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Magazine RICARDO (or if you will, RICARDO Magazine) from the Canadian radio and TV chef
First look: Ricardo Media’s new digital edition apps for the French and English language versions of the cooking magazine from chef Ricardo Larrivée, known simply as ‘Ricardo’
In the early days of TNM much of my time was taken up roaming the Apple App Store in search of new digital publication apps. The launch of the Newsstand at first made this easy, but Apple’s App Store team then started to make it harder and harder for me to find new apps, then finally stopped maintaining the store at all. Eventually Apple killed off the Newsstand altogether and replaced it with the Apple News app. It took Apple three years for Apple to give up on the Newsstand, it has taken Apple only a couple months to give up on the Apple News app (they still haven’t launched the Apple News Format to all media partners).
For the past year or so, launches of new digital magazine apps have slowed to a trickle. There are many reasons for this: first, so many magazines have had their own digital edition apps for a long time now; and second, Apple is making it hard to discover these apps, so many publishers have simply said ‘why bother’.
So, I no longer spend much of my day browsing the App Store, assuming – usually correctly – that there will not be new apps to find. There was a time when I sometimes knew of a new app’s appearance inside the App Store before the publisher and developer did as one never knew exactly when an app would go live, making it through Apple’s review process. (My book Talking Digital was held up a week because I used the term iBookstore rather than iBooks Store.)
Larrivée has had a program on Radio Canada, TV shows, and writes a column for the daily newspaper La Presse (which recently shuttered its weekday print newspapers to rely on its excellent digital editions). As a media personality, he is known simply as Ricardo.
As you can probably guess, one of the new apps is for the French version of the magazine, the other for the English language version. The French language magazine was originally launched in 2002, and the current English language magazine was just launched in the fall of 2014 (there was previously an English version when the title was owned by Gesca Limit is a subsidiary company of the Power Corporation of Canada).
Reader are offered an opportunity to buy a one year subscription (6 issues) for $19.99 CAD ($19.99 US), or purchase single issues of $4.59 CAD ($3.99 US). I might add, for quite a long time the US and Canadian app store prices were the same. But the loony, as it is sometimes called, today fell to just below 70 cents today, a result of oil prices continuing to fall.
The two apps are exclusive to the iPad and use the Adobe DPS to create a hybrid edition where the ads are seen as in print, and the editorial content is reformatted for easier reading. This was the standard approach to digital editions from large publishing companies for what may now be seen as the golden age of tablet publishing, 2011 to 2014. Today, publishers like Meredith have all but given up on digital editions – for instance, turning the popular and well-designed Martha Stewart Living digital edition into a hard-to-read PDF replica.
The result is a very good digital edition app(s), one that readers will be able to read comfortably whether they have a standard size iPad or an iPad mini. (It would be interesting to see the app on an iPad Pro, though I think it would be just fine, and might even be better on the larger display.)


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EasyJet Holidays has brought forward its winter 2020/21 and summer 2021 programmes and placed a range of new holidays on sale.
The operator said the move would serve as "future holiday inspiration" for travellers "dreaming of getting away" once the coronavirus pandemic abates.
It is also offering greater flexibility on forward bookings, allowing customers to amend their holidays to later in the year, or next year.
Departures are available up to October 2021, while destinations include Morocco, Spain, Turkey and Greece. Deposits start from £60pp, matching Jet2holidays.
“We know we are in highly uncertain times, particularly within the travel industry, and we know lots of travel plans are currently on hold," said Paul Bixby, easyJet Holidays strategy and sourcing director.
"However, that doesn’t stop us thinking and dreaming about where we might want to visit once we’re able to.
"We’ve put our winter 2020/21 and summer 2021 holidays on sale early in the hope of also being able to inspire future trips and also support our existing customers where we can."
Bixby said easyJet Holidays would offer a wide variety of beach and city break destinations, ranging from "boutique to luxury, family to adults-only".
They include Marrakech; Prague; Copenhagen; Spain, the Canaries and Balearics; Greece; Croatia; Montenegro; and Turkey, notably Antalya.
All easyJet Holidays are Atol and Abta protected. The newly-relaunched operator had been planning to launch to the trade early this year.
TTG has approached easyJet Holidays for an update on its plans to work with the trade.

domain: news


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See Apple's new Steve Jobs in action
Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, stole the show at the 2014 Worldwide Developer's Conference
See All The Stream
Oops! Twitter CFO mis-tweets
Square wants you to send cash over Snapchat
Does Silicon Valley have a sexism problem?
Your baby cam could be on a Russian website
Are robots replacing jobs?
Uber is misogynistic, says targeted journalist
See All CNNMoney Original Shows
Protests at Walmart on Black Friday
Protesters force closing of St. Louis mall
The money behind 'Star Wars'
Target: 'We love Apple Pay' - just not in our stores
'Hunger Games' falls short of expectations
See Macy's $5B Thanksgiving Day Balloons


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Asset management is being transformed by connected smart technology which, when embraced by the C-suite, can give a welcome boost to business
Where does the birthplace of the first industrial revolution stand in the race to be at the forefront of the fourth iteration?
Big data and innovative thinking are helping reduce the risk of extreme incidents
Business money transfers have been slow to digitise and have fallen behind consumer payments
Beefing up the role of the finance chief to focus on business growth may risk losing a traditionally steadying influence in an over-ambitious boardroom
Brexit is already hitting procurement and supply chains hard, but can there be a soft landing outside the European Union?
London’s prowess as a global financial technology centre of excellence faces the challenge of Brexit
Controversy over giant corporations paying dwarfed tax bills has put finance chiefs in the media and public spotlight


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13 BEAUTY TRANSFORMED
With the new opening of a flagship store in Berlin, ECOALF is entering new territory. #becausethereisnoplanet strives to create awareness for our planet, making people aware of what they wear. Appearing for the first time in 2012 on the Spanish market, ECOALF started to expand all over the world. With the opening of the new store in Berlin, a communication campaign is required to make positive beginnings at the new location. Communicating through online and offline channels, there will be a call to action under the tagline: In nature nothing is created nor destroyed…just beauty transformed.
Aligning with the season the first call to action campaign is the ECOALF advent calendar, which carries the tagline: the magic of transformation, inspired by kaleidoscopes, which create an alliance between science and art. January will see events take place inside the store in order to create a local ECOALF community and enlarge the worldwide community for the brand. Furthermore, ECOALF Berlin will pursue more exposure under the tagline; transform in style. and will help the brand to reach selected target markets. #beautytransformed #bethemomentum #seiderimpuls


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While Yerli believes that the art is subjective, he says that he would put Crysis 3 against Halo and Gears of War any day; the level of detail is simply far superior to other titles. He believes Crysis 3 is raising the bar of what can be done on the current generation of consoles, but the PC version with DirectX 11 is still a few levels higher than what can be done on today’s console systems.
During comments at a press event in San Francisco, Yerli says that the cost of memory and processors will make it impossible for the next generations of consoles to make the impact that the current generation of consoles did. He believes that the focus of the next generation of consoles will not be on graphical horsepower.
Read more here.


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In a sign the economy and especially the new vehicle market is still struggling under supply chain problems the County of Stettler will buy two three-quarter ton pick-up trucks in the city after a local dealership was unable to deliver on its original offer.
The decision to slam the brakes on one vehicle purchase and put the pedal to the metal on another was made by county council at their regular meeting July 12.
Councillors read a request for decision from Director of Operations Joe McCulloch stating that an accepted offer for brand new pick-up trucks that met certain specifications from a Stettler auto dealer appeared to have run out of gas.
“In April 2023 the County of Stettler No. 6 approved the purchase of two three-quarter-ton pickup trucks from Gary Moe Chevrolet Buick GMC for the price of $69,375.25 plus tax each for a total purchase price of $138,750.50,” stated McCulloch’s report to council.
“Unfortunately, the county has since been informed that the GM Canada fleet is ‘fully subscribed’ and will likely not be able to produce all vehicles currently on order.
“The County of Stettler has reached out to other organizations that had responded to the advertised tender but has been unsuccessful in sourcing available vehicles.
Subsequently, a wider search was conducted for available retail vehicles with the following result: Tower Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Calgary offered two pick-ups for $69,000 each for a total of $138,000 plus tax.
McCulloch noted in his report the purchase was included in the current budget but needed council approval because the transaction was originally awarded to Gary Moe Chevrolet Buick GMC.
During discussion, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Yvette Cassidy summarized that the local purchase was going forward until the County of Stettler received notice from Gary Moe Chevrolet Buick GMC that the dealership couldn’t supply the trucks through no fault of their own.
“Just can’t get them,” said Cassidy, adding the Stettler dealer sent a letter apologizing for the situation.
Coun. James Nibourg stated the County of Stettler goes out of its way to shop locally, but in this situation that obviously wasn’t possible. During discussion, several councillors voiced disappointment the county had to go out of the community to purchase vehicles.
Councillors unanimously approved purchasing two three-quarter ton pick-ups from Tower Chrysler in Calgary for a total of $138,000 plus tax.
Local Journalism Initiative reporter


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With China now boasting the fourth-largest economy in the world, even lazy Brits have been inspired to take a second look.
The China Now festival, which brings music, food, opera and art from the People's Republic to locations across the UK over March and April, is the perfect way to buff up on one of the world's fastest-changing countries.
The China Design Now exhibition at the Vamp;A in London, which opened last week, features a cross-section of fashion and graphics from up-and-coming cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen.
A restaurant in Soho's Chinatown is the unlikely setting for a performance of Slippery Mountain, an ancient Chinese fable presented in traditional Peking Opera style, complete with clowning, singers, musicians and bombastic costumes. Not So Loud Theatre Company star.
Meanwhile, new artists will exhibit at The Collection in Danes Terrace, Lincoln. The London College of Communication presents China Comics Now! And if that doesn't fire up your engine, you can even learn about modern Chinese railways at the National Railway Museum in York.


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Cold Rock Ice Creamery is fast becoming a textbook case study in how to embrace social media by using Facebook and Twitter to communicate with its customers.
Cold Rock, embraced social media at all levels of the company after seeing success with their Cold Rock Facebook fan page. The company has gone as far as to encourage individual franchisees to establish their own Facebook fan pages to offer customers exclusive coupons and information specific to their local store.
“We are broadening our marketing campaigns by using information networks like Facebook and Twitter which allow us to communicate with our customers more directly,” Cold Rock CEO Stan Gordon said.
“These networks allow us to engage our customers and seek their opinions, particularly if we’re going to introduce a new ice cream flavour or mix in, as well as answer their questions.”
“Most people want to talk about what their favourite flavour is and argue where we should set up the next Cold Rock. But some use Facebook to ask us about how to open their own franchise, how to get a job at one our stores and where new stores are opening.
“Customers are very interactive and consistently giving us feedback which influences how we do things at Cold Rock.”
Cold Rock is owned by Melbourne-based Franchised Food Company, which also owns Nutshack, Pretzel World and Mr Whippy.
Mr Gordon said the new dual Cold Rock/Pretzel World store in north Hobart, which attracted more than 2,000 people within its first three days, proved social media worked.
“Hobart didn’t do any marketing aside from their Facebook page and word of mouth, and they broke all Cold Rock customer records,” he said.
Around a quarter of Cold Rock’s 90-plus stores have their own Facebook page. Cold Rock Geelong, which has more than 4,300 Facebook fans, uses its page to give customers exclusive weekly mix in offers.
Last year store owners Trent Woodall and Nino Verfurth ran a promotion which promised customers who visited the store in their pyjamas after midnight a free mix in.
“More than 90 people showed up and that was when we realised social media was a great tool for our business,” Mr Verfurth said.


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- Apr 12, 2001
Streaming device maker Roku has launched its free ad-supported Roku Channel in the UK, offering access to over 10,000 movies, TV shows, and documentaries at a time when stay-at-home entertainment is in high demand.
The Roku Channel can be accessed on Roku devices and - thanks to exclusive UK partnerships - Now TV sticks and Sky Q set-top boxes via the dedicated Roku app.
If you're fine with watching content interspersed with ads, there's plenty of British fare to get stuck into, including the likes of Fifth Gear, Skins, Get Carter, and The Wicker Man. There isn't any sign-in requirement or profiles to set up when you launch the app, so getting started is pretty painless.
Since it launched in the US in 2017, the Roku Channel has added a browser-based web player, live news, a dedicated kids and family section, and an option to subscribe to premium content providers like Showtime and HBO."With The Roku Channel we are making it easy for consumers to find great free entertainment and provide additional value to Roku users, Now TV device holders and Sky Q customers," said Roku vice president of programming, Rob Holmes.
"Ad-supported viewing is one of the fastest growing categories on our platform and we are excited to meet the consumer demand for free TV."
Out of those, only the kids and family section is available in the UK at present. However, the British-version of the Roku Channel features over 40 content partners, including Hollywood studios such as Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Television, and more publishers are expected to be added in the future.
Article Link: Roku's Free Ad-Supported Channel Launches in the UK


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Beijing: With the border standoff between India and China at Line of Actual Control in Ladakh set to enter its seventh month, China has shortlisted nearly two dozen private companies to supply advanced unmanned weaponry and graphene clothing to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) regiments deployed at LAC.
The wish list of PLA includes smart warm clothing made of graphene, a revolutionary form of carbon, the discovery of which led physicists Andra Geim and Konstantine Novoselov to the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 and also they are looking for advanced logistics support equipment like portable solar chargers, portable oxygenators, and a multifunctional dining vehicle, reports claimed.
The world’s largest military force, according to a report by Hindustan Times, is expanding procurement from traditional suppliers, China’s state-owned enterprises, and buying specialized equipment from niche manufacturers.
The private companies, some of them based in south China and specialised in drone technology, are known to manufacture vertical takeoff and landing unmanned vehicles, which can operate at high altitudes.
PLA rarely discloses the names of private companies from which it plans to procure military equipment.
The PLA’s Tibet Command invited 22 private “arms companies” and held meetings to review their products to be potentially used during “plateau warfare and border defence”, a Beijing based news organization Global Times reported.
“Many types of rotor-wing and fixed-wing aerial drones, including the Blowfish A2 helicopter drone developed by Zhuhai-based Ziyan UAV and the CW-25 vertical take-off and landing fixed-wing drone made by Chengdu-based JOUAV, were inspected by the PLA,” China Central Television reported.
They are specially designed for use in high elevation, low-temperature regions, to conduct unmanned missions including material supply, border defence, and management, “…surveillance and armed reconnaissance along the border of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), the report mentioned.
According to an online tech magazine, Dailytechlife, as an item of cloth, graphene can be “thermal, waterproof, and fireproof” and have other advanced technical properties not normally associated with the cloth.
Meanwhile, the USA’s Defence Department in its annual report on China said that “PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) long-term goal is to create an entirely self-reliant defense-industrial sector—fused with a strong civilian industrial and technology sector—that can meet the PLA’s needs for modern military capabilities”.


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Memorial Day is right around the bend and this weekend marks the start of summer driving. According to AAA, nearly 28 million Americans are expected to travel this weekend alone, a number curtailed due to environmental concerns as well as concerns caused by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Yet there is good news for drivers as they are saving an average of $105 per year because of ethanol. This according to a report released today by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).
The blending of ethanol into America’s fuel supply is saving consumers approximately 10 cents per gallon as compared to straight gasoline prices. According to RFA, at the wholesale level, ethanol has been selling at a 50-70 cent per gallon discount to gasoline before the 45 cent per gallon blender’s credit is taken into account. As a result, at a 10 percent ethanol blend (E10), the average American household is saving up to $105 per year.
“Domestic ethanol blends are a great bargain for consumers, saving them money at the pump while allowing them to support a truly American industry,” said RFA Vice President of Research Geoff Cooper. “Simply filling up with E10 instead of regular gasoline saves families money at a time when economic concerns and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are front of mind. Ethanol is part of the solution to both concerns.”
On another front, as the grills get fired up, ethanol continues to be incorrectly blamed for higher prices of meat due to the claim from ethanol opponents that grain prices are higher. Yet the study shows that grain prices are not higher. In fact, corn prices are nearly 20 percent lower than one year ago and less than half of what they were during the oil-fueled speculative commodity bubble in the summer of 2008.
In a recent column, influential commodity analyst Rick Kment writing for DTN said, “Ethanol continues to be the whipping boy, but blaming the fuel for today’s higher meat prices just doesn’t add up. In the past four months live cattle futures have increased 25 percent while corn prices have fallen nearly 13 percent.”
Cooper on behalf of RFA added, “Finally, and most importantly, Memorial Day is a hallowed holiday in America when the nation pauses to remember those defending and those who have defended this nation. We pay special tribute to those individuals and families who made the ultimate sacrifice. The RFA wishes to extend its appreciation on behalf of everyone involved in America’s ethanol industry.”


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SUN VALLEY, ID (BRAIN)—SCOTT USA has added Brian Bohlman to its U.S. bicycle group.
Bohlman will join the bike sales department and manage part of the Mid-Atlantic territory. Bohlman comes to SCOTT with a rich bike industry background. With 15 years of sales experience, he has developed an invaluable network of relationships within the bike market, and will prove a great asset in the Mid-Atlantic region.
“The SCOTT brand has been driving the forefront of technology since its return to the U.S. market and I have admired their offerings for the last several years," Bohlman said. "I am also excited to be working for Scott Montgomery, a person for whom I have a lot of respect.”


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California’s high court ruled Thursday that retailers don’t have the right to ask customers for their ZIP code while completing credit card transactions, saying that doing so violates a cardholders’ right to protect his or her personal information.
Many retailers in California and nationwide now ask people to give their ZIP code, punching in that information and recording it. Yet California Supreme Court’s seven justices unanimously determined that this practice goes too far.….The discussion began with a June 2008 class-action lawsuit filed initially by Jessica Pineda against home retailer Williams-Sonoma.
In her suit, Pineda claimed that a cashier had asked for her ZIP code during a purchase — information that was recorded and later used, along with her name, to figure out her home address. Williams-Sonoma did this tapping a database that it uses to market products to customers and sell its compiled consumer information to other businesses.
Pineda contended the practice of asking for ZIP codes violates a person’s right to privacy, made illegal use of her personal information and gave a retailer, like Williams-Sonoma, an unfair competitive advantage.
Williams-Sonoma, for its part, claimed that a ZIP code doesn’t constitute “personal identification information,” as stated in the 1971 state law….It is not illegal in California for a retailer to see a person’s ZIP code or address, the ruling notes: For instance, one can request a customer’s driver’s license to verify his or her identity. What makes it wrong is when a business records that information, according to the ruling, especially when the practice is “unnecessary to the sales transaction.”
In reversing the Court of Appeals judgment, the Supreme Court remanded the case back to a lower court to order specific changes and policies “consistent with this decision.”


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Custom cars and specialist auto products from the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Reports suggest Apple could unveil its own mobile-payments system and an NFC-equipped iPhone 6 at its September 9 event. If so, how would an Apple iWallet actually play out?
The stock closed above $100, which marks a record for the electronics giant when accounting for June's 7-for-1 stock split.
Elon Musk's tube transport concept unveiled a year ago remains just that: a concept. It also proves that even when the Internet falls in love, radical ideas rarely exit the realm of fiction.
It's been more than a year since Microsoft began course-correcting its vision for the Xbox One. Now, with the EA Access subscription service, the company has a way to salvage it.
The acting CEO, hired back to Mozilla in April after a two-week crisis left the Firefox developer without a leader, will have a full slate of management and technology issues to handle.
Apple sold 35.2 million iPhones in the period -- good, but slightly below expectations. Sales of the iPad, however, continue to slump.
A Senate committee gives the nod to the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, which would make it easier for companies and the government to share data during cyberattacks.
PC maker Lenovo, which has struggled for smartphone success outside China, gets an established global brand, while Google unloads a burden on its balance sheet and a source of tension.
Eighteen teams are in a race to get to the moon, with a $30 million payoff. This summer, we'll travel the world and follow five of those teams' final tests and preparations. Here's a taste of what's to come.
Google's personal assistant can understand you as you switch from your native tongue to a second or even third language, a milestone more difficult than you might think.


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MANILA — The Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) approved the initial public offering (IPO) listing application of shipping company Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp.
The company, which will use the ticker symbol CLC, will be offering 546.59 million shares at a maximum price of PHP 14.63 per share.
The PSE also approved CLC’s request to increase its allocation for Local Small Investors (LSI) to a maximum allowable subscription amount of PHP100,000. Typically, under the LSI program, the IPO subscription shall not exceed PHP25,000 per subscriber.
“The general economic and market conditions provide a favorable backdrop for capital raising. We are optimistic that more companies will tap the stock market for their fund raising requirements in the coming months,” said PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon.
The offer period of Chelsea is scheduled on July 24 to 31, 2017 while its tentative listing date is on Aug. 8, 2017. PR/PNA-northboundasia.com


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Nokia’s news today that it would be adopting Microsoft‘s Windows Phone may have fit in with the rumors, but it still met with significant surprise among industry and users alike. On the surface it looks a lot like the Finnish company has sacrificed independence for short-term survival, though both Nokia and Microsoft argue that this is in fact the beginning of a far more symbiotic relationship. After the cut, everything you need to get up to speed on the new Nokia Windows Phone agreement.
In a move that will delight some and infuriate others, Nokia has basically given Symbian its marching orders. The company still expects to sell 150m Symbian devices over the next year, if not more, but Windows Phone – initially Windows Phone 7, and then future iterations of the OS – will take over as Nokia’s primary smartphone platform. Symbian will shift into a “franchisee platform”, with Nokia offering it to OEMs still enamoured by the software, but Nokia-branded Symbian devices will be phased out during what the company has described as a “transition period” in 2011 and 2012.
Similarly affected is MeeGo, which Nokia intends to push back into the labs. One MeeGo smartphone will see a release in 2011, as promised late last year, but after that the platform will be treated as an engineering project for research into “future disruption in the mobile ecosystem.” According to Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, MeeGo development simply wasn’t happening quickly enough to pick up the slack where Symbian’s market appeal was fading.
So, if Nokia is in the process of phasing out Symbian and marginalising MeeGo back to the labs, what is it left with? From what we know, the company has cut the best licensee deal with Microsoft to date, though that’s partly because this isn’t a regular OEM/software relationship. To get Nokia’s prodigious hardware strengths and global reach on-board, Microsoft has promised “significant” investments in engineering and marketing. Neither company is talking specific figures, but the talk is that it’s in the region of “hundreds of millions” in a pre-deal battle between Microsoft and Google to win Nokia’s hand.
In return, Nokia will get hitherto unseen flexibility in designing Windows Phone devices. Microsoft has, with its initial tier of OEM licensees, set strict guidelines on minimum hardware requirements: that’s why every Windows Phone 7 device on sale now has the same 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the same WVGA screen resolution, and the same button layout. What Nokia is able to do, however, is customize pretty much the entire OS, along with make broader decisions about hardware.
That plays to Microsoft’s hand, however, and to the other OEMs involved. Part of Microsoft’s gain from the deal is the prospect of pushing Windows Phone down to cheaper entry points and developing markets, outside of the current narrow segment devices from HTC, Samsung and others cater for. If the platform is to take on Android, which has quickly become a firm favorite among low-cost device manufacturers, then that sort of diversity is essential.
Meanwhile, Nokia’s software engineers will be injecting some of the company’s services creativity into the OS, and feeding those developments back into other OEMs. Stephen Elop said that Nokia will be “actively encouraging” other vendors to follow suit, and being cautious over making changes for the sake of it so as to ensure as much platform consistency as possible. There’ll also be benefits from Nokia’s existing services, not least NAVTEQ and Ovi Maps, the technology of which will be fed back into Bing Maps, while Nokia devices will get access to Xbox Live and Microsoft Office. Engineers from both companies will work together on future services and OS changes.
The story for third-party developers is not quite so clear. Nokia’s Ovi Store – and its global billing systems – will be rolled into Windows Marketplace, which will certainly be of assistance to Windows Phone developers, but the outlook for Symbian developers is less bright. There’ll be no port of Qt to Windows Phone, which Elop suggested might take away from the perception of platform strength, and the Symbian market will inevitably dip now that Nokia is stepping back from it. Microsoft will be pushing its own tools for software developers, but the two companies will likely have a battle on their hands to retain long-time developer advocates.
The big question, then, is when we’ll see the first retail sign of this new partnership, and that’s a question Elop wasn’t ready to address. Initial devices will, he revealed, be the Frankenmonster combination of hardware and chipset designs originally cooked up by Nokia’s MeeGo team, with smartphones intended to follow the single 2011 MeeGo release being “repurposed” for Windows Phone. Meanwhile, the company has put out its industry feelers for the latest in chipsets and radios, though Elop says we’ll have to wait through the coming “weeks and months” before there’s any specific announcements.
When they do arrive, though, we should expect more than just a trickle. Nokia has always played big when it comes to device ranges, and Windows Phone promises to be little different. While the transition in 2011 may mean a relatively small amount of handsets, Elop promises “a large number of Windows Phone devices over a variety of price points” in 2012, which is when the flood should begin in earnest. The company is also looking at the possibility of MeeGo, Windows or other platforms for tablets.
S40 and S30, meanwhile, will continue to be used by Nokia’s Mobile Phone division, for the low-end market. In fact, Nokia plans greater R&D investment into this segment, in an attempt to wrench back some market share from cut-price far east rivals. That means new, cheaper chipsets and more competitive radios.
While the outlook for both Nokia and Microsoft will continue to be debated, there’s certainly an opportunity for the two companies to produce some stand-out hardware and software. Nokia’s problem has never been physical design, construction or specifications with its smartphones; its struggles in the North American market have been down to software and carrier reluctance. Meanwhile, Windows Phone has arguably failed to make the splash Microsoft expected because the strict regulations has resulted in a line-up of me-too devices. If together they can inject some stand-out interest in hardware and fast-track the software sparkle – Windows Phone 7 has only been on the market since October 2010, after all – then they could stand a good job of establishing the “third ecosystem” Stephen Elop described.
More thoughts on the Nokia Microsoft deal in Ben Bajarin’s analysis


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1. Client’s sales of one particular product fell from millions a year to zero because the China tariffs and astronomical shipping costs meant that it could no longer compete.
2. Client that booked a big sale many months ago ended up losing money on the deal due to unexpectedly high shipping costs — it had agreed to cap shipping costs at a rate it never thought it would see.
3. Chinese factories are having major problems hiring and retaining employees. This is due largely to COVID and fears of catching COVID. This is causing production delays.
4. Client was supposed to get its first season of Christmas merchandise many weeks ago and though it has been promised that merchandise by the end of this month, it does not believe that will happen, largely because of supply chain problems it is facing in both Vietnam and China, likely due in large part to COVID at the factories and/or at the ports.
5. Many of our clients that have their products made in Vietnam are complaining about ridiculously long delays in getting their product. None seemed to know exactly what was causing the delays and we (both them and me) thought it was due to Vietnam having become “full” due to having taken so much (too much?) manufacturing from China.
But yesterday, I received two emails from a trusted friend of mine in Vietnam, saying essentially that COVID is raging out of control in Vietnam right now and the government is trying to keep this a secret. The below are the key parts from this friend’s emails, modified in parts to protect their identity:
Updating you about the COVID situation in Vietnam, especially in HCMC now as I believe this is all being censored.
We saw a spike and a quick rising of cases during the Spring and it took off after Summer. We are seeing thousands of new cases with over 500 fatal cases per day at the moment. Hanoi just started the strictest lockdown in Ho Chi Minh and the southern regions. . . . and by strictest, they are going full China-style. The army arrived a few days ago with tanks!? I wonder how those are helpful for a COVID fight. This has caused even bigger panic in towns.
Most of the central-southern regions are on fire with COVID and Hanoi is also at the brink of a high infection rate. Factories in manufacturing parks and industrial zones around Ho Chi Minh were trying to maintain their production levels but this ended up creating huge and uncontrollable infection clusters. Workers died en masse in factory dorms. The number of unreported fatalities are higher than on the news, leaked by some essential suppliers to the quarantine camps. Saigon is running out of food and medicine while local authorities and Hanoi [Vietnam’s center of government] are focusing only on quarantine efforts, causing even greater outrage.
Saigon asks Hanoi for money and food, Hanoi sends tanks and the army, instead. The army is now in charge of keeping order as well as transporting bodies for cremation. Thousands are jobless so they can’t pay rent and can’t even get food so they are fleeing to their hometowns on motorbikes, ending up carrying COVID across the country.
It really went from heaven to hell in a blink… thinking how just a few months ago, our government was so proud of being among a few “green” nations on the world map.
Vaccines are still under huge shortage. Just last week, it came out that the Vietnam government tried to give Chinese vaccines to the people, the neighborhood found out and trashed the vaccine site. Hanoi is certainly not pleased and China took it to the next troll level; their embassy tweeted (but later deleted) an illustration (poorly translated into Vietnamese and posted above) describing the people of Saigon as “ungrateful victims. . . .”
For more on what’s been happening in Vietnam and in China with COVID, check out the following:
- Vietnam to deploy troops, issues stay-home order as COVID-19 deaths spiral (Reuters)
- Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City Enters Lockdown, With Armed Soldiers Deployed on the Streets (Radio Free Asia)
- Factory workers sleep over on site amid COVID resurgence in Vietnam (Digitimes)
- Samsung facing fallout from Ho Chi Minh lockdown (Korea Times)
- Chinese Factories Are Having Labor Pains —”We Can Hardly Find Any Workers” (Wall Street Journal)


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Update, June 16, 2021 (04:45 PM ET): Amazon responded to Android Authority’s request for a comment on this story. The company confirmed that it did, in fact, remove RavPower’s product listings from the store.
Additionally, it posted a new blog post detailing its strict policy towards companies soliciting paid Amazon reviews. While the post doesn’t call out RavPower specifically (nor Aukey and Mpow), it at least gives us an idea of why these companies no longer have a presence on the platform.
Original article, June 16, 2021 (02:58 PM ET): Add another name to the list of major phone accessory makers pulled from Amazon’s web store over claims of dodgy reviews. The Verge reports that Amazon has removed all RavPower products from its shop days after the Wall Street Journal revealed that the battery and charger company was offering incentives for reviews.
The WSJ‘s Nicole Nguyen ordered a RavPower charger only to discover an offer for a $35 gift card if she left a review. While RavPower parent firm Sunvalley stressed that the company didn’t insist on a five-star rating, that didn’t matter — the offer violated a 2016 Amazon policy barring monetary rewards for reviews. It’s not clear if the article was the sole or primary reason for RavPower’s removal.


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Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) reported a profit Monday that topped Wall Street expectations as sales continued to surge.
The Mexican food chain said sales rose 19.8 percent at restaurants open at least a year for its third quarter.
The better-than-expected performance comes as traditional fast-food chains such as McDonald's and Burger King have struggled to boost sales in the U.S. Chipotle has sought to set itself apart by marketing its ingredients as being superior, including with its "Food with Integrity" slogan. People also like that they can walk down a line and dictate the toppings that go on their dishes.
In a statement, co-CEO Steve Ells said people are "realizing there are better alternatives to traditional fast food," a trend he said he expects to continue.
But the company doesn't expect to maintain the same level of momentum. Looking ahead to 2015, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. said it expects sales at established locations to rise in the low- to mid-single digits.
Its shares fell 2.8 percent to $634.50 in after-hours trading. Shares of the Denver-based company have increased 22 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has risen 3 percent.
Chipotle, which has more than 1,700 locations, said its price increases helped offset its rising costs for ingredients including beef, avocados and dairy during the quarter.
For the three months ended Sept. 30, Chipotle said it earned $130.8 million, or $4.15 per share. Analysts expected $3.86 per share, according to Zacks Investment Research.
A year ago, the company earned $83.4 million, or $2.66 per share.
Revenue rose to $1.08 billion, also topping the $1.05 billion Wall Street expected.


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Many events have been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, however, businesses, organizations, and programmers have adapted by launching virtual versions of their activations—from digital fashion weeks to online spring pop-up markets.
The Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (Sunnyside Shines BID) was quick to convert its artisan spring pop-up market to the online environment. Originally scheduled to be held in Bliss Plaza, consumers had the opportunity to enjoy this event via Facebook Live. Each local vendor presented their favorite "handmade, artisanal, and [...] hyperlocal" products, and viewers were able to make a purchase via the vendor's website or even reserve items via the Facebook chat. As a result, this quick adaptation to a dramatically changed environment allowed the organizers to support local production.
Image Credit: Astor Apiaries, RNK Ceramics, Scent by Heaven


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May 20, 2016
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May 18, 2016
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A vulnerability in Google’s Android operating system could have allowed malicious apps to take control of a user’s smartphone camera even without being granted access.
The security flaw, first reported by Ars Technica on Tuesday, was discovered in July by researchers with cybersecurity firm Checkmarx.
The team found that an app with access to just the phone’s storage could bypass Android’s security to not only take pictures and video but to upload the content to an external server. Even more troublesome, an attacker could then access the stolen files’ metadata to determine where the phone is located thanks to embedded GPS information.
“A malicious app running on an Android smartphone that can read the SD card, not only has access to past photos and videos, but with this new attack methodology, can be directed to initiate (take) new photos and videos at will,” Chechmarx says. “And it doesn’t stop there. Since GPS metadata is usually embedded into the photos, the attacker can take advantage of this fact to also locate the user by taking a photo or video and parsing the proper EXIF data.”
A demo of the attack also shows how a camera’s microphones could be activated during phone calls, allowing an attacker to eavesdrop on private conversations.
Google confirmed in a statement that it patched the vulnerability after being alerted to the issue, ensuring that all up-to-date Pixel devices are no longer affected.
“We appreciate Checkmarx bringing this to our attention and working with Google and Android partners to coordinate disclosure,” a Google spokesperson said. “The issue was addressed on impacted Google devices via a Play Store update to the Google Camera Application in July 2019. A patch has also been made available to all partners.”
Samsung, another major cell phone provider which utilizes the Android operating system, released a similar statement as well.
“Since being notified of this issue by Google, we have subsequently released patches to address all Samsung device models that may be affected,” a company spokesperson said. “We value our partnership with the Android team that allowed us to identify and address this matter directly.”
Checkmarx notes that other smartphone companies may still be vulnerable, potentially placing “hundreds of millions” of people at risk.
“We also found that these same vulnerabilities impact the camera apps of other smartphone vendors in the Android ecosystem… presenting significant implications to hundreds of millions of smartphone users,” the security firm said in a blog post.
Although such an attack would only likely be used against high-profile targets, Pixel users can still check to see whether they are vulnerable.
Pixel owners should first make sure all their apps have been fully updated. Users can then access “Camera” in the settings menu and select “Advanced.” From there, click on “App details” to determine that the app has been updated since at least July.
Advanced users running other Android phones can run the commands listed here to see whether their cellphone vendor has issued the necessary patches.
H/T Ars Technica


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New research by Born Ugly today reveals there is a resistance to change across the C-suite, despite the changing business landscape and the rise of new technology.
The data shows that over a third (37%) of respondents think a ‘lack of innovation and creative thinking’ is the top internal barrier to overcoming business challenges. Verbatim responses like ‘a fear of taking risks’ and ‘unwillingness to move with the times’ substantiated this.
Meanwhile, 33% of respondents believe that ‘doing things the way they always have‘ is a barrier to overcoming challenges, highlighting the fear of change and taking risks across the board.
The survey polled 100 C-Suite business leaders on attitudes towards internal and external barriers to change, and what was needed to overcome them, as well as creative problem solving as an approach to overcoming business challenges.
Against a backdrop of rapid technological, social and economical change (and almost half of respondents concerned about uncertainty [46%]), businesses are finding themselves stuck, losing out to more agile and innovative competitors (38% noted this as a major barrier to change) and stalling growth.
Thinking about solutions, 42% said that a clearer brand vision and mission would be a vehicle to overcoming their business challenges. Often brand visions and missions are dated, staying the same over the years, becoming unfit for purpose overtime. There even seems to be an appetite for radical change, with data showing that two thirds (66%) believe unconventional problem-solving is a risk worth taking.
Whilst the report revealed some apprehension towards creative approaches (as opposed to linear logic driven problem solving), 44% of leaders acknowledged innovative solutions and a stronger competitive advantage (44%) as potential benefits of creative problem solving.
Further insights from the survey are shared and discussed in depth in Born Ugly’s recent report – Ugly ideas, beautiful outcomes: Why C-suite challenges need more creative thinking.
Featured image: SevenStorm / Pexels


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|By Business Wire||
|January 27, 2014 04:30 AM EST||
KPN, the leading telecommunications and ICT service provider in the Netherlands, and Dyzle BV, the global leader in measuring and analyzing business process data for the cold chain in real-time, have announced a collaboration to offer an integrated platform for monitoring, tracking, and providing real-time data analytics and visualization for the food and pharmaceutical industries.
The collaboration is part of KPN’s innovation drive, helping customers in the food and pharmaceutical sectors to improve their core business activity and efficiency and to comply with health regulations. Dyzle’s platform is a cloud-based solution that collects data such as temperature, humidity, energy consumption and CO2, analyzes that data, and makes it visible on a personal dashboard accessible securely over the web from any internet-enabled device. The main purpose of delivering this data is to help customers provide undisputable evidence and proof of product quality for temperature-sensitive products.
Jimmy Wind, Managing Director of KPN M2M, said, “This partnership is in line with our strategy of growth through value added services, and innovating in sectors like machine-to-machine (M2M) technologies, which are now being more widely adopted in almost every industry sector. By combining our M2M and RFID asset tracking solutions with Dyzle’s monitoring and analytics platform, we will truly be able to move up the value chain in our service offering to business customers. Not only can we track the location of a product in a logistic chain, but also we collect the environmental conditions during its shipment.”
Bert Zandhuis, CEO of Dyzle, added, “We are extremely pleased that KPN chose to adopt our platform and combine it with their products and services. This integrated platform offers customers a solution to a growing industry trend: that of huge amounts of data being collected, and needing to make sense of that data relevant to the business. That’s where we have considerable experience, where we measure and present data on personal dashboards to provide a snapshot at any time, or to warn of any excursions in real-time. This is essential for our customers to demonstrate proof of product quality and integrity.”
The partnership between KPN and Dyzle serves a market need for what one analyst firm calls ‘one-stop shop application enablement platforms’. According to ABI Research, these platforms ease data extraction and normalization activities so that M2M applications and enterprise systems can easily consume machine data. The firm says that application enablement platforms will be a ‘critical and necessary’ enabler in the use of M2M in small, medium and larger businesses. In particular, it says that adding value added service capabilities is almost a necessity to avoid commoditization pressures and capture revenues in the largest segment of the M2M value chain.
ABI Research also forecasts that the M2M analytics industry will grow 53 percent over the next five years, to US$14.3 billion in 2018. The forecast includes revenue segmentation for the five components that together enable analytics to be used in M2M services: data integration, data storage, core analytics, data presentation, and associated professional services. It says analytics will play a critical role in the evolution of M2M, serving as the foundation for an increasing number of M2M business cases.
The Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) cold chain technology solution from Dyzle provides interpretation and analysis of measured variables such as temperature, humidity, energy consumption and CO2. The open independent platform can integrate and utilize data collected from any source, whether it is from proprietary systems or legacy technologies. Through the entire supply chain – from storage to transport and distribution – Dyzle collects data, analyzes it, and makes it visible via a ‘one click’ personal dashboard accessible securely over the web from any internet-enabled device; this enables full visibility of the total cold chain.
KPN is the leading telecommunications and ICT service provider in the Netherlands, offering wireline and wireless telephony, internet and TV to consumers and end-to-end telecom and ICT services to business customers. In Germany and Belgium, KPN pursues a Challenger strategy in its wireless operations and holds number three market positions through E-Plus and BASE. KPN provides wholesale network services to third parties and operates an efficient IP-based infrastructure with global scale in international wholesale through iBasis. For M2M we offer PAN European solutions. At December 31st, 2011, KPN served over 44.5 million customers, of which 36.6 million were in wireless services, 4 million in wireline voice, 2.5 million in broadband Internet and 1.4 million in TV. With 18,687 FTEs in the Netherlands (31,084 FTEs for the whole group), KPN reported full-year revenues of EUR 13.1bn and an EBITDA of EUR 5.1bn in 2011. KPN was incorporated in 1989 and is listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.kpn.com/M2M
Dyzle offers customers undisputable evidence for the quality of temperature sensitive products. From farm-to-fork or production-to-patient, Dyzle is able to monitor the cold supply chain in real-time. With different dashboards for general management, quality assurance (QA) and logistics management, customers in food and pharmaceuticals are able to reduce their cost and unburden the stress of regulatory requirements. For more information, visit www.dyzle.com.
@ThingsExpo has been named the Top 5 Most Influential M2M Brand by Onalytica in the ‘Machine to Machine: Top 100 Influencers and Brands.' Onalytica analyzed the online debate on M2M by looking at over 85,000 tweets to provide the most influential individuals and brands that drive the discussion. According to Onalytica the "analysis showed a very engaged community with a lot of interactive tweets. The M2M discussion seems to be more fragmented and driven by some of the major brands present in the...
Oct. 21, 2016 08:45 AM EDT Reads: 11,075
In an era of historic innovation fueled by unprecedented access to data and technology, the low cost and risk of entering new markets has leveled the playing field for business. Today, any ambitious innovator can easily introduce a new application or product that can reinvent business models and transform the client experience. In their Day 2 Keynote at 19th Cloud Expo, Mercer Rowe, IBM Vice President of Strategic Alliances, and Raejeanne Skillern, Intel Vice President of Data Center Group and ...
Oct. 21, 2016 08:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,343
Machine Learning helps make complex systems more efficient. By applying advanced Machine Learning techniques such as Cognitive Fingerprinting, wind project operators can utilize these tools to learn from collected data, detect regular patterns, and optimize their own operations. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Stuart Gillen, Director of Business Development at SparkCognition, discussed how research has demonstrated the value of Machine Learning in delivering next generation analytics to impr...
Oct. 21, 2016 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,560
Data is the fuel that drives the machine learning algorithmic engines and ultimately provides the business value. In his session at Cloud Expo, Ed Featherston, a director and senior enterprise architect at Collaborative Consulting, will discuss the key considerations around quality, volume, timeliness, and pedigree that must be dealt with in order to properly fuel that engine.
Oct. 21, 2016 07:45 AM EDT Reads: 3,721
What happens when the different parts of a vehicle become smarter than the vehicle itself? As we move toward the era of smart everything, hundreds of entities in a vehicle that communicate with each other, the vehicle and external systems create a need for identity orchestration so that all entities work as a conglomerate. Much like an orchestra without a conductor, without the ability to secure, control, and connect the link between a vehicle’s head unit, devices, and systems and to manage the ...
Oct. 21, 2016 07:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,271
Virgil consists of an open-source encryption library, which implements Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) and Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) (including RSA schema), a Key Management API, and a cloud-based Key Management Service (Virgil Keys). The Virgil Keys Service consists of a public key service and a private key escrow service.
Oct. 21, 2016 07:15 AM EDT Reads: 864
Web Real-Time Communication APIs have quickly revolutionized what browsers are capable of. In addition to video and audio streams, we can now bi-directionally send arbitrary data over WebRTC's PeerConnection Data Channels. With the advent of Progressive Web Apps and new hardware APIs such as WebBluetooh and WebUSB, we can finally enable users to stitch together the Internet of Things directly from their browsers while communicating privately and securely in a decentralized way.
Oct. 21, 2016 06:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,783
Amazon has gradually rolled out parts of its IoT offerings, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to optimizing their backend AWS offerings, Amazon is laying the ground work to be a major force in IoT - especially in the connected home and office. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Kocher, founder and managing director of Grey Heron, explained how Amazon is extending its reach to become a major force in IoT by building on its dominant cloud IoT platform, its Dash Button strat...
Oct. 21, 2016 06:15 AM EDT Reads: 4,627
Two weeks ago (November 3-5), I attended the Cloud Expo Silicon Valley as a speaker, where I presented on the security and privacy due diligence requirements for cloud solutions. Cloud security is a topical issue for every CIO, CISO, and technology buyer. Decision-makers are always looking for insights on how to mitigate the security risks of implementing and using cloud solutions. Based on the presentation topics covered at the conference, as well as the general discussions heard between sessi...
Oct. 21, 2016 05:45 AM EDT Reads: 5,036
For basic one-to-one voice or video calling solutions, WebRTC has proven to be a very powerful technology. Although WebRTC’s core functionality is to provide secure, real-time p2p media streaming, leveraging native platform features and server-side components brings up new communication capabilities for web and native mobile applications, allowing for advanced multi-user use cases such as video broadcasting, conferencing, and media recording.
Oct. 21, 2016 05:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,914
Fifty billion connected devices and still no winning protocols standards. HTTP, WebSockets, MQTT, and CoAP seem to be leading in the IoT protocol race at the moment but many more protocols are getting introduced on a regular basis. Each protocol has its pros and cons depending on the nature of the communications. Does there really need to be only one protocol to rule them all? Of course not. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Matthieu, co-founder and CTO of Octoblu, walk you through how Oct...
Oct. 21, 2016 04:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,068
Major trends and emerging technologies – from virtual reality and IoT, to Big Data and algorithms – are helping organizations innovate in the digital era. However, to create real business value, IT must think beyond the ‘what’ of digital transformation to the ‘how’ to harness emerging trends, innovation and disruption. Architecture is the key that underpins and ties all these efforts together. In the digital age, it’s important to invest in architecture, extend the enterprise footprint to the cl...
Oct. 21, 2016 04:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,712
Almost everyone sees the potential of Internet of Things but how can businesses truly unlock that potential. The key will be in the ability to discover business insight in the midst of an ocean of Big Data generated from billions of embedded devices via Systems of Discover. Businesses will also need to ensure that they can sustain that insight by leveraging the cloud for global reach, scale and elasticity.
Oct. 21, 2016 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 10,930
A critical component of any IoT project is what to do with all the data being generated. This data needs to be captured, processed, structured, and stored in a way to facilitate different kinds of queries. Traditional data warehouse and analytical systems are mature technologies that can be used to handle certain kinds of queries, but they are not always well suited to many problems, particularly when there is a need for real-time insights.
Oct. 21, 2016 03:15 AM EDT Reads: 3,839
One of biggest questions about Big Data is “How do we harness all that information for business use quickly and effectively?” Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or spatial technology is about more than making maps, but adding critical context and meaning to data of all types, coming from all different channels – even sensors. In his session at @ThingsExpo, William (Bill) Meehan, director of utility solutions for Esri, will take a closer look at the current state of spatial technology and ar...
Oct. 21, 2016 03:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,649
Explosive growth in connected devices. Enormous amounts of data for collection and analysis. Critical use of data for split-second decision making and actionable information. All three are factors in making the Internet of Things a reality. Yet, any one factor would have an IT organization pondering its infrastructure strategy. How should your organization enhance its IT framework to enable an Internet of Things implementation? In his session at @ThingsExpo, James Kirkland, Red Hat's Chief Arch...
Oct. 21, 2016 02:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,905
The IoT industry is now at a crossroads, between the fast-paced innovation of technologies and the pending mass adoption by global enterprises. The complexity of combining rapidly evolving technologies and the need to establish practices for market acceleration pose a strong challenge to global enterprises as well as IoT vendors. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Clark Smith, senior product manager for Numerex, will discuss how Numerex, as an experienced, established IoT provider, has embraced a ...
Oct. 21, 2016 01:30 AM EDT Reads: 872
Everyone knows that truly innovative companies learn as they go along, pushing boundaries in response to market changes and demands. What's more of a mystery is how to balance innovation on a fresh platform built from scratch with the legacy tech stack, product suite and customers that continue to serve as the business' foundation. In his General Session at 19th Cloud Expo, Michael Chambliss, Head of Engineering at ReadyTalk, will discuss why and how ReadyTalk diverted from healthy revenue an...
Oct. 21, 2016 01:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,912
SYS-CON Events announced today that Hitrons Solutions will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Hitrons Solutions Inc. is distributor in the North American market for unique products and services of small and medium-size businesses, including cloud services and solutions, SEO marketing platforms, and mobile applications.
Oct. 21, 2016 12:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,927
SYS-CON Media announced today that @WebRTCSummit Blog, the largest WebRTC resource in the world, has been launched. @WebRTCSummit Blog offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. @WebRTCSummit Blog can be bookmarked ▸ Here @WebRTCSummit conference site can be bookmarked ▸ Here
Oct. 21, 2016 12:30 AM EDT Reads: 9,583


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Most of us can’t go a day without Facebook – and Mark Zuckerberg and Co. definitely want it that way. For better or for worse, Facebook is a part of the daily routine for millions of people worldwide.
Have you heard the news? Communicating online is about to get a whole lot easier. Facebook already has a monopoly on messaging, but thanks to a merger early next year, it’s about to get a lot more streamlined. But don’t panic!


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Ayrton is delighted to welcome Menzi Ebz of Horgen, Switzerland as the latest addition to its international distributor network. From 15 September, Menzi Ebz will exclusively distribute and support the full Ayrton range of LED lighting fixtures across all three language areas of Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. Until the end of 2019, existing Ayrton customers are welcome to contact the current distributor, cast Switzerland AG in Villeneuve.
Specialising in the distribution of scenic lighting and control, Menzi Ebz was founded in 2010 by the event technology company, Menzi Eventtechnik, and lighting company, Ebz Eichenberger Electric ag, which have sold professional stage lighting since 1950. Menzi Ebz operates in all markets across its region from venues to nightclubs, touring and concerts, television stations, theatre and education.
“Menzi Ebz is one of the leading distribution companies for scenic lighting in Switzerland,” said CEO, Marco Menzi. “We aim to have the industry’s leading brands in our portfolio and pride ourselves on working closely with our customers with a focus on service and support. For this reason, we consider the partnership with Ayrton a perfect match.”
But it is not just a common philosophy that brings the two companies together: “Ayrton is a perfect addition to our portfolio which completely rounds off our sales program,” explained Marco. “Ayrton offers a comprehensive range with their combination of high-output LED moving heads, which are available in all performance classes, and unique, innovative effect fixtures.”
Menzi Ebz marks its new role with an Open Day at its head offices on Tuesday 17 September where it will present Ayrton to its customers for the first time. Members of the Ayrton team will be there to support their activities and meet customers, after which Menzi Ebz will continue its campaign to build up and sustainably promote the Ayrton brand in Switzerland with a broad campaign.
“We are very excited to have Menzi Ebz on board as our latest distributor and look forward to meeting many of their customers face to face at the Open Day,” confirmed Ayrton global sales director, Michael Althaus. “This marks the beginning of a great partnership with a company whom we have known and respected for many years.”


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Produced since the end of last year, Volkswagen ID.3, originally created as an electric car – will get a sports version.
According to “Autocar”, at the moment, Volkswagen is discussing sport modification ID.3 R.
“That’s what we’re looking at. I like this idea, however, we must decide whether the market to adopt this model,” said Frank Walsh in an interview.
Last year foreign colleagues argued that sports modification ID.3 R may get all-wheel drive, in addition, there was information that this version assigns the index of the GTX, writes “Drom.ru”. But now Volkswagen seems to have changed their plans.
“ID.3 can get all-wheel drive, but it is unlikely he will get it in the 1st generation. Modification GTX will not, but we still need to approve the R version with rear-wheel drive,” added Frank Walsh.
Volkswagen ID.3 is equipped with a 200-horsepower electric propulsion, driving the rear wheels. Sports version of the ID.R 3, according to foreign colleagues, will be equipped with a 300-strong unit.
But expect the imminent debut of the racing modification is not: the opinion of foreign colleagues, this will not happen before 2024, as the brand’s need to decide which of the implemented prototype ID.3 R technologies can be applied in production cars.


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In its December review, the Monetary Policy Committee has predictably stuck to status quo on repo rate, while being upbeat on growth, and apparently, a tad less anxious about inflation. Accordingly, it has raised its growth projection for this fiscal from 6.5 per cent in the October review to 7 per cent now, after being surprised by the Q2 growth figure (of 7.6 per cent), which overshot its estimate by 90 basis points. Despite the usual caveats on external uncertainties, this was a policy review with optimism written all over it. This optimism seems to stem from three factors: growth impulses, ebbing inflation fears and stability on the external account.
The MPC would have drawn comfort from signals that the rate hike cycle might have peaked in the advanced economies with the ebbing of inflation there. The rupee has also been less volatile than emerging economy currencies in the face of a rising dollar. This would give the MPC the confidence to focus on domestic growth-inflation dynamics. The fact that foreign inflows are healthy this fiscal, despite a rising dollar, suggests confidence in the Indian economy. Net portfolio inflows this fiscal at $24.9 billion (against net outflows in the last two years) and net FDI flows at $10.4 billion during April-October (half of the last fiscal) would have helped stabilise the currency amidst fickle exports.
On inflation, the policy is slightly dovish. The MPC has retained its October inflation forecast of 5.4 per cent for FY24, which, as the Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has observed, is above the comfort level of 4 per cent. But the difference this time lies in the projection that inflation will fall to touch the magic figure of 4 per cent in Q2 of 2024-25. A rate cut before next September is perhaps off the table. As for the present, Das has said that the need for OMO sales (to mop up liquidity) “had not arisen” — a dovish signal. There has been a liquidity deficit since the ‘hawkish’ August policy review. This coincided with the July retail inflation of 7.4 per cent, now down to 4.8 per cent in October. Das has rightly observed that any intermittent vegetable price shocks can be looked through so long as they do not become generalised. Indeed, this gives rise to a larger question of whether the MPC should focus more on the core (excluding food and fuel) component of retail inflation. A repo rate that allows for a real return of 1-1.25 per cent would perhaps be ideal.
The MPC’s growth outlook is based on “durable urban demand and gradual turnaround in rural demand”, government capex and expectations of an increase in private capex. Capacity utilisation of 74 per cent and a drop in MGNREGS demand in recent months support this hypothesis from the supply and demand side, respectively. However, the MPC has not taken into account the impact of deficient rainfall on rural demand. A cautious approach to easing liquidity should be continued in the context of the election season ahead.


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In 2016, sewing machines are so far off the radar of most children in elementary school, that if you asked a child to identify one in a photo they would probably struggle with the answer. But that is not the case in art teacher Kelly Crayne’s class at Seabreeze Elementary. She and her students in Jacksonville Beach are transforming trash into high fashion. The project teaches creativity, sustainability and practical skills all-in-one. The results are amazing.
Crayne started the Trashion Fashion after-school program for fourth and fifth graders last year and its popularity with the students has soared. Over 50 students participated in this year’s program and fashion show. The students meet once a week and work in teams of three to design and create an outfit from any materials that they can gather together. Each team has two designers and one model. The designers build the outfit around the model, because they don’t have mannequins to work with. When the work is done, they hold a Trashion Fashion show.
“It’s outside the box craziness,” says Crayne. There are no step-by-step instructions. The kids just have to figure things out. And “these girls are insanely creative,” she says.
Their dresses are made with discarded materials like old shower curtains, table cloths and scraps of ribbon. They are held together with hot glue, staples and duct tape. Some of the students even learned how to sew.
Fifth grader Madison Aldridge sewed her dress together from Trader Joe’s brown bags. “Ever since I started designing here, I’ve had this urge to go home and start sketching out outfits,” says Aldridge. She’s hoping to get a sewing machine for her birthday. “I’m going to start designing clothes right away … it’s my passion now.”
“Their dedication has just been incredible,” says Crayne. They spend their free time at home coming up with new ideas to create. At school, they sneak into Crayne’s classroom every chance they get to work on their ideas. “During recess and lunch and before and after school,” she says.
Fifth grade designer Kirsten McClelland is so inspired by the project, she sees her future in fashion. “It has just made me realize that there is more to designing than just designing clothes. And it has made me realize that I can consider this to do something when I grow up. And it makes me want to do this for the rest of my life,” she says.
Every strong fashion collection needs to be photographed. Fifth grader Christopher Smith is their official photographer. Smith and Crayne, who happens to be a professional photographer in addition to being a teacher, took pictures of each of the models in their outfits at various locations around the Beaches area. “It’s affected me big time, because I see me doing photography in the future,” says Smith. “So far a lot of stuff for me has come out of photography … I’ve gone to places that I have never been before to take pictures. And I loved it.” One of the pictures he took last year of student model, Lucy Rhodes, launched her professional modeling career. She was in Miami shooting a Gap ad the day of the Trashion Fashion show and was not able to participate this year.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Education) is the buzzword of the 21st century American classroom these days. Kelly Crane’s curriculum in the art room at Seabreeze Elementary approaches STEM without a fancy science lab or standardized tests. It teaches environmental sustainability, math, design and construction, as well as how to sew a button on a shirt. The latter lesson of practical self-sufficiency will serve her kids throughout life, regardless if they become scientists or fashionistas.


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U.S. One of 7 Countries Achieving Biggest Economic Gains from Digital Innovation
By Associated Press
GENEVA (AP) — The United States, Singapore, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Israel are getting the biggest bang for their buck in economic and digital innovation, according to a survey released Wednesday by the organizers of the Davos economic forum.
The Geneva-based World Economic Forum says in its new Global Information Technology Report that trends suggest individuals, not business or government, are driving the digital revolution and an already large gap in infrastructure between rich and developing countries is widening.
"Governments or businesses are not leveraging digital technology sufficiently," said WEF competitiveness chief Margareta Drzeniek-Hanouz. Developing nations could benefit by providing affordable access to technology, she said, noting how some are exploring new business models to "leapfrog" the Internet into mobile telephone payment systems, for example.
The 289-page report, whose authors also hail from France's Insead business school, Cornell University, and U.S.-based technology company Cisco Systems, said that Singapore topped the list in its Network Readiness Index — a gauge of countries' preparedness to tap into the benefits of emerging technologies. The United States and Japan joined seven European countries rounding out the top 10.
To Learn More:
Global Information Technology Report 2015 (World Economic Forum)
- Top Stories
- Unusual News
- Where is the Money Going?
- U.S. and the World
- Appointments and Resignations
- Latest News
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- U.S. Ambassador to Italy: Who Is Lewis Eisenberg?
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- Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission: Who Is Ajit Pai?


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WASHINGTON, July 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24: NATIONAL DRIVE-THRU DAY
Profile America — Wednesday, July 24th. This is National Drive-Thru Day — noting the popularity of restaurants that take orders by intercom and then pass the food out a window to the customers wanting to keep on the move. The first such service was the idea of Robert Peterson, at a Jack-in-the-Box restaurant in San Diego in 1951, serving hamburgers for just 18 cents. At the time, drive-in restaurants were very popular. The serving staff — some even on roller skates — brought food to people who stayed in their parked cars, with the meal set on a tray attached to the car. Today, drive-throughs are a feature of many of the more than 211,000 fast food restaurants in the U.S., which generate over $151 billion in sales each year. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov
2007 Economic Census, NAICS 722211
Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).
CONTACT: Rick Reed of the U.S. Census Bureau, +1-301-763-2812, fax: +1-301-763-3762, richard.thomas.reed-at-census.gov
SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau


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San Francisco Soup Company, operator of 17 soup, salad and sandwich restaurants around the Bay Area, has selected mobile solutions provider Punchh to create a customised mobile guest rewards program. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons will “automatically identify loyalty program members with Bluetooth-enabled smartphones as they come near to or enter a SF soup restaurant”, the company says. The new program will launch next month on both iOS and Android.
- YesTap tests NFC shopping wall in Amsterdam
- Core Jewels offers diamond rings with NFC
- Revolution Money founder raises funds for location-based marketing venture
- Ecuador’s central bank plans national mobile wallet
- Alipay Wallet hits 190m users


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T.I. thinks people should boycott Starbucks after two Black men were arrested after a store manager said they were trespassing.
On Sunday, TMZ caught up with the rapper at LAX when he said that people have a right to not support the coffee chain after a viral video showing the two men in handcuffs being escorted out by Philadelphia police.
“We should reserve our right to stop spending our money at places that don’t respect us equally,” he said. “Until they’ve made some progressive steps to let us know how they plan on rectifying the situation, I don’t see no other answer.”
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson “personally apologized” to the two men and has plans to meet up with them to address the issue.
“If there’s one thing that America has shown us, [There are] only two ways that you can get their attention,” T.I. said. “The loss of life and the loss of finances.”


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English allows newcomers to go from picking crops to opening a grocery from cleaning offices to running offices from a life of low paying jobs to a diploma, a career, and a home of their own.christian louboutin sale sneakers 2016 My mum helped me with drawing and writing when I was about two and my dad showed me comics and Monty Python, a potent mix. Please notify us of the problem in writing as soon as possible, preferably within 30 working days of delivery of the Bauer Item.
15,000 to get home from Vietnam after horrific Valentine's Day motorcycle smash 'Head, armpits, crotch and toes': Hilarious new video aims to teach spa hygiene etiquette to confused visitors to Iceland We carrot wait for this. I don't think the people of Oxfordshire will be very impressed with a new model of local government imposed on them by the government simply because their cuts were highlighted by the local elected representatives. Classics' month the folk at CrimeFictionLover website asked our editor Alex Thomas to pick out 10 of his favourite classic crime graphic novels that are available digitally.
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Sixth stone-fabricator purchase targets southeastern United States; Tryon now Clio CEO.
Read more: Clio Holdings Acquires Premier Surfaces Inc.
Entries open for industry recognition, plus encouragement for up-and-comers in the trade.
Read more: MIA+BSI Seeks Nominees for 2017 Awards
Marqet Group will develop strategies to expand membership.
Read more: Rockhead Group Changes Management and Adds Marketing Partner
Digital-measuring company adds provincial beats for three representatives.
Read more: Laser Products Heads North for Sales with Canada Expansion
Stone-and-tile-industry crowds larger than last two events in Chicago and Orlando.
Read more: Coverings ’17 Draws Nearly 28K
Quartz producer opens new gallery/studio a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Manhattan Beach.
Read more: Cambria Goes Surfside with Southern California Location
On-site construction work get 90-day reprieve; fabricators, others still face compliance next summer.
Read more: OSHA’s June 23 Silica Deadline Delayed
Thornton moves to director of business development.
Read more: Laser Products Expands Sales Team


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Harrisburg, PA (PRWEB) March 01, 2013
TE Connectivity (TE) announces a regional distribution agreement with WireMasters, Inc., of Columbia, Tenn. This new relationship will increase product accessibility to customers throughout North, Central and South Americas and improve customer service and delivery.
"We are excited to bring on WireMasters as a wire and cable (W&C) distributor to provide quick-turn supply of TE W&C products to our North- and South-American customer base,” said Mark Sawyer, Director of Product Management, TE Connectivity, Global Aerospace, Defense & Marine. “WireMasters’ credibility and reputation for high-quality service makes this an exciting opportunity for both companies. We’re looking forward to delivering an extraordinary customer experience in this market."
In addition to their current product offering, WireMasters will now be stocking TE’s SPEC 55 cross-linked ETFE / specified to Boeing Specification standard BMS13-48, Electroloss FilterLine cables, High-Speed Data Cables, SPEC 44 cross-linked PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride), and custom-designed EPD cables.
“Adding TE’s product line to our inventory is a huge strategic milestone for our company,” said David Hill, President and CEO of WireMasters, Inc. “As we continue to grow, we strive daily to enhance our customers’ satisfaction. Adding TE is a significant step towards that goal. This is just one of multiple enhancements customers can expect from WireMasters.”
As an AS9100 Rev. C and ISO 9001:2008 certified company, WireMasters has experienced consistent growth throughout the aerospace industry. By establishing their agreement with TE Connectivity and recently expanding operations to Mesa, Ariz., WireMasters continues to grow and serve their customers.
Founded in 1988, WireMasters Inc. is a leading international distributor of high-performance and high-temperature military specification wire, cable and associated accessories. The company’s headquarters in Columbia, Tenn., warehouses millions of feet of wire and cable inventory. For more information on WireMasters, visit http://www.wiremasters.net.
For more information on TE Connectivity, visit http://www.te.com/adm.
SPEC 55, SPEC 44, EPD, TE Connectivity and the TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks of the TE Connectivity Ltd. family of companies.
About TE Connectivity
TE Connectivity is a $13 billion world leader in connectivity. The company designs and manufactures products at the heart of electronic connections for the world’s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, healthcare, and aerospace and defense. TE Connectivity’s long-standing commitment to innovation and engineering excellence helps its customers solve the need for more energy efficiency, always-on communications and ever-increasing productivity. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, TE Connectivity makes connections the world relies on to work flawlessly every day. To connect with the company, visit: http://www.TE.com.


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Images of McLaren MP4-12 650S have leaked online ahead of a planned unveiling for the supercar at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.
Created in response to customer demand for an edgier version of the McLaren MP4-12C offering greater levels of driver engagement, the 650S runs a more heavily tuned version of McLaren’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 direct-injection engine producing a claimed 25 hp more than the variant used by standard sibling for a total of 641 hp (as its name suggests 650 ps – metric hp).
The MP4-12C 650S’s official public unveiling will be in Switzerland in early March, although information passed on to prospective customers at a private presentation of the new two-seater held last week suggest it is also in line to receive a series of modifications to its seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, suspension, steering, brakes and aerodynamics.
Along with the various mechanical and aerodynamic changes, the MP4-12C 650S is also claimed to adopt a lightened carbon fiber body and other weight-saving measures, including carbon fiber seats from McLaren’s recently launched gas-electric hybrid powered flagship supercar, the P1.
The 650S is distinguished from its standard MP4-12C by a new front bumper resembling that of the P1 together with various other exterior styling changes.
[youtube YCdOWLgFp9Q 650]


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The remarkable 2016 profit results released today by Qantas shows the success of Australia's export tourism industry has far reaching impact, with Qantas International showing a $1 billion turnaround from its 2014 results.
“Our industry continues to play a major role in Australia’s economic success and today this is evidenced by the record results recorded by Qantas, which continues to provide an outstanding product for international visitors,” ATEC Managing Director, Peter Shelley said today.
“Qantas has worked hard to align is product with market demands and this, along with the huge growth in international visitation, has underpinned today’s results.
“Qantas has also recognised the value of building strategic partnerships with state and national level tourism marketing bodies and we welcome their commitment to Australia’s tourism industry.”
Mr Shelley said other Qantas airline partnerships and re-allocated routes were connecting well with the current and growing demand from key markets.
“The US, UK, Japan and New Zealand are all markets on the upswing and Qantas has supported increased demand from these markets through re-allocation of capacity.
“The latest forecasts for Australia's tourism exports have been upwardly revised and our international arrivals expected to increase by an additional 5.2 million by 2025, so the commercial sustainability of our national carrier is an important part of the equation.
“We congratulate Qantas on these strong results and its commitment to the growth of Australia’s export tourism industry.”


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ROCK N ROLL FANTASY CAMP
Fab Four Fantasy Camp
October 9 – 13, 2013
Las Vegas, Nevada
Bruce Spizer will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp celebrating the music of the Beatles. The Fab Four Fantasy Camp will be held from October 9 – 13, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Also appearing will be drummer Denny Seiwell, guitarists Denny Laine and Laurence Juber, keyboardist Gary Wright and May Pang, as well as a weekend appearance by the Fab Faux.
In addition to giving talks on the Beatles, Bruce will be signing copies of his books and participating as a camper. “I used to play Beatles songs in various bands I was in during my high school and college days,” Spizer said. “I am looking forward to the experience of playing with and learning from the great musicians who will be there. I’ve already taken my Gretsch Duo Jet out of my closet and started practicing! I hope to see some of my friends and book customers at camp.”


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Strong manufacturing and export data helped Indian markets to surge
Indian markets began the week on a strong note, following a surge in manufacturing activity in the month of February and rise in exports for the third consecutive month in January. The market gained momentum after a surge in Tata Motors on reports that the company had reported strong vehicle sales in February. At the end of the day, the Sensex shot up 343 points from Friday’s close to 16,773, while the Nifty closed at 5,017, up 95 points. Tomorrow we expect the market to stay up.
At the end of the day, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) rose 1% on reports of a possible acquisition of Canada’s Value Creation.
Tata Motors rose 12% after the company reported that its total vehicle sales rose 58.46% to 69,427 units in February 2010 over February 2009.
Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren gained 3%, after the company bagged overseas orders aggregating Rs600 crore for supplying pipes and plates.
Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision declined 5%, after Dhilin H Mehta, chairman & managing director and also a promoter of the company, pledged additional 3.80 crore shares representing 4.81% stake of the firm.
Everest Kanto Cylinder gained 3%, after the company won three orders aggregating $27 million to export CNG cylinders.
EdServ Softsystems rose 5% after the company acquired Chennai-based e-learning firm, SmartLearn WebTV.
Glenmark Generics Inc, a subsidiary of Glenmark Generics, has received ANDA approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration for Ropinirole Hydrochloride and will immediately commence marketing and distribution of the approved product. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals gained 2%.
Reliance Media World’s radio division Big 92.7 FM has entered into a partnership with OnMobile Global, to launch a radio experience on the mobile platform. The stock shot up 4%.
As per reports, prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday ruled out rolling back a price hike in retail fuel prices despite pressure from his main allies, saying that populist policies would hurt the economy in the long term. He also tried to calm the fears of fuel price hike stoking inflation by saying that the direct effect on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) will be no more than 0.4%.
During trading hours, global ratings agency Moody’s Investor's Service said that the latest Budget represents a strong intention to renew fiscal discipline, which coupled with a fuel price increase announced last week are positive for its sovereign rating on India. Moody’s rates India’s local currency sovereign rating as ‘Ba2’ and assigned a positive outlook in December 2009.
The manufacturing industry in February 2010 grew at its fastest pace in 20 months, expanding for the third month, thanks to expanding output and new orders, a survey showed. The HSBC Markit Purchasing Managers' Index, based on a survey of 500 companies, rose to 58.5 in February, its strongest reading since June 2008, from 57.7 in January. A reading above 50 means activity is expanding.
Exports rose an annual 11.5% in January 2010 to $14.3 billion, the third consecutive rise after 13 straight months of decline, the government said. Imports rose 35.5% from a year earlier to $24.7 billion. The trade deficit stood at $10.4 billion in January compared with $5.4 billion a year earlier. Exports for April-January, the first 10 months of the 2009-10 fiscal year, were down 17.8% at $131.9 billion from the same period in the previous year.
During the day, Asia’s key benchmark indices in Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan rose between 0.2%-1.29%. However, indices in China and Hong Kong fell between 0.48%-0.72%. According to reports, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) derived from a survey conducted by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) fell to 52 in February from 55.8 in January.
As per media reports, the Australian central bank raised its cash rate another quarter of a percentage point to 4%.
On Monday, 1 March 2010, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 79 points while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite were up 11 points and 35 points respectively.
The ISM reported that the manufacturing sector continued to grow in February 2010, even though it fell to 56.5 from 58.4 in January, as the gauge remained over 50. On the consumer front, personal spending rose 0.5% in January, even though income gained only 0.1%. Spending on both durable and non-durable goods was strong.
According to the US commerce department, the fourth-quarter gross domestic product of the US grew at a 5.9% annual rate, rather than the 5.7% pace it estimated last month.
In premarket trading, the Dow was trading 44 points higher.


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Batman, Superman and those mighty Avengers will be up for grabs at no cost to you Saturday, also known as Free Comic Book Day. Sure, you might be planning a night of margaritas and salsa dancing, but clear your day for local comic stores’ festivities. They’re offering lots of free comic books, discounts and special guests, welcoming diehard comic fans and newcomers. We checked in with five stores.
ARCADIAN COMICS & GAMES
627 Monmouth St., Newport. 859-291-5071, www.arcadiancomics.com
Hours: noon-7 p.m. Monday and Thursday; noon-8 p.m. Wednesday; noon-10 p.m. Friday, and noon-6 p.m. Saturday.
Special guests: "Local artist Russell Ihrig," says owner Steve Struharik, "and possibly a few others."
What does Free Comic Book Day mean to you? "Participation in FCBD is something we do to increase awareness of the comics medium," says Struharik, "both to bring new readers in and show current readers there are books outside the superhero spectrum. Far and away our favorite thing about comics is helping people find things, read new stories, and find out there's a whole new world of options in comic books."
Deals and other promotions: Donations will be accepted for the Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides walk on May 19. Mothers will receive 20 percent off all purchases on May 12. Arcadian's first anniversary party is June 27.
COMIC BOOK WORLD
7130 Turfway Road, Florence. 859-371-9562, www.comicbookworld.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday
Special guests: "From 11 a.m.-3 p.m.," says manager Mark Craddock, "we will have the Black-n-Bluegrass RollerGirls, Travis Fessler of the Pickled Brothers Magic Show and KITT, a Knight Rider Replica car."
What does Free Comic Book Day mean to you? "We've participated in Free Comic Book Day since it began in 2002," Craddock says. "It's a great way to showcase what comic books have to offer everyone, promote reading, and is simply a great treat for the whole family."
Deals and other promotions: 20 percent off all of your purchases and other specials throughout Free Comic Book Day. Look for more as Comic Book World celebrates its 30th anniversary.
COMICS 2 GAMES
8470 US 42, Florence. 859-647-7568, www.comics2games.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Special guests: "No guests … just great deals," says manager Mike Viox.
What does Free Comic Book Day mean to you? "Our philosophy about FCBD is simple: community," Viox says. " This day gives us a chance for everybody, whether they have the funds or not, to get free comics, 42 in total. Reading and imagination are important."
Deals and other promotions: "Great deals on practically everything in the shop," Viox says.
QUEEN CITY COMICS
6600 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield, 513-860-5805, 6101 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge, 513-351-5674; www.queencitycomics.com
Hours: For both stores, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday; 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday
What does Free Comic Book Day mean to you? "I believe it's something that is good for our industry as a whole," says Geoff Hoffman. "It's kind of a change for us to give something back to our customers, and it does something that attracts new readers by giving them the opportunity to try comics in general — maybe something they haven't tried."
Deals and other promotions: Hoffman says his stores are planning specials on toys and comics. He also says the Pleasant Ridge shop is planning its 25th anniversary events happening Memorial Day weekend.
UP UP & AWAY!
4016 Harrison Ave., Cheviot. 513-661-6300, www.uuacomics.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily but 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Opening specially at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Special guests: "We're very pleased to welcome ‘The Walking Dead’ co-creator and original artist Mr. Tony Moore," says owner Kendall Swafford. "Tony is currently a freelance artist working for Marvel Comics. … Interest in ‘The Walking Dead’ has exploded with the second season of the hit AMC series, and who better to feature in our store than one of the architects of ‘The Walking Dead’?"
What does Free Comic Book Day mean to you? “For visitors new to the store and new to comics, there's never a better chance to sample all that the comic book medium has to offer," Swafford says. "Comic books are simply illustrated fiction, and the subject matter is more broad and diverse today than it’s ever been. And what better opportunity to sample all that comics have to offer than on a day when you can choose from over three dozen comics absolutely free?"
Deals/promotions: 50,000 comics, all at 50¢ each. "Free Comic Book Day also brings with it our biggest savings of the year, as we empty the warehouse for incredible savings on tens of thousands of comic books, both new and old! Members of the Ohio 501st Garrison will be dressed as everyone's favorite ‘Star Wars’ characters, and a certain amazing web-slinger might just stop by!" Up, Up & Away! also holds Comic Book Trivia every Thursday at Maury's Tiny Cove.