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Funding up by 18% in November
They say, “Clothes maketh the man,” and it turns out that plates maketh a meal…at least for picky eaters. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth have found that picky eaters don’t like red or blue bowls. Instead, they prefer white.
In other news, SoftBank is planning to sell a 5% stake in PB Fintech, the parent company of reported CNBC-TV18. The floor price is fixed at Rs 440 per share, a 4.6% discount from the current market price., via a block deal today,
Meanwhile, the French baguette gained UNESCO World Heritage status after the country’s culture ministry warned of a “continuous decline” in traditional bakery businesses, with around 400 shutting shop every year. The French government also plans to introduce an artisanal baguette day!
Here are all the culinary traditions that have made it to this coveted list.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- State of funding: Up by 18% in November
- Accelerator for Web3 startups: Foundership
- 4 listed unicorns lose Rs 2 lakh crore in a year
Here’s your trivia for today: When was the equal sign (=) first used?
While the Indian startup ecosystem is yet to see funding activity similar to H1 2022, November offers some good news. In the month gone by, startups raised $1.4 billion across 133 deals—an 18.1% month-on-month (MoM) increase in deal flow, as per analysis by YourStory Research.
- The ecosystem seems to be moving away from leverage as November saw a 67.7% MoM decline in debt financing worth $115.8 million.
- The share of early-stage and growth-stage deals saw a respective improvement of 25.6% and 42.8% in November.
- Co-working, SaaS, and heathtech and healthcare services attracted the most funding, while Bengaluru topped all cities in terms of inflow.
Finding capital in an emerging sector like Web3 isn't easy, with the ecosystem showing volatility and the funding winter setting in. Enter, which helps early-stage Indian Web3 startups find mentorship and get discovered by marquee venture capitalists and angel investors.
- Foundership's 0xCamp is a three-week incubation programme offering networking opportunities through masterclasses and guided sessions.
- It selects seven startups for the LaunchCamp programme to develop a workable business model.
- Any Web3 company with a minimum viable product (MVP) and early traction can apply.
, , , and saw some of the biggest declines in their value this year, according to the '2022 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500’ list—down 68%, 59%, 50%, and 48% respectively—cumulatively losing Rs 2 lakh crore. In total, the 500 companies listed are worth a total of Rs 226 lakh crore.
Most valuable companies:
- The total value of the top 10 companies remained flat at Rs 72 lakh crore ($872 billion), equivalent to 37% of India’s GDP and 31% of the total value of the 2022 list.
- Reliance Industries took the top spot with a valuation of Rs 17.3 lakh crore—47% higher than the second-most valuable company, TCS.
- The average age of companies featured in the list was 37 years, three years younger than last year.
News & updates
- Dark times: International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva said the chance of global growth falling below 2% next year was increasing due to the continued effects of the war in Ukraine and simultaneous slowdowns in Europe, China, and the US.
- Feedback group: Netflix is planning to expand its group of previewers beyond its current base of 2,000-plus subscribers to include tens of thousands of users around the world early next year. The program, called the Netflix Preview Club, began more than a year ago.
- Priciest cities: New York and Singapore have emerged as the joint-most expensive cities to live in. The cost of living in 172 of the world’s major cities rocketed an average of 8.1% over the past year, driven by factors including the war in Ukraine and supply-chain snarls.
When was the equal sign (=) first used?
Answer: In 1557, Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde used the equals sign in The Whetstone of Witte.
We would love to hear from you! To let us know what you liked and disliked about our newsletter, please mail [email protected].


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ITC forays into pulpwood plantation in Malkangiri
Bhubaneswar: Tobacco-to- hospitality-to-FMCG conglomerate ITC Limited would procure pulpwood from Malkangiri district to feed its paperboard plant at Bhadrachalam in neighbouring Telengana.
This was disclosed by ITC chief operating officer (COO) Sanjiv Puri at the ‘Make In Odisha’ conclave here on Thursday. Puri was addressing delegates from industries at the plenary session in which Union Finance minister Arun Jaitley was the chief guest.
Puri said the agroforestry programme taken up by the company has the potential to increase farm incomes in the tribal dominated district by 4 to 6 times.
“For our pulpwood requirements, we will create 250 acres of agro and social forestry which in turn will provide more than 100 mandays of employment. With this we will commercially procure pulpwood from Malkangiri”, Puri said.
“We have done a pilot project on 60 hectares and fast growing Eucalyptous saplings are being distributed among farmers. We hope time will come we can add 4,000 hectares every year in the module. I am sure it is going to create livelihood opportunity equivalent of 2 million mandays of employment per year….. Once plantation comes up it can be scaled up further as it will add to new agro forestry value chain in an area where agriculture is not so productive”, he said.
The tribals in the region are into single crop in the entire year and the module has the potential to increase farm incomes by 4 to 6 times. “Because in Malkangiri the crops are rain-fed and farmers typically have one crop in the year, this will economically strengthen them”, he noted.
Puri didn’t talk about the investment plan of the company in the module.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday attended the ground breaking ceremony of the company’s two projects, which will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore. The company will invest about Rs 125 crore to build a luxurious hotel in the capital city and its integrated consumer goods manufacturing facility, to be built over 16 acre land, will manufacture ITC’s food brands such as Aashirvaad, Bingo, Sunfeast and YiPPee!. The facility will be built with an investment of Rs 675 crore.

domain: news


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Bitcoin may be hot, but is it the right investment for you?Slowly speculation, on the scale it is being done today, will dwindle,.Hearn was an ex-Google developer who had been heavily involved in the Bitcoin community and related projects since the early days of the cryptocurrency.
What is Bitcoin? - FXCMGemini was also able to offer FDIC insurance on customer deposits thanks to a partnership with a New York based bank.BTCS Inc. stock price, stock quotes and financial overviews from MarketWatch.
Other exchanges and Bitcoin businesses issue a joint statement condemning the mismanagement, deception, and eventual collapse wrought by the executives of the Japan-based exchange, after an alleged leaked internal document showed that over 744,000 BTC were lost by the company.Currently the value of Bitcoin is driven mostly by speculation,.The news adds to speculation that Paypal is becoming more favorable towards Bitcoin, and may eventually integrate it into their own payment processing system.Get Bitcoin Cash price, charts, and other cryptocurrency info.Andresen later stated that he may have been tricked by Wright.Even today, a sizable minority of people remains ill at ease with fiat currency,.
Get free historical data for the BTC USD (Bitcoin US Dollar) currency pair, viewable in daily, weekly or monthly time intervals.Why Bitcoin Matters. Anyone in the world can pay anyone else in the world any amount of value of Bitcoin by.Just days later, on March 31, Bitcoin Brazil opens a service for face-to-face exchange in Brazilian Reals (BRL) and U.S. Dollars. On April 5, BitMarket.eu begins facilitating trades in Euros (EUR) and other currencies.
Why Bitcoin Matters - The New York Times
Bitcoin exceeds $3,000 and Ethereum breaks $400
Bitcoin Price Chart (BTC/USD) | CoinGeckoEthereum (Ether) Price updated in real-time every minute 5 exchanges 6 ETH currency pairs No advertising.
The value of the first bitcoin transactions were negotiated by individuals on the bitcointalk forums with one. according to an article by USA Today.
Why did Bitcoin drop 25% in value today (17-Dec-2013)? - QuoraThe software allows users to create virtual stores where buyers can purchase goods using Bitcoin.
The value of Bitcoin keeps sliding | Fortune.comWright did not provide WIRED with any confirmation that he was indeed Satoshi Nakamoto.Bitcoin Video Crash Course (FREE) Know more than 99% of the population about Bitcoin.His most popular project was bitcoinj, a Java implementation of the Bitcoin protocol.We make it super easy to securely buy, use and accept bitcoin, following KYC-AML guidelines.
The company founders stated they had worked for months to obtain various licenses from state financial regulators, allowing them to legally accept customers from 25 different US states.
Is The Price Of Bitcoin Going To Bounce Back? - ForbesBitcoin will likely split. in that range while the value of bitcoin would witness a decline. of the cryptocurrency we know today.
Bitcoin price today | Bitcoin value - exchange rateBitcoin (BTC) Price updated in real-time every minute 5 exchanges BTC currency pairs No advertising.
How To Value Bitcoin - First Bitcoin Capital Corp
Bitcoin's Value Today
The virtual currency, whose value has increased five-fold in just over one month, has been at risk of such a spectacular crash due to speculative investment in the now multibillion dollar market.However, none of the leaked documents Gwern claimed to possess were published.Bitcoin has seen a sharp increase in value during this night going up 5% in just 24 hours, however later throughout the day the price stabilized on a total increase of 2.5%.The wallet was completely drained of all bitcoins shortly thereafter.
The exchange platform is to remain separate from their Bitcoin outlet operation, which in contrast, allows customers to buy and sell Bitcoins directly from Coinbase.The price of bitcoin fell sharply after Chinese regulators announced a ban on. so we are not surprised to see a dip on all assets today," Fran...Ether Is the Digital Currency of the Moment. The price of Bitcoin has hit record highs in recent months,.Another document detailed that Wright had access to a Bitcoin trust worth 1.1 million bitcoins.
Yes, Bitcoin Has No Intrinsic Value. Neither Does a $1
On July 23, 2013, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission files charges against Shavers for defrauding investors in a Ponzi scheme.Also, market disruption caused the price of Bitcoin to fall precipitously.An updated version, 0.8.1, is released shortly after, containing safeguards to prevent the original problem.Mass media coverage brings in an influx of new users that supposedly will raise the price even higher.With a majority of the Bitcoin network hashing power, GHash.io could temporarily reverse transactions that they send (double spending) and prevent other transactions from being confirmed.


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Broadcom on Thursday offered analysts an upbeat end-of-year revenue forecast, thanks in part to the imminent launch of Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup, which is expected to boost the chipmaker's wireless business.
Reuters reports that Broadcom predicted current-quarter revenue largely above estimates, due to higher demand for components that power data centers, as well as an increase in manufacturing at a certain "North American customer," which analysts identified as Apple.
The chipmaker expects Apple's smartphone sales to increase its wireless revenue by 25 percent compared to the previous quarter, although the overall forecast may be down in single-digit percentage compared to the previous year.
That said, Broadcom's enterprise storage business was up 70 percent in Q3 2018, and CEO Hock Tan believes that another strong show will feed into a "seasonal uptick" in its wireless arm:
"More than half our consolidated revenue ... is benefiting from strong cloud and enterprise data center spending," Tan said on his post-earnings call with analysts.
"This, coupled with a seasonal uptick in wireless, will drive our forecast revenue in the fourth quarter."
Next week sees Apple launch its new flagship iPhone lineup, for which Broadcom traditionally supplies several components, including the wireless charger controller, touchscreen, and more.
Apple's September 12 event is expected to usher in a next-generation iPhone X, a larger 6.5-inch OLED screen mobile handset, and a mid-tier 6.1-inch device with an LCD display. The date should also see the company debut a new Apple Watch series and redesigned iPad Pro models.


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Ontario Legislature Tabling New Cannabis Retail Framework Legislation
On September 26, 2018 Attorney General and the Minister of Finance released highly anticipated information regarding the proposed legislation on private cannabis retail store ownership. The legislation is expected to be released this morning with regulations to follow.
According to the proposed legislation the Ontario Cannabis Store (“OCS”) will be the exclusive wholesaler and distributor of cannabis to private cannabis retail stores and will be the sole option for individuals to purchase cannabis online. The OCS will report directly to the Minister of Finance, and will no-longer be a subsidiary of the LCBO. Further, it will undergo a name-change and be called the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation (“OCRC”).
The proposed legislation will also offer insight into how licenses will be regulated. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (“AGCO”), will be the provincial regulator and will not only be authorized to grant store licenses, but will have authority to revoke them in order to enforce compliance with conditions set by the province.
Private cannabis retail will be incorporated in the existing public framework by utilizing a two-way regulatory approach. This approach will require businesses to obtain both a retail operating license and a retail store authorization from the AGCO for every retail store they will own. Further, there will be no cap placed on the number of cannabis retail licenses that may be issued in Ontario. However, there will be limits on the number of licenses issued to a single corporation. That number is yet to be determined and should be included in the final regulations.
With a proposed 15-day notice period the public will be kept informed and consulted on where private cannabis retailers will be located. Further, the proposed legislation will also afford municipalities an one-time option to opt-out of having cannabis retail stores in their communities before January 22, 2019 and will allow the province to place distance buffers between cannabis stores and schools.
Current cannabis retail owners operating in the black market who do not close-up shop before October 17, 2018, will be subject to enforcement and will lose their opportunity to obtain any private cannabis retail license in the future as they will be in direct violation of the new legislation.
The Ontario Government proposed amendments to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act so that recreational users may smoke cannabis in areas where smoking tobacco and e-cigarettes are permitted. Prohibitions will be placed on smoking cannabis in motor vehicles or boats in order to ensure public safety. However, smoking cannabis may be permitted in certain enclosed workplaces such as long-term care homes, hospices and designated guest rooms in hotels, motels and inns.
We will keep you posted on the latest developments as they come in.


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LONDON, Nov 1 (Reuters) – Early adopters of the virtual worlds known as the metaverse have criticized Facebook’s rebranding as an attempt to capitalize on growing hype over a concept that was not I think.
The term metaverse has become a tech buzzword this year, with companies and investors eager to be a part of the next big thing. But users have been hanging out for years in these dark but fast-growing virtual worlds.
“Basically, they are trying to build what a lot of us have been building for years, but brand it as their own,” said Ryan Kappel, an American who has been hosting meetups in different metaverses for more than two years.
Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Facebook’s name change to Meta Platforms and details about its plan to build its own immersive digital world, announced Thursday, comes as the company battles criticism from lawmakers and regulators over its market power, algorithmic decisions and control of abuses in its services.
In virtual worlds, users can walk around as an avatar, meet friends, and play games. Some that are based on blockchain also allow users to speculate on virtual real estate.
“I think Facebook has made this name change early to secure the new brand legally as soon as possible as more brands become interested,” said a UK-based cryptocurrency investor known as Pranksy, who said he first bought real estate. roots in the virtual world in early 2020.
Artur Sychov, who founded the Somnium Space metaverse in 2017, said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s rebranding announcement felt “rushed … like they were trying to insert themselves into the metaverse narrative that’s happening right now.”
Sychov spends up to five hours a day at Somnium Space along with 1,000 to 2,000 other daily users.
Dave Carr, communications lead for the organization that runs the virtual world Decentraland, said Facebook’s move could meet resistance from users in the metaverse who are wary of its control over content.
“People who want to determine the future of the virtual worlds they inhabit, maintain ownership of their creative output, and move freely between them will choose the decentralized version,” he said, describing Decentraland’s metaverse environment as decentralized and Facebook’s plan as probably centralized.
Decentraland, founded in 2017 with around 7,000 daily users now, sees itself as an alternative to traditional social media platforms that sell user data and control the content users see.
Many existing metaverse platforms are based on blockchain technology which makes central control impossible. Blockchain is the distributed ledger architecture that underlies cryptocurrencies. In these virtual worlds, people use cryptocurrencies to buy land and other digital objects in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
However, the reaction from early adopters of the metaverse was not entirely negative. Some said that Facebook’s entry could generate interest in the concept of virtual worlds in general, attract more users and support the development of multiple virtual worlds.
Tristan Littlefield, co-founder of the NFT company nft42 and a metaverse user since 2018, said his first reaction to Facebook’s announcement was negative because he doesn’t like the sale of user data.
But “to have a giant like Facebook come in and just throw billions of dollars … could be a positive” because of the new people it would bring into the space, he said.


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Jolywood started ramping its 2.1GW N-type mono cell and module IBC bifacial plant from the second half of the year.
Major PV module materials and integrated N-type mono IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) bifacial module manufacturer Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co is expected easily double annual revenue in 2017 after recently posting record third quarter sales.
Jolywood has been benefiting from the significant increase in PV module manufacturing capacity expansions since 2014 and growth in end-market demand in China and South East Asia.
However, significant growth in 2016 has been due to module backsheet material sales on the back of a 43% (53GW) increase in module output in China in 2017, according to recent China PV Industry Association (CPIA) data.
Jolywood is also starting to benefit from shipments of its high-performance IBC modules as the company started ramping its 2.1GW cell and module plant since the middle of the year.
In June 2017, the company secured an 800MW module purchase agreement to supply 315W N-type bifacial mono modules to COSCO Shipping Logistic with a winning bid valued at around RMB 2 billion.
This was recently supported by its M2 N-type IBC cell verified to have reached 22.22% conversion efficiency and the first order from India from ACME Clean-tech Solutions to supply 6.775MW of 72-cell N-type 370W bifacial modules.
Jolywood reported operating income for the third quarter of RMB 1.02 billion (US$155.1 million). First half year operating income was around US$236.8 million bringing income for the first nine months of 2017 to around RMB 2,600 million (US$391.9 million). Operating income in 2016 was RMB 1,387 million.
Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co is expected easily double annual revenue in 2017 after recently posting record third quarter sales.
Net profit in the third quarter was around RMB 54 million (US$8.14 million) in the third quarter, up 25.5% from the prior year period. Net profit increased 71.27% over the same period of last year.


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Facebook Inc. has built a $3 billion-a-year advertising business by convincing marketers to buy new forms of advertising designed to create buzz around their brands. But some advertisers with big spending accounts are wondering whether they're getting their money's worth. The doubt lingers as bankers and prospective investors decide how to value Facebook for an initial public offering planned for May 18, said people familiar with the matter. Facebook executives will be pitching the company to big investors in an IPO roadshow starting Monday, these people said.
"The question with Facebook and many of the social media sites is, 'What are we getting for our dollars?'" said Michael Sprague, VP marketing at Kia. The automaker has advertised on Facebook since 2009 and plans to increase its ad spending on the site. While building brand awareness on a site with 900 million users is valuable, Sprague said he's unclear if "a consumer sees my ad, and does that ultimately lead to a new vehicle sale?"


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Bailey’s have brought out a vegan friendly almond drink just in time for mothers day, introducing Bailey’s Almande.
Why do people go so crazy over Bailey’s?
The original non-vegan recipe has Irish whiskey, dairy cream, vanilla and cocoa to create the signature drink poured over ice. This new recipe, however, mixes almond oil and almond essence (made from crush almonds), cane sugar, purified water and real vanilla – ahhh now that might explain the price?
Vegan Baileys was very much the talk of 2017, especially with the run up to Christmas. Everyone wanted to either drink it or make their own version.
The story was that, the UK got so excited with the announcement last year of Baileys making a vegan product (that initially turned out to have beeswax in it, so not vegan friendly) that Marks & Spencer started selling something similar at a fraction of the price, but also lots of people started concocting their own recipes. Either way, it was sheer madness!
Many UK vegans will know that plant-based Bailey’s has actually been around for some time. It’s no secret that if you have ever been to a vegan festival then you will have almost definitely had a sample of Besos De Oro, which is a vegan equivalent of to the Irish cream drink that’s been doing the rounds for some years now.
The great news about this new official Bailey’s drink – apart from it being cruelty-free – is that it contains almost half the calories of the original Baileys at just 67 cals per serving, and it’s gluten free!
Bailey’s Almande will be on sale at Asda and Ocado from 1 March for £16
If you will be buying the new Almond Baileys as a mother’s day present then why not also accompany it with some vegan style ferero rocher?


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Security firms often warn users about
scareware: malicious software that performs fake antivirus scans and then demands the user pay for a cleanup. Now a lawsuit claims that the world’s top antivirus firm, Symantec, is itself a scareware scammer.
James Gross, a resident of Washington State, filed what he intends to be a class action lawsuit against Symantec in a Northern District California court Tuesday. Gross claims that Symantec defrauds consumers by running fake scans on their machines, with results designed to bully users into upgrading to a paid version of the company’s software — via redwolf.newsvine.com


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(AP) — Online retailing giant Amazon.com announced plans for a warehouse in Joliet that will create 1,000 full-time jobs when it opens.
The company plans a nearly 500,000-square-foot fulfillment center where workers will process items such as books and electronics. Crain's reported in late April that Amazon was planning a Joliet facility and also had leased space on Goose Island.
"We are thrilled that Amazon has chosen Joliet as the location for its new Illinois fulfillment center,” Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk said in a statement from Seattle-based Amazon.
Mike Roth, vice president of North America operations for Amazon, said in the statement, “We are grateful for the support of local and state leadership in helping to bring Amazon to Illinois and we look forward to being an active member of the community.”


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UAE is a top regional destination for Saudi travelers – Morocco and Ukraine are trending as well, survey finds
Dubai: Riyadh-based travel agency Almosafer has seen its bookings recover to 76 per cent of 2019 levels after the resumption of international travel from Saudi Arabia last month.
The company expects bookings to exceed pre-pandemic bookings volumes by the fourth quarter as more travel restrictions are lifted and more destinations reopened across the world.
“Based on the initial results we’ve seen through Almosafer’s booking and searches during the last month, we feel very optimistic about the future of the travel sector in KSA,” said Muzzammil Ahussain, EVP at Almosafer.
“Due to the various travel restrictions in place worldwide, it was interesting to see the changes in the top 20 destinations mix which saw a few new emerging destinations that weren’t on Saudi nationals’ travel lists before such as Greece, Bosnia and Albania,” said Ahussain.
Travelers all set
Almosafer’s survey examining consumers’ searches and bookings found that over 80 per cent of Saudi respondents are planning to travel internationally within the first six months of border opening.
The data also shows that domestic travel is in high demand due to the growing appeal of local destinations among Saudi nationals. Top destinations include Jeddah, Riyadh, Al Khobar and Dammam, while new trending destinations that gained popularity over the past year are Al Jubail, Abha and Jizan.
Destinations of interest beyond KSA within the MENA region include UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Egypt topping the list due to their proximity and familiarity. However, with Saudi International travellers prioritising quarantine free destinations, a few new trending destinations have entered the top 20 list including Ukraine.
Morocco has also emerged as a trending destination offering beautiful natural landscapes and beaches, rural and cultural heritage. Additionally, the Maldives are a top favourite amongst couples and families looking for a memorable beach escape full of relaxation.
The survey also revealed that Saudi nationals are opting for shorter trips abroad and spending more per booking to achieve higher levels of comfort, convenience, and better social distancing options. With the ever-changing status of travel restrictions at various destinations, travellers’ booking window has reduced by 30 per cent.


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Google is rolling out a version of YouTube for younger fans of the service on February 23, Monday. The new app will be called YouTube kids which is specifically designed for the 10 years old or younger kids in the house.
Initially, the new app will be available on Android only, but will be released to iOS and other platforms too. Google hasn’t discussed anything on whether it would block ads from the younger audience, Wall Street Journal reports that the company has plans to generate revenue from ads in the new YouTube app for kids.
Pavni Diwanji, Vice President for engineering at Google had mentioned back in December that “The big motivator inside the company is everyone is having kids, so there’s a push to change our products to be fun and safe for children”.
The demo of the YouTube kids app reveals a Home screen with eight large tiles carrying images of popular kids show. Above the tiles we find five simple icons: a TV set for shows such as Thomas the Tank Engine and Yo Gabba Gabba, a radio for video streaming of popular music, a light bulb for educational shows and a binocular to explore a range of top videos.
The new app will filter out age-inappropriate search terms on it. If a child keys in a word such as “sex”, a dialog box prompts the kid to try something else. Parents can also have control over the time the child can watch the video by setting a password. When a set amount of time expires, the app locks itself and can’t be restarted without the password.


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Shares of paint companies gained as much as 6 percent on BSE in Wednesday’s intra-day trade in a market otherwise limited by reports of rising prices.
Asian Paints rose 6 percent to Rs 3,145.60, while Berger Paints India gained 5 percent to Rs 767.80, followed by Shalimar Paints (5 percent to Rs 95.75), Kansai Nerolac Paints ( 4 percent at Rs 592), Indigo Paints (3.5% at Rs 2,470) and Akzo Nobel India (3% at Rs 2,148) on BSE in intraday trade. By comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 0.24% to 61,496 points as of 9:50 am.
Those stocks had fallen as much as 15% from their respective 52-week highs following the publication of disappointing margins for the quarter ended September 2021 (T2FY22).
Paint companies Asian Paints and Berger Paints have raised single-digit prices across their portfolio to offset rising input costs, Moneycontrol reported citing a brokerage report. This is the biggest price increase ever recorded by these companies.
According to Kotak Institutional Equities, Asian Paints, the market leader in the decorative paints segment, has increased prices by 7-10%, effective November 12. While Berger Paints has also raised prices by multiple digits, Edelweiss said adding that other companies may follow suit soon, the report suggests.
In the last two trading days, the market price of Asian paintings has gained 10% from its five-month low of Rs 2,855.60 reached on Monday, October 25, 2021. It has corrected 15% from its five-month low of Rs 2,855.60 reached on Monday October 25, 2021. It has corrected 15% from its 52-week high as the company reported 28.2 year-over-year percentage decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 595.96 crore in Q2FY22, due to higher costs of operation.
While announcing second quarter results last week, Asian Paints management said the company has taken a series of price hikes and will consider another price hike to mitigate the impact of this still high inflation and is confident that the company should be able to turn this around strongly over the next quarter.
Growth momentum remained strong as Asian paints significantly outperformed most competitors in terms of volume / sales growth. Bullish comments, aggressive initiatives on portfolio and distribution expansion and recovery in construction / industrial demand offer good prospects. With input inflation returning to its peak, FY21 margins look tough, analysts at Emkay Global Financial Services said in the earnings update.


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Square Enix recently published a 42 minute Final Fantasy VII Rebirth “Special Talk Session” on its Square Enix Music YouTube channel. The video features series composer Nobuo Uematsu, writer Kazushige Nojima, and creative director Tetsuya Nomura.
The trio discuss their work on the original Final Fantasy VII, the Remake trilogy, and tons more. It’s a lengthy video with a lot for Final Fantasy diehards to appreciate. Music, naturally, was a prominent topic as well. There was discussion on the process of making the theme song “No Promises to Keep” and we even get a sort of confirmation that Uematsu will return for the third game in the Remake trilogy.
In our review of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, we said, “Final Fantasy VII REBIRTH is a modern RPG masterpiece and solidly sets up its third installment in the Final Fantasy VII Remake Project. It's ambitious and massive in scope - and that's before we even get to the daunting task of recreating one of the most iconic stories of all time.”
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is available now on the PlayStation 5.


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WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - At the end of the year, it's out with the old and in with the new. This year, it's out with VHS tapes.
Tapes have kept us entertained for years, but they won't for much longer. Years ago, DVD sales overwhelmed VHS, and the last shipment went out from the last factory just a few days ago.
Monte Coughlin owns Carolina Video Edit Centers. His business transfers footgate from VHS to DVD format.
"We see people who are digging through the closet of loved ones and coming across slides or old film reels. That have been around since the 1970s and bring them in to be converted," said Coughlin.
Coughlin said people are hitting the eject button on VHS tapes because they only last about ten years, compared to DVD's which last about 30.
"A DVD is only a laser light that is reading the material from the disk," said Coughlin. "It's not being put through rollers and you don't have to worry about the tape destroying every time it's played.
Most stores stopped carrying VHS's more than a year ago, and places that still carry them are slowing fading them out.
They're also fading at local libraries. New Hanover County isn't buying any more, and the circulation numbers for the remaining tapes are way down.
The Goodwill on Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington sells VHS tapes for 99 cents, but even with the low prices, a spokeswoman said many customers aren't buying the tapes.
With the technology enhancing, DVD's are the way to go. Coughlin said that if you have footage converted to DVD, make sure to use a DVD-R.


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New York Attorney General Letitia James is leading a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in an antitrust investigation into Facebook for alleged antitrust activity.
“I’m launching an investigation into Facebook to determine whether their actions endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers’ choices, or increased the price of advertising,” James tweeted Friday.
James said she is leading a coalition that includes the attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and the District of Columbia.
FACEBOOK’S FALL: FROM THE FRIENDLIEST FACE OF TECH TO PERCEIVED ENEMY OF DEMOCRACY
The U.S. Justice Department announced in July that it was opening a sweeping antitrust investigation of Big Tech. Although it did not name any specific companies, it’s widely assumed the companies in question are Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple.
The Justice Department said it was investigating whether online platforms have hurt competition, suppressed innovation or otherwise harmed consumers.
A number of tech giants are in the antitrust spotlight at the moment. The House Judiciary Committee is also conducting an antitrust probe into Facebook, Amazon and Apple.
Earlier this week, the Washington Post reported that Google is set to be targeted in a new antitrust probe by state attorneys general.
GOP SEN. JOSH HAWLEY TAKES AIM AT FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE’S ‘DECEPTIVE TECHNIQUES’
Facebook has also felt the shockwaves from a scandal that saw the personal information of as many as 87 million users shared with political data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica.
Facebook has not responded to a Fox News request for comment on this story.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News’ Christopher Carbone and the Associated Press contributed to this article. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Originally appeared at
The Daily Caller


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Data issued this week by ShipMatrix, a subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based SJ Consulting, showed strong on-time performance (OTP) ranges, for FedEx, UPS, and the United States Postal Service (USPS), based on their specific commit times for all their respective parcel services combined between Black Friday and Christmas Eve.
The OTP ranges for FedEx, UPS, and USPS, came in at 95.2%, 97.5%, and 94.3%, respectively. ShipMatrix explained that these readings matched up well with the 2019 OTP peak period (prior to the pandemic), with FedEx at 94.6%, UPS at 97.5%, and USPS at 95.6%.
The firm explained that with the Arctic cold blast over the days leading up to Christmas led to the delay of more than 10 million packages. Those delays are not included in these figures as per industry practice of excluding delays that are out of control of the carriers similar to those due to wrong address or businesses being closed,” the firm said.
What’s more, ShipMatrix said that over the 2022 peak period—as well as during pandemic-influenced years in 2020 and 2021—more than 3 billion parcels, or 20 parcels per household, were delivered by the parcel sector.
As previously reported, ShipMatrix identified other holiday season-related delivery takeaways, for retailers and consumers, including:
In looking back at the lack of needed parcel capacity over the course of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, ShipMatrix observed that it led to the entrance of new market competitors, including Pitney Bowes, Quiet Platform, and OSM Worldwide, whom, the firm said, may have pushed the national carriers towards hitting higher ODP rates. And ShipMatrix said that comes with the caveat the USPS handles last-mile delivery for those three companies.
ShipMatrix President Satish Jindel previously noted that OTP represents the best benchmark to gauge the ability of the major parcel carriers to handle huge holiday season volume spikes, while also pointing out a major difference between this year when compared to 2020 and 2021.
“This year, with capacity in excess of demand, the industry collectively has reached the pre-pandemic levels,” he said.
The return to pre-pandemic levels is notable, especially when taking into account how a year ago, at this time, the general consensus was the consumers needed to have online orders placed with retailers by December 15 unless the retailer was shipping the items via faster express services, according to ShipMatrix.
And as carriers dealt with labor shortages, which hindered the ability for parcel carriers to bring more people on board, solid OTP levels reflected how carriers have maintained strong service levels related to capacity expansions going back to the 2020 peak, as there has since been an uptick in consumers making purchases at retail stores, coupled with an increase in goods being ordered online earlier, themes which subsequently carried over into 2022.
ShipMatrix has also noted that as more than 70% of parcels are comprised of holiday gifts and delivered to residences, the most notable way to evaluate carriers’ performance is to consider express service as on time of delivered by end of day and Ground within one extra day.


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+Rihanna has been featured on the cover of +Vogue Brasil magazine. Vogue Brazil posted the first of the photos from its shoot with Rihanna in Brazil. She was topless. While everybody was busy drooling over these bottomless photos of Rihanna posing. Which of Rihanna’s Vogue Brazil covers do you like best?
Rihanna lands the cover of Vogue yet again, this time for the Brazil edition of the fashion magazine. Rihanna has yet another magazine cover to add to her photo collection. Now the magazine is delivering the goods with another shot of the Bajan.
#VogueBrasil coming soon pic.twitter.com/qSsV3Crwht
— Rihanna Daily (@RihannaDaily) April 11, 2014


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Larson Boats launches new website
Larson Boat Group
January 25, 2013
Filed under News
Little Falls, Minnesota (January 24, 2013) — Larson Boat Group has announced the launch of its redesigned and interactive website LarsonBoats.com highlighting the boat manufacturer’s 2013 models.
“As new technology emerges, we’ve retooled our site to be more user-friendly for both our customers and dealers,” says Mike O’Connell, Executive Vice President & COO of Larson Boat Group. “All our models are showcased in an easy-to-navigate format that we hope will give our users the information they want in a clear and comprehensive way.”
All 24 Larson models are featured through high-definition videos and more than 400 photographs, including the new LSR Series, designed for watersport enthusiasts, the All American, built to commemorate the company’s centennial, and the new line-up of FX Series tiller, side console and dual console models.
Upgrades in model designs are also featured include new hull colors, graphics packages and extended swim platforms that are standard on many models.
The reformatted site, designed to work seamlessly on all smartphones and iPads, also includes social media connections and a three-step “build-a-boat” feature with detailed base and options pricing.


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Those looking for a few additional Apple-based rumors to keep them going over the weekend were certainly well catered for last week, with well-weighted online sources informing us to expect a new iPad 3 with iron-clad certainty in March, while the new iPhone 5 will boast both LTE support and a metal backing.
With regard to the iPad 3, all signs are pointing to a slightly thicker unit (slightly being around 0.7mm) which will be required to house the twin light bar system for the massively increased display resolution. The fact that the rumors regarding the display have been doing the rounds for quite some time now once again makes the likelihood of a March release entirely plausible and indeed tantalizing to say the least.
That is of course discounting the idea of a stopgap iPad 2S to keep us waiting until the fall season of 2012, but the less said about that right now the better.
iPhone 5-wise, the same sources has dismissed every single suggestion that the next iteration of the device will feature a teardrop design, though they have also confirmed to their readers that the iPhone 5 will in fact be 8mm longer, so as to house the superb 4 inch screen. A metal case has also been suggested as almost a guarantee, as has the inclusion of a 4G LTE antenna – but of course we really could have figured that one out anyway.
With regard to the release date, expect Summer 2012 when Apple may return back to their usual annual product release timetable, which would be quite the relief for those waiting every day at present for another bone to be thrown and usually coming up empty handed.


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Alexandre Mattiussi’s Luxury Label AMI Takes On Sequoia Capital China As Investor
AMI Partners With Sequoia Capital China To Promote Global Expansion
AMI has joined forces with Chinese the investment fund founded by entrepreneur Neil Shen, Sequoia Capital China.
The move enables AMI to accelerate its long-term expansion and digital reach by utilizing its new partner’s strategic investment, together with its knowledge of technologies, retail innovations, and its community of founders and experts in Asia and the world-at-large.
Sequoia Capital has invested in over 500 firms in China, including e-tailer major JD.com and Alibaba Group Holding. Their latest raise in September of 2020 amounted to a reported 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion).
Founded 10 years ago by Alexandre Mattiussi, the quintessentially Parisian AMI has become known for its relaxed luxury casual wear for both men and women. Its global success story is largely due to compelling storytelling, which uses Paris as inspiration, their universal core values as narrative (including friendship, joy, and inclusivity), the recognizable Ami de Cœur logo as a symbol, and a passionate designer as the spokesperson.
We are very proud to welcome such a strong and visionary ally and to write together this new chapter of AMI’s journey. Combining Sequoia Capital China’s global reach and digital knowledge with AMI’s creativity and energy will undoubtedly create an exciting cocktail. We all share the same goal, to add a new dimension to the story of our brand. Alexandre and I have been convinced by their determination to back us as entrepreneurs, while understanding and respecting the core values that define us.
Nicholas Santi-Weil, CEO AMI
The two companies have defined mutual goals for the growth of AMI. Sequoia Capital China will provide support and resources to accelerate its expansion, strengthen its position, and fulfill its ambitions for the future. Founder Alexandre Mattiussi will continue to lead AMI in his dual role of President and Creative Director, with absolute artistic independence. Likewise, CEO Nicolas Santi-Weil will remain in charge of the overall business.
We are thrilled to partner with AMI under the leadership of Alexandre Mattiussi, one of the leading designer brands with global market presence, strong culture of creativity, and passion for digitalization. The partnership presents another milestone in our journey with world’s leading companies in luxury retail industry to help their vision in accelerating the digital transformation and penetration in local markets to the next level.
Neil Shen, Steward of Sequoia Capital, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital China
The partnership seeks to drastically improve both the brand’s global reach and digital imprint. Their primary focus will be placed on AMI’s international expansion while respecting its valuable geographical heritage. Sequoia Capital China will continue to support the brand’s direct-to-consumer and other e-commerce distribution methods while accelerating the deployment of its retail network and overall strategic development.
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Home > News > Improved Tandem Organic LEDs
December 31st, 2003
Improved Tandem Organic LEDs
Stacking organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) leads to brighter, stabler, longer lived light sources than individual OLEDs. Unfortunately, the metal layers typically used to connect the individual elements are not very transparent, reducing the resulting brightness of underlying OLEDs in a tandem configuration. Researchers in the Display Technology Laboratory at Eastman Kodak Company have now managed to stack OLEDs that are connected through optically transparent, organic semiconductor materials.
New solar power material converts 90 percent of captured light into heat: SunShot Project aims to make solar cost competitive October 29th, 2014
Tiny carbon nanotube pores make big impact October 29th, 2014
Microrockets fueled by water neutralize chemical and biological warfare agents October 29th, 2014
Nanoparticles Display Ability to Improve Efficiency of Filters October 28th, 2014


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Wine Spectator: Arizona Passes Consumer-Friendly Winery Direct Shipping LawApril 4, 2016
Arizona’s prohibitive restrictions on direct shipping by wineries will be lifted as of January 1, 2017. Gov. Doug Ducey signed Arizona Senate Bill 1381 yesterday, permitting residents to have up to 6 cases of wine a year shipped to their home from any winery that obtains a permit from the state. Forty-two states now permit out-of-state winery direct shipping. Wine Spectator has a full report.
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EVs to get improved mileage from redox flow batteries
German researchers say a new type of electric vehicle battery that runs on electrolyte fluid can be recharged as easily as refilling a petrol tank. When the redox flow rechargeable batteries are low, the discharged electrolyte fluid can simply be exchanged at the gas station for recharged fluid.
To fulfill the German Government’s ambitious plan of one million electric cars being sold in Germany by the year 2020, many motorists will still need convincing that electric cars won’t leave them “powerless” on the side of the road. The question of adequate on-board energy storage still requires some answers and, while lithium-ion batteries offer a possible solution, it takes hours to charge them – time that an automobile driver doesn’t have when on the road.
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Germany have found an alternative in redox flow batteries. “These batteries are based on fluid electrolytes. They can therefore be recharged at the gas station in a few minutes – the discharged electrolyte is simply pumped out and replaced with recharged fluid,” says engineer Jens Noack from ICT. “The pumped-off electrolyte can be recharged at the gas station, for example, using a wind turbine or solar plant.”
The principle behind redox flow batteries is not something new – two fluid electrolytes containing metal ions flow through porous graphite felt electrodes, separated by a membrane that allows protons to pass through it. During this exchange of charge a current flows over the electrodes, which can be used by a battery-powered device.
While that may sound encouraging, until now redox flow batteries have had the disadvantage of storing much less energy than lithium-ion batteries – around a miserable 25km (15.5 miles) – which means the driver would have to recharge the batteries four times as often.
“We can now increase the mileage four or fivefold, to approximately that of lithium-ion batteries,” Noack says, since the researchers have already produced a prototype of a cell. Their job now is to assemble several cells into a battery and optimize them. This further development is being carried out with colleagues from the University of Applied Sciences, Ostfalia, in Wolfenbüttel and Braunschweig who are testing electric drives and energy storage units on model vehicles that are only a tenth of the size of normal vehicles.
So far, the research team has already built a traditional redox flow battery into a model vehicle. A 1:5 scale vehicle can be seen in action on a test rig set up at the eCarTech in Munich this October. In the coming year the researchers also want to integrate the new battery, with four times greater mileage, into a model vehicle.


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The recent round of criticism that has been surrounding the electric scooters just seems to be never ending , As in a recent report another unsatisfied customer set forth his Ola S1 pro on fire by throwing petrol on to it. The video has been shared over the internet by Sun News and it seems to have already taken up the internet pretty fast.
Dr prithvi Raj who is the owner who did so was unhappy and unsatisfied with the scooter from day one, according to his opinion he bought the scooter three months ago and there have been faults in the scooter that irked him since day one.
Dr. Prithviraj called Ola Electrics customer care help and they did send a technician to take a look at the scooter. Ola Electric did not find any issue with the scooter. Dr. Prithviraj says the range of the S1 Pro is unpredictable and inconsistent.
One day, his scooter gave up working after just 44 km near the Ambur bypass road, Tamil Nadu, which made him furious. Then, he set his scooter on fire by pouring a bottle of petrol on it. We can see the scooter burning in the video. For reference, Ola Electric claims a riding range of 181 km and a true range of 135 km.
People have reported erratic riding range from the S1 Pro. The scooter’s range on the digital display would drop suddenly after 10 to 15 percent. Some people have been able to achieve around 125 km which is quite close to what Ola claims. Whereas, other people have not been able to get more than 100 km.
The Electric Range
The range just like the kmpl of a petrol car or bike depends upon a myriad of factors such as the weight of the rider, whether you are driving with a pillion or not, in case of uphill ascent the range might drop and aggressive riding can affect the range as well.
There have been other issues as well that people are facing. Many scooters are being delivered with uneven panel gaps. There are screeching noises, headlamp issues, scooter going in the wrong direction and getting stuck in reverse due to a glitch etc. An Ola S1 Pro caught fire recently and the company has launched an investigation into it. Moreover, Ola Electric has also recalled 1,441 units of S1 Pro electric scooters that belong to the same batch as the scooter that caught fire.
Electric vehicles to never be put on fire
No matter how unsatisfied you are with a EV never ever set them on fire ,a cycle combustion in a EV can last for way longer than you can imagine and it would be every bit hazardous as the exploding battery packs are. In contact of extreme heat every individual cell catches fire and bursts, causing a fire that is self sufficient for few hours also trying to extinguish with water as is the trend in India can lead to electrocution. Don’t ever put them on fire though. Another jilted customer recently got his Ola pulled along with the help of a donkey to denote shame upon the scooter.
Also Read: Unsatisfied Customer Gets His Ola S1 Pro Pulled Along By a Donkey


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The ongoing saga of the defective Takata airbag inflators reached a new level recently, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told Takata to recall an additional 2.7 million inflators. These, unfortunately, contained the desiccant that was supposed to keep moisture from damaging them. Since adding a desiccant is the fix for the previously repaired airbags, the replacement airbags may also contain defective components.
As you may know, Takata declared bankruptcy last month. This was not expected to impact consumers’ ability to obtain a replacement airbag, but merely to continue shifting the costs from Takata to automakers. Almost 20 carmakers have been affected.
The underlying issue, according to Reuters, is that Takata is the only airbag manufacturer to use ammonium nitrate as the propellant in its airbag inflators. Ammonium nitrate can be volatile when exposed to damp.
Takata says that the recall NHTSA ordered last week affected airbag inflators with a desiccant, or drying agent. However, the recalled versions used calcium sulfate, while the vast majority contain zeolite. Takata says it has produced some 100 million replacement airbags, only 2.7 million of which contained calcium sulfate.
NHTSA isn’t so sure. “Absent proof that the other desiccated inflators are safe, they will also be subject to recall,” it said last week in a statement.
“We still have to prove the safety of our desiccated inflators, but we believe those using zeolite are safer than those using calcium sulfate,” said a Takata spokesperson.
It’s true that the newly recalled, calcium sulfate-desiccated airbags have not been associated with any injuries or deaths. However, Reuters points out that the original problem wasn’t obvious at first, but took five years or longer to emerge.
Automakers could find themselves on the hook for more recalls and replacements if Takata is unable to prove that zeolite provides a safe environment for the ammonium nitrate-based inflators.
Worse, many automakers have been forced to use newer versions of recalled airbags as replacements in the recall.
Honda, Toyota and Nissan have all pledged not to use Takata inflators in new contracts for their vehicles, but that’s not saying much, since Takata has declared bankruptcy. Another auto components supplier has agreed to buy Takata but will be winding down its airbag business once all of the necessary replacements have been manufactured.
The bottom line for consumers is that these airbags with defective inflators need to be replaced as soon as possible. To find out if your vehicle has a defective Takata airbag, call any dealer of your car’s manufacture. Or, check NHTSA’s online VIN lookup tool.
If your vehicle is affected, take immediate steps to get in line for a replacement.


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Whether you’re a parent, a sibling or a godparent, you’re probably working your way through your Christmas shopping list for the little ones in your life. Every December there’s a rush on toys, but this year it could prove especially difficult to get hold of the most popular toys due to “a perfect storm” of supply issues, according to Rachael Simpson-Jones, editor of trade magazine Toy World. “Container shortages, staffing issues, a chronic lack of HGV drivers… added up, these could lead to challenges when it comes to finding and buying the most sought after toys this Christmas,” she says. Her advice: “Shop early!”
We’ve spoken to nine experts — including trend forecasters, parent group founders and toy shop owners — to investigate which toys are going to be at the top of kids’ wish lists for Christmas (and festive birthdays) this year. Plus, we’ve also got gift guides for younger kids, including 6-month olds, 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds. Read on to find out which toys you’d be wise to add to your basket sooner rather than later.
Just FYI: To prevent disappointment, we have checked the shipping times for each item to make sure that they’ll arrive in time for Christmas. Take a look at the delivery notes on each toy for specific details.
This year’s hottest overall toy
Tipped to be the sell-out toy of the year by three of our experts, “Magic Mixies is unlike anything else on the market,” says Simpson-Jones. “It offers kids magic and excitement in a way they won’t have seen before.” Magic Mixies are similar to L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls (which featured in our story on 2020’s hottest toys) in this respect, as they are both “unboxing” toys (play that involves opening layers to reveal surprise elements). But with Magic Mixies there’s an extra enchanting element, as children must cast a spell to reveal the cuddly toy, as Peter Jenkinson, CEO at Toyology explains: “You add the magic ingredients, wave the wand over the top and the cauldron starts to mist over. Then there’s a rumble from the bottom, the mist settles and a toy appears from nowhere.”
Simpson-Jones adds: “It really is impressive to behold and I think it’ll be on many a letter to Father Christmas this year. What’s more, refill packs mean kids can enjoy the magic again and again.” Further evidence this will be the toy of the year comes from the US, as Frédérique Tutt, global toys-industry analyst at market-research group NPD, notes: “Walmart’s online store is already out of stock of one of the two colours.”
Last date to purchase: December 22. Whilst both Amazon and Smyths offer two-working-day shipping for this item, Smyths recommend ordering at least a week in advance of Christmas in case of any unforeseen delays.
This year’s hottest Lego
“Building sets continue to be super popular and we think that will continue again for Christmas,” says Tutt. “Lego Harry Potter has been fueling the market.” This 6,020 piece Hogwarts set is packed with intricate details as well as 27 microfigures, including Harry, Hermione and Ron, who can dine in the great hall, visit the Whomping Willow and battle the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.
Last date to purchase: December 22. For all of its products, Lego advises ordering from Lego.com before the 20th of December for guaranteed Christmas delivery with standard shipping. (With express shipping, this date is slightly later, on December 22.)
Playing with Lego usually involves creating physical structures, but with the Vidiyo range children can create their own music videos using augmented reality. Sarah Riding, research and trends director at The Insights Family, thinks these sets will prove very popular, as they combine the traditional fun of Lego building blocks with an added creative digital element, which allows children to make something unique.
This year’s hottest electronic toys
“A PlayStation is the second most desired new ‘toy’ after Lego for kids aged 6-16,” says Riding. “The lack of availability last Christmas for the new PlayStation 5 is likely to have further fuelled the desire for ownership this Christmas too.”
Since its UK launch in November 2020, Sony has struggled to keep up with demand for the PS5 due to a shortage of microchips that are needed to make the console. So, if you find a PlayStation 5 available to buy it is worth snapping it up straight away, as it frequently sells out on Amazon, GAME and Argos whenever there is a restock. [Editor’s note: This product is currently out of stock, but we’re checking retailers frequently, so watch this space].
Portable “carefully connected smart speakers” for children are having something of a moment, according to Riding, so she expects to see two among the bestsellers this Christmas. Sonia Whiteley-Guest, strategic business consultant and founder of All About the Doll, believes this is because Coronavirus lockdowns have led to a renewed interest in screen time alternatives and more traditional activities like listening to audiobooks. The Toniebox speaker was mentioned by Riding, Whiteley-Guest and Jenkinson. It is easy for young children to use, as to start the audio you simply place a figurine of a character, (such as The Gruffalo, Spot or Paddington), on top of the player. There is also the option to record yourself reading a story to be played back.
Last date to purchase: December 15. Whilst shipping times between Amazon sellers vary, the 14th of December is the last day to order for guaranteed delivery before Christmas. From Toniebox directly, this date is the 15th of December.
Instead of a figurine, the Yoto Player uses cards that are preloaded with stories or music, and you can also record yourself telling stories onto blank cards. The Yoto is predicted to be popular this Christmas by both Riding and Nigel Clarke, CBeebies presenter and founder of Dadvengers. He likes that it features a pixel display, which “really brings books to life” by showing pictures of characters and changing as the story develops. “It helps get children interested in books and reading in a really lovely way,” he explains. There are just three buttons, so it is easy for children to use. Plus, unlike the Toniebox, it can be used as a bluetooth speaker to play music from streaming services and children can access a daily free podcast and Yoto Radio.
Last date to purchase: December 23. Both Amazon and Yoto offer expedited two-day delivery on this item, so customers should purchase before 3 p.m. on the 23rd of December.
This collection of audio cards features six stories by Julia Donaldson, including Zog, Stick Man, and The Highway Rat.
Last date to purchase: December 23.
This year’s hottest PAW Patrol toy
Jenkinson predicts this huge 91cm tall playset will be “one of the toys that sell out the quickest” this Christmas. “It’s expensive and it’s as big as a small Christmas tree,” he says. “But there’s a trend for buying fewer, more considered, purchases that have got longevity and The Paw Patrol tower is a good example of a toy that has longevity because aunts and uncles can buy figures to go with the set.”
Last date to purchase: December 22. This item is currently sold out, but Smyths expects it back in stock between the 11 to the 17 of December (as above, it also advises customers to order around this time, in case of any unforeseen delays). In the meantime, Amazon has a two-day-delivery option, so customers have up until the 22nd to order.
Last date to purchase: December 19. Amazon is currently predicting delivery in around five days for this toy, so customers should order on or before the 19th of December.
This year’s hottest dolls
“Barbie is still huge,” says Jenkinson, and Simpson-Jones concurs: “Barbie has enjoyed a really good year. We’re hearing from some retailers that Barbie sales are well up, particularly the Careers line. The dolls are more diverse and representative than they have ever been. The brand’s ethos is ‘You can be anything’, and that message really resonates with today’s kids.” Once thought of as solely “girls’ toys”, Barbie’s fanbase is also becoming increasingly diverse. ”Lockdown restrictions led to more sibling play and boys and girls have influenced each other and their choice of toy,” explains Riding. “Barbie’s focus on creating aspirational role models, which align with the values of young children today, are likely to make this toy a must-have this Christmas and not only for girls.”
Last date to purchase: December 22. This toy is available with two-day shipping on Amazon.
Pamela Djima, founder of Our Kids Trove, which stocks toys from black-owned businesses, says she has noticed customers are now looking for “more meaningful toys”. “They’re really thinking carefully about the messages that are conveyed by different toys,” she explains. “For example, we’ve noticed a lot of interest in this doll with vitiligo. A lot of parents are drawn to it because even though their child may not have vitiligo themselves, they want to convey those messages of being inclusive and that beauty takes different shades and hues.”
Last date to purchase: December 17th. Our Kids Trove advised customers to place their orders by the 17th, to ensure Christmas delivery.
This year’s hottest STEM toy
GraviTrax is one of the toys that is most frequently mentioned by children in The Insights Family data, according to Riding. It’s a buildable marble run that allows children to experiment with gravity, magnetism and kinetics. Clarke describes it as being “like Domino Rally, but less frustrating, as if you build it right, it works every time”. You can follow instructions or build your own creation, and with expansion packs featuring fun elements like little trampolines for the marbles to bounce off, Clarke says this toy “has longevity” and is one parents will find fun too. “My son and his mates like to challenge each other to build things,” he says. “So it’s a good way for children to bond with their mates as well.”
Last date to purchase: December 23. John Lewis has next-day delivery on this item, but its cut-off points do vary, so it advises customers to purchase sooner rather than later.
This year’s hottest fidget toy
Natalie Duvall, Black Mums Upfront podcaster and co-owner of March Muses, supplier of Black Christmas decorations, expects “fidgets and squishies” will be popular this year. In particular, this “ever-popular fidget selection box designed to relieve anxiety” is predicted to be a top seller, according to Joanna Feeley, founder and CEO of Trend Bible, as parents will be “opting for sensorial toys that soothe and calm children”.
These toys – designed to keep hands busy and minds calm and focused – have been the surprise success story of recent times, with a fidget popper advent calendar among Amazon’s best-selling toy calendars this year. “I will never understand what they do with them, but it keeps both my daughters busy for hours,” says Duvall.
Last date to purchase: December 22. Amazon is offering two-day shipping on this item.
This year’s hottest collectibles
Collectible dolls and figurines always do well at Christmas and “this year there’s a new kid on the block in the shape of Among Us,” says Simpson-Jones. Simpson-Jones says it has been “huge throughout the pandemic” and “the digital game’s success has translated into toy sales.” You can buy these 4cm figurines individually or in sets of up to eight – and there’s a surprise element as at least one figure is always hidden from view in the pack, so you won’t know which you’ve got until you’ve opened it.
Last date to purchase: December 22. Amazon is offering two-day delivery on this item, as is Smyths.
The L.O.L. brand has been around for five years now, but “it is still going to be really hot this year,” says Jenkinson as “people who have been collecting it are going to want more to expand their sets”. To tie in with the newly released Netflix movie there is a new mega playset which contains an impressive 70 surprises and 12 dolls to unbox. The packaging even becomes a movie studio with four stages and a green screen movie theatre. A mobile phone tripod is also included so children can film their own movies, with their new dolls as the cast and crew.
Last date to purchase: December 19.
This year’s hottest jigsaw puzzle
“We actually sold out of this puzzle last Christmas and it continues to be really popular, so I think it will be a big hit this Christmas,” says Djima. “Parents and carers are drawn to it because it’s fun but also educational as it has landmarks on it. It’s also a great conversation starter as parents can say: ‘Our cousin lives here. My friend is there’.”
Last date to purchase: 17th December.
This year’s hottest cuddly toy
NPD has noted an increase in sales of plush toys and Tutt says this is in part due to the popularity of Squishmallows. “I think retailers are really struggling to get enough of them because the brand is on the fire in the US, it has gone viral on TikTok and social media,” she says. “So if you want to buy your child one, just get on with it straightaway.”
Last date to purchase: December 22. Smyths is offering both Standard (3-5 days) and Premium (1-2 days) shipping on this item.
This year’s hottest stocking filler
“Pokemon is the number one programme in the world, there’s nothing that sells more,” says Tutt. The success of the trading cards is down to “the playground ‘marketplace’ and word of mouth” which have been driving trends this year, according to Simpson-Jones. “We know the swappability of these among friends is a huge part of the fun,” she says. “Never underestimate how powerful kid-recommendations can be.”
Last date to order: December 23. Amazon is offering fast-track shipping on this item (with some areas benefiting from same day delivery), but slots are filling up fast so as always, don’t dillydally.
The Strategist UK is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Read about who we are and what we do here. Our editors update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.


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The ‘Last Mile’ Looms Large as Q4 approaches
As much as everyone loves Amazon, we must admit, they ruined it for other businesses in terms of raising customer expectations, particularly when it comes to the last mile.
Amazon Prime. Next day. Same day. Drones. Amazon does it all, and other shipping providers have had to meet those standards to stay competitive.
AxleHire, a last-mile delivery service, is ready for the fourth quarter, when shipping and delivery is top of mind for retailers and customers, especially as the holiday shopping season comes into view.
“Shipping has become a critical component of the customer experience, and consumers today are making purchase decisions based on shipping costs and delivery windows,” said Raj Ramanan, CEO of AxleHire. “Consumer expectations for shipping are higher than ever. Gone are four to five days or longer for delivery windows.”
According to research from Linnworks, one in four customers will only consider buying an item if it is shipping in two days or fewer. More than 60% of consumers prioritize brands offering next-day delivery, and there is a growing preference for same-day delivery.
As Juozas Kaziukènas, founder of Marketplace Pulse, wrote earlier this summer, “Amazon doesn’t sell goods. It sells goods that ship in one to two days and, for some shoppers, same day. The logistics are as much part of the product as the products themselves.”
Consumers also want shipping to be free: More than half of consumers will abandon an online shopping cart if presented with an extra shipping cost. Only Amazon Prime offers unlimited free shipping but at $14.99 per month, or $139 per year, many customers wait until they have enough items in their Amazon cart to qualify for free shipping (minimum $25).
Walmart+ is Amazon’s closest competitor in terms of subscription-delivery-streaming services. It charges $12.99 per month or $98 per year.
While 200 million people globally are Prime subscribers, about 18.5 million people in the U.S. are Walmart+ members.
Ramanan said delivery is crucial to securing brand loyalty. Three in five consumers are likely to remain loyal to retailers that offer transparency when it comes to delivery costs and timing. The lack thereof, got Amazon into hot water in June as the FTC claimed the online retailer tricked consumers into signing up for Prime and making it difficult to cancel the service.
Amazon’s statement in response to the FTC lawsuit read: “The truth is that customers love Prime, and by design we make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up for or cancel their Prime membership. As with all our products and services, we continually listen to customer feedback and look for ways to improve the customer experience, and we look forward to the facts becoming clear as this case plays out.”
The stakes are high in this retail delivery game and getting higher as back-to-school and the holiday season approach.
Ramanan said retailers should implement a multi-carrier strategy (as Amazon already does) to ensure they receive competitive pricing from carriers.
“Localized inventory, those micro hubs that push inventory out closer to the end delivery point, is imperative for success,” he said. “Because it shortens the last mile in the process, supporting speed and sustainability.”
His other recommendations to retailers are as follows:
- Use a system of dynamic control—operational flexibility to continually adapt to surges or dips in demand.
- Be completely transparent—100% visibility for the shipper of the end-to-end process with no black holes; 100% visibility for the consumer of where their package is and when it will arrive.
- Manage end-to-end precision—data and algorithms that drive daily optimization of capacity and routing.
- Make sure to have 24/7 availability—real-time response and recovery.
Ramanan pointed to findings that 84% of customers will walk away from a brand if they’ve had a bad delivery experience. Conversely, three in five consumers are likely to remain loyal to retailers who are open and honest about delivery costs and timing.
The last mile is crucial to retailers’ revenue in Q4. Are you ready?


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British comedian and entertainer Henny Youngman once told a story of a doctor who has a stethoscope to a patient’s chest. The patient asks, “Doc, how do I stand?” To which the doctor replied, “That’s what puzzles me!”
Considering the blows the recession dealt in the first half of 2009 and the economic destruction it left to clean up through the remainder of the year, the doctor in Youngman’s story might be stymied about the well-being of some businesses, including flexible packaging converters. Raw materials prices again wreaked havoc with company ledgers, as did coping with reduced revenues while maintaining a focus on remaining competitive.
Yet again, the industry asks Flexible Packaging magazine, “How do today’s converters stand?” and we respond. Our annual Top 25 Converters listing, now in its sixth year, examines the larger flexible packaging picture and looks at the piece of that puzzle that each of the top 25 converters hold as measured by revenues for the entire year prior. According to the Flexible Packaging Association, $26.4 billion of flexible packaging was sold in the U.S. in 2009, a modest growth of 1.9% from 2008. Measured by dollars, the companies in our Top 25 Converters list account for about three quarters of the total U.S. industry.
Of course, total revenues for one year tell only a portion of what happened last year or the current state of the industry. For instance, companies like Pliant Corp. or Alcan Packaging-who were both heavy hitters in last year’s list-are conspicuously absent this year. Pliant Corp. was acquired by Berry Plastics as the former company ascended from bankruptcy in December of last year. Alcan (with the exception of the Medical Flexibles division) was officially split between Bemis and Amcor in first quarter 2010; only in June did the U.S. Department of Justice approve Amcor’s purchase of Alcan’s medical unit. The full effect these acquisitions will become evident in next year’s list once those newly acquired plants have generated a full year’s worth of revenue for their new owners.
Comparative data, last year to this year, provides an additional perspective on this year’s list. Of the 20 companies that appear on this year's and last year’s list, 13 saw a decrease in revenue, five saw an increase and two saw no change. Of these same 20 companies, 12 companies operate as many plants this year as they did the previous year, five expanded their number of facilities, and only three now operate fewer manufacturing plants this year. Lastly, of these 20, eight employed the same number of people in their flexible packaging operations, six cut the number of employees and six hired additional employees.
To flesh out our Top 25 Converters listing, we’ve identified recent developments at each of these leading flexible packaging companies to give you as complete a competitive picture as possible.
We employed the same methodology as last year to identify the Top 25 Converters of flexible packaging.
First, we updated our list of companies to include new companies in the market, account for any ownership changes in the last year, and take in other converters that may have been inadvertently left off previous lists. Second, we researched the data for this year’s rankings using several resources, including financial reports such as 10Ks with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), information from the Hoover’s Online and Gale Online databases, annual reports and company websites.
Finally, we asked each company to verify, correct or supply information if it was missing.
Rankings are based on sales for fiscal year 2009-but reflect revenue for flexible packaging only. Sales of film products for uses other than packaging are not included in our figures.


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Zipline, a US-based startup improving access to healthcare, and saving lives by so doing, using drones, has commenced the delivery of medical supplies in Rwanda via its specially made drones.
The startup, nine months ago, signed a partnership with the Rwandan Government to use drones to tackle challenges associated with delivering blood and other medical supplies to remote areas.
For several months, the startup tested its launch system at a distribution centre, which houses 15 custom-built drones known as “Zips”, in the Muhanga region.
The Zips can fly up to 150 kilometers, round-trip, and carry up to 1.5 kilograms of blood.
Blood deliveries to 21 health facilities in Northern, Southern and Western provinces of Rwanda via the drones commenced earlier today.
Hospitals can order blood via text message and have it parachuted to their location in 15 minutes, on average, eliminating the need for onboard refrigeration or insulation.
The drones will make the deliveries without touching down, ensuring they don’t pose a risk to persons around and don’t get whisked away by unscrupulous elements.
The availability of blood will ensure patients are attended to in time, which will go a long way in reducing unnecessary and unwarranted deaths.
At the moment, the focus will be blood delivery. In the coming months, the drones will used to deliver all manner of medical supplies including vaccines and medicine.
President Paul Kagame was on hand to launch one of the drones.
President Kagame launching a Zipline medical delivery drone now in Muhanga #Rwanda pic.twitter.com/D9rHG4WlN4
— Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) October 14, 2016
In a series of Tweets, he said the launch was a milestone for the country and hopes it inspires more innovations.
This feat is an eye-opener for other African countries, especially Ghana, where you can get jailed for 30 years for flying a drone, and my beloved Nigeria, where you’ll need to get water out of a rock to fly a drone.
“Rwandans have learned to embrace innovation, especially when it is clear that it can help us solve the challenges we face,” said Paul Kagame
This, from henceforth, should be norm for leaders in Africa. Embrace innovation that can help solve the myriad of problems we face. It’s the right thing to do… ain’t no question!
As for Zipline, they’re not stopping in Rwanda. The goal is to deliver a wide range of medical products in other countries this year. They hope to make on-demand medical supplies delivery a thing!!!


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A growing number of seasoned agency owners are beginning the new year with a new name and more bang for their business buck after moving to the Richardson & Wrench franchise family.
As 2021 moved into 2022, more than half a dozen established offices reopened under the Richardson & Wrench banner and several more are set to join the group as the year gets underway.
Value for money
Richardson & Wrench’s Managing Director Andrew Cocks said the end of the calendar year had brought with it numerous conversations with business owners and individual agents who were keen to re-badge and take advantage of a longstanding reputation, a substantial toolbox of marketing and technology resources, and an attractive franchise value proposition.
“Earlier in the pandemic principals were trying to protect their business and probably just too stressed during lockdowns to have an appetite for change,” Mr Cocks said.
“But I’ve been amazed at how many inquiries for new business we’ve received more recently and just how much people are seeking to engage in conversations about the future direction of their business.”
With the more traditional bricks and mortar franchise opportunity operating under a fixed fee structure, offering full franchise service solutions and no fees on property management, Richardson & Wrench’s new business operators are reporting they get much more value for money than with their previous brands where sales and rent rolls often attract hefty percentage fees.
Savvy operators are seeing the benefits of belonging to a boutique family-focused business with sophisticated marketing and digital solutions, plus exclusive territory agreements.
“Regardless of the type of franchise they’re operating under with us, everyone gets an exclusive territory so they know they can invest in an area that’s theirs and build a profile knowing they won’t be competing with any other R&W office,” Mr Cocks said.
“Competition in the industry is hard enough without having to compete internally..
“I know that these newest R&W offices see that R&W’s service offerings are very attractive.
“We’re able to provide them with a host of resources and experts they can count on as part of their business but these don’t come with the same exorbitant costs they’d be paying in a percentage model,” Mr Cocks explained.
Specialists on hand
While many traditional real estate brands have teams of regional managers taking care of a large number of individual offices, Richardson & Wrench has a unique but advantageous alternative.
“We changed the classic structure and employ a team of industry specialists,” Mr Cocks said.
“Our Brand, Marketing and Strategy is led by Amanda Ward and Our Head of Group Operations, Amy Bruce manages all operational and technology solutions for the network.
“We’ve got property management and social media experts, specialists in CRM systems, along with highly skilled administrators and marketing coordinators.
“Our senior leadership team is focused on providing regular, personalised support to our business operators and their staff.”
Mr Cocks said the purpose of his specialist team is for all members of the Richardson & Wrench family to have comprehensive assistance.
“They’re on hand to give swift advice and support, rather than being told someone will look into it and eventually get back a week later.
“Often in real estate, especially in the current climate, when you’ve got an issue you need it resolved immediately.”
He added the network support is a great sounding board for principals navigating the many challenges of modern real estate businesses.
“If you’re a small business owner, it can sometimes be really lonely,” Mr Cocks said.
“You can have all these people looking to you, expecting all the answers.
“The engaged interactive support from a franchisor is the absolute minimum every franchisee in the country should be looking for so they can actually add real value to their business. If we’re not doing that for them, then what’s our role?”
Fixed fee freedom
Without a percentage of earnings being handed over to a franchisor, Mr Cocks said the Richardson & Wrench traditional model allows business owners to turn a greater profit.
“It also gives them a greater incentive to grow their sales. We’ve got a number of franchisees who’ve doubled – and even tripled their sales – since starting with us.
“If they can triple their sales, it just means a massive increase in profitability for them,” he said.
“Ultimately, our fee structure means any activity an office is undertaking, is being undertaken in the knowledge they’ve got fixed overheads.
“That way they benefit from all the services and infrastructure we provide, which is at least equivalent, and in many cases superior, to the services other franchises are charging for, but with us it’s at a much lower cost.”
With margins being squeezed across the board, Mr Cocks said business owners are looking to turn a profit without feeling like there is a hungry hand dipping into their pocket every day.
“It’s just getting harder to do what you would typically do because the workload involved in every transaction is gradually increasing; whether that’s to do with compliance, vendor and buyer expectations, or landlord and tenant requirements – every one of those elements of the communication process is becoming more complex.”
And due to tight competition in the marketplace – many property professionals choose to retaliate by dropping their fees and doing what they’ve always done for slightly less.
“Unfortunately this has been a long term issue and it isn’t going away anytime soon,” Mr Cocks said.
“So the more we can help an office deal with some of those external market issues, and to be more cost effective as a flat fee operator, then that’s appealing to them.
“In terms of value for money, if you look at us compared to percentage-based franchise options we’re presenting a much better return on investment for those successful operators.”
“When you combine these benefits with our key focus on culture, the provision of cutting-edge marketing and tech solutions plus expert support services – it’s too compelling an offering not to seriously consider joining the Richardson & Wrench team.”


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Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Air Jordan 6 Retro "Brazil" Release Date
We've seen a ton of images of the Air Jordan 6 Retro "Brazil" surface, and now we finally have a release date to share with you. The pair takes inspiration from the Brazilian flag with a black-green-yellow color scheme on top of icy blue soles and is set to release June 21st as part of a pack. Check out the detailed images below and keep it locked to FollowTheKicks for more sneaker news and updates.


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The BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour, a developer’s conference that had most recently taken place at San Jose, Calif. last month, will be stopping by 11 more cities, according to Research in Motion’s official announcement a few days back. This is a continuation of RIM’s plans to make as many people as possible aware of the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which is tentatively expected to launch in the early part of 2013. Security features will be a primary focus of the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour, as it was in last month’s Californian stopover.
The 11 cities confirmed by RIM include London and Toronto on October 23, Ottawa on October 25, Amsterdam on November 1, Frankfurt and Sao Paulo on November 6, Washington, D.C. on November 8, New York on November 13, Madrid on November 15, Mexico City on November 16 and finally, Chicago on November 28. The events of the expo will cover one day and will be centered on the unusual situations encountered by enterprise application developers. As such, educating these developers on how to provide secure server and database access would be a top goal of the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour. Several developer tools, such as the BlackBerry Native Development Kit with BlackBerry Cascades and HTML5 with BlackBerry WebWorks, will be highlighted, once again considering these tools’ importance for enterprise app development. On a lighter note, it would be too much to expect another cheesy song number (a pro-RIM/BlackBerry tune based on REO Speedwagon’s ‘80s hit “Keep on Loving You”) like we heard at the California BlackBerry 10 Jam – these subsequent events are expected to be more serious than the first.
In other RIM and BlackBerry news, the struggling, though optimistic Canadian company has sent out invitations to an event to be held on November 7 in Canada, one apparently separate from the aforementioned World Tour. This event will deal more with the OS itself, and is considered as another step in the right direction as RIM hopes to cut its losses and make a strong comeback to prominence with the BlackBerry 10 platform.


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Blockchain doesn’t make sense to many people but with the introduction of this phone the concept will be easy to understand and develop further
It’s a less than stellar time for blockchain, as well. Cryptocurrency prices are low, and last month, bitcoin was tied to price manipulation in a report. HTC first announced that it was working on a blockchain-powered smartphone called the Exodus. The news came as one of the company’s more intriguing projects after a difficult start to the year.
Envision of your own phone
HTC envisions a phone where you hold your own keys, you own your own identity and data, and your phone is the hub. A phone where you can own your identity is a little further in the future, while the one coming by the end of the year will be a phone with a wallet and a partnership with CryptoKitties. Details on the device’s specs are yet to be announced.
Exodus will have global availability once released and the company states that it will be available everywhere outside of China as China has different rules, everywhere from regulations to how Android even works in China.
Cryptocurrency on mobile
In the long term, the company hopes to find a more efficient way to mine cryptocurrency on mobile, by consulting with experts under HTC’s employment. Mining on mobile efficiently will take time to figure out, but company is already looking at different consensus protocols that might make that happen and soon a white paper will be released this year with more details.
Initially the idea of a blockchain-powered phone to HTC was raised after watching ethereum and the DAO closely since 2015. The company floated the idea, and by the end of last year, as bitcoin prices were rising rapidly, the idea appeared more attractive and quickly grew into a strategy.
Recently, cryptocurrency mania has died down and the frequency of cryptocurrency scams and hacks has become a cautionary tale. A partnership to be the sole company to bring digital cat trading to mobile and for users to hold their own cryptocurrency wallets could potentially fall or at least appear to fall into the category of scams and gimmicks.
There are claims that the phone with a cryptocurrency wallet will be a secure hardware wallet. It also hopes that trading virtual cats will encourage gamers and people who are less familiar with cryptocurrency to try out the Exodus phone. Gaming is the most approachable thing on mobile, for the non-crypto crowd said one of the officials.
Blockchain doesn’t make a sense to a lot of people. With the Exodus, HTC is hoping that they will get people to be each node, as each Exodus device will form one node in the blockchain. But the problem is, does anyone want to be in that chain?


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Norway’s Food Policy Consumer Panel has expanded its study to include the opinions of young citizens in an effort to advise authorities on the public’s take on food and health.
The seven regional panels aimed to define what comprises a healthy food and diet, what measures should be taken to get people to eat healthier food, and who is responsible for implementing improvements.
The panels and youngsters widely agreed that natural, lean and “green” foods were healthy, but the young segment reported associating these characteristics with a boring diet.
More interesting was the shared conclusion that healthier food was generally more expensive and less accessible, and that a healthy diet and healthy cooking were more time consuming.
The panel and youngsters also reported general scepticism towards trying to force better habits on the public, doubting the effectiveness of trying to tax sweet foods and advising authorities to use humour and a positive spin when informing the public about the health aspects of food.
Consumers agreed least about how much authorities should intervene to improve eating habits, though there was a wide consensus for educational campaigns, especially aimed at children and the youth segment.
The panel is a three-year test project whereby consumers from across the nation can directly address politicians and public authorities on food policy matters. The experiment is funded by Norway’s Food Safety Authority and monitored and maintained by the Consumer Council.