text:
DesignMiami/ will come to Hong Kong in 2015, though in what shape and form remains to be decided, Rodman Primack says.
Speaking to BlouinArtinfo on the side of Art Basel in Hong Kong, the newly appointed director of DesignMiami said “we will do something for sure next year here. Whether it’s a fair or some other iteration” adding, “ We could do an exhibition or a series of talks, a number of things around design. It remains to be seen.”
Asked about the upcoming fair in Basel next month, Primack said he’d noticed a return to very natural materials like marble, leather, and bronze. “Very traditional materials are coming back, not necessarily in very traditional ways, but a very visible materiality. It’s interesting to see designers are making things either exclusively out of those materials, or combining things with carbon fibers and other newer materials,” he said.
And with the Miami edition celebrating its 10-year-anniversary in December, Primack said it was the opportunity to look at the fair for the next 10 years. “For me the fair doesn’t need to grow, really. The metric for success would not be the number of booths, that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m wanting to tell a more complete story of 20th-century design while maintaining our vision on what is best in the 21st century, and maybe getting some opportunity of looking at older things, like 19th-century furniture and how it fits into 20th-century design.”
Primark said he had no intention of pushing the fair away from French furniture design, which has been its main staple, but acknowledges there’s room for a little more range. “I would like to see more voices, whether they are contemporary or vintage, I would love to see more French Art Deco, I’d like to see us expand more into Scandinavia, not just the most typical ones,” he said.
While the fair is already actively planning celebrations for Miami, he said, no details would be revealed until after the Basel edition.


text: Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has said that he expects to complete the merger of the Italian carmaker with its US partner Chrysler in 2014. "We will succeed in doing it," Marchionne said in an interview Sunday with the chief editor of La Repubblica national newspaper. "With Veba (the United Auto Workers union retiree health benefits fund, a Chrysler shareholder) we have different opinions on the value of Chrysler but will solve the problem in 2014," he added. Asked whether the group will maintain its headquarters in Italy's Turin or elsewhere, Marchionne said that Fiat "has a large presence everywhere in the world and this will depend on access to financial markets and the choice of the Agnelli family (founder of the group)", reported Xinhua. Whether the group will be called Fiat or Chrysler in the future, Marchionne said it has been not decided yet, but reassured that all the Italian workers presently employed will be kept. Fiat took control of Chrysler in 2009 as the third largest US automaker emerged from a government-financed restructuring under bankruptcy protection. After winning a 20 percent stake in exchange for sharing technology and leadership, it expanded its control by purchasing shares owned by the American government and Veba. The Italian carmaker has exercised two call options on obtaining shares from Veba, which will ultimately raise its holding to 65 percent from the current 58.5 percent. Marchionne's comments came following his announcement in January that the ties between the two automakers were ‘irreversible’, after Fiat closed 2012 with a net income of more than 1.4 billion euros ($1.9 billion) boosted by Chrysler. Last year, the Fiat-controlled carmaker reported a profit of $1.7 billion, sharply higher than the $183 million in 2011, with a turnover increased by 20 percent to $65.8 billion in 2012 compared to $55 billion the previous year.

domain: news


text:
Atlanta will soon be getting our very own Michelin Guide! Every year, the Michelin Tire Company announces their ratings of various restaurants around the world.
Previously, no Atlanta restaurants had been considered for Michelin stars, but on July 11, Michelin announced their anonymous inspectors would be visiting Atlanta to possibly award stars.
“We want to recognize that Atlanta is a culinary powerhouse, with a long list of styles and flavors for foodies to enjoy. One might immediately associate the city with Southern cuisine, and rightfully so, but there is much depth here that should not go overlooked,” said the International Director of the Michelin Guides, Gwendal Poullennec, in a press release. Atlanta’s cultural diversity is certainly reflected in its culinary scene, drawing from Ethiopian to Korean to Mexican cooking, especially on the famed Buford Highway.
Every restaurant under consideration is visited several times a year to determine its quality of food, mastery of cooking techniques, and variety and harmony of flavors. One star signifies the restaurant is high quality and worth a stop, two stars means excellent and worth prioritizing, and the highest level of three stars signifies exceptional quality and that the restaurant should be a part of your travel plans.
However, even one star is a tremedous accomplishment and would be a huge recognition to Atlanta’s culinary scene, given no Atlanta restaurants have any stars currently. Michelin also gives “Bib Gourmand Status” for restaurants that serve the most affordable high quality food and Michelin Green stars to reward environmentally sustainable cooking practices.
While it may seem strange that the Michelin Tire company is such an authoritative figure in restauranteering, their stars are some of the most respected rankings in the food community. The practice started as giving recommendations to tourists in hopes to make them drive more and therefore need more tires, but now the process has become very official.
Eater Atlanta polled its readers on guesses for which restaurants will get stars. Some popular choices were Lazy Betty, Bacchanalia and Mujo. Lazy Betty is a high end restaurant with four or seven course meals. Mujo is a Japanese sushi restaurant where you never order. Your dishes are hand selected by the chef and the meals change each day.
Similarly, Bacchanalia’s menu is always changing, though it always features fresh food from the owner’s farm Summerland.
Atlantans are optimistic about their chances, but it is possible to get no stars. Last year, Michelin visited Denver, Colorado and awarded no stars to any restaurants in the area. Nevertheless, restaurants and visitors alike hope Atlanta’s diverse mix of culinary styles and cultures will be appreciated and highlighted in the guide with multiple awarded stars.


text:
I watched most of the debate the other night on CNN. It was appalling. The matter of IT came up:
“iPad, the Macs, the iPhones, they are all manufactured in China. How do you convince a great American company to bring that manufacturing back here?”
“The answer is very straightforward. We can compete with anyone in the world as long as the playing field is level. China’s been cheating over the years. One, by holding down the value of their currency. Two, by stealing our intellectual property, our designs, our patents, our technology â€” there’s even an Apple store in China that’s a counterfeit Apple Store, selling counterfeit goods. They hack into our computers. We will have to have people play on a fair basis.”
“Candy, there are some jobs that are not going to come back,” he said. “Because they are low wage, low skill jobs. I want high wage, high skill jobs. That’s why we have to emphasize manufacturing. That’s why we have to invest in advanced manufacturing. That’s why we’ve got to make sure that we’ve got the best science and research in the world.”
Still the polls have those two neck and neck… One has no clue how emerging markets work. After China raises wages there will be India and other SE Asia countries, and finally, Africa. Even South America will eventually be a force in IT. Obama is right. Some of those low-wage jobs will never come back. Neither will there be enough high-wage jobs for everyone in USA. The whole structure of the US economy must be changed. Obama seems willing to do some of that. Romney seems intent on preserving the tip of the pyramid and leaving the rest to drown.
That’s just in hardware. In software the same thing applies. The world can make its own software and share it at much lower cost than M$ and Apple do (well, Apple is not that bad but bundles the software with expensive hardware for the same effect). Sooner or later China will be exporting CPUs competitive with Intel. They do already with ARM. They have good volume but not the highest throughput CPUs yet. That will take a few years but it is inevitable.
Wintel is becoming legacy industry and not competitive on price/performance. There is no way that it can compete relying on a crumbling retail monopoly when many millions already use FLOSS and love the price/performance. It’s just a matter of time before OEMs and retailers desert M$ and Intel. The world wants small cheap computers and Wintel cannot/will not supply them.
Then there was the budget. Romney seems to feel the budget is only numbers and that he can fix it by adding and subtracting. He has not divulged a budget of any substance yet. He is going to make tax cuts and invest in war and he’s telling the middle class they won’t be harmed… That does not add up. Still the voters like Romney’s style.
Obama has opened the gates of government to FLOSS. He understands but do the voters? They seem not to be there yet. The voters sampled seem hung up on style and not on substance. The election will be critical for the possibility of a fool or a wise man to run things for a few years. I dread Romney taking office. He could well undo adoption of FLOSS in USA which will damage the US economy upon which my country depends and he could plunge the world into yet another economic or violent war for no good reason. We live in dangerous times.


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Just before Thanksgiving 2016, 95 truckers and dockworkers employed by Lakeville Motor Express in Roseville were laid off without notice and the company filed for bankruptcy. Soon after, the workers and their union—a Teamsters local—filed a complaint with the NLRB claiming that Motor Express “actually continued to operate, just at a different location in the Twin Cities and under the new name LME Inc.”
Last year, the NLRB found the two companies had been acting as “alter egos” and ordered LME to pay $1.25 million in back pay. Workers received the first of these payments this month.
LME continues to deny the accusation of wrongly dismissing Motor Express workers in favor of cheaper nonunion laborers.


text:
The latest news and views in selling automation
News, articles and guides from the team at AMO. Get the inside track on our R+D plus the best academic research on bringing automation to a critical part of your business – selling.
Wish your sales team was more productive? You’re not alone! Frustrated, annoyed, or uncertain. An internet of advice and claimed solutions. 19 steps to success…
Over 300 manufacturers gathered for the latest KTN webinar in The Manufacturing Made Smarter Series covering the subject of Mass Customisation. Emerging digital technologies were
Selling online seems to become more important every day. We work with manufacturers and distributors of ‘made to order’ B2B products that would like to
The subject of Artificial Intelligence has collected more than its fair share of misinformation and hype. Terminology can become blurred and expressions incorrectly used. Read
The recent furore over a lack of Covid-19 testing has been a timely reminder of the importance of language. The language used in communications messages


text:
Quick Note: BlackBerry Maker RIM Gets Sued for Bluetooth Tech Patent Infringement
December 11, 2012 8:48 AM
comment(s) - last by
Wi-LAN file suit for Bluetooth technology
It seems as though everyone is picking on RIM these days. Last month we talked about RIM
losing a patent infringement case to Nokia
relating to Wi-Fi technology.
Today we learned that RIM is involved in a new patent suit that has been filed by Wi-LAN in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The company is suing RIM for infringing on U.S. patent number 6,260,168, which relates to Bluetooth technology.
Wi-LAN alleges that the
and an assortment of other BlackBerry smartphones infringe on the patent. The smartphones named in the suit include the BlackBerry Bold, Torch, Pearl, and Storm.
RIM has offered no official comment on the suit.
Wi-LAN is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and preliminary as well as permanent injunctions to block RIM from infringing on its technology in the future. The company currently licenses its patents to more than 255 companies around the world.
While RIM has
seen its fortunes rise somewhat in the past few months
, the company is mostly betting the farm on the success of BB10. That mobile operating system will
debut in late January
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Dock(et) Blocked Again!
12/11/2012 11:28:06 AM
Come on... Let a player play!
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text:
It took a couple of tries before Deb Putnoi’s Peloton found its forever home. When the exercise bike first arrived, she set it up in her son’s room; he was at college. When the 20-year old returned in mid-March amid coronavirus concerns, he was cool with it. He used the bike often and didn’t mind when his mother and 23-year old sister, also home from school, stopped by for a class.
Until he did.
“My daughter likes to work out early, and my son likes to sleep in,” said Putnoi, an artist and educator. So she moved the Peloton to the second-floor family room, relocated her Zoom teaching setup to the living room and her mask-making station to the hall. “Always pivoting!” she said. “They need a lot of exercise. It’s keeping them sane.”
Kimberly Huestis, founder of jewelry company Porcelain and Stone, reconfigured the dining room of the Huron Village rental she shares with her husband to make way for an exercise bike, rower, and power tower. In December, the couple discussed purchasing a single piece of equipment, thinking they didn’t have room for more. Not so. They pushed aside the dining table, which now functions as Huestis’s in-home studio, and replaced their whiskey collection in the built-in hutch with jewelry-making tools. “I’m aiming for five pull-ups at the end of this,” she said. “Currently at one, up from zero!”
Between March 16 and April 30, Peloton extended the free trial period of its digital subscription service from 30 to 90 days. The company’s third quarter shareholder letter reported that during that time, 1.1 million-plus people signed up for their free trial and completed more than 8 million workouts. Home renovation site Houzz reported that home gym equipment sales have been eight times higher than they were prior to the pandemic.
Not everyone feels the need to shop, however. The search term “home workouts, no equipment” trended on the social image-sharing site Pinterest, with a 329 percent increase between March 4 and March 17 compared with the two weeks prior.
Fitness programs are seeing increases on digital platforms. Pilates-based workout studio Xtend Barre, which had already offered recorded and live classes on its Openfit app, launched more live classes in mid-March once studios suspended in-person instruction. The subscriptions doubled from March 15 – April 19.
Beezee Honan is a live streaming convert. “I don’t miss the early morning drive or the anxiety about getting a spot near a fan and not too close to the stereo speakers,” she said. Honan, an account manager at Designer Bath/Salem Plumbing Supply in Watertown and Beverly, had to reorganize her basement to accommodate her new routine. Then organize it again to accommodate the contents of her college-aged son’s dorm room when he arrived home. “You need a certain square footage to do a virtual conditioning class,” she said. “I have hit the built-in cabinets and the foosball table inadvertently.”
Emily Webster, proprietor of design company Langford & Lewis, went from self-described “couch potato” to Zoom fitness junkie. She participates in live classes twice a day, six days a week in her living room. Webster dragged a decorative screen out of the garage to use as a backdrop and to hide the dining room from her fellow classmates and instructor. In the morning she pushes the coffee table out of the way and opens the screen. After class she pushes the screen to the corner, tucking her props and weights behind it. “I love the online community and camaraderie and seeing people from all over the country!” she said.
Xtend Barre has also observed this desire for community connection. “Members are logging in early to connect via Openfit’s classroom chat feature,” said Selina Tobaccowala, chief digital officer of Openfit.
Lindsay Gibson, owner of Majestic Yoga Studio in Cambridge, began offering live group classes on Zoom on March 16, one day after in-person instruction stopped. She has been Skyping with private clients for about 10 years, so was able to pivot quickly. “It’s a way to connect with people on some level, though sometimes I feel like a girl stuck in a box,” she said describing the digital experience. “Yoga and meditation are intimate; we’ve worked hard to adapt our way of teaching.”
As for her clients’ responses to the online offerings?
“Gratitude that we’re doing this for them,” she said. “It makes me want to cry.”


text:
Sydney startup Snooper has developed an app allowing anyone to earn cash while they are shopping, filling up petrol, or having a drink at a bar.
Andrew Rothwell, cofounder of Tyro Payments as he gears up to join Data Republic at its Chief Operating Officer in late May.
Prospa has announced the closing of $25 million in funding led by AirTree Ventures, which will be used to help the business grow its technology and team.
Startup Glamazon is allowing its users to connect with on-demand beauty services and salons through a mobile app similar to Uber.
Looking to solve provide users a chance to collect and spend loyalty points across a broad spectrum of merchants and sectors is startup Loyalty App.
Last night, co-founder of BodyWise Mike Halligan penned a personal blog post on the latest developments around his fitness app.


text:
Netflix Inc is an American multinational entertainment company founded on
August 29, 1997, ... In 2000, Netflix offered to be acquired by Blockbuster for $50
million, but the offer ... In addition, ...
Apr 23, 2013 ... Netflix has found its way back from near oblivion. But the happy ending still
needs a bit of work. On the one hand, it's impossible not to be ...
But Netflix didn't shun all algorithm and data efforts. To the ... The decision was
based on a number of factors and seemingly almost entirely on data. The reality
is that ... They take various “screen shots” to look at “in the moment”
characteristics. Netflix .... How much would it go up if Netflix licenses, say, Mad
Men vs. Sons ...
Sep 11, 2016 ... But interestingly, RBC Capital's Mark Mahaney found that Amazon Prime
subscribers are more likely to subscribe to Netflix than regular ...
Jan 18, 2016 ... Netflix's share movement could depend on how its subscriber ... Beyond the
Badge · Collected on Campus · Community · Politics · Data Behind the Headlines
.... are much of the focus, with Netflix "it's all about the subscriber numbers," said
... But she notes that looking onl...
Jun 10, 2013 ... Many listen to music through Spotify. ... And that number includes a lot of
documentary lovers. ... Just take a look at the docs that are available right now to
stream. ... I appreciate how Netflix serves me, but do the doc filmmakers feel the
love ... as one director said, sometimes leaves “the little guys behind.”.
Jul 29, 2013 ... I'm sure, like me, many of you who use the service, have found yourselves ... And
so you go elsewhere, like Amazon, or look for the film on DVD ... are not up to
date EX: the walking dead is on season 6 but in Netflix it's ..... and if Netflix doesn'
t start increasing the number of movies to stream I'm o...
Aug 12, 2016 ... Netflix may put a huge number of movies and TV shows at your fingertips, ... web
apps have popped up, offering a better way to search for the movies and ...
options, the site isn't limited just to Netflix's U.S. catalog but doesn't yet have ...
While Netflix's recommendations often make you wonder how mu...
Oct 14, 2016 ... Looking at our traffic numbers, the connection between October and horror-
driven content is clear. But still, it's disappointing that Netflix just doesn't care
about genre ... a perfunctory follow-up to Saw, which is pretty much exactly what it
is. .... Walks Behind the Rows that all adults over 18 should get th...
Jul 18, 2016 ... That's 30% below estimates, and close to 50% less than the number it added in ...
Wow, Netflix earnings: "We are growing, but not as fast as we would like or have
been. ... The culprit behind much of the miss appears to be the recent ... The
company recently announced that users who signed up at the old .....


text:
Island hopping and vikings! What's not to love?
In a developer interview on Nintendo's YouTube channel with Kensuke Tanabe, it was revealed that, in addition to Diddy and Dixie, there is still a third unannounced playable character.
Tanabe also detailed a new plucking and throwing mechanic, similar to Super Mario Bros. 2, and showed how plucking certain items can also be used to solve puzzles.
He also spoke about the new camera rotation present, which breaks from the series' tradition of using only 2D planes. This allows the camera to pan around as the player moves through the level to reveal new areas.
Tanabe's team wanted to use powerful water-focused animals in the game, which led to their choice of seafaring vikings as enemies. The game will focus on this water theme by having players hop from island to island as they progress throughout the game.


text:
The Reputation Institute presented its ranking of companies with the best reputation in Mexico, which include Japanese Sony at the top of the list however no Mexican company made in the top 10.
In an interview with high level executive, Enrique Johnson, director for Spain and Latin America of the Reputation Institute, explained that “when we talk about reputation, what we are talking about is the perception that different stakeholders have of what a company has done in the past, what he is doing today, but above all and fundamentally, the expectations they have of the companies “.
To make the ranking of the companies with the best reputation, seven different aspects were taken into account: Financial results, Integrity, Citizenship, Leadership, Innovation, Work environment and Quality of products and services.
An important fact is that none of the companies analyzed reaches the “Excellent” reputation grade, which is awarded with more than 80 points. Last year Google – which has topped the list in the previous four years – did get this distinction.
“This has more to do with an aspect that is happening worldwide, about the loss of confidence of society over companies. There are aspects that are impacting the reputation of companies, it has to do with political and economic aspects worldwide and is happening all over the world equally, “adds Johnson.
To find a national company it is necessary to look up to position number 22, where Grupo Lala is located. One seat higher was Grupo Modelo, which now belongs to the Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Cinépolis, which last year ranked in the top 10, went down to number 27, a place below Grupo Jumex.
According to Johnson, this is because Mexican society is more demanding with the companies in the country.
“There is a series of expectations that have not been met or have not been met by companies, which is causing a penalty on the part of society, on issues such as concern for good causes or concern for environment”.
“And above all, and this is a key thing that we see in this study, Mexican companies that work in this environment are more required than multinational companies.”
This, he adds, is something that should change the industry in our country, because there is a perception that they do not work on issues of social responsibility, despite the fact that many companies do so with great results.
Here we present the list of companies with the best reputation in the country in 2018:
- The Walt Disney Company


text:
The CEO of Softbank, which is trying to buy a majority ownership in Sprint, says a competing bid from Dish is based on "incomplete and illusory" numbers.
The CEO of Softbank, which is trying to buy a majority ownership in Sprint, says a competing bid from Dish is based on “incomplete and illusory” numbers.
Dish Network Corp. has characterized its $25.5 billion bid for Sprint Nextel Corp. as superior to Softbank’s. In a presentation Tuesday in Tokyo, Softbank Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son said the comparison is not “apples to apples” and omits crucial factors.
Softbank agreed in October to buy 70 percent of Sprint for $20.1 billion. That deal is set to close July 1. Dish launched its competing bid for all of Sprint two weeks ago. A committee of Sprint’s board is examining it.
Wall Street analysts view Dish’s bid as superior. Son says Softbank’s deal is worth 21 percent more than Dish’s, all factors considered.
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text:
Bob Lutz, current executive for BMW and GM, is a man known for making bold statements. Lutz doesn’t shy away from saying what’s on his mind. Lutz recently appeared on CNBC and discussed Apple’s intentions to get into the automotive industry at some point and he didn’t have kind things to say about it.
This comes immediately after the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was definitely going forward with some sort of automobile and was even tripling the size of its development team. Lutz claims to think that Apple is wasting both its time and massive amounts of money, as he feels that it has absolutely no chance of working. He isn’t the only detractor, however. It’s a commonly shared feeling in the auto industry, that Apple will fail miserably if it actually goes through with this. After all, Tesla is the only new car company to be founded by a non-car company and succeed. There have been several and they’ve all gone up in flames. The auto industry is possibly the most difficult one to get into.
Admittedly, Apple does have a lot going for it, namely money. Being one of the wealthiest companies in the world, Apple can pretty much break into any industry it wants. But the auto industry is a very low-margin industry with extremely stiff competition. This isn’t the phone industry where the margins are sky-high. Lutz mentions this when asked if he thought Apple’s decision is a good one.
“No, I don’t think so. If I were a shareholder I’d be very upset because they’re currently engaged in a very high-margin business and the automobile business, at best, is a very low margin business. And you can’t show me one company in the world that, to date, has made a nickel on electric cars. They are generally money losers and the only reason that everyone is producing them is because they are necessary to meet European fuel economy regulations and U.S. fuel economy regulations. There is absolutely no reason to assume that Apple is going to be financially successful in the electric car business.”
While some may say that Apple enjoys high margins in everything it does and would do the same in the auto industry, it doesn’t necessarily work like that. The production cost of automobile is considerably higher than iPods. Then there’s the distribution which is far more expensive, the legal red-tape that automakers must jump through, safety regulations, crash testing and on and on it goes. This isn’t just making some new iPhone, automobiles are incredibly difficult manufacture and distribute. Especially the legal part of it, just ask Volkswagen.
Apple has been hiring some of the best minds in the technology business, however, especially when it comes to battery development. But according to Lutz, this won’t help.
“First of all, Apple has no expertise in batteries. They don’t make batteries. The specialized electrochemical companies make batteries and Apple is going to buy batteries like everyone else. And when it comes to actually making cars, there is no reason to assume that Apple, with no experience, will suddenly do a better job than General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota or Hyundai. So I think this is going to be a gigantic money pit, but then it doesn’t matter. I mean Apple has an embarrassment of riches, they don’t know where to put the cash anymore. So if they burn 30 or 40 billion dollars in the car business, no one’s going to notice.”
Admittedly, there have been reports of Apple using a third-party company to build the car while Apple just supplies the software. This would make the most sense for Apple, especially if it can partner up with another large automaker, kind of like how Daimler owned some of Tesla for a little while and supplied much of the hardware for the Silicon Valley brand. Though Lutz feels like that won’t work either.
“Well yeah, they could. They could get Hyundai, Kia or a Chinese manufacturer to manufacture the cars for them and then they would put all of their software and interconnectivity in it afterwards, but I don’t see the advantage to that… But to say that [Apple] is going to do it with an electric car which is, from a cost standpoint, [that’s] the toughest way to go. And by the way, the electric car market is still miniscule. That just doesn’t make sense… If I were a board member of Apple, I’d ask some serious questions about this thing.”
Bob Lutz may be somewhat bombastic, this is true. But he’s not off-base here. The auto industry is enormously more difficult than the technology industry. Designing, manufacturing and distributing a successful automobile is damn near impossible in today’s market. Tesla is the only newcomer, out of many, to do it and it’s taken nearly a decade for it to become successful at it. Bob Lutz may make some outlandish comments from time to time, but he’s a man that’s helped run two of the most successful auto companies in the history of the industry and is a very smart man. His opinion should be respected whether it’s agreed with or not.[Source: BGR]


text:
CPhI North America, running concurrently with InformEx, is a new addition to the global series of CPhI events. The organizers highlighted the size of the North American market and its importance in driving the pharmaceutical innovation life cycle as the reasons for launching this new event. During his opening remarks, Rutger Oudejans, brand director, pharma EMEA at UBM, explained that the uncertainty in Washington, D.C., brought about by the new administration is an additional reason to pay attention to the U.S. market: Will there be incentives for manufacturers to bring manufacturing back to America? What will be the future of the Affordable Care Act?
Over the course of the three days, CPhI Connect and InformEx Connect conferences, with support from the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA), and the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), offered the attendees many hours of educational content on a diverse set of topics covering drug development, manufacturing, regulatory and outsourcing.
Positive outlook for the CDMO industry but companies need to be ready for challenges
Jim Miller, president of PharmSource Information Services, provided the audience with an overview of the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) industry performance. He explained that 2016 was a good year for the industry and that 2017 is off to a good start. Miller said several parts of the industry have been growing at double digit rates. Looking at results posted by public companies in the space, he pointed out that contract manufacturers focused on small molecule manufacturing grew at 19% while companies focused on manufacturing large molecules grew even faster, at 22%. Companies in the drug product manufacturing and clinical research sectors grew at high single digit rates.
According to the analysis carried out by PharmSource, small molecule API is outsourced about 50% of the time and that trend hasn’t changed considerably over the past few years. However, in large molecules, there has been a dramatic drop in outsourcing; while 10 years ago 50% of molecules were outsourced, this past year only 25% were outsourced.
Miller said that a new CMO market segmentation is starting to emerge along a different dimension. About 25 CMOs are innovation focused and are involved in supporting new molecular entity (NME) development and launches. The other 400+ CMOs are focused on capacity and largely work later in the product life cycle and with generics.
These innovation-focused CMOs are associated with a majority of approvals. In the injectables space, he called out by name companies like Vetter, Patheon, Baxter, Pfizer, HollisterStier. In the solid dose space, he mentioned Patheon and Catalent. All these companies have a strong track record with the U.S. FDA and excel at process design, formulation design, understanding of global regulatory processes and QA support. Miller said this handful of companies can capture enhanced profit margins. Meanwhile, the capacity-focused CMOs are likely to be strong in only a single region, work with less complex products, and often have tight profit margins, he said.
Opportunities and challenges when serving small and medium v. large enterprises
Miller pointed out that smaller companies are very dependent on CDMO services. He said the CMO industry has highly penetrated the small and mid-sized industry, however, so any incremental growth would come from the growth of the SME segment rather than from gaining a bigger share of that segment. Recently, the SME space has had access to a good stream of funding and that appears to be continuing, which is good news for the CDMO industry. Miller urged the audience to continue to pay attention to financing trends.
Opportunities remain for growth in the big pharma space, Miller said, but he warned CMO organizations to expect challenges when seeking to expand in that segment of the market.
For more from Jim Miller on the outlook for CDMOs, as well as additional CPhI session highlights from Kate Kuhrt, click here for the full conference report.
Attending DCAT Sharp Sourcing June 27 in New Brunswick? Don’t miss Kate Kuhrt’s presentation “API Market Outlook (Supply & Demand),” exploring the latest global market data and API demand supply trends for innovator and generic drugs for developed and emerging markets. Learn more.


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Sega has detailed its plans for Alien: Isolation’s DLC and season pass.
Alien: Isolation will feature a mode called “Survivor Mode,” which will have players participate in a one-on-one battle with the game’s Alien enemy. The game will ship with a “demo” of the mode that includes one map, while the first of five DLC packs will bring more content to the mode when it’s released on October 28th. Each sequential DLC pack will contain new maps, characters, and enemies. You can buy all the game’s DLC either separately or all together in the game’s season pass.
Creative Lead on Al Hope says that “[Survivor Mode] is the game in its purest form; it’s you against the creature and it’s against the clock. It was just fantastic watching players leave the demo with a strange mix of joy, terror and relief at simply surviving, before jumping back in and try to tackle it in a different way to beat their time!”
For an extended look at Survivor Mode, check out the behind-the-scenes video above.
Sega recently confirmed that Isolation has gone Gold, and will be released on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 on October 7th.


text: Destination Maternity storeSource: Destination MaternityDestination Maternity, a leading retailer of maternity wear, filed for bankruptcy Monday, buckling under the weight of an onerous debt load and struggling to compete with better capitalized competition. Destination Maternity has a market capitalization of nearly $5 million, according to FactSet. It has $260 million in total assets and $244 million in total debt according, to its bankruptcy filing. For fiscal 2018, it reported a net loss of $14.3 million on sales of $383.8 million according to its most recent annual report. The retailer, which employs a little over 1,100 full-time and 2,300 part-time employees, owned 458 U.S. stores as of February, according to regulatory filings. The company has 362 Motherhood Maternity Stores, 26 Pea in the Pod stores and 70 Destination Maternity stores. It operates additional stores globally and through franchise deals.Destination Maternity also runs maternity apparel departments in stores that include Macy’s and Bed Bath & Beyond’s buybuy Baby.Destination Maternity, which is working with advisors at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis and Berkeley Research Group, will try to find a buyer in bankruptcy, a person familiar told CNBC, which was first to report the coming bankruptcy filing. If it is unable, it will likely be forced to liquidate, the person said. As the retailer has dealt with deteriorating finances and a heavy debt load, it has been facing fortified competition from larger retailers that have the resources to invest in their online businesses. Nationwide, that competition includes Gap and its Old Navy brand, H&M, Target and Walmart.It also faces increased competition from internet brands, like Asos, Pink Blush, Zulily and Hatch. Subscription retailers like Le Tote and Rent the Runway have pushed into maternity-wear, taking advantage of their existing e-commerce infrastructure.Meantime, its prime demographic is diminishing. The U.S. birthrate dropped to a 32-year low in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That shift comes as millennials are having children later, or not at all. The drop has whacked companies from Huggies diaper-maker Kimberly-Clark to baby oil and bubble bath maker Johnson & Johnson.Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the company’s market value. It is nearly $5 million.


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Hyundai and Kia are also bringing some unique products as they build market share.
Hyundai’s first pickup, the Santa Cruz, is arriving at dealerships this month.
Kia is offering an all-wheel-drive, turbocharged K5 midsize sedan with a GT-Line premium package for the 2022 model year, showing its commitment to passenger cars.
The next few years, however, will see a burst of electric vehicles built on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform, starting with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in U.S. showrooms later this year.
Also part of Hyundai’s Ioniq EV subbrand will be the Ioniq 6 midsize sedan and Ioniq 7 three-row crossover that are coming by 2024.
Kia’s first vehicle on the E-GMP platform will come to the U.S. next year as the EV6 compact crossover. Kia will offer both a standard-range model at the low end and an extended-battery awd GT model with 576 hp at the high end. Kia is expected to match Hyundai with sedan and large crossover EVs by 2024.
Luxury brand Genesis is further behind on developing its U.S. lineup but has finally added two new hot-selling crossovers to what had been a three-sedan lineup. The GV80 arrived in November and the GV70 in the spring.
While Genesis hasn’t detailed any plans for hybrid models, it has shown plans for its own EVs. The first has been announced as a battery-electric version of its midsize sedan. The Electrified G80 will go on sale in the first half of 2022 alongside a compact crossover EV, the GV60.
The Genesis crossover will ride on the same dedicated EV platform as the Ioniq 5 and EV6 but will have more luxury features and Genesis “two lines” design touches.
All three brands globally are developing dozens of new EVs combined over the next decade, according to public plans announced by the group.


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- Jan12By PTI
Aiming to diversify globally, India-based leather goods manufacturer Hidesign is bullish on growing its presence in the US market and is seeking to capture the niche segment with its range
- Dec23By PTI
Senco Gold and Diamonds, one of the leading jewellery brands of the country, plans to open 30 new stores across the country and abroad by the end of 2017-18 fiscal.
The Indian textiles industry boasts of a rich handloom heritage. However amidst a host of global retail chains entering the Indian market — who can forget the massive
- Oct01By PTI
Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) plans to kick off its Indian operations with three stores, the first one of which will be opened in the national capital tomorrow.
- Jul31By Pamela Eyring
Stories abound about business meetings gone awry via Skype, today’s virtual connection with 300 million registered users logging on to make free or low-cost voice and video calls.
Over the last several years the fashion industry has seen some very dramatic changes from the evolution of the ecommerce world to social media, from the revival of handlooms and
Cotton as any connoisseur will tell you is not just a material. It’s a state of mind a statement of style a lightness of being
- Jun22By PTI
Khadi is attracting small upcoming fashion labels who are exploring possibilities to reinvent the intricate handspun fabric and keep it relevant in an industry driven by experimentation.
With chic silhoutes
- May21By Kurt Soller
Greg Chait has a theory about why people like cashmere. “When something is that soft and feels that amazing we just know that it’s good ” he says
What do Dr. Martens shoes Ray Ban aviators trench coats bomber jackets and Khakis have in common? An eternal love for military


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China manufacturing falls for fifth month
China's manufacturing sector contracted for a fifth month in December as the global recession dampened demand for its goods.
The CLSA China Purchasing Managers' Index stood at a seasonally adjusted 41.2, compared with a low of 40.9 in November, CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets said.
A reading below 50 reflects a contraction.
Eric Fishwick, head of economic research at CLSA in Singapore, said: 'Chinese manufacturing was very weak in December.
'With five back-to-back PMIs signalling contraction, the manufacturing sector, which accounts for 43% of the economy, is close to technical recession.'
China's growth is believed to have been 5.5% in the last quarter, the slowest in 15 years, Shanghai-based Industrial Bank said.
The central bank has cut interest rates five times in three months and the government has launched a four trillion yuan (£398bn) spending package.
Central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan has promised to continue a 'flexible' monetary policy.
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Conway The Machine and Alchemist —Shoot side Ways Feat. SchoolBoy Q
Griselda had a big 2019 and they crew is looking to keep the momentum this year as well.
Conway The Machine recently announced that he’s dropping a joint project with Alchemist called Lulu that will hit stores and streaming platforms on March 30. Today, the duo unveil the first single ‘Shoot Sideways’. This is a grimey beat which fits perfect for the Buffalo emcee. Q doesn’t rap on it but his chorus does add a lot to the record.
Download & Stream Shoot Side Ways By Con way The Machine Below:


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Jay Z & Dr. Dre Could Be Collaborating In The Biggest Way Yet
Over the last 17 years, Dr. Dre and Jay Z have come together multiple times. From Jay’s stellar verse writing on “Still D.R.E.” to Dre showering Hov’ with an Aftermath beat of a new variety in “Trouble,” some of the collaborations have been memorable. However, in the technology space, the two moguls may be coming together in a new, truly game-changing fashion.
The Wall Street Journal reports that presently Apple is in discussions with Tidal about a potential streaming platform buyout. Tech Crunch attributes the prospective merger to Tidal’s stronghold in artist exclusives. In 2016, Tidal solely retained the streaming rights to Beyonce’s visual album Lemonade, with multi-week exclusivity on Kanye West’s The Life Of Pablo. Tidal has also been exclusive streaming home to Prince’s music catalog, as well as specific content by Rihanna, Usher, and one of its principle owners, Jay Z.
Artists believed to maintain an ownership stake in Tidal include Beyonce, T.I., Kanye West, J. Cole, and Nicki Minaj, among others.
To their credit, Apple Music has struck competing partnerships with Drake, Chance The Rapper, and YG in 2016—maintaining varying windows of exclusivity. The company boasts 15 million subscribers. In March, Tidal crossed the 3 million threshold. A year to the month prior, Jay invested a reported $56 million (through his Project Panther, LLC) to acquire the then-Norwegian and Swedish-based Aspiro. In August of 2014, Apple purchased Beats By Dr. Dre (a/k/a Beats Electronics) for $3 billion. Balancing his music career and label, Dre has retained a post with Apple Music after the buyout.
If the deal were to happen, the venture would likely strongly combat streaming veteran Spotify, which currently boasts 30 million paid subscribers.
No financial figures have been disclosed from the confirmed discussions.


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Karlstad Market Conference 2022
On 16 and 17 November, the wood industry will once more be meeting in Karlstad, in a tradition that dates back over 50 years. Like the past few years, 2022 has been an exciting time for the industry on many fronts, so we are particularly looking forward to seeing everyone in person again in Karlstad. This year the main focus is on topical forestry issues and the market for sawn wood products. Swedish Wood is organising a seminar on November 17, no registration required. On November 16, our exhibition is open.


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In addition to the 600 stores planned to close in the U.S., Starbucks will close another 200 U.S. stores (and 100 international locations) by the end of the fiscal year. Nearly 7,000 employees, including some in Chicago, will likely lose their jobs.
The Seattle coffee giant declined to reveal which Chicago locations will be closed.
This isn't Starbucks' only effort to cut costs. Employees have also been instructed to stop brewing batches of decaffeinated drip coffee after noon. Instead, baristas will only brew decaf coffee if a customer requests it.
The change doesn't make much sense. It stands to reason that customers are more likely to request a shot of eye-opening caffeine in the morning and then order decaf in the afternoons and evenings.
If decaf is no longer on hand, anyone who requests it will have to wait extra time for a serving to be brewed. Will Starbucks' notoriously on-the-go customers have that kind of patience?


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As scheduled, Nintendo has shuttered the North American Club Nintendo, with its website now displaying a message to its members.
“Our heartfelt thanks to our members for your support over the years. Please stay tuned for more information on our new loyalty program,” the message reads.
All Coins were deleted when Club Nintendo accounts closed on July 1 and download codes redeemed from Club Nintendo will expire on July 31. Physical rewards will be shipped before the end of September.
Club Nintendo members in Europe, Australia and New Zealand have until September 30 to redeem Stars when the service terminates in those regions.
Nintendo announced in January that will begin a staggered phase out of its long-running customer loyalty program to prepare for a new membership scheme to launch later this year.
The new service will allow consumers to use the service across multiple devices, such as Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, the new NX console, smartphones and PCs, using one common ID. The program is part of Nintendo’s new undertaking to develop smartphone games starring Nintendo IP with DeNA
The company hopes the adoption of smartphones will spread Nintendo IP to new markets and act as a gateway to premium games on its dedicated game systems. The new service will be key to this transition in game consumption, serving as a bridge between smart devices and dedicated game systems.
Jenna Pitcher is a freelance journalist writing for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter.


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Time Warner to Release Superhero Character Copyrights to Original Creators
"We've decided to give our creators back their children," said a key Time Warner representative. "They've given us so much over the years -- so much of their energy, their creativity, and their passion, in some cases for paltry compensation on characters that have become incredibly lucrative franchises. We felt the very least we could do was give these artists ownership of their ideas." More on this after the jump.
The change will be effective immediately according to the statement. All current DC Comics orders will be placed on hold and reevaluated as new deals with creators are struck. DC comics already at distribution warehouses have been ordered pulped in preparation for the coming changes.
Pallets of comic books ready to be destroyed.
One retail giant, who asked not to be named, expressed both hope and worry regarding the monumental change. "Obviously, not having DC books on the stands will harm retailers for the near future," he said. "That's money we're not making, fans we're not creating. But on the other hand, I am happy for these writers and artists who were used and discarded after giving up a piece of themselves. It sounds like they're finally getting some kind of cosmic justice."
Surely, the move will impact retailers negatively at first, but DC has promised that the move will have much greater long-term benefits.
"Imagine a world where one or two men control the fate and direction of a universe full of unique characters," said another key Time Warner rep, pointing to himself and another key Time Warner rep. "Can the minds of two people really give you exciting, dynamic stories, week in, week out, for years at a time? After all, if one approach or character became a success, rather than trying out new ideas, their inclination would be to try and repeat that formula over and over with diminishing returns into they ran it into the ground!"
The comics industry has reacted swiftly and almost universally positively to the news.
"This is what Jack would've wanted," said Stan Lee, in reference to acclaimed comic creator Jack Kirby. "The ideas that he had, the vivid, realer-than-life characters he created weren't meant to be owned and used like simple commodities. These things breathed, and taught, and thrilled, and, and, and excited! To treat them like some kind of assets that could be accounted for on a balance sheet is ludicrous!"
Stan Lee, and a guy behind him
Time Warner also announced retroactive compensation to all creators for previous character use in the statement. Their accountants have apparently been working around the clock to determine what percentage of comic sales were due to various creators and then trying to place that value in the context of the time the comic was released. Retroactive comic rates would be subject to inflation, said the publishing giant.
Other sectors of the comics industry have greeted the news with a less than optimistic point of view. "It's just another form of slavery," said British author and frequent DC critic Alan Moore. "You think they suddenly woke up and felt charitable? This is calculated and comes directly from the top. It comes from those with no vision, the ones in the tower who push the numbers around. They believe that our ideas aren't worth anything on their own. It's the vehicles they place these ideas in that make them money. And those are the chains that they have decided will bind us."
Moore's fears may be true. In a release sent hours after the initial flurry of copyright bombshell, Time Warner announced creators will now have to pay to use their characters in comic book, films, and graphic novels. Not only that, but DC retained exclusive use rights to any characters that had been published under their umbrella in any medium. So, while the creators now own their ideas, they must pay DC Entertainment to actually use them in any popular media format.
This policy will also be implemented retroactively. The estate of Bob Kane, for example, received a bill the day of the press release that informed them they owed Time Warner, DC Entertainment's parent company, millions for the privilege of having Batman appear in a number of WB properties.
"I'm simply flabbergasted," said the Kane estate's lawyer. "This doesn't even seem real. I know of no precedent for a move like this, but Warner Bros. have put their entire legal wing behind this and I don't see any way this won't be an issue in the courtroom for decades to come."
DC's New York neighbor and rival, Marvel Comics, have expressed lukewarm praise for the move. "It's a good move, a smart move, and most definitely a desperate move," remarked a source close to Marvel CFO Joe Quesada. "DC's doing what it's always done – grasping for straws. I applaud the intent, but not the motivation."
Joe Quesada, possibly floating in the sky
Time will tell if DC Entertainment's bold move will help or hurt the company, but Time Warner execs believe it's the right move for the right reasons.
"We want to be stewards," said a Time Warner rep. "Here at Time Warner, we don't want to be puppeteers, guiding characters along on flimsy strings, having them say and do whatever we feel like would be most beneficial to us. It's our job to make writers and artists lives easier. And only with complete agency over their creations do we feel that true artistry will thrive."


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Fat Dragon Dungeon Expansion preview
Fat Dragon Games have posted a teaser preview of their upcoming Dungeon Expansion.
From their announcement:
On January 18th, Fat Dragon Games will release the next expansion set for our award winning E-Z DUNGEONS terrain set. This new expansion features all new props, walls, and for the first time in a dungeon product fully customizable texture art.


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In less than a year, the saga of Green Tire Bike Shop has come to an end. In March of last year we first paid a visit to the new shop in St. Paul to see what they had to offer. With a decent stock of almost entirely used bikes, a small repair area and a booming online business, things looked like they were going well.
But it didn’t take long before things started taking a turn. Green Tire’s main business was selling items on the web, but the way in which they went about it was strange. They were always close to or beating the lowest price listed anywhere on the internet, which is tough to do. On top of that they were offering free shipping and it was pretty easy to find an additional 10 percent off coupon. Combined, these seemed like the formula for a pretty bad business model and they were.
Back in October we started getting some comments on our review of Green Tire from some disgruntled customers. First, people were complaining that it was taking weeks and weeks to get their items shipped. By November the comments turned into complaints of being swindled, paying money but never receiving products or a response.
At the request of one of the out-of-town commenters we swung by the St. Paul shop to see if we could figure out what was happening, but the doors were locked, and the newspapers were piling up outside.
From the bankruptcy filing, Green Tire owed a lot of money ($75,996) to a lot of people,
- BAKER, GOVERN AND BAKER
- PAYPAL BUYER CREDIT
- RALEIGH AMERICA
- SEATTLE BIKE SUPPY
- THEODORE KVASNIK
- UNITED PARCEL SERVICE
- US BANK
- VISION PAYMENT SOLUTIONS
- YAHOO SMALL BUSINESS
But, from the looks of it, this is only a list of companies (and maybe a landlord) that have served Green Tire with a request for payment, what about the long list of individual who paid for products and never received them? Did they get a refund?
While we empathize with the former owners of Green Tire, businesses start and fail in this country every day. We believe that they acted in bad faith by leaving their website up and continuing to process orders and collect people’s money when they clearly had no intention of filling them. More than that, it is online business like this that are killing other local bike shops. Why would someone buy at a local shop when they can get parts from a business online who is able to offer prices so low that they put themselves into bankruptcy?
We hope that all those involved have been able to get refunds through their credit card companies or directly from Green Tire.


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MACAU, March 12- Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd and Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd look best placed to benefit from the next phase of Macau's development as the world's gambling capital adds eight more mega-casinos by 2017..» Read More
Rob Katz, Chairman & CEO of Vail Resorts, discusses his company's earnings miss and explains how he plans to profit in the second part of the skiing season.
The authors say we're now in the "Relationship Era" where brands and companies needs to cultivate values and connections.
A German travel agency is selling tickets for a flight to give 88 astronomy buffs a close-up view of one of two rare comets expected to pass Earth this year.
It's already home to some of the world's most expensive properties and considered one of the most costly places to live in. Now, this island state is also one of the priciest places to own a car.
New management has big changes in store for the casual dining chain, which touts family-style Italian food and has struggled with declining sales. Among Olive Garden's changes: smaller plates, cheaper items and lower-calorie meals.
Priceline.com will invest in Asia and Latin America to take advantage of growth opportunities, CEO Jeffery Boyd told CNBC on Wednesday.
Wine is the one thing California does right. CNBC's Jane Wells reports on new record numbers for wine exports.
Guangzhou Zoo entrance exam evaluates potential zookeepers on their grasp of Marxist thought, as well as more menial animal care chores. The Global Post reports.
NBC's Jay Gray reports Carnival will be reimbursing the passengers for their expenses of the cruise, and also $500; and Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Manhattan Institute senior fellow; and CNBC Contributors James Pethokoukis and Dan Greenhaus, weigh in.
Chocolate hearts for loved ones on Valentine's Day are so last year - at least in Japan where one Tokyo design firm offered up its 3D scanner to make miniature chocolate replicas of faces.
China's foulest fortnight for air pollution in memory has rekindled a tongue-in-cheek campaign by a multimillionaire with a streak of showmanship who is selling canned fresh air.
'Gangnam Style,' made famous by Korean pop star Psy, is now being used to market new cigarettes in Canada. The Global Post reports.
More and more baby boomers are taking life -- and death -- into their own hands, choosing to plan celebration of life parties with clear instructions of how they want to be honored, instead of leaving their families to plan a funeral.
Iran hostage drama "Argo" won the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, while Daniel Day-Lewis and Jennifer Lawrence took acting honors, as Hollywood celebrated its own and helped sharpen the race for Oscar glory in February.
Seoul is full of untapped customers eager to tie the knot with northern beauties. The GlobalPost reports.
There's an unexpected problem in New Delhi's high-end marriage market - there are too few "quality" men, as a growing pool of young women with unprecedented levels of education are seeking and making matches with educated men from higher socioeconomic groups. The New York Times reports.
Television now serves as home to programming as ambitious as anything Peter Jackson can put on the screen, with the budgets to prove it. What are some of the most expensive television productions of all time? Read ahead to find out.
Katherine Webb achieved Internet stardom in a roundabout way, but career coaches say the incident could propel the beauty queen to bigger things.
As if China and Japan didn't have enough to fight about, the two nations are now squabbling about which nation holds the record for the world's oldest person. The Global Post reports.
South Korean men spent a whopping $495.4 million on skincare products in 2011, as makeup and cosmetics become more culturally acceptable. The Global Post reports.
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Google Pixel 7 Pro to launch with newer Samsung display as Google Tensor 2 details surface
Details about Google's second-generation Tensor chipset have appeared online, months before the anticipated arrival of the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro. While Google has already revealed the Pixel 7 series, it has kept many details back for a broader announcement in the autumn. Subsequently, hands-on images of a Pixel 7 Pro prototype leaked, confirming a few details about the handset and its chipset.
Now, Telegram channel Google News claims to have dug into the boot logs of a bricked Pixel 7 Pro, potentially the one that leaked previously. Apparently, Google has equipped the Pixel 7 Pro with a Samsung S6E3HC4 display, up from the S6E3HC3 in the Pixel 6 Pro. It remains to be seen what hardware changes Samsung S6E3HC4 contains; the display retains the 3,120 x 1,440-pixel resolution on which the Pixel 6 Pro relies.
Additionally, the same logs suggest that the Google Tensor 2 (GS201) has the same core structure as its predecessor. Specifically, the second-generation SoC has ARM Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, rather the new Cortex-A510. Unfortunately, Google News has not been unable to confirm what other CPU cores feature in the Tensor 2's 4+2+2 arrangement. Purportedly, Google will rely on TSMC's 4 nm node though, mirroring the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. For some reason, the Pixel Watch will not launch with as advanced lithography, as we have discussed separately.


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BG signs deal with Chinese oil firm
ENERGY group BG has signed a deal with China's third-largest oil and gas producer for CNOOC to buy a bigger interest in Indonesia's Muturi natural gas field for US$98.1m (£54m).
The deal will raise CNOOC's interest in the Muturi production-sharing contract from 44% to 64.767%.
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351.8 million domain name registrations in the first quarter of 2019
16:49 | 31/05/2019 Information Technology
(VEN) - VeriSign, Inc., a global provider of domain name registry services and internet infrastructure, announced that the first quarter of 2019 closed with 351.8 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs), an increase of 3.1 million domain name registrations, or 0.9 percent, compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. Domain name registrations have grown by 18.0 million, or 5.4 percent, year over year.
HCM City learns from Netherlands’ innovative technologies
10:09 | 24/05/2019 Science - Technology
Ho Chi Minh City wishes to learn from the Dutch city of Eindhoven’s experience in smart city development and cooperation models between the state and businesses, schools, and research institutes, especially in smart city building and operation, an official from HCM City said on May 21, as part of his visit to the Netherlands.


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Lemsip shortage STILL rampant across UK as pharmacies tell cold and flu victims 'just go home and take paracetamol'
Published: 04/02/2023- 18:19
Shortages of cough and cold medicines have been causing despair for pharmacists across Britain as patients are told to go home and take simple remedies such as paracetamol.
Pharmacy leaders have said a “lack of planning” from the Government is to blame for the short supply of stock.
Over the past six weeks, pharmacies have reported shortages as desperate Brits scrambled to find cold and flu supplies amid a surge of seasonal illnesses.
The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies accused the Government of “being in denial” over problems with the supply chain.
Patients are being told to take paracetamol to treat coughs and cold
Last month a warning was issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) that flu and Covid-19 will circulate at “high levels” over the winter period.
Connor Missenden, a dispensary lead at Aqua Pharmacy in Ipswich said it was proving "impossible" to find cold and flu medicine, particularly Day and Night Nurse which has been missing for months.
"We've got plenty of the standard decongestant tablets, but apart from that we're just asking people to stay hydrated and take paracetamol,” he told the East Anglian Daily Times.
One GP expert suggested that coughs that last a long time this winter may be the result of people picking up one infection after another.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said doctors have noticed that the current round of respiratory infections seems to be lasting longer than usual.
Chief executive Leyla Hannbeck said: “Pharmacists are struggling to obtain the very basic, most common cold and flu medicine.
“This isn’t just the branded medicines, it is also simple things like throat lozenges, cough mixtures or pain killers – particularly the ones that are soluble.
Brits seem to be suffering from respiratory infections for longer than usual
“The demand has been high because this season we’ve seen higher cases of colds and flu and people are obviously trying very hard to look after themselves and making sure that they use the relevant products to manage the symptoms.
“And that has led to a shortage of these products in terms of us not being able to obtain them.”
Customers who cannot find their preferred brand are urged to try alternative products or to speak to pharmacists.


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July 22, 2009 – The global breadth suppliers of photovoltaic cells and panels continued to ploy out in 2008, as several competitors across the globe continue to push past Japan’s major suppliers who once held the lion’s share of the market, according to data from IC Insights.
Sharp, the No. 1 PV device supplier for years, was overtaken in 2007 by both Q-Cells and Suntech Power Holdings. In 2008 it was US-based First Solar who “blew past both Sharp and Suntech” with its cadmium telluride (CdTe)-based thin-film panels — its sales more than doubled (144%) launching it to the No. 2 position, the firm notes in a new report, “Solar Energy: Growth Opportunities for the Semiconductor Industry”.
Top 10 photovoltaic device suppliers in 2008, cell and thin-film panels. (Source: IC Insights, company reports)
CLICK HERE to view larger image
Other notable climbers in the list came from China (JA Solar +109% sales growth, and Yingli Green Energy +93% growth) and Taiwan (Motech 67% growth, Gintech 144% growth). JA Solar and Gintech are solely involved in solar cell production, following the business model of Q-Cells which is diversifying beyond pure-play PV cell manufacturing, the report notes. Other suppliers in the top 10 ranks are involved in everything from panel manufacturing to system installations and other aspects of the solar value chain.
Solar World, No. 10 on the list, is a German company that actually is the biggest PV cell manufacturer in the US, after expanding operations in Hillsboro, OR. And SunPower, a US-based cell manufacturer who makes cells out of the Philippines, barely missed the top 10 list in 2008.
Don’t count Sharp out just yet, though. The IC Insights report, penned by Jeremy Young, notes that Sharp has “extremely ambitious plans” to expand its capacity for silicon-based thin-film panels, and “could quickly make up for lost ground.”
The rankings are based on the peak-MW value of the PV devices produced and sold by each supplier, including PV cells and also panels (for thin-film vendors) — but not cell-based panels, in order to avoid double-counting, the firm notes.


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The Wednesday Farmer’s Markets in Zanesville are starting up again.
Vendors from Muskingum and surrounding counties will pack the parking lot of the Welcome Center in downtown Zanesville every Wednesday from now until mid October. Vendors will be selling a variety of items including produce, baked goods, foods, and flowers.
"It’s a chance for us to get the people out of their cars in downtown Zanesville as we’re standing here with fifth street behind me, a lot of cars drive through downtown but what we need to do is get them to stop in downtown and get out of their cars," said Welcome Center’s Dana Matz.
Matz says the farmers market is a great way of supporting the southeast Ohio economy.
"So there’s a comradery. They get to know the grower, the growers gets to know the consumer, and you don’t get that when you go to the grocery store," said Matz.
The farmers market will run from 4:00-6:30 every Wednesday. The market is still looking to add a few specialty vendors such as honey, salsa, jams and jelly producers. For more information, you can call the Zanesville-Muskingum County Chamber of Commerce at 740-455-8282


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Insiders are holding cautious but positive attitudes toward the peak summer tourism market as the central government takes more precise COVID-19 prevention measures to help the industry recover.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism released a notice on Thursday resuming travel agencies' operation of tourist trains, which are designed to stop at stations near tourist attractions. The service was suspended due to epidemic controls in October 2021.
Figures from travel agencies showed a good start to the summer season the previous week after the nation's schools began their vacations earlier this month.
Qunar, an online travel agency, said that over the weekend, sales of flights rose by 26% from the previous weekend. Sales of train tickets also showed a good performance, growing by 50% over the three days.
Figures given by Tuniu, another online travel agency, also imply a good start to the summer. It said that bookings on its platform for family trips rose 51% this week, with half of the reservations for cross-provincial trips.
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With the Internet and the rise of “fast fashion” brands, it has become easier and cheaper than ever before for consumers to buy new clothes and accessories based on the latest fashion trends. But in the highly competitive world of fashion, many people – particularly young consumers in countries like South Korea – are turning to “thrifting”, or shopping at thrift stores, to find affordable clothing and accessories that fully express their individuality.
The rise in thrifting’s popularity among the young may seem like just another fad, as many consumers continue to seek out popular brands and stereotypes of used clothes being undesirable persist. Many entrepreneurs, however, believe that thrifting is here to stay and has several underappreciated benefits. For example, in a 2019 article, the World Bank warned of the environmental impact of constantly manufacturing new clothes, citing statistics from the United Nations Environmental Program and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation that “the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.” Since thrift stores sell items donated by people who no longer need them, their carbon footprint is much smaller if not non-existent.
|[The inside of a thrift store in Seoul, Korea. Photo by Katherine Lee]|
But thrifting is not only about being socially conscientious – it is also about fun and making one’s own fashion statement, especially for teenagers. In a survey I conducted among 20 high school students in Korea and Hong Kong, all 20 respondents said they have previously visited a thrift store or bought second-hand clothing, with “unique style” being the most significant factor (chosen by 17 respondents) and “affordable prices” and “environmentally friendly” the second and third most significant factors. Based on these outcomes, I decided to see for myself what makes thrifting so appealing to young fashionistas.
|[Screenshot of survey conducted through Google Forms, Photo by Katherine Lee]|
To get a better sense of how the thrifting industry is growing in Korea, I visited Million Archive, a popular independent thrift store located in Seongsu-dong with a large social media presence among thrifters. “Our vintage shop sells clothes with the focus of matching them with different concepts, which we change every two to three months,” Jung Eun-sol, the manager of the store, said. “Our store caters to a younger audience in Seoul, with people in their late twenties making up our biggest customer group.” Jung, who was a graphic design student before starting Million Archive, noted that “younger customers like to visit our thrift store for the fun experience we provide, as well as a welcoming environment to experiment with unique fashion styles,” and credited much of her store’s success to its artistic touches.
|[Interview with Jung Eun-sol, head of Million Archive. Photo by Katherine Lee]|
When asked about the recent surge in popularity of thrifting with a younger audience, Jung replied that many customers, particularly younger thrifters who may seem inexperienced, actually come to her store well-informed, including where vintage items come from and efficient ways to thrift to their tastes. “While the assumption that second-hand vintage clothing is ‘old’ or unfashionable still exists, young thrifters push that suspicion aside and really invest themselves in the items that they thrift,” Jung observed. She has no doubt that teenagers and young adults will further open themselves up to purchasing second hand vintage clothing.
If Korea, as both fashion consumers and purveyors (like Million Archive) grow more sophisticated and diversified, thrifting will hopefully further reveal its various benefits to shoppers and thrive as a sustainable form of fashion. By appealing to younger consumers not only through their keen sense of individuality but also a strong environmental and social consciousness, thrifting is poised to become one of the rarest hits – something that is both cool and wholesome.
Seoul International School
Katherine Lee firstname.lastname@example.org
<Copyright © The Herald Insight, All rights reseverd.>


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- BharatPe cofounder
Ashneer Groverhas launched CrickPe, a fantasy sports activitiesapp.
- CrickPe focuses on cricket and has been launched forward of the Indian Premier League.
- Grover has stated that crickets can even obtain part of the quantity within the pot.
BharatPe cofounder Ashneer Grover has introduced a brand new app, CrickPe, a fantasy sports activities app, beneath his new enterprise Third Unicorn Pvt Ltd. This comes simply forward of the Indian Premier League, which is scheduled to start on March 31.
With the launch of CrickPe, Grover has entered the fantasy sports activities enviornment, which is dominated by the likes of Dream11, My11Circle, Cellular Premier League (MPL), and others.
Grover has claimed that CrickPe is the most important revolution in cricket since IPL. “Largest revolution in Cricket since
CRICKPE ! Largest revolution in Cricket since IPL – solely fantasy sport paying cricketers for efficiency ! The place… https://t.co/zLUWMvmCqN
— Ashneer Grover (@Ashneer_Grover) 1679584568000
10% of pot to go to cricketers
As talked about within the tweet, CrickPe will present part of the overall pot, which is the overall quantity added by all of the contestants to precise cricketers taking part in within the IPL.
In a Linkedin put up, Grover clarified the quantity distribution mannequin. On this put up, he claimed that 80% of the pot would go to the winners, 10% to the cricketers, and 10% to CrickPe.
For the time being, it’s recognized how the corporate plans on paying the cricketers and whether or not the Board of Management has authorized this for Cricket in India (BCCI), the nationwide governing physique for cricket within the nation.
Who can play on the CrickPe app?
The CrickPe app is on the market for individuals above the age of 18 years. Customers could have the choice to take part in free video games or pay cash to play in paid contests. Paid contests will provide giant money prizes and different items, corresponding to vehicles and different merchandise.
Ship rewards of as much as ₹1 lakh to cricketers
CrickPe will reportedly additionally enable customers to ship rewards of as much as ₹1 lakh in a monetary 12 months to cricketers, who can both settle for or decline the reward.
You’ll quickly lose your legacy blue tick on Twitter – right here’s all the things it’s good to know
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IPL 2023: Jio introduces new cricket plans offering 3GB information per day


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PayPal Holdings (PYPL 0.79%) and American Express (AXP 2.62%) have both done very well in 2019, but trouble may be on the horizon if the economy starts to slow. Once consumer spending starts to stumble, it could lead to a big correction for these two stocks. Let's take a closer look at these companies to see which one is in better shape to weather a possible recession.
Aggressive growth has helped make PayPal a top performer
PayPal Holdings has evolved over the years from the preferred payment source in the eBay marketplace to a much more widely used platform. Today, PayPal is employed regularly by users of apps like Uber and Spotify, in addition to many other businesses. The payment processor has become a go-to option for many when it comes to digital payments.
With names like Venmo, Bill Me Later, and Hyperwallet, PayPal has been busy with acquisitions over the years that have helped its revenues soar from $9.2 billion in 2015 to $15.5 billion in 2018, an increase of more than 67%. That's been good enough to put PayPal solidly on the Fortune 500 list, almost within the top 200.
PayPal has just come off another strong quarter in which its profits beat expectations and sales were up 19% year over year, to $4.38 billion for the period. The total dollar amount that was processed on its platform reached $178.67 billion, good enough to come in above expectations and arrive at a 25% increase from the prior year. And PayPal has recently secured a license to provide online payment services in China, which could unlock another great growth opportunity.
Over the trailing 12 months, PayPal has accumulated $3.7 billion in free cash flow, which will give it plenty of options should it continue to look for new acquisitions and ways to grow its business. Year-to-date, the stock has risen about 20%, but at a price-to-earnings ratio of nearly 50, investors are paying a big premium to purchase the stock today.
Questions about Amex's growth could make the stock riskier
American Express has benefited from strong consumer buying habits, and it is coming off a strong quarter of its own. But some headwinds have dampened investors' outlook for the payment processor. Not only is there a danger that consumer spending -- which was pivotal in the company's most recent earnings -- could be on the way down, but corporations are looking to trim their budgets too.
Amex's growth has been much more modest than PayPal's over the years; its top line in 2015 was $24.8 billion and in 2018 reached $28.9 billion, an increase of just 16% over the course of three years. And with potentially tougher economic times ahead, growing revenue might not come any easier. For now, though, the company remains optimistic and is still projecting fourth-quarter revenue growth of between 8% and 10%.
Without the same excitement surrounding Amex's growth, investors have been paying more modest multiples for the company, and the stock is currently valued at a price-to-earnings ratio of around 15. Financially, Amex is still in terrific shape, as its free cash flow over the past 12 months has reached more than $7.5 billion.
Why the edge goes to PayPal
PayPal might be the more expensive stock of the two to own today, but for good reason. With a variety of different apps and businesses using its service, the company offers a lot of diversification, so it isn't overly exposed to one segment of the market. And with its healthy free cash flow, investors won't have to worry that the company is going to run into trouble if the economy tightens up.
Both stocks are good investments today, and both have very strong financials. However, the difference comes down to growth, where there's no denying that PayPal has much more potential.


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2XL to open 60,000-pallet warehouse in Dourges
New warehouse and distribution center
Belgium’s 2XL is opening its fourth warehouse at the Delta 3 multimodal platform in Dourges. With maximum capacity of 60,000 pallets, the unit will handle storage, order preparation and transport for 2XL customers, creating 60 jobs.
The region is #3 in France for logistics and transport, with some 60,000 jobs in the industry. And for 2XL, its excellent infrastructure and location were unbeatable arguments:
- Ideally positioned between the United Kingdom and the Benelux
- Rail and waterway connections bringing markets in Northern Europe and southern France closer
- Multimodal solutions: the 300-hectare Delta 3 site features 330,000 sq m of cutting-edge warehouse facilities
- Major companies already operate in Northern France, offering scope for new synergies
2XL is a family-owned international transport and logistics business specializing in consumer goods. Its mission: striving constantly to find innovative, cost-effective supply chain solutions that improve the environment. Founded in Belgium in 1999, it is now part of the EMVI group, which has 400 employees in all. By 2020, 2XL plans to expand the scope of its logistics chain to cover everything from packaging and labeling to distribution—all within a single logistics chain.


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Volkswagen is ready to deploy the resources of the world’s largest carmaker to turbo-charge its drive into autonomous vehicles with a linkup to Silicon Valley’s hottest mobility startup. Eager to put the damage from the Dieselgate emissions scandal behind it, VW Thursday announced a new partnership with Aurora Innovation to put self-driving cars on the road by 2021, reported Handelsblatt (Germany).
“We want to get into the passing lane of autonomous driving with Aurora,” Johann Jungwirth, VW’s chief digital officer, told Handelsblatt. “When we bring our autonomous vehicles into the first cities in 2021, we will be profitable from day one.”
By joining forces with the Palo Alto, California startup founded by the former autonomous vehicle gurus at Google and Tesla, Wolfsburg-based VW hopes to catch up with Alphabet’s Google, which has already test-driven millions of miles in developing its self-driving cars.
Barely a year old, Aurora was founded by former Google roboticist Chris Urmson, former Tesla roboticist Sterling Anderson, and Drew Bagnell, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. The startup has fewer than a hundred employees but has created a lot of buzz because of the pedigrees of its founders. “We believe that our cooperation with automakers like Volkswagen helps us to go to market most quickly,” Mr. Anderson said. Aurora also announced a partnership with South Korean automaker Hyundai.
Volkswagen's fate waivered after being majorly penalized by the United States federal government this past year. Findings of diesel emission cheats drove the company's social status into the dirt, and with brand executives being locked up seemingly every other week, it would appear as if the German automaker would struggle to come out ahead. However, just two years after investigations began, VW has reported its largest manufacturing numbers yet, reported The Drive (US).
According to a statement from Thomas Ulbrich, Volkswagen’s head of production and logistics, the marque is expected to end 2017 by surpassing six million vehicles built. This is more than ever before in the company's history, proving well for the auto giant amidst continuous woes caused by the Dieselgate scandal.
“More than six million vehicles produced in 12 months—there is one thing that this shows above all: our plants and employees are continually improving their production competence," Ulbrich said. "We have top teams in production which successfully master growing demand from customers."
VW's most popular models, the Jetta, Golf, and Passat, helped it to break this milestone over the last calendar year. 108,575 Jettas were sold in the United States alone in 2017 as well as 64,449 Golfs, complimenting a respective 57,707 Passats moved.
Introductions of new models including the Atlas, Arteon, and T-Roc helped bolster production numbers both domestically and internationally for the corporation. Anticipated expansion tells that these figures could continue to rise, especially given the influx of SUV/crossover purchases in America and beyond.
According to company officials, Volkswagen has built over 150 million cars in its 72-year tenure. It currently manufacturers models in 50 factories across 14 countries, putting it on par with Toyota as a consistent winner of world's largest automaker.
show source https://global.handelsblatt.com/mobility/wolfsburgs-new-sister-city-palo-alto-871461 http://www.thedrive.com/news/17273/volkswagen-soon-slated-to-build-its-six-millionth-car-of-2017


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Global coffee chain creates 20 new jobs in Leeds retail complex
An international coffee chain has become the latest brand to join a central Leeds shopping centre.
American coffee giant Starbucks has officially opened its doors at The Merrion Centre in Leeds Arena Quarter.
The new coffee house has space for approximately 125 customers and will create around 20 new barista jobs.
Magda Kubiak, store manager at Starbucks Merrion Centre, commented: ’We are really excited to open our first store at The Merrion Centre in Leeds.
“We look forward to welcoming in local residents and shoppers to sample our delicious food and drink menu including our 99 per cent ethically sourced coffee.”
Helen Green, director at Town Centre Securities (owners of the Merrion Centre), added: “We are thrilled to officially welcome Starbucks to the Merrion Centre who join our growing number of eateries and casual dining spots developing the Arena Quarter as both a key retail and leisure destination in the heart of Leeds.
“Starbucks is a brand which has a strong presence across the globe. It is now open on Merrion Way, near the First Direct Arena, where there are thousands of new residential units under construction.
“Starbucks will be perfectly positioned to give concert goers, shoppers, residents, local workers and students their daily caffeine fix!”
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Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) recently partnered with digital money transfer service WorldRemit, enabling WorldRemit users to send money straight to their loved ones’ BPI bank accounts in minutes, effectively expanding the remittance options for the millions of Filipinos living and working abroad.
“Our focus is to make the experience of our overseas Filipino remitters simpler and easier by providing innovative solutions. The partnership with WorldRemit allows us to continue expanding our international funds transfer service offerings to better serve Filipinos around the world,” said Melinda Dulay, Head of BPI Inward Remittance.
BPI has been a long-time champion of financial inclusion, having pioneered much of the innovations that allow more Filipinos to have increased access to banking services. Its extensive branch network has more than 800 branches and over 2,000 ATMs in the Philippines. BPI also has overseas presence in major countries such as Hong Kong, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, WorldRemit users send almost 700,000 transfers every month to over 140 destinations globally. Since starting its operations in the country in September 2011, WorldRemit customers have completed 4.5 million money transfers to the Philippines–making it the largest receive market for the company globally.
“The Philippines is our largest remittance recipient market globally, and our partnership with BPI demonstrates our commitment to furthering the service we offer to members of the Filipino diaspora,” shared Ismail Ahmed, CEO and Founder of WorldRemit.
“Filipinos abroad will now be able to make secure, instant money transfers using their phones or personal computers directly to loved ones back home. This service supports the transition from costly offline remittances sent from brick-and-mortar agents to safer, faster, and lower cost online transfer methods,” he added.


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Niles fence-maker sticks around
NILES Friday Mar 1 2013 Randy Jaacks stands by the sample fences outside of Bob Jaacks Rustic Wood Fences & Decks, has been in business in his family for over 45 years, selling wooden fences and decks. | Michelle LaVigne~Sun-Times Media
Updated: May 6, 2013 2:10AM
In second grade, Randy Jaacks starting working with his dad at his small shop where he learned all of the hard work that it took to make fences.
That shop, Bob Jaacks Rustic Wood Fencing and Decks, has been serving customers since 1960 at 9116 Milwaukee Ave. in Niles.
The store features wood fencing made out of high-quality western red cedar, explained Randy Jaacks, who now runs the store.
“We carry nothing but the best,” said Jaacks, who explained that the wood comes from British Columbia.
“We have different styles and we also custom-build,” said Jaacks.
In addition to wood fences, the company also provides vinyl, aluminum and iron fences.
“Our strongpoint is our design and formulating a nice plan for a backyard,” said Jaacks.
Most of the fences the company installs are on residential properties, but they do some commercial work as well.
“We try to provide the best service we possibly can,” said Jaacks.
The company started out in 1960 as a hands-on family business with a few employees and it has grown into a company that has 30 employees.
“We all worked back there and built fences and we grew from there,” said Jaacks.
Since 1980, the company has also been installing decks and they have continued to be very popular among its customers.
“We’re one of the bigger deck guys in the Chicago area,” said Jaacks.
A true family business, his wife Gina and sister Jeri also work at the shop. Randy Jaacks’ father Bob, who started the business, passed away five years ago.
Customer service is one of the qualities that makes the business a success, explained Jaacks.
When customers visit the store’s yard display, employees show the customers many sizes, styles and colors of custom products they offer.
In addition to fences and decks, the company also has western red cedar gazebos in various designs and styles. The company can also build western red cedar screen rooms, which provide an outdoor living space, while providing protection from bugs or the weather.
The unique store also provides wooden garden arbors that enhance the landscaping of a backyard and cedar sheds that are very durable.
Jaacks said some jobs take one day, while others may take a few days. He said that their employees are very knowledgeable and helpful in order to meet the needs of their customers.


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As I've blogged before, just because I'm a professional Microsoft watcher by day, I am not required to use only Microsoft products. In fact, I use a number of non-Microsoft ones. My rule of thumb is use the best tool for the job.
A couple of months ago, I switched my default search engine in my Chrome browser to Bing. There have been a few times I've been dissatisified with the results of a query, but mostly I've found Bing search on my PC to be solid. (Bing local results on my Windows Phone are another not-so-good story, however.)
On May 2, I was pleasantly surprised to see a redesigned Bing results page pop up when I did my first search of the day. (click on the image above to see the latest look.)
Is the redesign an example of a design that's more Metro-fied (but not Metro-Style, which means something uses the WinRT programming interfaces -- just to keep things confusing interesting)? Maybe. Microsoft's definition of Metro is rather fluid (but not fast and fluid -- again, that's something else entirely).
Some claim that Microsoft's redesign makes Bing look more like Google. Others say the redesign makes Bing's results look less like Google's. As TechCrunch noted in a post about the new look from earlier today, there have been other Bing design tweaks, including making social (i.e. Facebook integration) more subtle; and the replacement of the tabbed header with a new and cleaner set of links.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Michael Gillet noted that the Bing redesign has resulted in the disappearance of some features, like hover-over previews. In addition, from what some of my other Twitter pals are saying, it sounds like the new design is -- at least for now -- a U.S. only thing. I've asked Microsoft when it plans to roll out this new look and feel to other geographies.
In a May 2 post on the Bing Community blog, the Bing team said there are other changes beyond the UI. The new Bing results page should also bring faster load times and increased relevance, the team said.
Update: Here are a couple of answers from a Bing spokesperson about questions around this latest UI overhaul:
When will those outside the U.S. see the redesigned Bing results page? Today’s launch is US only. At this time, we have no additional plans to share.
Has Microsoft scrapped its plans to do an HTML5 version of the Bing UI? We’re always looking at how technology can benefit the search experience – HTML5 can offer some interesting opportunities that can scale across platforms and browsers without plugins but we’re cautious about doing things simply because we can.
I'm a fan of less clutter. I like the latest design. You?