for drinks; maybe slyly on a tab that’s open at work during a lull time. Why: Getting to that.)
“I think what we’ve been able to do is take these incredibly iconic brands and the assets inside Condé Nast and really start to extend the brands to attract a younger audience and help them understand what our brands are about,” Ostroff said.
Condé Nast itself, founded in 1909 and home to prestigious periodical titles such as the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ, Glamour and Vogue, is an interesting home for these videos because with its 100-plus year legacy, it certainly has an “old guard” media legacy to it.
But the company’s approach to video is quite modern: Rather than just trying to repackage magazine content in video form, the various video pieces feel very of the brand and its magazines, without ever being derivative of what’s on the pages.
“When I started, the magazines and their brands were very clearly defined but the editors had already started to consider how do we [build websites and create digital content that expands} what the brands are about,” Ostroff said of assuming the CNÉ helm in 2011.
Much of CNÉ’s success in digital and streaming is due to Ostroff’s leadership and ability to make connections, qualities praised in almost any article you can find about her. But she’s also savvy about audiences.
Ostroff, who served as president of the CW Network from its launch after the merger of the WB and UPN, said that when she started there in 2006, she noticed that young people were illegally streaming the network’s shows like Gossip Girl. Rather than panic, she decided to figure out how to make the most of that migration.
When she left the network, the CW ‘s viewership was up 7 percent year-over-year, the biggest gain for any English-language broadcaster at that time.
“When I left the CW to move to New York for my husband, I wanted to be at a place where I could really experiment in the digital space knowing that that was where audiences were going and it was in its infancy,” Ostroff said. “So here we are five years later.”
In addition to 73 Questions, Ostroff’s brand-extending mission includes creating series like Wired’s Google Autocomplete Interviews, a highly watchable setup wherein celebrities have to answer the most Googled questions about them or GQ’s Most Expensivist Sh*t, a humorous and somehow-not-obnoxious series where rapper 2 Chainz tries out extreme luxury goods; example: a $1,000 gold-infused ice cream sundae, or $165,000 kittens.
CNÉ also produces longer-form content like Last Chance U, a Peabody Award-nominated docu-drama series, following a group of NFL potentials who failed to get recruited as they try to qualify for pro ball while attending East Mississippi Community College (now in its second season on Netflix), or highly technical series like Invisible from director Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith), plus thousands of other pieces like Glamour Cover Shoots, which pose additional, off-kilter questions for the magazine’s cover models.
Like any well-executed feat, the approach seems to matter as much as the landing. At another company, the opportunity to shoot a show in 360 virtual reality might have led to allowing the most technology-adept creators to play with some fancy equipment.
But Ostroff got the ear of Liman, who didn’t want to deliver just bells-and-whistles but a really immersive story, about a rich family where invisibility is passed down through the generations. (Invisible is available on Samsung and Jaunt VR platforms, as well as Condé Nast Entertainment's "The Scene" YouTube channel.)
“What positions Condé Nast as such an excellent partner is Dawn and the team she’s put together because Dawn is very open minded.
She knew very little about 360 and VR when we started but quickly focused and gave us what she is so good at which is the story telling part,” said Julina Tatlock, CEO of 30 Ninjas VR production company, which she co-founded with Liman in 2008, “helping us to shape it so that structurally it had more television techniques. I think her open mindedness [makes a difference], but also leaning into what else you can do – don’t throw out what you know.”
So, no, it isn’t accident or luck or gallons of money that make CNÉ’s online videos and streaming series successful. It’s thought.
“We’re constantly making content for different platforms and constantly looking to see if we can make it for a different platform,” said Ostroff, on how the division approaches it myriad projects. “We wouldn’t do the same exact format as we did in digital but will see if the concept and conceit could lend itself to another platform.”
Instead of expecting an audience to watch its properties on every platform, teams – both embedded with Condé Nast print properties and a core team of creatives coming up with ideas across the brand – work to incubate and develop the pieces that have the best chance of hitting on each one. And they take nothing for granted.
To Sabia, there’s a thrill to searching for and finding a piece’s je ne sais quoi. “A digital medium is one that says no one should ever assume that they should ever expect a real audience to be there,” he said. “You have to hunt for your audience, and you have to create things that are actually worth watching.
"You have to make something so impressive or so amazing that it’s worth a very busy audience’s time - an audience who can find millions of other things at their fingertips that are directly competing with you. You may have a really good story but it has to have some sort of compelling hook or something that people have never seen before. “
One example of this is the recent pickup Back-to-Back Chef. In the first episode, Gordon Ramsay and an amateur chef are back to back with Ramsay providing cooking instruction - no visuals; the professional chef isn't allowed to turn around to observe or help – to his fellow cook, who must make crab cakes just by Ramsay’s vocal cues.
“Digital requires you engineer a jaggedness, an unexpectedness. [We’re making video for] a place that you need to make noise in because there’s already a lot of noise,” Sabia said.
“And the exciting thing is you can break rules in. In television, the audience craves more normalcy and more conventions - 13 episodes, a linear arc. But digital has a non-traditional nature about it and it’s almost like dressing yourself like a peacock when any other network has the birds all dressed the same.”
Before taking this position, Sabia created video pop culture projects like The Office Time Machine, a site compiling year-by-year video clips of every cultural reference made on the television show. The project took him more than a year and a half to complete, and definitely has the kind of grabby hook and unexpectedness he talks about seeking at CNÉ.
But while there’s not a formula that goes into the creative process, there are reasons for the grabbiness, and for why the CNÉ pieces feel endemic with the Condé Nast brand without being repetitive of the magazines’ content: Thought, care and, fine, a lot of sweat.
“We only want to tell those stories worth being told. We make thousands of things per year but there are thousands of things we don’t make because we feel it’s not enough for the audience that we have and that we want to gain,” Sabia said.
“I think that if something is not either joining a conversation that’s already there or starting a new one or has some sort of compelling sense about it, why would we make something that people might not want to watch?”
Especially on the YouTube front, many of the CNÉ webseries “pull back the curtain” as Ostroff said. (And perhaps the curtain can be imagined as the polished photo shoots and curated lifestyle layouts that the pages of the magazines showcase.) But with video, CNÉ thinks about the audience as a part of the product.
“When you’re watching TV it’s a lean-back. When you’re talking digital it’s a younger viewer and 73 Questions is a great example. A celebrity [on a publicity tour] goes on Fallon or Kimmel and we’re a voyeur watching the conversation,” Ostroff said. “When someone comes to us, we’re doing something where they’re talking directly to us because don’t forget the younger viewers and consumers are used to having a direct relationship with that celebrity.
"They tweet to them, they follow them on Instagram, they know what’s going on in their lives. So, in something like 73 Questions, we actually go inside their house, hear some things in their lives we haven’t seen before, it’s a much more intimate experience.”
Sabia also noted an interesting byproduct of the series is that, if you search 73 Questions on YouTube, you won’t find only the videos his team has made, but you’ll also see homemade versions.
“This has turned in to a format that a high school girl in Kansas can have her best friend knock on the front door and do the same questions that they saw Blake Lively answer,” he said. “This is a real format that people have kind of taken that they really, truly associate with the Vogue brand and it’s probably the most flattering and rewarding thing to see from this.”
That kind of sharing is a thrill to Sabia. And, people on the Internet are growing more savvy about where to find quality content, while gaining an appetite for deep-dive video experiences.
One thing Condé Nast and other old-guard media companies like it have online is credibility that helps the algorithms employed on digital and social platforms to surface their content as the good stuff. The CNE team wants to make the most of that.
“We really do have the rare and exceptional ability – chance, but also ability – to really craft opportunities and elevate them to such a degree that millions of people who may not be familiar with Vogue or Bon Appetit or think that Vanity Fair was only a traditional magazine to realize we are here, we are loud, and we more relevant than many other outlets this audience is exposed to on a more regular basis.
"The sky is the limit here. There’s no limit to a great concept”


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By Alena Mae S. Flores – August 08, 2019 at 07:00 pm
SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, has chosen Aboitiz Power Corp. to supply 15 of its shopping malls and residential projects with reliable power of up to 110 megawatts over a three year period.
SM Prime signed a retail electricity supply contract with Aboitiz Power to supply the company with an aggregate demand of 50 up to 110 MW for three years during a ceremonial signing agreement on Wednesday.
“With our continuous expansion in the coming years, we need a power supplier that will enable us to support our existing and future partners with reliable and cost-effective power. We believe that Aboitiz Power, with its extensive power generation assets, can provide what we are looking for,” said SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim.
AboitizPower, along with partners, has a net sellable capacity of 4,471 MW from its portfolio of renewable energy and thermal power plants located across the country.
Aboitiz Power chief operating officer Emmanuel Rubio said the company welcomed the partnership with SM Prime.
“We are more than honored to be chosen by SM Prime as its supplier of choice. We are excited to more than just provide reliable and cost-efficient power supply, but to also work with them in looking for better solutions to support SM Prime’s thrust in providing its customers with top quality products and services,” he said.
Early this week, Nestlé Philippines Inc., a leading food company, tapped Aboitiz Power to supply clean energy to its manufacturing facility in Lipa, Batangas province.
Aboitiz Power is also delivering clean energy to two other Nestlé factories in Cabuyao, Laguna and Tanauan, Batangas, as well as its corporate administrative office in Makati City.
Aboitiz Power supplies Nestle’s 17-megawatt aggregated energy demand from the MakBan geothermal power plant in the provinces of Laguna and Batangas.
Aboitiz Power is the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s investments in power generation, distribution and retail.


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Edge processor and microcontroller vendor XMOS (Bristol, England) has appointed Jalal Bagherli as a special advisor to support funding and development.
Bagherli has a long and successful history in UK semiconductors most recently serving as CEO of Dialog Semiconductor plc., a provider of mixed-signal and power ICs for mobile and IoT applications (see Dialog confirms takeover talks with Renesas).
XMOS had annual sales of US$20.8 million in 2021 and is making progress in terms of profitability but states in its financial results that “it is likely that additional external funding will be required,” to invest in its future product roadmap. This includes a fourth generation of the xCore processor family, with the codename Quake, which is expected to offer lower power consumption.
Bagherli is well-qualified to help XMOS raise funds. He was responsible for the sale of Dialog to Renesas in 2021 for US$5.7 billion; the negotiation of a US$600 million licensing deal for transfer of IP and resources to Apple; and has raised significant funds in European capital markets and completed numerous acquisitions totalling over $1bn.
“Jalal is a leadership talent with an outstanding track-record in the semiconductor industry,” said Mark Lippett, CEO of XMOS, in a statement. “His visionary attitude towards semiconductor technologies and businesses, and his ability to communicate that to investors, will be vital to XMOS in the years to come.”
Bagherli commented: “With a platform that empowers embedded software engineers to build systems previously only accessible to expensive and time-consuming hardware techniques, the XMOS proposition is truly compelling. I look forward to supporting the business on the journey ahead.”
XMOS also recently appointed Paul Goodridge as an advisor. Goodridge has experience as a CFO in both public and private companies. As CFO of CSR, Goodridge delivered its successful IPO in 2004 and helped grow the company into an US$800 million revenue business. Goodridge has spent the last half decade as a non-executive director for software companies with a combined exit value of over US$800m, and a consultant working with a large European VC.
XMOS was founded in 2005 as spin-out from Bristol University and is still a private company. In the calendar year 2021 it made an operating loss of US$3.3 million on sales revenue of US$20.8 million, up 55 percent on the previous year. XMOS made an adjusted EBITDA profit of US$2.0 million. The company was also the parent from which Graphcore Ltd. was spun out (see AI ‘unicorn’ Graphcore set to cut jobs).
Investors in XMOS include Foundation Capital, Infineon Technologies, Robert Bosch VC and Amadeus Capital. The XMOS advisory board also includes: Sir Robin Saxby, former CEO and chair of ARM Holdings plc and Professor David May a co-founder of XMOS.


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Blockchain and crypto enthusiasts have been preaching for years about the supposed mass adoption of this fintech and why this is an important goal that must be achieved ASAP. However, many factors, including ignorance, lack of information, and inadequate communications infrastructure, make it difficult to achieve this goal.
A book of “immeasurable” importance
In Africa, where proponents of cryptocurrencies believe the technology is likely to succeed, the task of convincing the continent’s citizens is made even more difficult by scammers. The number of people losing money to crypto scams remains very high, and this is working against adoption efforts.
To overcome this challenge, one Namibian educator and author, Gurvy Kavei, decided to publish a book to share what he has learned. Kavei, who is also a lecturer at the University of Namibia, told Bitcoin.com News that he hopes the book will help practitioners, policymakers, and educators like himself become familiar with the basics of the technology.
In addition to sharing his reasons for publishing the book, Kavei explained in writing to Bitcoin.com News why he believes education is key. Below are Kavei’s responses to questions sent to him via Whatsapp.
Bitcoin.com News (BCN). What inspired you to write this book?
Garvey Kavei (GK). I am an educator. With the low adoption of crypto and blockchain in Africa and Namibia in particular, it becomes a duty of care to create and share knowledge with the future generations of many digital economy hopefuls. In other words, this is to help those who want to help themselves in the crypto and blockchain field. Neoeconomics is no longer about monopolistic accumulation of wealth but about shared prosperity. So I decided to write this book on shared prosperity, both in terms of wealth and knowledge.
BCN: How important is this book, and any other book that seeks to raise awareness with the public about bitcoin and blockchain?
GK: The importance of this book is immeasurable. It covers almost 360 degrees of the entire ecology of crypto. It outlines the scope of the fourth industrial revolution and how it will lead to blockchain technology. In addition, it delves deeply into crypto mining and crypto trading. Third, the most important aspects addressed by the book are the geographic footprint, regulatory mix, and fintech enablers that will enable practitioners and entrepreneurs to establish a firm position in the new digital economy. Thus, this book is useful for practitioners, policy makers, as well as educators.
BCN: How would you rate the level of interest in cryptocurrencies in Namibia?
GK: The level of interest is gradually growing and is almost ubiquitous; five years ago the crypto space was only occasionally characterized by isolated pockets of multi-level marketing bitcoin mining networks; Bitclub Network, Mining City, Crowd1, and most of these had inherent structural failures, but crypto entrepreneurship remains booming with new entrants entering the crypto ecosystem in different ways and for different reasons.
Crypto trading is one particular niche where many young entrepreneurs are entering the field and where youth are finding answers to uncontrollable (30%) unemployment and solutions to improve their own livelihood. Some, like Namibia’s Digital Wealth Economy, operate Crypto Automated Machines (ATMs) that allow people to buy and sell crypto in Windhoek.
This trend is growing in scale and space over time: with increased training in the use of Web3, AI, and other coding, young people are now strongly incubating new solutions in the FinTech space. Other Blockchain derived solutions are also emerging. I and other Blockchain enthusiasts are designing Blockchain solutions for the public and private sector to solve many problems such as land and property registration and identity management. On the academic and research side, my new book and others planned for the future show how Namibia’s interest in crypto is changing.
Finally, the Bank of Namibia has expressed interest by publicly stating its intention to explore the possibility of launching a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) anytime soon. All of this tempts the University of Namibia as the first institution of higher education to consider implementing an academic program in blockchain technology.
BCN: Any preliminary results or feedback on your book since its launch?
GK: Since the launch, several new opportunities have begun to present themselves. First, we have begun to receive more orders from individuals. In addition, three institutions of higher learning have considered using the book in their training on blockchain. These include the University of Namibia and the Digital Wealth Academy, with other institutions on the horizon.
While more books are sold through international distributors such as Grin Verlag, Lehmanns Media, Barnes and Noble Store, and Amazon Books, the need for crypto/blockchain education is rapidly growing in Namibia and other Efforts are also underway to secure local distribution rights in several African countries. In Namibia, two projects on developing blockchain solutions in insurance and property registration have started in earnest since the book launch. We believe this is not the end. There will be more to come.
Image credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons


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That's right. According to various sources, Pearl Jam's new release, Backspacer, will be released on Rock Band upon its release date. The Target exclusive release can be purchased for the game by buying a deluxe edition of the album at Target which includes download codes for the album or purchasing the album as DLC on Rock Band.
This makes the first time any band has two full albums on Rock Band as well as the first time any band has released two albums on their release dates as DLC. Earlier this year, Ten was released as DLC in conjunction with it's remastered, re-issue of their debut.
Backspacer will be exclusive at Target on September 20th.
In other related music video game news, Shirley Manson of Garbage is still hot...even in video game form.


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Second positive fiscal quarter lined up for Motorola.
The wing giant, one of Apple's partners, announced yesterday that last quarter closed with 8 cents per share, $ 174 million against net losses of $ 1.2 billion in the same period last year .
To increase the balance sheet sales in the field of cellular telephony which showed an increase in turnover of 11% and profits for 238 million dollars. Motorola's market share in the field of telephony increased by one point to 19% with good results especially in Latin America and North America.
Things are also going fairly well in the semiconductor sector, one of the most accused for the heavy losses of the past fiscal quarters. Revenue grew 15% to $ 1.3 billion with profits of $ 18 million.
According to Motorola CEO Christopher Galvin, the Schaumburg company will continue to invest in research and development to make the segment competitive, among other things, producing the used G4s on almost all of Apple's range.
Despite the profits of the last quarter, the fiscal year 2002 closed with huge losses of 2.5 billion dollars, but lower than those of 2001.
Commenting on the fiscal results, Galvin said he was moderately optimistic for 2003 "there are signs of recovery – said the CEO – that if they are not overshadowed by events of international politics they will have a positive effect on our market"


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A few days back OnePlus 8 Series went official with a starting price of $699 for the OnePlus 8 and $899 for the OnePlus 8 Pro. Today, OnePlus announced the Indian pricing and the company has definitely surprised us with the pricing for the Indian market.
The OnePlus 8 comes in three storage options for the Indian market. So, the based variant comes with 6GB RAM, and 128GB storage and India is the first market to get the 6GB variant of OnePlus 8. Here is the pricing –
- 6GB + 128GB – Rs 41,999 ($549)
- 8GB + 128GB – Rs 44,999 ($589)
- 12GB + 256GB – Rs 49,999 ($653)
It is impressive to see that the price of the top-end variant of OnePlus 8 is lower than $699, i.e., the starting price in the US.
The OnePlus 8 Pro comes in two storage options – 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB. Here is the pricing for India –
- 8GB + 128GB – Rs 54,999 ($718)
- 12GB + 256GB – Rs 59,999 ($783)
So, while the price of OnePlus 8 starts at $899 in the US, it is well under $800 for both the storage options here in the Indian market.
Well, OnePlus has definitely priced its OnePlus 8 Series pretty aggressively in India, especially the OnePlus 8 which will compete with Realme X50 Pro in terms of the price. Xiaomi Mi 10 series is also coming to India soon so let’s see at what price Xiaomi launches it now that OnePlus has priced its latest phones so aggressively.
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CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Blockbuster Inc. shares were higher Monday after Citigroup lifted its rating on the video rental giant to buy from hold.
Analyst Tony Wible said that industry-wide DVD and video rental trends are improving, and that Wall Street is underestimating the value of Blockbuster's online business. At the same time, he said, some investors seem to be overly concerned about the impact of video-on-demand technology.
"While we believe the in-store rental industry continues to be under pressure from VOD and online rental services," said Wible in a research note, "we see BBI as best positioned in this environment through its [absence] of late fees, scale, and online business."
Wible points out that Blockbuster, already the market share leader in the video rental industry, should be able to gain an even bigger part of the market as smaller local competitors close stores.
This will in turn allow the company to achieve greater business online, Wible said, and push more traffic to its stores. The analyst says he sees Blockbuster capturing 20% of the online DVD rental market.


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Secaucus, New Jersey-based Northstar Travel Media is expected to announce today that it has acquired five media brands from Nielsen Business Media’s travel group.
The deal includes Successful Meetings, Business Travel News, Meeting News, Incentive and MiMegasite, an online meetings industry portal. Financial terms were not immediately available.
UPDATE: According to Northstar CEO Tom Kemp, the acquisition is an example of the company taking advantage of cyclical weakness to strengthen itself for the long term. “We’re taking advantage of a strong balance sheet and strong position in our markets to acquire strong brands at attractive prices,” he told FOLIO:. “We believe these brands have been under invested in recent years. The served markets are down significantly but we believe in the business travel and meetings industries.”
Kemp said Northstar will continue to publish the newly-acquired brands in print at least in the short term while the company reevaluates brand positions. “We want to keep our options open,” he said.
While there will be some integration of staffs and some elimination of personnel, the brands eventually will see an expansion in headcount across business functions, Kemp said.
Northstar publishes several magazines serving the retail travel and corporate/association meetings, conventions and conferences sectors. They include: Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, Meetings & Conventions, and the Hotel & Travel Index.


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French 3D printer manufacturer and service provider Prodways Group (PWG) has reported a 22% rise in its revenue during H1 2022.
Over the first half of the year, Prodways brought in €41.6 million, €7.5 million more than the €34.1 million it generated in H1 2021. While this growth slowed in the second quarter, overall, the firm saw record-breaking machine, material and software sales across H1 2022, driven by the increased size of its install base. With this in mind, the company now anticipates achieving FY 2022 revenue growth of 15%.
“Thanks to the recognition of the quality of its 3D printers, combined with dedicated materials, the group is gaining momentum in industrial production applications,” said Prodways in a statement. “Sales efforts are bearing fruit across all activities, resulting in partnerships with new, well-known customers who are leaders in their sectors.”
Prodways’ H1 2022 financials
Late last year, Prodways was spun-off by Groupe Gorgé, and it has reported its financial results separately ever since, although it continues to do so under the same divisions as before: Systems and Products. While both these segments showed strong growth in H1 2022, Systems remained the firm’s biggest earner, bringing in €26.6 million, a 23% rise on the €21.6 million reported in H1 2021.
According to Prodways, this growth was driven by its “ever-widening base of recurring revenues,” which contributed to its record-breaking machine sales in the period. As well as selling six more 3D printers to dental clients, the company also saw some major accounts adopt its technologies in other areas of their businesses, thus improving its commercial prospects in industrial production settings.
On the Products side of its business, Prodways generated €15.3 million in H1 2022, 21.3% more than it managed to bring in during H1 2021. The firm says that it saw a “ramp-up in industrial production” with its machines over the period. This in turn, drove material sales, with its PLASTCure Absolute Aligner resin proving particularly popular with dental users, achieving its entire FY 2019 revenue in H1 alone.
Organically, however, the division only grew 3.1% from H1 2021 to 2022, due to Prodways’ acquisition of Creabis, which boosted the income of its on-demand production business. The company’s revenue also dipped quarter-on-quarter by 16.7% in H1 2022, but its Q2 2021 figures were partially-skewed by the lifting of many lockdown measures, which saw its medical revenue rise 50% over the period.
|Financials (€)||Q1 2022||Q2 2022||Difference (%)||H1 2021||H1 2022||Difference (%)|
Charting Prodways’ sales successes
As you’d expect from Prodways, a firm whose MovingLight Digital Light Projection (DLP) 3D printers are designed to facilitate the rapid production of dental models, it continued to grow this area of its business in H1. In December 2021, the firm signed a deal with US and Australian clientele that saw it supply twelve of the systems in its largest ever dental printing project, and they’ve since bought six more.
Prodways also agreed a new distribution deal with Dental Axess in June 2022. When it was announced, the company said the agreement would allow it to reinforce its presence in North America and Europe, while establishing a foothold in the Australian market. Although Prodways made the move late in H1 2022, it says the deal should “broaden its access to major players” in the dental industry in future.
Elsewhere, in medical, the firm says it continued to “support the development” of long-term clients like the Straumann Group in H1 2022, which it supplies with 3D printing resins for clinical applications. Prodways’ audiology offering also performed strongly, with hearing protection sales up more than 30%, and its activities there are now set to be bolstered by its recent acquisition of Auditech Innovations.
Lastly, the company says its digital manufacturing offering has carried on the “positive momentum” it has seen since late-2021, achieving 8% organic growth in H1 2022. In addition to its Creabis acquisition, Prodways attributes this increase to a rise in the average size of orders from industrial clients, and a jump in the number of users adopting its services for cost and design-efficient mold 3D printing.
Raising revenue expectations for H2 2022
Following a strong start to the year, Prodways has raised its guidance from its previous forecast of “around 10% growth,” to an increase of “around 15%,” including the revenue of its acquisitions. The firm also says “control over costs and supply chain management, despite the tense global environment,” has enabled it to achieve higher profitability than last year and target growth opportunities.
“The sound financial health of Prodways, has enabled the company to pursue its external growth strategy,” Prodways added in its statement. “In a supportive market environment for the digitalization of industrial and medical activities and the search for more responsible production methods, all of the company’s signals are well oriented for the future.”
For a deeper dive into additive manufacturing, you can now subscribe to our Youtube channel, featuring discussion, debriefs, and shots of 3D printing in-action.
Are you looking for a job in the additive manufacturing industry? Visit 3D Printing Jobs for a selection of roles in the industry.
Featured image shows an engineer using a Prodways ProMaker P1000 3D printer. Photo via Prodways.


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Monday at 5:00: Making babies healthier
Forecasters are raising concerns about the nation's aging weather satellites. Replacement satellites may not be launched in time, threatening the accuracy of weather forecasts for perhaps years
Apple executives defended the company's tax strategy on Capitol Hill Tuesday, claiming that it pays one of the highest effective tax rates of any major corporation.
The Senate called a hearing Tuesday to examine the iPhone maker's strategy of shifting...


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Ballymahon-based Gerety Farm Machinery has begun importing the range of Faresin telehandlers.
The Longford dealership recently took delivery of the first units.
Faresin is an Italian company that manufactures a range of agricultural and construction telehandlers with lifting capacities from 2.6t up to 6.4t, with a range of lifting heights from 5.9m right up to 16.4m.
Engines and transmission
The firm uses a range of Yanmar and Deutz engines, hydrostatic and CVT transmission, Dana Spicer axles and Bosch Rexroth hydraulics.
The Faresin franchise will join the other brands which Gerety currently retails including Kuhn, Rauch, NC, Mastek and Tuffmac.
We spoke to Mike Curtin from Coen Steel in Galway, who would supply a number of Irish manufacturers, to get a feel for the ongoing situation.
“There is a lot of turmoil in the steel industry right now, most notably around price and availability. The cost of raw materials worldwide such as iron ore has gone up in price and mining mills don’t seem to have the capacity to meet demand,” he explained.
“COVID-19 restrictions mean many of these mills are working at 60-70% capacity which is having a major effect on supply. China is importing major amounts of steel for infrastructure projects taking place within the country which is also snapping up supply.”
“Since December alone, we have seen the price of some steels jump by up to 30%. Shipping times are becoming a major issue for everyone. Typically, we work off a shipping time of four to six weeks. However, this has recently been pushed out from six to 10 weeks. Many mills we buy off throughout Europe are adding price hikes twice weekly, with some not guaranteeing delivery and more refusing to quote.”
“The last time I saw anything like this was in 2007 when the construction industry was at its peak. Current demand is nowhere near that today. The problem seems to lie in reduced capacity at mining mills due to COVID-19. It will be a challenging time for manufacturers who aren’t carrying much stock on the ground.”
Meanwhile, other steel suppliers are saying Brexit is also having an effect on the price of steel locally. Import licences and customs clearances are adding to the administration process for exporters sending steel from the UK, bringing additional associated costs. Freight costs of road transport have also risen due to the added complications and delays through the ports.
Scrap is on the rise
Alongside raw material price increases, scrap steel prices are also on the up. A major steel supplier has noted the recovery of world steel production, reduced availability of automotive scrap and difficulties of scrap collection are all likely to be contributing factors.
The supplier noted we will probably discover the increase is largely attributed to heavy Chinese scrap buying. It is widely reported that the Chinese are making moves towards more environmentally friendly steelmaking which is basically scrap melting. To encourage this process, scrap in China has been redefined from just waste scrap to waste scrap and recycling scrap where the latter carries no duty from 1 January 2021.
This news comes seven months after the European Commission published the result of its second investigation reviewing the initial safeguard measures it put in place on steel imports in July 2018.
This package was put in place to defend the European steel industry in the current difficult market situation. The changes were to ensure that the gradual resumption of activity and return to normality takes place in an orderly manner.
Adjustments were made in managing quotas to deter potentially harmful stockpiling by foreign exporters trying to sell large amounts of steel in the EU market in an opportunistic manner to the detriment of the EU steel industry. However, the comment on the ground is that demand seems to be currently outweighing supply.
Some manufacturers who have ordered components recently have noted a reduced capacity of available supply. A combination of the shutdown and reduced working capacity of factories due to COVID-19 and massive delays in custom clearance from the UK due to Brexit is being blamed.
One manufacturer explained: “Some component suppliers on the continent are robbing Peter to pay Paul. They seem to be working off a limited supply and are trying to almost ration the available supply. It’s becoming an issue for finishing machines. The component shortage is ranging from LED lights to bolts”.
Over the past three months, shipping costs from China where many components are sourced has also seen a significant price increase, due to a shortage of containers. However, it’s understood this is forecasted to ease in the near future.


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EDWARDSVILLE — Canee Brown started working in the city’s parks and recreation department as parks coordinator in April. Initially, she said she wanted to learn as much as she could the figure out where her outreach...
By Charles Bolinger
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Our updated directory of businesses and restaurants that are open during the coronavirus crisis.
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Holiday House opens MondayPublished 12:02am Sunday, December 1, 2013
Residents can purchase stocking stuffers while simultaneously aiding their local museum in their remodeling efforts beginning Monday.
The annual Holiday House, the main fundraiser for the Old Depot Museum, will this year be held at the city building at 19 Washington Street and will go from Monday, Dec. 2 through Saturday, Dec. 14.
Dozens of vendors will be on hand, offering a tremendous opportunity to pick up great gifts for the season, while at the same time providing for much-needed improvements to the museum.
“It needs a lot of updating,” Beth Spivey, director of the Old Depot Museum, said.
She said a portion of the money would be used to pay for renovation projects for the museum, such as improving the frames, buying new lights and repainting the building.
Vendors will be selling various items, including aromatherapy candles, purses, children’s clothes, scarves, Christmas ornaments and Alabama and Auburn themed items.
The Holiday House will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Holiday House will be open from 1-5 p.m.
She said a lot of the items are great for the Christmas holiday, like wine bottles with Christmas lights.
“Something that was really popular last year were wine bottles with Christmas lights in them,” Holiday House organizer Candi Duncan said.
She said people are not only supporting Holiday House when they shop at the Holiday House event, they are also supporting the city.
“Besides support the museum, most of the vendors are businesses from Selma,” she said. “You are helping them sell their products here in Selma.”
From Dec. 3 to Dec. 14, different groups will be selling baked goods to participants.
Duncan said that the event, which started 35 years ago, is always a huge success.
For more information, contact Duncan at 412-8550.


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- This event has passed.
Farm Girl Finds “Furniture Frenzy”
September 11, 2021 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Farm Girl Finds will host a “Furniture Frenzy” sales event this Saturday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 221 W. Mill Street in Waterloo. The sale will feature multiple, local artist coming together to sell their furniture. Visit Farm Girl Finds on Facebook for more information.


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The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde, has given up-to May 31, for retailers, bars and manufacturers to completely phase out the production and packaging of sachet waragi.
The extension to May 1, follows earlier ban of March 1, 2019 imposed on brewing companies calling for ceasing of packaging of alcohol in glass and plastic bottles of not less 200Ml.
The Minister revealed after the commissioning of the newly installed bottling line for Premier Distilleries Ltd in Kawempe, Kigoma.
“So far, 15 Alcohol manufacturing companies including Premier Distilleries limited out of the 26 registered companies have completed installation of new equipment that packages alcohol in bottles, complying with the Government ban.” She said
Amelia said packing of alcohol in plastic and glass will add value to the product and save environment from sachet polythene which take years to decompose.
The move is in line with that implementation of 2017 Cabinet decision to ban the sale and packaging of alcohol in sachets and this meant that the packaging and sale of alcohol must be done in plastic and glass bottles.
A team of professionals from various government institutions has been instituted to monitor the implementation of government’s directives.
The team comprised of members from Ministry of Health, Uganda police, National management authority (NEEMA), Uganda national bureau of standards (UNBS) and Uganda alcohol manufacturers association.


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In recent months, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide. However, its future in the United States is uncertain as the Trump administration has threatened to ban the app due to national security concerns.
Many Americans, especially young people, have expressed their dismay over the potential ban as the app has provided a platform for creativity, entertainment, and connection during a time of social distancing. In this article, we will explore the reasons why TikTok is facing a ban in America and what it could mean for the future of social media.
Why Is Tiktok Getting Banned In America?
TikTok, the popular short-form video-sharing app, has been making headlines for quite some time now. The app has been in the news for various reasons, but the recent buzz is about its ban in America. The Trump administration has announced that TikTok will be banned in the United States, citing national security concerns. This article will explore the reasons why TikTok is getting banned in America and what impact it will have.
One of the main reasons why TikTok is getting banned in America is privacy concerns. The app has been under scrutiny for collecting vast amounts of data on users, including their location, phone contacts, and browsing history. This data can be accessed by the Chinese government, which has raised concerns about national security. The US government fears that the Chinese government could use this data for espionage or other malicious purposes.
TikTok has denied these claims, stating that they have never shared user data with the Chinese government. However, the US government is not convinced and has ordered TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US operations to an American company. This move is to ensure that user data is not accessible to the Chinese government.
Impact on American Businesses
The ban on TikTok will have a significant impact on American businesses. Many companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, have been leveraging the app to promote their products and services. With the ban, these businesses will lose a critical platform to reach out to their target audience. The loss of this marketing channel could result in a decline in sales and revenue for these businesses.
Moreover, TikTok has been a source of income for many content creators who rely on the app to showcase their talent and earn money. The ban will cut off their source of income, leading to financial distress. This move could also have a chilling effect on the tech industry, as it sets a precedent for the government’s power to regulate and control social media platforms.
Competition with American Tech Giants
Another factor contributing to the ban on TikTok is competition with American tech giants. TikTok’s rise in popularity has posed a threat to platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. These companies have been losing their audience to TikTok, which has become the go-to platform for short-form videos.
The ban on TikTok is seen as a way to level the playing field for American tech companies. By banning TikTok, the government is creating room for American companies to develop their short-form video-sharing apps to compete with TikTok. This move could lead to the emergence of new players in the tech industry and increased competition.
Impact on Users
The ban on TikTok will have a significant impact on users. The app has become a source of entertainment and a platform for self-expression for millions of people worldwide. With the ban, users will lose access to this platform, which could lead to a decline in mental health and well-being. TikTok has been a source of joy for many people, and the loss of this platform could have adverse effects on their mental health.
Moreover, TikTok has been a platform for social activism, with users using the app to raise awareness of social and political issues. The loss of this platform could also have a chilling effect on free speech and the right to express oneself freely.
Benefits of the Ban
While the ban on TikTok may have adverse effects, it also has some benefits. The ban is a move to protect the privacy of American citizens and safeguard national security. By banning TikTok, the government is sending a message that it will not tolerate any platform that puts American citizens at risk.
Moreover, the ban provides an opportunity for American companies to develop their short-form video-sharing apps and compete with TikTok. This move could lead to the emergence of new players in the tech industry and increased competition, which could benefit consumers in the long run.
TikTok Vs. Instagram Reels
With the ban on TikTok, Instagram Reels has emerged as a competitor. Instagram Reels, launched in August 2020, is a new feature that allows users to create short-form videos and share them on Instagram. The feature is similar to TikTok, with users able to add music, filters, and other effects to their videos.
While Instagram Reels is still new, it has the advantage of being part of the Instagram platform, which has a massive user base. Instagram Reels also has a more established advertising platform, which could attract businesses looking to promote their products and services.
In conclusion, TikTok’s ban in America is a move to protect national security and safeguard the privacy of American citizens. While the ban may have adverse effects, it also provides an opportunity for American companies to develop their short-form video-sharing apps and compete with TikTok. The move could lead to the emergence of new players in the tech industry and increased competition, benefiting consumers in the long run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about the ban of TikTok in America:
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a social media app that allows users to create and share short videos. It has become incredibly popular, particularly among younger people, and has been downloaded over 2 billion times worldwide.
However, the app has faced criticism over issues such as data privacy and potential links to the Chinese government.
What is the reason behind the ban?
The Trump administration has expressed concerns that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, poses a threat to national security. They have suggested that the app could be used to collect data on American citizens and potentially be used for espionage or propaganda purposes.
The ban also follows similar actions taken by other countries, such as India, which banned TikTok and other Chinese apps after a border clash with China.
When will the ban take effect?
The original order stated that TikTok would be banned in the US from September 20th, 2020. However, this was temporarily blocked by a federal judge, and the situation is still uncertain. Negotiations are ongoing between TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and several American companies, such as Microsoft and Oracle, to find a solution that would allow the app to continue operating in the US.
It is possible that the ban may be lifted or delayed depending on the outcome of these negotiations.
What will happen if the ban goes ahead?
If the ban is implemented, it will mean that TikTok will no longer be available to download or use in the United States. The app will likely be removed from app stores, and users who have already downloaded it may face restrictions on its use. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, will also be required to sell its US operations to an American company.
The ban could have significant consequences for TikTok’s popularity and revenue, as well as for the many influencers and businesses who use the app to promote their content.
Is there a way to use TikTok in America despite the ban?
It is possible that users may be able to continue using TikTok in America even if the ban is implemented, by using virtual private networks (VPNs) or other methods to bypass the restrictions. However, this is not recommended, as it may be illegal and could pose security risks.
It is also possible that a solution may be found to allow TikTok to continue operating legally in the United States.
In conclusion, the recent actions taken by the United States government to ban TikTok have caused a lot of controversy and concerns among the app’s users and creators. While the reasons behind the ban have been stated as national security concerns and data privacy issues, the decision has been met with mixed reactions.
On one hand, some argue that the ban is necessary to protect American citizens’ data from being accessed by foreign governments. On the other hand, others believe that the ban is a violation of free speech and could have negative consequences for the app’s user base.
Regardless of the reasons behind the ban, it is clear that TikTok has become a significant part of popular culture and has given rise to a new generation of content creators and influencers. It remains to be seen how the ban will impact the app’s future, but one thing is certain – the debate around TikTok’s role in society is far from over.