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UBB an ‘Operational Misstep’
Time Warner Cable (TWC), the second largest Multi-Service Operator (MSO) in North America, confirmed plans last week to test market “usage-based billing” (UBB) in its Beaumont, Texas market. TWC estimates that roughly five percent of its High Speed Internet service users gobble up fifty percent of the bandwidth. A new Insight by Strategy Analytics, “Usage-Based Broadband Billing: Where’s the Love?” questions the wisdom of this move.
“Moving towards UBB is an operational misstep, and runs the risk of confusing customers, creating bad blood and further tarnishing the already low customer satisfaction scores Broadband Service Providers (BSPs) typically garner,” says David Mercer, Vice-President of the Strategy Analytics Digital Consumer Practice.
Continued broadband penetration depends on the BSP’s ability to win customer “wallet share.” Customers have grown accustomed to paying for their broadband service in a certain way, and appreciate and expect a predictable monthly bill. Dramatically altering the model, with no discernible added value, may prove to be a big mistake.
“In an increasingly commoditized broadband access market, BSPs need to find effective and rational ways to differentiate,” says Ben Piper, Director of the Strategy Analytics Broadband Network Strategies service. “TWC, with its proposed pricing plan, runs the risk of differentiating itself out of the market.”
About Strategy Analytics
Strategy Analytics, Inc focuses on market opportunities and disruptive forces in the areas of Automotive Electronics and Entertainment, Broadband Connected Home, Mobile & Wireless Intelligent Systems Implementation Strategies and High Frequency Market intelligence. Headquartered in Boston, MA, with offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea and China, Strategy Analytics works with clients through annual multi-client services, management team workshops and custom consulting engagements. For more information, please visit http://www.strategyanalytics.com


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Pier 17 stores close as Seaport gears up for redevelopment
One of South Street Seaport's most famous shopping areas had its swan song Monday.
After 30 years in operation, Pier 17 -- and all of its shops shut down to make way for a larger mall for the neighborhood, that's still recovering from Superstorm Sandy.
Some small business owners who were clearing out their items said they were bittersweet about the change because even though the new center won't be complete until 2015 at the earliest, they all agreed that it needs a boost to attract customers and visitors.
"I feel bad, but this [place] needs a future," said Ali Torun, 31, who owns the Fashion Bag and Pacific Grill stores in the pier.
In March, the city approved the Howard Hughes Corporation, a Texas-based developer -- to make over the site after it worked with Community Board 1 and residents over the specifics for the $200 million project.
The building was in dire need of repair especially after the Oct. 29 storm which flooded the streets and damaged infrastructure on the first floor. Community Board 1 chair Catherine Hughes said foot traffic is still low 11 months later.
Demolition of the pier, which opened in 1983, is set for Oct. 1. When construction is finished in two years, there will be a three-story building with rooftop space for public purposes and a front porch overlooking the water
The corporation pushed back construction from the spring to fall to give store owners one more summer season of business, a request that CB 1 chair Catherine McVay Hughes said was beneficial after the Sandy.
"The local businesses were able to recoup some of their expenses and lost business due to Sandy this past summer, which is the peak season," she said.
A spokesman for the Howard Hughes corporation couldn't say if the current stores will be back in the new space when it re-opens but some shops have already found new locations throughout the city.
But other business owners and workers said they are still looking and are optimistic that they will return to the revitalized Pier 17.
"It's going to get better," said Vanesa Brun, 21, who has been working at the Hanami jewelry stand outside Pier 17 for four years. "This location is good because there are a lot of tourists. Maybe with the new place it will bring regular New Yorkers too."

domain: news


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AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin institution has filed for bankruptcy, and it’s scrambling to re-organize its finances, so it can pay its employees the money they’re owed.
Trudy’s Tex-Mex restaurant chain has three locations in Austin:
- Trudy’s North Star on Burnet Road
- Trudy’s South Start on Little Texas Lane
- South Congress Cafe
Attorney Stephen Sather, who filed the bankruptcy petition for Trudy’s, told KXAN the restaurant chain has about $4 million in debt. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition was filed Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas.
Over the last two months or so, many people sent ReportIt! emails to KXAN saying Trudy’s employees were not getting paid.
“I interviewed with Trudy’s in mid-December and took a job with them,” explained Helen MacDonald. “I liked the job. The job was fun and rewarding, but when it came time to be paid, I was told no. We would not be paid.”
She said, “It was… disbelief. What do you mean? We’re busy. We’re serving lots of food every day to happy customers who come back. What’s going on?”
MacDonald said that went on until she had to tell her managers she can’t work for free.
Sather said the restaurant chain has 275 employees, and all of them are owed something.
According to Sather, all three locations of Trudy’s were profitable, but their financial problems spiraled out of control when their Dripping Springs location shut down.
“Unfortunately, it’s something I’ve seen before that you have a successful business, which expands, and they grow one step too far,” the attorney said over the phone Wednesday evening.
Sather also added, Gary Truesdell, the owner, was experiencing health issues as well, and the chain had taken out merchant cash advance loans, which are high-interest loans for small businesses, similar to payday loans available to individuals.
According to Sather, the Internal Revenue Service placed a levy on Trudy’s credit card processor, which meant they weren’t able to collect any money from bills paid with credit cards, essentially drying up their cash flow.
Sather said the Ch. 11 filing releases the levy and also protects the company from creditors seizing their assets.
He said the goal is to open all three locations back open as early as Thursday.
The bankruptcy filing means everything Trudy’s does to reorganize its finances will need a judge’s approval. Sather said once the judge approves, the chain will work on paying its employees who haven’t been paid.
“I think when an employer engages an employee in a contract of sorts, they need to uphold their end of it, and if they don’t, they need to realize the true cost of it is people going without homes,” said MacDonald.
She said other people in the restaurant industry have been kind and helped her with her phone bill and a bus pass, but she can’t pay her rent.
“I’m going to be calling the Salvation Army at 7 a.m. every morning going down there to find out if they have a bed available,” she said.
MacDonald told us she’s staying strong, keeping her hopes high and going to make sure she gets paid. “Yes, all three! All three. I have not given up on this and I won’t.”


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SK Innovation and Ford announced on the 20th (US local time) they have signed a MOU for a joint venture – to be called BlueOvalSK – to manufacture battery cells and arrays in the U.S.
BlueOvalSK to produce approximately 60GWh annually with potential to expand, starting mid-decade
Kim Jun, CEO of SK Innovation: “Our JV with Ford will play a pivotal role in fleshing out the electric vehicle value chain in the United States, a key objective of the current U.S. administration”
Jim Farley, CEO of Ford: “It is a key part of our plan to vertically integrate key capabilities that will differentiate Ford far into the future,” “We will not cede our future to anyone else.”
SK Innovation and Ford announced on May 20th (U.S. local time) they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create a joint venture – to be called BlueOvalSK – to produce approximately 60 GWh annually in traction battery cells and array modules, starting mid-decade, with potential to expand.
“This MOU is just the start; it’s a key part of our plan to vertically integrate key capabilities that will differentiate Ford far into the future,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “We will not cede our future to anyone else.”
“We are delighted to be entering into collaboration with Ford, America’s and iconic automaker. Ford is one of the most active players in vehicle electrification. We are proud to be opening this new chapter in their long history,” said Kim Jun, SK Innovation CEO & President. “Our JV with Ford will play a pivotal role in fleshing out the electric vehicle value chain in the United States, a key objective of the current U.S. administration.”
The creation of the JV is subject to definitive agreements, regulatory approvals and other conditions. Next-gen cells and arrays will be used to power several future Ford battery electric vehicles.
“Through the JV, Ford and SK Innovation will jointly develop and industrialize battery cells at scale that are tailored to deliver optimum performance and value for our Ford and Lincoln customers,” said Lisa Drake, Ford’s North America chief operating officer. “SK Innovation is an important partner in helping deliver batteries with better range and value for our fully electric vehicles by mid-decade.”
Ford’s global BEV plan calls for at least 240 GWh of battery cell capacity by 2030 – roughly 10 plants’ worth of capacity. Approximately 140 GWh will be required in North America, with the balance dedicated to other key regions, including Europe and China.
“Global automakers have praised SK Innovations’ EV batteries for their safety, high capacity and long life,” said Jee Dong-seob, Head of SK Innovation’s Battery Business. “SK Innovation will be supplying batteries for the fully electric version of Ford’s legendary and best-selling F-150 pickup truck. We are thrilled to be supporting the electrification of a vehicle that represents the very best of American automaking.”
The name of the joint venture, “Blue Oval SK,” is a combination of Ford’s Blue Oval emblem and SK in SK Innovation’s name. The annual output of 60GWh produced by BlueOvalSK can power about 600,000 electric pickup trucks (each requires about 100kwh of battery).
About 6 trillion KRW will be invested in this JV. Accordingly, along with the 3 trillion KRW investment in Plant 1 and Plant in Georgia, SK Innovation has announced a total of 9 trillion KRW in building battery facilities in the U.S. The company expects to increase this amount in consideration of the market expansion in the future.
SK Innovation began researching batteries for electric vehicles in 1991, and developed lithium ion battery in 1996. From 2017, when the global electric vehicle and battery industry grew rapidly, the company started to expand its battery business globally. At the moment, SK Innovation has secured a global production capacity of 40GWh with manufacturing plants in South Korea, China, Hungary and the U.S.
SK Innovation has specialized in the development and commercialization of high-nickel NCM battery technology. The company developed the world’s first NCM-811 battery in 2016 and continued to innovate and to develop the world’s first high-density “Nickel 9” battery (battery that has 90% nickel content) that will be mass produced in the U.S. powering Ford’s F-150 Lightning.
Proven electrification expertise
SK Innovation has a spotless health and safety record and has not registered a single EV battery-related fire. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, SK Innovation are also producing core battery components such as separators, thereby enhancing its competitiveness.
SK Innovation’s decision to establish BlueOvalSK joint venture with Ford this time to strengthen its role in the electric vehicle ecosystem in North America, as well as to become the third largest battery maker in the world. SK Innovation’s original plan was to secure over 125 GWh of annual capacity by 2025. However, with this JV, the company expects to reach a higher target of 190 GWh by 2025.
The first two battery plants of SK Innovation in the U.S. are located in Georgia with a total annual capacity of 22 GWh. The 10 GWh plant – Plant 1 is running pilot production after the completion of mechanical construction earlier this year, and commercial production will begin early next year. Plant 2 with a scale of 12 GWh is currently under construction and planned to be completed in early next year. Mass production at Plant 2 is expected to start in 2023.
Ford has been actively involved battery research and electric vehicles, starting with Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. To date, the company has secured more than 2,500 U.S. patents in electrification technologies, with another 4,300 patents pending.
Since 2004, Ford has sold more than 1 million hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles and integrated four generations of batteries into its vehicles. By year-end, the company will be manufacturing electrified vehicles and supporting technologies at more than 15 powertrain and vehicle assembly plants globally.
Ford has assembled hybrid battery packs and electric motors in Michigan since 2012. That same year, Ford invested $135 million to design, engineer and produce these components for hybrids. It included a combined 170 jobs at the Rawsonville plant to assemble batteries and VanDyke Transmission plant to assemble e-motors, plus hiring more than 50 electric vehicle engineers.


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This week two of the largest social gaming developers, Playfish and Playdom, announced that they are opening offices in San Francisco. Is this part of the massive Silicon Valley “revival” that the BBC described yesterday? I doubt it but it’s clear that no matter where the social gaming companies are hiring from, San Francisco and the bay area in general, are important for any growing internet startup.
At an event in Washington, D.C. today, Shervin Pishevar of Social Gaming Network explained to an audience of entrepreneurs and government decision makers how he had built a network of developers from around the world, the minority of which were based in the bay area. No matter where the developers are, social gaming startups are clamoring for more of them however San Francisco is still a center for attracting top software engineering talent.
As the quality of social games increase, development needs are increasing as well. Despite the down economy, venture money continues to pour into bay area internet startups. Well, that’s true at least if you base the “surge” in investment activity a single conference that’s focused on new startup ideas (Techcrunch 50) being sold out. Also if you interview a number of optimistic valley entrepreneurs then the overall technology economy must be doing well, right?
I think it’s pretty obvious that I partially disagree with the BBC’s analysis of the Silicon Valley economy however that’s not the point of this article! If you are a developer that’s looking for work you should give both Playfish and Playdom a call!


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In a sign of what is to come for the financial services industry, online brokerage platform, Tiger Brokers has developed an AI investment assistant, that offers its platform users market analysis based on Tiger Brokers' access to financial data and resources.
Superannuation funds have also been looking at AI applications.
TigerGPT is currently in user testing and will be rolled out on the Tiger Trade platform shortly. It will provide listed companies' profiles and data, investor education materials, and market and stock insights, in response to users' investment-related queries in easily digestible conversations within seconds.
"At Tiger Brokers, our commitment is to constantly facilitate global investing by placing innovations at the centre of every step we take in creating the best possible user experience, boosting our users' overall investing literacy, and bringing more sense to smart investing," founder and chief executive officer of Tiger Brokers, Wu Tianhua, said.
"No more overwhelming mountains of scattered data and information, we believe our TigerGPT feature can bring users a deeply valued fresh breeze, by addressing various queries on investment research, quenching curiosities of specific stocks and industries, and presenting the very piece of information needed in a well-articulated and highly-pertinent manner - all the factors needed before making informed, efficient and smart investments."


text: Did you miss the tutorial videos of how to use various features of the Droid 3 that just popped up online a few days ago? It certainly shows some of the software as well as the hardware. I'd say those present a hefty amount of information. The phone has also shown up in a couple Verizon databases recently. It seemed to me that the Droid X2 had even less information trickling out ahead of its release. Various trusted posters here have indicated a late June release. Some rumors as of late have said early July. Either is still entirely possible at this point.


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When the Wiregrass Master Gardeners open their 2021 spring plant sale, there will be a few changes.
First, the sale begins on a Saturday as opposed to Friday. Second, plants will be located under the shady pines near the tropical house at the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens instead of the master gardener nursery area. And, third, you’ll have more than a week to shop for plants rather than just two days.
“This year, we’re going to spread it out over 10 days, actually two weekends,” said Chuck McManus, president of the Wiregrass Master Gardeners Association.
The annual spring plant sale begins Saturday and will continue until April 18. The sale will be held during regular hours at the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens, which is open each day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Dothan Area Botanical Gardens is located at 5130 Headland Ave.
“We’ll set up next to the garden’s office and people will be able to shop, select their plants and then take them inside and pay at the garden’s office,” McManus said. “People in the past would pile in our nursery area, and because of COVID we’re going to try to spread it out. Let people shop and, hopefully, we don’t have too huge of a crowd that first morning.”
The spring plant sale, a fundraiser for the master gardeners, is popular among area home gardeners. The plants are grown from seed, propagated from other plants or even dug up from local yards by master gardeners. People usually line up early to secure a wagon and get the first pick of plants.
Because of COVID-19, last year’s spring sale was basically canceled as far as much of the public was concerned. McManus said the association hosted a private no-contact sale for master gardeners and then set up plants for sale near the walking trail at the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens.
“It was for a shorter time and the association made much less money than we traditionally do,” McManus said.
But for their fall sale, master gardeners set up plants in front of the botanical garden’s tropical house and had one of its best fall plant sales ever, McManus said. The upcoming spring sale will have a similar set-up.
McManus said the group will have a good selection of annuals, perennials, shrubs, indoor plants and vegetables.
“Obviously, we would expect to sell out of some of the plants,” he said. “I can’t imagine we would have near as good as stock the second weekend as the first.”
Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com.


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Office 2013 SP1 Coming Early 2014
- By Kurt Mackie
- November 20, 2013
Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Microsoft's Office 2013-branded products will roll out "early next year," Microsoft said on Wednesday.
Affected products include Exchange Server 2013 and SharePoint Server 2013, according to Microsoft's announcement. The SP1 releases will include feature enhancements, improvements in compatibility with Windows 8.1 and performance improvements.
No other details were described, but Microsoft promised additional information near release time.
Microsoft has consistently indicated that service packs for its customer premises-installed products are still part of its product release cycles. However, under its new product release cadence, announced earlier this year, cloud-based product improvements will get developed and released first.
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.


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The Apple Watch is about to introduce another commerce channel to consumers.
Available today in-store as a limited boutique release, Apple’s newest gadget is being slated as both the wearable-to-end-all-wearables and (somewhat more questionably) a new piece of luxury arm candy, with prices running as high as $17,000.
The watch’s small screen has presented a challenge for the earliest retail adopters. As consumers begin shopping on their phones, the Apple Watch’s commerce apps must bring something to the table other than an additional, scaled-down storefront, according to industry analysts. But they shouldn’t overcomplicate things either — some of the more-promising retail apps have just one function.
Amazon, Target, eBay and Zulily have each updated their apps to work with the Apple Watch. Here’s a look at how these retailers are making the most out of the timepiece’s modest real estate.
One click to buy.
The less time consumers have to spend studying their wrist to complete a purchase, the better. Amazon is bringing its click-to-buy model to the device, another step toward its goal of making mindless refills of go-to purchases the norm. While shopping around for major purchases is unlikely to take place all on the Watch, items that are continually purchased, like Tide or toilet paper, can be re-ordered with a tap.
Beyond that, Amazon seems to be the only retailer going for the full search, browse and shop experience on the watch. But not everyone is convinced that’s the right track to take. “I wonder what you would actually buy on a small screen, when your phone is right there,” said Daz McColl, SapientNitro’s global chief of brand strategy. “It’s going to be interesting to see what will happen there.”
Retailers are using the Apple Watch to bring the shopping experience front of mind, even if the actual purchasing happens later. Amazon may be going for the full shopping experience. Others, like Zulily, a flash sale e-commerce space targeted to moms, has taken a narrower approach: its app lets users add to their wish lists from their wrists, as well as bookmark something to view later, when they’re looking at a bigger screen.
Constantly placing bids on eBay items? The Apple Watch could become your next obsession. The eBay app on the watch, like Zulily, only has one function — tracking your outstanding auctions and letting you adjust your bid. You’ll be pinged on your watch if you’ve been outbid, or if you’ve won something, but you can’t browse for products.
Only having one core function on an Apple Watch app may sound like a narrow approach, but it could be a smart move for retailers. “The more complex we make things, the less likely we are to have a satisfying experience,” said McColl. “The solution is individualization — the utility has a high level of relevance to the individual.”
The Apple Watch is being touted as the company’s “most personal device yet,” making individualization is important to any retail strategy.
Smarter shopping lists
Target also built an app that only does one thing: shopping lists. Target shoppers can create a shopping list on the Target iPhone app, sync it to their watches, and head to a store. Then, as the shopper navigates the aisles, the Apple Watch will send a ping to let them know they’re approaching an item on their list.
This beacon-like functionality could ultimately provide clues as to how beacons might evolve going forward. But in the meantime, retailers will have to focus on whether shoppers will adopt the smaller screen as a necessary extension of their iPhones, similar to the way smartphones became carryable extensions of computers.
“Your phone does a lot that your computer used to do,” said McColl. “We’ve adapted to that small screen. Will that continue down the line to an even smaller screen? We’ll find out.”
Member ExclusiveDigiday+ Research: Instagram wins over Facebook for role in brands’ holiday marketing
Brands differ on how they use each marketing channel during the holidays -- even when it comes to sibling social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, Digiday+ Research found.
How — and why — Candy Crush is in the midst of a 10th anniversary brand refresh
In the years since Activision Blizzard acquired the Swedish game studio King in 2016, employees at the gaming giant have started to internally refer to their company as “ABK” — that is, Activision Blizzard King. But the corporation’s recent financial reports indicate that “KAB” might be a more accurate abbreviation.
Independent agency Goat invests in influencer strategy for clients as it expands in the U.S.
Everyone is after influencers to up their marketing game. But the secret to success, Goat contends, is in viewing influencers as performance media and using data to deliver clients guaranteed outcomes.
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Connected TV is unique among other advertising channels because it combines linear television’s storytelling capabilities with digital marketing’s targeting and measurement. As more marketers leverage CTV advertisements to reach relevant and engaged audiences, they also want to understand the real value they are generating with their investment. Incrementality reporting and measurement allow advertisers to measure […]
Marketers bring Web3 to the FIFA World Cup with augmented reality, NFTs and virtual worlds
The month-long tournament, which begins this weekend, will be the first World Cup since it took place in Russia in 2018 long before “Web3” entered the global lexicon. Now, official and non-official sponsors are hoping to harness the hype with a range of NFTs, virtual worlds, augmented reality tools and other trendy tech.
U-Haul diversifies its social strategy to tell people it’s more than moving trucks
In recent years, U-Haul's in-house agency has been working to "better leverage social media for brand loyalty."


text: Applebee's, a 32-year-old chain with 1,865 locations in 49 states, is changing its food with a focus on fresh ingredients. It's changing the look of its stores to be contemporary. It also has a new campaign. Mike Archer, former president at T.G.I. Friday's and now president at Applebee's, explains the changes at Applebee's and why he thinks he can make Applebee's relevant to the next generation.


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The moment that many Google Play customers have been waiting for is here, as Google finally makes the Store’s gift cards official. The support page for the vouchers, which has just gone live, reveals more information that will please those in the U.S., but disappoint many outside the country.
Google Play voucher redeemed ahead of official release
Folks from Target were able to successfully redeem a $25 Google Play gift card ahead of the official launch. Some trickery was naturally involved in the redeeming process, given that it isn’t supposed to go live yet.
Gift cards and wish lists are almost certainly coming to Google Play
Buying for apps and other content on Google Play isn’t the easiest thing to do for folks who don’t have credit cards or simply don’t want to whip them out to buy games and apps -- among other things. The same plight is faced by non-US customers whose payment option is even more severely limited. It looks Google is ready to give customers what they really, really want: the ability to use gift cards to make Google Play purchase.
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HILLSBORO - F
Hillsboro facility seems like a scene lifted from a James Bond movie: a room filled with 1,900 black batteries hums almost inaudibly, doors with security checkpoints yield to other rooms with scores of large, complex cooling systems.
The scale of the 240,000-square-foot facility, previously home to the Etec Systems semiconductor plant, is immense.
After looking at locations in Texas, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and throughout Oregon, Hillsboro was the "clear winner" according to CEO John Sheputis.
Fortune Data Centers
Project size: 240,000 square feet on 15 acres
Address: 21515 N.W. Evergreen Parkway, Hillsboro
Purpose: serves as a landlord for companies wanting to house data servers
Comparison: the Hillsboro facility has 20 megawatts of power capacity twice the amount of the company's San Jose location.
Improvements: Installed 'tens of millions' in new equipment and infrastructure, including many backup generator systems and a 146,000 gallon silo of water to assist cooling process.
Data centers are
, Sheputis said, because of its great climate and "welcoming tax posture to making investment." Another perk is the presence of high-speed data cables which cross the Pacific Ocean bound for Hillsboro. Sheputis said those cables, which he estimated cost in the billions of dollars, practically mandate companies like his "site near them."
"I think this area is destined to win more than it's share," Sheputis said of the data center market.
The 15-acre location is also in an
, exempting the company from property taxes on its equipment for three to five years. Sheputis said since purchasing the building last year, the company has invested millions tens of millions of dollars of equipment that's been designed, purchased, installed, integrated and tested. The center will employ between 20 and 40 people.
High-profile companies like Facebook, Adobe, Amazon and Yahoo are building data centers in Oregon and Washington. Sheputis said his San Jose-based company is different. "We are a data center that serves other end users, we didn't build this for our own consumption."
Signs proclaim the center as the most sustainable in its industry. Fortune officially opened its doors in Hillsboro on Thursday. Its first two tenants signed leases to operate their server farms out of the facility, according to director of sales Jennie Karnes.
Sheputis said one of the first tenants, which he declined to name, is from out of state and a high-profile company.
Fortune retrofitted many of the cooling systems already in place from the former tenant. It did the same thing at its San Jose facility.
Sheputis described Hillsboro as a "destination market" for data farms. He responded to criticism of the industry as one that doesn't create jobs by pointing to his customers. "The tenants that we bring are bringing their staff, their ideas their commerce to this area."
His company, and customers too, spend millions on maintenance.
The data center industry is rapidly innovating, Sheputis said, and becoming more efficient. He said Hillsboro is a logical location for more data centers and investment. "I can't imagine why there wouldn't be, not only from us, but from others."


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Three years ago, the Chamber’s Middle Market Action Team released Mobilizing Greater Philadelphia’s Middle Market, a first-of-its-kind, in-depth analysis of our region’s middle market economy. Thus began our relationship with the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM). Working together with the local office of McKinsey & Company, we set out to develop an understanding of who our middle market is and how we can be a more effective and indispensable partner to them.
What We Discovered:
Total employment represented by the middle market
Combined revenue for our region’s middle market
Projected revenue growth higher than the middle market nationwide
Recognizing the importance of the middle market to our region, the Chamber partnered with NCMM to set forth in its mission to make Greater Philadelphia a top U.S. region for the middle market with sustained, double-digit growth.
The launch of the report was just the beginning of our partnership. For the past four years, Tom Stewart, Executive Director, NCMM has joined us at our annual January middle market program that gathers hundreds of middle market business leaders to present new report findings. Stewart gives an overview of NCMM’s Middle Market Indicator, a quarterly business performance update and economic outlook survey conducted among 1,000 C-suite executives of companies with annual revenues between $10 million and $1 billion.
In 2019, NCMM surveyed our region’s middle market businesses to see how Greater Philadelphia’s middle market stacks up to the rest of the nation.
Greater Philadelphia Spotlight:
On March 16, NCMM released their 2019 Annual Report: At the Center of Change. The report takes a look at the central role middle market companies have played in driving the U.S. economy and the significant changes these businesses have faced throughout the year, including economic shifts, trade wars, and the growing importance of digital technologies.
The report features results of a survey conducted in partnership with the Chamber’s Middle Market Action Team of our region’s middle market businesses.
Greater Philadelphia’s Middle Market
In 2019, Greater Philadelphia’s mid-sized companies do better than most major regions across the nation.
Greater PHL’s average middle market revenue growth
Northeast’s average middle market revenue growth
United States’ average middle market revenue growth


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Vine, the Twitter-purchased startup that featured only 6-second clips from videographers, this past week announced the app will soon be permanently shutting down after its 4-year stint.
Known for the humor and quick-wit video editing skills that left all of us laughing from time to time, Vine peaked at popularity during a 3-year stretch from 2013 to 2015. Vine was a widely used app, pioneering a short-form video style for social media, helping to bring in the video-sharing popularity that now dominates most platforms.
The end of Vine was foreshadowed when Snapchat hit the video scene, and Instagram started included video sharing on their once picture-only platform. Snapchat, a wildly popular real-time video app dominating marketing efforts for the 14-32 year old demographic today, essentially pulled Vine’s user base away for a more personal sphere. Instagram cleverly played along, and added video sharing, plus a real-time Instagram Stories feature, setting the stage for a Vine shutdown.
In Vine’s death post from October 27, 2016, they stated, “Thank you for taking a chance on this app back in the day.”
Twitter swooped up Vine at its early startup stages in 2012. Vine has since given birth to a new crop of Internet darlings, masters of sharing their personality and humor in 6-seconds or less.
The Vine platform, despite the app shutdown, will still be up so all Vine-addicts can watch their most cherished videos. Users will no longer be able to record and post in the app, however.
Will a new Vine-style app hit the market in the upcoming months? Time will tell. In the mean time, Snapchat and Instagram reign supreme as the video marketing platforms of the world.


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By Tom Jenkins for CNN
Instagram’s fifth birthday party had a guest list stretching to 400 million. That’s how many monthly active users the photo-sharing app now has and almost half of them are under 25. In the triumvirate of social media (along with Facebook and Twitter), it’s definitely the cool one.
Much of the platform’s appeal lies in it simplicity, hence developers have changed very little since its inception. But with the introduction of sponsored posts it feel like Instagram is at something of a crossroads. Will it lose its idiosyncratic creative spirit or simply push on to the next level with a whole host of new features?
By Phil Wahba on Fortune
Lundgren says he will only cut so much.
Macy’s (M 1.89%) has hit its roughest patch since the Great Depression, prompting the retailer to add to its program of store closings as sales continue to fall.
While the department store chain, which on Wednesday reported its third straight quarter of declining comparable sales, plans to streamline its fleet and weed out dozens of poor locations, there is a limit to how much the retailer will ultimately cut, its CEO Terry Lundgren says.
Even in the age of e-commerce, indeed because of how customers are shopping in the digital sales era, he argues, stores are as valuable as ever.
By Amy Thomson & Matthew Campbell from Bloomberg Businessweek.
The luxury clothing aggregator has hungry investors to please.
José Neves’s online retail company, Farfetch, connects tiny, ultrahigh-end clothing boutiques in 30 countries to shoppers around the world. Farfetch is the site to visit if you simply must have that $13,140 rainbow-patterned, sleeveless llama fur coat by Marni delivered posthaste to your yacht in Capri.
As with any popular clothier, Neves’s challenge is to widen his business without losing the patina of relative exclusivity. (His site’s slogan is “Unfollow.”) In March, Farfetch announced $86 million in funding from the likes of Condé Nast and DST Global at a valuation of $1 billion. It’s spent the rest of 2015 pouring that money into expansion, adding 250 workers to its existing 750 to scout boutiques and business lines. Neves says his company will sell more than $500 million worth of clothes and accessories this year, up from $300 million in 2014.


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Tesla Giga Shanghai aims to optimize domestic vehicle deliveries while making them more environmentally friendly. The company began to transport cars by train there, which is a step forward in its development.
Tesla in China is gaining momentum by expanding its ways of delivering cars. Previously, the company only transported them by trucks and ships but now it has added another method. According to a @Tslachan/Twitter post, Tesla has begun using the railroad as an additional option to deliver cars to remote regions of China.
According to available information, the first train, with 120 Tesla cars, left Shanghai for Shenyang on March 13. The company began serving customers in Shenyang in 2018 and currently has five Tesla delivery centers there. In addition, the charging infrastructure is actively developing in the area, which contributes to the widespread introduction of the manufacturer's cars.
$TSLA— Tsla Chan (@Tslachan) March 16, 2023
News: 🇨🇳 In China, Tesla began moving and transporting railways.
- On March 13, a train carrying 120 Tesla vehicles moved from Shanghai to Shenyang.
- This is the first time Tesla has adopted a direct train transportation method from its Shanghai plant to Shenyang since… https://t.co/xZQ360YoVp pic.twitter.com/6AP8aKxYvj
The transportation of Tesla cars by train has a number of advantages. The company has the ability to quickly and cost-effectively deliver a lot of cars to the far regions of China. This in turn significantly reduces the company's carbon footprint by not requiring fuel to be burned by the trucks that deliver them. Tesla delivers hundreds of thousands of vehicles in China every year, and the number will continue to grow, so it is important to keep track of how they deliver. The company already uses the railroad to deliver its vehicles from its factories in the US and Germany.
© 2023, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.
We appreciate your readership! Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
About the Author
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.


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Misco announced earlier today that it is to shut its UK warehouse in a move it says is in line with many of its reseller competitors.
CEO Alan Cantwell said the rise of drop-shipping meant its logistics centre in Greenock is now shipping just 400 to 500 parcels daily, despite being purpose-built to ship over 10 times that number.
If you are a reseller or services firm serving end customers directly, let us know where you stand on the issue by voting in our poll.
The IT boss of this engineering firm opens up on the traits he most values in resellers and vendors
Vendor's cloud revenue increased 44 per cent in Q2, but such heady cloud spikes are set to be short-lived
Isolation security vendor recently raised $40m in Series C funding
We trawled through 250 VAR websites and this trio of crackers stood out for their excellence


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Dating website profits we are dating now wikidrama
It worked for us because we were early, but we quickly had to find other cost effective channels.
“Customer acquisition in the dating industry is the most important, horrendous and difficult thing on the planet,” said Mikolaj Piskorski, professor of strategy and innovation at IMD business school in Switzerland.
“When it comes to being a business, dating apps have a really disturbing paradox.IAC's net income attributable to shareholders fell 26.4 percent to .4 million, or 30 cents per share, in the quarter ended March 31.Excluding items, the company earned 43 cents per share. Analysts on average had expected a profit of 35 cents per share and revenue of 2.3 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.I can tell you first hand building a dating business sux. More than 10 other dating companies were acquired in the past year, two by Barry Diller’s IAC/Inter Active, which already owns nearly 22% of the market through an amalgam of sites and apps that includes Ok Cupid, and Tinder.It is tough on a variety of levels, not least of all creating a pool of users quickly, trying to get them to eventually pay something, and then the big one – the ultimate irony that the better the product you build – the faster you lose your users. “In terms of revenue, the online-dating industry has matured, but there are too many players and not a lot are generating sufficient revenue for these sites,” said Britanny Carter, analyst for research firm IBISWorld.


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Show us the iPhones already! I’m sure this is exactly what many of us are saying at this moment. However, it looks like we’ll have to wait a few more days.
In the meantime, we have new purported images of the iPhone 5C logic board. The iPhone 5C logic board looks similar to that of the reveal it to be extremely similar to the iPhone 5S logic board. Its also reported that the attachment points on the logic board matches the layout for screws on the back enclosure of the iPhone 5C.
A recent report suggests that Apple has started shipping low cost iPhone 5C to China Mobile, the largest mobile carrier in the world. Apple has scheduled press events for the September 10 in the US and September 11 for China. The Cupertino-based company is widely expected to unveil their next generation iPhones at these events.


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Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin will speak at a session of Korea Blockchain Week 2022 on Monday at the Grand Intercontinental Grand Seoul Parnas in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. (Korea Blockchain Week 2022)
Cryptocurrency payments will become mainstream after Ethereum becomes cheaper and more accessible to more users, according to Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of the blockchain platform.
“Ethereum upgrades[scheduled for September]will dramatically reduce the cost of transaction fees, which are currently around $1 to $20, by improving the efficiency and accessibility of the crypto,” Buterin said. said at a session of Korea Blockchain Week 2022 Monday, Gangnam District, Seoul.
The upgrade, called “Merge,” is a long-awaited major software upgrade for the cryptocurrency held by the Ethereum Foundation, which aims to reduce the amount of power used in cryptocurrency mining. Through this process, existing Proof of Work mechanisms are transformed into Proof of Stake. This results in less energy consumption, faster transactions, and lower transaction fees.
Buterin emphasized that one of the other efforts that have been made to reduce transaction fees is “rolling up.” “Even after the rollup, cryptocurrency transaction costs are generally around 0 cents to 25 cents[per transaction]. ‘ he said.
More accessible crypto transactions mean making blockchain affordable for everyone, Buterin said. “But now Zambian people have to pay five hours’ wages ($20) to process one transaction,” he said.
Buterin said low-income countries have suffered greatly from inflation due to ineffective financial systems and poor links with developed economies.
“Many people around the world are already quietly using cryptocurrencies for cross-border payments. Even for low-income countries, there are many opportunities for cryptocurrency payments with the benefits of digital technology of efficiency and security. I am waiting.”
Established in 2018, Korea Blockchain Week is hosted by Factblock, a Korean blockchain company. Gaming giants such as Wemade, Com2Us, Nexon and Kakao Games attended the event to share insights on blockchain services and business strategies.
Other prominent speakers include Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, Animoca CEO Yat Siu, Polygon founder Sandeep Nailwal, and Ava Labs co-founder Kevin Sekniqi.
Hye Jin Byun (email@example.com)


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Stocks manage small gains as US-China trade war gets real
US products in China have just become a tougher sell
Global stock markets managed small gains Friday, overcoming earlier wobbles prompted by China and the United States firing opening salvos in a trade war that pits the world's two biggest economies against each other.
Wall Street gained on the back of a stronger-than-forecast employment report which helped US stocks recover from an early bout of weakness as midday approached in New York.
European markets also crept back into positive territory towards the close, even as trade worries remained investors' biggest concern, dealers said.
US President Donald Trump on Friday rolled out tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods in what Beijing called the "largest trade war" in economic history.
China added it had already imposed retaliatory measures on US goods without immediately providing precise details.
- Impact 'limited for now' -
"By imposing tariffs on $34bn worth of US imports from China today and eliciting an immediate like-for-like response from China, US President Donald Trump is bringing the world close to a genuine trade war," said Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg.
But in the end, European and US markets followed the example of Asian markets which gained as investors went bargain-hunting, dealers reported.
Tokyo stocks led the gains in Asia, closing 1.1 percent higher, with markets in Shanghai and Hong Kong up by around half a percentage point.
Li Daxiao, analyst at Yingda Securities, said news of the tariffs had already been priced in.
"After the US tariffs announcement, the negative news finally came out and has already been digested over recent weeks. Therefore investors are not in as much of a panic as before, and the market sentiment will reverse," said Li.
Stanley Chik, from Bright Smart Securities International in Hong Kong, said that "the impact of tariffs on economic growth appears limited for now, giving the market a breathing spell."
But these could be just the first skirmishes in a long war, with financial markets worried about a knock-on effect on the wider global economy and the broader trading system.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on some $450 billion of Chinese goods -- virtually all of China's exports to the US -- as he seeks to advance his "America First" protectionist agenda.
Beijing has accused the US of "firing on the whole world" with the measures, pointing out that most of the Chinese goods under attack are made by companies with large foreign investment -- including American.
- Key figures around 1545 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 7,617.70 points (close)
Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.3 percent at 12,496.17 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 5,375.77 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.2 percent at 3,448.49
New York - Dow: UP 0.6 percent at 24,491.55
Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.5 percent at 28,315.62 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.1 percent at 21,788.14 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 2,747.23 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1747 from $1.1691 at 2100 GMT Thursday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3270 from $1.3222
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 110.46 yen from 110.64 yen
Oil - Brent Crude: DOWN 30 cents at $77.09 per barrel
Oil - West Texas Intermediate: UP 66 cents at $73.60
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Pink breast cancer awareness merchandise, gloves, cleats and game apparel will be worn by NFL players to support A Crucial Catch and the American Cancer Society. Throughout the month October, NFL games will feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink breast cancer awareness merchandise, on-field pink ribbon stencils, cleats, gloves special game balls and pink coins – all to help raise awareness for this important campaign. All apparel worn at games by players and coaches, along with special game balls and pink coins will be auctioned off at NFL Auction, with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society and team charities. “This is an issue that has directly touched the lives of so many in the NFL family,” notes the NFL’s website “and we are committed to helping make a difference in breast cancer prevention.”
Get it at the NFL Shop
“Ten years ago, our motto was ‘Shrink it and pink it,’” says Tracey Bleczinski, NFL consumer products vice president, to USA Today. “This year we have as many products, if not more, for women as for men.”
Everything else with the NFL is up these days. TV ratings keep going through the roof. The season’s opening day is becoming nearly as hyped as the playoffs. And passing yardage — which provides a lot of the viewing excitement for NFL pans — also is ballooning, highlighting the quarterbacks who also serve as the game’s biggest marketing icons.
So why not sell more stuff to women? After all, the NFL’s 79 million female fans make up 44% of its base, the league says. And the women’s licensed-goods business has grown by a factor of 21 in the last 10 years. via BrandChannel.com


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Monday 22 November 2021
Desire for higher quality travel
Tui: Normality returns in summer
He expects a summer to travel almost at pre-crisis level. The bookings also showed that vacationers are willing to book more expensive accommodations and often want to travel with close relatives, it is said. The Hanoverians are also somewhat relaxed about the winter.
The travel company Tui is counting on a recovery in business in 2022, almost like it was in the times before the corona pandemic. “We are optimistic that next year tourism can almost level off at the level of 2019”, said Germany boss Stefan Baumert at the presentation of the summer program 2022. “We will experience a travel summer in which normality will return.” Bookings are picking up, but they are shorter than before. The temporary lockdown in Austria currently affects the winter and ski business, but not the main bookings after mid-November. A swan song for the winter sports business in the important Austrian market is too early and wrong.
He could not rule out that the example of Austria was a role model for other countries, but he currently does not expect it to be the case across the board, explained Baumert. Customers could also switch to other holiday regions. Tui offers around 2000 accommodations in 70 ski areas and 28 countries. In the Alpine republic, a nationwide lockdown has been in effect for everyone since the beginning of the week – vaccinated and unvaccinated.
For the winter as a whole, Manager Baumert was confident, since, unlike a year ago, vacationers could now return to almost all of Tui’s destinations. The capacity of the Group’s own airline Tuifly will almost reach the level of before the virus pandemic for November and December. The most popular long-haul travel destinations are the Maldives, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates and the USA. There will also be some catching up to do with travel in the coming year – here too, especially for holidays away from home.
“Mallorca is clearly in first place”
Overall, holiday favorites will again be the eastern and western Mediterranean, according to Tui. Destinations that are important for the industry, such as the Balearic Islands, Greece and Turkey, are currently showing the highest bookings. “Mallorca is clearly in first place”, emphasized Baumert.
It also shows that vacationers are planning higher-quality trips. Suites and pool rooms are currently booked first. “People are willing to spend up to a quarter more on their vacation.” There is also a trend towards multi-generational travel. Apparently families who had not seen relatives for a long time during the Corona period wanted to go on vacation together, said Baumert. Villas and large suites are very well booked.
Overall, Tui is significantly more optimistic than the German Travel Association (DRV). According to the DRV survey, 60 percent of companies do not expect a business recovery at pre-crisis level until 2023, a third not even until 2024.
The German state supported Tui with 4.3 billion euros because travel collapsed during the pandemic. The Hanoverians want to repay part of this with a 1.1 billion euro capital increase.


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LAHORE – A not-so-creative photoshoot by a clothing brand is drawing trolling on social media. In the photoshoot, the model is posing with a toilet seat.
From a photoshoot with a model holding a birthday cake in a pool full of water to a photoshoot with a model taking a dip in a saree, the clothing brand has tried everything to grab people’s attention.
In the comments section, social media users left some hilarious comments. Some advised the brand and its creative director to be more aesthetic while others recommended removal of the creative team.


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Only 5% Of News Publishers Use The Google News Keywords Meta Tag
Just over three months ago, Google launched the news keyword meta tag designed to let news publishers have a better chance of ranking for words they might not have included in their headlines. Adoption rate so far? Only about 5% of the sources within Google News use the tag, according to new data provided by […]
Just over three months ago, Google launched the news keyword meta tag designed to let news publishers have a better chance of ranking for words they might not have included in their headlines. Adoption rate so far? Only about 5% of the sources within Google News use the tag, according to new data provided by Blekko.
Last month, I’d asked Google how many publishers were using the tag. It declined to answer. But rival search engine Blekko crawls the web and is able to spot what pages have the news keywords tag. Blekko has released a report showing how many pages and sites across the web have it:
The report was posted on December 21, and shows that as of that date, there were 2,465 domains that were found to be using the news keyword tag on some of their pages.
Calculating The 5% Figure
The tag only works for those within Google News, so if you know the number of sites within Google News, you can use the figure to get an estimated adoption rate. Fortunately, Google recently blogged fresh stats about publishers in Google News, saying in September that there were more than 50,000 sources.
Doing the division, 2,465 domains by 50,000 sources gives a 4.93% usage rate of the news keywords tag, or call it 5 percent rounded.
Caveats To Consider
There are some caveats. Blekko covers about 4 billion pages on the web; Google covers in the 10s of billions, if not 100s of billions (it doesn’t release official figures). That means Blekko might be missing some publishers.
Also, Blekko lists some sites like tinyurl.com, bit.ly and t.co as using the tag. They aren’t. Those are link shortening services. Blekko is likely counting pages on other sites as if they also are published on the link shortening sites. As a result, the Blekko list might be overcounting the number of sites using the news meta tag by a bit.
Blekko might also be overcounting because the list shows any page that mentions the tag, even if a site simply reported on the tag but doesn’t actually use it. For example, Journalism.co.uk reported on the tag when it launched, using the text of the tag in the body of its story. It doesn’t appear to actually use the tag as intended for current stories. However, I can see it on the Blekko list.
Still, in lieu of Google itself sharing figures on usage, I think Blekko’s probably providing a pretty good estimate. The adoption rate might be off by a percentage point or two or even more. But regardless, it’s very low.
Why’s Adoption Low?
Why would news publishers not be using a tool that can provide them with more visibility? There’s bureaucratic inertia: it can be tough to get any type of search engine optimization implemented, much less a new form of tagging. But worse, Google went with a non-standard form of tagging rather than one that’s been used for over a decade and which has plenty of content management system support.
My previous post, Up Close: Using The “News Keywords” Tag For Google News, explains in more depth how Google eschewed standards in favor of its own system. It wouldn’t be difficult for Google to support both standards. If it did, I suspect adoption rate would dramatically increase, though inertia might still keep it relatively low.
Who’s Using It?
Which publications make the most use of the tag? The Blekko data doesn’t reveal that. If it showed number of pages on each site, as well as number of tagged pages, there might be a way to estimate this. But the “Site Rank” stat shown doesn’t reflect this. Instead, that’s simply Blekko’s own internal estimate of how authoritative a site is in relation to other sites Blekko knows about.
What authoritative sites use the tag? They include:
- New York Times
- Washington Post
- The Guardian
- Huffington Post
- USA Today
- The Telegraph
- ABC News
- Los Angeles Times
- Wall Street Journal
- The Economist
- Chicago Tribune
- PR Newswire
- New Scientist
- US News
- Christian Science Monitor
- New York Daily News
- Ad Age
- PC Magazine
- Business Insider
- Computer World
- The Sun
- Search Engine Land
Going through the list, while the overall adoption rate is small, it’s clear plenty of big names are making use of the new tag.
- Back To The Future: Google Announces A Meta Keywords Tag Just For News Articles
- Meta Keywords Tag 101: How To “Legally” Hide Words On Your Pages For Search Engines
- The Meta Keywords Tag Lives At Bing & Why Only Spammers Should Use It
- Under The Hood: Google News & Ranking Stories
- Top 10 Negative Google News Ranking Factors
- The Publisher’s Guide To Enterprise News SEO
- Writing HTML Title Tags For Humans, Google & Bing
- Up Close: Using The “News Keywords” Tag For Google News
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


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Interpublic Group reported an organic decrease in net revenue of 0.2% in the first quarter, which was in line with the company’s expectations. The company cited a tough year-to-year comparison: First quarter 2022 organic growth was 11.5%. That said, the other big holding companies reporting Q1 results (WPP, Omnicom and Publicis) have all posted single-digit growth.
Investors sent IPG’s stock down around 5% in morning trading.
Net revenue for the period was $2.18 billion, down 2.3% versus the first quarter of 2022.
The company reaffirmed earlier guidance of full-year organic growth of between 2% and 4%.
“In our first quarter, the services and capabilities that have led our substantial multi-year growth, notably media, healthcare and data-informed practices, continued to perform well with strong growth that was offset by certain areas of softness, notably among marketers in the technology sector,” IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky said on an earnings call Thursday morning. “The result was a slight decline in first quarter organic revenue.”
The technology and telecom client sectors combined caused about a 2% drag on growth, Krakowsky said. Other sectors remain stable, he noted.
Digital specialist agencies Huge and R/GA continued to be a drag on organic growth in Q1 as the agencies evolve their go-to-market offerings. Krakowsky noted that in Q4 the two agencies’ drag on organic growth was about 1.6% with an additional 1% in the first quarter. The company projects that the negative impact the agencies are having on company growth will “cycle out” in the third quarter of this year.
“Huge is further along,” Krakowsky told analysts on the call, and is already in market with an offering that has pivoted to a “consultative” approach with a focus on products and solutions.
R/GA brought in new management in Q1 with Tiffany Rolfe being promoted to chair at the agency while Robin Forbes was named interim CEO. Those appointments followed the departure of former R/GA Global CEO Sean Lyons, who left to join Accenture Song.
In the U.S., the organic decline was 0.9% in Q1 while growth in international markets (which account for nearly a third of IPG’s business) was 1.2%. The UK posted a gain of 2.9%, while Continental Europe posted a 4% decline. Asia Pacific was down 2.6% and Latin America grew by 3.9%.
A big plus in the quarter was a huge media win with Mediabrands reeling in the estimated $1.4 billion GEICO account. Krakowsky noted that earlier in the year the company said it was entering 2023 in a net new business negative position. “In the intervening period, we have successfully neutralized that deficit, and the benefits of those wins will begin to come on-stream in the second half of the year,” Krakowsky said.
More media accounts are expected to be put in play which “should present further upside opportunities for us,” the IPG chief said.
The firm’s Integrated Advertising & Creativity Led Solutions segment posted a 0.9% organic decline. Performance in the segment was led by IPG Health.
Like other holding companies IPG is scaling back its real estate portfolio in the aftermath of the pandemic which led to hybrid office/home working models. To date it has reduced occupied square footage by about 30%.


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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Infineon, the company behind the baseband chips inside your super-duper new phone, is about to cash out from the wireless industry courtesy of Intel's insatiable appetite. The Wireless Solutions Business (WLS), which accounted for nearly a third of Infineon's €3 billion ($3.83b) revenue last year, is being sold to the American chipmaker for a cool $1.4 billion. For its part, Intel is quick to reassure the world (and its antitrust authorities) that WLS will continue to operate as a standalone business and continue to support ARM-based devices. Chipzilla's perfectly innocent ploy is to harness Infineon's knowhow in future smartphone, tablet and laptop products, providing both the processing and wireless capabilities. Specifically mentioned in the news release is Intel's ambition to "accelerate 4G LTE" through this deal, while also not neglecting its ongoing efforts with WiMAX, with the overarching strategy being described as "a combined path." We should know more about where this path will take us when the acquisition is completed in the first quarter of next year.Continue reading Intel gobbles up Infineon's mobile unit in $1.4 billion deal, looks to 'accelerate 4G LTE'Intel gobbles up Infineon's mobile unit in $1.4 billion deal, looks to 'accelerate 4G LTE' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | CommentsMore...


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The UK Business Angels Association has just released the 2015 report about the market.
A Nation of Angels 2015, commissioned by the UKBAA in association with the Centre for Entrepreneurs (CFE) and with the support of the BVCA, Deloitte, Barclays and the ESRC, presents the results of a study of the investment behaviour and impact of business angels in the UK. It includes responses from 403 individual angels who responded to the online survey, follow-up telephone interviews with 42 individual angels who shared more details, and an online survey of 28 angel syndicates and networks across the UK representing 8,000 angels.
The study highlights the rise of female angels, they are more active than ever and are investing further from home, always more alongside funding vehicles. In addition, a high percentage of them, 90%, use EIS or SEIS Tax Relief Schemes. There are increased expectations of returns and 25% of angels have invested in Social Impact.
Download the report here.


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It’s been a really tough 18 months for the South African wine industry. Following four alcohol sales bans, three Covid-19 waves and many wine businesses forced to close its doors permanently, the noble profession of sommelière has been hanging in the balance.
Finally, there’s reason to smile again. Who will take top honours and claim the title of South Africa’s 2021 Best Sommelier? The winner will travel to France to represent South Africa at the World’s Best Sommelier competition in Paris.
The Best Sommelier in South Africa 2021 competition was officially announced on Thursday, 29 July, in partnership with Stellenbosch Wine Routes.
“For five decades, the Stellenbosch Wine Routes have been crafting exceptional wines and sharing them with the world. This is a great opportunity to support the profession. Sommeliers are the link between consumers and brands, the ambassadors of our wines and region,” says Stellenbosch Wine Routes chairman Mike Ratcliffe.
The competition will take place at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate on 15th September 2021. The competition will boast an top-tier panel of judges, including:
- Madeleine Stenwreth (MW)
- Famed chef Harald Bresselschmidt
- Reigning Best Sommelier in South Africa, Jo Wessels
- SASA chairman and ASI diploma sommelier, Spencer Fondaumiere
For the first time, this competition will be live-streamed worldwide thanks to WineLand Media. “Not only are we itching to see who’ll be crowned South Africa’s best sommelier, but we’re chomping at the bit to provide a quality, uninterrupted live feed and blow-by-blow coverage. The world will witness the world-class talent of South African sommeliers,” says Anton Pretorius, online editor at WineLand Media.
“The quality of South African wines has never been better. The will to succeed has never been stronger. And the fighting spirit within the industry has never been more powerful. I am inspired to be a part of showcasing South African talent on the world stage,” says Madeleine Stenwreth, (MW)
- 2 August- National Quarter Finals Open (RSVP to sign up)
- 16 August- National Quarter Finals Close
- 23 August- Semi-Finalists Announced
- 15 September- Competition
The WWF Conservation Champions has also joined the fray to help showcase sustainability achievements within the South African wine industry, which will form part of sommeliers training curriculum in the future.
“It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness among sommeliers of the social and environmental achievement of our wine farms. This competition is a positive move during challenging times, showcasing the creativity and adaptability of our wine farms which deserves more recognition and support,” says Shelly Fuller of the WWF Conservation Champion initiative.
Long-time supporter and industry mainstay Winterhalter recognises the importance of the sommelier profession. “Without a somm to guide us, our dining experience would be lacking. Without brilliantly clean, sparkling glassware, a somm can’t do their job; the symbiosis is clear,” says Winterhalter’s managing director Brandon Park.
Once again, providing critical support in the form of glassware, competition organisers are delighted to partner with Ambience Hospitality. “As suppliers of internationally recognised tabletop solutions to the hospitality industry, we’re committed to supporting our valued clients, and this sponsorship of world-class glassware allows us to lend our support to SASA,” says Gillian du Toit, owner and director of Ambience Hospitality Brands.
“We’re delighted to be able to host the Best Sommelier in South Africa competition in what is a challenging time for the trade. We are humbled and overwhelmed by the massive amount of support from the industry and our members. We are excited for the opportunity to showcase South Africa’s best against the best in the world,” concludes Spencer Fondaumeire.
To compete, RSVP here


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Today Blizzard announced that the award-winning MMOCCG game Hearthstone will soon be made available in Thailand thanks to a new partnership with Ini3 Digital Public Company Limited. The release of the game under this new partnership will mark the first every time a Blizzard game has been fully localized for a Southeast Asian location, with further support stretching Blizzard’s very own account management system, Battle-net.
[quote cite=”Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “]“We’re always pleased whenever we can welcome new players from around the world to join us in Hearthstone, especially when we can do so in their own language. We’re excited to continue that mission by bringing Hearthstone to Thailand, fully localized and ready for players to dive right in.” [/quote]
[quote cite=”Pattera Apithanakoon, CEO of Ini3 Digital Public Company Limited”]“We are extremely excited to partner with Blizzard to bring Hearthstone to players in Thailand. We’re thrilled that Blizzard recognizes the passion and demand for great gaming experiences in Southeast Asia.” [/quote]
Hearthstone will launch in Thailand on iOS and Android mobile devices with further support for Windows, iOS and Android tablets, and on Mac. Localized versions of all content will be included such as Classic cards and expansion packs, the in-game shop and more.
Source: Press Release


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5. “In Jackson Heights” The latest from the brilliant Frederick Wiseman has a three-hour-plus running time; maybe this explains why once again the dunderheads at the Academy didn’t put him in contention.
Your gym membership can wait.
The top SUV maker and MPV maker last month are familiar to all: Great Wall Motor and SAIC General Motor Wuling stayed on their segment thrones. SAIC Volkswagen also maintained its crown in the sedans and hatchbacks segment.


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The International Game Fish Association’s New Jersey Representatives are pleased to announce that their 16th Annual Fund Raising Banquet and Auction will be held on Friday, April 19, 2013 at 7 pm at Doolan’s located on Route 71 in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey. Hosted by New Jersey representatives Pete Barrett, Bill Feinberg, Rich Keller, Jeff Merrill and Gene Nigro, proceeds from the evening will benefit the IGFA’s Junior Angler and Conservation Programs. Last year more than 150 guests attended and more than $20,000 was raised for these IGFA programs. Over the past 15 years this event has raised well more than $200,000, making it one of the IGFA’s most successful fund raising events on the annual calendar.
“Our New Jersey representatives continue to play an important role for the IGFA and its International Committee of Representatives. Their dedication and commitment to the Junior Angler Program and the IGFA’s conservation efforts is to be commended. I again look forward to attending this very popular annual event,” noted Rob Kramer, IGFA’s President.
A cocktail hour precedes a deluxe hot and cold buffet dinner followed by the popular Fishing Tackle Bonanza Auction, where thousands of dollars worth of fishing tackle including rods, reels, line and lures donated by major tackle manufacturers and local tackle shops, plus jewelry, marine artwork and other fishing related items and accessories will be given away. Numerous fishing trips have also been donated by charter boat captains. The popular Grand Raffle is again well-stocked and includes a Shimano Tyrnos 30 two-speed reel spooled with PowerPro line and matching Tallus rod, a hand carved tarpon sculpture by John Fish and a Reactor watch courtesy of Midlantic Gold Rush. A silent auction will also be held and will include a beautiful bronze Bodo Muche marlin sculpture, fishing trips and several other high-value items. Every attendee will receive commemorative gifts from the IGFA including a Guy Harvey Close to the Edge shirt and Marc Montocchio Shades of Grey: Sailfish Series print.
Reservations are limited to the first 225 people and can be made by sending a check for $75 per ticket, made out to the IGFA and sent to: IGFA Banquet, c/o Jeff Merrill, 918 Houston St., South Plainfield, New Jersey 07080. For further information, contact Jeff Merrill at 908-451-1110 or via e-mail at email@example.com.


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What would you say to a camera that loads before you even take it out of your pocket, automatically turns on HDR mode, and captures moments in video and stills? Microsoft hopes it's "Heck, yeah!"
Denim builds offwith faster camera app startup and shot-to-shot times in milliseconds. Moment Capture mode starts 4K video capture that can save any frame as an 8.3-megapixel still.
Rich Capture automatically detects whether you need HDR and flash, and lets you edit shots later. Denim also includes low-light adjustments that help adjust white balance on selfies in lower-lit conditions.
More than photos
The Denim update picks up the thread beyond photography, too. Hands-free voice activation along the lines of "OK, Google" breaks into Denim, using the phrase "Hey, Cortana" to wake up the Cortana voice assistant when the phone is idle.
Microsoft is also sewing the Nokia Glance screen into the lock screen, displaying Bing weather or fitness data alongside the time, date, and alerts.
Stick with CNET for much more on the new Nokia phones, and catch all the tech news from IFA here.


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Intel has announced that the 11. It is expected that the 3rd generation Rocket Lake desktop CPUs will not be compatible with the existing B460 and H410 based motherboards. According to Intel, the new CPUs will only be officially supported on Z490 & H470 motherboards, while the more budget-oriented offerings will have to stay out. However, confusion may be caused by the fact that the 11. Intel’s 3rd generation CPUs will be based on two SKU variants, Rocket Lake and Comet Lake Refresh.
On the official support page, Intel states that motherboards based on the Intel B460 & H410 chipsets are not compatible with Rocket Lake. However, the entry-level 400-series motherboards will offer support for the Comet Lake refresh CPUs, which include Celeron, Pentium and even parts of the new Core i3, but for all Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9 on the other hand will not. The reasons for this, however, are mostly rather flimsy, even if one can still follow a few arguments.
Plausible is for example the fact that these entry-level boards could have too weak voltage converters in contrast to the more expensive Z490 and H470 boards. But the past has also shown that some manufacturers will at least offer unofficial Rocket Lake CPU support (ASRock?). So it’s quite possible that at least an unofficial BIOS support will be offered, which will also let the Rocket-Lake CPUs run on such boards, but just without guarantee that everything will work properly and stably.
However, a more valid reason could be that Intel is simply trying to push its 500-series platform in this way, which was recently presented at CES 2021 and of which some motherboards are already available in stores. Intel’s B560 chipset does offer a few key advantages over its predecessor, however, such as memory overclocking and enhanced PCIe I/O (Gen 4). The H510 series boards will also feature WiFi6 support along with minor firmware updates.


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Mozilla has announced that Firefox will soon block tracking scripts, such as those used by advertising networks, by default.
“Some sites will continue to want user data in exchange for content, but now they will have to ask for it, a positive change for people who up until now had no idea of the value exchange they were asked to make,” said Mozilla.
Changes to Firefox will roll out over the next few months and will focus on three key initiatives, said Mozilla.
- Improving page-load performance.
- Removing cross-site tracking.
- Mitigating harmful practices.
“Firefox will strip cookies and block storage access from third-party tracking content.”
“We’ve already made this available for our Firefox Nightly users to try out, and will be running a shield study to test the experience with some of our beta users in September.”
The aim is to roll out this feature to all users in Firefox 65.
Firefox will also enable a default block against trackers that fingerprint users by their device properties and sites that use crypto-mining scripts, in the future.


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It’s been suggested by Sony executives that the PlayStation 4 will be the company’s biggest console launch to date, and with well over a million units already pre-ordered, it’s looking very likely. With most retailers sold out of the console months before its release, Sony claims to have strategically held back units so that the PlayStation 4 will be available on day one for walk-in buyers and throughout the holiday season.
Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton said to Fox Business, “We want to make sure people can buy a PS4 on November 15 and through the holidays — we’re holding back some inventory to make sure people will be able to buy one.” Those of you without a pre-order should still expect to spend an entire morning in line. More available units doesn’t solve the crazy day-one buyer epidemic likely to claim every game and electronic boutique across the nation.
Hopefully this time around we won’t see PlayStation’s pop up on eBay for double the price.


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Riga recognized as most dynamically developing city in Central Europe in the sector of business service centres
The Riga-based business satellite center of biotechnology company Roche (Roche Services & Solutions EMEA Latvia), which last year chose Riga as its home office, has won the award of the Most Promising New Entrant.
“Riga continues to win international recognition as a central business services city. This is a significant step forward and proves Riga’s ability to compete internationally. We are proud to say that our city has been recognized as a dynamically developing and prospective business destination in the Central and Eastern European Region. The award is an encouragement to continue the work of developing Riga as a leading business and investment centre,”
said Fredis Bikovs, Director of Riga Investment and Tourism Agency.
Riga-based business centre SEB Global Services supports SEB group companies using innovative automation processes and has been recognized as the Top AI and process Automation Implementation. Information technologies company Cognizant Latvia has won the Top Employer Branding Initiative award. MSC, a Mediterranean shipping company business centre, won the award as the Most Vibrant Employer.
A jury of experts representing countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, and others, assessed the Latvian capital’s achievements in the sector of international business services centres. Riga won the awards thanks to its active work in attracting investments and improving the business environment.
Latvia’s global business services sector is seeing rapid growth, with Riga becoming the new centre of this sector in Europe. The capital city offers competitive conditions and a favourable business environment for new investors and has attracted 54 business service centres that currently employ about 18,200 people or provide 340 full-time jobs in one company on average. The main specialization areas in the global business services sector are IT, finances, customer service, logistics, human resources, and procurement.


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French animation studio Cyber Group Studios is working on an animated series based on “Final Fantasy IX” in collaboration with game creators Square Enix.
In 2001, a Japanese role-playing game was released “Final Fantasy IX” To Playstation here in Sweden, a few months after the release of the next console Playstation 2.
This led to the game being somewhat overshadowed by new technological developments, the upcoming Final Fantasy X and the previous favorite Final Fantasy VII. Despite this, the game has gained prominence in recent years and is considered by many (including me) to be the best ever in the series.
The game has strong potential for a wide audience. For those unfamiliar with Final Fantasy 9, this will be a good introduction and for many who already know, it will be an immersion in a world they will love, says studio director Pierre Sismann.
Final Fantasy IX is about thief Zidane who kidnaps Princess Garnet with a mobile theater group. What begins as a crime leads to a journey across the world where they must work together to save the world from the forces of evil.
The game is now available in a number of different formats such as Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox consoles and PC in a graphically polished version with some new flexible features.
Which Final Fantasy is your favourite? Do you think the ninth can work as a TV cartoon series?
“Entrepreneur. Freelance introvert. Creator. Passionate reader. Certified beer ninja. Food nerd.”


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By: Erin Smith
The Bridal Show held at Lu Mil Vineyard on Sunday was deemed a huge success.
“It was great,” said Denise Bridgers.
She said 124 brides attended the event. Bridgers said that brides attended from 14 counties in North Carolina and 3 brides traveled from South Carolina and one bride noted her home state as Maryland.
Bridgers said there were many new vendors that attended this year’s show and the feedback has been positive. “We are very pleased,” said Bridgers.
She said when the time arrived to open the show, a line had formed that passed through the gift shop and out into the porch. Bridgers estimated that 600 people in total attended the show.
Bridgers said all of vendors have a door prize and some vendors offered more than one door prize.
For more information about Lu Mil Vineyard, go to www.lumilvineyard.com.Share:


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Who uses 3.5-inch floppy disks anymore? No one. So it is a mainly symbolic announcement that Sony will no longer be producing the disks in Japan, officially putting the last death knell on the format.
Sony stopped making floppy disks in the US and other major markets long ago, and every other big corporation has pulled out of the now-archaic format.
According to Cnet, Sony still managed to sell 12 million floppy disks in its last fiscal year. That may be because it’s the only real major player still in the market. But it has decided that it’s time to move forward.
Sony is credited with bringing the 3.5-inch format to the market. It first introduced the medium to computers way back in 1981. Since then it has become completely obsolete with the advent of small memory cards, USB drives, and to a lesser extent the non-rewritable CD and DVD standard.
At the time, a handheld storage device that could store 1.44 MB was a big deal. Now, it has about the value of a half cent piece.
Sony will officially cease its floppy disk operations early next year. So long, floppy disks!


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Although cassava is an important part of the diet for 800 million people in Africa, shortage of equipment for processing has meant production has been unable to increase.
To meet this need a social impact business, Aspuna Group, is developing a cassava processing facility in The Gambia, to convert the raw material into starch and to reduce unemployment.
The company will be discussing its learning points at Agri-Tech East’s ‘Exporting Agri-Tech to Sub-Saharan Africa’ event on July 12; geared towards businesses developing innovations in the mature UK and US markets, now looking to explore the Sub-Saharan market.
While Cassava can be eaten in its tuber form, it is highly perishable, making it impossible to transport over long distances. To make use of its versatility as a food and industrial product, cassava needs to be processed into starch and flour; increasing shelf life from barely 24 hours to up to 2 years.
Maria Yassin-Jah, CEO, Aspuna Group says that the company’s business model will help it overcome this problem: “We are currently building a 2,000 m2 factory to process fresh cassava into cassava starch, internationally known as tapioca.
“Aspuna’s social impact business model means that we are providing the country’s smallholder farmers with access to both a domestic market and the world markets.
“Our processing activities will provide employment and training opportunities for Gambia’s rural youth, which has an unemployment rate of close to 40 per cent.”
As the smallest country on the African mainland, Maria-Yassin believes that The Gambia works to their advantage, logistics are not as challenging, and the relatively good road infrastructure reduces transportation time from the factory to the port.
Jelena Duza, trade and investment advisor for the UK Department of International Trade says:
“Sub-Saharan Africa is a diverse market with varying demand trends. However, major opportunities for UK companies are in crop protection, mechanisation, agroprocessing, grain handling and the livestock sectors. It should be noted that smallholder farms make up the largest percentage of agricultural production in Sub-Saharan Africa, numbering around 33 million.”
Aspuna, gained support from Cambridge Judge Business School and it was there that Maria met fellow agri-entrepreneur Patrick Guyver, co-founder of AGRIinsight.
The two companies will be collaborating on the initiative. Aspuna Gambia will be using AGRIinsight’s mapping platform to communicate with farmers and record operational information such as seed varieties and production data, relevant to the development of the cassava supply chain.
Patrick Guyver, co-founder of AGRIinsight, says: “There is currently a poor understanding of the agribusiness ‘landscape’ in emerging markets and any available data is scattered in different formats. Players in agricultural supply chains all struggle to locate relevant, up-to-date information to make better-informed decisions.
“We provide clear, relevant and usable data that can be tailored to each organisation’s individual needs. The introduction of cheaper next generation smart phones will open up a new world of possibilities, enabling other agripreneurs to build a crowd-sourcing style movement to benefit all.”
With access to a smartphone, subscribers to the cloud computing platform – such as agribusinesses, NGO’s and investors – can add their own profile, location, data and requirements. In combination with public information such as infrastructure, soil and climate data, the platform can be used to improve planning and coordination.
AGRIinsight is also operating in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Meanwhile, Aspuna plans to set up a network of subsidiaries with links to markets in Europe and the US. Research has also been carried out to assess Nigeria and Portugal as possible next locations.
Aspuna and AGRIinsights will be joined by other entrepreneurs operating in the Sub-Saharan market and representatives from the Department for International Trade.
“We have a great line-up for this event, all offering first-hand advice on the Sub-Saharan market,” says Dr Belinda Clarke, director of Agri-Tech East. “Whether you would like to establish an initial foothold, grow overseas business activities or just to learn about a potential market opportunity, you are welcome to come along.”


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In its most recent newsletter, Straight4 Studios has confirmed that the Lister Storm is the first official car signed for GTRevival. Are more GT1 cars on the way?
As a company emerging from the wreckage of countless development teams before it, Straight4 Studios has great history behind it. Indeed, it is essentially the same team that gave us the Project CARS series and GTR.
It is this original title for the team that plays a major part in its new project. Today, we found out that that major part is not just thanks to its name. The most recent Straight4 Studios newsletter reveals that the Lister Storm GT will feature as official content in GTRevival. What does this mean for the game, set for release next year?
Lister Storm GT
Towards the end of the 1990s, after Group C had very much disappeared and as LMP classes were tiring sports car fans, a new GT class emerged. GT1 brought forth a new age of sports car racing in which GT cars were at the forefront of people’s minds. With the class came a number of oddball vehicles.
The most obvious unique creations were the homologation specials like the Porsche 911 Strassenversion, but the Lister Storm was just as infamous. Whilst not baring the outright speed of prototype-esque GT1s, it went on to garner a successful life in the class’ twilight years.
Indeed, despite launching in the mid-1990s, its true years of success came in the FIA GT Championship of the early 2000s. Racing the likes of Saleen, Chrysler Viper and Ferrari, the V12 monster proved rapid. Thanks to low budgets and quirky design, it soon became a fan favourite. That public perception continued with the release of the GTR series focusing on this age of sports car racing.
A fantastic sounding car with unforgiveable handling characteristics, driving it was nothing if not thrilling. Those unlucky enough to miss this pair of releases in their day will get the chance to experience the car now however. Indeed, it is coming to GTRevival, Straight4 Studios’ newest project.
A New GT1 Sim?
Throughout GTRevival‘s marketing campaign, the game has been all about the development team returning to its roots. With this latest announcement, it is clear to see what they mean – but will this trend continue further?
Indeed, the big question following this announcement is whether or not more GT1 cars are coming. In previous newsletters, fans noticed the cockpit of the Ferrari 550 GTS, so perhaps many fans’ prayers are being answered with GTRevival.
During our interview with Ian Bell a few weeks ago, he pointed out that every car in GTRevival will fit within a box. Whilst Project CARS was an open sandbox featuring anything and everything, this new game will not be. Instead, it will feature several cars of a similar class. Following this latest announcement, that class may well be GT1.
Are you looking forward to drive the Lister Storm in GTRevival? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!


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Update: Control Division have offered us four shirts in a range of sizes to give away to some style-conscious gaming fans. To enter, post a comment on this story saying your size and which gaming character’s fashion sense you like the most.
Story: Emerging clothing label Control Division has launched its ‘beta’ range of clothing today, and they’ve recruited some of New Zealand’s most successful game development veterans to help them do it.
The release range is aimed at a pretty niche market, combining fashion and gaming with ‘high quality fabrics, modern lines, and stylish designs by artists loyal to gaming culture’.
Control Division chairman Richard Neal says the strength of the label comes from having a team with a great deal of industry know-how.
"We have been watching the space and planning the launch for quite a while. We’ve built a culture in our brand that only comes from working with guys who know the industry.”
Mario Wynands and Tyrone McAuley, the founders of New Zealand-based development company Sidhe, have both attached their names to the Control Division brand.
Wynands says the company’s goal is to provide gamers with clothes that are gaming related, but not promotional.
"Control Division…is bringing stylish, high quality gaming clothing to market in a world where gaming related clothing to date has been cheap, ill fitting and mainly blatant advertising.”
Although it is possible you might not have heard of Sidhe, odds are you’re aware of some of their titles – Rugby Challenge, the Rugby League series, and Shatter, which was listed as one of IGN’s top 25 PS3 games in 2011.
As far as gaming clothes are concerned, there is certainly a market for a decent range – currently even a t-shirt will cost you an arm and a leg, and will almost always have the release date for the next game in the series on the back.
Check out the Control Division line below and here, and let us know your thoughts – will they get past the beta testing phase?


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How Much Are Olympic Tickets 2024. 8) how much are tickets for the olympics 2022? While the players are completely dedicated to training and giving their best, it is your chance to witness the best live sports action.
There will be a sale for 24 euros ($26) on a million tickets for the 2024 paris olympics. However, the average ticket price will be about $102 and the average opening ceremony ticket will cost $1,471. “we will have 13.4 million tickets up for sale.
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9) Is La Hosting The 2024 Olympics?
All payment plans must remain active and in good standing until balances are paid in full. “we will have 13.4 million tickets up for sale. The olympic games will take place from 26 july to 11 august 2024.
While The Players Are Completely Dedicated To Training And Giving Their Best, It Is Your Chance To Witness The Best Live Sports Action.
Organizers for the paris games announced today that they will offer 50 (per sports) tickets each for all 32 events for a price that was lower than the 20 pounds ticket price at the 2012 london olympics at the exchange rate. Buy 2024 paris olympics games tickets at prestige experiences and secure your entry to the event. The games are the world’s largest sporting event and almost 10 million tickets are set to go on sale for the 2024 olympics, with almost 3.4 million for the paralympics.
Find Out All About The Athletes, Sports, Schedules, Venues, Mascot And Much More.
Paris 2024 will offer an exciting new way for spectators from around the globe to experience paris 2024 official hospitality packages. However, the average ticket price will be about $102 and the average opening ceremony ticket will cost $1,471. Paris is all set to host the 2024 olympics games.
One Million Tickets For The 2024 Paris Olympics Will Be Sold For 24 Euros ($26.50) Each With Availability For All 32 Sports, Organizers Have Said.
Over hаlf of the tickets for the olympic gаmes will cost €50 or less, while one million tickets for the pаrаlympic gаmes will cost €24. Click to share on facebook (opens in new window) There will be a sale for 24 euros ($26) on a million tickets for the 2024 paris olympics.
Olympic Summer Games Paris 2024.
This is a unique amount of tickets,” paris 2024 chief tony estanguet said. 10) why do olympians bite medals? 10 million for the olympics and 3.4 for the paralympics.


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It is BMW’s intention to launch a truly environment friendly, high performance and good-looking car.
Instead of using the usual fuels used so far by Hybrid car manufacturers, BMW opted for a hydrogen-petroleum combination in an internal combustion engine. This has entailed much more research and development as such engines require fuel in liquid form.
The problem is to keep the hydrogen sufficiently cool, to prevent evaporation while in the car as well as in transit. BMW claims that it has solved both the problems of keeping the temperature low in the engine as well as a method of transporting hydrogen, which will ensure that it does not evaporate during transit.
BMW sees hydrogen as the fuel of the future for automobiles. It estimates that it will take about a couple of decades before a car can actually be run on hydrogen exclusively. They however claim that this is an achievable goal.
BMW claims that they have been working for the past three decades on technology that could well deliver an engine that can power a car using only hydrogen as fuel. They have already developed a car running on water, one that emits water vapor at the exhaust and are well on the way to a revolutionary solar powered method to wed with water to extract hydrogen fuel.
BMW says that it has chosen hydrogen as a source of power for cars as it offers the best solution to the problem of vehicle emissions causing environmental pollution. Hydrogen does not release dangerous emissions on combustion and causes no damage to the air. It does not deplete any natural resource and can be generated from recyclable sources.
BMW may well be zeroing in on hydrogen fuel extracted from water using solar energy. Such a technology was showcased at the Expo 2000 through the BMW 750 hl prototype exhibited. BMW along with its partners may be lagging behind in the mass production of Hybrid cars, but are certainly in the forefront of the Hydrogen Hybrid technology.
In the very near future, these developments and innovations will benefit all of us. We will also be effecting considerable savings in fuel costs and causing little or no pollution to the atmosphere. It would not mean driving around in little uncomfortable and low powered cars. With cars like the BMW Hybrid, you can expect sophistication, power, elegance and style, without the disadvantage of environmental pollution.


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China: CPI inflation expected to have increased in January – Standard Chartered
Chinese authorities are set to release inflation data for the month of January on 10 February and strategists at Standard Chartered Bank forecast a slight rise. USD/CNY is currently at 7.000 after a strong week for the dollar.
“China will publish January inflation data on 10 February. We expect CPI inflation to have edged up to 4.8% y/y from 4.5% in December.”
“Non-food CPI inflation may have increased slightly to 1.4% y/y on higher prices of fuel, medicine and daily necessities.”
“China will release monetary data on 10-15 February. M2 growth likely edged up 0.1ppt to 8.8% y/y in January. We expect loan growth to have eased 0.1ppt to 12.2%. New Chinese yuan (CNY) loans likely reached CNY 3.4tn, compared to CNY 3.2tn in January 2019. We expect total social financing (TSF) growth to have stayed at 10.7% y/y in January.”