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Days Gone, the highly anticipated PS4 exclusive from Sony, has been confirmed to be delayed to 2019.
The building sim from Developer Colossal Order and publisher Paradox Interactive, Cities: Skylines, celebrates it’s 3-year anniversary on the gaming market with a pretty amazing announcement. Cities: Skylines has sold a total of 5 million copies for PC, Linux and Mac over the course of these three years.
With the Nintendo Direct event happening last night, Nintendo teased a highly a new update for Splatoon 2 which is set to introduce a host of new content and features to the shooter. Players can expect Update 3.0 to arrive in April and will bring three new maps – Piranha Pit and Camp Triggerfish from Splatoon 1 and the new Wahoo World.
Epic Games’ Fortnite Battle Royale is going mobile! Recently taking to their blog, the developer stated that players can expect the exact same 100-player experience except on cellphones and tablets.
Crash Bandicoot is an iconic platforming franchise that’s synonymous with PlayStation, but today that changes. Previously a PlayStation exclusive, the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane trilogy will now be joining the Nintendo Switch family of mascot-fronted games.
After hints and tentative nods, today’s Nintendo Direct revealed that Super Smash Bros. is indeed arriving on Nintendo Switch. Nintendo waited until the tail end of the presentation to make the announcement. It was extraordinarily brief — Inkling girl stares in awe at a burning ring, and sees Mario and Link for a few seconds each before the camera zooms out again — but it managed to deliver one essential bit of information: Super Smash Bros. will be releasing this year.
Super Smash Brothers returns, Fortnite goes mobile on iPhones, Call of Duty Black Ops 4 is announced, and more stuff happening in gaming.
Mario Tennis enthusiasts were treated to a mammoth sized update at today’s Nintendo Direct presentation. Nintendo EPD’s Deputy General Manager Yoshiaki Koizumi introduced the segment, which revealed the game’s release date, finer points of gameplay, as well as the all star character roster.


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Uber is learning a tough lesson about what happens when you go head-to-head with China’s tech giants on their own turf.
Tencent, the tech company that oversees the China’s most popular chat app WeChat, has has blocked all Uber accounts on its social platform, affecting the service across more than a dozen cities.
Tencent-backed Didi Dache is the country’s biggest ride-hailing service and Uber’s largest competitor in the Chinese market.
According to Tencent CEO Ma Huateng [Pony Ma], the recent ban was due to marketing violations by a series of companies, though some were punished more harshly given the severity of the violations, he says.
China Business Network (CBN) CEO Zhou Jiangong confirmed to Technode that Mr. Ma made the comments on a social media post within their personal network.
Mr. Ma explained that public accounts of a certain size have the ability to “incite”, and that Chinese national regulations require businesses of a certain size to hold an Internet Content Provider license (ICP).
“The platform treats everyone equally,” said Mr. Ma, “Didi also violated the rules,” he noted, saying that in the past Didi had also been subject to restrictions.
As of Monday Uber is the only ride-hailing service that has been formally banned from the WeChat platform.
It’s the latest blow in an escalating war for market supremacy between California-based Uber and their Chinese equivalent Didi, backed by the country’s two biggest tech companies Alibaba and Tencent.
China’s largest internal ride-sharing war came to an end with the merger of Alibaba’s Kuaidi Dache with Tencent’s Didi Dache in February 2015. The landmark merger was the beginning of a global ride-hailing empire that includes Singapore’s GrabTaxi, India’s Ola and Canada’s Lyft. The coalition now poses a formidable front against Uber’s expansion, especially in Asia where the U.S. company has been seeking to expand.
Uber’s accounts were previously blocked on WeChat from mid-March. At the time local media reported that the the issues were due to policy violations, and later technical glitches.
According to Mr. Ma the latest bans are part of a platform-wide cleanup effort to remove accounts that are marketing their products by malicious means.
The loss of their public WeChat accounts is a big blow for the China-side operations of Uber. WeChat is a significant consumer outreach platform for businesses on the mainland, with over 10 million public accounts.

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GRAND RAPIDS, (WZZM)- The Fall Bridal Show of West Michigan offers brides-to-be a one-stop-shop for all of their wedding planning needs.
Jennifer and Alana spent time with three vendors at this year's event. They tried on dresses at September's Bride in Holland. They sampled cake at Second Floor Bakery, also in Holland. And they learned about a new fad for bridal showers and bridesmaids gifts: Wine and Canvass classes.
The Fall Bridal Show of West Michigan takes place September 20-21 at DeVos Place. Doors open at 11 a.m. Saturday and close at 4 p.m.


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Argus is pleased to announce that it will be working alongside businesses Hyfire and Ramtech in the Orama Group within Halma.
From the 3 companies, excellence in wireless solutions for the protection of people and environments, was born the new group. It will push innovation and expand geographical reach, to further meet the wireless safety and security needs of different industries from construction to commercial and industrial applications.
«The strong skills of each company have helped to form a powerful group that faces new and stimulating perspectives in the field of safety – commented Giorgio Koursaris, Managing Director of the group – Orama is the fil rouge that combines cutting-edge wireless technologies to the digital world».
The goal is to combine the history and expertise of the three companies Argus, Hyfire and Ramtech to provide innovative services and assistance and ensure customers the maximum protection of people and their environment.
The new Orama brand has been presented in the Metaverse, to contextualize the technological vision and the orientation towards the future of the group.
The individual businesses will retain their existing brands and the day-to-day operations will be largely unchanged. However, we will work closely together to take advantage of each other’s technology.
Read more on the Orama website!


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Daimler, an automotive company that produces premium cars and commercial vehicles have inked a deal with BMW to invest in services such as driverless vehicles, ride-hailing and parking services to take on Uber and Lyft. Notably, the German firms invested around €1 billion into this joint venture.
Uncertainty in auto industry!
This strategic move comes ahead amidst the uncertainty in the auto industry with a decline in sales, trade war and other issues. In this regard, the automakers are developing a new business model instead of concentrating on ownership.


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Reliance 5G services announced in Pune
Reliance Jio has launched its True 5G services in Pune. The company claims that it is the first in Pune to offer true 5G coverage. Starting November 23rd, Jio users in Pune will be invited to the Jio Welcome Offer, which is a standard across other Jio 5G-supported cities in the country. After enrolling for the offer, Jio users in Pune will be able to experience Unlimited Data at up to 1 Gbps+ speeds for absolutely free.
Pune, being a student-heavy city and a leading IT hub, is easily a suitable candidate for the Indian telecom companies to expand their 5G services to. Plus, it is one of the largest automobile and manufacturing hubs in the country. Therefore, it made sense for Jio to make 5G available to the city. It is only a matter of time before Airtel did the same. According to Jio, its True 5G will be a true game changer for Punekars.
Commenting on the Jio 5G rollout in Pune, a Jio Spokesperson said, “Post the launch of Jio True 5G in 12 cities, large number of Jio users have enrolled into the Jio Welcome Offer, thereby helping Jio with customer and service feedback to create what will be the most advanced 5G network anywhere in the world. As expected, the data usage on Jio’s True 5G network is many-a-times higher than the current data consumed on Jio’s 4G network. What stands out is that this data experience is being delivered at break-neck speeds ranging anywhere between 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps and at extremely low latency that enables use-cases across various verticals that only a True 5G network can bring to life.”


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Ability Products, Inc., is pleased to announce that Derek Etjen has joined its team as Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
Derek brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his new role. Prior to joining Ability Products, Derek was a Regional Account Manager for VGM Group (VGM and Associates) - a position that he held for 18 of those years.
“I look forward to working with dealers to provide them with the quality and affordable wheelchair parts and accessories that they need,” Derek said. “I’m excited to show everyone everything that Ability Products has to offer. I truly believe that Ability Products can become a one-stop shop for most all wheelchair parts and accessories.”
Derek replaces Patrick Meeker, Ability Products Vice President of Sales, who passed away in June.
Derek can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org, 641-351-6400 (office) or 319-610-2627 (cell).


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EA’s Chief Competition Officer Peter Moore has confirmed that the first EA title for The Nintendo Switch will be Fifa 18.
The organisational structure of EA is about to undergo changes as the firm has decided to group its different developmental studios under a single brand.
Once considered as having low publicity in the gaming community, EA has earned back the respect with a specifically targeted marketing and business strategy.
The new Star Wars game currently in production has been described by as a ‘classic pulp action adventure experience’ in the same vein as Uncharted.
Although they won’t be present at this year’s E3, EA’s Play event detailed numerous revelations, including launching publication of indie titles.
This year’s edition of EA’s long-running FIFA football franchise will be released in North America on September 27, 2016 and September 29, 2016 in Europe.
This year’s E3 expo will be held from 14th to 16th June at the LA Convention Center. Here are five things to look out for at this year’s E3 expo.
New consoles from the major players in the video games market, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, always generate floods of rumor and speculation in the lead up to official announcements. Despite the comparative failure of Nintendo’s latest console the Wii U (to date it has sold only a tenth of the units of its predecessor the […]
Rumours abound that Nintendo are ready to cease production of Wii U and focus on Nintendo NX, but will the NX revive the company’s flagging fortunes?
Titanfall 2, set for release at some time in the 2017 fiscal year—before April 2017—has been revealed to include a story campaign.


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Governor Kate Brown recently signed two pieces of legislature that make changes to Oregon’s Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). OMMP cardholders can rest at ease knowing that the state isn’t going to let the new recreational cannabis market squash the medical program in Oregon. The recreational and medical markets can finally start working in conjunction with each other, instead of working against each other and making medical cardholders feel like they are losing all their rights and privileges.
The first was House Bill 4014, which allows cannabis producers, processors and retailers to start business without first having to abide by the two-year residency requirement. This means weed can be produced and processed faster, without having to wait two years It will also allow medical businesses to deduct business expenses from their state taxes; like any other business! The new bill will also reduce medical card fees for qualifying veterans from $200 to $20, a great relief to all the veteran medical cardholders suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). HB-4014 will even relax the rules for people who are on probation or waiting to go to trial. The new rules will guarantee that even medical cardholders who have had trouble with the state will still be able to access and use their medication.
The second bill Oregon’s governor signed was Senate Bill 1598, which will prove to be a great help to small medical businesses. This bill makes it easier for small medical businesses to get licensed; medical growing operations will no longer have to jump through hoops like filling out a bunch of extra paperwork just to get a license. This easier process will allow them to be a part of the regulated recreational market as well. The new licensing system offers lower fees and fewer requirements in general, and will put up fewer road blocks to those looking to start a medical business. This bill will also be a great asset to those farming medical cannabis crops on a larger scale. Large farm-scale grow sites that are growing for medical patients or research will for the first time be recognized as farm crop producers. This is already the case for recreational growers, so it makes sense, and protects legitimate medical cannabis crops and their farmers from unjustified lawsuits.
There will also be new laws set in place under SB-1598 to protect in home medical cannabis grow sites from inspection by the Oregon Health Authority. Letting personal medical growers have the security of knowing they won’t lose everything in an instant. The bill will also allow non-profit medical dispensaries to provide medicine to patients for very little money, and accept excess cannabis from growers to do so. Health authorities will also now be required to look at the accessibility of medical cannabis in areas that might lack many local businesses, and ensure that patients across Oregon can access medical cannabis.
Several more bills are awaiting Brown’s signature that will be very important to Oregon’s cannabis industry. One would allow edibles and concentrates to be sold recreationally, which might be implemented much earlier than state lawmakers originally planned. Another upcoming bill will protect banks from criminal liability when working with legal cannabis businesses; something that should have happened a long time ago. There are good things happening in the Oregon Legislature, and for once lawmakers are protecting the use of cannabis in Oregon, and the rights of those in the cannabis industry.


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Bethesda’s Pete Hines has said he is working on acquiring more information regarding a release date for the first round of Skyrimn DLC. He’s hoping to provide more information “maybe next week. We’ll see.” He said he is also trying to confirm a Kinect release date, so be on the look out for that as well. Via Twitter.
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Weyerhaeuser to sell Australian mills
Following a $148 million first-quarter loss, Federal Way, Wash.- based Weyerhaeuser has announced plans to sell its Australian sawmills to Auckland-based Carter Holt Harvey.
The deal will add five additional mills to Carter Holt, which currently runs plants and mills throughout the country.
Assets to be sold include the selling and distribution operations of Pine Solutions Australia, including an export chip business operated out of Portland, Victoria; as well as sawmills owned under the Weyerhaeuser Australia name. Additionally, the sale includes Green Triangle Forest Products and its associated sawmills, export chip business and Pine Mouldings operation.
Weyerhaeuser is also in discussions on a potential simultaneous sale of its 50 percent interest of the Green Triangle Forest Products timberlands business to a timber investment fund, according to the company. Those timberlands include approximately 50,000 acres of plantation pine forest in Australia.
“The Australian businesses will continue to focus on meeting customer needs during the sale process and will work with the potential buyer to ensure a smooth transition,” said Craig Neeser, Weyerhaeuser senior vp-International Group. “It is also important to note that the employees and contractors working for the Weyerhaeuser Australia Group have made significant contributions to its success and will be an asset to any potential buyer.”
Terms of the Carter Holt deal were not disclosed. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval.
Year-round barbecue grilling on the rise
With another Memorial Day weekend winding down, it’s worth noting that more consumers are using their grills year-round, according to recent research from NPD Group.
As part of the group’s annual “Eating Patterns in America” report, the research firm identified that usage of outdoor grills is at an “all-time high” and nearly double what it was 20 years ago. In 1985, when the survey first started, 17 percent of households used a grill at dinner at least once during an average two-week period throughout the year; in 2007, it was 38 percent.
“While summer still accounts for the highest consumption levels of grilled food, grilling has increased the most in the other seasons of the year,” says Harry Balzer, a vp at NPD Group and author of the eating trends report.
Broken down by seasons, grill usage patterns are as follows:
• Grill usage in the spring months of March through May was 37.2 percent in 2007, up from 31.4 percent in 1998.
• The number predictably spikes in the summer, at 49.3 percent in the months of June through August 2007, up from 46.3 percent in 1998.
• Grill usage in the fall months has risen most dramatically, to 39.9 percent in 2007 from 30.3 percent in 1998.
• Use of grills also is up in the winter months of December through February, to 26.5 percent in 2007 from 18.7 percent in 1998.
• Total usage for all four seasons in 2007 was 38.2 percent, up from 31.7 percent in 1998.
The majority of households have an outdoor grill (76 percent), and the grill of choice is one that uses gas — 75 percent of grill owners have a gas grill. In 2007, NPD estimates grill sales grew by 3.2 percent (unit sales) from the previous year.
Existing-home sales fell last month
Existing-home sales fell 1 percent month-over-month in April, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million units from an upwardly revised pace of 4.94 million in March, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales of existing homes were 17.5 percent below the 5.93 million-unit level in April 2007.
“In the past week, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae announced that they were eliminating their ‘declining market’ policies, effective June 1,” said NAR president Richard F. Gaylord, voicing some optimism on the downturning market. “This means consumers across the country will have access to safe, affordable financing with down payments of only 5 percent on most mortgages, with 100 percent financing available on some loan products, and we could see an upturn in home sales this summer.”
The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $202,300 in April, 8 percent below a year ago when the median was $219,900.
Total housing inventory at the end of April rose 10.5 percent to 4.55 million existing homes available for sale, which represents an 11.2-month supply at the current sales pace, up from a 10.0-month supply in March.
Single-family home sales slipped 0.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.34 million in April from 4.36 million in March, and are 16.1 percent below the 5.17 million-unit level recorded one year ago. The median existing single-family home price was $200,700 in April, down 8.5 percent from April 2007.
Existing condominium and co-op sales fell 5.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 550,000 units in April from 580,000 in March, and are 27.9 percent below the 763,000-unit pace in April 2007. The median existing condo price was $214,900 in April, which is 3.7 percent below a year ago.
Regionally, existing-home sales in the West rose 6.4 percent in April to a level of 1 million but are 15.3 percent below a year ago. In the South, existing-home sales were unchanged from March at an annual rate of 1.92 million in April, but are 18.6 percent below April 2007.
Existing-home sales in the Northeast fell 4.4 percent to an annual pace of 870,000 in April, and are 14.7 percent below a year ago. In the Midwest, existing-home sales were at an annual rate of 1.10 million in April, which is 6 percent below March and 19.7 percent lower than April 2007.


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Your daily vitamin supplements aren't doing much good, say studies
Chances are, you’ve been told since you were a child that you need to take your vitamins. Well, your childhood resistance to that ritual appears to have been vindicated, at least according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The study reviewed data and clinical trials from 2012 to 2017 and discovered that most multivitamins and supplements of vitamin C, vitamin D and calcium do not provide benefits for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke.
“We were surprised to find so few positive effects of the most common supplements that people consume,” the study’s lead author Dr. David Jenkins told Insider. “Our review found that if you want to use multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium or vitamin C, it does no harm — but there is no apparent advantage either.”
Similarly, an April 2019 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that using dietary supplements don’t offer a better chance of health and long life than getting nutrients through food.
“For the general population, there’s no need to take dietary supplements,” study co-author Fang Fang Zhang, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, told Time. “More and more evidence suggests no benefits, so we should go with what the dietary recommendations suggest to achieve adequate nutrition from food, rather than relying on supplements.”
Another 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association also found an alarming lack of evidence for the effectiveness of many vitamins and supplements. Looking at calcium and vitamin D supplements in particular, researchers found absolutely no difference in the health outcomes for people on the supplements compared to people who didn’t take them. Dozens of studies that involved over 50,000 adults over the age of 50 were reviewed as part of the research.
In fact, it was even worse than that. For some groups of people, taking vitamin D supplements increased their risk of hip fractures. The findings held true even when gender, supplement dose, normal dietary calcium intake, and current loads of vitamin D in the blood were taken into consideration.
“These findings do not support the routine use of these supplements … in older people,” the authors wrote.
A poor diet may be to blame
Other studies have shown that nutrients are not processed by your body as efficiently from pills and powders as they are from real food, so some of these ill-effects of supplements might simply be the cause of people mistakenly using them to cover up a poor diet, reports Business Insider.
In other words, it’s poor diets that are probably to blame, not necessarily supplements. But the supplements still aren’t helping either, and when you consider the substantial cost of taking daily vitamins, the issue takes on a larger frame.
Not all vitamins are the same
In fact, the supplement industry in the United States alone is worth over $37 billion, and it’s largely unregulated. Because of this lack of oversight, pills that are later linked to negative conditions often only get recalled after they’ve already had a widespread public impact.
“In the U.S., no dietary supplements are pre-screened for safety and efficacy,” said S. Bryn Austin, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “What that means is the FDA and consumers have no way to know if what’s in the bottle or box is what’s on the label. There’s no way to know for sure that what’s in the product is safe.”
A 2013 study found that doses of ingredients in a supplement —even those from the same bottle — can vary significantly from pill to pill, and a 2016 study found that this has some extreme public health consequences: supplements send roughly 23,000 people to the emergency room each year.
Although this research is unnerving, it’s important to note that everyone’s health situation is unique, and supplements can have an important role to play when they are prescribed by a doctor.
Listen to your doctor, not to the labels on your favorite brands of multivitamins. And never use supplements to replace or excuse a poor diet.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated since it was originally published in December 2017.
Your daily vitamin supplements aren’t doing much good, say studies
Looking at calcium and vitamin D supplements, researchers found no difference in the health outcomes for people who took supplements and those who didn’t.


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Nissan is firing up the diesel-powered rumor mill again. After years of teasing a Cummins/Nissan truck hookup that never seems to come to fruition, the maker took to the Twittersphere today with an image that strongly suggests the two have been busy getting busy.
Featuring the official logos of both Cummins and Nissan, the image is accompanied by the intentionally provocative and viral-ready hashtag #CUMMINSSOON. (Note: The first ‘s’ is critical if you hope to apply it to the right topic.)
You don’t need to be Freud to figure that one out. Or maybe you do. Whatever the case, this on-again/off-again relationship has been going on since Nissan told us they were considering a diesel for the Titan back in 2008. Of course at that time, the new Titan was slated to be a badge-engineered version of the Ram, and Chrysler’s bankruptcy pretty much squashed those plans, leaving Nissan with an aging Titan to nurse until a new model could be readied.
Fast forward to 2013, when it shared some details on a 5.0-liter Cummins V-8 turbo-diesel mill that is probably the basis for the engine that will ultimately see the light of day in the Titan. (Just a few months ago, Nissan let us drive a Frontier powered by a 2.8-liter Cummins V-6 turbo-diesel, too.) Given the “soon” part of the hashtag, we’re figuring that the oil-burner will show up on the 2016 Titan, which is due soon and likely will be a heavily reworked version of the existing truck.
- 2015 Ford F-150 Driven: The Aluminum-Intensive Wundertruck Delivers
- Instrumented Test: 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor 3.5L EcoBoost V-6
- Nissan Titan Research: Reviews, Pricing, Specs, Images, and More
Apparently the union isn’t exclusive, as rumors indicate that this engine could find its way under the hood of the Toyota Tundra, as well. But with the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel winning fans and posting impressive efficiency numbers, the time is right. Let’s just hope the diesel Titan delivers.


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The popular bargain boozer is changing up its food menu from Wednesday, March 30, with a KFC-style meal among the new additions.
Customers will be able to order four new boneless chicken dishes, and all served in a basket.
The boneless basket options are:- three southern-fried chicken strips and five chicken breast bites; Five southern-fried chicken strips; Ten chicken breast bites, and eight Quorn ‘no chicken’ nuggets.
All baskets will be served with different sauces, and come with a coleslaw and a choice of chips or rice.
The pubs will also be serving a new char-grilled chicken dish with chicken gravy and the option of mashed potato, chips or jacket potato.
To coincide with the new menu launch, Wetherspoon pubs will be reintroducing Steak Club on Tuesday and Curry Club on Thursday.
Three new curries are being added to the range on offer; chicken korma, sweet potato curry, chicken vindaloo.
Customers will also be able to enjoy two new side dishes; an onion bhaji and vegetable samosa.
Two new meals are being added to the Steak Club; gammon (5 ounce and 10 ounce options) with eggs, served with peas and mushroom, half a tomato, with the choice of chips or jacket potato.
A number of healthy options have also been put on the new-look menu.
A fruit salad will be available for breakfast and also for dessert (served with ice cream) and fruit options added to the porridge.
In addition, a small pancakes dish (available for breakfast or dessert), smashed avocado muffin and chicken and maple-cured bacon salad are available.
Wetherspoon is also updating its children’s menu with a new healthy dessert option (strawberries and blueberries), as well as an apple bag added to the free fruit options for all children’s meals.
Matt Elsdon, Wetherspoon’s senior food development manager, said: “We are always looking to offer our customers the best possible choice of meals.
“We believe our customers will welcome the new meals and will also be pleased at the return of the Steak Club and Curry Club to Tuesday and Thursday nights.
“As always all meals will be of the highest quality and available at value-for-money prices.”


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Editor's Note: In part one of the 2010 State of the Industry Report, we'll focus on the current state of the wide- and grand-format industry, getting a snapshot of how business is and what are the biggest industry challenges. In November/December edition, part two will focus on the future market, including: the top three growth markets, what technology will drive change forward, and where we see ourselves in one year's time.
We're gotten pretty accustomed to the reports from The Conference Board and the ups and downs in the Stock Market over the past several months. The latest reports, indicate that the consumer confidence index dropped has dropped again in September to 48.5 from 53.2 in August—which was below what analysts were expecting. Although, confidence remains low in the US and unemployment high, experts believe the economic data indicates the country is strong enough to avoid falling back into recession.
The wide-format industry has not been immune to the same economic factors. The recession has taken its toll on manufacturers and print-service-providers (PSP) alike. We've seen the age of the printer install base increase because PSPs are reluctant to spend the money they have on hand for new equipment or could not secure funding or a loan for the equipment they need. Purchasing of supplies and hardware has varied by region, but manufacturers are still seeing lower volumes than 2008 across the board.
But even with much of this "bad" news, many industry experts believe that the worst is behind us. "The data that we have indicates that conditions are improving, but I would definitely say any existent overall wide-format graphics market recovery is fragile," said Tim Greene, director - wide format, InfoTrends. "I know many people are seeing business pick-up somewhat, but their customers are being very cautious, so they have to be cautious regarding new hiring or equipment investments."
"Currently, I would grade our segment of the industry as a 'C'," said Kevin Huseman, president, Point Imaging. "Comparatively, the wide- and grand-format digital segment is faring much better than screen and traditional off-set commercial which I would grade as a 'D-'."
"Overall, the industry is faring better," said Rick Scrimger, vice president and general manager for Roland DGA Corp. "We are seeing improved equipment and supplies sales this year and expect this trend to continue as the economy slowly recovers. However, we expect some unevenness in terms of the growth trend going forward due to uncertainties that still remain."
"Every customer I talk to answers this question the same way 'compared to 2009, anything is an improvement'," said Rick Moore, director of marketing, MACtac Graphic Products. "As far as the industry is concerned, there have been a lot of changes, consolidation, mergers, acquisitions, players that just didn’t quite make it. I think the industry is doing fairly well, but it is not stable, and there certainly will be more shaking and moving before stabilization."
"The last few months have marked a positive change in the business climate and we are beginning to see green shoots in the wide-format industry emerging after what has undoubtedly been a tough time," said Frazer Chesterman, managing director, FESPA. "When considering the economy and wide-format market in general, our Economy Survey revealed that, encouragingly, only five percent of respondents suggested that the recession would continue beyond 2011. Fifty-seven percent think the recession has passed, 10 percent believe the market has recovered and 28 percent believe that recovery will come later this year."
Caution Signs Remain
In terms of equipment purchases and business decisions, caution still seems to be the current mindset of the majority of the industry. We can easily see the evidence of this with the postponement of equipment upgrades. Overcapacity, though, is also a growing issue. With print volumes still significantly lower than 2008, many PSPs are not running their current equipment at full production speeds. This, in turn, also slows new equipment purchases. They reason, "why should I spend money on new equipment if I'm not using the printers I already have?"
While Pat Ryan, general manager, Seiko Instruments USA Inc. reported that they've seen improvement in equipment purchases since February 2010, the volumes are still substantially below mid-year 2008. "The economic downturn during late 2008 and 2009 definitely created a situation where the overall age of the installed printers in the field has risen, as companies postponed equipment upgrades," said Ryan. "This is now changing, but companies are much more cautious. Overall, the market seems to be looking for much more value for each dollar spent."
"We have seen improvements in the business climate, but at a slower rate of climb then we had hoped for," said Heidi Luck, marketing communications manager, Gerber Scientific Products. "It is clear that marketing dollars are being freed up for advertising and driving the requirement for wide- and grand-format printing. However, we still see an over capacity in many print-for-pay providers. Therefore, the demand for new equipment to meet capacity is not rising at the same pace."
" Like any industry as it matures consolidation occurs, we have seen this across all aspects… the printer manufactures, manufactures of substrates, distributors of supplies and print for pay providers," said Mike Richardson, director of sales and marketing, print media, Aurora Specialty Textiles Group. "However whereas the demand in 2009 seemed to have been stuck in neutral, in 2010 it has revved back up."
"The grand-format industry has been a tale of two businesses since the credit bust 24 months ago," said Randy Crow, president, Source One Digital. "The stronger players that operated well and persevered are growing again, while the weaker players that simply did not have access to operating or investment capital have been shaken out. We have seen considerable improvement in the business climate over the last 12 months and feeling very strong about the future."
Although industry experts share their optimism in the industry, there are still several issues which will slow further recovery. Unfortunately, there is more than just one issue at hand, as well.
"Identifying the biggest challenge really depends on the type of PSP we’re talking about and who their customers are," said InfoTrends' Greene. "In the reprographics market the challenges are the economic recovery—will it lead to a recovery in that segment of the printing industry? In the graphics market also the challenges are numerous but probably the biggest one is the re-allocation of advertising dollars away from print into Internet and digital display advertising."
HP's Yariv Avisar, vice president and general manager, Scitex Large-format Printing, feels the issues really revolve around the mid-size PSP—the wide-format industry's middle-class. "We are seeing our biggest customers become even bigger and capture greater numbers of the printed pages, while small customers are remaining competitive by specializing in niche applications. It's the mid-sized print service providers who are facing the biggest challenge because they do not have the expertise to excel in niche applications, but also do not have the capacity to grow very large," said Avisar.
Financing & Capital
As with 2009, access to capital and financing is still affecting PSPs in the market and this will continue to be a challenge moving forward.
"The greatest challenge for the industry operators will be access to enough capital to make the necessary investments in new technology, said Michael E. Robertson, president & CEO, Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA). "New technology that allows us to access new markets has been the lifeblood of the industry. An operator has to invest to advance not only in equipment but experienced personal that can deliver a quality product with pride."
"The largest challenge in the industry today is the lack of ability to achieve financing for capital expenditures," said Gerber's Luck. "Companies that are willing to invest into their business with the purchase of additional equipment are not able to obtain leasing. Until the financial institutions’ confidence level increases and funds are more readily available growth will be restricted."
Sue Freihofer, Product Development Manager, Signs Now, concurs, pointing to the economy as the prime challenge the market faces. "The economic climate has made it difficult to secure loans to update equipment in order to be more competitive in the market," she said.
"While credit is starting to loosen up, financing issues still persist for many small businesses, making it difficult for them to invest in capital equipment. This problem affects the entire industry from sign shops to manufacturers," said Roland's Scrimger.
"I think we have to acknowledge that in these economic times, lower prices will be necessary due to lower budgets and those not prepared to adjust, will have serious problems," said Malcolm Lane, president, Colortrac Inc., Americas & Japan Operations.
According to Jaime Giannantonio, marketing manager for Ultraflex Systems Inc., the issues with capital has also affected inventory and demand—and a PSP's ability to fulfill orders now as demand increases.
"The most significant challenge we’re experiencing is the increasing number of smaller orders, as companies remain hesitant to have money tied up in inventory due to the fluctuating economy," elaborated Lorna D’ Alessio, director of sales, advertising media, Value Vinyls. "The just-in-time mentality changes our work climate and administrative costs, as we rush to fulfill customers’ needs that were formerly managed more proactively."
"From a manufacture’s stand point local inventories are still depressed and large purchasers of wide-format graphics are waiting until the 11th hour to make their decision to run a campaign. As a result upward pressure is placed on manufactures to produce large quantities in a short period of time," said Aurora's Richardson.
Focus on Bottom Line
Because of the pressures of the economy, PSPs have been forced to focus on their bottom line—which sometimes also means they have to make difficult decisions about other aspects of their business.
"There is a reluctance to spend money on infrastructure and labor," said Dean Derhak, product director, ONYX Graphics. "We see this driving demand for automation and getting more done with less. The challenge for print shops is how to invest in software and process changes that will give them the increased productivity needed to meet customer demands with less infrastructure."
"Many providers are looking at improving their bottom line, by reducing elements such as labor and other elements that cause strain on cash flow," said Sal Sheikh, vice president of marketing, Oce North America. "They are also streamlining their internal production processes. Because of the economic conditions faced in the last 18 to 24 months, companies need to find more profitable opportunities and customers for growth."
Finding Profitability amidst Competition on Pricing and Tight Turnarounds
But where will those profitable applications come from? According to experts, it will be from a combination of factors which will enable PSPs to differentiate their business and expand into new markets.
"Just a few years ago print quality was the key competition point between wide-format graphic producers. Today, high quality imaging is a given. With image quality standardized, margins on graphic production are extremely tight. Successful graphics producers are changing their business models to find profitability before and after the production of the image," said Michael E. Robertson, president & CEO, Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA).
"Another challenge for the industry is to continue to advance technology into what you might call 'blue ocean' applications. In order to stay viable as manufacturers, we need to provide our customers with tools that allow them to both explore new markets and differentiate themselves in their core business segments," said Scrimger.
"The greatest challenge right now is how to stimulate sales while making that business profitable. We have all seen profits erode as we try to maintain business and perhaps try to pick up," said Michael A. Andreottola, President & CEO, American Ink Jet Corporation.
"The greatest challenge in the industry right now is finding cost effective methods to innovate. Prices have been driven down on most media, inks and hardware with the maturing print market and increased pressure from Asian commodity products making it difficult to invest heavily in R&D. We have not seen the media side of the industry launch breakthrough products since the advent of air escape, probably because of the diminishing return on R&D investment due to margin erosion," said Phil LaFata, Director of Marketing & Int'l Sales, Arlon, Inc. "The key challenge will be to introduce new products, imagine new applications & drive innovation, without driving the cost of inks and medias above current levels."
"Competition on pricing and lead-times can be challenging and requires you to be more innovative and creative when quoting," said Melissa Thompson, flexible magnetic products sales manager, Master Magnetics, Inc. "More and more companies are getting into this industry because it’s growing and the initial capital expenditure isn’t that great for the ROI, plus there are some excellent business support programs in the printing franchises."
"Commoditization of print services and the price pressure that has resulted from this in a market with excess capacity continue to present a significant challenge for print service providers the world over. There is a need for printers to become more rounded ‘solutions providers’ to their clients, to be more focused on creative problem solving and less on process and production efficiency," said FESPA's Chesterman. "Digital technology, in most cases blended with conventional processes, can undoubtedly help printers to become more efficient. But its real potential is in its ability to help printers respond more comprehensively to clients’ marketing challenges, to expand the range of products and services they can deliver. That is the first step towards deeper customer loyalty, better margins and more sustainable business for printers."
Used Equipment, Slow Sales of New Equipment
According to Marco Boer, vice president, IT Strategies, 90% of the challenges in the wide-format market stem from the economic recession. Issues with financing and capital have slowed the sale of new equipment and forced some PSPs to hang onto older equipment longer than they originally intended. According to Boer, in some cases, print service providers that are unable to survive financially could spill a flood of gently used wide-format printers on the market, further slowing sales of new equipment as the demand recovers.
Capacity Issues, Low Demand
Managing capacity, according to Rick Moore, director of marketing, MACtac Graphic Products, is one of the biggest challenges the industry is facing. "All of the industry reports I have seen indicate that it will be years before the industry volume returns to what it was in 2008, so there is a smaller pie to divvy up. This affects capacity at every level, from the manufacturer to the print service provider. Managing capacity, and the decisions that come out of that regarding service, output, margin, overhead, etc., will mean the world to those who can navigate those waters."
"Print production demand continues to be the largest challenge to the industry as we continue through 2010," said KIP America's Rich Gigl, vice president of marketing. "End-user print demand continues to be low as the AEC industry continues to struggle with the current economic position related to over population of real estate in both the commercial and residential sectors."
"When you combine leaps in output capability with an expanding installed base of devices, the result is an almost exponential increase in output capacity," said Point Imaging's Huseman. "Combine the increased capacity with reduction in demand due to the current recession and margins come under significant pressure."
Even though most PSPs are involved in various marketing campaigns for their customers, marketing their own businesses can be a roadblock. "No matter what the state of the economy, I think the biggest challenge facing print shops is their ability to market their product line offerings to their target customer base," said Mark Radogna, group product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. "Even if a company acquires ground-breaking printing technology, it will have a hard time growing business if it does not properly build awareness of the products that now exist within its portfolio."
Time to Transform
According to Seiko's Ryan, its change or die for most participants in the market. The recession has truly changed the industry landscape in all market segments.
"The market conditions are having a profound impact on printer manufacturers on several fronts. Initially, the dramatic drop in sales forced manufacturers to redesign their businesses towards much greater efficiency. Those manufacturers without strong financial backing are now in financial jeopardy as the economic malaise drags on. Their long-term prospects don’t look good, and I expect some consolidation over the next 12 to 18 months as fringe manufacturers exit the marketplace," said Ryan. "The same process is happening to sign companies, and sign suppliers. Everyone is forced to retool for efficiency. And everyone is forced to redesign their products and services for a more cost-conscious, value-orientated market."
"The economy has definitely changed the way many printers view themselves and the niche they serve. The feedback we continue to receive from many of our customers is that they're growth in a down economy was directly tied to their flexibility or ability to expand into new areas of print," said Mark Overington, vice president of marketing, EFI VUTEk. "The clear winners were those who were able to move away from a commoditization mindset, diversify their product offerings by producing unique applications and provide their customers what turned out to be higher margin services. Similar feedback came from new customers who moved into digital grand format as a necessity to remain competitive and reverse continued margin erosion due to shorter runs and increased localization. The challenges we see today are for commercial and screen printers who don't have a short run or digital print model. As analog margins continue to decline into the low single digits, those printers will need to look at premium margin alternatives."


text: Exoskeletons are getting more and more common in robotics. The primary purpose of these is to amplify the movement of human muscles. A robotic suit designed for legs by Japan’s Cyberdyne company is helping disabled people to walk, by anticipating the legs movements through monitoring the signals sent from the brain to the muscles. Currently the suit, which is called HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) is being rented to hospitals for around 1600 dollars a month. The company will also start leasing a full body version which will be able to lift 70kg with one arm. By 2015, it aims to start selling it to consumers.


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News & Reviews: Apple iPhone 6C features
Jan 22, 2016
If you've been following the so called Apple “iPhone 6c” rumour for awhile, you may have probably run across a YouTube video by Chinese website M.I.C. Gadget claiming that it is Apple's rumoured 4-inch iPhone. The Chinese website has accurately leaked some Apple products before in the past, but the video seems looks too similar to the Apple iPhone 6s.
Dec 30, 2015
As 2015 is coming to an end, rumours of the so called Apple “iPhone 6c” and Apple iPhone 7 have not. And we just got some new rumours on what Apple might have in stored for us in the future.
First up, Commercial Times reported that the iPhone 7 could actually be waterproof. They claimed that Apple is working and developing some kind of “new compound materials” that would replace the iPhone 7’s antenna, which also means the possibility of removing the bands from the current iPhone generation’s back. Not only that, the 3.5mm headphone jack could also be replaced by an all-in-one Lightning connector port.
Dec 23, 2015
Following the rumours of China Mobile confirming Samsung Galaxy S7 yesterday, now it appears that Apple’s rumoured 4-inch iPhone will make an appearance in April 2016, or so they claimed.
This is not the first time that rumours have been going around about the 4-inch iPhone, previously we also covered two rumoured news of it releasing in February or March 2016, along with the next generation Apple Watch. Another name for the 4-inch iPhone was also called the “iPhone 6c”, which is rumoured to be modeled after the Apple iPhone 5s and be equipped with the same A9 processor from the Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
Dec 09, 2015
So according to 9to5mac.com, Apple is planning to reveal both the new Apple Watch and a 4-inch “Apple iPhone 6c” on March next year. This is not the first time that Apple has done an event on March, as they unveiled the 12-inch Macbook, a ResearchKit iPhone framework and the first generation Apple Watch in last year’s March. Apple also introduced the world with their first AppleiPad with Retina display in March 2012.
Dec 02, 2015
About a month ago, we covered that Apple could be working on a 4-inch Apple iPhone powered by an A9 chip and 3GB RAM early next year. The rumour is quite shady on this, but according to a Chinese website Techweb they claimed that the "iPhone 6c" could be made of metal, has a fingerprint sensor on it and does not feature 3D Touch.
This actually tallies well with the previous speculation, as the sources are from anonymous “Foxconn insiders” stating that Apple might reveal the device in January then going on retail sale the month after that. It could also cost between $400 - $500 (around RM1690 - RM2112) since theiPhone 5c 16GB model started at $549 (RM2319.66).
Dec 14, 2013
We've already seen a curved Samsung Galaxy S5 concept so now it is Apple's turn with a curved glass concept render of the Apple iPhone 6C. Coming courtesy of SET Solution who have dreamed up a number of other concept renders it also comes with a concept render for the Apple iPhone Air. Taking the same super thin and narrow design as the Apple iPad mini, this concept looks simply awesome on the iPhone with a proposed 1.5mm to 3mm thinness and 70g weight. While this sounds very breakable, it could probably be achieved with a flexible plastic substrate and a wireless, no port design. Obviously, neither of these two concept renders are officially endorsed by Apple but it is nice to dream so check out the videos in this article.


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Sadaharitha Plantations re-located its thriving export business, Sadaharitha Agri Farms & Exporters (Pvt) Ltd (SAFE) to a more convenient location in Maharagama recently, demonstrating that diversifying has strengthened the business and brings much needed foreign exchange into the country.
Sadaharitha is Sri Lanka’s leading commercial forestry business, and is celebrating 15 years of contributing to protecting the environment by growing trees. The company has over 26,000 customers who have invested in forestry.
Sadaharitha Agri Farms & Exporters focuses on exports and has been thriving since its first shipment in 2011. The company exports fresh and processed dehydrated fruits and vegetables, as well as a wide variety of local produce ranging from coconut and coir-based products, spices and tea to even ready-made, monogrammed chef uniforms and related resorts supplies. SAFE’s clients are world renowned resort hotels, supermarkets and wholesale distributors in Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, and gradually developing markets in UAE and Europe. The company is a member of the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka and also accredited with HACCP and ISO certifications.
“Leading conglomerates we are proud to serve are world renowned hospitality chains such as Robinson Club, Four Seasons, Anantara and Marriott resort hotels” said Sathish Navaratne, Chairman of Sadaharitha Group. “We take great pride in ensuring freshness from the farm to doorstep with the qualified team of agri professionals who maintain stringent quality controls according to international standards of health and nutrition” he added.
SAFE has become one of the leading exporters in the fruit and vegetable sector in Sri Lanka. Crops exported by the company are grown, treated and managed in partnership with the industry professionals and the fresh produce is exported within 24 hours of harvesting.
The company participated in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Expo in China in partnership with the Coconut Development Authority. SAFE also participated at Hotel Asia Exhibition, Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHAM), which were the biggest gatherings of hospitality industry professionals in the South Asian tourist hub Maldives. SAFE also participates at the Pro-Food Pro-Pack AgBiz Exhibition, the biggest ever gathering of food processing and packing industry professionals held in Sri Lanka.
The company recently embarked on Poly-tunnel cultivation to enhance productivity of produce and enabling them to supply seasonal crops even during off-seasons. With a long term vision, also as a CSR activity, SAFE conducts workshops for farmers in Gannoruwa to share modern harvesting technology.


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Who would have thought that in UK and Italy, men spend more money than women to look beautiful. Research results showed that British men aged 18 to 35 spend an average of 14 euros per week on creams and hair cosmetics, which is 1 euro more than women.
In addition, one in every five men in Italy and UK regularly uses a moisturizer, and one in every twenty men uses hair straightener.
The male population of Italy spends more than 250 million euros a year on cosmetic products. According to studies, Italian men spend less time on entertainment and more on caring for their appearance. It should be noted that when choosing cosmetics, men are more likely than women to be guided by recommendations of an expert, for example, a dermatologist, rather than a seller’s advice.
According to the Italian Association of Cosmetic Surgeons, men constitute 40% of spa-salon clients. Besides, men use up to seven products for the face and body, while women – up to ten. How do you feel that your man uses cosmetics?
Source of the image: Photl.


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A young talent base and acquisitions from eBay, Facebook and HP have helped Tel Aviv achieve tech hostpot status »
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We are delighted to announce that the Huddersfield Business Week launch event will welcome Claire Paxman of Paxman Coolers, Simon Bodsworth of Daval Furniture, Ray Woolhead of Divine Gin, and Katrina Cliffe of KC Communications and organiser of Huddersfield Business Week to the panel.
Hosted at Magic Rock Brewing and sponsored by Ad:Venture, the panellists will share insights into their business as well as discussing the key challenges and triumphs Huddersfield-based businesses face. The event will be chaired by Charles Brook of Poppleton and Appleby.
Huddersfield Business Week has been extremely well received so far with over 30 events taking place throughout the area. Organisations involved include the University of Huddersfield, The Leeds Enterprise Partnership (The LEP) and Huddersfield Giants, as well as many more, all with the aim of putting Huddersfield in the spotlight to showcase the diverse range of industries and talent in the region.
The event has also attracted support from organisations such as the Media Centre, Heritage Exchange and Magic Rock Brewing with free event space available.
Laura Batchelor, Client Services Director at KC Communications, commented: We’re thrilled to have these panellists on board for the launch event. As leaders of successful Huddersfield-based businesses we’re excited to hear what insight they can share with us and what they think the future of Huddersfield looks like.”
Huddersfield Business Week has been brought to the town by Lindley based by Marketing and PR agency, KC Communications, after recognising a lack of anything similar in the area to help Huddersfield businesses showcase their fantastic achievements.
All Huddersfield Business Week events are free to list as part of the event, with advice on topics ranging from pensions, factory tours, health & wellbeing, marketing, and more on offer.
To reserve your place at the Launch Event CLICK HERE to book.


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Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act allows the president to place trade restrictions in the interest of national security. President Donald Trump last year used Section 232 to impose protective tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. In this week's DC Signal to Noise Podcast, Jim Wiesemeyer and John Herath look at the use of the Section 232 tariffs and why the steel and aluminum tariffs have continued even though the NAFTA negotiations that triggered the tariffs have concluded. Those continuing tariffs and the threat of using Section 232 on auto imports clouds all of the current trade talks with China, Japan, the EU, Canada, Mexico and more.
Listen to DC Signal to Noise in the player below:
Basis and the 2019 Soybean Crop
China Buys Beans, Then Cancels: So, Where Do Exports Stand Today?


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The United States Department of Justice has made a significant step in its investigation of Apple's antitrust policies.
Four Democrat lawmakers have urged the FTC to investigate both Apple and Google over claims they are using unfair practices in the collection and sale of personal data.
A new report claims that Facebook parent company Meta paid a GOP firm to smear TikTok as a threat to American children.
State-sponsored media in Russia reports that the country's media watchdog is seeking to restrict access to Instagram and Meta's other platforms in the countries.
Apple has reportedly joined more than 60 companies calling for an end to governor Greg Abbot's executive order regarding gender-affirming healthcare.
Apple CEO Tim Cook presented the company's latest range of products at its 'Peek Performance' event yesterday, but it's what he didn't say that has people talking.
Russia's Alfa-Bank has warned customers that Russian cards will stop working on the App Store from Thursday.
Multiple sources, including several VPN providers and app data service Sensor Tower, tell iMore that VPN reliance has increased massively in Russia in recent days.
Readdle, the developer of popular productivity apps like PDF Expert, Spark, Scanner Pro, and more, has pulled all its apps off the Russian App Store.
Russia's biggest Apple premium reseller re:Store has closed stores in the country because of a need "to assess the current situation on the market."
Today, Meta security policy head Nathaniel Gleicher announced that Russian state media is no longer able to monetize on its platforms.
The Ukrainian vice prime minister has asked Tim Cook to stop selling Apple products and block access to the App Store in Russia.
Apple Music has featured a 'We Love Neil' (Young) section in its Apple Music app after the artist told Spotify to take down his music because of misinformation about vaccines spread by Joe Rogan.
People across Twitter are canceling Spotify after it decided to ditch Neil Young's songs in favor of Joe Rogan.
A group of Rohingya refugees has sued Facebook parent company, Meta, for $150bn over claims it allowed hate speech on its platform that they say contributed to the 2017 genocide in Myanmar.
Master your iPhone in minutes
iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!


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The letter has been signed by the Latvian Association for Blockchain Development, Fintech Latvia Association, the Latvian Association of Start-ups, the Latvian Association of Payment and Electronic Monetary Institutions, and the Latvian Association of Crowd Financing Service Providers.
"By joining forces with other associations in the financial technologies sector, we would like to change the dynamics in the Latvian financial sector. By making the changes decisively and in due time, the Bank of Latvia and the Finance Ministry would make a broad step towards positioning Latvia as a country that is friendly to financial technologies and attract financial service providers and start-ups from different European Union member states. It would ensure also bigger competition in the Latvian financial services market and provide a more attractive offer to customers,” said Martins Puke, a board member of the Latvian Association for Blockchain Development.
The organizations say they are calling on the decision makers to undertake three main steps:
- To ensure that financial technologies service providers may access international payment system SEPA directly through the Bank of Latvia.
- To ensure a possibility for the financial technologies service providers to open payment accounts at the Bank of Latvia.
- To adapt services that meet the EU crypto-asset market regulation.
“A number of financial technologies companies, including payment institutions and providers of crypto currency services, as well as indirectly those participants of the financial technologies sector who use payment institutions for making their payments, have such a necessity. The above-mentioned market participants may access the SEPA system, using services of commercial banks, but such a model of operations brings along different factors that hamper development.
"Even though those fintech companies who cooperate with banks are positive about their experience, it should be noted that not all commercial banks wish to specialize in cooperation with financial technologies companies, thus, the range of services available in Latvia is quite limited. Also, different commercial banks have different requirements for launching cooperation with financial technologies companies, and quite often even financial technologies companies with a license issued by the Bank of Latvia get rejected by commercial banks, therefore, access to SEPA through the Bank of Latvia would make these processes less time consuming and also more predictable,” said Tina Luse, the head of Fintech Latvia association.
Access to the SEPA system directly through the Bank of Latvia would make Latvia more attractive for financial technologies companies, it is argued by the signatories. The Lithuanian central bank has made a similar step, developing a CENTROlink system, helping Lithuania to become a financial technologies powerhouse.
The thorny issue of crypto currencies is another area of concern. On April 20, 2023, the European Parliament adopted a regulation on the crypto-assets market (MiCA). MiCA has been developed with a goal to promote and support digital financial potential in the means of innovations and competition, at the same time, reducing risks. Among other things, MiCA will determine requirements for licensing and supervising the crypto-assets services providers. A license will be required for provision of different crypto-asset services in the European Union, for example, storage of crypto-assets, exchange of crypto assets for the country’s official currency or other crypto-assets. A crypto-asset service provider licensed in one European Union country will be entitled to provide crypto-asset services in all European Union member states.
Part 3 of Article 70 of MiCA regulation, as well as Article 82 of the Preamble of the MiCA regulation provide that crypto-asset service providers should have accounts in commercial banks or the central bank. These provisions should also meet the actual possibilities in Latvia to open such accounts at the Bank of Latvia, the letter to the central bank argues.


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Vivo to Launch iQOO U1x on October 21
Vivo has just recently unveiled a V20 smartphone with eye-catching features. The phone has already available in the Pakistani market. Now, Vivo has started working on a low-priced smartphone dubbed as iQOO U1x. The phone has appeared on JD.com two days before its arrival on October 21.
Vivo to Launch iQOO U1x on October 21 with 5,000 mAh Battery
Check Also: vivo Launches Y20 with 5000mAh Battery, Triple Macro Camera and Side Fingerprint
The listing also revealed some key specs of the phone. According to the listing, it will have a Snapdragon 662 chipset. Vivo iQOO U1x features a massive 5,000mAh battery. Also, it will have up to 128GB of storage. The device has also appeared on an online retail store with a price tag of $135.
Thanks to TENAA, we also got some more information about the phone. The certification and retail listings have revealed that the phone will come in a number of memory configurations – 4/64 GB, 6/64 GB, and 6/128 GB.
Furthermore, the phone will feature a 6.52” LCD and HD+ resolution. Just like the trending replacement, it comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The back panel has a triple camera setup with the combination of a 13MP main shooter alongside two 2MP auxiliary sensors.
Additionally, the phone will come in two colours – Black and White. The phone will first launch in China. The availability in other markets is not known yet. But we hope to get the phone in Pakistan. The name of the device could be different. Let’s wait and see what the company has to say about it.
Check Also: vivo Launches the Flagship V20 Smartphone with 44MP Eye Autofocus in Pakistan


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A California woman visiting her parents in Roseburg for Christmas won more than $1 million with a $1 spin, according to Seven Feathers Casino Resort.
California woman wins $1 million at Seven Feathers
Trending in: Crime
- Update: Man confirmed drowned in Diamond Lake
- Communal effort to restore a stolen pickup makes grieving mother smile
- Police log: Ex-girlfriend asks to borrow bike for an hour, doesn't return
- Possible drowning at Diamond Lake
- Small Business: Nonverbal communication also key to providing good customer service


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New internet crisis at Halifax
The Halifax is facing another embarrassing delay to the launch of its Internet bank, hit by technical glitches last month. Britain's biggest mortgage lender came under fire after postponing the July 14 switch-on of Intelligent Finance or IF.com.
The plug was pulled at the last minute after faults on the computer system were discovered, raising fears it would not be able to cope with the expected rush of applicants. IF chief executive Jim Spowart promised the problems would be ironed out and the new bank launched 'sometime in August'.
Yesterday, he said earlier capacity problems had been resolved but admitted IF would not open for new customer accounts before the end of the month.
Instead, IF will be tested on accounts opened by staff next week before opening its doors to the public, probably in September though no date has yet been fixed. A spokeswoman denied the fresh delays would damage confidence in the venture.
'On the contrary, we hope it will make people more confident. We could have rushed ahead and asked customers to join up but instead we are taking a provident approach. We will be opening soon.'
The delay comes amid renewed fears about the security of Net banking after Prudential's online bank Egg confirmed that it had lost 'a nominal amount' of money following a credit card fraud carried out over the Web.
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Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft, speaks during a Microsoft launch event to introduce the new Microsoft Surface laptop and Windows 10 S operating system, May 2, 2017 in New York City.
Microsoft is reportedly planning to lay off thousands of employees around the world, according to a report at TechCrunch.
The company will make the cuts as part of a restructuring to focus on cloud services, TechCrunch said, noting that Microsoft may be specifically focusing on how it sells its Azure products. The layoffs may come as soon and may affect redundant employees in the company’s Worldwide Commercial Business, Bloomberg said recently.
Microsoft’s Azure business has been doing well, however. The company noted that Azure revenue growth nearly double during the third quarter, with 93 percent sales growth. Azure will continue to face competition from products such as Amazon Web Services.
Last July, Microsoft announced plans to cut an additional 2,850 jobs over the year, largely related to its exiting the smartphone business. The firm said in January that it planned to cut 700 jobs, part of the previously announced restructuring.
The Puget Sound Business Journal said last week that Microsoft will announce its new plans on July 5.
CNBC reached out to Microsoft for comment but a spokesperson was not immediately available.
Read the full report on TechCrunch.


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- The plant-based Whopper burger is now available in 25 countries and 2,500 restaurants.
- The Vegetarian Butcher, recently bought by the multinational group Unilever, will supply patties to over 2,500 stores.
U.S. fast food giant Burger King on Monday launched its meat-less burger in Europe—one of the largest product launches in its history—with a hope of capturing a significant slice of an expanding market. The plant-based Whopper burger is now available in 25 countries and 2,500 restaurants after testing in the U.S. and Sweden.
The Burger King rolled out the Rebel Chicken King and Rebel Whopper in Sweden earlier this year and started providing a whopper in the U.S., made with a patty from Impossible Foods Inc. Rival McDonald’s Corp.
Competition has been wide open in the global food industry for alternative proteins woo increasing number of consumers who have embraced a vegan diet for environmental, dietary or ethical reasons.
The Vegetarian Butcher, recently bought by the multinational group Unilever, will supply patties to over 2,500 stores in countries, including Spain, Germany, Poland, Italy. David Shear, president of Burger King and Popeyes EMEA, asserted the relevance of keeping up with the burgeoning demand for plant-based products. Shear hopes that the initial roll out will create a ripple effect and sees it as an expanding category.
Price of the Rebel Whopper will be akin to beef price in Europe, changing the status quo in North America, where vegetarian burger usually is US$ 1-US$1.50 more expensive than meat patties. For example, cost of plant-based Whopper made by Silicon Valley-based Impossible foods for Burger King is normally pegged at US$ 5.59 compared to beef Whopper’s US$ 4.19.
The Burger king had come up with the Rebel menu items in Sweden with the Dutch producer Vivera. Reportedly, Burger King, in partnership with commodities trader Archer Daniels Midland Co (ADM.N), is likely to sell vegetarian burger developed by meatpacker Marfrig Global Foods SA (MRFG3.SA) in Brazil.


text: Opinion Media & Advertising Gulf News and Khaleej Times deserve a fighting chance How the region's struggling newspapers market might survive By Frank Kane June 2, 2023 Reuters/Philip Brown Newspapers have endured unsustainable losses, especially when the pandemic impacted on their commercial models When I arrived in the UAE in 2006 to launch a daily newspaper it was like climbing into a boxing ring with the heavyweight champion. In regional media terms, I was an ageing lightweight: long on experience back in London’s Fleet Street, but lacking the reach, power and punch in the Middle East to slug it out with Gulf News (GN). GN was then the undisputed champion of the market. My project was the aborted Arabian Business Standard (ABS). With hindsight it was foolish to think I could take on GN, which was by far the market leader in English. The multi-sectioned, advertising-packed giant was simply a media juggernaut. So the news this week that GN, along with its local rival Khaleej Times, is to halt weekend print editions has given me occasion to reflect on the changing market for news in the UAE, and indeed the region. It’s been quite a journey. Dubai’s evolving approach to Ramadan Multiply Group to buy 55% stake in Media 247 for $50m YouTube CEO Wojcicki steps down as revenue continues to decline ABS pretty quickly threw in the towel in the face of official disapproval – I still have some sad dummy copies somewhere – and I moved on to Emirates Business 24/7, a project of the Dubai government which came a cropper as a print product during the global financial crisis, and now survives as the website Emirates 24/7. Then came a long stint at The National of Abu Dhabi, though not as part of the launch team; Arab News of Saudi Arabia, where I played a part in the title’s transformation from being the ‘green truth’ to the ‘voice of a changing region’; and now the online-only Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI). I must stress that, despite my resentful feelings in 2006, I take no satisfaction from the relative decline of GN. Ever since I was a boy, I’ve been fascinated by printed newspapers, the ‘daily miracle’ that arrives on your breakfast table with all the news in the world spread out before you. As a confirmed ‘inkie’, I regret the decline of any print product. I even shed a little tear when the News of the World closed in the UK in 2011. Creative Commons Creative Commons Khaleej Times and Gulf News: newspaper print revenue streams have been challenged by digital advertising GN executives have made clear that the move to axe their weekend edition has been driven by market forces: changing consumer preferences, a steep rise in costs, and (of course) the rise of online publication, which has driven advertisers away from print and into digital ads. All this has added up to unsustainable losses, especially when the pandemic has had such a huge impact on their commercial models. But it strikes me that newspapers have never been properly priced in the UAE. For years the price was set by the authorities at AED2 ($0.54). Yesterday I bought copies of Gulf News, The National and Khaleej Times for a grand total of AED13.4 ($3.60). When a cup of Starbucks coffee is around AED15 ($4), this is ridiculously cheap, and especially in comparison to international media titles. FT Weekend costs AED34 ($9), for example, and sells out in my local Spinneys. This failure to reflect the cost of news in cover prices did not matter when advertising revenue was going through the roof. Right up until the Dubai property crash of 2009, GN was able to run sections devoted to real estate, jobs, motoring and other money-spinning areas, plastered with display advertising. Since that crash, the print revenue stream has largely disappeared, to be replaced by cheaper digital advertising. And we all know about the pernicious effect the likes of Google, Facebook and Amazon have had on traditional advertising models. Why has the region continued to sell its product on the cheap? This is where it gets tricky. Consumers (in this case, readers) will pay for quality. Perhaps they never saw the quality proposition in regional media, and were therefore reluctant to part with more than a few dirhams for the product? Wiser heads than mine have tried to tackle this perceived ‘quality gap’ in regional print media. For example, both The National and Arab News have invested significantly to bring their titles up to international standards. Both also have financial backing from two of the best-resourced organisations in the world in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. GN, owned by private-sector entities, never had this luxury, and was forced to struggle with the commercial rules of a rapidly changing media market. In fact, I’m surprised both GN and KT have taken such limited action to stem the financial tide. The problems at both have been apparent for some time, and you would have thought more drastic measures were required. For what it’s worth, here is my suggestion: officially merge the two titles, publish them online only during the week, but with a high-quality weekend print product taking in the best of the weekday output. That, with some much-needed investment in editorial, would give them a fighting chance in the media ring. But what do I know about boxing?


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THESE teenagers are being hunted after a break-in at a car compound.
Police say thieves stole car keys and trade plates and smashed five car windows and paint shed windows between 6.45pm and 7.30pm on Peel Street, Barnsley town centre, on Sunday, April 10.
The suspects are all aged between 13 and 17.
The first was 5ft 4ins, slim, with short brown hair, and wearing a blue zip up top.
The second was 5ft 7ins, slim, with short brown hair, and wearing a light T-shirt.
The third was 5ft 10ins, stocky, with short brown hair, and wearing a yellow T-shirt.
The fourth was 5ft 10ins, slim, with short fair hair, and wearing a white T-shirt.
n Ring 0114 220 2020, and ask for Barnsley Intelligence and quote BX /66/2011.


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PayPal announced on Friday that a $238 million company it purchased in July has been chewed through by the hacker moths.
Big moths. Big holes.
Following PayPal’s purchase of the Canadian company – which runs a network of over 60,000 utility and bills payment kiosks across North America – it found evidence of unauthorized access to TIO’s networks and hence suspended TIO’s operations.
As PayPal said in November, when it suspended TIO operations, its investigation turned up unauthorized access at locations that stored personal information of some of TIO’s customers and customers of TIO billers.
Fortunately, we don’t have to lunge for our PayPal accounts this time around: PayPal says that TIO systems are separate from its own.
A review of TIO’s network has identified a potential compromise of personally identifiable information for approximately 1.6 million customers. The PayPal platform is not impacted in any way, as the TIO systems are completely separate from the PayPal network, and PayPal’s customers’ data remains secure.
PayPal says that TIO has started to notify potentially affected companies and individuals. The company is also working with a consumer credit reporting agency to provide free credit monitoring memberships. If you’ve been affected, you’ll be contacted, PayPal said, and you’ll receive instructions on how to sign up for monitoring.
PayPal is directing TIO users to visit the TIO Networks website for more details.
2 comments on “PayPal’s TIO Networks breached; PII of 1.6 million users affected”
Is there anyone left who’s PID hasn’t been compromised?! Was that an echo??
I for one are tired of hearing about companies being hacked. Its high time all companies develop their systems to be hack free, the alternative is to pay everything in cash that will ruin many companies. If companies want customers to pay on line or thru draft they need to accept all loss to customers.


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Four years ago Südrad Autoräder GmbH und Co. KG had to call in the receiver, who in the meantime sold the aluminium wheel division of the company. Now the steel wheel production at Ebersbach has also found a new owner in the guise of Mefro Räderwerk Ronneburg GmbH. In 1999 Südrad with 600 employees will produce approximately five million car steel wheels as well as steel wheels for trucks and light trucks. The turnover is given as 140 million marks, and Südrad is back in the black now that the restructuring measures have been completed. Mefro had its origins in a wheel combine of the former GDR and now has an annual production of approximately two million steel wheels for agricultural and construction site vehicles as well as for industrial vehicles and fork lift trucks. With a workforce of about 220 employees Mefro has an annual turnover of approximately 60 million marks.
Goodyear, who stopped supplying tyres for Formula 1 last season, has announced that, from next year, it will no longer supply tyres to the Indy Racing League (IRL) and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in the USA. The company will concentrate on other forms of racing, such as NASCAR. Stu Grant, general manager for global race tyres, said that the decision will be reviewed and that he would not rule out a return to IRL, CART, nor Formula 1 competition.
The Technic Group - at one time the worlds biggest passenger car tyre retreader - is the latest company to succumb to the fall in demand for car retreads. Hopes that the Technic group would be sold as a going concern proved to be unfounded. The Administrative Receiver said: Since we were appointed, the company has continued to accumulate losses. Despite some early indications of interest, no offers were received for the business and we can see no realistic prospect of receiving an offer against a difficult background in the retread market. As a result we have no option but to close the business. 200 of the 250 employees have received redundancy notices and the Receivers will seek to dispose of the companys assets.
In its August issue NEUE REIFENZEITUNG reported that Pirelli had fallen behind with its plans for Germany, in parts by 20 p.c., and that the attraction of the Pirelli brand was on the wane, with price erosion as the consequence. Dr. Wentz, the Pirelli Reifenwerke boss, it was said, had to postpone his intended retirement, because G. Sala, his successor-designate, was unable to take up his post for health reasons. We also mentioned the possible return to Höchst of Dr. P. Masera as Pirelli Reifenwerke boss. Pirelli declared that Dr. Wentz would stay in office for several more years, and that there was no question of the Pirelli brand becoming less popular, rather the contrary. Results were good, we were told, Pirelli was doing very well in Germany and no redundancies were planned. One month later the head of the group, Tronchetti Provera, announced 2,800 job cuts for this year, 800 of them on the tyre side. In this context Milan made special mention of the significant price reduction in the winter tyre segment and in super-high-performance tyres, especially in the German market. In the meantime Dr. Masera has taken over as Chairman of the management. Dr. Wentz will leave Pirelli Reifenwerke by the end of the year but retain his seat on the board of Pirelli Deutschland AG and is also in line for a seat on the supervisory board.
BFGoodrich Sends New “All Terrain T/A” into the Race
Recently BFGoodrich had chosen Dubai (United Arab Emirates) as the venue for the introduction of the latest 4x4 BFGoodrich tyre. The new tyre is the All Terrain T/A for mixed application on and off the road, a new/further development of its predecessor, Radial All Terrain T/A which will now be completely replaced by the new model in all sizes, with some more sizes added. This demonstrates the importance BFGoodrich attaches to the All Terrain tyres, a regularly updated line, which has sold well for more than 20 years. The ‚All Terrain T/A‘, along with ‚Mud Terrain T/A‘ and ‚Long Trail T/A‘ are some of our most popular 4x4 models, explained Matthias Utzinger, Kléber’s off-road product manager. The new T/A will be the most generally useful tyre in the product range, conceived for mixed applications, i.e. for light off-road work but also for the road and for drivers keen on sporty driving, without ever losing sight of its use as a work-horse. The forecast for Germany is approximately 100,000 new registrations for off-road cars in 1999, meaning more than 750,000 vehicles of that kind on the road in 2000, according to the tyre manufacturer’s market data, with 4x4 tyre replacement sales amounting to about 700,000. Thus the revised/new All Terrain T/A may well lead to BFGoodrich getting a larger slice of the cake.
There are persistent rumours that Michelin will be entering Formula 1 from the year 2001. BMW/Williams is the most likely partner. It is expected that Michelin will make an announcement in December this year. Other rumours say that Goodyear intends to return to Formula 1 Racing as well, but research carried out by NEUE REIFENZEITUNG confirmed them to be unfounded. Very recently the Americans even anounced to pull out of the IRL and CART Series in the USA.
Nissan has confirmed that it is currently producing 1.35 million cars, which is 10 per cent less than last year. This amounts to the companys seventh recorded loss in the past eight years. C.O.E. Carlos Ghosn, who engineered the turnaround for Michelin in North America, is currently preparing a restructuring plan which will entail the loss of 21,000 jobs, or 14% of its worldwide workforce, by the year 2003. In the US, 1,000 jobs (10%) will go by March 2001, while in Japan, there are plans to close four factories.
Michelin wants to speed up the globalisation process and has its back to the wall. Once again cost reduction programmes and job cuts are necessary. In the struggle between the Big Three Michelin may have been dealt the worst hand. Bridgestone’s and Goodyear/Dunlop’s pressure on the home market of the French is growing. Bridgestone with its immensely strong financial power is considered capable of becoming the clear number one in the global tyre market.
In its last issue NEUE REIFENZEITUNG speculated about an agreement between Montupet and Michelin in the area of aluminium cast wheels. The talks seem to be on hold for the time being, because at the moment both partners have their hands full with orders. Montupet is currently doubling its capacity to 2.5 million cast wheels. Kronprinz, the Michelin subsidiary in Solingen, is able to cast 1.4 million wheels with the equipment already in place. In its search for a strategic alliance partner (without seeking a direct participation) Michelin has now found steel wheel manufacturer Meritor, which has factories in Mexico and Brazil. Meritor is a business division of Rockwell, the large supplier to the automotive industry, and is also known by the trade name Fumagalli. With an annual capacity of about 25 million steel and aluminium wheels Michelin is roughly double the size of Meritor. The strategic benefit for Michelin is not only the geographical location of the two Meritor factories, but above all the close relationship between the supplier Rockwell and Chrysler. The principal reason for the cooperation between M+M, however, was Renault’s decision to produce the Mégane also in South America with the same steel wheels as in Europe, where they are made by Michelin. To comply with local content requirements, the South American Mégane will have Meritor wheels.
Goodyear: Berckholtz Takes Over Original Equipment Germany
Günter Sommer (63), Manager Original Equipment Germany, will retire at the end of the year. Jan Berckholtz (55), Director in the European management for Sales and Marketing Original Equipment Consumer Tires Europe since 1992, will take over his responsibilities and move to Cologne.
Avon Rubber has blamed falling car production in the UK for a 40% drop in annual profits to £3.3 million. Direct sales of automotive and technical products to Ford and Rover fell £7.6 million to £27.1 million. Shares fell 12.5p to 455p.
The Kwik-Fit group plans to grow from its present 2,000 centres to a total of 5,000 centres by the year 2010. This is made possible due to the financial backing of car giant Ford, said Sir Tom Farmer recently in a key-note speech in England.
Karl-Friedrich Schmidt Moves to Goodyear Group Headquarters
Karl-Friedrich Schmidt (59), previously Fulda manager with Europe-wide responsibility for Manufacturing Efficiency and Information Systems, took over as Director Global Manufacturing Efficiency of the Goodyear parent company with effect from 1st October. In this new function he reports directly to Goodyear’s world headquarters in Akron/Ohio, where he will also be based. My principal aim is to raise the efficiency and profitability of all Goodyear production facilities worldwide, said Schmidt. K.-F. Schmidt began his career with the group in 1983 when he joined Gummiwerke Fulda as Manager Industrial Engineering. In 1986 he moved to the personnel and welfare department with the rank of Deputy Managing Director. Four years later he became Manager Organization Effectiveness Europe for group divisions not directly product-related. He held his most recent position since 1993, during which time he was responsible for the integration of company acquisitions, among others Debica (Poland), Sava (Slovenia) and the repurchase of Goodyear South Africa.


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One of the tasks of pet owners is to keep an eye on their animal at home while they are away.
At WWDC 2023, Apple discussed its new API and framework that can be used to track the animal’s movements around the house with an iPhone mounted on a motorized mount.
This can be achieved using the DocKit framework which allows developers “create incredible photo and video experiences with motorized supports”. Allows developers to create applications that “automatically track live video subjects across a 360-degree field of view, take direct control of the mount to customize framing, directly control motors, and provide their own inference model for tracking other objects«.
When used in combination with what Apple calls Animal Body Pose API, you can virtually turn an iPhone into a standalone pet tracking camera.
The Animal Body Pose API is designed to recognize animals and identify their poses.. The API builds on Apple’s previous efforts to detect human body poses, and currently only works for cats and dogs.
In a video from the session, Apple engineer Nadia Zouba explains that the Animal Body Pose API can detect which animal is present in a certain image or video and the pose it adopts. To do this, she takes 25 reference points from the animal’s body to draw a digital skeleton.
In other words, the API can be used to recognize different postures of animals, like when they stretch, stand up and ask for a treat or run away from a threat. Its potential applications may also include things like a dog food dispenser that activates “by recognizing the animal and sensing its pose.”
The API is supported on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, and macOS Sonoma. It is not known if there will be a pet tracking app made by Apple, but developers can use the available tools to create their own pet camera.
This is in addition to the pet-related stuff Apple has announced this year. The album People of the iOS 17 Photos app is now called People and Pets because it also recognizes your pets.


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Disney Shares Plunge Nearly 9% After Reporting Streaming Subscriber Decline
Disney’s success story took a hit as the company’s shares sank nearly 9% after the media giant reported a decline in streaming subscribers. According to the company’s Q2 report, Disney+ lost 4 million subscribers compared to the previous quarter, ending with a total of 103.6 million subscribers worldwide.
Streaming Subscriber Losses Shock Disney Investors
Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+, had been a major highlight of the company’s success story ever since its launch. The platform had quickly amassed a large subscriber base, reaching 100 million subscribers in just 16 months, which was a milestone for the company.
However, the recent decline in subscribers has shocked investors, who were expecting a steady growth in subscriber numbers. The company’s Q2 report reveals that Disney+ gained 8 million subscribers in the quarter, but lost 4 million, resulting in a 3.7% decline overall.
Investors are concerned that the decline in subscriber numbers might continue and significantly impact the company’s future revenue streams. Disney’s stock price fell 8.6% to $152.15 in after-hours trading.
Factors Contributing to the Subscriber Loss
The decline in Disney+ subscribers has been attributed to several factors, including the end of several popular series, such as “The Mandalorian” and “WandaVision”. The lack of new content on the platform is a significant reason for the decline, as subscribers tend to lose interest when there is no new content.
In addition, some subscribers had signed up for the platform to watch “Mulan” and “Raya and the Last Dragon,” two Disney films that were released exclusively on Disney+. However, with both films now available on other streaming platforms and as DVD releases, some subscribers may have ended their subscriptions.
Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the number of new subscribers for the platform, as many people have already signed up for the service during the lockdowns in 2020.
Cautious Optimism in Disney’s Future
Despite the decline in Disney+ subscribers, the company’s other revenue streams, such as theme parks and movie studios, showed encouraging signs of recovery. The company’s revenue increased by 49% to $15.61 billion in Q2 this year, a clear indication that the company’s other businesses are doing well.
In addition, Disney plans to release several new shows and movies on Disney+ in the coming months, including “Loki” and “Black Widow”. The company has also announced plans to launch Disney+ in more countries across the world, which could result in an increase in subscribers.
Disney’s Q2 report has caused concern among investors due to the decline in Disney+ subscribers. However, the company’s other businesses are showing signs of recovery, and the company is optimistic about the future with the release of new content and expansion of the service to new markets.
The decline in subscribers highlighted the importance of producing new and engaging content to keep subscribers interested. It remains to be seen whether Disney+ can regain its momentum and continue to grow its subscriber base.
Despite the current downturn, Disney is still a media powerhouse, and it will undoubtedly find new ways to connect with audiences and succeed in the long run.


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Rose became the first European to win the event, taking home the first-place prize of $1.62M.
Though it’s been four years since his last victory, this weekend is just another notch on Rose’s Hall of Fame resume that includes both a U.S. Open and gold medal.
We’ve already taken a look into Rosey’s winning equipment, so now let’s dive into the champion’s closet and see how Justin Rose dressed for success at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Rose is beginning his fifth year as a Bonobos Brand Ambassador. The meanswear retailer even has a full page dedicated to all of Rose’s apparel, titled the Justin Rose Pro Shop.


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Walmart in Falmouth will begin administering Moderna COVID-19 vaccine this Friday, February 12, 2021 according to someone familiar with the program today.
The store received 200 doses of the vaccination this morning in anticipation of the doses to be administered later this week. It is anticipated that number of vaccines will remain consistent and possibly increase as more vaccine becomes available. Walmart is complying with CDC guidelines, only those over 70 years old and health care workers are eligible to receive the vaccine at this time.
Personnel at the Falmouth store have been overwhelmed with people calling to try to make an appointment or better yet to see if walk-ins are accepted. Several sources said that walk-ins are not accepted and that anyone wanting to get immunized needs to make an appointment via on-line only. As of noon today, appointments had been booked through Monday, February 15th. Two hundred appointments have been confirmed until next week.
The expectation is that the Walmart pharmacy will vaccinate thirty (30) people a day. Some part-time people trained to give shots have been hired at some Walmart stores to assist in the heavy demand for the vaccine. Go to Walmart.com/COVIDvaccine to make an appointment. You can use your phone or desktop computer according to written instructions available at the store. As of this writing, the site is down due to technical issues – presumably the overwhelming need for Mainers to “get a shot in the arm.”
This immunization at Walmart is part of a program introduced last week in which pharmacies will begin receiving vaccine directly from the Federal program known as Operation Warp Speed. It’s a new program introduced to expedite the process of getting “shots into the arms” of the most vulnerable citizens of Maine – health care workers as well as those over 70 years old.